AlphaRoaming

The Kickham Ranch office at Henry Coe State Park, a few miles SE of Hunting Hollow, gets very few visitors. I was there twice before, without really knowing if I was supposed to be there or not. I decided to visit again on a muddy and short bicycle loop into the park.

The signs have changed a bit, but it appears to be OK to use, though not officially publicized or encouraged as an entrance. http://coepark.net/pineridgeassociation/planning-your-visit/visitor-centers-and-park-entrances  There are no discouraging signs, but there is one gate to hop over if you want to connect to the Hunting Hollow Trail.

I parked my car on Jamieson Road, a bit before Kickham Ranch, and unloaded the mountain bike. A State Park truck passed me and waved before I headed out. Kickham Ranch is actively used by park staff, and I think I’ve heard that one Ranger may live there.

I stopped in to say hello to the bear, and headed back out.

Shortly after passing the Canada de Los Osos pond, the road got a bit steeper and I encountered some VERY sticky mud. I was later told it had been recently graded, which ruined the normal hard pack surface.

I struggled to push or carry the bike uphill for a few hundred feet, while my feet slid in the opposite direction. Finally I got to the top of the hill and everything got better…slowly…as I poked at the mud with a stick and used some water from the closest trough.

This is a standard ranch gate, without any way around it. You, and your bicycle, must go up and over the 5 foot height.

No more sticky mud was encountered. The creek crossings had a few stagnant puddles, but no flowing water. I did get splashed and muddy, however (in a fun way, knowing I had clean clothes in the car!)

Hunting Hollow was quiet. This car had been there for awhile, but not overnight, judging by the small amount of warmth coming from the engine. I did not see anybody in the park, and only two vehicles on Canada and Jamieson Roads.

Head down Gilroy Hot Springs Road, and turn left at the Fire Station.

That’s it! It was about 11 miles and ~600 vertical feet. An interesting outing, but also a good reminder as to why the single track trails are closed to bicycles after a rainfall. Yuck! (Map & GPS track on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/448395470 )

A quick blog post, with some photos, to call out attention to a place I knew little about until past week. “Rancho Corral de Tierra” is a part of the GGNRA (Golden Gate National Recreation Area) near Half Moon Bay. We were quite shocked at how steep it was at the higher elevations, including many “ups and downs” that we didn’t plan on.

It’s just south of Montara Mountain, but there’s no marked trail connection around the tightly protected San Francisco Water Company land in between. (See comment below from KenZ on a route for an “obscure” connection)
http://www.nps.gov/goga/rcdt.htm

We did a big CCW loop that isn’t even shown on the official map http://www.nps.gov/goga/upload/map-rcdt-4color-2013-0703.pdf but is visible on Open Street Maps.  If you’re a Geocacher, there are also”navigation beacons”!

We parked at the end of “Coral Reef Avenue” and commenced our climb. The views rapidly got better as we saw some unfamiliar patches of (what I think is) Pampas Grass.

Eventually we got up to a trail junction and spotted the low green building off to the right. I believe this is the recently closed “Half Moon Bay Gun Club”, according to a geocaching acquaintance. It wasn’t totally vandalized inside yet, with cookware and some recently expired canned food inside.

We passed the gun club, circled left, and summitted at the communications tower.

After poking around and looking east to the SF Bay, we backtracked all the way back to the Gun Club.

From there we continued our CCW loop. This is where the unexpected terrain started. Up and down, up and down…

Down, down, down, we went into the sunset. What we thought would be a quick shot straight to Highway 1 as we descended was not. It was “Posted” and we had to detour a few extra miles to get back to highway 1. We then walked on the shoulder of the highway for about 2 miles and back to the car! Study the route on the Strava link and allow plenty of time and water!

Strava link. 14 miles and 2600 feet, but it seemed much more! https://www.strava.com/activities/437703884

A quick blog post to document for myself, and maybe others, a nice little route (bicycle ride) in Los Gatos, near Summit Road.

I parked my car between Highway 17 and the Lexington reservoir. It’s a bit to the SW after you exit Bear Creek Road

Head uphill, past the Lexington Elementary School, until you get to the Aldercroft Heights turnoff.

Bear right and stay on Old Santa Cruz Highway and you’ll eventually see this odd building.

