On the road today...
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BMC Development Team rider Tyler Williams
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- HammerTime2
- Posts: 5813
- Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:43 pm
- Location: Wherever there's a mountain beckoning to be climbed
The horror, the horror. Is this Mt. Hamilton Road? What mile marker? How much of it is like this? Are the significant potholes (missing chunks of pavement, or whatever you want to call it) only above the snow and ice line (where there has been snow and ice this winter)?wojchiech wrote:
HammerTime2 wrote:Is this Mt. Hamilton Road? What mile marker? How much of it is like this? Are the significant potholes (missing chunks of pavement, or whatever you want to call it) only above the snow and ice line (where there has been snow and ice this winter)?
It's actually Mt. Umunhum Rd, which is right next to the Santa Cruz mountain ridge, and on the other side of the bay area valley. I hinted that you could see Mt. Hamilton observatory from one of my photos. That road is closed to motor vehicles, and is technically on private property as you get closer to the summit. Mt. Umunhum was actually a radar station for the air force during the cold war, and there was actually some nuclear waste up there (hence why it's closed, and why the roads are in such bad condition). During colder storms around here, there is snow near the top (and anything above 2,000+ feet most of the time), but it doesn't last long and usually melts within a week.
There is actually a restoration project that has been recently approved that will completely renovate the area (and hopefully the roads), and make it more tourist (and cyclist) friendly. Right now it's not so friendly - I was actually sternly reminded by a gentleman working up there that I was on private property when I was near the top, and politely obliged to go back down past the public preserve property line.
You can read more about the restoration project here: http://www.openspace.org/plans_projects/mt_umunhum.asp
Last edited by wojchiech on Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
- HammerTime2
- Posts: 5813
- Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:43 pm
- Location: Wherever there's a mountain beckoning to be climbed
Thanks. Crisis over given that's not Mt. Hamilton Road.
As the Race director for this years Warburton Race weekend, I wanted to meet with the previous Race Director to make sure I hadn't missed anything in the planning.
For Victorians - it will be a great weekends racing.
Mt Donna hillclimb on the 23rd March http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/?ID=49440" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hilly road race out past Powelltown on the 24th March http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/?ID=49439" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Since I was in Warburton, why not squeeze in a quick ride...
First Mt Donna Buang (16.8km at 6.4%) repeats of the year in preparation for the States trip later this year. Only time for two repeats today... Ended with 70km total and 2138m vert.
Wasn't used to it being warm on the climb given my previous repeats were through winters past, so didn't apply sunscreen. Also enjoyed sitting in the river after the ride, also something I would never consider mid winter!
For Victorians - it will be a great weekends racing.
Mt Donna hillclimb on the 23rd March http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/?ID=49440" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hilly road race out past Powelltown on the 24th March http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/?ID=49439" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Since I was in Warburton, why not squeeze in a quick ride...
First Mt Donna Buang (16.8km at 6.4%) repeats of the year in preparation for the States trip later this year. Only time for two repeats today... Ended with 70km total and 2138m vert.
Wasn't used to it being warm on the climb given my previous repeats were through winters past, so didn't apply sunscreen. Also enjoyed sitting in the river after the ride, also something I would never consider mid winter!
twigstim wrote:KWalker wrote:
Is this a climb in the DC area?
Not really. Its a closed climb called the Pinnacles that is off of Skyline Drive just West of Sperryville, VA.
Routier wrote:I think you should go back and take a photo from the top of that tower
Did back in June 2011... As it was freezing that day (Four degrees celcius on the summit) I ended climbing up and down in my cleats! No way was I going to walk up the steel structure in bare feet...
View from the tower.
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