Nightglow Window

De Luz

Dearest De Luz,
I love your nooks and valleys, your sinuous roads and climbs. You are in all ways beautiful, but you're also one cruel bitch. That 13% climb there at mile 43? Sadistic. I think I love you.

48 miles, 4,200 feet of climbing, wave after wave of 11%, 15%, 18%, 23% (!) climbs, no traffic, swooping peacocks, deer, streams, incredible scenery. Easily the best ride since Colorado last summer. And only a 30 minute drive from my house.





Two mile 9%px climb right out of the blocks -- just a sample of what's on tap.



There were so few cars I actually was overly cautious on the descents. No one really out here and this is where Floyd Landis broke his hip.

Doofus in full effect.

Wow! Now just imagine it at 26 mph. Where's my Go Pro helmet cam!

Abandon hope.

No, see, I really did want to stop and look at the flowers halfway up the climb. But I wasn't tired. Really! Not me man.



Near the top of Los Gatos, where it kicks up past 20%px again. This photo doesn't even do it justice.

The wide open plateau at the top of the Los Gatos climb is startling. You've been trapped in deep canyons for the past 15 miles.






Coming off the plateau with big chainring easy spinning -- and none too soon.



Here's where my camera battery died. Suffice it to say, Murrietta ain't terribly scenic but once you climb back up into the hills outside of Temecula the scenery (and climbs) once again kicked into high gear.