“Holy City” was a settlement founded by a guy who was (you guessed it!) “holy”! Founded in 1919 and formally disbanded in 1959. I often stop and rest in the shade of this large building. A few years back it had a glass blowing shop that tried to pull in tourists from Highway 17, but seems to have failed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_City,_California

If you bear right onto Holy City Road for a few hundred feet, and look to your right, you’ll see an interesting old garage from the original settlement.

Notice the roof eaves and other architectural details. (It’s on private property, but you can get a good view from the public roadway.)

Continue up Old Santa Cruz Highway and the next point of interest will be the old crossroads of “Patchen”.

This now consists of a Christmas Tree farm and the old cabin of Mountain Charlie. (Here are highlights of historical locations as an early settler in these mountains http://www.mountaincharlie1850.org/historytour.html )

Continue uphill to the intersection of Summit Road.

Cross Summit Road, staying on Old Santa Cruz Highway.

After a short distance you’ll see a left onto Schulties Road. It’s bumpy for awhile, then the pavement actually ends. It’s slow going at times, but my skinny tire road bike had no problems.

At the bottom of Schulties Road you’ll enter the crossroads of “Laurel”.

The highlight of Laurel, sometimes overlooked among the handful of homes, is the old train tunnel.

There used to be a series of 4 tunnels on the old train route from San Jose to Santa Cruz. All 8 portals still exist, though most are either on private property or are hard to find. They were blown-up internally in 1940 after being unused for awhile. This one can be seen without leaving your car, as can one at the end of “Wright’s Station Road” (http://www.santacruztrains.com/2012/03/wrights-station-summit-tunnel-north.html). I’ve been to all 8 portals, after doing some detailed research on USGS Topo maps, as well as carefully planning my route to avoid trespassing. This is the best summary of the 8 tunnels and a start for my research http://coursetrained.blogspot.com/2008/08/lost-tunnels-los-gatos-to-santa-cruz.html

After gawking at the tunnel from a distance, turn left onto Redwood Lodge Road to start enjoying your climb back up towards Soquel San Jose Road.

Left on Soquel San Jose Road (a bit busy!) and a left on Summit Road. Stop for a snack st the Summit Store. http://www.summitgrocerystore.com/

A few miles further down Summit Road will take you to the high point of the Old Santa Cruz Highway, where I initially crossed Summit Road. Turn right and descend back to the reservoir!

That’s it! 22 miles and 2700 vertical feet. Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/431607493

Santa Cruz is a great bicycle-friendly town. It’s a quick getaway from Silicon Valley (if you plan the Highway 17 traffic properly, or if you bicycle over “the hill” on Mountain Charlie Road or Soquel-San Jose Road) I’ve written about a leisurely day along the coast before https://alpharoaming.com/2013/11/05/chillin-whale-watching-santa-cruz-and-capitola/

Santa Cruz is also the home of “Santa Cruz Bicycles” http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/ They’re a well known maker of high-end mountain bikes. If you’re in the area, or plan to be, how about a 4 hour spin on one of their awesome carbon bikes? They have a “Factory Demo” program that allows you to reserve one of their bicycles of choice for a $20 fee (donated to local trail building).  http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en/us/factory-demo On-line reservations are highly recommended, though you can try a walk-in.

Just like in the video in the link above, I walked into the showroom, with my helmet and gloves, ready to ride, and was warmly greeted and set up with an awesome bicycle.

I chose the 27.5 inch “Bronson”, which took the mountain biking world by storm a few years ago by being the first (one of the first?) carbon mountain bikes (http://www.outsideonline.com/1926996/six-month-shootout-santa-cruz-bronson-versus-devinci-troy-carbon-sl) Their demo models usually include the carbon wheels and the lighter “CC” frame. This one listed for ~$8600, but less expensive versions are available, with carbon wheels being the priciest option. (If pink / magenta is not your style, you can buy them in different colors. The demo model colors are random. No whining!)

The Santa Cruz folks will help you find the awesome Wilder Ranch State Park http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=549 which is a very short ride from their showroom. In the correct season you’ll pass a field of pumpkins and brussels sprouts!

…and a map at the bottom of the hilly part of Wilder Ranch.

