Into the Woods

With plans to ride on Sunday, I expected to designate Saturday as a rest day. But with my Sunday route uncertain, I was loath to squander such prime cycling weather. Most conveniently, a club ride was scheduled to cover some favorite terrain in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Given that the starting point was close to home, I was able to catch the finish of Stage 7 of the Tour de France for inspiration before setting out with our little group.

First stop: Wrights Station, which lives on only in the history books. Remnants of the town are long gone, and what remains of the railroad tunnel is barely visible from the road. The road is not in the best condition and quite steep; it is one of my least favorite descents. It has been a while since I last visited here, and the climb seemed much easier than I remembered.

We dropped down over the summit of the Santa Cruz Mountains, but not wanting to descend all the way to the coast, three of us split off from the rest of the group before wending our way back up through the redwood forest. On a decidedly uphill stretch, a local resident smiled and shook her head. I don't know how you guys do it!