Saratoga to Santa Cruz

Spring weather is back, and summer will soon be here. In other words, it's time for a road trip to Santa Cruz ! We start in downtown Saratoga, which features many fine dining establishments, from pizza joints to some of the fanciest restaurants in the Valley, as well as a useful gas station at the corner of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Saratoga Avenue . You could also spend half your kids' inheritance in the local shops, but this is not our goal today.  

The real driving starts around mile 2, after the bridge over Saratoga Creek. After a couple of sweepers, the road starts climbing the side of the Santa Cruz Mountains until it reaches Skyline Boulevard at the top of the Saratoga Gap. The pavement in this section is first class, there are turnouts for slower traffic, visibility is decent around corners, and almost all the curves have constant radii. Sports cars and motorcycles alike have been known to go up and down this section multiple times just for the fun of it. At the intersection of Highways 9 and 35, there is a small park on the south eastern corner with access to good vistas of the south bay and to several local hiking trails.

Past the intersection, take Highway 9 towards Big Basin , and you will soon reach the Santa Cruz County line. On the right side, you can visit the lush redwood and madrone forest of Castle Rock State Park. The sign at mile 8 promises 28 miles of curves; happiness ensues. At mile 9.5, there is large parking lot on the left hand side in an area called Sempervirens Point. On a clear day you can get great views of the forest and see all the way to Monterey .  

At mile 14, you reach the intersection with Highway 236; make a left at the stop sign towards Boulder Creek. You still have 20 miles of twisties ahead of you. In fact, one mile later, there is sharp switchback that will test second gear and would generate oversteer if it were on an autocross course instead of a public highway. As an aside, one option is to go straight at the stop sign, and explore Highway 236 that goes through the Big Basin Redwoods State Park. It is slower going than Highway 9, but the drive through the old growth redwoods is beautiful. The only caveat is that the road surface is rarely in premium shape, and I did not try it on this trip with my low-clearance car. Replacing the air dam adds to the cost of the weekend.

Past Boulder Creek, the next town is Brookdale, best known for the Brookdale Lodge and the stream running through its dining area.  

At mile 25, you reach Ben Lomond and its myriad stores that sell almost everything: antiques, guitars, driftwood carvings and espressos. The most famous joint in town is the Henflings Tavern, which advertises "Burgers, Blues and Booze". There is good live music several nights a week. I only suggest staying away on Mondays, which are "Locals night. Happy hour all night", with the predictable consequences.

In Felton, at mile 29, there are several options. You can visit the Felton Covered Bridge, originally built in 1892; you can ride the trains pulled by geared locomotives of the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad; or you can explore the trails of the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. You might decide to turn right on Felton Empire Road and head towards Highway 1, but, since Santa Cruz is our destination today, proceed on Highway 9 for 6 more miles of leisurely drive along the river.

There is often traffic in this section, and there are no turnouts, so relax and enjoy the sights. At mile 34, there is a big railroad trestle on the right hand side. It is impressive to think that these timbers can hold the weight of a 40 ton locomotive.  

The outskirts of Santa Cruz feature many old structures, yet modern civilization soon takes over. At mile 36, you reach Highway 1, where you might make a right towards the Pacific Coast and Half Moon Bay , or make a left to go back to San Jose on Highway 17. Of course, the best thing to do is to enjoy Santa Cruz and the famous Boardwalk. If you did not get enough curves on the way from Saratoga , the Giant Dipper rollercoaster is just the thing for you. After a ride or two, there are enough purveyors of junk food to satisfy the most demanding teenagers, and reminiscing adults. On a nice day, the beach is inviting for all ages. For more adult activities, the revitalized downtown area is definitely worth a stroll.

Claude