Pick some trails and up you go! Note carefully that some trails are wide-open fields and fire roads, while others are steep, twisty and jumpy. The more difficult ones usually are the ones that cross canyons and gullies between the ridges. Rocks, roots, (usually dry) creeks, and steep switchbacks…

The Pacific Ocean is down there in the haze or “marine layer”

One of the steep-but-direct single track trails. Looking uphill:

…and looking downhill behind me. Down in the redwoods below were some seriously steep and twisty trail sections. I’m not afraid to admit I walked up AND down some portions. My balance and riding skills not perfect and I’m not interested in broken bones or a broken helmet!

If you’re a younger or more experienced rider you’ll enjoy these bits. THESE are the trails that these bicycles were developed on and for…

On the way back I passed a few polite equestrians. They were quite used to the many local cyclists and were grateful that I approached with caution and courtesy.

That was my ride! I returned to the showroom and asked a few questions and gave my impressions. There was absolutely no sales pressure. They are professional, courteous, and let their fine machines speak for themselves!

(Last year I tested the “5010”, which used to be called the “SOLO” until they had a  trademark issue. Very similar to the Bronson, except for the frame geometry. Next I’ll try the 29 inch “Tallboy”. I’ve been told the Tallboy may fit my less-technical riding style and cruises nicely for someone used to a road bike. The Tallboy is also more budget-friendly, starting around $2600.)

Great demo program, great trails, and a GREAT bike! Compared to my old hardtail, I loved the lightness, the drop-post seat, and the very convenient 1×11 gearing. Give it a try and you might buy!

 

I’ve done a few gear reviews before…some I’ve purchased (https://alpharoaming.com/2014/05/26/merrell-moab/) and loved enough to share my experiences, and some were freebies. A few times I’ve had a gear manufacturer send me a freebie where they were not necessarily asking for a review. In the interest of “paying it back” I’m happy to do a short review for my blogging audience.

UST (https://www.ustbrands.com/) specializes in survival and emergency preparedness equipment. The first item they sent is a 7 inch Paracord Glo bracelet. This is a glow-in-the-dark version of what you’d wear just in case some parachute cord would come in handy. It looks well made, with a handy plastic snap clip. The 7 inch model is a bit snug on me, and I don’t have large wrists. Medium-to-large guys should look at their 8 inch models. Nice! (Available direct on their website, or $6.95 on Amazon http://amzn.com/B00FI8H976 or support your local retailer!)

The second item is their “Paraknife 3.0 Glo”. This sucker is sharp! Be careful when removing it from the package! It’s a handy little fixed-blade knife, with a sturdy sheath. It’s made of a single flat piece of steel and the 5 feet of cord **is** the handle! As someone who has a few old knives that are in dire need of sharpening, THIS ONE will now be my go-to knife. Excellent little item. Thanks for the goodies! (Available direct on their website, or $11.94 Amazon Prime http://amzn.com/B00PG1YASQ or support your local retailer!)

Didja know that there are three Archery Ranges in Santa Clara County that are FREE and open to the public? They’re maintained by local clubs, with the County’s permission. The closest one to me is near Stevens Creek Reservoir, between Cupertino and Saratoga. https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/Activities/SportsFacilities/Pages/Archery.aspx

Find “Mt Eden Road” from the back of the Stevens Creek Reservoir or from Pierce Road, coming from Saratoga (past Garrod Farms and Cooper-Garrod Winery, which are also nice stops to rent a horse http://www.garrodfarms.com/ and sample some local wine http://www.cgv.com)  and look on the uphill side of the road for the range. (The entrance is at N 37° 16.585 W 122° 04.177  if you’re a Map Geek. It’s about 1000 feet NW of the intersection of Mt Eden Rd and Orchard Meadow Dr.)

The range in Cupertino is nicely maintained by “Bowhunters Unlimited” http://bhuarchers.org/bow7/

There is a series of hay bales, with targets attached, at varying distances from the shady shelter, near the parking lot. “Porta Potties” too!

There’s also a “field course” of 32 targets, spread out across the steep hillside.

All the targets are safely backstopped against the hillside. With normal caution, often called-out by nearby signs, you can shoot from a wide range of distances.

The trail is steep in some places, and I did get briefly disoriented around #17 ~ #19, before I saw the “exit” sign behind me. Generally the course is well-marked and even has a few stations with bottled water and shady tables along the way.

