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Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club / Group Event

   RIDEWITHGPS    Strava          Route Peet’s Start to Mountain WInery

It’s supposed to be beastly hot this weekend, however the actual hourly temps don’t look that bad.

All the same, it seems a good day to delve into the forested glades of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  That’s the advantage, btw, of having a vast selection of routes, and picking them when the weather’s known.  Rigid ride schedules aren’t for us, but having the F-Word: flexibility.

This is a great route that’s the clockwise variation of a common route. This features the exhilarating rollicking, rolling descent from Castle Rock to Bear Creek. Just remember to stay well to the right on the blind single lane corners. If a car comes around here  and you’re in the middle of the road, that’d be bad.

The section of Skyline between Black Road and Bear Creek is freshly repaved and is perfect.

This ride was done before in January 2015, and took 3:45 min moving time, maybe 4:15 total time. Figure back by 13:30 PM if all goes well.

The regroups are obvious at Mt Winery, the top of Highway 9, Skyline/Bear Creek, and in Boulder Creek.  There’s only water/privy at Boulder Creek.  As Bear Creek makes a T on Highway 9, take a left into town to Boulder Creek American Gas. Returning on Highway 9 at Skyline, there ought to be slower and faster element regroups.

Where there’s big climbing there’ll be bigger separation. This will be evident at Highway 9 and Skyline.  If there’s a faster and slower group, the faster group should take off after waiting a decent interval. The second group can form their own element and make their own way. That’ll be a better ride for both groups.

Shorter Alternative (38 miles, 4400 ft climbing), descend OSC to Lexington:

Mt Winery, Hwy 9, Skyline, Old Santa Cruz, LGCT

When: 8:30 AM

Where:  Two start locations, one ride.

• Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company, 101 W Main Street, Los Gatos

• Peet’s Coffee & Tea 22350 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014

Here’s the view featuring Mt. Winery rendezvous.

Segments