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A Short Ride in the Rain
It was the last day of another three-day weekend and while I had been working on the bike, I hadn't so much as riden to the store on it. Northern California was being hit with a fairly steady and aggressive weather system that called for rain, wind and the more rain, a pattern that had persisted for the last three days. Feeling frustrated for not being "able" to ride and chiding myself since I rode relentlessly in the rain in Seattle for over a dozen years, I decided to go anyway.
February 16, 2009
Total Miles: less than 100 miles
Mountain View, CA and the Santa Cruz Mountains
Tickets: 0
Mishaps: 0
Puckers: 0		 NOTE: Dan bought me a SPOT as an early birthday present and today I figured that I'd play with it some more. I didn't get the tracking feature and relied on myself remembering to push the "I'm ok" button once in a while, sending a message to Dan's email with my coordinates at the time of button-pushing. Today, Dan gathered up the coordinates and plugged them into GPSvisualizer.com and created this map. It seemed to have worked pretty well if you just want to let someone know where you are. I'd have to get the tracking feature (or be a lot more diligent about pushing the button myself) if I wanted to create any sort of detailed track.

On a clear, dry and even warm day, a ride up to Alice's will yield some amazing roads and scenery, as well as a plethora of other motorcycles. Today was not clear, nor dry and not even vaguely warm so I only got two out of the three. I started by heading south on 85 to Saratoga where I wound my way through the historic villiage. It really is quaint looking and some day I should stop and check it out. But not today. Instead, I rolled on through and started up the Santa Cruz mountains on Hwy 9. Here I saw my first and only bike on the road, a small Suzuki dual sport of some type. The rider seemed as surprised to see me as I was him and we both waved belatedly.

The road follows a stream as it courses down from the mountains and it was rough and muddy, having gathered quite a bit of debris along the way. An artificial falls that I had never noticed before (which could have been due to the more interesting road under drier conditions) caught my attention and I stopped to try and photograph it. That's when it went from a light mist to a steady drizzle, and I could see the wind pushing the rain at a slight angle. That's also when I realized that my heated grips had blown the fuse and I would be stuck with cold hands for this trip.

Interesting sights at Alice's on a clearer, drier day
Stopped along Hwy 9
Man-made falls
A swollen river

I reached the intersection of Hwy 9 & Hwy 35 (Skyline Drive) where I toyed with the idea of running down Alpine Rd and out to the coast. But my chilled hands were suggesting that a hot chocolate at Alice's would be better appreciated. Another disability for the ride was my visor: it tends to fog up easily and when I crack it open to clear the fog, I get rain drops on both sides, making for some sketchy visibility. Alice's sounded like a winner.
Intersection of 35 & 9
Alpine Rd, heading towards the ocean
The view to the west from Skyline
I could barely make out the ocean from this stop
A break in the clouds over San Francisco Bay
A touch of personalization for the bike
Taking in the views along Skyline Drive
At Alice's I was surprised to see so many cars and trucks. I didn't expect (nor see) any motorcycles, but why the crowd today? Then I saw four motorcycle police bikes (they don't count, do they?) and realized that I was seeing the leftovers from the Amgen Tour of California race. That makes sense. I parked my bike among the behemoths and made my way inside. I found a warm empty table in the corner and ordered a hot chocolate from the counter. The guy who made it (I get the impression that he's the owner, but probably not Alice) was very generous with the homemade whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top. I almost went back for seconds. Instead, I sat under a heater and watched the rain pour down outside. Which way to go? Like I said, I had intended to go to the ocean, but with cold hands and a bad visor, I didn't feel quite up to it. I decided to follow 35 for a little longer and then cut down through Kings Canyon and home via the back roads.
Alice's Restaurant
One of these things is not like the others

The road was surprsingly clear of debris. I had assumed that with the wind and rain that there would be a lot more pine needles and branches on the pavement. Instead, I followed the raindrops as they danced on the surface before me. It was only a few miles before the Kings Canyon turnoff and then the road became narrow and twisty. I lolly-gagged my way down, letting a couple of cars pass me. I was enjoying the scenery and vibrant colors. Plus, it had stopped raining for the moment and I could lift my visor and actually see what was around me.

Eventually Kings Canyon dumped me out near Woodside and then I kept to the back roads, following Portola Valley Rd to Arastodero and then home. Of course the sun was trying to come out the entire way home and I slightly rued not continuing west. But as I sit here typing this up the clouds have moved in once again and it is growing dark with the impending rain. I'll save the ocean for a slightly better day. Or at least day with heated grips.
A stream far below the road
Falls along the stream
Kings Canyon Rd
It stopped raining for a little bit
Because you can't have too much of a good thing
One more for the road (pun intended)