…and views of the surrounding hills

If you’re interested, it’s open to the public to come in and look around. If you decide to try archery, there are shops in Gilroy (http://www.predatorsarchery.com/) and one up in San Mateo County. A beginner’s kit will run you around $200 for a reasonable bow, arrows, a quiver, a finger guard and a wrist guard (http://www.predatorsarchery.com/in-store.shtml#bow-packages) (No, I don’t know them or get a kickback if you buy anything!). Those shops can set you up with some lessons, or Bowhunters Unlimited can do the same for free at the range (http://bhuarchers.org/bow7/lessons). Give it a try!

FOOTNOTE on the California drought: I stopped at the nearby Stevens Creek Reservoir back in March and was happy to see that it was almost full…about a foot below the spillway on the dam.

This past week, 6 dry months later, the level was a (very sad) 10 feet down. Can we have some rain…please?!?

I finally found some time in the family calendar for an overnight trip. Off to Henry Coe http://coepark.net/pineridgeassociation/ we go…or maybe not! The forecast was 95F degrees in Morgan Hill, which would mean over 100F up on the sunny ridges that Coe is known for. My second bikepacking trip into Henry Coe was not meant to be (the first one here: https://alpharoaming.com/2013/10/05/bikepacking-henry-coe-state-park-day-1/ )

It’s fortunate that living in Silicon Valley I can usually escape the heat by heading to the coast. A bit of research commenced and I found that many State Parks have “Hike and Bike” campsites, including Half Moon Bay! Half Moon Bay is a reasonable bike ride from home…at least on a 17 pound road bike (https://alpharoaming.com/2014/09/14/half-moon-bay/)

These “Hike and Bike” sites are a shared group site that require NO RESERVATIONS! This is a huge bonus, given that the prime campgrounds are all booked months in advance in the summer. I gave a quick call over to the park to be sure my understanding was correct…oops! I explained that I planned an overnight from Silicon Valley and was strongly discouraged. “It is for people cycling the coast”. Hmm…OK…how about if I rub some dirt on my body and say that I’m coming from San Diego? I would think that anybody with panniers and camping gear should be welcomed (or at least not be subject to questioning or doubt). There is no firm policy on the State Parks website http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26837)

Sooo…I went over to the MTBR.com forums and asked the question. I received a handful of constructive replies, indicating the “wrong person” answered the phone. I decided to go for it. If anybody gave me a hard time, I’d be polite and insistent, and sneak back in after dark, as well as blog about it afterwards. It worked out GREAT!

Pack up the gear and off we go! (Rear panniers, plus a tent and sleeping bag bungeed to the top). The big knobby 2.25 inch tires are meant for hill climbing in Henry Coe, not for touring…

A little zig-zagging around Silicon Valley, past Stanford, and up Kings Mountain Road from Woodside, CA. It was a nasty 94F degrees in the sun, and my loaded bike was around 55 pounds.

The reward started here, at the top of the climb at Skyline Boulevard:

Then a short bit to the right on Skyline Boulevard to the top of the Purisima Creek Trail:

(Note: I have seen Puris(s)ima spelled both with a single “s” and a double “s”. The Midpeninsula Open Space folks use a single, while most other uses seem to be a double “s”)

My research indicated, from old USPS Topo maps, that the Puris(s)ima Creek Trail used to be a road so I expected a reasonable grade and no technical sections. (Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve http://www.openspace.org/preserves/purisima-creek-redwoods and the map http://www.openspace.org/sites/default/files/pr_purisima.pdf )

Ahhh…cool redwood goodness, with a burbling creek next to the trail on the lower portions.

4 miles of downhill dirt, until I reached the pavement. From there it was another few miles coasting down to the coast. The fog bank became visible as I descended:

…and then cycling a few miles on the wide shoulder of Highway 1. (Higgins Canyon Road could be used to avoid Highway 1, but it’s a few miles longer and about 300 feet of additional climbing.)

I arrived! I cycled up to the entrance station and a cheerful State Parks employee saw my loaded rig said “Hike and Bike Site? Seven dollars!” and in I went.

The site is quite large, and located just over a dune from the beach and close to restrooms and a shower (bring quarters!). Convenient, large, and only a few neighbors. The 4 tents were all about 30 feet apart from each other, with additional space to spread out away from the trees and 2 picnic tables. There were 2 solo cyclists, and a pair of young ladies. I talked to both of the guys. They were both from San Francisco, with one just finishing a 3 week trip, and another who just came for one night.

