The suicide route involves riding down University, where cars speed and cannot see you around the turns.Note that we rode down Winchester! There is actually bike lane on part of that, which was handy. So it's not that people don't ride down Winchester, it's just that it's a pain. Of course, once it is after 9, the whole area quiets down quite a bit anyhow. I have a feeling that it will not be too big of a hassle, even going the other way (when I eventually have to head back to VTA at night). I might try it. Or I might find a more wiggly way -- as long as I can make it to Diridon before 10:30.
Anyways, I'm getting off topic. We actually stopped at Walgreens for some supplies and whatnot, but in general it was a pretty quick ride. There was one point right around the overpass where the uphill the got the better of us (read: me) so we ended up walking a little ways. Still amazed how the slightest incline can kill your legs, although I had also already ridden six miles that day (and for a noob, that is something!)
Noel is very pleasant to follow, since he is a very considerate leader. Always waited up when I was being pokey and sore. He's a tad more illegal than me (after all this reading about bike salmon I was horrified to become one for a moment on Lark before we turned onto Winchester) but didn't get upset when I pointed that out ;D
When we got to the place (which yes, he calls The Hotel Holmes, and it is, rather!) I am staying, he google-mapped me the morning route, which I reproduce here, crayoned in MS Paint, as I have taken to doing since it is easier than finagling the google map lines unless you actually really want/need (which yeah, I sort of do, so we'll see what future posts look like):
It's not suicidal to ride down University in the morning because people assume that since it's light out cops can see they are speeding? You're also not in the blind spots around curves when biking towards work.
I think next time I doodle in MS Paint, I will make arrows for you. Anyways, I rode this by myself this morning. It's 2.9 miles and easier than it looks. I guess it looks pretty similar to the other route, because it pretty much IS the other route, except you take University. Once your'e on University it's a nice easy ride. It's that left turn and then the overpass that is alarming.
I wasn't scared, though.
I didn't really THINK anyone was going to hit me. I felt like they could see me and that I was communicating clearly. maybe it was confidence inherited in the draft from the cyclist ahead of me, but even on the overpass I wasn't scared.
***
I just took a break because it turned out Noel was going home on his "lunch" (dinner) break and I was able to tag along and get out of work on time. Might walk down the hill to find some food, but then again I might just eat some trail mix here in a minute and pass out. I'm exhausted.
We took yet another route this time, but I'm not going to map it since I wasn't paying good enough attention. The main attraction, though, was that you bypass the overpass, yielding a much more pleasant ride. It is still unpleasant to bike in these jeans, though -- another thing I can fix for next week.
Anyways, I'm getting off topic. We actually stopped at Walgreens for some supplies and whatnot, but in general it was a pretty quick ride. There was one point right around the overpass where the uphill the got the better of us (read: me) so we ended up walking a little ways. Still amazed how the slightest incline can kill your legs, although I had also already ridden six miles that day (and for a noob, that is something!)
Noel is very pleasant to follow, since he is a very considerate leader. Always waited up when I was being pokey and sore. He's a tad more illegal than me (after all this reading about bike salmon I was horrified to become one for a moment on Lark before we turned onto Winchester) but didn't get upset when I pointed that out ;D
When we got to the place (which yes, he calls The Hotel Holmes, and it is, rather!) I am staying, he google-mapped me the morning route, which I reproduce here, crayoned in MS Paint, as I have taken to doing since it is easier than finagling the google map lines unless you actually really want/need (which yeah, I sort of do, so we'll see what future posts look like):
It's not suicidal to ride down University in the morning because people assume that since it's light out cops can see they are speeding? You're also not in the blind spots around curves when biking towards work.I wasn't scared, though.
I didn't really THINK anyone was going to hit me. I felt like they could see me and that I was communicating clearly. maybe it was confidence inherited in the draft from the cyclist ahead of me, but even on the overpass I wasn't scared.
***
I just took a break because it turned out Noel was going home on his "lunch" (dinner) break and I was able to tag along and get out of work on time. Might walk down the hill to find some food, but then again I might just eat some trail mix here in a minute and pass out. I'm exhausted.
We took yet another route this time, but I'm not going to map it since I wasn't paying good enough attention. The main attraction, though, was that you bypass the overpass, yielding a much more pleasant ride. It is still unpleasant to bike in these jeans, though -- another thing I can fix for next week.
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