Raven's Roads
Living an interesting life: the travels and musings
of motorcycling author Linda R. Moore

Jul 3, 2004

Last Thursday: Arriving destination

Filed in Santa Cruz 2004

I had arisen nice and early so that I could run some errands before departing, and I got them all done. So, by the time I had been to the bank, filled up, been to Radio Shack and proved myself to be a dork once and for all by trying to charge the cellphone in the headphone jack, I had ridden about 20 miles before even getting started.

Barb was ready when I arrived, having left the house to ensure that I would call. ;-) We set out, with her leading.

Our route took us through downtown Los Gatos, which is, frankly, a PITA, with stop-start traffic and car drivers opening their doors without looking. However, once we got through there we were on Highway 17, a road previously described by me as “driving your own rollercoaster”. It’s a freeway, but it’s twisty and uppy and downy, and I rather like it. Whee!

That got rid of the human-overheating I picked up in Los Gatos, anyway!

Our exit was at Bear Creek Road, and that turned out to be my first real uphill switchback. The exit looks innocent enough, until it does a 180 degree turn and whomps itself up a hill. The stop sign at the top, about which I had been warned (on a hill and all that) was a doddle in comparison. Despite pounding heart, I carried it off neatly, and was able to get onto Old Santa Cruz Highway.

Now that’s a road! It, and the roads which one takes to get into Santa Cruz, are marvellous! It was my first experience of real twisties of any length, and I had an absolutely stunning whale of a time. I was going up and down and left and right and flying up great sweeping curves and switchbacks (but nothing that worried me as much as the freeway one). The landscape is glorious - little villages tucked into forests of redwood and eucalyptus, and then a glimpse of hills and valleys from time to time; by the time we arrived at Summit Store for a break, I could not contain myself from jumping up and down in absolute glee and going “Wheeeee!”

Break over, we did it all over again - this time downhill.

Eventually the road took us into Santa Cruz, where the last few miles were hot, stop-start traffic, and then we had arrived. Did a bike-hug and then a human-hug: we were both intensely proud of ourselves for different reasons; Barb because she’d lead us here safely, and me because once again I am reminded that I can ride and for the sheer wonderfulness and joy of it all.