From: bushnell@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (William D. Bushnell)
Subject: Table of Grades of Selected Roads in the Santa Cruz Mtns.
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Distribution: ba
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 92 00:23:26 GMT

I am posting this article for Jobst because I think the information is
interesting for us statistically-oriented wreck.bikes readers here in the Bay
Area and because Jobst's news software apparently cannot limit the regional
distribution of his posts.

Jobst has offered to loan me his device to measure roads not included in the
list below.  If anyone would like to assist me in this task, please let me know.
I'm thinking of doing this in late October or November after we go back to
Standard Time.

----Bill

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I once made up a gradient measuring tool for Ray Hosler who wrote some
books on local touring.  It is a 100 inch long aluminum I-beam with an
oil level and a rule divided in decimal inches.  Placing one end of
the bar on the road at a representative location with the bar level,
the gradient can be read directly in percent from the rule measuring
the distance to the road in inches.  Here are some of the values he
recorded.

Jobst

.......................................................................

Ray Hosler who has written a bicycling column for the SF Chronicle and
has a couple of good touring guides to roads in the Bay Area in circulation
sent me a data sheet that is in the process of including many of the
most common steep roads in this area.  He is careful to get a representative
section of road for his measurements and does not put his ruler on a bump
or in a hole.  I hope this adds some numbers to the repertoire that have
not been previously certified.

jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com


ROAD % GRADIENTS IN THE COAST RANGE AND SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sand Hill Road (at SLAC)                                        4
Sand Hill Road (west of 280)                                    5
Sand Hill Road (at CCTA Horse Park)                             3.5
Sand Hill Road (west of Manzanita Way)                          7.5
Lower Kings Mountain Road                                       8.5 to 10
Kings Mountain Road (at Huddart Park)                           7
Kings Mountain Road (at Archery Range Turn)                     11.5
Tunitas Creek Road (at upper end)                               4.5
Tunitas Creek Road (at steep section)                           11
Skyline Boulevard (long descent to Skylonda)                    5.5
Highway 84 (at Red Barn)                                        6
Pescadero Road (Haskins Hill, east side)                        6.5
Alpine Road (lower)                                             11
Alpine Road (first steep turn at Mindego Ranch)                 14
Alpine Road (mile post 2.4)                                     8
Honor Camp Road (off Alpine Road)                               19
Page Mill Road (at Los Trancos parking lot)                     19
Page Mill Road (before Shotgun Bend)                            15.5-17
Page Mill Road (lower View Area)                                15.5
Page Mill Road (at Moody Road)                                  14
Westridge Drive                                                 13.5
Old La Honda Road (lower)                                       10
Old La Honda Road (steep right turn)                            16
Joaquin Road (near end of pavement Alpine Rd)                   17-19.5
Golden Oak Drive (across from Alpine Inn)                       17.5
Los Trancos Road (straightaway)                                 18.5
Montebello Road (lower at start)                                10-11
Montebello Road (2nd right S turn)                              12
Montebello Road (1/4 mile beyond Pichetti Winery)               15-17
Redwood Gulch Road (after first right bend)                     14-18.5
Bohlman Road (Saratoga)                                         10-13
                                                                (20 some turns)
On Orbit Lane (Saratoga)                                        18-23.5
Divisadero St. (San Francisco)                                  22
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The measurements above were taken with a 100-inch aluminum beam,
a decimal ruler and a level to read gradients directly in percent.

Other steep roads that I haven't measured include:

Marin Avenue in Berkeley (at least 24 percent)
Filbert Street in San Francisco (32 percent)

When combined with the high altitude, NOTHING beats Sonora Pass with
18% at the Window, and 15-17 percent at the Golden Stairs (between
8000 and 9000 ft marker) in the Sierra Nevada for difficulty on
paved public roads.

hosler_ray#post@tandem.com

-- 
bushnell@lmsc.lockheed.com	(Bill Bushnell)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles