And now for something completely different: Today, I descended a hill more slowly than I climbed it. [Okay, I might be exaggerating ... but only slightly.]
How is this possible? Two words: chip seal.
Normally, I descend Wrights Station Road conservatively. It is steep, the pavement has been deteriorating for years, and sunlight filtering through the trees creates complex, shifting patterns of shadow and light. In the winter, the road can be slick and strewn with debris.
Evidently, the county has recently arrested the deterioration by chip sealing the roadway. Did someone really drive a roller up that road? The surface is still covered with loose gravel. One hairpin was particularly scary, with a deep pile in the outer radius of the turn.
Having made it safely to the bottom (Los Gatos Creek), my ride partner and I carried on with our plan to find the end of the road. There is a bit of the Wild West in the history of this land. The forest has reclaimed Wrights Station; the railway tunnel is hard to see, even if you know where to look.
The pavement ended abruptly. We kept going, sometimes on foot and sometimes on bike, to the end of the public road. Sadly, our only views of the elusive Lake Elsman will be satellite images.
Overall, a satisfying workout—18 miles, 1,865 feet of climbing—while managing to stay upright on the gravelly and rutted back roads of Santa Clara County.
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