Ray Hosler's Blog, page 32

It’s never foggy in Pacifica

Jim Sullivan shows the way as we stop to admire San Pedro Point and Hwy 1. Faithful Tanga looks on.

That was my conclusion Wednesday as I visited the coastal community in San Mateo County, only a 20-minute drive from San Francisco.

On my ride with Jim Sullivan, the patron saint of multi-use trails in the nearby San Mateo County open space, we were drenched in sunshine and warm temperatures.

Jim has been maintaining trails here for more than eight years and in that time he and friends have accomplished a lot, all through volunteer efforts.

I hadn’t ridden in this area for more than 30 years and had only a hazy recollection of how I managed to make it to the Portola site on Sweeney Ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. In November 1769 Captain Gaspar de Portola and his expedition discovered the bay from the hilltop. Earlier naval excursions missed the Golden Gate, which is usually shrouded in fog.

Devils Slide

But today our route took us in the opposite direction to the now famous Hwy 1 Devils Slide where a 4,200-foot-long vehicle tunnel opened in 2013 after eight years of digging. The notorious old stretch of road recently opened as a recreation path.

After winding through Pacifica and taking a dirt road uphill, we made our way to the north parking area of the Devils Slide road/trail, then through an open gate onto the original coast highway, called Colma-Half Moon Bay, built in 1879. Bring your mountain bike.

We didn’t stay on the old road for long, opting instead to climb higher onto Pedro Mountain and follow the ridge east before descending the old Highway 57, otherwise known as Old Pedro Mountain Road to today’s trail users. This paved road opened in 1931 and it’s still in pretty good shape, considering its age.

Jim showed me the old Colma alignment from a vantage point near the 1,000-foot summit. “We brushed back the existing trail making sure we stayed on the 100-plus-year-old alignment,” Jim said as he pointed to a barely noticeable cut in the hillside. “It’s a fun ride.” Fun that is if you’re an intermediate to advanced mountain bike rider who enjoys rocky spoors. (It’s not clear to me the exact route of the old Colma Road. It could be the dashed line below our route shown on the map.)

Old Colma Road alignment looking west.

Old Colma Road alignment looking east.

Once on Old Pedro Mountain Road, things became more civilized as we coasted slowly downhill on pavement. Jim pointed to places where his friends cleared out pampas grass, planted native pine trees and removed mudslides. “You’ve go to move it off right after it rains, otherwise it turns to concrete,” he said.

Trail sharing

We came across hikers, equestrians and people walking their dogs, but none of it fazed Jim, who looks forward to trail encounters. “When people know what to expect, they learn how to adapt to other trail users. Equestrians who have trained their horses to be around people have no difficulty.” Jim firmly believes multi-use trails are usually the best way to go on the expanse of publicly owned trails above Pacifica. He also likes using a handlebar bell on high-use trails.

It’s Jim’s mantra at the many public agency trail meetings he has attended over the years. “Pacifica has a lot to offer for trail users,” Jim offers. “Every time cyclists come here and ride they’re blown away by the beautiful views and trails.” I couldn’t agree more.

If you want to get involved:

Friends of Devils Slide Trail

Friends of Rancho Corral de Tierra

Click on map to enlarge

Vindication 34 years later

On a beautiful spring day in 1981 I was out riding my bike around McKenzie Reservoir (also called Lake Ranch Reservoir) when I come upon some motorcycle sheriffs ticketing kids for fishing in the lake. Of course, I had to wait for my trespassing ticket as well.

Today I rode there and didn’t break any laws as I joined dozens of other cyclists and hikers to enjoy John Nicholas Trail, which wraps around the lake starting at Black Road and heads up to Skyline Boulevard.

My trespassing ticket from 1981. I’m sure the cops had fun riding their dirt bikes.

Back when I was riding, the San Jose Water Company didn’t take kindly to renegade cyclists traipsing across their land, even though Jobst Brandt and friends had been doing so for years undetected. I wrote a letter to the judge and my ticket was dismissed for “good cause appearing.” A year or two later through a land deal the reservoir became part of Sanborn County Park, but that wasn’t the end of the story.

The reservoir, built between 1875-79 and named after the water company’s founder Donald McKenzie, remained off limits to cyclists until 2014. It took a lot of effort on the part of cyclists to reassure the county parks department that everything would be all right.

