Cycling up Mt. Umunhum, one of the four iconic mountains in the San Francisco Bay Area

Every ride going up Mt. Umunhum is unique because the summit makes its own rules. I’ve seen it all up there—the misty fog, sudden rain, and punishing winds. And then next, the rain clears to reveal a sudden, bright sun. It’s a speical ride today. We’re going to see this alien like structure. This bizarre looking structure, visible from miles away on Highways 101 and 280, resembles the Borg space ship appeared in the 1990s Star Trek TV episodes. We’re starting from Los Gatos, cycling up Kennedy Rd, then onto Hicks Rd, and all the way to the summit of Mt. Umunhum. A round trip is 30 miles with about 4,600 ft of total elevation gain This building locally known as the “cube”. Until recently, I had no idea what it was. It turns out this landmark has a history from the Cold War with the Soviet Union, built in 1960. It was a military lookout designed to detect a Russian invasion. This summit housed over a hundred military personnel, featuring massive radar towers, a helicopter pad, and—surprisingly—even a tennis court and a bowling alley. It later became a state park and was open to the public in 2017. The weekend poetry I don’t care if Monday’s blue, Tuesday’s grey—and Wednesday too. Thursday’s wait is far from through, But Friday? Wait Saturday’s not coming soon enough But Sunday brings me to my knees, I ride, and ride, and ride. Monday’s for the slow repair, Tuesday’s caffeine, dark and rare. Wednesday, dreams of Saturday Thursday is workday, hey Friday, I am in love. Oh oh whoa whoa Saturday, the gears unwind, Sunday, the world is open wide, With nothing left to do but glide. With the sun and the spokes on my side, I ride, and ride, and ride.