father2nate

OK - Just a little confused... According to post #22, the time was 1:00pm - but ckathens, in post #44 suggested 9:00am. Is it alright with everyone to keep the time at 1:00pm, or is 9:00am better? There will be an official time posted by 5:00pm PST Let's roll around the time ideas, then we'll make a decision!

KuHL 951

Could someone please post a list of the confirmed folks, actual start time, and a little tighter route info? I was hoping on picking up a spare cookie cutter (if I hear from the seller today) in the morning in the BA and the early start time might leave me playing catch-up all day long. A 1:00 pm start time is too late for me, puts me back home way too late. Me thinks there are some mixed signals here concerning the actual start time.

brad-cam

Morning is better for me too. Steve, is 10 or 11 better ? I'm flexible, but I also have a 2 hour drive home.

ckathens

1:00pm??? I thought we'd been planning on 10:30 a.m.? i thought we were going to have lunch at the Microbrewery in Santa Cruz?

Dmitry S.

Let's confirm at 10:30AM.

ckathens

I think 10:30 is a good compromise - gives those from out of town enough time to get to Dmitry's, perfect timing for lunch in Santa Cruz, and plenty of time for more driving if people so desire post-lunch.

KuHL 951

Karen and I are in if the 10:30 start time holds. Maybe I can pick up the wheel on the way home instead. Umm...Brewpub, my kind of run! Any idea on the route? 236 and Empire Grade looks like fun with a return on Summit Road.. There's a good write-up from Pashnit.
http://www.pashnit.com/roads/cal/Highway236.htm
http://www.pashnit.com/roads/cal/EmpireGrade.htm#soquel
Steve

father2nate

Let's go ahead and say 10:30 - it's official. Also, let's go with Steve's route - as long as the Brewery is along the way, or not too far out of the way. Too bad I don't have my lugs yet - I may be rubbing the whole way!

ckathens

236??? Wow ok that's a fun but scary road. Let's pray for no traffic since certain parts of that road are only wide enough for like 1.5 cars

father2nate

Great - first run + scary road = white knuckles

KuHL 951

I'm not married to the route...I just use Pashnit a lot. Is the whole road 1.5 wide or just the parts through Big Basin? It was just a suggestion anyway and I'm just a follower on this run. I'm sure you locals have a good handle on routes, etc. I just know that Hwy. 9 can get very crowded on a Sunday from past experience. Any ideas from the BA folks?

ckathens

No 236 is GREAT if there's no traffic. I just wanted to warn everybody that it can be a bit dangerous if you go too fast. The road gets wider in the western and southern part - its just the northern part that is so scary. Some blind curves with barely enough room for 2 cars to get through the curve. If there's someone with more experience on that road, i think they should go first. Otherwise I guess we'll set the pace since we've done it before..

KuHL 951

Sounds good...we could always just pick up better sections and avoid the BBSP section.

Serge944

I say let Dmitry lead the way...he practically lives in those moutains.

I say we take the infamous Saratoga to Santa Cruz (hw 9) route, as Dmitry suggested. This is probably the best road I've ever driven on.

236 and Empire grade sound good too. Regardless of what everyone decides, I'm doing a two-way run.

How about hw 9 one way, and then 236/empire the other?

On second thought...hw 9 may be crowded. I guess well have to see what happens.

Dmitry S.

236 is SCARY. It is way beyond the skill of many drivers. I'm surprised I'm still alive after driving that road in my Rabbit. I vote that we keep it safe and stay on 9. If there's traffic on 9 - We'll honk until they move over.