Posts on Velodromedary

Yosemite Valley by transit & bike

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 02:30:27 +0000

For many years I’ve been curious to try the transit (train and bus) method of getting to Yosemite Valley, and potentially bring my bike along… and I finally did it:

Read on for some logistics notes, though exact train and bus timetables and web links change year to year and season to season, so you’ll want to look up schedules yourself…

Another quick vignette video from cycling across Southern India (on a supported tour, with a group of friendly strangers). We'd...

Sat, 02 May 2026 12:16:27 +0000

Another quick vignette video from cycling across Southern India (on a supported tour, with a group of friendly strangers). We’d gradually ascended the Western Ghats mountain range over the previous few days… then descended the other side on a single beautiful, curvy, 20km-long downhill. I recorded the whole descent, but clipped out about 90 seconds that capture the vibe:

Cycling India: Tea Country. After getting back from six weeks of bike touring, I'm trying something new and making a few quick...

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 19:50:36 +0000

Cycling India: Tea Country. After getting back from six weeks of bike touring, I’m trying something new and making a few quick highlight videos with footage I recorded. This is the first one.

I rarely do anything with videos I record, but I've done a quick edit of the San Jose -> Santa Cruz ride (details in previous...

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:46:48 +0000

I rarely do anything with videos I record, but I’ve done a quick edit of the San Jose -> Santa Cruz ride (details in previous post) into a three minute memory.

San Jose to Santa Cruz on quiet back roads

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:36:53 +0000

I’ve biked to the Santa Cruz / Capitola / Watsonville coast a handful of times, but this is my new favorite route from San Jose (BART or Caltrain), using the one-lane, often-empty Mountain Charlie Road:

Most routes I’ve seen start the same:

Take the Los Gatos Creek Trail from San Jose to Los Gatos (mostly paved, with some mild gravel bits and one very short but steep bit of gravel as you approach Lexington Reservoir)

And… here I am, riding my bike in the heat and humidity of Kerala, India. I’ve posted a few updates across fragmented islands of...

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:43:17 +0000

And… here I am, riding my bike in the heat and humidity of Kerala, India.

I’ve posted a few updates across fragmented islands of social media like Instagram / Strava, or group texts… but plenty of folks I know don’t use those sites. So I’m looking into posting updates here to link back to (though it’s not quite as easy on my phone while traveling). I’ll at least post a summary here later, after the tour, as usual.

Biking the Crosstown Trail, San Francisco

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:00:07 +0000

I highly recommend the Crosstown Trail, a grassroots-developed 17-mile hiking route across San Francisco that strings together existing paths through parks, urban greenways, stairs, and the bits of road needed to connect them.

There’s an associated bike route that combines parts of that trail with parallel road routes where it would be impractical to ride (though even this route also includes some carry-your-bike staircases and narrow dirt paths). Just imagine, you can experience all of this within the city limits:

Sonoma County from Oakland, Transit-Assisted

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 16:09:51 +0000

With a bit of a train assist, it’s possible to be casually riding through wine / cider / beer country in central Sonoma County (roughly within the Santa Rosa - Guerneville - Healdsburg triangle), on the Joe Rodota Trail and West County Regional Trail:

In my stronger days, I’d biked to Sonoma County all the way from SF or Oakland in a day (~70-100 miles one-way); I wrote up some of these rides as SF -> Russian River Brewing (Santa Rosa), SF->Petaluma-and-back, SF->Healdsburg overnight, and so on. But I’m not really interested in (or capable of?) a ride that long these days– 40-50 miles is my current sweet spot for an extended social ride with plenty of stops and exploration.

Wildcat Creek Trail Gravel

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 23:55:37 +0000

I enjoy mixing some gravel and dirt into my road rides, though I don’t have a specific “mountain” or “gravel” bike– just my all-around bike with 38mm tires.

A local example I’ve enjoyed several times in the past few years is Wildcat Creek Trail, which takes you from Wildcat Canyon Park in Richmond up to Tilden Park in the Berkeley hills. It’s a good local introduction to gravel roads (and nice and wide compared to a typical multi-use trail, avoiding conflict with walkers and dogs), and I’ve brought along friends on road bikes and they’ve been able to handle it:

Goats, Art, Fried Fish (Point San Pablo)

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 21:18:19 +0000

Last weekend I organized a ride up to Point San Pablo, about 40 miles of scenic, mostly-flat* riding, with the majority of it on paved separated bike paths (the Bay Trail, on-street bike paths in Richmond, the Richmond Greenway, and the Ohlone Greenway).

We had a good group of seven, some who I’ve been riding with off and on for years and some new folks. And the remarkable exchange between two people of:

Cycling Eastern Slovenia & Croatia, 2024

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 03:25:00 +0000

A few years back I met a friend who lives in Berlin and we spent a week biking to Copenhagen. It turns out we had compatible cycle touring styles, and said “let’s do this again some time… especially if I’m ever somewhere in Europe within a reasonable take-your-bike-on-the-train distance from Germany". Other vacation plans brought me to Slovenia, so we schemed up a week of self-supported cycling in Slovenia and a bit of Croatia, on a mix of paved and gravel roads.

Test post, to see if I can reshare a writeup I did on Strava to here (to share daily notes+photos with a few friends who don't...

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 05:47:48 +0000

Test post, to see if I can reshare a writeup I did on Strava to here (to share daily notes+photos with a few friends who don’t use strava or social media, during a week of cycling I’m doing in Slovenia):

[Edit:] Unfortunately, I can only easily reshare a single summary photo from Strava, but ride notes and additional photos don’t carry over.

I’ll probably keep using Strava as my place to quickly share a few notes + photos with fellow riders during a tour, but intend to come back here to write up longer recaps on the most interesting rides (see for example the Taiwan writeup below).

Riding the length of Japan, 2023 (teaser)

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 17:25:00 +0000

(this is a short recap post with some photos, perhaps some day I’ll come back and write more when I have the space to fully wrap my head around what just happened)

Ever since I first visited Japan, one of my dreams has been to do a long-distance bicycle tour there, with a focus on rural areas (as well as the food, history, craftsmanship, and culture). “Some day, life’s too busy… maybe when I’m 65…”– but after a career change, I made it happen this year. It was one of the most memorable trips of my life.

Cycling South Korea, 2023

Wed, 17 May 2023 01:50:00 +0000

(This is a placeholder writeup with a few photos, perhaps I’ll come back some day and flesh it out…)

I spent a week cycling the length of Korea (~400 miles from Seoul to Busan), as a fully supported** ride with an organized tour group and about 20 strangers (though a few I’d met on a bike tour in Vietnam the previous year). By the end I felt exhilarated, challenged, stimulated, and full of great food.

Biking Eastern Taiwan, 2023

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 07:08:38 +0000

I’d heard over the years that Taiwan’s East Coast is beautiful and a popular place to cycle, and that you can rent bikes at one Giant store and return them at another, making a one way rental bike tour reasonable.

I’d never quite found the excuse + motivation to plan a trip there, so had that filed away in the “some day” mental list. Then a few months ago a friend reached out saying he wanted to bike in Taiwan and would I be interested? I said yes, and before I knew it we were riding twisty roads down gorgeous Taroko gorge after gorging on breakfast dumplings…

Custom Frame Bag

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 18:24:30 +0000

Sewed a custom frame bag in a weekend workshop at Swift Industries up in Seattle. An impractically-small one, for the partial triangle on one of my bikes. Hey, I think it looks nice, and it can hold a pump, snacks, money, keys, and a light jacket…

Self-Supported Berlin -> Copenhagen

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 22:58:29 +0000

Last summer (2022) I biked from ~Berlin to Copenhagen with a friend. A week of gorgeous riding on pavement and some dirt, carrying all our gear but staying in hotels to avoid the need for camping equipment, through a mix of rural landscapes, quaint towns, and cities.

It started with flying into Berlin, checking my boxed bike and a lightweight duffel bag that just held two panniers of gear. I reassembled the bike in a train station in the city, hooked my panniers onto it, wadded up the duffel bag in the bottom of one of the panniers, and rode away…

Bike Touring Stretches

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 17:59:00 +0000

I’m not as young as I used to be. Stretching before and after a long ride (especially on tours where I’m riding day after day after day) makes an especially big difference now.

Notes to self: Here’s the ideal set of stretches I’ve settled on, with the (*) ones being the ones I prioritize if I’m feeling tight on time:

Child’s pose
* Cat Cow
Down Dog
Pec stretch doorway
* Eagle Arms
Clasp hands behind back
Arm circles
* Hip flexor (heel held to butt, knee pointing down)

Cycling Vietnam + Cambodia, 2022 (teaser)

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 18:58:00 +0000

(a brief recap, perhaps to come back to with more detail some day)

I’ve wanted to push myself farther out of my bike touring comfort zone, in terms of traveling in a culture very different from home, and for long enough and at a slow enough pace that I start to pick up on the rhythms on daily life. I dove in to a four-week tour through Vietnam and Cambodia…

DC -> Pittsburgh on car-free trails, 2022 (C&O/GAP)

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 21:46:52 +0000

For years I’ve daydreamed about biking from DC to Pittsburgh on mostly car-free dirt trails, on a ~330 mile winding route that combines the C&O Canal Trail (a dirt trail formerly used by mules to pull cargo barges along the C&O canal in the 1800s, a transportation method that eventually lost to the railroad, and was nearly converted to roads before being preserved as a park in the 1970s) and the Great Allegheny Passage (a combination of rail trails integrated and completed in 2013).

Bornholm: Island Life + Cycling

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 00:49:00 +0000

Bornholm: a large Danish island in the middle of the Black Sea, reached by ferry from Sweden, Germany, or Poland. It’s relaxing, lush, pastoral… and some might even say a little boring.

I love it– there are smokehouse for fish (optionally served with an egg yolks), a few cute towns, breweries, ice cream, beaches and forests… and most notably for this blog: ~230km of interconnected cycle trails around and through the island.

Water and birdsound, stopped trailside on Bornholm (longer writeup of this island cycling trip coming soon):

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 20:24:00 +0000

Water and birdsound, stopped trailside on Bornholm (longer writeup of this island cycling trip coming soon):

Packing for Bike Trips

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 16:32:00 +0000

Every bike tour is a learning experience, in many ways… and part of that is keeping track of what I packed but didn’t use vs. what I’d wished I’d packed. A few friends have asked for a copy of my packing list, and before a trip I’m always looking for my random notebook of “ideas for next time”, so I’m jotting down a few of my lists here:

Universal “On The Bike” List
Light Packing List (Self-Supported + Hotels)
Moderate Packing List (Vehicle-Supported + Hotels)
[todo] Moderate Packing List #2 (Self-Supported + Camping)
[todo] Heavier Packing List (Vehicle-Supported + Camping)

Morgan Territory, take 2

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 15:00:18 +0000

Morgan Territory Road was one of my favorite Bay Area roads four years ago (see that post for more details), and a few weeks ago a group of us finally made it back.

The ascent and descent on windy one-lane roads with minimal traffic were even better than I remembered (riding on a cool day helped):

This time, for variety, I charted a new route (44mi, 2800’ climbing) with a more roundabout intro/outro, picking up a range of paved and gravel trails through various parks, to take us off the busy + boring suburban roads. This probably added at least an extra hour (partly due to riding slow on multi-use trails with more pedestrians and dogs) but I felt they were a great addition. A few examples:

Del Valle Dirt

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 01:22:11 +0000

I’ve done variants on a 30-mile vineyard and trails loop in Livermore a few times over the years. One of those years we biked past Wente and up to the South end of Arroyo Road, and could see gravel trails stretching off along Lake Del Valle– but the gravel was too steep and loose and we turned around.

I’ve always wanted to go back with some wider tires and see how practical (and fun) it is to ride gravel along Del Valle, connecting Arroyo road to Mines road…

new rides coming...

Sat, 26 Feb 2022 23:37:09 +0000

This tumblr’s one of the things I gave up on during Covid, but I’ve gone on some interesting new rides in the past year especially so I’m going to upload some maps + photos in the next month or so…

edit: I’ve now posted recaps of my favorite rides from the past two years, mostly back-dated to the month they happened in, you can scroll back through the blog to see them. A few highlights include:

Hayduke Option - MTB Touring in Southern Utah

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 01:35:00 +0000

(retroactively writing up a quick summary, months later…)

I’ve dreamed about doing some sort of week+ off-road bike tour somewhere in the world. While I enjoy solo DIY exploration and have many great memories of going somewhere and figuring it out on the fly, my gravel touring experience is limited and I’ve never even really been mountain biking (at least, farther than a few miles), so perhaps it would be easier and more fun to join an organized tour…

Montana gravel bike camping + GDMBR (5 days)

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 07:31:00 +0000

I never really got into “mountain biking”, because for years I associated it with going fast on rough terrain and dodging obstacles, while I like to ramble and mosey and stop a lot. I also like rides where I can walk out my door (or hop off a train or plane) and get on the bike without having to drive somewhere.

I realize my impressions were a narrow caricature of what mountain biking can be, though, and I’ve always enjoyed the bits of off-roading that sneak into rides– the last mile of dirt getting to a camp site from the road, strange muddy paths I find myself on when trying to bypass roads, or detours through parks to avoid main roads, and even when “road biking” I generally run 32mm+ tires to give myself more comfort and flexibility for unexpected detours.

The Whitefish Trail, part of an 8-mile mostly singletrack route I took between the Whitefish Bike Retreat (excellent...

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 02:45:00 +0000

The Whitefish Trail, part of an 8-mile mostly singletrack route I took between the Whitefish Bike Retreat (excellent camping/hostel basecamp for local gravel and bikepacking exploration) and downtown Whitefish. I’m new to mountain biking and singletrack so I took it slow…

SMART-assisted Sonoma trails-tacos-beer ride

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 04:38:00 +0000

Ten years ago I’d go on a 70 or 80 mile ride to Santa Rosa for a beer at Russian River Brewing… but I’m not feeling anywhere near that strong these days.

But I’d been musing for a while about some sort of Russian River area ride on some bike paths I’d wanted to scope out, assisted by the newer Marin/Sonoma SMART train.

One transit-heavy way to do this could be to take BART to El Cerrito del Norte, change to Golden Gate Transit bus #40 from that station to the San Rafael Transit Center, and hop on the SMART train there… but there are some timing logistics to make work:

3-day Bike Camping, Guerneville -> SF

Thu, 20 May 2021 06:01:00 +0000

A few friends had been interested in doing a multi-night bike camping trip in the Bay Area before one of them moved out of town. I happened to be up in Guerneville for a few days, so we schemed to meet up there with camping gear and ride back to SF (a friend with a van who was heading up North for the weekend dropped them off in Guerneville to meet me).

Biking on Old Caz

Tue, 04 May 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Biking on Old Caz, misc blurry cell phone video:

More at /posts/old-cazadero-local/loop

Old Cazadero local loop

Mon, 03 May 2021 05:19:00 +0000

I think I first heard about ‘Old Caz’ (Old Cazadero Road) when reading a recap of someone’s 300km (yes, 180 mile) randonneur ride that included it. That’s… ambitious.

I haven’t been biking much due to pandemic sluggishness and malaise, but I was going up to Guerneville for the weekend with friends, so I brought my bike and set out to do a much smaller loop that included the mythical Old Caz. I’ve been gradually biking on more gravel and forest roads (just with my normal bike) and enjoying it…

Packing: Van-Supported + Hotel Tour

Sat, 01 May 2021 07:50:00 +0000

(part 3 of 5) I’m gradually going through past trip notebooks and jotting down all my packing lists down in one place. I’m writing out my packing list for an upcoming trip now so I figured I might as well copy and paste it onto the blog as well…

In 2022 I went on a multi-week vehicle-supported stay-in-hotels tour: a ~1200 mile ride through Vietnam and Cambodiawith TdA Global Cycling. Typically for this type of trip there’s a support van that transports one large duffel bag to the next night’s hotel for you, freeing you to just carry daily essentials on the bike.

Packing: Self-Supported + Hotel Tour

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 14:51:00 +0000

(part 2 of 5) I’m gradually going through past trip notebooks and random Google Docs and jotting down all my packing lists in one place.

For a week-long ride like Berlin->Copenhagen which is self-contained but involves staying in hotels every night and is not far from civilization, I pack fairly light, since I have to carry everything on the bike and don’t have to carry camping gear or significant food or bike repair tools. This type of trip often involves a few days after the riding in a city, so I want clothing I feel comfortable walking around or going out to a restaurant in.

Packing: Universal "On The Bike" List

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 08:45:00 +0000

Packing: Universal “On The Bike” List

I’m gradually going through past trip notebooks and jotting down all my packing lists in one place.

For pretty much any tour, whether supported or self-contained, camping or hotel, there’s a minimum set of gear I carry on the bike. These fit in the combination of an under-seat saddlebag (tools/medical/jacket), and a small top tube or stem bag. A typical example:

My standard list:

Bike Tools

Oakland -> San Leandro beer ride

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 05:44:00 +0000

Alas, Cleophus Quealy Brewing has closed, so we can no longer repeat our annual group ride there. But as breweries opened back up for limited social-distanced outdoor dining in mid-2020, I restarted an occasional ride from Oakland through the mosaics and murals of Jingletown…

Along MLK Jr Shoreline Park:

Biking the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Opening day for the bike path on the Richmond-San Rafael bridge!

I rode with a few friends… and another maybe 1000 cyclists…

The bike paths on the Richmond side were excellent and connected BART to the bridge cleanly (on the Marin side, not so much…)

Apparently this old post is Too Hot For Tumblr, with images flagged as adult content by their moderators (or algorithms).

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 22:37:27 +0000

Apparently this old post is Too Hot For Tumblr, with images flagged as adult content by their moderators (or algorithms).

Monday morning just after sunrise, heading straight from overnight camping in Marin to work = magic...

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Monday morning just after sunrise, heading straight from overnight camping in Marin to work = magic…

s24o bike camping @ Kirby Cove

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 07:00:00 +0000

After a few years of trying, I finally snagged the coveted Campsite #1 at Kirby Cove, and gathered a group of friends + kids for a Sunday afternoon ride there… the weather was perfect and clear, the company was good, and the vibe was relaxed.

We could practically see the campsite from the bridge…

And down we go along the gravel road…

Sacramento River Ride

Sat, 16 Mar 2019 07:00:00 +0000

A group of us took our bikes on the Amtrak Capitol Corridor up to Sacramento to drop by NAHBS (the North American Handmade Bicycle Show) and then ride the paved, car-free Jedidiah Smith trail from Sacramento toward Folsom. We had a ringer– a friend who lived in Sacramento and knew all the scenic roads, an amazing market to get a sandwich at to eat by the river (Corti Brothers), and good brewpubs. Thanks Jenn!

s24o bike camping from Munich

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 01:15:00 +0000

I had to travel to Munich for a few days for work, right before the summer solstice, a weekend when Swift Industries cheers people on to go bike camping anywhere (#swiftcampout).

So why not? I packed a single small pannier with only essential camping gear and stuffed it and a bivy sack in my suitcase with my work clothes and laptop.

When the work week wrapped up, I asked the hotel to hold my suitcase for a day, rented a basic city bike with a rack, and set out into the woods…

Morgan Territory scenic climb and descent

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 14:37:13 +0000

Morgan Territory Road definitely makes it into my top tier of best rides in the Bay Area. Miles of paved single-lane road twisting up through a forest and then swooping down through hilly countryside (which is actually green at this time of year!)… all with no cross roads and not much traffic:

Five of us rode it Sunday via this 42-mile route from Pleasant Hill BART -> Clayton (a town with oddly Old-Western-themed street signs) -> Morgan Territory (quail, red-winged blackbirds, frogs, the trickling of streams, some wildflowers), with a break for lunch and to refill water near the top -> the suburbs of Livermore -> Dublin BART.

Through the woods, a 26-mile loop on a perfect, sunny, mid-60s day (scenic Pinehurst Rd in Oakland)

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 15:55:48 +0000

Through the woods, a 26-mile loop on a perfect, sunny, mid-60s day (scenic Pinehurst Rd in Oakland)

Oakland -> Fremont (Bay Trail+)

Sun, 11 Mar 2018 19:12:13 +0000

40-mile flat ride from Lake Merritt to Fremont, joining about 30 people I didn’t know on the Bike East Bay “Spring Ride Series”. A nice route, especially all the paved car-free paths along various wetlands (with many birds on a misty morning)– and nice for variety to be following without having to plan a route or look at my phone.

Fun 30-mile ride during Beer Week along many off-road paths and canals, MLK Jr Shoreline Park, the mosaic murals of Jingletown,...

Sun, 11 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Fun 30-mile ride during Beer Week along many off-road paths and canals, MLK Jr Shoreline Park, the mosaic murals of Jingletown, and along the shoreline in Alameda… with a stop at Cleophus Quealy for tacos and good beer.