One of the best things about this campground is it’s proximity to the quaint town of Half Moon Bay. I carried just a few snacks with me as I later went to town for a BURGER and BEER!

I returned just before dark, and went to sleep fairly soon after. The crashing surf took a bit of getting used to, as did sleeping on the ground without a pad.

The next morning, I headed back the same way I came. Where Purisima Creek Road meets Highway 1, there used to be the town of Purisima. All that remains a cemetery hidden back in the trees. (The town: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purissima,_California The cemetery: http://smcgs.blogspot.com/2012/09/purissima.html I have been to the cemetery. If you’re not afraid of walls of poison oak and want to look for it, drop me a note for details, or look here if you’re a “Premium member” Geocacher: http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC2NFWE_goodnight-mooney

A stationary well. Oil, I think(?) There was limited exploration and production during the last century in this area.

That’s it! Great trip. About 35-40 miles and 3000 vertical feet from the geographical center of Silicon Valley. I intend to explore some of the other State Park’s Hike and Bike campsites, including Big Basin Redwoods and New Brighton Beach.

(Dec 2018 update: Here is a great 20 minute video of the Amargosa River https://vimeo.com/303206781 )

I recently did a big road trip through the eastern edge of California. Travelling from south to north, I went from the Mojave Preserve, up to the Sonora Pass, just north of Yosemite.

One of my stops was at the “China Ranch Date Farm”  near the southeast corner of Death Valley. https://www.chinaranch.com/ I had heard and read about this desert oasis, including  from the DryCyclist http://deathvalley2007.drycyclist.com/china-ranch/ and from Calipidder! http://calipidder.com/wp/2009/12/china-ranch-date-farm-and-the-cabin/

After camping at Mid-Hills in the Mojave Preserve (http://www.nps.gov/moja/index.htm) and a reading of 99F degrees at 10:20AM in Baker, I blasted north in the car towards Tecopa and followed the signs to China Ranch.

It was about 108F degrees when I got to China Ranch. Perfect for a stroll along the Amargosa River!

Enough about the Date Farm. Go, buy a shake or a loaf of date bread, talk to the nice people…back to my main point: The RIVER!

I strolled in the heat, just a bit downhill from China Ranch, and passed a few old signs of human habitation

…and then saw the huge green streak against the barren valley walls. There must be water here, at least occasionally!

A sign explaining it’s an “Area of Critical Environmental Concern”, as well as giving credit to the Nature Conservancy and China Ranch for their contributions.

…descending down into the mass of green, yields some human pathways and flowing water! I could hear it before I saw it.. (BTW, did I mention it was hot and two species of large biting flies were screaming “lunch!” and attacking me?  I slapped at least a dozen and had no lasting bite marks, but they did keep me alert and moving!)

I re-crossed the river at a different spot, looked around a bit, and headed back to safety. I enjoyed my visit! I had a shake, took a short hike, re-entered the building to cool off, and hit the road!

Later in the day I visited Ash Meadows, just across the border to the NE in Nevada. It too is a fascinating desert oasis, which I discovered is also a part of the Amargosa River system! http://www.fws.gov/refuge/ash_meadows/

A huge amount of water is gushing out of the ~2 foot gravel hole here. There is no visible “upstream” from this point, but a pleasant life-giving stream which starts here. (Yes, I did see some endangered Pupfish here, too. They look a bit like aquarium guppies and have survived thousands of years in these isolated desert oases.)

 

After Ash Meadows, I passed the turnoff to Saratoga Springs, and headed north to Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells, where it was 115F degrees, and I kept on driving!

After returning home, I started studying a bit about the Amargosa River system. I found it fascinating enough that I decided to present more info!

The river is mostly underground, with a few exceptions of Ash Meadows, China Ranch area, and Saratoga Springs. The places I coincidentally visited or passed by on my trip!

In the picture below, the River starts in the high desert of Nevada and moves underground to the “Amargosa Desert” area near Ash Meadows, where some of it flows out of the ground. It then continues south to Tecopa and the China Ranch area. where it again becomes visible, at the “Amargosa Canyon”. From there, it loops north and expresses itself as Saratoga Springs, before heading further north and west, ending in the Badwater basin of Death Valley.