John Nicholas Trail amazes

Thanks to some forward-thinking parks people working for Santa Clara County, they went one step further and not only opened the road around the reservoir, but teamed with local bike groups (SVMTB) to build a magnificent trail linking Skyline Trail and now part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.

The four-mile trail climbs steadily but not too steeply from the lake, with many switchbacks to keep the grade fairly constant. There’s one breathtaking view of Santa Clara Valley that adds to the enjoyment of a well designed multi-use trail.

John Nicholas Trail overview.

When I rode downhill today I saw dozens of cyclists going up and down and just as many hikers, everyone on their best behavior. The key here is multi-use. When the expectation is set that you’ll see all types of users, people watch out for other trail users. Equestrians can also use the trail, but with the crush of other trail users here on the weekend, it’s probably more realistic to ride here on a week day. Still, it can be done.

Alpine Road depression

Compare this “Kumbaya” moment to what I experienced the same day on Alpine Road, the poster child for agency neglect in San Mateo County. As I rode uphill, eight of nine riders coming down were time-trialing. Having already been hit head-on once and knocked unconscious by a downhill rider, I made it known they were out of line.

I lay the blame on MROSD and San Mateo County for dropping the ball and allowing the road to become a downhill free-for-all. This road was at one time a beautiful route from Palo Alto to Page Mill Road. It’s present condition is so depressing it’s hard to think about it.

Some agencies better than others

After following local trail developments for more than three decades, I’ve come to the conclusion that some agencies are better than others. I rank Santa Clara County parks highly, with San Mateo County and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) lagging behind, but still well ahead of the regional water departments. I would characterize the local California state parks as benign. Not good, but not bad.

It all comes down to a mindset. Santa Clara County officials seem to genuinely care about letting people use their parks and they go out of their way to accommodate all users. San Mateo County, in my opinion, is much less accommodating. While it’s not the only reason, there’s a strong contingent of equestrians who put up roadblocks at every opportunity against multi-use trails.

MROSD is another story. Their issue is that their charter was dedicated to purchasing land for open space and they have done great work in fulfilling that mission. However, because that was their primary focus, public access has lagged. Had the agency’s bond measure not passed in 2014, they would have been facing insolvency, so it’s no wonder they spend as little as possible on public access.

MROSD made a concerted effort to be all-inclusive in their recent vision process, but in my opinion they need to re-think how they work as an agency. They should stick to what they do best — buy land for open space — and let other agencies with more experience handle the rest. In other words, they should turn over acquired land to state, county or city agencies for public access and enforcement. That’s how other land preservationists like Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), Sempervirens Fund, Save the Redwoods, etc., operate and there’s no reason why MROSD can’t do the same.

When the levee breaks..

Moffett Field Trail has what appears to be a broken levee.

After a quick check, I noticed the Moody Blues still haven’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, located in Cleveland, Ohio, of all places.

I thought that was an oversight, but maybe not. I recently mentioned this band to someone, age about 40, and the name drew a blank. If I had��referenced “Nights in White Satin” that may have rung a bell.

Before I end my digression, have you heard of the band “The Stooges”? They made it into the hall of fame, but probably because their lead singer was Iggy Pop.

Now here’s the point: What happens when the levee breaks? I’m talking about the Moffett Field Bay Trail bordering the NASA Ames research center in Mountain View.

It brings to mind a song of the same name by Led Zeppelin (in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). Here’s a short clip for those who have never heard the song.

That stretch of trail opened in September 2010 and I was there. It’s a great place to ride and avoid cars.

Meanwhile, I tried out the Permanente Creek Trail overpass at Hwy 101, gateway to the Google Mountain View campus. It’s a straight shot over the freeway — a great way to go as opposed to Shoreline Boulevard.

A towering redwood memory in Big Basin State Park

A tree dedication thanks to Sempervirens Fund efforts.

In 1998 I dedicated a redwood tree located in Big Basin State Park to Jobst Brandt. It was done through a fund-raising effort created by the Sempervirens Fund and backed by the park.

After all these years I finally had a chance to stop by and see the tree. Jobst led many rides through the park starting in the early 1960s, notably Gazos Creek Road, but he also visited more remote locations in and around the park.

Jobst fondly remembered the time he drove his car with his wife Helga on Gazos Creek Road back in the 1960s before the dirt road was closed to traffic. That must have been some drive.

Of course these days the road is closed to cars, although the rangers still drive their trucks on it for routine maintenance.