2018: more riding

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 17:37:21 +0000

2017′s plan for “Year of Fire” (more one-night bike camping with bonfires) was a bust– for a variety of work and personal reasons I barely biked other than few-mile errand rides (including some hefty cargo bike trips), but the few fun ride like worknight-bike-camping on Mt Diablo with a friend and a week biking (supported) in Maine reminded me what I was missing. I even failed to organize a 5th annual SF Dumpling Tour or join Supermarket Street Sweep this year.

Finally posting some photos from BikeMaine, September 2017. Smooth pavement, early-morning mist, just enough hills and distance...

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 17:28:50 +0000

Back on the bike (one of the few >20 mile rides this year) on a hot hot day with a 45-mile ride North on the Bay Trail and back...

Mon, 28 Aug 2017 05:48:49 +0000

Weeknight bike camping on Mt Diablo (the lower Live Oak campground) via dirt trails. Waking up at 5:30 to make coffee...

Sat, 22 Jul 2017 15:43:38 +0000

Mud and Debris

Mon, 13 Feb 2017 03:31:43 +0000

The biking along Skyline and Shepherd Canyon were more challenging than usual after the storms:

This was a smooth bike trail the last time I was here:

Still great views:

20-mile flat, paved bike path ride (Pleasant Hill -> Dublin)

Sun, 29 Jan 2017 04:25:25 +0000

Biking to Treasure Island

Sun, 15 Jan 2017 23:47:53 +0000

2017: Year of Fire

Mon, 02 Jan 2017 16:04:25 +0000

For the first time in six years, organizing group rides (or really, riding much at all) fell off my radar most of 2016, between big changes at work and at home.

But reminded how much biking keeps me grounded and happy by a week in the saddle in Maine, I’m ready to pick up the torch again.

Speaking of the torch… if I declared 2014 ‘Year of Dirt’ as a way to motivate myself to organize a series of rides on casual dirt roads in Livermore, through the fragrant fennel forests of Benicia, and up and around Mt Tam, it seems like 2017 should be a year of Water (rides to lakes, swimming, kayaking), Air (mountain tops? riding for speed would fit the theme but is not my style), or Fire (more bike camping, especially of the brief one-night S24O style like this overnight at Lake Chabot).

I moved to Oakland and bought a cargo bike. Oakland’s been very walkable and bikeable so far (with a good grocery store,...

Mon, 02 Jan 2017 03:12:37 +0000

I moved to Oakland and bought a cargo bike.

Oakland’s been very walkable and bikeable so far (with a good grocery store, hardware store, coffeehouse, garden center, transit centers, and bike shop all within 10 minute rides).

While I’ve been idly looking at and researching cargo bikes for many years (including admiring the range of designs I’d see in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, or the Supermarket Street Sweep), I could never really justify the expense. Now that I’m living somewhere a bit more spread out than SF (and with, for the first time, a yard and room for gardening and woodworking), and with my motorcycle retired (no registration, insurance, gas the past few years), when I saw an Xtracycle Edgerunner for auction at a fund raiser for a good cause, I made an impulsive decision and rode it home that night.

Supermarket Street Sweep 2016: racing around the city collecting groceries by bike for the SF Food Bank. This was perhaps the...

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 16:00:00 +0000

Supermarket Street Sweep 2016: racing around the city collecting groceries by bike for the SF Food Bank.

This was perhaps the 4th time I’d done it– after collecting 20lbs of groceries in a santa suit in 2010, 100lbs the following year, and 156lbs with two large custom panniers and a backpack in 2013, I took a few years off and made a modest effort this year, picking up 152 lbs with a similar setup. My friend Dave repurposed his baby trailer and lugged in an even larger haul.

In September I biked about 400 miles in Downeast Maine (the “Bold Coast”) as part of the organized Bikemaine tour-- here are a...

Sat, 05 Nov 2016 15:07:25 +0000

Bike camping in Kirby Cove: For years I’d wanted to camp here (and use it as an easy introductory S24O ride for some friends...

Fri, 04 Nov 2016 06:00:18 +0000

Bike camping in Kirby Cove: For years I’d wanted to camp here (and use it as an easy introductory S24O ride for some friends interested in trying out bike camping who didn’t want to ride 40 miles each way to Samuel P Taylor or Point Reyes), but the reservations fill up three months ahead within minutes of being posted online.

A bit of biking around Bend, OR. The breweries and bike lanes are plentiful, though some are on less pleasant for riding,...

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 05:00:05 +0000

A bit of biking around Bend, OR. The breweries and bike lanes are plentiful, though some are on less pleasant for riding, higher-traffic streets (with somewhat hairy traffic circles West of downtown). The trails (some dirt) along the Deschutes River were nice, though.

Biketown: city bike share in Portland, OR. Unlike most US cities, you can temporarily lock the bikes around town (not just at a...

Sun, 30 Oct 2016 23:40:53 +0000

Biketown: city bike share in Portland, OR. Unlike most US cities, you can temporarily lock the bikes around town (not just at a bike return station), and can check them out for more than 30 minutes per ride. Well organized, plentiful stations, though very heavy/clunky bikes even by bike share standards.

Back from some time away

Sun, 30 Oct 2016 23:40:46 +0000

I haven’t been organizing many long rides this year (though I’ve been going on a number of solo or just-with-a-friend rides), and life changes have me spending less time here or on email– but I’m going to still use this to document some good rides from 2016– and I hope to be back organizing more group rides in a few months.

Bike counter and pump, Stockholm

Wed, 18 May 2016 18:25:21 +0000

Bike counter and pump, Stockholm

48 hours of Stockholm's Bike Share

Wed, 18 May 2016 18:24:07 +0000

48 hours of Stockholm’s Bike Share

Biking SF -> the Russian River

Mon, 09 May 2016 03:34:23 +0000

Something I’ve always wanted to do– ride from SF up to the Healdsburg / Russian River / wine country area (88.8 miles via the scenic route a friend and I took this weekend).

Lush green hills, a few hours of rain and wet socks (hey, at least it wasn’t 103-108 degrees like a few summers ago), two cheese tastings (Nicasio Valley Cheese Company and Marin French Cheese Company), wildflowers, a stop for a burger and salty snacks at Lagunitas Brewing, coffee and cocoa in Santa Rosa to fight the chill, and then expanding my personal biking map (Santa Rosa having been my previous farthest-North-from-SF ride) and plugging along the final 20-odd miles to a campground in Alexander Valley.

seen in New Orleans

Tue, 03 May 2016 07:16:51 +0000

seen in New Orleans

Port Costa ride #9?

Sun, 28 Feb 2016 01:02:19 +0000

I’ve been riding a variant on this 30-mile loop once or twice a year for 6 or 7 years and it never gets old. From Pleasant Hill or Walnut Creek BART along off-road canalside trails, then up the long but not steep uphill of McEwen between rolling hills of flowers and cows, down to the quirky Port Costa for a picnic and drink among pallets, potholes, and old theatre signs outside the Warehouse Cafe, then back along the twist, car-free Carquinez Scenic Drive along Carquinez Strait:

Exploring Wildcat, Tilden Parks by bike

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 21:33:18 +0000

Striking out solo on a Sunday to explore trails in the East Bay hills, from Nimitz Way -> Fire Trail #3 -> San Pablo Ridge Trail -> Belgum Trail -> Wildcat Creek Trail:

Roadblock (riding in Wildcat Canyon Regional Park). Reminds me of 5 years ago.

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 20:54:44 +0000

Roadblock (riding in Wildcat Canyon Regional Park). Reminds me of 5 years ago.

Biking -> San Leandro / Cleophus Quealy Brewing

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 03:16:49 +0000

On a ride with six friends: low tide, egrets, a large hawk, industrial detours, smooth paved waterfront bike paths, and some excellent beer, bluegrass, and mexican food with fresh-made tortillas.

San Bruno Mountain

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 01:36:19 +0000

After a few months mostly off the bike (other than the dumpling tour and a cool grey city ride), getting my legs and finding the joy again riding up San Bruno Mountain in the chilly fog with friends. I’ll start organizing again this spring…

Cool Grey City ride

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 01:55:00 +0000

I’ve been enjoying Cool Gray City of Love and taking notes every time he mentions an interesting vista, path, or historical intersection in SF I haven’t been to.

So… it seems worth a periodic ride around the city to check out some of them.

This Saturday, a Mission / Glen Park / Sunset route, including:

Several notable staircases (we’ll lock bikes at the bottom and hike up for views), two of the very few remaining old unpaved road segments in SF, Billy Goat Hill, and some of the last remaining evidence of the great sand dunes that once blanketed the Sunset.

Bicycle Dumpling Tour (4th Annual)

Sat, 14 Nov 2015 06:31:58 +0000

Three times makes a tradition– after last year, I had to do it again– organize a bicycle tour of my favorite dumpling shops for friends and strangers through the SF Bike Coalition (picking up hundreds of dumplings as takeout to eat in a nearby park).

I spent the previous weekend scouting, test-riding, and test-eating, and put together a route combining low-key roads, paved off-road paths through Golden Gate Park, and riding along the ocean… with stops for last year’s group favorite (pan fried pork buns and ‘soup dumplings’ from Dumpling Kitchen, eaten in a small park nestled above Stern Grove), the chicken and Chinese spinach dumplings from Kingdom of Dumpling (most notable for the intensely pleasurable fiery orange chili sauce) ferried all the way to a strip of trees and benches at Judah and Great Highway, and new-to-the-ride Shanghai Dumpling King for the eponymous dumplings and ‘dessert’ in the form of sweet BBQ pork buns plus a few other sweet dumplings from across the street, eaten in a nearby playground.

Pre-work ride across the bridge and up Hawk Hill.

Tue, 10 Nov 2015 08:00:00 +0000

Pre-work ride across the bridge and up Hawk Hill.

Biking Mexico City (and EcoBici bike share)

Sun, 18 Oct 2015 07:24:51 +0000

According to a few friends, cycling wasn’t previously a major part of Mexico City culture (not totally surprising in a massive, sprawling, 20M-person metro area with thinner 7300′-elevation air, heavy traffic, a good subway system, and moderate air pollution), but in the past five years it’s started to take off.

Bike infrastructure (including barrier-separated bike lanes) has gone up around the city, and as of 2010 there’s a major city bike share program in place, EcoBici:

Muévete en Bici (Sunday Streets, Mexico City-- 40ish km of roads closed to cars including the major 8+ lane Paseo de Reforma--...

Sun, 18 Oct 2015 03:13:17 +0000

Muévete en Bici (Sunday Streets, Mexico City– 40ish km of roads closed to cars including the major 8+ lane Paseo de Reforma– and people of all ages and fitnesses out en masse on bikes)

Early pre-work ride to the ocean and Andytown

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 01:55:37 +0000

Early pre-work ride to the ocean and Andytown

East Bay Trail / Salt Ponds / Marsh

Sun, 26 Jul 2015 06:25:24 +0000

An all-afternoon ride from Fremont BART to the shoreline, under the Dumbarton bridge, then up along the water all the way to San Leandro– riding on levees stretching out into the Bay, past green-tinted salt evaporation ponds, pelicans, egrets, herons, vultures, and a red fox, through landscapes moon-subdued in palette but with occasional brilliant splashes of color, on paved paths and dirt… a great day.

Riding into the fierce, relentless headwind slowed us down, and the occasional sections of bone-rattling gravel numbed the hands, but we all made it around the levees, on trails where we saw few other humans.

Bike Camping, Lake Chabot

Sat, 04 Jul 2015 07:44:42 +0000

An excellent one-night bike camping trip to the Oakland hills, S24O-style.

Knocking wild plums out of a tree after a long, swooping descent down Pinehurst:

Camping among the eucalyptus in Anthony Chabot park.

North Bay Ramble (Vallejo -> Petaluma)

Sun, 14 Jun 2015 06:41:35 +0000

I needed a ride, and hopped the Vallejo ferry without the usual plan. A little phone browsing on the way across turned up some bike paths and sections of The Bay Trail West of Napa that I’d never seen, and it seemed like Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma would be within reach…

A bit of Bay Trail along a river and a marsh… thick with vocal birds but otherwise deserted, eventually degrading to dirt and then gravel and leading to nowhere (a vista point, and a loop back to the beginning of the trail).

Biked around Lake Tahoe

Mon, 18 May 2015 01:51:35 +0000

A friend organized a ride around Lake Tahoe for a group of 7 adventurous comrades (many of whom hadn’t biked much this year), and it was an excellent weekend.

76 moderately hilly miles and 4200′ of elevation gain (maxing out at 7000′ where there was snow on the ground). I’d never biked at any significant altitude (maybe a short distance in Glacier Park) and while it wasn’t noticeable on the flats, I was surprised how much I felt it when pushing myself or going uphill– deep breaths feeling like shallow ones. Or maybe I just need to ride more.

76-mile ride in the CA and NV hills around Lake Tahoe

Sun, 17 May 2015 18:10:19 +0000

76-mile ride in the CA and NV hills around Lake Tahoe

East and Up from Healdsburg

Mon, 09 Mar 2015 04:10:33 +0000

Even with just a spare hour and the hotel loaner bike, it’s possible to get up into the hills East of Healdsburg, where a woodpecker’s the noisiest thing around.

Port Costa Ride #8ish

Mon, 23 Feb 2015 01:52:00 +0000

I’ve done this general ride too many times to remember over the years. This was an especially good day of it– lush green hills instead of the usual dead grass, sunny but not too hot, a children’s lemonade stand, a group of friends, a picnic and some British beer at The Warehouse, and my first time riding on Carquinez Scenic Drive since its renovation (though to be honest, I sort of miss its previous painted, crumbling-into-the-bay state and the 50 feet of hillside dirt path you used to need to traverse).

Pigeon Point Lighthouse -- overnight, dolphins, hot tub, hills

Wed, 21 Jan 2015 04:34:03 +0000

Well that was a great weekend. Took the train to Menlo Park, and rode with five friends up for miles on twisty, narrow, mostly deserted Old La Honda, down along twisty roads, and stopped for artichoke bread and other lunch in Pescadero.

Then on down Highway 1 to Pigeon Point Lighthouse, where there’s a hostel you can stay in… and a hot tub on a cliff overlooking the ocean. A whole pod of dolphins swam by, fins arcing, a whale(?) made a big splash, and at night with the lights out, you could see stars, the surf, and the beams of the lighthouse sweeping by every few seconds.

Reykjavik, Biking

Sat, 03 Jan 2015 02:09:48 +0000

While I was visiting Iceland at the end of December, Stefan of Reykjavik Bike Tours kindly fit me in to a tour and I helped out by wearing an orange vest and riding sweep.

It was a cold and snowy day, with a lot of black ice on the roads from the past weeks of storms, so it wasn’t the easiest time to spin around the city, but it was still a good overview.

Biking, Buenos Aires

Tue, 25 Nov 2014 06:39:39 +0000

In Buenos Aires, rented a bike for the afternoon:

While I didn’t see that many people on bikes around the city, and the driving was… aggressive, I heard from a walking tour guide that there’s been a big upswing in cycling the past few years. And I did see evidence of a city bike share program, and some retrofitted separated bike lanes.

A few hours on a mountain bike in rural Uruguay

Mon, 24 Nov 2014 06:33:31 +0000

Biking it near, along, and in the shallow edge of Laguna Garzon.

Visiting Uruguay. Went for a ride along / in a shallow lagoon.

Mon, 24 Nov 2014 06:30:09 +0000

Visiting Uruguay. Went for a ride along / in a shallow lagoon.

Came out of a restaurant to find my lock badly warped around my bike frame... but not broken. Close call.

Sun, 19 Oct 2014 23:11:27 +0000

Came out of a restaurant to find my lock badly warped around my bike frame… but not broken. Close call.

As requested, GPS track from the recent Livermore / Del Valle adventure ride.

Sat, 18 Oct 2014 23:04:51 +0000

As requested, GPS track from the recent Livermore / Del Valle adventure ride.

Taking a "shortcut" back down on an unlabeled rutted path (4x speed). A bit gnarly, especially on our smooth-tired touring...

Tue, 14 Oct 2014 02:16:00 +0000

Taking a “shortcut” back down on an unlabeled rutted path (4x speed). A bit gnarly, especially on our smooth-tired touring bikes… but no one wiped out.

An adventurous 32-mile almost-exclusively-off-road ride in Livermore, some not-even-on-the-map paths, mostly paved, some dirt,...

Tue, 14 Oct 2014 02:06:00 +0000

Silent SF Sunset Ride

Mon, 06 Oct 2014 05:59:00 +0000

For a while I’ve wanted to organize a vow-of-silence sunset ride (riding together for a few hours with no talking, no cell phones / cameras / other electronics, on a secret route where you can’t think ahead but just follow, look, and listen).

After a scouting ride last weekend and a lot of dead ends, I had a route planned out criss-crossing the presidio, much of it on back trails, dirt paths, and little roads labeled “not a through street” you’d never have any reason to ride down.

Biking in Bavaria (Main River, Bamberg)

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 05:05:25 +0000

[ wrote this up a few months ago and never posted it ]

Earlier this summer, in Germany for work, I took a day to rent a bike and go on a roughly 40-mile ride through Bavaria along the Main river.

It was brutally hot in the middle of the day (my phone claimed 100), and I read later there was an extreme weather alert warning people not to exert themselves outside… fortunately, relief in the form of ies and aperol spritzes were at hand.

Dogpatch / Bayview ride

Mon, 08 Sep 2014 00:33:00 +0000

My third or fourth time doing a variant on a 10-15 mile Dogpatch / Bayview shoreline ride, including old industrial buildings, murals, urban goats, the former site of Pound SF, Tire Beach (where some sort of sci-fi-esque photo shoot was going on?), the Heron’s Head park spit out into the Bay, India Basin, Yosemite Slough, a surprise glittering UFO behind a roll-up garage door, and some more and less official dirt paths between all of these. With the excellent All Good Pizza as a post-ride stop.

Copenhagen Bike Count

Fri, 05 Sep 2014 07:33:00 +0000

Earlier this year, biking around Copenhagen, I took a break at Mikkeller & Friends in Nørrebro. Not content to just sit outside with an excellent spontaneously-fermented beer, I found myself counting bikes as they rode by… which turned into a comparison of bikes and cars, and then an excuse to idly tabulate anything different about the bikes…

One lost notebook returned by a bartender in Sweden a few days later (long story), and I had this quasi-scientific summary of 30 minutes of traffic:

Bike signal, buffered lane, Chicago

Sat, 30 Aug 2014 15:33:22 +0000

Bike signal, buffered lane, Chicago

Biking, Sonoma County

Mon, 25 Aug 2014 06:10:29 +0000

Riding, solo, SF -> Fairfax -> Point Reyes -> Tomales Bay -> Sebastapol -> Santa Rosa.

Tomales Bay Oyster Farm:

Hwy 1 North:

Wild Flour Bakery

Bike touring Iowa + Wisconsin

Mon, 04 Aug 2014 06:30:00 +0000

I’m back from a euphoria-inducing 8-day, 600-mile bike camping tour across Iowa and Wisconsin.

The ride combined RAGBRAI (a 15,000-person group ride across Iowa with pork chops, pie, live music, and beer in tiny towns along the way) and a solo ride across beautiful, rural Southwest Wisconsin.

The mix of mostly good weather, wildlife (fireflies, startled rabbits, and red-winged blackbirds), friendly strangers, no email, the ability to improvise and change plans on the spot (the flexibility of carrying a tent…), and plenty of time to ride alone and drift between states of present observation and introspection are why I always come back to bike touring…

Biking in Madison

Sat, 02 Aug 2014 03:05:22 +0000

Madison was a great city to bike around (at least, in the mild summer weather). I was able to get from somewhere about 10 miles South of the city to my friends’ house across the isthmus (and then later to the airport on my bike) almost exclusively on bike paths (Badger Trail -> SW Commuter Trail -> Capitol City Trail -> Starkweather Creek Path).

And there was good cycling infrastructure (paths, signage, lanes, even bike tools and stands along the trails), a decent city bike rental system, and apparently low bike theft given the number of nice bikes I saw secured with only a thin cable lock around the top tube (one day I even forgot my keys and left my bike unlocked outside all sorts of businesses outside the city… though I don’t recommend that).

Benicia Trails, Two Bridges, Fennel Forests, Hot Hot Hot

Tue, 01 Jul 2014 04:22:00 +0000

Sunday was a good day:

How often do you get to ride all day, along the Bay, and through fragrant fennel fields?

Or bike on smooth, paved, separated paths across two major bridges (the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and the Carquinez Bridge)?

Bike rack outside a chiropractor's office.

Sun, 22 Jun 2014 18:16:41 +0000

Bike rack outside a chiropractor’s office.

