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Ride Pictures: Johansen and Gazos Creek Roads, November 2005
November 19, 2005
I planned this route to go mostly the reverse of last week's route on Old Haul and Gazos Creek Roads, except that I wanted to descend Johansen Road, a road that I hadn't ridden in over ten years. I started by taking the straight road to Saratoga then climbed CA9 over Saratoga Gap to Waterman Gap. Unfortunately, the stopsign at the new intersection at Waterman Gap doesn't allow one legally to build up momentum to carry across to the short ascent on the other side. I continued onto CA236 and turned right on China Grade Rd. From this point until I got to the bottom of Gazos Creek Road I saw no one. I climbed to the top of China Grade then continued onto the dirt road until I got to Johansen Rd. I usually descend South Butano Fire Trail when I go this way, but today I turned left and began the descent to Sandy Point Junction on Johansen Rd. Johansen Road lies at the northern boundary of Big Basin Redwoods State Park and doesn't get much traffic. The road was covered with many leaves, twigs and branches. A "track" was not to be seen, evidence that few ride or hike this road. When I got to Sandy Point I turned right on Gazos Creek Rd. and descended into the canyon and along Gazos Creek, stopping several times to take pictures. At this time of year what little light that manages to shine into the canyon does so at an angle that highlights the colors of the foliage, much like light at sunrise or sunset. The changing color of the big leaf maples were still spectacular, although the week before had been closer to the peak. While I was climbing Cloverdale Rd. my rear tire blew out. The hole was substantial and required a boot. (I use Tyvek.) Adding insult to injury I discovered that my pump was missing, probably fell off on Johansen or Gazos Creek Roads. Just as I was finished mounting the new tube in the tire, a kind motorcyclist came by who happened to have a compressor in his trunk, and with the Presta to Schrader adapter I carry in my patch kit we were able to inflate the tire. But, because the rear tire was fatally injured and I had no pump, I decided to return home on roads that were likely to see more traffic in case I had further trouble. So, instead of taking Old Haul Rd., Bridge Trail, and Camp Pomponio Rd. as I had planned, I climbed Pescadero Rd. and Alpine Rd., and returned home on Page Mill and Moody Roads without incident. (79 miles; 7300 feet climbing) http://tinyurl.com/afvsh -- Bill Bushnell http://pobox.com/~bushnell/ |
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Ride Pictures: Johansen and Gazos Creek Roads, November 2005
I enjoy looking at all your ride pix.
One of the main reasons I want to move to the Bay Area is the great rides I see in yours and other webpages in your area. I tried for years to get a job the pretty hard coming from the East Coast. But now I got a job around LA, so should be easier to move up there, now that I am a Cal. resident. Very soon, I will be riding those same roads..... "Bill Bushnell" wrote in message ... November 19, 2005 I planned this route to go mostly the reverse of last week's route on Old Haul and Gazos Creek Roads, except that I wanted to descend Johansen Road, a road that I hadn't ridden in over ten years. I started by taking the straight road to Saratoga then climbed CA9 over Saratoga Gap to Waterman Gap. Unfortunately, the stopsign at the new intersection at Waterman Gap doesn't allow one legally to build up momentum to carry across to the short ascent on the other side. I continued onto CA236 and turned right on China Grade Rd. From this point until I got to the bottom of Gazos Creek Road I saw no one. I climbed to the top of China Grade then continued onto the dirt road until I got to Johansen Rd. I usually descend South Butano Fire Trail when I go this way, but today I turned left and began the descent to Sandy Point Junction on Johansen Rd. Johansen Road lies at the northern boundary of Big Basin Redwoods State Park and doesn't get much traffic. The road was covered with many leaves, twigs and branches. A "track" was not to be seen, evidence that few ride or hike this road. When I got to Sandy Point I turned right on Gazos Creek Rd. and descended into the canyon and along Gazos Creek, stopping several times to take pictures. At this time of year what little light that manages to shine into the canyon does so at an angle that highlights the colors of the foliage, much like light at sunrise or sunset. The changing color of the big leaf maples were still spectacular, although the week before had been closer to the peak. While I was climbing Cloverdale Rd. my rear tire blew out. The hole was substantial and required a boot. (I use Tyvek.) Adding insult to injury I discovered that my pump was missing, probably fell off on Johansen or Gazos Creek Roads. Just as I was finished mounting the new tube in the tire, a kind motorcyclist came by who happened to have a compressor in his trunk, and with the Presta to Schrader adapter I carry in my patch kit we were able to inflate the tire. But, because the rear tire was fatally injured and I had no pump, I decided to return home on roads that were likely to see more traffic in case I had further trouble. So, instead of taking Old Haul Rd., Bridge Trail, and Camp Pomponio Rd. as I had planned, I climbed Pescadero Rd. and Alpine Rd., and returned home on Page Mill and Moody Roads without incident. (79 miles; 7300 feet climbing) http://tinyurl.com/afvsh -- Bill Bushnell http://pobox.com/~bushnell/ |
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