Here’a a link to the BLM’s page, with another map type: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/amargosa.html

The river is mostly underground, except for the rare rainfalls when it becomes a surface drainage. The Ash Meadows signboards indicate that the water takes centuries to move underground through the system. The Nature Conservancy calls it “one of the world’s longest underground rivers”  http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/nevada/placesweprotect/amargosa-river-project.xml

That’s about it! I found it fascinating that such an “intermittent” river system existed in this harsh environment. I was happy to to have seen the Ash Meadows and China Ranch areas and hope to visit Saratoga Springs on my next visit (…which will not take place when it’s 115F degrees!)

 

 

One of my favorite “quick but challenging” bicycle rides (MTB and road bike) is in nearby Cupertino, CA. It starts at the Stevens Creek Reservoir, near the quarry.

Park along the wood fence near the boat launch, outside of the paid area, if you want to save a few bucks. On weekdays watch for trucks for the first half mile, until you’re past the quarry.

Pass the quarry and turn right onto Montebello Road. Up you go! (It’s about 2000 vertical feet to the end of the pavement and a bit more if you’re doing the scenic MTB loop.)

After about a half mile you’ll see the Picchetti Winery on your left. It’s a nice little picnic area for the kiddies, with some peacocks roaming the ground, as well as hiking trails. (Tasting room details: http://www.picchetti.com/ The Picchetti Open Space Preserve has parking in the next driveway up the hill. Trail map and details: http://www.openspace.org/preserves/picchetti-ranch )

Keep climbing Montebello Road and you’ll see the reservoir in the distance and a bit of dust rising from the quarry (on weekdays when they’re working)

Keep grinding uphill, past the now-closed Montebello School (closed in 2009, after 100+ years, due to declining enrollment http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_11889156?nclick_check=1). When you see the Ridge Winery http://www.ridgewine.com/ on your left, you’re getting to where climb starts to flatten out (…relatively speaking!)

In the home stretch, at least if you’re on a road bike, you’ll see a big vineyard coming up on your right:

Side note: All of Montebello Road is “No Parking”. There is a “workaround” if you want to hike or bike from near the top. Apply for a parking permit a few days in advance and you’ll be given the combination to this gate, where you may park. Easy and convenient! http://www.openspace.org/visit-a-preserve/permits

…and a little further is the end of the public road. If you’re on a road bike this is your turnaround point….and come back and do it 4 more times in the same day, like a local endurance athlete did! http://www.jilloutside.com/2015/04/cures-for-springtime-mehs.html

If you’re on a mountain bike and want a nice descent through the canyon, go around the gate and head up another 15 minutes, or so, until you see the second set of towers and the vague summit of Black Mountain:

When you’re ready for the descent, continue on the gravel road, with the towers on your right, and bear left at any forks in the road. When it gets really steep, you’ll be on “Indian Creek Trail” and soon making a left onto the canyon trail, where it is more gradually graded.

If you have a GPS device and are curious, there is a seasonal pond, just a few steps off the right side of the trail at N 37 18.779  W 122 9.675. In the spring (non-drought years) this fills with water. I’ve seen a bunch of newts lounging around here in late March or April in previous years.

And, yes, at some point you’ll leave Palo Alto and re-enter Cupertino! (FYI: There occasional reports of radar speed traps way out here in the woods, enforcing the 15mph limit for cyclists)

There is one creek crossing, which does become an uncrossable raging torrent after major storms. Today it was a pleasant trickle, about 4 inches deep.

Eventually you’ll get back to pavement and see a few rustic homes. Below is the intersection with (crazy steep) Redwood Gulch Road. There is roadside parking here for about 4 cars if you’re interested. No parking further up the canyon.

A few more miles of peaceful pavement follows the meandering Stevens Creek to where it empties into the reservoir near the quarry.