Evening Zen Tour, Copenhagen (Two Strangers, Riding in Silence)

Mon, 16 Jun 2014 13:30:27 +0000

The BikeMike Copenhagen Evening Zen Tour: “One stop only as we let the passing cityscape and natural environment do the talking. Hard to believe it’s a city bike tour. We bike through rural areas without ever leaving the city of Copenhagen. Come and join this wonderful ride through beautiful mood pictures of Copenhagen when she is stressing down from another busy day and try to do the same yourself. The tour experience embraces the philosophy: “When we bike, the city does all the talking, when we stop, we do the talking”. Treat yourself to the luxury of two hours of total calm. You’ll hear more birds singing than cars racing by… Please understand and respect that no talking at all is accepted during the bike tour. Silence is a big part of the experience.”

Biking Kalvebod Fælled wetlands, South of Copenhagen

Sun, 15 Jun 2014 13:30:28 +0000

Another day in Copenhagen, another itch to point the bike in a direction and explore under the wide-open sky. Apparently I lucked out and this was the first sunny week all year.

My phone showed a large green area , labeled “Kalvebod Fælled" criss-crossed with car-free paths (thanks, Google maps bike layer) between the city and the airport. But what is it?

From Wikipedia: ”[Kalvebod Fælled] consists of reclaimed sea bed, with a number of former islets making up small isolated hills; it was dammed and drained during the 1940s to serve as an artillery training range. […] Most of the area, however, lies as lightly maintained parkland featuring a range of nature types, from young forests to tidal marshes […] After years of preparation the area was finally cleared of unexploded munitions and fully opened to the general public on October 15, 2010.“

Biking in Malmo, Sweden

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 13:30:03 +0000

Copenhagen’s close to Sweden, and I couldn’t resist the excuse to head over for an evening (to be honest– partly just to be on my bike in yet another country, though the train across the ocean was also an experience).

It’s a small, casual city, with old and new architecture, a lot of cobbled streets less pleasant to bike on, and a fair number of wandering tourists. Interesting, but not a must-see, and it felt less lively than Copenhagen.

Biking to the Louisiana Modern Art Museum (North of Copenhagen)

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:09:53 +0000

While in Copenhagen, I took a few rides farther afield. Riding about 25 miles North was a great way to spend an afternoon (and about the comfort limit on my creaky rented city cruiser, in jeans), and the Louisiana was one of the best modern art museums I’ve been to.

Denmark’s bike infrastructure extends far beyond the major cities– even through the countryside I was almost exclusively riding on separated bike paths.

Copenhagen: Bike Infrastructure

Mon, 02 Jun 2014 13:30:00 +0000

A few photos I snapped while out and about of my favorite bike-friendly infrastructure.

Wide, paved, separated bike paths around the city:

A road that in many cities would be two car lanes plus some street parking. In Denmark, I’d see roads with one-way car traffic, spacious separated two-bike bike traffic, and a pedestrian sidewalk:

Out of this busy 4-lane street, two lanes for cars, two lanes dedicated for bikes (the two right lanes shown here are bikes-only– one for cyclists going straight, and one for cyclists turning left), though this was less common than the separated bike lanes between road and sidewalk:

Bikes in Copenhagen

Sun, 01 Jun 2014 13:30:43 +0000

I got to visit Copenhagen for the first time last week. Some photos of infrastructure and rides in the surrounding countryside are coming, but to start– a few photos of bikes and the streets:

Front-loading cargo bikes were everywhere, whether carrying children, bread, musical instruments, folding tables, mops and buckets, tipsy friends (men or women), or a mix.

City Biking Paris

Sat, 31 May 2014 14:00:00 +0000

After taking the London city bikes for a spin, I had to give the famous Paris Velib that kicked off the recent worldwide expansion of city bike programs a try.

I’d heard the terminals only take chip-and-pin credit cards, so I pre-purchased a 1-day Velib membership online (for about $2.50) before my trip. I was pleasantly surprised how well it worked– I entered the numbers from that receipt and my PIN into a terminal, and I was able to quickly/easily check out a Velib for 30 minutes from anywhere in the city.

Brooks Leather Showroom, London

Sat, 31 May 2014 03:41:53 +0000

B1866, a Brooks showroom recently opened in London:

City Biking London

Sat, 31 May 2014 03:37:51 +0000

Recently in London, slogging out of the Underground with my backpack after a long flight onto a road busy with construction, I saw someone glide by on a city bike. I had to try it, even if just for the short distance from tube stop to hotel.

Fortunately, the Barclay’s city bike system is very tourist-friendly and doesn’t require preregistration or a chip-and-pin card. A swipe of a credit card, a few dollars, and I rented a bike, rode it the short distance to the hotel, and deposited it at another stand. No problem.

Third Annual SF Bike Dumpling Tour: recap

Sun, 11 May 2014 21:31:00 +0000

Saturday I organized a third “SF Bicycle Dumpling Tour“ (year 1: friends, year 2: public) for about 50 people. Good food, weather, and a casual 15-mile bike ride around the city, with a few hills….

A few photos I took or people on the ride sent me:

Pork and chive dumplings arriving in the park by bike:

For the $10 registration fee (definitely a zero-profit endeavor) you got all the dumplings you could eat, a low-tech copy-and-paste ride booklet (map, directions, trivia, and a dumpling recipe), and some useful tools…

Mt Biking the Marin Headlands

Sun, 04 May 2014 18:54:27 +0000

A gorgeous day. Taking a spin on the fat-tired Pugsley along dirt roads and trails in the Marin Headlands (my first time off-road there, remarkably).

Amazing views, trails mostly in good condition, a few uphill grinds, and one slightly gnarly downhill on Old Springs (at least, for a beginner like me): ruts, loose gravel, a long set of shallow stairs to ride down, and a few narrow sections of trail lined on both sides with glistening poison oak (“please don’t fall now…”)

Wooden seats for two

Sat, 03 May 2014 18:30:50 +0000

Wooden seats for two

I Point My Wheels To The North

Sun, 27 Apr 2014 17:57:00 +0000

I was itching to get out of the city and just ride. So a small group of us headed North to Mill Valley, Panoramic, Pan Toll / Mt Tam, Ridgecrest, Bolinas-Fairfax, Alpine Dam, Fairfax… and back home. About 65 miles, very hilly, and took us all day (with the requisite stops for Sol Food limeade, looking at the ocean, burgers, and beer).

Dumpling Scouting Ride...

Sun, 06 Apr 2014 19:50:00 +0000

Scouting potential locations and routes for the Third Annual Dumpling Bike Tour on May 10th (see last year)… and it was a beautiful, sunny, relaxing day with a few friends.

1st Annual San Diego Bike & Beer: recap

Sun, 06 Apr 2014 06:37:00 +0000

A while back I heard about the 1st Annual San Diego Bike & Beer (I think via the citymaus tumblr), and just had to plan a trip down from SF for the weekend. And by lucky chance, two friends were already going to be in Southern California that weekend and drove down to join. In pictures:

The 29-mile route visited four breweries (Hess, Modern Times, Stone, and Mission), taking a roundabout path to circle the city and include scenic ocean-side riding:

Packing up my bike for next weekend's 1st Annual San Diego Bikes & Beer.

Sat, 22 Mar 2014 21:09:48 +0000

Packing up my bike for next weekend’s 1st Annual San Diego Bikes & Beer.

Biking dirt roads (Old Railroad Grade) up Mt Tam

Sun, 09 Mar 2014 20:30:00 +0000

Five of us set off to ride dirt roads up to the top of Mt Tam, along the former route of the ‘Crookest Railroad in the World’.

Starting with a little dirt warm-up on paths through the Presidio:

New off-road dirt shortcut to the bridge, past old concrete batteries (involved some flights of stairs):

Stop at the new Sol Food in Mill Valley (quite possibly my favorite place to eat on a ride) for a plantain-and-hot-sauce-heavy lunch:

A barnacled Motebecane found at low tide in Mission Creek and rebuilt as a fixed gear with the help of the bike mechanics at...

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 20:44:56 +0000

citymaus:

A barnacled Motebecane found at low tide in Mission Creek and rebuilt as a fixed gear with the help of the bike mechanics at Pedal Revolution

—Chris Sollars, 37, artist/professor

Cyclists show off their San Francisco bike style. sfgate, 28.02.14.

New Bike: Bridgestone XO-1

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 02:34:00 +0000

I “collect” very few things, but I’ve been on an idle (wishful) lookout for a Bridgestone XO-1 for years.

And then within the span of a month I found one online, bought it, reassembled it, fixed a few issues, and took it on its first test ride.

From the side-pull brakes and the “Tusk” (cream) color, I’d say this is the original 1991 model (it was made for three years, ‘91-‘93).

Biking Arastradero in light rain

Sun, 02 Mar 2014 07:34:18 +0000

Biking Arastradero in light rain

Tour de Biere 2014 photos

Tue, 18 Feb 2014 00:31:10 +0000

This photo sums up the day:

Sunday was the 4th annual Grand-Cru-organized Tour de Biere, visiting four East Bay breweries over the course of an all-day 29-mile scenic bike ride. Great weather (sunny but not too warm, an epic red-and-pink sunset that photos can’t convey), a friendly group of about 40, four friends along for the ride, and a lot of good beer.

A collection of photos, in no particular order:

Bike Route Signage, Berkeley

Sun, 16 Feb 2014 17:06:25 +0000

Bike Route Signage, Berkeley

Happy Valentine's Day from bikeit

Fri, 14 Feb 2014 15:41:48 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day from bikeit

Fat Tires on the Beach

Tue, 11 Feb 2014 01:36:38 +0000

Fat Tires on the Beach

Bicycling, Temperance

Sun, 09 Feb 2014 17:13:59 +0000

Temperance advocate Frances E. Willard wrote in 1895, “… the bicycle was perhaps our strongest ally in winning young men away from public-houses, because it afforded them a pleasure far more enduring, and an exhilaration as much more delightful as the natural is than the unnatural.”

40-mile sunrise ride to work

Sat, 25 Jan 2014 19:32:33 +0000

4th Annual* Livermore Wine Ride

Tue, 21 Jan 2014 04:59:00 +0000

I declared (to myself) a 2014 bikeit motto “The Year of Dirt”. Not extreme mountain biking or log-jumping, but riding to the sort of places only accessible by a fire road or dirt trail. For example, a break in a day of wine tasting to explore dirt paths to an abandoned winery being reclaimed by vines…

That was just one part of a great day– a casual, scenic ride through Livermore, for the fourth year in a row (a small group of 5 this time, not the rolling party of 31 from last time).

Chalk, Golden Gate Park

Sun, 05 Jan 2014 22:50:44 +0000

Chalk, Golden Gate Park

bikeit 2013 recap

Wed, 01 Jan 2014 03:00:29 +0000

Along the lines of the 2012 bikeit recap, some of the most memorable rides from 2013 were:

Organizing a dumplings-by-bike tour for friends and strangers that pulled in about 45(!) people and was a great day.

A Dogpatch/Bayview history ride I posted publicly through the SF Bike Coalition (and met new people on, including one person I’ve continued riding with), along scenic dirt bike paths and past graffiti, goats, and other strange sights:

She Drank Her Ale At The Bar(!) -- NY Times, 1896.

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 21:37:20 +0000

She Drank Her Ale At The Bar(!) – NY Times, 1896.

Stunt riding with road bikes?!

Thu, 12 Dec 2013 05:51:45 +0000

Stunt riding with road bikes?!

Supermarket Street Sweep (groceries by bike)

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 06:08:12 +0000

After skipping last year, I rode the Supermarket Street Sweep again, with two friends. This is a fundraiser / food drive for the SF Food Bank, combined with a little light competition to collect the most food or collect it the fastest.

It was an amazingly successful year for the food drive– 149 cyclists brought in 10,615 pounds of food, about 2,500 pounds more than the previous record.

A few photos snapped along the way…

Souvenir card templates

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 05:30:49 +0000

Souvenir card templates

Friday - bikeit holiday drinks - postcar travel - artcrank

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 05:45:47 +0000

riders, friends.

bikeit’s having a holiday party tomorrow (Friday), without bikes. In which we drop by the Post-Car Travel Agency party at Huckleberry Bikes around 7, then walk down to the ArtCrank bicycle-themed poster show with $5 beer, then wander to a nearby bar for a festive drink.

If you came on a ride this year, the first drink’s on me.

Biking Across Tokyo

Sun, 24 Nov 2013 04:39:00 +0000

Biking in Tokyo can be this:

As well as this:

In Japan for work, sick and low on sleep, with a day at the end of the trip to sightsee with a friend but no plans and almost no Japanese language skills… we randomly ran into expat Noel of Travels In Japan (and recently a new project, Tokyo Biking Tours) and struck up a conversation.

Police Bike, Tokyo (cargo box for paperwork and tubes mounted to fork that hold police baton(s)).

Sat, 23 Nov 2013 01:52:00 +0000

Police Bike, Tokyo (cargo box for paperwork and tubes mounted to fork that hold police baton(s)).

Fish-carrying bike, Tsukiji market, Tokyo.

Fri, 22 Nov 2013 01:51:00 +0000

Fish-carrying bike, Tsukiji market, Tokyo.

Bike & Kayak Marin

Sun, 17 Nov 2013 04:34:00 +0000

An easy, relaxing local adventure.

Meet at Velo Rouge in the morning. Bike to Larkspur, partly along dedicated paved bike trails (about 17 miles). Rent kayaks from Outback Adventure ($30 for 2 hours, I called ahead since we were a group). Paddle along Corte Madera Creek and side creeks under Mt Tam (a few hours before low tide so we were paddling against the current on the way in but the ebb was carrying us back out). Head to the Marin County Brewing Company a few blocks away for some food and refreshment. Catch the 4:45pm (sunset) ferry (also right there) back to SF.

Separated bike lanes, Nagoya (Japan)

Mon, 04 Nov 2013 11:40:46 +0000

Separated bike lanes, Nagoya (Japan)

Brooks saddlebags, old frame pump

Sun, 03 Nov 2013 11:36:15 +0000

Brooks saddlebags, old frame pump

500 Bike Posts

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:58:00 +0000

500 photos, maps, ride memories, or plans posted here, since early 2009 when I started organizing 15-mile rides with friends.

Nearby Bike Camping / Biketoberfest

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 14:46:00 +0000

I’ve been on long bike tours and three-day-weekend bike camping trips, but I wanted to do something quick involving minimal preparation, in the spirit of the S24O (Sub-24 Hour Overnight):

Five of us riding through Marin, with luggage ranging from just a seat post rack to panniers to a clip-on cooler to a pull-behind trailer:

By lucky coincidence, we had to ride right through Fairfax on the day of Biketoberfest. So we stopped for a few hours for the classic bikes, the beer-dispensing cargo bikes, and the food.

Nice new green-striped bike sharrow-lane, 40th, Oakland

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:45:40 +0000

Nice new green-striped bike sharrow-lane, 40th, Oakland

BikeMaine tour photos

Sun, 15 Sep 2013 16:12:54 +0000

A week biking and (mostly) camping in Maine on the first-ever BikeMaine. Good scenery, small towns, and new people (Team Under Average, you know who you are). Some cell phone photos from my stops-a-lot ride:

Color-coordinated bike and rooster:

Shades of RAGBRAI!

Off-road mud adventures with boston bike share...

Thu, 05 Sep 2013 21:59:10 +0000

Off-road mud adventures with boston bike share…

Hubway: Boston bike share. $6 for a day = great deal.

Thu, 05 Sep 2013 21:57:58 +0000

Hubway: Boston bike share. $6 for a day = great deal.

Warning: post about death. With Amelia Le Moullac's recent death after being hit by a truck fresh on my mind, it gave me...

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 19:45:34 +0000

Warning: post about death.

With Amelia Le Moullac’s recent death after being hit by a truck fresh on my mind, it gave me another shudder to bike past the intersection where Diana Sullivan was hit and killed by a truck earlier this year. This ghost bike is locked to a lamp post there.

There’s an account of how Diana died here– warning– it is graphic and disturbing.

A friend's Yuba el Mundo cargo bike with electrical assist, set up for carrying a kid and large quantities of groceries/cargo. I...

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 19:36:27 +0000

A friend’s Yuba el Mundo cargo bike with electrical assist, set up for carrying a kid and large quantities of groceries/cargo. I hitched a ride home sitting on the back rack and it lugged both of us and our groceries stably. Interesting…

I tried out Bay Area Bike Share. Easy, comfortable bikes (they don't feel as heavy as they are), you use a keyfob to check a...

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 19:33:11 +0000

I tried out Bay Area Bike Share. Easy, comfortable bikes (they don’t feel as heavy as they are), you use a keyfob to check a bike out and then have 30 minutes to check it back in at a different station. They’re launching timidly, though, with only a few hundred bikes (1/100th the scale of the successful New York program), so I’m concerned they won’t get enough riders and mindshare. We’ll see…

Foraging, Blackberries, Picnic, Ice Cream

Sun, 28 Jul 2013 02:46:00 +0000

On the epic Lagunitas Brewing Ride a few weeks ago I noticed huge stands of green blackberries lining one of the Marin bike paths, and vowed to return on a foraging mission.

So 11 of us wrapped blackberry picking, an escape from the fog, a picnic by the bay, ice cream, and a casual ride around Marin into a day.

In quick cell phone photos:

Nice Nishiki, Southern Pac

Thu, 25 Jul 2013 03:41:29 +0000

Nice Nishiki, Southern Pac

not a good sign...

Mon, 22 Jul 2013 02:44:13 +0000

not a good sign…

Double Trouble recap

Sun, 21 Jul 2013 18:30:00 +0000

I’m a long-time fan of Trouble Coffee and the espresso / cinnamon toast / coconut trifecta, so imagine my excitement when she opened a second cafe in Bayview, closer to home.

It was only a matter of time until I’d organize a “Double Trouble” ride: a butterlap-style ride along the water, through the Presidio, through eucalyptus groves past the Palace of the Legion of Honor, down along the ocean (on a clear see-for-miles day), and then across the city between both locations. The distance added up for an in-city coffee jaunt– 26 miles– but it was a great social ride with a friendly group and some new folks:

baguette pocket

Fri, 05 Jul 2013 17:43:48 +0000

baguette pocket

Sunrise to Sunset: Lagunitas Brewery Ride

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 06:47:00 +0000

Just for fun.

Up at 5:30:

Long early-morning shadows in Sausalito:

Nicasio reservoir:

Canalside paths behind Petaluma:

Lagunitas Brewing for lunch: taproom, patio, friendly people, space to stash bikes:

We started to ride back.

Robotic underground bicycle storage, Japan:

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 03:35:17 +0000

Robotic underground bicycle storage, Japan:

exploring Mare Island, Benicia

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:48:00 +0000

Yesterday, bike-based exploration organized by a friend: A ferry ride to Vallejo, an exploration of the fascinating mostly abandoned naval base and nature preserve on Mare Island, a ride through Benicia and across a bridge to Martinez, and then back to BART.

Briefly, in photos:

A massive boat-building drydock, abandoned. This photo doesn’t do it justice:

Old buildings and railroad tracks:

Fat Cyclist » Blog Archive » Winner of the 2013 100 Miles of Nowhere, Coed Simultaneous Bike and Kayak Relay, Oakland CA Division

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 17:08:40 +0000

Fat Cyclist » Blog Archive » Winner of the 2013 100 Miles of Nowhere, Coed Simultaneous Bike and Kayak Relay, Oakland CA Division

By my friend Jessica: 100 miles of loops biking / kayaking

85-mile Marin Ride

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 03:51:39 +0000

I went on a long, faster-than-usual ride (sustained 20+mph drives on long flat sections) with L and R on a sunny day, including two loops on paved car-free paths in Samuel P Taylor park.

49 Mile Scenic Ride (scouting ride #1)

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 16:56:00 +0000

I’m newly obsessed with charting a 49-mile “San Francisco Scenic Ride” (inspired by the 49 Mile Scenic Drive). But how to keep nods to the original’s key landmarks, add in undervisited parts of the city and some not-possible-by-car offroad paths, make it an exactly 49-mile loop (constraints channel creativity), yet not get stuck stitching it together with too many traffic-heavy or stop-and-go connecting roads?

I sketched out six different ideas with feedback from some friends– but bike maps and browsing Google Street View only get you so far, and who wants to be inside on a beautiful day? Yesterday was the first scouting ride:

Plantains and Wildflowers

Mon, 27 May 2013 02:49:00 +0000

It was great weather for a casual-pace 50ish mile jaunt to San Rafael and back with friends, along scenic bike paths and the water, with delicious plantain-heavy Puerto Rican food as the prize to keep eyes on. In photos:

Railroad drawbridge:

Wildflowers along Marin Bike Route 20:

The Pacific:

admiring R's Ritchey Breakaway (bike with frame that splits in two, allowing it to be packed into regulation airline luggage)

Mon, 27 May 2013 02:32:08 +0000

admiring R’s Ritchey Breakaway (bike with frame that splits in two, allowing it to be packed into regulation airline luggage)

Jingletown, San Leandro, Beer Ride

Sun, 26 May 2013 06:06:00 +0000

Great weather for the first annual Session Beer Festival, and an excuse for a ride with friends from Oakland to San Leandro.

