18 March 2009
Marc writes:
The Captain provided strategic planning for this ride. Breakfast at Bobbi’s in Cupertino, lunch at Phil’s Seafood in Moss Landing. Tactical issues were left to Major WWWobble; his task to find the slowest way between the two endpoints without getting lynched by the other participants. Dick, Marc, recently-forced-into-retirement-unless-something-comes-up Rich, and Brent followed the Major with the Captain pulling up the rear.
WWWobble carried out his duties dutifully. He found a meandering path (see the route map, below) and kept speeds down to the put-put level, even on the portions of Highland and Eureka Canyon that haven’t seen new pavement in several decades. The GS riders claim that the ride would have been a bit smoother if done a bit faster. The Major claimed his suspension isn’t up to the task. Excuses.
![Wake up, Brent](./t-20090318-0911-1048.jpg)
Wake up, Brent
![WWWobble leads, Rich follows](./t-20090318-1012-1050.jpg)
WWWobble leads, Rich follows
![Dick, Brent, and the Captain](./t-20090318-1012-1051.jpg)
Dick, Brent, and the Captain
![Lexington Reservoir](./t-20090318-1040-5027.jpg)
Lexington Reservoir
![WWWobble and Brent](./t-20090318-1041-5028.jpg)
WWWobble and Brent
One of the Major’s new favorite stops is the Lexingtom Reservoir County Park at, of all places, Lexington Reservoir. He found it on a ride this January [link] when we were scoping out the water situation in the south bay. If you compare the images of the reservoir on that page to the image at your left you’ll see that the recent rains really have helped.
![WWWobble](./t-20090318-1238-1060.jpg)
WWWobble
![Rich, new helmet](./t-20090318-1238-1061.jpg)
Rich, new helmet
![Guess who?](./t-20090318-1305-1064.jpg)
Guess who?
Dick asked that Elkhorn Rd be added to the itinerary and the Major was happy to oblige. I attempted to get a shot or two of the motorcycling Major but could never seem to get him in the proper position. I think that’s a very nice shot of his windscreen, though. Don’t you?
![Elkhorn Slough](./t-20090318-1311-5030.jpg)
Elkhorn Slough
![Mr Photographer](./t-20090318-1312-5032.jpg)
Mr Photographer
![Lunch in Moss Landing](./t-IMG_0209.jpg)
Lunch in Moss Landing
After stopping to admire the birds and pavement at Elkhorn Slough (you had to be there) it was off to Moss Landing and lunch ant Phill’s. It was there that Gary introduced himself to us. He’d read of the plans for the day on these pages and thought he’d try to meet us for lunch. Alas, WWWobble was so good at maximizing the time between breakfast and lunch that we were ariving as Gary was ready to leave. Still, he took the picture of the six riders at the lunch table.
After lunch all headed home. The group fell appart getting on to highway 1. Bob and I stopped for gas in Watsonville. Dick headed north. Rich took the Watsonville exit, then got back on 1 to head home. Brent and the captain must have passed while we were getting gas as we later passed him having a smoke break in Davenport. We stopped at the beach in Pescadero and think Brent passed us there. All in all a good day. About 215 miles for me.
I’ll leave the rest of the report for the birds.
![Gull takes wing](./t-20090318-1313-5033.jpg)
Gull takes wing
![Lots of birds](./t-20090318-1313-5034.jpg)
Lots of birds
![What is he looking at?](./t-20090318-1313-5035.jpg)
What is he looking at?
![Birds over Pescadero Beach](./t-20090318-1549-5039.jpg)
Birds over Pescadero Beach
![Pescadero Beach](./t-20090318-1551-5041.jpg)
Pescadero Beach
Pics from Bob, Chris, Dick, and Rich
![Almaden Reservoir](./t-20090318-0948-0001.jpg)
Almaden Reservoir
![why we ride](./t-20090318-0949-0001.jpg)
why we ride
![camera bugs](./t-20090318-0949-0002.jpg)
camera bugs
![Almaden Reservoir](./t-20090318-0950-0001.jpg)
Almaden Reservoir
![The group](./t-20090318-0951-0001.jpg)
The group
![The other side of the road](./t-20090318-0952-0002.jpg)
The other side of the road
![the group](./t-20090318-1054-0003.jpg)
the group
![sausage store](./t-20090318-1221-0004.jpg)
sausage store
![Browns Valley Rd](./t-20090318-1228-0002.jpg)
Browns Valley Rd
![Hazel Dell Rd](./t-20090318-1237-0003.jpg)
Hazel Dell Rd
![Hazel Dell, again](./t-20090318-1237-0004.jpg)
Hazel Dell, again
![Chris likes Hazel Dell](./t-20090318-1237-0005.jpg)
Chris likes Hazel Dell
![Mt Madonna Rd](./t-20090318-1238-0006.jpg)
Mt Madonna Rd
![Riders at the Slough](./t-20090318-1310-0003.jpg)
Riders at the Slough
![Elkhorn Slough](./t-20090318-1312-0004.jpg)
Elkhorn Slough
![Broken pavement](./t-20090318-1312-0005.jpg)
Broken pavement
![The slough](./t-20090318-1313-0002.jpg)
The slough
![It goes this way](./t-20090318-1314-0006.jpg)
It goes this way
![Elkhorn Rd](./t-20090318-1326-0007.jpg)
Elkhorn Rd
![Clam chowder for lunch](./t-20090318-1339-0007.jpg)
Clam chowder for lunch
![whats wrong with this...](./t-20090318-1429-0005.jpg)
whats wrong with this…