Bike Leans - Santa Cruz Wharf
@teamfreak16 (46818)
Denver, Colorado
September 2, 2026 1:25am CST
You are looking at a photo of my gravel bike, Agent Gravel, on the Santa Cruz Wharf in Santa Cruz, California, in October of 2024. That’s a calm Pacific Ocean, and a bunch of rich-guy homes. We were there for the Project Hero California Challenge, and had gone for a bike tour of Santa Cruz the day we arrived.
About a month and a half later, that calm Pacific Ocean got nasty and wiped out a portion of the Santa Cruz Wharf, about 150 feet of which had already been closed to the public due to storm damage. Three workers (a project manager and two contractors) were on the pier and were caught in the collapse. Two were rescued, one swam to safety.
Before the storm, the Santa Cruz Wharf was the longest pier on the West Coast of the United States. According to a video I watched (linked below,) it’s the longest wooden wharf in the Western Hemisphere. It opened in 1915, shipping potatoes meant for mining camps during the gold rush. After the trains got involved, the pier changed its focus to the fishing industry. It now serves as a tourist attraction.
Because I had just been there, learning of the collapse seemed a bit surreal to me. Not in a “That could have been me” way, but it all just seemed so calm and relaxing when I was there. I had forgotten all about the actual power of the ocean.
Fun fact: Since 1973, a foot race called The Wharf to Wharf Race has been held, starting at the Santa Cruz Wharf and ending at the Capitola Wharf in the neighboring town of Capitola (a 6-mile race.) Entry is limited to 16,000 runners, and sells out months in advance.
Link is to a San Francisco news piece about the reopening of the wharf:
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4 people like this
5 responses
@crossbones27 (53934)
• Mojave, California
2 Sep
Sell out going to the north. Remember those beefs with so Cal and nor Cal. Trump united us what a great leader, Cali is always pretty relaxed until people start pissing contests. 
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (53934)
• Mojave, California
2 Sep
@teamfreak16 I hope you won and went that is for the Mad Caddies. 
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
That's where we started. We ended in Port Huerfeno. 
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
@crossbones27 - I DNF'd (did not finish.) I couldn't keep up with the pace, so I helped load and unload/sort all the luggage each day, then explored on my bike on my own. I particularly explored Solvang and Pismo Beach.
I couldn't keep up with the pace, so I helped load and unload/sort all the luggage each day, then explored on my bike on my own. I particularly explored Solvang and Pismo Beach.2 people like this
@thislittlepennyearns (70534)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
2 Sep
Why did I think this bike was mostly white? Lol
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
The 2026 model is actually white! With some polka dots on it (just a few.)
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
@thislittlepennyearns - I guess it was more splotches than polka dots. I think I'm confusing it with Puck Pieters' Queen of the Mountains bike in the women's Tour. Her bike matched the jersey.
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (70534)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
2 Sep
@teamfreak16 polka dots is an interesting choice for
Bike design
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (127611)
• United States
2 Sep
It blows my mind they actually have to put a cap on how many people can enter. Solely because I can’t imagine more than five crazies wanting to run that much at once. I just can’t fathom that kind of energy, but God bless the people who are healthy enough to do it.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
It's a logistics thing. Cycling events are capped as well. They have to know how many free meals they'll need after, how many police needed, etc. The events are popular because they are so much fun. We're doing a big cycling event here in Denver later this month.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (127611)
• United States
2 Sep
@teamfreak16 I would be glad to wave at participants. I’d have to get a scooter because I can’t walk too far, but I’d ride along the wharf, probably in people’s way, telling everyone they could do it. I’m a good cheerleader, albeit a corny one.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
@AmbiePam - Trust me, it feels good just having someone cheering.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (388691)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Sep
@teamfreak16 Nearly 29,000 ran in Perth but City2Surf in Bondi on the east coast, over 90,000 entered. I find that hard to believe but that's what the website said.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
@JudyEv - I believe it. There are some huge numbers in participants in these "little" races.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
A race to the beach? That would be fun.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (46818)
• Denver, Colorado
2 Sep
Races like that can bring a lot of revenue into a town over a weekend. It sounds like a cool race, I'm just not much of a runner anymore. I used to run a lot.
2 people like this