White Elephant building:

Jingletown:

Free wood (so consistently, it’s labeled in the mosaic):

Large tires (foreshadowing…):

Miles of car-free paved paths along the water:

salami bike

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:41:55 +0000

salami bike

brand new, buffered, Oak St bike lane. this used to be parking.

Sun, 12 May 2013 19:34:37 +0000

brand new, buffered, Oak St bike lane. this used to be parking.

wake up. bike a 17-mile loop to get coffee. start the day.

Sun, 12 May 2013 18:10:42 +0000

wake up. bike a 17-mile loop to get coffee. start the day.

Dogpatch / Bayview Tour Recap

Thu, 09 May 2013 02:02:00 +0000

I always want to share the nooks and crannies of Southeast SF with people– and Sunday, 11 friends and strangers (nice to meet you!) converged on my neighborhood for a tour of Dogpatch and Bayview.

Here’s the route we took (click through for an interactive map with Point Of Interest descriptions):

Starting off in Dogpatch, some friends & neighbors set up a surprise table of muffins, fruit, and mimosas (thanks!)

THE SOCIAL EFFECT OF BICYCLING

Tue, 07 May 2013 05:35:00 +0000

[ A rare long-text post, below’s an article that appeared in the British magazine The Spectator in 1896. It’s an interesting slice of history, societal change (and resistance to it in conservative circles), and even then, a concern about the “filter bubble”]

BICYCLING will, we believe, within a few years produce social effects of some importance.

The notion that it is a “mere fashion” or “craze,” like the skating on little wheels which some years ago led to an investment of scores of thousands of pounds in a speculation that proved absolutely futile, is, we are convinced, a pure delusion. The bicycle has greatly added to human power, and will no more be given up by those who have once learned to use it than horse-riding will be given up or travelling by railway. The number of those who cycle increases day by day, as the objections raised by prejudice or custom disappear, none of those who acquire the art show the slightest disposition to give up the practice, and the probability is that in a very short time it will become far more popular than riding or swimming, or even walking for amusement ever has been.

Bayview Scouting #3

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:28:00 +0000

In preparation for next weekend’s ride: urban goats, murals, unlocked doors in fences, junkyards, dirt paths.

bayview ride scouting

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 21:03:17 +0000

bayview ride scouting

bike graffiti, Portland

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 23:46:28 +0000

bike graffiti, Portland

Bike Tour of Dogpatch, Bayview, Parks, Graffiti, Open Studios:

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:03:49 +0000

I’m organizing this casual public ride on May 5th.

Western Lands Dumpling Tour: recap

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 02:27:00 +0000

This was the first public ride I’d organized (through the SF Bike Coalition calendar). When 48 people RSVP’d I got a little concerned about logistics, but it all worked out. Here are photos from a few of us:

First off, this is what 100 hot shumai on a bike rack looks like:

The route, with a specific 1 or 2 styles of dumplings planned for each stop:

Tomorrow: Western Lands Dumpling Tour

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 01:59:09 +0000

It’s time to bike around the city and eat dumplings, again.

This is the first time I’ve organized a publicly-advertised ride (in the SF Bike Coalition Chain of Events), and the RSVP list is up to about 48 so this will be interesting… off we go!

Brisk Paradise Loop, Fairfax

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:00:15 +0000

I haven’t organized a ride in a while, but I’ve joined friends’ last-minute. Last weekend I followed Greg and company on a brisk-paced 65-mile ride around Paradise Loop and up to Fairfax, with a stop for fish tacos and beer at Iron Springs.

The weather was great, the road bike was well tuned, and it slid by like butter:

Preride at Velo Rouge:

Martinez, Port Costa, Refineries, Richmond

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:23:00 +0000

I’m finally posting a map and photos from a ride organized by Robin a month back– about 50 miles from Walnut Creek BART to Martinez, along Carquinez Scenic drive to Port Costa (a common spring destination, for me), then past refineries out to Pinole Point Park and down to Richmond:

Port Costa, Oakland Tribune, 1972

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:58:37 +0000

Port Costa, Oakland Tribune, 1972

2012 biking recap

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 21:01:00 +0000

2012 was another great year for biking, with friends, on many new adventures. Looking back, the highlights for me were:

An overnight 120-mile ride to Russian River Brewery with a big group, tasting Pliny the Younger, staying in a retro motel, merging a few different social groups, and a dramatic conclusion.

Bringing my bike on a trip to Chicago and taking an overnight trip to Wisconsin with a few friends who live there, on mostly dedicated paved paths, braving flooding and angry birds.

Tour de Biere

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 20:44:00 +0000

Tour de Biere

A few of us joined an East Bay beer/brewery tour during SF Beer Week…

Update: A writeup and photos on KQED: http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2013/02/17/the-3rd-annual-tour-de-biere-an-east-bay-bicycle-brewery-tour/

Drake’s and Linden St were especially good brewery visits, and the San Leandro -> West Oakland ride via off-road paved paths, bridges, and Alameda was a lot of fun.

Circuito Chico, Bariloche region, Argentina

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 03:01:07 +0000

In Argentina, we rented bikes from the friendly folks at Cordillera, and went for a casual scenic ride around the Circuito Chico, before branching off onto dusty back dirt roads.

Most of the route was great, but the last 6 miles into town were unpleasant riding: on the major and only road, plagued with thick, choking auto exhaust, no shoulders, and cars and buses regularly swerving and at times forcing us off the road.

People seen cycle touring along Route 40 in Patagonia, far from civilization

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 02:51:00 +0000

People seen cycle touring along Route 40 in Patagonia, far from civilization

Seen coming off the luggage conveyer in the Ushuaia airport. A couple picking it up had helmets, panniers, basic street clothes....

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:47:53 +0000

Seen coming off the luggage conveyer in the Ushuaia airport. A couple picking it up had helmets, panniers, basic street clothes. My heroes.

Cycle paths, Buenos Aires

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 02:31:16 +0000

Cycle paths, Buenos Aires

wood bike

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 02:29:25 +0000

wood bike

Black Diamond Mines ride & tour recap

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 03:58:00 +0000

Four of us took BART out to the end of the line and then biked to Black Diamond Mines Regional Park in Antioch for a tour of the Hazel-Atlas sand mines (and some history on coal mining in the region).

It was a casual 20 mile round trip, mostly on the Delta De Anza paved off-road bike path, though with a bit of busy road riding and then a mile of uphill to get into the park.

Biking in the nearly-deserted Black Diamond Mines Regional Park (in Antioch).

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 03:35:39 +0000

Biking in the nearly-deserted Black Diamond Mines Regional Park (in Antioch).

locked bike in Chicago (this would never fly in SF)

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:45:25 +0000

locked bike in Chicago (this would never fly in SF)

new (fat) bike, mural, 24th st all the way east to the bay

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 18:22:51 +0000

new (fat) bike, mural, 24th st all the way east to the bay

wide tires. really wide. freakbike.

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 01:29:58 +0000

wide tires. really wide. freakbike.

new overlook, bridge, gorgeous sunny day for a ride

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:30:28 +0000

new overlook, bridge, gorgeous sunny day for a ride

Three Upcoming Rides

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 06:51:00 +0000

**Saturday November 3:**A Tale of Two Coffees

Start with the great coffee at Front cafe in Potrero Hill.
The “butterlap”-ish route along the water and around the city to Ocean Beach.
Trouble Coffee, toast, and coconuts.
20ish miles, very friendly / casual pace.

Sunday November 18: Remote East Bay, Mine Tour, Trails

BART… to the end of the line (Pittsburgh/Bay Point)!
Ride flat paved paths… to scenic Antioch!
Tour… an underground former sand mine in Black Diamond Mines Park!
Explore… fire roads and dirt paths** above the park!
About 20-25 miles. Some optional dirt trail exploration with hills.

December 1: Supermarket Street Sweep, again.

Sacramento Delta Overnight Tour

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 03:03:00 +0000

[ Finally posting a map and photos from a great group ride organized by K back in October ]: Amtrak to Sacramento with our bikes, then two leisurely days of riding back to BART via the Sacramento river delta.

With drawbridges (and an impromptu tour of a control room), birds at night, a quaint old-timey hotel, a ferry, and old-town California.

The route (about 95 miles, click through for a detailed map):

Solo morning ride over foggy twin peaks to the ocean and Trouble Coffee

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 22:04:55 +0000

Solo morning ride over foggy twin peaks to the ocean and Trouble Coffee

Friend's electric-assist Yuba longtail bike (w/ room for two kid seats). I took it for a few-minute test ride and it was fun.

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 22:03:40 +0000

Friend’s electric-assist Yuba longtail bike (w/ room for two kid seats). I took it for a few-minute test ride and it was fun.

North Sea Cycle Route: some day

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:38:01 +0000

North Sea Cycle Route: some day

Bike Camping, Point Reyes

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 05:47:28 +0000

My second year bike camping for a three-day weekend in Point Reyes: eight of us rode up lugging camping gear, braving the hilly Four Corners / Panoramic / Highway 1 route, and admiring the views.

The blackberries were out in full force. We filled up a whole container for breakfast the next morning:

Oyster break in Olema:

Free-standing 2-bike rack for the apartment.

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:06:00 +0000

Free-standing 2-bike rack for the apartment.

Alviso Salt Flats ride, alien landscape

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 01:43:56 +0000

Take BART -> Fremont.

Bike to Alviso.

Ride for hours on levees, around salt evaporation ponds and in-progress-of-restoration wetlands habitats, past trains and abandoned buildings in an alien landscape. Jackrabbits and egrets galore.

Ride on to Caltrain, completing a full circle of the Bay.

bike on the tracks (near Alviso)

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 20:22:30 +0000

bike on the tracks (near Alviso)

Sunset Dumbarton Bridge Crossing

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 04:47:00 +0000

For a break from work on a long day I went on a 30-mile ride along the Bay Trail, across the Dumbarton Bridge (my first time), and up to the top of the hill in a park in Fremont just as the sun was setting. It was beautiful.

cell phone panorama after a sunset bike ride to Fremont

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 04:40:17 +0000

cell phone panorama after a sunset bike ride to Fremont

Point Reyes bike camping: Labor Day

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 06:56:48 +0000

Currently in the works: a two-night bike camping trip to Sky Camp in Point Reyes National Seashore (I made the reservations six months ago and am finally sorting out the details– I’ve talked to several people and it looks like we’ll have a good posse).

I’ll probably follow the same general route as this Point Reyes trip from last year, to keep it easy to plan…

got some more maps:

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 05:42:21 +0000

got some more maps:

friends' nice tandem:

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 22:08:06 +0000

friends’ nice tandem:

free bike tune-ups at Outside Lands

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 21:43:42 +0000

free bike tune-ups at Outside Lands

Bike Camping on Angel Island

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:20:36 +0000

I had to make the reservation 6 months ago early on a Saturday morning (as the camp sites often fill up within hours of going on sale), but we lucked out on the weather, and seven of us camped on Angel Island (5 by bike).

The Long Haul Trucker handled well as usual, even loaded with two unconventional panniers:

the bike-mounted cooler I made rides again, this time carrying 2 lbs of marinated beef, tubs of pickles, and beer, to a camping...

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 00:11:00 +0000

The bike-mounted cooler I made rides again, this time carrying 2 lbs of marinated beef, tubs of pickles, and beer, to a camping trip…

San Bruno Mtn + Candlestick + Bayview scenic ride

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 07:00:32 +0000

Nine of us gathered Sunday to bike hilly back roads (avoiding Mission St, Bayshore Blvd, San Jose Ave, and some other common roads) to and through San Bruno Mountain park, along dirt paths, and up Radio Road to the summit covered with radio towers, with views of Sutro Tower, the Bay Bridge, Colma graveyards, SFO airport runways, and Mt Diablo.

This was followed by shedding 1500’ of elevation in minutes on twisty downhills, cutting through industrial corners of Brisbane, biking past the dump, Candlestick Park, and out to Candlestick point itself, before zig-zagging through Bayview to meet up with Sunday Streets.

Pescadero Loop, Tunitas Creek

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:42:32 +0000

Saturday a friend organized a ride through Woodside / Old La Honda down to Pescadero (with a stop for the famous artichoke bread and to look at adorable baby llamas), up Highway 1 with great views along the ocean, and then up the always-intense miles of climbing that is Tunitas Creek Road and then down to Alice’s Restaurant.

New spoke cards for old rides

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 02:55:04 +0000

New spoke cards for old rides

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/world/europe/in-denmark-pedaling-to-work-on-a-superhighway.html?src=me&ref=general&pagewanted=all

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:16:32 +0000

Two posters ten years apart

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:15:47 +0000

Two posters ten years apart

San Bruno Mtn ride 7/22?

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 01:51:39 +0000

I’ve wanted to bike to (and up) San Bruno Mountain on the edge of SF for a while, so here’s a possible casual-pace, 22 mile (but hilly) ride in a few weeks (Sunday July 22nd).

The exact details and meet-up times might change so let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll send out a reminder the week before.

A tentative route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1381448

Mission Pie, San Bruno Mountain Park (via back roads and shared biker/hiker trails), up car-free Radio Road to near the windy, eerie, tower-covered summit. Take a break to eat and walk around. Head back and intercept Sunday Streets Bayview/Dogpatch that will have a chunk of 3rd St shut down to car traffic and may have food carts or other events going on.

Dumpling Ride Recap

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 22:14:00 +0000

This weekend a group of adventurous dumpling-lovers went on a casual 14-mile bike ride around the city (the Richmond, Sunset, West Portal), trying seven kinds of dumplings from three restaurants, on a foggy but surprisingly warm day.

For variety from the usual coffeehouse start, we met up at SoW, a pop-up fresh juice bar in the Pause Wine Bar space. The “stonefruit flight” of yellow peach, saturn peach, and santa rosa (tart) plum juices was excellent:

100-mile BBQ Oyster Ride

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 03:26:00 +0000

This is one of the more ridiculous impulsive rides I’ve done.

I’ve always loved the BBQ-your-own-oysters-fresh-from-a-few-hundred-feet-away at Tomales Bay Oyster Farm, and last year a group of us did a 30-mile day trip from Point Reyes to there.

But I’ve wondered– how reasonable would it be to ride up from SF, have a leisurely lunch of BBQ oysters (because what’s the point if you’re in a hurry?), then ride back, all in the same day? It’s about 100-110 miles and a moderate amount of climbing (4000’-8000’, depending on the route). I managed to convince someone to join me, and off we went:

The Big Picture (boston.com) -- Bicycles around the world

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 03:05:22 +0000

The Big Picture (boston.com) – Bicycles around the world

Alviso salt pond bike tours

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:43:52 +0000

Hat tip to Elliot, this sounds interesting: http://www.cyclelicio.us/2012/alviso-salt-pond-bike-tours

Perhaps in later July, combined with a ride from Fremont or Mt View to Alviso on a segment of Bay Trail.

Upcoming: Dumpling Tour

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:23:00 +0000

Inspired by the “fiets & frites” ride last summer, I’m thinking of an “SF dumpling tour by bike” (I need a catchy name) on June 9 [edit: Saturday June 30th].

Tentatively: an 11am -> mid-afternoon tour, with perhaps 10 miles of biking at a casual pace and a hill or two– nothing too serious. And 4+ stops at dumpling shops to get takeout and eat by the side of the road or in a nearby park. It will probably focus on the Western neighborhoods (Richmond, Sunset, West Portal, maybe Balboa Park).

Epic Mystery Scouting Ride

Tue, 29 May 2012 06:53:00 +0000

Well that was an epic scouting ride (checking out some new parts of the Bay Area for potential group rides). I won’t spoil the surprise yet by posting a map or details, since parts of this will probably work their way into a “mystery group ride” coming in the next few months.

But in a few teaser photos:

Of course, I only noticed this sign after passing through:

Nicasio and Lucas Valley Road recap

Mon, 28 May 2012 06:00:00 +0000

On Sunday I joined someone else’s group ride, SF -> Fairfax (with a stop at the Good Earth Natural Foods for lunch– good sandwich options) -> Nicasio (with a stop at Rancho Nicasio) and then back via the very scenic Lucas Valley Road to San Rafael and Larkspur. A friendly crew and a solid 54-mile ride with a few thousand feet of climbing.

A few of the cyclocross maniacs led us onto dirt paths, wood chips, and coarse gravel through the Presidio:

Lands End

Tue, 22 May 2012 06:42:29 +0000

Lands End

Map of the hike from downtown Mill Valley to The Tourist Club. I've never found a good one online-- the one on the Tourist Club...

Sun, 20 May 2012 01:01:09 +0000

Map of the hike from downtown Mill Valley to The Tourist Club. I’ve never found a good one online– the one on the Tourist Club web site isn’t especially clear– so I sketched a quick one onto a photo of a paper map.

Chicago <-> Wisconsin ride recap

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:55:00 +0000

Thanks to Jason and Erica and Cat, I got to go on an interesting 120-mile bike tour up to Wisconsin and back while I was visiting Chicago, and I didn’t have to do any of the planning.

(rhetorical question: who rides 120 miles to a Super 8 motel at the edge of a cluster of strip malls, just for fun?)

I was less interested in any specific destination than I was in checking out a variety of towns, environments, and regional cycling infrastructure (impressive!), and this ride certainly delivered.

ice cream stop at mile 100

Sun, 13 May 2012 19:07:43 +0000

ice cream stop at mile 100

good bike infrastructure near chicago

Sun, 13 May 2012 05:08:11 +0000

good bike infrastructure near chicago

broken chain somewhere in the woods. good thing I had a tool.

Sun, 13 May 2012 05:06:37 +0000

broken chain somewhere in the woods. good thing I had a tool.

chicago route signage

Sun, 13 May 2012 05:03:22 +0000

chicago route signage

Angry Birds near Skokie

Sun, 13 May 2012 00:34:51 +0000

Angry Birds near Skokie

Bike, Plane, Soft Case

Fri, 11 May 2012 23:15:28 +0000

About 30 minutes to pack the first time (including reading instructions), about 20 minutes to unpack and assemble:

Overhauling an old bottom bracket, in photos. Three specialized tools, just to do something no longer needed on modern bikes....

Mon, 07 May 2012 04:08:00 +0000

bike, coffee (predictable)

Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:00 +0000

bike, coffee (predictable)

Livermore Wine Ramble #3: recap

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:03:00 +0000

A casual day of bike riding, picnicking, and wine tasting around the Livermore area. The initial interest in this many-times-rescheduled ride and the good weather made me think 15 people might show up… but it was a group of 31, word of mouth through three degrees of separation. Thanks for being great, everyone.

Riding a few miles through Sycamore Grove Park– interesting trees on either side, bridges to ride over, and almost no cross-streets or signs of other people:

Livermore Wine Ride, Sunday 4/29

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:39:39 +0000

Let’s try this again. Bike tour of a few Livermore vineyards.

Rolling out Sunday at 11:11 from Dublin/Pleasanton BART, about 25 miles round trip. Example from two years ago.

Bike Music / Food / Event, Sunday-->

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:22:44 +0000

Bike Music / Food / Event, Sunday–>

Nice morning to bike 40 miles to work:

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:06:54 +0000

Nice morning to bike 40 miles to work:

Evening ride to the Pacific ocean

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:30:01 +0000

Evening ride to the Pacific ocean

Oakland: Skyline, Beer, Ferry

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 03:27:51 +0000

Another fine ride, with a friendly group of twelve (including several new friends-of-friends), on a sunny, gorgeous, 29-mile route through the Oakland hills.

We wrapped it up with a cruise along Lake Merritt and some beer and vegan soul food at Beer Revolution– and then a few of us managed to catch a ferry back across the Bay.

Oakland ride & beer, Saturday

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:47:28 +0000

I’m back in town, sorry the Livermore wine ride fell through but I’ll try to redo it in a few weeks [if you’re interested, let me know if Sat 4/28 or Sun 4/29 would work…]

But, this Saturday, a modest 29-mile ride in Oakland (route courtesy Adam, with some uphills and then ridge riding on nice roads)…ending at Beer Revolution in Jack London Square for food and a drink.

Friendly pace, no rider left behind, meet at Rockridge BART at 11.

"some athletes ditch processed foods for the real deal"

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:22:15 +0000

“some athletes ditch processed foods for the real deal”

Cargo bikes with front-basket "kickstands" -- in Hong Kong

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 06:43:32 +0000

Cargo bikes with front-basket “kickstands” – in Hong Kong

Musings on Travel Bikes, Cases, and so on

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:30:00 +0000

If you don’t like long text posts, stop reading now.