The tree is located about fifty yards southwest of the Barnes Kiosk on North Escape Road at Opal Creek.

It’s a medium-sized redwood in the grove, but still a fitting tribute to Jobst, who loved taking North Escape Road on his way to Gazos Creek Road. My dedicated tree isn’t the only one in Jobst’s name.

Sempervirens Fund, located in Los Altos, is the state’s oldest land trust. Photographer Andrew P. Hill was instrumental in the organization’s founding, which ultimately led to the establishment of Big Basin Park by the state of California in 1902.

Andrew pushed for the park based on an all-too-familiar incident that still goes on today. A landowner accused Andrew of trespassing while he was out taking photos one day in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Andrew and Jobst had a lot in common there. It’s a big reason why Jobst gave generously to Sempervirens, POST, and Save the Redwoods.

I’m not sure what was going on this Sunday, but hikers filled the parks. Castle Rock and Big Basin had full parking lots. Maybe it’s the “New Year’s resolution” effect.

On my way home I discovered I had only 65 cents and had forgotten to bring food. I stopped in at the gas station at Hwy 9 and Hwy 236 in Boulder Creek to see what pennies would buy. These days, not much.

A Tootsie Pop goes for 19 cents. Such a deal. It was fuel enough for the long climb up Bear Creek Road, Summit Road and home on Skyline.

My Jobst Redwood is just off North Escape Road at Opal Creek.

Gazos Creek Road never fails to delight

Brian clears debris from Waddell Creek to improve drainage.

Intent on trying out my newly renovated rear brake bridge (increased clearance), I contacted Brian for a Sunday ride with dirt.

Gazos Creek Road couldn’t have been a better choice, although I wondered if it would be muddy from the recent rains.

Hardly. It hadn’t rained since Dec. 24, plenty of time for the road to dry.

I’ve been enjoying Gazos Creek Road through Big Basin State Park since 1980, following Jobst Brandt and friends on one of his regular clockwise circuits down Hwy 9, 236, Gazos Creek Road, home on Pescadero Road.

While the temperature never went much above the mid-50s, we enjoyed filtered sunshine and the late-afternoon sun climbing Alpine Road.

We stopped at a tributary of West Waddell Creek, which had been all but dry last winter. Now it’s a burbling stream where the man-made cut in solid rock channels water into an inviting pool.

Many a car stopped at this spot to tank up on water for the inadequate, always thirsty radiators of the day.

After passing the summit encampment where a ranger station once stood, we headed steeply downhill, thankful that the deep gravel dumped here in years past had all but disappeared. A few short stretches of gravel didn’t slow us down.

By now it was almost 2 p.m. and a quick calculation told me that it would be dark before I got home. In his later years, Jobst often descended Page Mill Road in near darkness, a feat I was not anxious to emulate.

We hustled up Alpine Road, discarding the Hwy 84 option because while less steep, it added four miles to my route, so it was a wash. Alpine Road is so much more fun anyway.

There’s nothing more beautiful than a late-afternoon climb on Alpine Road. We made it down Page Mill with plenty of light and then it was a fast ride home.

Silicon Valley and traffic-light heaven

Casa Grande in New Almaden, built 1854 . The red brick was painted white at least 10 years ago. Home of the Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum.

Recently on one of my regular rides on a certain road in the heart of Silicon Valley I discovered the longest stretch without a stop light.

Qualifier – it has to be a public road used by cars. Any road north of Blossom Hill Road in San Jose and south of Palo Alto.

Do you know where it is? Distance? Send me your guess.

Electric bicycles, mushrooms and solid tires

Skyline Boulevard looking at Old La Honda Road.

Saturday I tried out an electric bicycle at Bicycle Outfitter (BO) and had a chance to discuss its prospects with the staff.

At BO, as with most bike shops, electric bikes are greeted with mixed feelings. I can relate to that. When a rider goes blasting by on an electric bike, I’m none to happy, then wish I had one.

However, electric bikes are already well established in China and are gaining a following in Europe. They have their place for commuting, the market they’re going after.

The bike I rode Saturday is a commuter with a top speed of 20 mph, if you’re just running on power and not pedaling. It looks like the typical commuter bike with a long wheel base, solid frame, motor in the rear hub. The battery is removable and sits over the rear wheel.

While the bike had heavy, durable tires, I wouldn’t ever want to have a rear flat. Were I to own one, I’d mount the new Tannus solid tire out of Korea. Solid tires have been around for decades, but this latest version looks promising.

