Truth: Planning a birthday celebration for myself is only slightly more
difficult than learning calculus in a foreign language. Having not been raised in a family that was big on celebrations and such, it's not a natural act. (Taking the day off is a good first step!) I gave TG
carte blanche to plan the day and didn't ask about wheres and whys. I just put on my gear and away we went. Good call on my part.
Destination: Watsonville, Moss Landing, Santa Cruz
Mileage: 125 miles, round trip
Route/Map: Over the hills and through the woods
Part 1: Escape SJ, Find Pie

First leg of the journey was through the Almaden Valley to Highway 152. After abruptly leaving the confines of San Jose suburbia, you find yourself in the middle of fields that could be in the middle of any number of nowheres. It's a quick out of the mayhem and into rural territory. After meandering to and along
Calero Reservoir, wind along in oak trees past
Uvas Reservoir, jog right and find yourself at a T with Highway 152. Head west through redwoods, up and over Hecker Pass and suddenly it's a bird's eye view of patchwork farmland all the way to the coast. Find Carlton Road to navigate to a very specific piece of that patchwork called
Gizdich Ranch, where they wrangle some better-than-pretty-good pie.