This is a scratchpad for thinking I’ve been doing about travel bikes, S&S couplers, bike cases, and related topics (inspired by a lot of recent travel without a bike), to jot it down somewhere outside of browser bookmarks and chats with friends.

Bringing a bike with you on a trip shouldn’t be as expensive and logistically complicated as it is. I’ve been tempted by S&S couplers or the Ritchey Breakaway, two methods of having a frame that you can break apart and pack down into a box just small enough to check as luggage on an airplane, saving fees.

Interesting bike softcase for flights

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:23:16 +0000

Interesting bike softcase for flights

Bike rickshaw with lights and thumping stereo system.

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:37:49 +0000

Bike rickshaw with lights and thumping stereo system.

Livermore wine ride postponed

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:31:21 +0000

Out of town. Probably postponed to 4/7.

Peninsula Hills, Woods, Farmland

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Yesterday a friend organized a ride from San Mateo to San Gregario (via Kings Mountain road, which I’d never biked), through La Honda (past Alice’s Restaurant), and back up Tunitas Creek (which I’d been on once before). And just for the heck of it, I decided to add on an early morning ride from San Francisco to San Mateo rather than take the Caltrain down.

The forecast for 40% chance of afternoon rain fell our way– just 10 minutes of freezing rain and misery on our way into Woodside on Skyline, but otherwise clear, sunny, and cool– great biking weather.

Kings Mountain

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:06:46 +0000

Kings Mountain

Livermore Wine Ride 3/31

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:22:00 +0000

Saturday March 31st, I’ll be organizing a bike tour of a few Livermore vineyards. About 25 miles round trip from BART. Example from two years ago.

Got up at 5:30 to go on a 42-mile bike ride before work (as posted on all the social media...). Refreshing!

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 02:11:19 +0000

Got up at 5:30 to go on a 42-mile bike ride before work (as posted on all the social media…). Refreshing!

1940s blame-the-cyclist cartoons (sent to me by a few people, thanks)

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:50:06 +0000

1940s blame-the-cyclist cartoons (sent to me by a few people, thanks)

Stinson Beach Loop

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:43:00 +0000

Quick summary: a gorgeous, sun-and-clear-skies, panoramic-views-of-the-ocean-and-cliffs 50ish-mile Stinson Beach loop with four friends, via Highway 1, and then returning up the side of Mt Tam. I posted a few photos from my phone yesterday.

This might replace Paradise Loop in the medium-length-ride rotation for me – it’s about the same distance but more scenic and interesting riding.

It is significantly more elevation gain (4500’ or so instead of 1800’), but it didn’t feel as hard as those numbers suggest– most of the hills were long but not ridiculously steep. And it felt much more laid back than the 63-mile, 6000’ Alpine Dam loop.

Most numbered and signposted bike routes follow the flatlands. Not the "up Mt Tam" one...

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 02:06:00 +0000

Most numbered and signposted bike routes follow the flatlands. Not the “up Mt Tam” one…

On Rt 1 (panorama shot from cell phone)

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000

On Rt 1 (panorama shot from cell phone)

Riding along cliffs (by eye, I could see Sutro Tower in SF in the distance)

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Riding along cliffs (by eye, I could see Sutro Tower in SF in the distance)

Adventure Rides this spring / summer

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:52:22 +0000

Here are a few other 1-day or weekend rides I’ve been kicking around, to do this spring or summer… including a few repeats of good rides from last year, since that makes the planning easy.

None of them have dates yet, just giving people a heads-up… and if you’re especially interested in certain ones, let me know and it will be more likely to happen…

From shortest to longest:

A ride to San Bruno Mtn (8 miles each way from the Mission) combined with a few-hour hike and a picnic
A casual “Tour De Dumplings” 15-20 mile ride around SF or the east bay, stopping at various dumpling shops, in the spirit of the Fiets & Frites ride (http://fietsandfrites.wordpress.com/)
A casual 25ish-mile afternoon bike ride around some vineyards in Livermore (similar to a ride from last year, but different vineyards: [/post/photos-from-our-recent-7-person-livermore-wine/])
A bike+hike to the Tourist Club in Mill Valley for one of their weekend beer-and-sausage-and-German-music festivals (May or July). Basically a copy of this ride
A mysterious, medium-hilly 40-50 mile ride in a remote part of the East Bay that I bet most people have never biked in (even I haven’t). I like the idea of keeping the details secret and just telling people to meet at a certain BART stop at a certain time
An overnight bike camping trip to Point Reyes, with oysters (50ish miles each way, similar to what a group of us did last year though at a different camp site for variety), maybe as a three-day weekend
Taking Amtrak to Sacramento and doing some riding around the American River Valley

Recap: Russian River Brewery overnight ride

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:03:06 +0000

120+ miles, a group of 15 great people, sunny weather, lush farmland and shady redwood forests, a few exciting hills, the kindness of strangers, good beer, and an action-movie just-in-time finish… easily one of my favorites. Read on for a longer than usual writeup in story form, with photos and details…

Back in December I’d floated the idea of an overnight ride up to Russian River Brewing Co during the two-weeks-a-year Pliny the Younger release. Interest blossomed, we hashed out logistics, and by the day of the ride we were a group of 15(!): people I’d done long rides with as well as new friends-of-friends, on loaded touring bikes and sporty road bikes, people who’ve ridden centuries and people who’ve rarely biked more than 40 miles… and even someone who hadn’t biked more than 7 or 8 miles in a stretch (I’ll admit, I was a little worried, but he was a natural).

Bay Area bike maps-- a few-paragraph review. Google Maps and OpenStreetMap both have decent bike path coverage in the Bay...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 03:29:00 +0000

Bay Area bike maps– a few-paragraph review.

Google Maps and OpenStreetMap both have decent bike path coverage in the Bay Area, but they’re not perfect, and they often don’t show hills or road conditions. They’re also both weak when it comes to off-road bike trails. Here are a few notes on the other bike maps I’ve picked up over the years (starting in the upper left and going clockwise):

Bay Trail maps (6-map set, though I’ve read there’s a single-map version now as well). These cover the present and planned multiuse paths that run around the Bay, from SF down the peninsula, up the East Bay, even to Richmond. They’re an interesting set, with trivia on the back, and useful for finding hidden little parks in nooks along the bay… however, they don’t have bike route coverage once you get away from the Bay, and many sections of bay trail aren’t fully connected. So I’ve only used them a few times.

Pliny the Younger, after 11 hours of biking + standing-in-line

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:19:00 +0000

Pliny the Younger, after 11 hours of biking + standing-in-line

55 miles in, sunny

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:59:00 +0000

55 miles in, sunny

Cheese Factory stop

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:34:00 +0000

Cheese Factory stop

Sunny across the bridge

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:27:00 +0000

Sunny across the bridge

Starting off, we are 15

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:10:00 +0000

Starting off, we are 15

1988(?) Japanese commercial for Panasonic bikes.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:51:30 +0000

1988(?) Japanese commercial for Panasonic bikes.

Flying with a bike: fees

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:28:11 +0000

For international flights, KLM lets you check a bike for free, mainly useful if you want to bike in The Netherlands.

However, as of a few years ago, most airlines, even domestic ones, charge significant fees to bring a (non-folding) bike as luggage. A few summary web pages I found were a few years out of date, so I did some quick research (I’m idly considering taking my bike to New York in May to ride the Five Borough Bike Tour):

Pickup truck for bike repair

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:26:40 +0000

Pickup truck for bike repair

Feb 11th: overnight ride to Russian River Brewing

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

The SF -> Russian River Brewing Company overnight ride I mentioned is on! I sent email to everyone who told me they were interested with more logistics details that I won’t bore people reading this with. The quick summary:

Feb 11th -> 12th (rolling out *early* Saturday from Four Barrel)
A 65-70 mile route roughly like this (doing a 40+ mile practice ride beforehand if you haven’t been riding in a while is recommended – I might organize one a weekend or two before)
Early lunch break along the way (probably in Fairfax)
Arriving late afternoon, drinking some Pliny the Younger and other beers, being flexible if we have to wait a long time, getting food…
Staying the night at the Flamingo Resort ($99/night via this web site for a room with two doubles, it’s up to you to reserve your own or pair up with someone – it’s fully refundable up until 2 days beforehand)
Biking back Sunday
It looks like it will be somewhere between 6 and 12 of us, including a few friends or significant others driving up (carpools might be possible)

New Bike Lanes, Infrastructure

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:02:58 +0000

On the ocean beach loop this weekend, I noticed two new cycling improvements: a bike lane on Portola (making the short section from Corbett to Sydney on this route less sketchy), and a full-width curb cut at Stanyan & Page.

Thanks everyone who was involved in making this happen, including the SFBC campaign.

Photo below: the new Stanyan @ Page curb cut– you used to have to ride to the right to that narrow opening (not easy, interferes with pedestrians), because going straight dropped you off a tall curb.

Sunny and warm at the ocean

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Sunny and warm at the ocean

Pre-ride reading, coffee

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Pre-ride reading, coffee

Sunday AM: short ride to the ocean and back

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:29:57 +0000

Last-minute: meeting at Four Barrel at 9 tomorrow, rolling out at 9:15, a casual and short ride to the ocean and Trouble Coffee, then back to the Mission. Just a coffee & toast, see-the-ocean-and-park, and stretch-the-legs ride to start the day.

Default route is up and over Corbett Ave and past the fancy houses near St Francis Wood (http://ridewithgps.com/routes/119172), but we could also do the hill-free and slightly shorter ride through Golden Gate Park (http://ridewithgps.com/routes/114957), depending what whoever shows up wants.

3rd anniversary of "Bikeit": success.

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:10:00 +0000

[ ignore this post if you only follow the blog for ride planning and photos– below’s just a rare bit of personal New Year’s self-indulgence ]

I biked a fair amount a decade ago, fell off the wagon for a few years, then three years ago started organizing rides (on this blog and a separate mailing list): for fun, to catch up with friends and meet new people, to explore more of the greater Bay Area at the more observant pace a bike allows, to get in better shape (I’ve never enjoyed going to the gym), and because I knew scheduling rides with other people would put pressure on me to actually make them happen and get organized on the mapping/planning front.

I biked to Russian River Brewery. Somewhat impulsively, with two stronger-than-me riders (thanks for waiting a few times), and...

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:01:00 +0000

I biked to Russian River Brewery. Somewhat impulsively, with two stronger-than-me riders (thanks for waiting a few times), and via a scenic but longer and hillier route past Mt Tam and Point Reyes. About 83 miles and 6000’ of elevation gain? Whew.

Bike carrying a pot of hot soup.

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:26:17 +0000

Bike carrying a pot of hot soup.

Made laminated spoke cards of three memorable 2011 group rides, just for fun: Montara lighthouse overnight, the Point Reyes...

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:12:00 +0000

Made laminated spoke cards of three memorable 2011 group rides, just for fun: Montara lighthouse overnight, the Point Reyes camping & oyster trip, and 100 miles of loops around the park.

Bike to Russian River Brewing in February?

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Looking ahead– biking to Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa (about 60-70 miles each way from SF, some hills) is something I’ve wanted to do for a while. And hey– they’re serving Pliny the Younger for 14 days in early February.

The plan: ride up either Saturday Feb 4th or 11th [edit: we’re doing it the 11th], early, hang out at the brewery, get a hotel/motel/airbnb for the night, and bike back the next day. With stops for lunch and so on.

Holiday Lights recap

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:55:00 +0000

I joined the Holiday Lights Ride again– this year it was cool but dry, with a group of over 100 riders on a casual tour of holiday lights in the Pac Heights / Richmond / Seacliff / Inner Sunset neighborhoods.

A whole group of bikeit regulars and first-timers were there– good to see you Elliot, Becky, Zachary, Dina, Ted, Monique, Dave, Iris, Stephanie, Carrie, & Morgan! And special thanks to Robin, Barbara, Paul, Carla, and Martha.

coffee

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:33:46 +0000

coffee

Beer Growlers by bike. Sure, it would be easy to just carry them in panniers or mesh bags... but for the heck of it, I made...

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:10:00 +0000

Beer Growlers by bike.

Sure, it would be easy to just carry them in panniers or mesh bags… but for the heck of it, I made some minimal webbing-and-elastic structures custom fit to Speakeasy growlers, and which clip to a rack with three-point restraint so they don’t bounce around. Started a few weeks ago, but finally found time to finish (and test!) them.

People at the brewery were amused. And the coffee porter made it to a friend’s party without getting too shaken up.

Supermarket Street Sweep 2011

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:02:00 +0000

I rode the Supermarket Street Sweep (again) – a fundraiser / race to supermarkets around the city, with about 200 riders who collected a total of 8000 lbs of food for the SF Food Bank. I brought in 108 lbs in my recently-reinforced panniers, which held up well, though the bike was a bit unstable with that much weight. A few photos:

Just finished a custom bike-mounted growler-carrying sling.

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:27:50 +0000

Just finished a custom bike-mounted growler-carrying sling.

Bike Tunnel! (specifically, the newish Cal Park Hill Tunnel near Larkspur, which I finally checked out last weekend when I was...

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:03:05 +0000

Bike Tunnel! (specifically, the newish Cal Park Hill Tunnel near Larkspur, which I finally checked out last weekend when I was in the area)

Three bike events this weekend (food bank, winterfest, bike party)

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:01:00 +0000

**Saturday:**You should come to the Supermarket Street Sweep, a ride around the city to collect groceries for the SF food bank. It’s nominally an alleycat-style race (a few hundred people show up, they give you a list of grocery stores to visit and things to buy, and you have to figure out a route), but I’m not going to try to “compete” this time– I just want to get some friends together to do it at whatever pace is comfortable.

Re-Cyclery Bike Thrift Shop

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:01:00 +0000

I recently went on a solo ride to San Rafael, and checked out the Re-Cyclery Bike Thrift Shop (and fundraiser for Trips For Kids) while I was there. Quite a place.

Outside, a classic Schwinn (for sale for $125):

The back patio had many more used bikes, in both adult sizes and kids’:

There were many other sub-$150 used bikes:

1979 Honolulu bicycle license sticker, seen on an old Schwinn

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:12:00 +0000

1979 Honolulu bicycle license sticker, seen on an old Schwinn

Coffee jaunt, trail rides

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:22:00 +0000

A ride to the ocean for espresso, toast, and coconut with friends, taking some off-road trails through parks for variety:

Bamboo bike, bamboo

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:56:00 +0000

Bamboo bike, bamboo

Trouble Coffee tomorrow AM?

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:27:00 +0000

There may be a window without rain, so: a short ride to Trouble Coffee / the ocean and back tomorrow morning? Meet at Four Barrel at 9AM? Perhaps a detour back via Lands End (something like http://ridewithgps.com/trips/201533)?

Paradise Loop

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:04:00 +0000

A casual-pace, 40ish mile Paradise Loop ride with a friend, on a cool day constantly on the edge of rain:

Cloudy, but fog-free, with the low-contrast lighting that’s good for cell phone photos…

Marsh along the Mill Valley bike path:

Tiburon bike path:

A few drops of rain threatened (and we were lazy), so we bailed after about 35 miles and took a ferry back from Sausalito (we caught it with about 15 seconds to spare, and would have missed it if we didn’t both have Clipper cards to let us skip the ticket machines):

Cargo tricycle (photo from my father, in India)

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 03:06:00 +0000

Cargo tricycle (photo from my father, in India)

Trouble coffee parklet (a quick morning ride to get coffee)

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Trouble coffee parklet (a quick morning ride to get coffee)

Supermarket Street Sweep poster... who wants to join me this year?

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:01:00 +0000

Supermarket Street Sweep poster… who wants to join me this year?

Fiets & Frites 2011

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:51:00 +0000

The (first annual?) Fiets & Frites, a casual bike ride and tour of french fries around San Francisco:

Starting out at Frjtz:

Three orders of fries (too many!), curry ketchup, wasabi mayo:

Bike rack as condiment tray…

Ride maps:

A friend (and occasional bikeit rider) built herself a custom bamboo-and-carbon-fiber bike. Awesome.

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:30:06 +0000

A friend (and occasional bikeit rider) built herself a custom bamboo-and-carbon-fiber bike. Awesome.

Another article from 1970: "A sport the whole family can enjoy together. A way to get into condition and fight pollution. It's...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Another article from 1970: “A sport the whole family can enjoy together. A way to get into condition and fight pollution. It’s the bicycle. […] For the serious cyclist the bike itself is only the beginning. There are special shoes and socks […] and special seamless pants […] But the family bicycler takes things much less seriously. An old pair of jeans, tennis shoes and a sweatshirt do just fine”

Another 1970s article from the library: a group (43 amateur riders, men and women, ages 15 to 53) biking 800 miles and over all...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Another 1970s article from the library: a group (43 amateur riders, men and women, ages 15 to 53) biking 800 miles and over all 8 major passes through the Sierra Nevada, in 8 days.

Presumably on steel bikes with all-1970s component technology, without spandex shorts, and so on – another good reminder that the engine matters more than the chassis…

More history: in 1971 there was a "Pedal Hoppers" bike bus (24 bikes + 24 passengers) between the East Bay and SF (as usual,...

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:00:00 +0000

More history: in 1971 there was a “Pedal Hoppers” bike bus (24 bikes + 24 passengers) between the East Bay and SF (as usual, clicking on the image should enlarge it). This is especially relevant when you realize the BART Transbay Tube didn’t open until 1973 (per BART history).

Another from-a-visit-to-the-Oakland-library biking photo and article from 1976 (click through for a detailed view). Note:...

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Another from-a-visit-to-the-Oakland-library biking photo and article from 1976 (click through for a detailed view). Note: 200-300 SFBC members then vs. 12,000 now…

The full article that went with the 1971 DiFi pennyfarthing photo. I have more early-1970s Bay Area cycling articles I'll post...

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:21:00 +0000

The full article that went with the 1971 DiFi pennyfarthing photo. I have more early-1970s Bay Area cycling articles I’ll post this week.

1971 photo of "Mayoralty candidate Dianne Feinstein" on a pennyfarthing (found on a recent library visit).

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:54:00 +0000

1971 photo of “Mayoralty candidate Dianne Feinstein” on a pennyfarthing (found on a recent library visit).

The first annual Fiets & Frites (tour of SF french fries by bicycle) is planned for Sunday, October 23rd....

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:30:00 +0000

The first annual Fiets & Frites (tour of SF french fries by bicycle) is planned for Sunday, October 23rd. http://fietsandfrites.wordpress.com/

Save the date: Supermarket Street Sweep Dec 3rd (recap from last year when I did it by myself, but it would be fun to do with...

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Save the date: Supermarket Street Sweep Dec 3rd (recap from last year when I did it by myself, but it would be fun to do with friends).

Front handlebar bag (no rack)

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:01:00 +0000

A rare “gear” post: A few people have asked me about my handlebar bag. It’s the Rivendell Brand V Boxy BarBag.

Unlike most decent-size front bags, it doesn’t require a rack for support, which is nice, it’s easy to access while riding, and fast to detach and bring indoors at a stop. I keep my valuables, camera, small jacket, snacks, maps, and so on in it.

Tour De Cupcake. Biking, cupcake checkpoints, plus extra points for (1) riding down and up the steepest part of 17th St carrying...

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 06:02:00 +0000

Bike Kitchen takes donations, but doesn't want your burning man bike

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:13:00 +0000

Bike Kitchen takes donations, but doesn’t want your burning man bike

Winter is coming... time to put various accessories back on the bike.

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:06:00 +0000

Winter is coming… time to put various accessories back on the bike.

The self-serve / honor system Bike Hut on Tunitas Creek Rd just off Highway 1-- I love that a place like this can exist.

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:12:00 +0000

The self-serve / honor system Bike Hut on Tunitas Creek Rd just off Highway 1– I love that a place like this can exist.

Pescadero ride recap

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:30:00 +0000

Four of us biked a loop from Menlo Park to Pescadero, mostly on low-traffic back roads, through redwood and eucalyptus groves. The 63 miles and 7000’ of elevation gain (most of it in two major hills) made it a bit of a challenge as well.

This Sunday: Menlo Park to the Ocean

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:55:00 +0000

As planned, the ride from Menlo Park to the ocean (Pescadero) and back is on, this Sunday.

The route is 62 miles with long hills (for example, Old La Honda is about 3 miles of 6-7% grade)– consider it “very challenging” compared to our usual rides, and plan on taking the whole day. Bring water, snacks, spare tube/patch kit, layers (it can get cold), and lights (just in case we’re out late).

Fiets and Frites?

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 02:50:00 +0000

Any interest in a bike tour of a wide variety of french fry styles in San Francisco?

We can’t hit everywhere, but here’s a tentative route, with 13 miles of biking and 9 kinds of fried potato.

Probably starting at 11am or noon some weekend in late October, either Saturday the 22nd or Sunday the 23rd (which would transition nicely into Sunday Streets in the Mission).

Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll have a motivation to make it happen. To whet your appetite, the moment in Holland that inspired this:

Wastewater Whirl: A San Francisco Sewer Cycle Tour

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:29:00 +0000

Another SF bike-related event this weekend, which a friend and regular bikeit rider is helping organize:

http://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=20&recordid=152

“Join us for a spin through the City’s streets exploring the wonderful world of wastewater. We’ll visit San Francisco’s award-winning treatment plant, pump stations, and storm drains, learning from the experts about the fascinating infrastructure beneath the city’s streets. Fun for the sewer, cycling and city enthusiast! Pick one segment or join us for all three. No rider left behind.”

Friends bike touring in Iceland

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 15:50:00 +0000

You can follow Erica & The Doty’s bike adventures in Iceland– my favorite post so far is this one.

Bike & beer festivals this weekend

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:32:00 +0000

I can’t make it to either of these, but in case you’re interested:

Saturday: Tour De Fat
Sunday: Biketoberfest Marin

Quick lunch BBQ in a park with a friend, by bike.

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:22:00 +0000

Quick lunch BBQ in a park with a friend, by bike.

"Best rides"

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 03:10:00 +0000

For anyone who reads this through an RSS reader or so on and wouldn’t have noticed this– a few months ago I added a static “Favorite Rides” page.

People occasionally ask me where I like to ride, so I figured I’d keep a quick list, with links to maps and photos. Carry on.

Alpine Dam, again

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 03:04:00 +0000

Six of us rode the Alpine Dam loop today (starting from various locations– my day was about 67 miles and 6 hours riding time).

It’s still one of my favorite non-overnight Bay Area rides – the stretch along Panoramic Highway and the following “seven sisters in reverse” on Ridgecrest are scenic and exhilarating. I only took a few photos:

Iron Springs brewery in Fairfax. The enchiladas were fine, but most importantly, they were calories. The dark rye beer was interesting.

Golden Gate Bridge bike rack

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 22:16:00 +0000

Golden Gate Bridge bike rack

Photos from our recent 7-person Livermore wine country ride (in somewhat-brutal 95-degree heat), over a 30-mile route.

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Tentative 10/2 ride: Menlo Park <-> Pescadero

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:47:00 +0000

A quick heads-up to gauge interest…

A few of us (6 maybes so far) are talking about doing a ride from Menlo Park to the ocean and back, and have penciled in Sunday October 2nd. I’ve never ridden there, but a few other people have and say it’s very scenic, hilly, full of redwoods, and fairly challenging (60-70 miles, with plenty of long hills).

We’d want to get an early start to avoid riding back in the dark (and even then– bring lights just in case)– probably starting with the 8:15 Caltrain from SF to Menlo Park. Here’s one possible rough route, to give you a general feeling for where we’d be: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/704590

Made a very simple bike-mounted cooler. Arkel pannier hooks plus two bolts, fender washers to spread the force, rubber washers...

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 03:15:00 +0000

Made a very simple bike-mounted cooler. Arkel pannier hooks plus two bolts, fender washers to spread the force, rubber washers to help seal the holes drilled through the side, and some webbing at the bottom of the cooler to help a hook hold the bottom of the cooler against the rack (not shown).

new bike

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 22:36:00 +0000

new bike

Alpine Dam on Saturday 9/17

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 02:03:00 +0000

The West sidewalk of the golden gate bridge is reopening to bikes, at last!

In celebration (and to celebrate a new bike I hope to have by then), it’s time for a decent-length Marin ride: not this Saturday, but next Saturday, the 17th.

The plan: a clockwise Alpine Dam loop, 65ish miles depending where in SF you start, quite hilly in some sections. Friendly pace, regroups at the tops of major hills, and an obligatory stop on the way back in Fairfax at Iron Springs Brewpub or Gestalt.

GGB west sidewalk reopening to bikes early (Sep 10)

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:36:00 +0000

GGB west sidewalk reopening to bikes early (Sep 10)

Bad news: On a casual ride home on smooth pavement, I felt the rear wheel (on my old french road bike) skitter like I'd run over...

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:43:00 +0000

Bad news: On a casual ride home on smooth pavement, I felt the rear wheel (on my old french road bike) skitter like I’d run over something. I stopped and saw the frame had suddenly cracked through. I walked it home.

Good news: just put a new leather seat and small seat bag on my 1960s french road bike (a.k.a. "the little bull"), and rewrapped...

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:40:00 +0000

Good news: just put a new leather seat and small seat bag on my 1960s french road bike (a.k.a. “the little bull”), and rewrapped the handlebars.

Work evening: cutting soles out of special sneakers for recessed pedal clips, installing new leather saddle and Pitlock security...

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 06:28:00 +0000

Work evening: cutting soles out of special sneakers for recessed pedal clips, installing new leather saddle and Pitlock security skewers, re-taping handlebars. Dangit, sheared a bolt by over-tightening.

Backup Dog Lock

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 01:41:00 +0000

Backup Dog Lock

Tour de Cupcake in October (I plan to be there)

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:02:00 +0000

Tour de Cupcake in October (I plan to be there)

SF -> Sonoma bike camping & barn dance

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 05:45:00 +0000

18 Reasons threw a Full Moon Barn Dance party at Circle JR Ranch in Sonoma recently. Eating, drinking (Linden St beer and Sodacraft soda), horseshoes, tours of a Bi-Rite garden, lasso lessons, dancing… I could have driven up with a friend, but I figured– why not bike?

The most direct route would have been through San Rafael and up on the 37 to the 121, but after looking at the excellent Marin Country Bike Coalition map’s warnings of missing shoulders and reading a few online posts about those road segments, I decided I was willing to add 9 extra miles and some hills to ride via Fairfax / Nicasio / Petaluma:

Circle JR Ranch, Sonoma

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 21:06:00 +0000

Circle JR Ranch, Sonoma

Sun Aug 28: Livermore vineyards?

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 04:54:00 +0000

Just a heads up– I’m thinking of doing another Livermore vineyard ride on Sunday Aug 28th.

7 Hells of SF recap

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:32:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I rode the “Seven Hells [Hills] of San Francisco” (typically 25-30% grade, some steep enough to have steps cut into the sidewalks).

It was harder than I expected, and I almost gave up at Russian Hill, on Jones between Filbert and Green – I was in my lowest gear, could barely turn the pedals, had to lean forward to keep my bike from tipping backwards (the front wheel came off the ground at one point), and my heart was pounding against my ribcage. But in the end I managed to make it up every hill without walking, standing up, or needing to ride a gradual side-to-side “switchback” pattern. Whew!

Bike rack torn out of sidewalk (hope no one lost their bike)

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 05:19:00 +0000

Bike rack torn out of sidewalk (hope no one lost their bike)

Biked 40+ miles to work this morning, with a group of about 50 people (going to various different companies along the...

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:35:00 +0000

Biked 40+ miles to work this morning, with a group of about 50 people (going to various different companies along the peninsula). For fun, I brought a stereo along (most popular track: Hot Chip’s “Over and Over”)

Bar bike (PDX)

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:08:00 +0000

Bar bike (PDX)

Same friend I biked with last weekend, different city (PDX)

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:08:00 +0000

Same friend I biked with last weekend, different city (PDX)

Detailed signage for car/bike lane crossovers (in PDX)

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Detailed signage for car/bike lane crossovers (in PDX)

Three kinds of urban bike planning in one photo (PDX)

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Three kinds of urban bike planning in one photo (PDX)

Bike-mounted growler carrier (the need for straps is inelegant) (PDX)

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:21:00 +0000

Bike-mounted growler carrier (the need for straps is inelegant) (PDX)

Port Costa + Picnic recap

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:47:00 +0000

Today was my 4th or 5th Port Costa / Carquinez Scenic Drive ride over the past four years and it was a good one (and with no flats or infected bee stings). Seven of us met up at Pleasant Hill BART and headed out for a late afternoon casual-pace 29-mile ride and picnic.

For variety, we took what looked like a side path along Alhambra– but it rapidly rose above the road and turned into a rough dirt path.

Riding back from Port Costa.

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:32:00 +0000

Riding back from Port Costa.

View from Twin Peaks

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 22:10:00 +0000

View from Twin Peaks

Two rides this weekend (7 Hells of SF, Port Costa picnic)

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:54:00 +0000

Here’s the plan.

**Saturday:**Eric reminded me it’s the SFBC ride “7 Hells of San Francisco” (crazy steep hills), and I’m going to join them. 10am meetup at the Panhandle statue (Baker & Fell), should end at 2pm.

**Sunday:**I’ve had three people say they’re in already, so it’s on: the 29-mile Port Costa loop from Pleasant Hill. A nice route I’ve done a few times, with one segment on a now-closed-to-cars road along the bay. For variety, let’s do this as a late afternoon ride + picnic, to avoid the midday heat, have an extra reason to stop for a beer at The Warehouse in Port Costa, and get to bike back along the water in the nice evening light. Casual pace, no rider left behind as usual, but some moderate hills.

7 Hells (hills) of San Francisco, a week from Saturday. I may do this with a friend.

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:22:00 +0000

7 Hells (hills) of San Francisco, a week from Saturday. I may do this with a friend.

Quick July ride updates

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:29:20 +0000

The ride 7/10 was laid-back and short.

No interest in the Tourist Club ride 7/17, so it’s cancelled.

Port Costa loop: Sunday 7/24 afternoon / early evening, perhaps meeting 2 or 3pm at Walnut Creek.

Seen outside Trouble Coffee on Sunday's ride.

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 06:02:00 +0000

Seen outside Trouble Coffee on Sunday’s ride.

July ride plans

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 07:16:56 +0000

After a month off, it’s time for some weekend rides. I’m going to start with shorter rides I’ve done before, to try to rope in some friends I haven’t been riding with much. Here’s a rough plan (all subject to change, so let me know if you’re interested):

Tonight (Wednesday), another Butterlap (17-mile evening ride around the city). I’m not 100% sure I’m going, depending on work timing.
This Sunday 7/10, a short morning ride to the ocean and back (just 12 miles round trip) via golden gate park, with a stop at Trouble Coffee for toast and one of my favorite espressos in the city. Probably starting from the Mission around 9am, and back before noon.

Glad Rooster and Wild Rooster, translated

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:17:00 +0000

I looked up the amusing “glad rooster” and “wild rooster” warning signs I’d seen on the trip, and Google Translate says they mean “smooth grid” and “cattle grid”.

Aha! That seems believable, I think I generally saw them near cattle grids, those open-bar grates that cows won’t cross but humans can (as well as bikes, if they’re careful to stay perpendicular to the slots– the slots are certainly wide enough to eat a wheel).

Back home, blog frequency decreasing.

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:58:00 +0000

And I’m back in San Francisco, with my bike and belongings intact. Thanks everyone who sent me email or comments.

Some time in the next few weeks I’ll write up some notes about the trip (cycling highlights, what I packed and used and would do differently on the bike camping front, navigation, a summary album of the best photos, and so on), but otherwise this blog will probably go back to its organizing-periodic-bay-area-bike-rides purpose.

In a plane above San Francisco, almost home

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:57:00 +0000

In a plane above San Francisco, almost home

Three weeks of solo bike touring and camping, across 600+ miles of The Netherlands and Belgium. Riding over massive man-made...

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:47:00 +0000

Three weeks of solo bike touring and camping, across 600+ miles of The Netherlands and Belgium. Riding over massive man-made dikes, on paved bike paths cutting through dark forests and rural farm fields (where I might not see another person for hours), to Trappist breweries and old towns, along canals, on muddy back roads and unsigned border crossings, and to a bonfire with a band playing under a rusted crane.

Favorite warning sign of the trip (I'm sure it has a translation, but I like to think it's warning of a giant, overly-amorous...

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 09:57:02 +0000

Favorite warning sign of the trip (I’m sure it has a translation, but I like to think it’s warning of a giant, overly-amorous rooster roaming the countryside)

Directional signs to the airport along bike paths through the woods...

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:36:04 +0000

Directional signs to the airport along bike paths through the woods…

KLM bike box is huge: only handlebar and pedal removal needed!

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:32:05 +0000

KLM bike box is huge: only handlebar and pedal removal needed!

Clever tabbed no-tape-required bike box design (and have I mentioned you can check a bike on KLM for free?)

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:29:02 +0000

Clever tabbed no-tape-required bike box design (and have I mentioned you can check a bike on KLM for free?)

Biking through former industrial yards (now shipping container artists' studios, I think?) across the water from central...

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:22:06 +0000

Biking through former industrial yards (now shipping container artists’ studios, I think?) across the water from central Amsterdam

Potentially serious pannier issue two weeks ago, early in the trip. I moved support hooks and added a reinforcing strap… and the...

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:39:05 +0000

Potentially serious pannier issue two weeks ago, early in the trip. I moved support hooks and added a reinforcing strap… and the pannier survived. Whew. But I’ll make design changes in the next version– I knew I was doing some non-standard things.

Some animal nibbled at my panniers overnight (earlier in the trip)! After that, I moved all snacks to a suspended-above-ground...

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:27:07 +0000

Some animal nibbled at my panniers overnight (earlier in the trip)! After that, I moved all snacks to a suspended-above-ground bag and didn’t have further problems.

Reading material, of course (thanks, parents)

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:23:04 +0000

Reading material, of course (thanks, parents)

Dutch-style, smaller panniers for my bike as a souvenir

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:54:02 +0000

Dutch-style, smaller panniers for my bike as a souvenir

Guy biking with daughter in bakfiets, each holding a cone of frites.

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:52:03 +0000

Guy biking with daughter in bakfiets, each holding a cone of frites.

Dual cargo bikes (bakfiets style)

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:29:02 +0000

Dual cargo bikes (bakfiets style)

Clever two-level bike rack: handles and rollers let you slide an individual 2nd-level "bike slot" out and down for easy loading...

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:44:02 +0000

Clever two-level bike rack: handles and rollers let you slide an individual 2nd-level “bike slot” out and down for easy loading and unloading

DNA Spray?

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:40:02 +0000

DNA Spray?

Assortment of bike bells: my favorite is the woodpecker.

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:39:01 +0000

Assortment of bike bells: my favorite is the woodpecker.

In ANWB 'directional mushrooms' I Trust. And, acres of greenhouses.

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:38:05 +0000

In ANWB ‘directional mushrooms’ I Trust. And, acres of greenhouses.

More industry

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:50:04 +0000

More industry

To my surprise, deep in the industrial port, came across an info center (with coffee and pastries!) for Maasvlatke 2, a project...

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:44:04 +0000

To my surprise, deep in the industrial port, came across an info center (with coffee and pastries!) for Maasvlatke 2, a project to build a new port here by creating new land from dredged sand.

Even more wind turbines, though bike path's blocked

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:42:02 +0000

Even more wind turbines, though bike path’s blocked

Detoured to an industrial peninsula on the map (still has bike paths, so should be allowed)

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:39:04 +0000

Detoured to an industrial peninsula on the map (still has bike paths, so should be allowed)

Biked across one of the civil engineering wonders of the 20th century, the Delta Project (many kilometers of barriers that can...

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:35:02 +0000

Biked across one of the civil engineering wonders of the 20th century, the Delta Project (many kilometers of barriers that can be moved up and down to allow normal tides or block rising ocean levels from flooding the countryside)

I may be becoming addicted to cycling

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:43:04 +0000

Yesterday I biked for about 13 hours (with breaks), maybe 200km (120 miles), twice as far as I’d planned. The weather was perfect, I had a tailwind, navigating was easy, and I was in a euphoric cycling state of mind. So when I reached my planned campground around 4, I kept going… and only when it started to get dark after 10 (solstice, moderately high latitude) did I think about stopping. I even found myself idly thinking about biking all night because I was in such a good mood– but fortunately common sense took over before I did something that crazy (I was out of food and water, only had a small light, canal ferries wouldn’t have been running). It’s a sickness, I tell you!

View from an observation tower by the side of a path.

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:51:02 +0000

View from an observation tower by the side of a path.

Through drifting sand (varied terrain

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:47:02 +0000

Through drifting sand (varied terrain

Towards wind turbines (varied terrain

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:45:04 +0000

Towards wind turbines (varied terrain

Through twisted woods (varied terrain

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:43:02 +0000

Through twisted woods (varied terrain

Along the North Sea (varied terrain

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:41:04 +0000

Along the North Sea (varied terrain

Miniature pony obstacle course on the bike path

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:39:03 +0000

Miniature pony obstacle course on the bike path

Bikepath cafe by the ocean serving local mussels (I'd been postponing eating lunch for hours, hoping to find a place like this)

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:20:02 +0000

Bikepath cafe by the ocean serving local mussels (I’d been postponing eating lunch for hours, hoping to find a place like this)

Bike path between two canals (near Sluis), very pleasant.

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:46:02 +0000

Bike path between two canals (near Sluis), very pleasant.

Biking along the North Sea in sunny, warm weather (also: I think that's the ferry I'll need to take across the mouth of a bay)

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:46:02 +0000

Biking along the North Sea in sunny, warm weather (also: I think that’s the ferry I’ll need to take across the mouth of a bay)

Ferry ticket vending machine (pedestrians, bikes, and motorcycles only)

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:46:02 +0000

Ferry ticket vending machine (pedestrians, bikes, and motorcycles only)

Old bakery delivery bike

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:46:02 +0000

Old bakery delivery bike

Planning out the next few days of biking (after a week mostly off the bike, hanging out with friends). Gold = past destinations,...

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 04:20:02 +0000

Planning out the next few days of biking (after a week mostly off the bike, hanging out with friends). Gold = past destinations, copper = planned route.

Waiting for a train, circle tangent to line (Brussels)

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 17:46:04 +0000

Waiting for a train, circle tangent to line (Brussels)

Biking to De Haan on the North Sea, with FD

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:53:04 +0000

Biking to De Haan on the North Sea, with FD

cyclist sculptures

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:35:04 +0000

cyclist sculptures

Postal delivery bike

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:31:04 +0000

Postal delivery bike

View from the tower in Damme. Then biked back to Brugge, and done.

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:11:06 +0000

View from the tower in Damme. Then biked back to Brugge, and done.

In Damme: climbing a few hundred tightly spiralling stone steps up a tower (in clicking, slick bike shoes-- fun...)

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:09:04 +0000

In Damme: climbing a few hundred tightly spiralling stone steps up a tower (in clicking, slick bike shoes– fun…)

Friend convinced me to add one final 10km loop to Damme to go inside an old windmill

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:06:02 +0000

Friend convinced me to add one final 10km loop to Damme to go inside an old windmill

And I'm done. Netherlands and Belgium crossed by bike. Now meeting three friends I've known for 14 years, in Brugge. Bike...

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:49:03 +0000

And I’m done. Netherlands and Belgium crossed by bike. Now meeting three friends I’ve known for 14 years, in Brugge. Bike adventures may resume next weekend.

50km left to Brugge, straight shot along a canal in beautiful weather. Let's do it.

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:41:04 +0000

50km left to Brugge, straight shot along a canal in beautiful weather. Let’s do it.

Just a quick on-the-bike-path bakery stop...

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:41:04 +0000

Just a quick on-the-bike-path bakery stop…

Fiery orange-red poppies

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:15:02 +0000

Fiery orange-red poppies

Pennyfarthing bicycle locked outside a strange tiny-garage-crammed-with-old-bikes bar in Gent yesterday.

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:52:02 +0000

Pennyfarthing bicycle locked outside a strange tiny-garage-crammed-with-old-bikes bar in Gent yesterday.

Look at relative space used for bike vs. car parking (and this is just an arbitrary residential street outside the city center,...

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 23:28:04 +0000

Look at relative space used for bike vs. car parking (and this is just an arbitrary residential street outside the city center, in Gent)

I was going to roll through Gent but it drew me in.

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 22:39:02 +0000

I was going to roll through Gent but it drew me in.

This almost feels like a video game: bike through the mud directly under a large metal tank marked "flammable" suspended by an...

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 17:47:05 +0000

This almost feels like a video game: bike through the mud directly under a large metal tank marked “flammable” suspended by an unmanned crane.

First waffle in Belgium (this is shaping up to be one of those stop-in-every-small-town-for-a-snack days, a la RAGBRAI)

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:36:04 +0000

First waffle in Belgium (this is shaping up to be one of those stop-in-every-small-town-for-a-snack days, a la RAGBRAI)

a little mud

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:34:02 +0000

a little mud

My every-6-months Coke. And of course bars that have special glassware for every beer on the menu also have a special glass for...

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:23:02 +0000

My every-6-months Coke. And of course bars that have special glassware for every beer on the menu also have a special glass for this.

Met and rode for a while with a friendly group of 10 folks from Limburg (in their 50s/60s, taking a 3-day ride and staying at...