Tannus solid tires eliminate flats. (Tannus photo)

It’s lightweight and has decent rolling resistance, not as good as a pneumatic tire of course, but close enough. From what I’ve read, the only drawback is that it’s a bear to mount on a standard rim. It’s rated for 6,000 miles. That means it will probably last at least several years for a commuter.

So what about the performance rider who still wants go to electric? I’ve found two wheels that hold promise — the FlyKly and the Copenhagen. They’re similar in design and both have something else in common that has many buyers frustrated. The wheels were supposed to be available months ago.

As with any new product, production delays can be expected, and because there’s electronics involved, it gets more complicated. The product has to work flawlessly. If it doesn’t, someone could be injured and lawsuits would quickly shut down the companies.

While I won’t go into the details, I would be torn between which one to buy. The FlyKly appeals to the minimalist in me. It’s unobtrusive and weighs only 6.6 pounds. The drawback is that it only works with a single speed.

The Copenhagen is painted a garish red, weighs 13 pounds, but works with any standard road bike. Just swap wheels and you’re all set. Both wheels are wireless and require an app running on a smartphone, iOS or Android.

Once they come out, I’ll be interested to read the reviews. At about $700, they’re relatively affordable. For someone who commutes longer distances, they could pay for themselves in short order.

Meanwhile, with the recent rains my chanterelle friends have finally returned after a two-year absence. They’ll join me and spaghetti for dinner in the coming days.

Chanterelles are back after a long absence. They like rain.

Once upon a ride: A crank that cracked

One of my favorite photos of Jobst, taken on Butano Ridge Trail looking toward the Pacific Ocean. 1981.

November 21, 1982

Riders: Jobst Brandt, Ray Hosler, Peruez, John

Route: Alpine Road, Rapley Road, Skyline Blvd., Hwy 9, Hwy 236, China Grade, Butano Ridge Trail to Cloverdale Road, Pescadero Road, Alpine Road, Page Mill Road

Weather: Cold and hazy, then warm.

Tire/mechanical failure: broken crank

Jobst didn’t have much of a turnout for this pre-Thanksgiving Day ride. It was just me, Strange John and an HP co-worker of Jobst, Peruez from Iran.

While Peruez was something of a novice, Jobst never discriminated and welcomed all who turned up, just as long as they could keep a decent pace.

This Pied Piper of the Santa Cruz Mountains headed out on yet another adventure. I often wondered when this aging rider would lose his following. It looked like it had already begun. When would the day come when nobody showed up, and would Jobst still ride? [I don’t know the answer, but Jobst almost always had someone show up for his Sunday ride until well into the 2000s.]

John mentioned riding up Rapley Road and Jobst took up him up on the challenge. We climbed to nearly the end of the Alpine Road pavement before turning right onto a dirt road, crossing Corte Madera Creek and then heading straight up the hill, destination Skyline Boulevard. [The road goes to Thomas Fogarty Winery property.]

So steep is the road that no matter how good its condition, it is an extremely difficult climb. On this Sunday the road condition could be called “perfect.” Rains the day before had removed the dust and made traction as good as pavement.

John pulled ahead with his 30-tooth rear cog while Jobst muscled his way up using the power of his mighty legs and extra-long crank arms that gave him additional leverage.

Halfway up, when it seemed the agony could not be endured any longer, the riders saw that they were a long ways from Skyline. Jobst circled while he waited for me and Peruez. He warned us that the road gets steeper and to ride as slowly as possible. How about walking? That worked.

At the top Jobst opened a gate and let us through. To our right was a newly planted vineyard and the Rapley home. On one occasion Rapley himself (I have no idea of the name) met Jobst and his band of merry riders. Rapley expressed his displeasure in blunt terms.

As we climbed on Skyline, Jobst looked down to see Tom Ritchey preparing for a ride with the Palo Alto gang. Later that day Tom would lay bleeding on Haskins Hill following a spill behind the wheel of Keith Vierra.

As the riders descended Hwy 9, Jobst waited for everyone to follow along.

We made our way on China Grade to a logging road that took us down to Butano Ridge Trail, a roller-coaster dirt road that runs along the spine of a ridge overlooking Portola State Park to the east.

We pushed and lugged our bikes up the steep spots, except for Jobst, who managed to ride every hill.

