On the plus side, Flanders is largely flat, and you can always find a group to ride in.

The first day was 54 miles and 4452' of climbing.  It was a route my friend Basil showed me last time I was in SC.  The highlight was an eight-mile climb.  And htis year, it was dry.  What I didn't expect was that my front brake bolt was stripped and thus not secure against the frame. More concerning was the sign stating the road was closed three miles up.  A person at the deli at the foot said she thought it was open.  That was enough for me.    I ended up detaching the brake cable completely for the ride up the climb.  And for the slower descent thereafter.
https://www.strava.com/activities/10454610657

Not really rough, but they are also putting up the signs before genuinely rough roads.

The ocean is beyhond that next ridge.

The thing with roads in teh redwood forests around here is that they are not only narrow, with the trees pretty much coming to the road edge, but often falling off because of rains and shifting ground.  


The second ride was my return to the Bonny Doon Climb.  47 miles, 4649' of climbing.  Another long, slow drag through a redwood forest.  It's so dark there are signs telling cars to turn on their headlights during the day.  When I last hit it, i rode through a downpour.  It was overcast but dry.  I had hoped to hit the summit, descend to the coast, then turn left, reclimb much of the elevation I lost before hitting another road to take me to town.  Strangely, or not, Strava's map didn't mention that the road I was intending to climb was private and fenced off.  the next left turn was seven miles away, at the Santa Cruz line.  
https://www.strava.com/activities/10454610589

This is highway 1 looking south from Davenport towards Santa Cruz.  Yes, a highway, but pretty quiet overall.


The next ride was one I took from the Santa Cruz County Cycling Club. They have a library of rides you can download.  This was recommended to me.  But I was intending to finish in Santa Cruz and meet up with my family for a movie.  40 miles, 3645' of climbing.  It had rained in teh morning, but the sun was peeking when I left to ride.  It was dry until I hit the big climb of the day, Mt. Charlie, where it was misting and spitting a bit.  Warm enough to be in short sleeves.  Over the top, it started drizzling.  Which wasn't auspicious as the descent was in another forest, with slimy roads and leaves still falling.  Put my vest on, did some quality brake pad grinding and all was good--there was a small village in the middle of the descent which felt like something otu of Apocalypse now; christmas lights lighting up a damp, dark outpost.  My family accidentally left my clothes behind, so I skipped the movie--SC is cold enough that sitting in a movie theatre in soggy cycling clothes seemed like a bad idea.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10454610637

The view from nearly the top.



My last ride, which I had hoped was my second-to-last, was 100% in a drizzle.  I just went down to town and wandered around, looking for the destruction the rough surf had wrought.  I ended up hearing "JP Partland, what the fuck are you doing here?" and turned around to find fellow New Yorker Brian Coburn right behind me.  Turns out, he was staying in Watsonville and and was finising up the ride I did on Sunday--and woefully underdressed to do the long descent he just came off. 

There are a number of steep dead-end climbs off my brother's street as well as a steep, switchbacked 2mi climb to the highway.  I wanted to explore.  I hit one, but put off doing more, thinking I'd do it Sunday.  But Sunday started wet, and it's so damp there, I was afraid my gear wouldn't dry by 5pm hwen I had to pack my bag to go, so I skipped the ride.

There's a valley in there somewhere.


Mugging in downtown Capitola.  He immediately sent the image to one of our mutual friends.

I was also traveling to California over the holidays with my bike , my rides weren't quiet as epic ,

But i was using the Orucase and was flying jet blue , on the way out the lady told me at bag drop that i had to go the " pay here " desk , i asked why, she said , Its a bike ? , i said No ,its a massage table ," OK,then , no charge .

This also worked on the return trip , Those masseuse get all the perks

(ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FreqvkpLkZc)

As for the airlines, $200 is now rare, though it was sort of expected with Delta and a few other carriers a decade ago (when it was even more expensive).  I forget when Delta dropped the fee, but it was a big deal.  Lucky for me Delta had the most flights to Memphis, which is were my in-laws are, so I generally pulled the 'masage table' excuse, save for the times Competitive Cyclist gave me a bike bag to fly out with, and then another one to fly home with.  Then, I told them it was a bike and, yes, paid the $200.

Here's a web page with what purports to be the fees for lots of airlines, not only in the US

https://www.seektravelride.com/airline-luggage-requirements/