Thank you to trail volunteers, road reports, & rain next week?

20 people showed up last Saturday to clear the Guadalupe River Trail under Montague Expressway. Thank you so much for your efforts. Thanks to your help, the Mid-March San Jose Bike Train can roll Wednesday morning from Bel Bacio Cafe at 8:15 A.M.

Guadalupe River Trail cleanup March 11 2017

Volunteers clear the Guadalupe River Trail under Montague Expressway.

I and hundreds of other people can now enjoy the trail for their commutes and recreational riding, walking, skating and running.

Guadalupe River Trail cleanup March 11 2017

Here’s how the trail looked a few weeks ago, when flooding damaged miles of U.S., state and local roads, and dozens of people lost their homes in San Jose.

Guadalupe River Trail - flooding March 2017

Here’s a view from this same location this morning.

Guadalupe River Trail - flooding March 2017

Flooding also damaged several homes; I have a couple of friends who lost nearly everything. I encourage you to contribute to the Red Cross to help with flood relief, and be sure to take advantage of whatever corporate matching is available through your employer.

City of San Jose workers cleared the trail across downtown (from Woz Way thru Santa Clara Street) on Monday, and they’re continuing north to 880 for the remainder of this week.


Roads in the South Bay, Santa Cruz and beyond

Santa Clara County reports $22 million in storm damage to county roads, many of which remain closed. Cyclists report various degrees of success and failure in hucking through some of these areas, but the county asks cyclists to please avoid riding through active work zones.

Orbit Road - closed and impassable. Photo courtesy Chris Davies

West Old La Honda Road in San Mateo County remains closed. Regular riders report the slide area is passable by bike, but the county says the road is still hazardous, with a chance that the entire roadway could slip out at any time. The “alternate route” (Highway 84) is not that great for cycling: you can expose yourself to fast traffic on a narrow highway with no shoulder, or you can expose yourself to possibly sliding down a ravine. Mike of Chain Reaction describes the situation and asks riders to contact the county about their priorities here.

Numerous roads throughout Santa Cruz County also remain closed with tens of millions of dollars in damage. Some of these roads, such as Soquel San Jose Road or Glenwood Drive, have a temporary footpath where you can walk your bike across to bypass the damaged road. Work crews have allowed cyclists to pass through on some sections, but I also know of at least one guy who tried to pass through on a state highway, was stopped by security, detoured through a route that added miles, hundreds of feet of elevation, and a couple of hours. This rider bonked badly near Skyline Road after dark and with no lights. He made it home safely but it wasn’t a fun experience.

Finally, Highway 1 south of Monterey into Big Sur re-opens this afternooon. The Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge remains closed. A footpath under construction by California Conservation Corps and local volunteers to bypass the condemned bridge should be complete around the mid-April.

Rain returns (maybe)

Finally, the Climate Prediction Center long range forecast for the coast shows wet weather may return next week, so hold on to your rain gear and fenders for the time being.

“Road Closed” at Orbit Road photo courtesy of Chris Davies, who reports this road is impassable by bike.

One Comment

  1. “…The Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge remains closed. A footpath under construction by California Conservation Corps and local volunteers to bypass the condemned bridge should be complete around the mid-April.”

    I’m interested in staying abreast of this development, especially if it can accommodate loaded touring bikes/cyclists. What do you recommend for a resource? Thanks!

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