Rather than take Dearborn Park Road down to Pescadero Road, Jobst decided to take a chance following the ridge trail all the way to Cloverdale Road, crossing all-too-private property and residences.

On the first of three magnificent hills, Jobst showed he still had legs strong enough to snap steel. As he pushed mightily on his right pedal, the alloy metal of the Campagnolo Record crank finally had enough. It snapped, throwing Jobst off his bike. [It might have been a left crank, but my journal says right, so it stands.]

It was not until the long downhill to Cloverdale Road that I caught up to Jobst. He rode with his right leg dangling, like someone with a paralyzed leg. And yet he rode with purpose, unfazed by adversity, in full command of his crippled machine.

[By 1982 the land owners already had plans to pave the road, which they did a few years later. They made every effort to keep cyclists out. One irate owner chased after Jobst and friends, who took refuge in Pescadero. They later saw the owner, but with other cyclists mingling at the local store, he had no idea who to finger.]

While riding to Loma Mar for food and to call on the pay phone for a ride home, Jobst came across two cyclists who were searching for mushrooms on the roadside. Jobst stopped to help them look. Mushroom hunting was one of his favorite winter activities.

After striking up a conversation with the married couple, Jobst learned that they had a spare crank back at their house on Pescadero Road. A plan was hatched. Jobst would remove his broken crank and install the owner’s.

I rode ahead with Peruez to Loma Mar for a bite to eat. After Jobst arrived, I remarked about the steepness of the hills on Butano Ridge Trail.

Jobst said with a touch of remorse, “There were days when I rode up those. Keith was right next to me.” I had a hard time believing he could have done that. But then I thought back to the hill and considered the force required to snap that crank. I realized that back in the day when Jobst was young, even those hills gave way to legs as powerful as locomotive pistons.

[Jobst broke at least a dozen cranks in his long riding career. He finally solved the issue by developing a simple remedy based on the car lug nut. It has a tapered end that fits snug against the wheel frame. It was only when that innovation came to pass that car lug nuts stopped unthreading.]

Jobst solution for crank failure at pedal eye. There’s a 2-piece washer that fits into the drilled indent. One half is shown on the crank arm; both halves shown on the pedal thread.

Wurr Road bridge a sign of the times

Wurr Road’s Pescadero Creek bridge makes it pretty clear you need to cross with caution.

While I can’t deny Pescadero Creek bridge on Wurr Road in San Mateo County has seen its share of bike crashes, do we really need a sign suggesting that we walk our bikes across?

I first rode over the bridge with Jobst Brandt in 1980. He occasionally spoke of a huge crash here in the mid-1970s. Jobst and friends came flying down the road one frigid winter morning and the result was chaos as they skidded on the icy bridge.

Several riders crashed, broke bones, or were knocked out.

Today the bridge could use a little work, but better yet, replace it with something modern.

The good news is that few cyclists venture onto Wurr Road near the sleepy town of Loma Mar. Instead they stay on the busy Pescadero Road.

The fact that these signs just went up makes me wonder if there wasn’t another bike wreck here recently.

Continental Gatorskin rear tire lasts 5,400 miles

My Continental Gatorskin tire lasted 5,400 miles. (Continental photo)

5,400 miles. That’s how long my Continental Gatorskin 700 x 28 rear tire lasted. Not bad. It saw quite a few miles of dirt too.

I paid $52 for the tire, so it had better last that long. A small amount of cord is showing, so you know it’s time for replacement.

Recently I ran over a large staple and, although it jammed into the rear tire, it did not cause a flat. I stopped after about five seconds and removed the staple, which had not gone in far enough to cause a flat.

I credit some of my good fortune to riding a quality tire.

I still have a Michelin Pro Optimum on the front with the same mileage and it will probably last until I decide it’s time for a new one, usually when the sidewall begins to fray.

Front tires require close attention because if one blows on a fast descent, you could be in trouble.

One word of advice from Continental in its instruction sheet, written in 16 languages, says to toss your tire, tube and rim strip after three years, irrespective of miles ridden.

I guess I’m just too cheap. I’m riding a tire that’s nine years old. It’s on my rain bike. I stored a tire for 28 years before using it. Worked great.

I ride inner tubes until they have so many holes they’re not worth patching, but usually I have to replace them because the tube fails at the valve.

I’m trying out a Continental Grand Sport Race Road tire next. Check back in 10 months for my report.