Sierra Azul
It just isn't a good weekend without a little suffering and pain
This towering ridgeline just to the southwest of San Jose has remained for years now our gold standard
for masochistic mountain biking indulgence. Hot, sunny, and miserable grinds here are followed by loose and rocky
downhills, and both of us have our tales to tell of heat exhaustion and bloodshed.
For this ride we chose one of the longer loops that spanned the ridge, climbing up to El Sambroso Peak
from the Lexington Reservoir along Highway 17, taking the Woods trail down the other side of the ridge,
and then riding along quiet country roads around the Guadalupe Reservoir back to downtown Los Gatos.
This would be one of the longer loops here, combined with exhausting vertical.
But after getting our butt kicked so much, the time has come for payback, and this time I had a plan...
Photos
Click to expand
A good ride starts with a good view.
The south side of the Lexington Reservior at the trailhead.
Vultures soar above the start of the Priest Rock trail.
Are they on the lookout for out-of-shape mountain bikers,
or do they remember me from last time? Maybe this is a subtle hint that it's about time we washed our jerseys.
As you can see, the Priest Rock Trail wastes no time in getting right down to business.
Occasionally, there are flat shady spots in which to pedal slowly and rest.
This first hill is the easier of the two, climbing 1100 feet over a couple of miles,
but highly variably with some very steep parts.
While the first time I probably started to tank somewhere around here,
this time I intended to maintain a moderate
heart rate with an excruciatingly slow cadence, such that I shall never tire
and will grind my way effortlessly up to the peak!
Hey, get out of here... my plan is going to work I tell you!!
Kenny flashes a confident "V" as we roll up past the powerlines toward the middle plateau.
This trail isn't going to get the better of us!
On the other side of highway 17 down below is El Sereno preserve and the Montevina loop.
Finally done with the first climb. There will be a slighly downhill stretch for a couple miles after this.
Along the ridge can be seen the upper portion of the Priestrock (aka "Dogmeat") Trail.
It's affected by lens distortion here, but looks much more threatening in reality.
Kenny gives the big thumbs up at the junction of the Priest Rock and Limekiln trail.
Straight ahead, the Priest Rock Trail climbs impossibly up the ridge.
To the left, the Limekiln Trail (aka "Overgrown") descends to the reservior.
We're turning right, where the Limekiln Trail climbs to the confluence of the Kennedy and Wood's trail farther south
along the ridgeline.
Let's see if this next portion up Limekiln wipes that grin off his face!
The road continues to slowly descend a couple miles past exposed slides heading south on the western portion of the ridge.
After about a mile the climbing become fairly steep and steady up to the peak.
This section is a 1300 foot climb over about 2 miles to the high point along the ridge where the Wood's Trail begins.
It's a continous hard grind through fairly shady but relatively dry woods, along a monotonous and not particularly
photogenic portion of the ride.
Here my resolve to maintain a controlled pulse eventually wavered as tires slipped along
steep gravelly slopes.
Figuring I was nearing the top, though, I went ahead and gunned it a bit.
What, done already, at the top so soon? My, what a nice little climb. Piece of cake.
To the left is the Kennedy trail, and straight ahead is the Wood's Trail.
Along the first part of Wood's there is still a little more climbing along the power lines.
The second shot is of Mount Umunhum near the peak of El Sambroso.
Down the other side, into the canyons and ravines, you can see where the Wood's trail gets its name.
Except for one steep part, most is a wide mellow downhill grade where you can really gun it in the big ring.
Ahh, finally, back to civilization.
Here we are at the Wood's Trailhead near the Guadalupe Reservoir,
where it's mostly downhill and streets all the way back to Los Gatos.
And who designed those jungle gym entrances anyway?
One last look at the setting sun...
...before hurrying our way down Hick's road, back toward Los Gatos.
After Hicks Road, a turn left on Shannon, and then another left on Kennedy-- at the hand-painted signs--
eventually arrives back in Los Gatos.
Then we returned to the Lexington Reservior along the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
Come to think of it, it's probably best to just park in Los Gatos, since the Creek Trail is
about the only warm up you get, and especially considering
the $35 parking ticket for being there after dusk.
But my low heart rate plan seemed to work, and we managed this 25-mile loop without misstep.
Still, I felt pretty wiped out for the next couple of days.
Gotta love the feeling!
(b. May 8, 2004)
Back to Midpeninsula.
Back home.
Vultures soar above the start of the Priest Rock trail.
Are they on the lookout for out-of-shape mountain bikers,
or do they remember me from last time? Maybe this is a subtle hint that it's about time we washed our jerseys.
As you can see, the Priest Rock Trail wastes no time in getting right down to business.
Occasionally, there are flat shady spots in which to pedal slowly and rest.
This first hill is the easier of the two, climbing 1100 feet over a couple of miles,
but highly variably with some very steep parts.
While the first time I probably started to tank somewhere around here,
this time I intended to maintain a moderate
heart rate with an excruciatingly slow cadence, such that I shall never tire
and will grind my way effortlessly up to the peak!
Hey, get out of here... my plan is going to work I tell you!!
Kenny flashes a confident "V" as we roll up past the powerlines toward the middle plateau.
This trail isn't going to get the better of us!
On the other side of highway 17 down below is El Sereno preserve and the Montevina loop.
Finally done with the first climb. There will be a slighly downhill stretch for a couple miles after this.
Along the ridge can be seen the upper portion of the Priestrock (aka "Dogmeat") Trail.
It's affected by lens distortion here, but looks much more threatening in reality.
Kenny gives the big thumbs up at the junction of the Priest Rock and Limekiln trail.
Straight ahead, the Priest Rock Trail climbs impossibly up the ridge.
To the left, the Limekiln Trail (aka "Overgrown") descends to the reservior.
We're turning right, where the Limekiln Trail climbs to the confluence of the Kennedy and Wood's trail farther south
along the ridgeline.
Let's see if this next portion up Limekiln wipes that grin off his face!
The road continues to slowly descend a couple miles past exposed slides heading south on the western portion of the ridge.
After about a mile the climbing become fairly steep and steady up to the peak.
What, done already, at the top so soon? My, what a nice little climb. Piece of cake.
To the left is the Kennedy trail, and straight ahead is the Wood's Trail.
Along the first part of Wood's there is still a little more climbing along the power lines.
The second shot is of Mount Umunhum near the peak of El Sambroso.
Down the other side, into the canyons and ravines, you can see where the Wood's trail gets its name.
Except for one steep part, most is a wide mellow downhill grade where you can really gun it in the big ring.
Ahh, finally, back to civilization.
Here we are at the Wood's Trailhead near the Guadalupe Reservoir,
where it's mostly downhill and streets all the way back to Los Gatos.
And who designed those jungle gym entrances anyway?
One last look at the setting sun...
...before hurrying our way down Hick's road, back toward Los Gatos.