by Dennis Augustine
Bill and I took on a 25-mile round trip to Lexington Reservoir in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Deer paused for photos , then about a 2,000-ft section of the trail at the lower level adjacent to Highway-17 turned into a muddy test of patience—thick, wheel-caking muck that nearly stopped us cold .
Reaching the paved upper roads earned a fist bump . From there on, it was smooth riding under sunny 50-degree skies —earthy post-rain scents , sparkling green hills, and a reservoir mirroring bright, cloud-washed skies .
Totally worth it