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:30:04 +0000

Met and rode for a while with a friendly group of 10 folks from Limburg (in their 50s/60s, taking a 3-day ride and staying at hostels)

Derny Crit

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:01:04 +0000

Cutting through the countryside between Brussels and Antwerp yesterday (I decided a few days into the trip after Delft that I wasn’t as in the mood for museums and cities), I arrived in Bornem (in heavy rain) and found a hotel. The manager saw me arrive by bike and was very supportive– he let me stow my bike in a shed, didn’t make me sign in (“just pay tomorrow when you leave”) and said “a cyclist? I’ll give you the front room.” I wasn’t sure why the front room was special until an hour later, when they blocked off the main road it overlooked and a several hour long Derny Criterium started. (See attempt to post a cell phone video of it in the previous post– not sure if that went through). Basically, it’s a race between pairs of competitors, one on a Derny moped and one on a bike– the cyclists draft their motorized partner for more speed, around and around on a course. With the cobblestones, the rain, and the very close follow distances, it was pretty exciting, even if I had no idea what the announcer was saying.

Post 6390785990

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:39:04 +0000

Biking all day = no guilt about eating pork topped with speck in butter sauce (not shown: potato croquettes)

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:19:05 +0000

Biking all day = no guilt about eating pork topped with speck in butter sauce (not shown: potato croquettes)

A few hours of cold wind and driving rain = calling it a day at the next town with a hotel. Ferry operator (my 6th! ahoy!) drew...

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:13:02 +0000

A few hours of cold wind and driving rain = calling it a day at the next town with a hotel. Ferry operator (my 6th! ahoy!) drew me a map.

Strange bike path through industrial yard-- sort of looks like that sky-claw is waiting to pick me up.

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:05:03 +0000

Strange bike path through industrial yard– sort of looks like that sky-claw is waiting to pick me up.

Crossing canals by biking across a set of locks (I've never seen locks in action before). This board shows which locks are...

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:38:59 +0000

Crossing canals by biking across a set of locks (I’ve never seen locks in action before). This board shows which locks are lowered and crossable

Cafe right on the LF5 bike route, near Lier

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:28:03 +0000

Cafe right on the LF5 bike route, near Lier

Beware of Frog?

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:26:02 +0000

Beware of Frog?

Friday: New country = new map (the 50,000:1 Vlaanderen Fietsroute, light on detail so mostly useful for navigating by pattern,...

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:25:02 +0000

Friday: New country = new map (the 50,000:1 Vlaanderen Fietsroute, light on detail so mostly useful for navigating by pattern, e.g. “I should hit an angled T intersection and cross a canal in about 8km”)

Laying on my back somewhere in The Netherlands, surrounded by vocal evening birds. Not a bad end to a Thursday.

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:24:00 +0000

Laying on my back somewhere in The Netherlands, surrounded by vocal evening birds. Not a bad end to a Thursday.

Roadside hot sandwich vending machine

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:23:05 +0000

Roadside hot sandwich vending machine

Dirt bike path beats no bike path (just west of Turnhout, on the Flanders Cycle Route LF5)

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:21:02 +0000

Dirt bike path beats no bike path (just west of Turnhout, on the Flanders Cycle Route LF5)

Minor traction challenges on a "shortcut" through a farm. Also, I think this is the Netherlands-Belgium border. I'll have to...

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:20:04 +0000

Minor traction challenges on a “shortcut” through a farm. Also, I think this is the Netherlands-Belgium border. I’ll have to check the photo geotag when I’m home.

Bike path along the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal. Riders in full spandex kits zoom by. Definitely in Flanders now.

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:19:04 +0000

Bike path along the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal. Riders in full spandex kits zoom by. Definitely in Flanders now.

In the woods, surrounded by chirping birds, I heard a strange noise and came across this: a guy laying bricks, with the...

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:17:02 +0000

In the woods, surrounded by chirping birds, I heard a strange noise and came across this: a guy laying bricks, with the tink-tink-tink sound of a metal tool on brick in sync with techno playing from a portable stereo.

Realized yesterday I was only 40 miles from Bierbrouwerij Koningshoeven (the only Trappist beer brewing abbey not in Belgium,...

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:40:02 +0000

Realized yesterday I was only 40 miles from Bierbrouwerij Koningshoeven (the only Trappist beer brewing abbey not in Belgium, a.k.a. “La Trappe”)– sounded worth a route change.

Biking past modern wind turbines

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:59:04 +0000

Biking past modern wind turbines

Bike traffic signals at most intersections

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:54:04 +0000

Bike traffic signals at most intersections

dutch bike

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:51:02 +0000

dutch bike

If I hadn't taken out-of-the-way roads, I never would have seen this prop (in memory of a set of crashed Brit/Canadian Halifax...

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:35:02 +0000

If I hadn’t taken out-of-the-way roads, I never would have seen this prop (in memory of a set of crashed Brit/Canadian Halifax pilots, it appears)

Minor challenge: gust of wind blew my map away (really!). Time to transcribe and depend on local info-board maps until I make it...

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:20:05 +0000

Minor challenge: gust of wind blew my map away (really!). Time to transcribe and depend on local info-board maps until I make it to the area covered by my next paper map.

Supermarket cheese area (mostly Gouda, of course)

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:17:07 +0000

Supermarket cheese area (mostly Gouda, of course)

This where-am-I-going? path through the woods led to a €10 hostel (Stayokay Dordrecht) w/ showers, wifi, bar with 7 interesting...

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:10:04 +0000

This where-am-I-going? path through the woods led to a €10 hostel (Stayokay Dordrecht) w/ showers, wifi, bar with 7 interesting dutch beers.

I think I need to go left here. Good thing I have wide tires.

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:01:05 +0000

I think I need to go left here. Good thing I have wide tires.

Waiting for yet another ferry, amusing warning sign (no idea if this already posted)

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:01:05 +0000

Waiting for yet another ferry, amusing warning sign (no idea if this already posted)

Cluster of windmill icons on the map? I should go there!

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:59:07 +0000

Cluster of windmill icons on the map? I should go there!

Free indoor (guarded) bike parking at train stations:

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:59:07 +0000

Free indoor (guarded) bike parking at train stations:

Ring bell for tiny €0.75 ferry boat. Cute! (somewhere in Brabant)

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:15:03 +0000

Ring bell for tiny €0.75 ferry boat. Cute! (somewhere in Brabant)

friet & fiet

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:03:02 +0000

friet & fiet

In this national park, bikes get a paved path, cars are blocked or have to drive in mud (De Loonse en Drunense Duinen)

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:03:02 +0000

In this national park, bikes get a paved path, cars are blocked or have to drive in mud (De Loonse en Drunense Duinen)

That's a lot of bikes (in Tilburg)

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:03:02 +0000

That’s a lot of bikes (in Tilburg)

They don't want to share the bike path (rural Brabant)

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 01:31:02 +0000

They don’t want to share the bike path (rural Brabant)

Wildflowers along a bike path (I haven't seen anyone in an hour or two)

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 01:31:02 +0000

Wildflowers along a bike path (I haven’t seen anyone in an hour or two)

Colorful panniers (and bicycle-detecting loop for traffic signals)

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:00:02 +0000

Colorful panniers (and bicycle-detecting loop for traffic signals)

Oddly, motorcycles can usually share the bike paths (this sign is an exception)

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:21:03 +0000

Oddly, motorcycles can usually share the bike paths (this sign is an exception)

Old mills at Kinderdijk (I went inside one)

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:24:59 +0000

Old mills at Kinderdijk (I went inside one)

I thought this line on my map was a bridge. Close enough.

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 22:16:03 +0000

I thought this line on my map was a bridge. Close enough.

Not everything is scenic in the traditional sense (industrial park outside Dordrecht at night)

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:20:26 +0000

Not everything is scenic in the traditional sense (industrial park outside Dordrecht at night)

Another scenic rural cycle path

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:38:45 +0000

Another scenic rural cycle path

Well, this route won't work. At least it's only 7pm...

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:33:54 +0000

Well, this route won’t work. At least it’s only 7pm…

Some guy on a bike

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:28:22 +0000

Some guy on a bike

minimal drawbridge. not totally sure where I am.

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:25:02 +0000

minimal drawbridge. not totally sure where I am.

bleating baby goats, near Oude Leede

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:24:04 +0000

bleating baby goats, near Oude Leede

Coffee and Vermeer break in Delft

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:37:04 +0000

Coffee and Vermeer break in Delft

Rural canals, huge greenhouses, sheep.

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:36:02 +0000

This morning I spent an amazing few hours riding along rural bike paths, past canals, huge greenhouses filled with flowers, and small farms (a few sheep in a backyard here, a handful of llamas, chickens, or toy ponies there). I’m really happy right now. In Netherlands cycle route terms, I especially liked the segments joining knooppunten (numbered junctions where different bike paths intersect) 03, 20, 02, 07, 13, 59, 48.

Biking in Benelux

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:28:02 +0000

In case you didn’t guess from the past few posts, I’m off on a biking adventure in The Netherlands and Belgium, something I’ve always wanted to do. Fair warning– there may be a lot of (quick) posts here in the next few weeks– I’m sending photos to this blog by email from my phone (kept charged by a bike-mounted solar panel). Or at least sending some when taking a coffee break somewhere with free wifi.

Bivy tent camping near Kijkduin by the ocean

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:20:04 +0000

Bivy tent camping near Kijkduin by the ocean

waffle break after 5 hours of cycling

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:15:03 +0000

waffle break after 5 hours of cycling

riding in holland right now! long-distance bike path LF1, dunes, a few hundred feet from the North Sea

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:12:06 +0000

riding in holland right now! long-distance bike path LF1, dunes, a few hundred feet from the North Sea

Semimonthly casual ride from Bryant St sports basement (just noticed this poster-- I'm not going in June but maybe July)

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:03:34 +0000

Semimonthly casual ride from Bryant St sports basement (just noticed this poster– I’m not going in June but maybe July)

Vineyard Ride (France) from a few years ago

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 01:00:00 +0000

(San Francisco rides are on hiatus for June, but here are photos and a map from a ride from two years ago, which I’d never got around to writing up)

After a week in France for work (lucky me, I know), I impulsively bought some detailed road/topo maps at the Espace IGN in Paris, a map-lover’s dream. Then I took a train to Épernay (a famous champagne town and region) and rented a bike for €15/day at the Bulleo swimming pool / sports center at the edge of town (map), which had strict rules about appropriate swimwear:

100 miles to nowhere: recap

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:38:00 +0000

It started over a drink with JF, who mentioned The Fat Cyclist’s “100 Miles to Nowhere” (which in 2008 was a crazy decision to ride 100 miles on rollers indoors with snacks and TV, and is now a distributed challenge/excuse to ride 100 miles on a short loop course near your house and also raise some money for Livestrong). We decided to do it.

Why?

Well, why not?

This is exactly the kind of arbitrary structure and Just-Because event I like, and I’m less interested in heavily-organized bike events or races (RAGBRAI excepted). And since I’d be out of town on the official date, we did it last Saturday, joined by KE.

"100 Miles To Nowhere": 14-lap photo collage

Mon, 30 May 2011 20:46:00 +0000

“100 Miles To Nowhere”: 14-lap photo collage

Rarely-in-stock Acorn Bags will have some bags on sale tomorrow morning

Fri, 20 May 2011 03:31:34 +0000

Rarely-in-stock Acorn Bags will have some bags on sale tomorrow morning

Point Reyes Bike Camping recap

Wed, 18 May 2011 03:54:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I did something I’ve wanted to do for years– a bike camping trip to Point Reyes, self-supported (carrying everything, no car support).

I wanted to camp in Point Reyes National Seashore itself rather than nearby in Samuel P Taylor, to be somewhere more remote that wasn’t drive-in. I picked Sky Camp (based partly on this SFgate article), managed to get two nights reserved, and we ended up with a hardy group of 11 (friends, friends of friends, riders from last year’s SF RAGBRAI contingent).

Biked, hiked, had a beer in the woods (Tourist Club)

Mon, 16 May 2011 15:59:00 +0000

As planned (and despite the Severe Weather Warning and 70% chance of thunderstorms), four of us gathered Sunday morning to get a coffee at Farley’s and bike the flat 19 miles from Potrero Hill to the bottom of the Dipsea Steps in Mill Valley:

Leaving bikes there, we met a larger group of friends who’d driven up, and hiked up the Dipsea Steps and along the beautiful exposed ridges of the Sun Trail:

Joining others for a 65-mile hilly Alpine Dam(n) ride.

Sun, 08 May 2011 22:48:00 +0000

Joining others for a 65-mile hilly Alpine Dam(n) ride.

May 15 plan: bike, hike, beer & sausages

Fri, 06 May 2011 15:41:20 +0000

Next Sunday, a more-than-just-biking trip: a bike ride from Farley’s coffeehouse in Potrero Hill to Old Mill Park in Mill Valley (17 miles, mostly flat: rough map), lock bikes there and hike 45 scenic (and uphill) minutes through the woods on the Dipsea and Sun trails to the Tourist Club, and enjoy their Maifest for a few hours (German cultural celebration: beer, sausages, polka dancing).

Rolling out from Farley’s at 9am.

Wind Harp (south SF, impromptu 17-mile ride with friend)

Sun, 01 May 2011 20:44:00 +0000

Wind Harp (south SF, impromptu 17-mile ride with friend)

an evening degreasing, lubricating, and replacing brakes and bearings. while listening to This American Life podcasts.

Sun, 01 May 2011 05:55:00 +0000

an evening degreasing, lubricating, and replacing brakes and bearings. while listening to This American Life podcasts.

Big Adventure planning.

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 02:30:00 +0000

Big Adventure planning.

Point Reyes bike camping: empty roads

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 04:45:53 +0000

Point Reyes bike camping: empty roads

Point Reyes bike camping: view from Sky Camp (a rare fog-free evening)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 04:43:00 +0000

Point Reyes bike camping: view from Sky Camp (a rare fog-free evening)

Point Reyes bike camping: through the woods

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 04:41:07 +0000

Point Reyes bike camping: through the woods

bike many loops around the park 5/28?

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:17:00 +0000

Call me crazy– want to ride 8, 16, 24, 32, … or 100 miles on Saturday May 28th, in 6-8 mile loops?

I had The Fat Cyclist’s “100 Miles To Nowhere” mentioned to me recently. His idea is: chip in $80 towards Livestrong, and ride your own century indoors, or on some short course. Just because.

That lines up with my interest in riding a century at some point but my general ambivalence towards Organized Rides or anything that smacks of racing. For a while, I’ve thought it would be interesting to ride loop after loop around Golden Gate Park, with friends and strangers joining for as many loops as they want.

fearless turkey

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:27:57 +0000

fearless turkey

on the road with our luggage, on a beautiful day

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:26:27 +0000

on the road with our luggage, on a beautiful day

Bikes with bags, pre-ride…

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 21:44:00 +0000

Bikes with bags, pre-ride…

Sunday ride cancelled, Saturday still on

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:56:34 +0000

RE: </post/two-rides-this-weekend/>

Two rides this weekend

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:47:00 +0000

Two “probably” rides (as usual, let me know if you’re interested, in case details change, or check the blog the night before).

Saturday: fun headlands loop / luggage test ride

A roughly 22-mile scenic Headlands ride (see photos from a past ride). For variety, let’s meet at Mojo Bicycle Cafe at 10AM.

Casual, friendly pace, and also intended to be a “luggage test ride” – anyone who’s been interested in bike camping (or is coming camping in Point Reyes in a few weeks): this is your excuse to put on a rack, pump up your tires, strap on your bags and camping gear, and get comfortable with how your bike handles on some flat roads, a steep uphill, and a steep downhill, without worrying about pace or being too far from the city. And to stretch your biking legs after the rain if you haven’t already.

Biking by scenic oil refineries in Rodeo.

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 04:28:00 +0000

Biking by scenic oil refineries in Rodeo.

Taking a break after a very steep hill.

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 04:27:00 +0000

Taking a break after a very steep hill.

This Saturday: 53-mile East Bay ride

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:42:36 +0000

The rain has fled. Time for the twice-postponed hilly 53-mile East Bay ride this Saturday. Tentative plan is to meet outside the Berkeley BART at 9AM.

I’m a little sluggish due to less recent riding, and it’s no-rider-left-behind enjoy-the-scenery as always, but I’d also like to do it without too many stops (maybe Port Costa, maybe not), to see how feasible it is to do in a half-day (in preparation for a potential Grizzly Peak Century in May). Bring some food, a spare tube, etc– it’s unclear how “civilized” the route will be.

We took a casual clockwise route from beach to beach, and along a dirt path past Lands End.

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:05:30 +0000

We took a casual clockwise route from beach to beach, and along a dirt path past Lands End.

Dave called this style of architecture “Deluxe Shire”

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:30:00 +0000

Dave called this style of architecture “Deluxe Shire”

at China Beach (for the first time in 5 years?)

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:30:00 +0000

at China Beach (for the first time in 5 years?)

Impromptu city ride this morning

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:02:00 +0000

Departing 930AM, Tartine

Thunderstorms? (ride canceled)

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:11:26 +0000

Thunderstorms? (ride canceled)

3/19 plan: 53-mile east bay ride

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:47:35 +0000

No scheduled ride this weekend, but next Saturday 3/19 a few of us plan to ride this 53-mile Grizzly Peak / Pinole / Port Costa Loop (rain cancelled the last attempt), probably meeting at the Downtown Berkeley BART at 9AM (time could change depending on responses).
There probably won’t be a free motorcycle gang spaghetti dinner in Port Costa this early in the season, so bring a sandwich or some other food and we’ll stop halfway in for a break.

Butter Lapis Lazuli

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:13:00 +0000

Butter Lapis Lazuli

Rides this week

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:38:00 +0000

Two social rides organized by others this week:

Wednesday: Butterlap (7pm at the Ferry Building, a friendly 17 miles around the city with a few dozen people, mostly flat but two notable hills, Bender’s afterwards for a bit). [edit: was raining at 6pm, didn’t go]
Friday: SF Bike Party (12-mile ultra-casual bike party with music, a few stops, and 400+ cyclists). This month, in Potrero/Dogpatch/Bayshore.

And this weekend, something more ambitious I’ve talked to a few of you about:

Doing recon for a bike scavenger hunt & picnic some coming weekend. Details TBA...

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:35:00 +0000

Doing recon for a bike scavenger hunt & picnic some coming weekend. Details TBA…

Soil Saloon cyclocross

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:36:00 +0000

I heard about Soil Saloon a while back – a renegade cyclocross race (held at a different secret location each time– this one involved 6 laps around a 1-2 mile “course” of narrow off-road dirt trails, with roots and rocks to dodge and mud and puddles to splash through … oh, and a local beer to drink after each lap). Some people have photos on flickr.

A few of us dropped by at the end of a morning city ride to watch it– and then impulsively decided to join, even with our non-ideal bikes (I at least had my heavy touring bike, unlike my friends who had narrow-tire road bikes).

old french bikes (photo)

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:23:36 +0000

old french bikes (photo)

Impromptu ride to Tiburon (Paradise Loop) organized by a friend.

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:25:00 +0000

Impromptu ride to Tiburon (Paradise Loop) organized by a friend.

6 of us biked to the beach and Trouble Coffee, as planned weeks ago. The weather cooperated!

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:40:23 +0000

6 of us biked to the beach and Trouble Coffee, as planned weeks ago. The weather cooperated!

Us cruising along the panhandle (cell phone video, unfortunately rotated)

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:38:43 +0000

Us cruising along the panhandle (cell phone video, unfortunately rotated)

Grizzly Peak century? practice rides?

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:18:50 +0000

May 1st is the Grizzly Peak Century. Here’s my map of the 109-mile route (drawn quickly based on their map, may not be 100% turn-for-turn correct). I’m thinking about doing it.

For now, here are two 53-mile BART-to-BART rides I’ve sketched out that together cover most of the route (North ride, South ride). I plan to ride them some time in the next month and a half (as practice, and because they look like interesting rides– I’m not a biking-as-outdoor-spinning-just-for-the-sake-of-exercise guy)– anyone else interested?

sad bike in chicago snow

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:41:00 +0000

sad bike in chicago snow

I saw this 4-minute film "Heels on Wheels" at the bicycle film festival a few months ago, and just heard from Anna...

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 15:41:57 +0000

I saw this 4-minute film “Heels on Wheels” at the bicycle film festival a few months ago, and just heard from Anna Bisgaard-Nøhr that it’s online.

Instead of TV: 60 hilly miles

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:00:07 +0000

Four of us rode the 60ish mile Alpine Dam Loop on Sunday at a somewhat leisurely pace. It’s still my favorite Bay Area ride – some long, merciless uphills combined with incredible views in every direction. And it gets easier every time (funny how that works).

A mid-morning start at Velo Rouge:

There were almost no pedestrians or cyclists on the Golden Gate Bridge (Superbowl Sunday effect?)

