pre SeaOtter - LaurelesGradeSummit

Booth set up was done and still some time left before the show. Time to explore the region a bit more than just up and down to Laguna Seca, where Sea Otter is held.

This time, I crossed the peninsula directly to Carmel Bay with the plan to ride through Carmel Valley, over the top to Laguna Seca, and back down to Monterey. Carmel Valley, with its beautiful landscape, stretches east toward Carmel Valley Village. However, I couldn't find any more quiet roads, so traffic was relatively high. Thankfully, following Komoot, I found an ideal shortcut over the mountain, which brought me out a bit lower than the entrance to the race track. The climb was pretty steep, making it a great early-season training, and though it wasn't very long, I was happy to reach the top—only to find a "No Trespassing" sign and a fence. I couldn't believe I'd done all that work just to be blocked from descending the other side. Instead, I had to brake hard on the 13% average descent, with some sections reaching up to 18%.
Further down the valley, I continued on Laureles Grade, which took me to Laureles Grade Summit at 1,284 feet. From there, I had a view of the race track across the valley. After joining the main road, I just needed to cross it to enter the steep access road up to the Laguna Seca circuit.
With everything prepared for the next days, I felt ready for the event. The weather forecast was perfect, so nothing stood in the way of a successful show. I chose the usual route to reach the Sea Otter Classic, enjoying a nice downhill ride to Del Rey Oaks and then a bike path along the beach directly into the heart of Monterey, where many of the event's namesakes can be found.

bike: pretty Betty, Specialized Tarmac S-Works
starring: Gerry Samer