Small side trip: Kristy Gough and Matt Peterson were killed nearby in 2008 by a Sheriff’s Deputy who fell asleep at the wheel.  If you parked on the side of the reservoir, like I did, you passed the Ghost Bike on your left and the accident site on the embankment before that on your right. Both were accomplished athletes, with Kristy having won the Hawaii Ironman in her age 25-29 group and was expected to be on the US Olympic team. http://velonews.competitor.com/2008/03/news/cyclists-are-remembered-by-friends-and-teammates_73139

That’s it! 20 miles and ~2600 feet of elevation. My Strava track, which can be downloaded in the “tools” section, where you see the wrench, is here: https://www.strava.com/activities/313781592

Enjoy this cycling loop, or come here as a hiker to (permit only) Waterwheel Parking, Picchetti Ranch, or Redwood Gulch

The lesser-known Dowdy Ranch entrance to Henry Coe State Park is open seasonally to cars on weekends starting in May. Four of us enjoyed a lengthy hike on the first open weekend of 2015. (Details and location of the park entrance: http://coepark.net/pineridgeassociation/planning-your-visit/visitor-centers-and-park-entrances/dowdy-ranch-visitor-center

After driving the 8 miles of well-graded gravel from Highway 152 (Pacheco Pass), we parked the cars and were soon walking past the summit of Burra-Burra Peak.

(You can also enter the park 24/7/365 by leaving your car down by Highway 152. The gravel road is always open to hikers and cyclists. It’s about 80 minutes uphill if you’re  a reasonably strong cyclist and ALOT of fun coming back down, despite the posted 15mph speed limit! https://alpharoaming.com/2013/02/24/orestimba-corral/

(History geeks will want to know that a Civil War-era copper mine was briefly attempted at Burra Burra Peak. It was named after the Burra Burra copper mine in Tennessee that became part of the Confederacy, necessitating the Union to look for an alternate source of copper.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burra_Burra_Mine_%28Tennessee%29 )

Below is a view from the backside of Burra Burra Peak, on the Center Flats Road. The chaparral-covered ridge includes (a trail I can’t figure out on the map) and the far valley includes Kaiser-Aetna Road, north towards Orestimba Corral.

After a bit, we turn right onto the Walsh Trail and start down, down, down… Few hikers come this way and even fewer bicycles.

Finally at the bottom, we find the creek and the Tin Cabin:

Complete with two broken bedframes and signs of rodents spending some time there (i.e. “hantavirus”).

As we cross the creek, the first in our group spots a turtle (not very effectively) running for cover. Just below the dry rock, notice the smaller underwater “rock” that’s shaped like a turtle!

..and crossing the meadow, with the cabin and creek behind us,  ready to climb out of the canyon:

We reach Pacheco Ridge Road after a very steep climb (“steep” like Steer Ridge and the Mt Sizer “shortcut”, if you “know Coe”. My Strava track shows 500 feet of climbing in 0.4 miles = ~25% grade.)

Finally we get to “Coe normal” roads, versus the “Coe steep” Walsh Trail:

From Pacheco Ridge Road we see the currently-dry Pacheco Falls area.

…and many scattered Mariposa Lillies prospering in the drought and poor soil

The occasional shade and flatter stretches of road are welcome after the climbing we’ve done so far.

Soon we see Pacheco Camp:

Pacheco Camp is a maintained and padlocked building, with kitchen facilities, used for various official State Park activities. (I think…I’ve asked the question of who gets to use it and under what circumstances. I’ve never been able to get an answer of who has the keys and makes the decisions. If anyone knows, please let me know. If it’s a benefit of being a Coe volunteer in the backcountry, it may be a motivator. As a secret, it’s demotivating…)

Anyway…it’s an awesome place to visit regardless, including shade, picnic tables, pit toilets, and a reliable source of great water. The water is gravity-fed to a sink and a shower house(!) from way uphill at the Live Oak Spring. Kudos to park volunteer “Paul L” and others for their work in improving and maintaining the water sources in Coe.  http://coepark.net/pineridgeassociation/planning-your-visit/water-resources/water-conditions-springs

Time to start the return trip, this time down the other side of the canyon, past the proper trail to Pacheco Falls:

Here’s an older picture of Pacheco Falls, late April 2012, a few hours before sunset:

A little further down Wagon Road we pass Wilson Tower, peeking above the trees, just to the right of center. The tower is for backcountry radio communications. There’s a great logbook near the tower, under some rocks. It was placed by geocachers, but is well known by cyclists too. Fun to read, but we didn’t stop this time:

Finally we head down the Hersman Trail and soon see the buildings and picnic area at Dowdy Ranch in the distance.

That’s it! About 16 miles and 3500 vertical feet. My Strava track missed the last few miles: https://www.strava.com/activities/297694932