Glowing heart for SFbikeparty

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 03:43:00 +0000

Friday was the second SF Bike Party – an evening of biking with 500+ people, a stop in Dolores Park for some live music (Odd Owl), a Michael Jackson (and other music) dance party courtesy of Trikeasaurus in Garfield Square Park, and running into a lot of people I knew.

I got home from work about an hour before the ride was supposed to start, and wanted to quickly throw something together related to the “Love Your Bike” theme.

Bender's bike pile, after a clear-skies butterlap. New names to remember: margo, alex, reese(?), adam, ian.

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:58:51 +0000

Bender’s bike pile, after a clear-skies butterlap. New names to remember: margo, alex, reese(?), adam, ian.

night repairs on butterlap

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 03:43:47 +0000

night repairs on butterlap

Three upcoming February rides

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 06:30:00 +0000

If it’s not rainy:

Friday 2/4: joining the SF Bike Party, a slow-rolling evening with hundreds of cyclists and several big bike-mounted stereos (photos of the last one). Just 9 miles. 7:30pm meetup at Civic Center.

Sunday 2/6: Alpine Dam. A beautiful and hilly 50-60 mile ride, meeting 9:30AM at Velo Rouge Cafe. No rider left behind, probably a stop in Fairfax for some food afterwards, no commitment to making it back in time to watch That Sporting Event (hey, at least the roads should be empty…).

Sent to me by many friends: Bikes of San Francisco (high res), also available as a poster

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 03:14:00 +0000

Sent to me by many friends: Bikes of San Francisco (high res), also available as a poster

RAGBRAI 2011 route announced. Not sure if I'll go this year, but it's a great time.

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:00:10 +0000

RAGBRAI 2011 route announced. Not sure if I’ll go this year, but it’s a great time.

Biking in Saratoga & Los Gatos

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 21:04:51 +0000

For variety, on Saturday I joined some people I know who were going on one of the AIDS LifeCycle training rides in the South Bay– a 46-mile loop, taking us from Mountain View (near the Caltrain station) through Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos, and some towns I’d never heard of (Monte Sereno).

It was a good workout and way to spend a chunk of the day, with one significant hill and a lot of fairly straight rolling-hill sections where you could get momentum going (while nominally a 10-12mph pace, the pack I was riding with made some solid 20-25mph pulls on the long flat stretches and the road flew by). However, the scenery was nothing special– lots of suburbs, strip malls, cars, and Starbucks. Given that and how slow Caltrain is, I’ll probably stick with mostly SF/Marin/East Bay rides in the future, or try some of the more woodsy (and hilly) peninsula rides.

Replacing shift levers on a 40-year-old french road bike

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:37:00 +0000

It all started when I wanted to replace the completely functional plastic-coated downtube shift levers on my old french road bike:

With some slick-looking shifters a friend gave me:

Should be easy, right? Just cut the existing cables, replace the levers and string a new set of shift cables… wrong.

The old shifters and threaded bosses on the frame were an unusual, non-standard thread, M5x1.0mm, which as far as I can tell mainly existed on 1970s French bicycles and is no longer made. The standard metric screws near that size are M5x0.8mm or M5x0.5mm (the same diameter, 5mm, but a different thread pitch). I knew from Sheldon Brown and previous work on the bike that old French bikes are “special” and, for example, one of the bottom bracket cups is threaded in the opposite direction from pretty much every other bike ever made. But I didn’t think this applied to even small-size, standard-looking screws.

New handlebar tape for the old french road bike (and new shifters, but that's a longer story)

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:46:20 +0000

New handlebar tape for the old french road bike (and new shifters, but that’s a longer story)

Alpine Dam and Sausages & Beer next Sunday?

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:25:00 +0000

[ edit: cancelled due to early-morning rain, though it ended up clearing up– oh well ]

Tentative plan: an Alpine Dam loop ride next Sunday (1/30), about 50 miles round trip from the Golden Gate Bridge (map), with some substantial but satisfying hills.

Stopping in Fairfax at Gestalt Haus (run by the people behind the original SF Gestalt Haus before it changed ownership?) for some sausages & beer before heading home.

Departure time TBD in the morning (early? mid-?) and a no-rider-left-behind pace as usual, though I definitely want to get back in the afternoon, before it starts to get dark and cold on the bridge.

Overnight bike trip: SF -> Montara

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 07:51:00 +0000

Well, that was a great weekend.

A group of 10 of us biked from SF to Montara (on the coast, between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay, about 30 miles), stayed overnight in the Montara Lighthouse Hostel ($28/night, includes linens, fully booked most Saturday nights months ahead of time but the web site availability is often incorrect– you can call them directly to make reservations, and should if you’re going with a group), and biked back the next day.

Old San Pedro Mountain Road

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:45:00 +0000

10 of us rode from San Francisco to Montara this weekend, stayed the night in the Montara Lighthouse youth hostel, then rode back. I’ll post a full map and photos later (edit: Ok, the SF->Montara ride has been posted) – to start, I’m just posting photos of Old San Pedro Mountain Road, our detour inland from Highway 1.

From Short Bike Rides San Francisco (where I read about this route) “San Pedro Mountain Road is the old alignment of Highway 1 before Devil’s Slide was built.” It’s now closed to cars and overgrown, a mix of pavement, broken pavement, dirt, and light mud (still doable without a mountain bike, though). Some people in the biking community call it “Planet of the Apes Road”– not that it’s *that* decrepit, but once you know it used to be a road for cars, you can imagine you’ve come across a collapsed civilization.

Lighthouse, california bear, 10 bikes, at the end of a day of riding.

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 06:40:31 +0000

Lighthouse, california bear, 10 bikes, at the end of a day of riding.

On our way

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 19:39:00 +0000

On our way

Preride coffee at four barrel.

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:22:52 +0000

Preride coffee at four barrel.

SF Weekly social media roundup of sfbikeparty

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 04:04:51 +0000

SF Weekly social media roundup of sfbikeparty

on Butterlap last night, nice and easy, golden gate bridge in the background.

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 23:21:00 +0000

on Butterlap last night, nice and easy, golden gate bridge in the background.

Custom panniers: done

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:59:03 +0000

Pattern and details to be posted at some point, but this evening I finally finished making the pair of panniers I’d been working on on and off the past few months. Time for the next project.

SF Bike Party recap

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:44:00 +0000

Friday was the first SF Bike Party. A group of I’d guess 400 cyclists met up and rode a preset route around the city, bikes covered in lights and a few big stereo systems in tow. The group left the ballpark around 8:30pm, stopping to play music and dance at a beach past Fisherman’s Wharf, at Alta Plaza park (with a jungle gym and great views of the city), outside the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, and finally, after midnight, in the plaza outside City Hall.

Hundreds of bikes

Sat, 08 Jan 2011 04:08:00 +0000

Hundreds of bikes

SF Bike Party: 1st ride is tonight, 7:30pm

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 08:03:59 +0000

SF Bike Party: 1st ride is tonight, 7:30pm

“We start at Giants Stadium, ride 12 miles visiting beautiful sites throughout the city. It is a leisurely pace and we’ll stop 3 times to socialize and party. We end at at the Civic Center Bart so people can easily get home.”

Also: http://www.flickr.com/groups/sfbikeparty/

2009 Ride: Portland / Multnomah Falls

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 01:25:25 +0000

It’s a cold and rainy Christmas evening and I’m full of a British-style roast-and-potatoes dinner, so I’m digging through photos of good past bike trips [I’ll post this some time in January when I get around to it].

Here’s a ride from mid-2009 (back when the idea of a 40-mile bike ride with hills was daunting): along the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls during a visit to Oregon. Portland is of course a city conducive to cycling in many ways (with detailed city bike maps and many places to rent bikes– I’ve rented from both Waterfront and Kerr).

Overnight ride to Montara 1/15 (& stay in lighthouse hostel)

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:46:00 +0000

I’m planning a ride to Montara (near Half Moon Bay), leaving Saturday morning 1/15, staying overnight in the Montara Lighthouse(!) Hostel, and coming back Sunday morning.

About 25 miles each way, some hills and deserted/derelict highways (see below), and about $30/person for the hostel. If you’re interested in joining, let me know ASAP– I got tentative confirmation of some space at the hostel but need to call back in the next few days to confirm and put down a deposit. [edit: whoa, 10 people interested so far!] [edit edit: up to 12-14]

Big Rides in 2011?

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:00:00 +0000

The rainy season has some time for rides, and some time for dreaming about rides to do next summer. Here are nine ideas for Big Rides (I’ll try to actually do 3 or 4 of them):

January: Overnight bike trip down the coast to Montara via Old San Pedro (“Planet of the Apes”) road. [edit: did it, a great weekend]

April: Bike to Point Reyes during wildflower season for a three-day weekend. Carry gear and camp overnight, have a day to bike/hike and enjoy Point Reyes, then bike back. About 43 miles each way. [ edit: did it, awesome ]

Headlands Loop Recap

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 03:53:00 +0000

Four of us (RR, CC, D, MD) rode a Marin Headlands loop this slightly chilly but sunny and clear (an easy view of the Farralones) day. About 26 miles round trip from East SF, at a casual pace.

Approaching the bridge via Embarcadero / Marina:

Climbing Conzelman:

A clear day, quite a view:

Looking East from Point Bonita

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:56:48 +0000

Looking East from Point Bonita

Marin Headlands

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:55:23 +0000

Marin Headlands

Headlands Loop Tomorrow Morning

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:48:17 +0000

I’m working today but have tomorrow off, and it looks like it might be clear, sunny, and chilly.

So, I’m planning on a morning* ride up to the Marin Headlands loop (20-30 miles round trip depending where you start). And perhaps extending that a bit by taking an initial detour through golden gate park to Trouble Coffee for pre-ride coffee & toast, and then cutting through the Presidio.

*people’s definitions of “morning” bike rides vary by about 3 hours, so it depends who’s coming– if you’re interested let me know and I’ll send out final meet-up details later.

SFBC Holiday Lights Ride

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:16:31 +0000

On Sunday I went on the Holiday Lights Ride. A quick map (which, as usual, clicks through to a detailed route), followed by some blurry night cell phone photos…

About 40 people gathered on the panhandle. I’d somehow missed the note about festooning my bike with Christmas or other LED lights.

Our first few stops, after some hill climbing:

night ride about to start

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 02:20:30 +0000

night ride about to start

Fabricated: New & improved custom pannier made from marine upholstery, with compression straps, spring-loaded rack hooks, simple...

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:29:07 +0000

Fabricated: New & improved custom pannier made from marine upholstery, with compression straps, spring-loaded rack hooks, simple removable-for-security external pockets for wallet/keys/cell phone, and reinforced with webbing in key areas.

Butter Lap

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:48:00 +0000

Another fine Butterlap (Butter Lap?). Cold, clear, crisp, like butter on the tongue. Eric and rif joined for the first time, and I took the rack-mounted bike stereo on its first extended ride and managed not to crash while changing music.

It takes me a few rides to remember names, but I chatted with Greg, Matt, and Meli for a while: bikes! supermarket street sweep! the mills and general bay area experimental music scene! I also just realized that Meli is the force behind the Bikes And The City blog.

Another fine Butter Lap

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:20:00 +0000

Another fine Butter Lap

Took a risk, transported a case of wine with the custom pannier and backpack pannier.

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 23:11:16 +0000

Took a risk, transported a case of wine with the custom pannier and backpack pannier.

New bike tunnel underground in Marin

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 01:06:03 +0000

New bike tunnel underground in Marin

Two planned (shorter, evening) rides

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:09:00 +0000

(assuming it’s not raining):

Wednesday 12/15: Butterlap with a group of 20-40 friendly strangers. I may bring the bike stereo.

Sunday 12/19: SFBC-organized evening ride around San Francisco to tour the elaborate Christmas light displays. See http://www.sfbike.org/?chain and scroll down.

Roads are slick these days– ride safe.

Supermarket Street Sweep

Sun, 05 Dec 2010 05:19:00 +0000

Today I did the Supermarket Street Sweep, a combination bike race with prizes (in the general Alleycat style) and mission to collect food for the SF Food Bank. 170 cyclists participated and collected about 7000 lbs of food. [you can skip past this text to the map and photos, if you want]

Here’s how the race aspect works (I’d never done one before):

A group of cyclists gather without knowing the route, and then a manifest sheet is handed out with a list of supermarkets around the city you have to visit and things you have to purchase for the food bank at each one (you have to bring back receipts as proof). The first stop was prescribed (in Daly City, the farthest-out location), but after that you were free to visit the supermarkets in any order and by any route, making the race a combination of raw speed and navigation (well, and teamwork if you have a team, allowing some members to run in at each stop and shop, while others hydrate, watch bikes, plan the route for the next leg, and so on).

Biking the Southwest

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:04:06 +0000

I’ve talked to three people in the past few months who were gripped by this NYtimes article about cycling in the Utah / Arizona area.

[2025 edit:] This stayed in the back of my mind, and 10 years later I finally made time to bike this area, with the guide company from this article I remembered… though on a challenging jeep trails significantly off-road route, The Hayduke Option

bike race for food banks, SFBC winterfest

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 01:28:35 +0000

I plan to do the Supermarket Street Sweep, Saturday at noon. A race around town to pick up a collection of food (to be donated to the SF Food Bank). You get the checklist of stores to visit and things to buy at each one when the race starts, so you have to decide right then what set of routes to take to optimize your path…

The SF Bike Coalition throws a party (beer, auctions, DIY activities, raffle, food, art) every year. Winterfest is this Sunday evening. You can get in free if you volunteer– I’ll be pouring beer in one of the tents.

Backpack as Pannier

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 05:46:00 +0000

Hey, I already have a waterproof roll-top backpack– why not use it as a pannier?

Mandrel/anvil and heavy-duty spur grommets (with teeth).

Grommets added to the bag, rack hooks bolted to them with locknuts. I could redo this later to have the grommets set in a separate piece of sturdy webbing, which is then sewed to the bag to distribute the force.

Headlands Ride

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:35:00 +0000

Impromptu Marin Headlands ride this morning by myself (I didn’t email the list because it was last-minute, and I expected it to be a slog through the rain that no one would be interested in, but the weather ignored the forecast and cleared up).

Photos:

Park rangers were handing out free fruit, snack bars, and patch kits to celebrate the reopening of the road:

A stereo on the bike rack-- why not?

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 22:15:29 +0000

A stereo on the bike rack– why not?

Dragon boats practicing on Lake Merced (on a surprisingly clear and warm day).

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 19:06:20 +0000

Dragon boats practicing on Lake Merced (on a surprisingly clear and warm day).

Giants tag along the ocean.

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 19:04:44 +0000

Giants tag along the ocean.

Rides this weekend

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 04:28:56 +0000

A rare non-rainy weekend: time for a ride. Saturday, an early (8am-ish) ride from the Mission to Trouble Coffee by the beach and back. I expect no one may join me.

Sunday: Someone else is agitating for a Headlands ride since it’s recently reopened to bikes. Meeting perhaps 11AM-ish, location TBD, call/email if you want details.

Halfway from SF to Mt View, stopping for water as the sun rises. (from last week)

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:16:39 +0000

Halfway from SF to Mt View, stopping for water as the sun rises. (from last week)

Custom bike panniers in progress. Prototype 1 is lumpy, but it's a start.

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:41:00 +0000

Custom bike panniers in progress. Prototype 1 is lumpy, but it’s a start.

Winter Biking: Tips and Clothing

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 02:29:00 +0000

[ It’s all about getting on the bike and riding: I’ll try to keep this blog 90% about the rides, but there will be an occasional side notes about gear or bike-related projects and events. ]

It’s the rainy season in San Francisco, though there’s also something fun about riding in cooler weather. Here are a few tips:

After the first few storms of the season, the road is especially slick, as oil floats to the surface– be careful. And metal in the road (manhole covers, grates) and some kinds of paint can be even more slippery.
Grooves and patterns in your tires don’t really improve grip. But wider tires and/or lower tire pressure give you more contact area with the road, which should improve traction– try dropping your pressure 10-20 psi.
Tap your brakes periodically while riding, to make sure they’re still working, to get a feeling how your bike’s behaving, and to clear some water from the rim.

For weatherproof gear, a poncho plus safety pins work in a pinch, and a $15 fender or rack will keep your tire from throwing a “rooster tail” of dirty water up your back.

What's wrong with Gear

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 02:07:00 +0000

Sometimes I dislike Gear with a capital G. Bicycling may be second only to photography in the obsession with buying Gear and Accessories and Upgrades for every niche application, and talking about how much you spent on them.

We don’t need all these specialized accessories. In case you can’t tell, I’m in the crotchety “don’t buy upgrades, ride up grades” camp. Hell, the Tour De France was won 50 years ago by someone riding a 50-years-ago-technology bike and wearing 50-years-ago-technology clothing, and he was still a far better cyclist than I’ll ever be.

No ride today

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 16:26:30 +0000

rain…

This Sunday: casual city ride

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 05:34:00 +0000

This Sunday: a casual late-morning ride, 20-25 miles, leaving from Four Barrel (Valencia/15th) at 10:30am*

To the ocean via Corbett, around Lake Merced, to Trouble Coffee for one of the best espressos in the city and/or inch-thick cinnamon toast, and maybe a drink at Zeitgeist afterwards. Here’s a similar ride we did a few months ago: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/117820

* weather permitting– there’s always a chance of a delay or change– you can text me day-of to check in or let me know you’re interested and I’ll keep you posted.

Paradise Loop recap

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:33:00 +0000

Four of us cruised up to Sausalito and Tiburon via the Camino Alto hill and Paradise Drive before taking the ferry back. About 35 miles of riding, here’s a quick map:

(a special shout-out to f for doing this as his first ride since the Foster City Flats ride a year ago).

Pre-ride savory pastries at Tartine:

Biking along the panhandle:

Commuting SF -> Mountain View

Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:10:00 +0000

I tried commuting from SF to Mountain View by bike a month ago– it’s doable, and actually quite beautiful (morning fog, birds, marshy swamps along the bay) but involves getting up early (a 3 hour ride at a casual pace = leave home around 6AM).

Here’s a GPS track of most of the route:

Ride This Saturday: Paradise Loop

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:27:41 +0000

Meeting 10:30am at the planter by the golden gate bridge gift shop (I’ll be hitting up the ferry bldg farmers market earlier for some Primavera & Blue Bottle), then doing [this 40ish-mile
loop through Sausalito and Tiburon](<http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-francisco/551127079691337454).

Relaxed pace– there will be some people on the ride who haven’t been on a bike in a year, and the scenery is worth appreciating.

Napa Valley Bike Camping Summary

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 07:12:00 +0000

*July 2022 Note: This post is from 2010. I took another camping trip up here recently with some folks with a slightly different route for the American Canyon->Napa part of the ride (less time on the main roads: there are some new bike paths since 2010, and we found some unconventional shortcuts). Possible new route based on that ride is here, but use your own judgment: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/52755794.

As a rare long post: Bike camping in Napa Valley was a great weekend– it felt like a vacation even though it was only two days long. The debrief:

3-second video: halfway through a very dark and foggy September butterlap with about 50 people.

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 02:21:00 +0000

3-second video: halfway through a very dark and foggy September butterlap with about 50 people.

In Bothe-Napa, after a day of riding and some wine tasting

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 02:08:35 +0000

In Bothe-Napa, after a day of riding and some wine tasting

Upcoming rides & bike camping

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 04:24:34 +0000

Three planned rides:

9/11 Napa valley bike camping
Sunday 9/19: Biking to the Nature Friends / Tourist Club Oktoberfest in Muir Woods. Leaving SF around 10, heading there for a few hours, back in the city by 4.
Saturday 10/23: Biking to Point Reyes / Samuel P Taylor park from SF (30-50 miles), camping overnight, biking back.

I’ve done no non-bay-trail peninsula riding– some day I want to (Pescadero? Montara? Stanford->the ocean and back?)

Bike camping weekend of 9/11

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:21:06 +0000

I’m planning on going self-supported bike camping for the first time the weekend of 9/11. I’ve had about 5 people say they might be interested, so probably at least a few of us will end up doing it.

The rough plan is to take the ferry from SF to Vallejo Saturday morning, go on a 40ish mile ride through Napa Valley (Napa / Yountville / St Helena / Calistoga) at a steady but non-racing, no-one-left-behind pace (we’ll be carrying all our gear), stop periodically for wine tasting, and then camp in Bothe-Napa State Park.

Portland: a city that gets stacks of these signs printed up. biketoberfest luckytimingme

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Portland: a city that gets stacks of these signs printed up. biketoberfest luckytimingme

I almost never post links, but: more about google bike maps

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:05:30 +0000

I almost never post links, but: more about google bike maps

Recent ride: City Lap

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:01:00 +0000

I put together a last-minute city ride Saturday afternoon following the Butter Lap route (about 20 miles, through parks and along the ocean).

Unfortunately, I had bike issues (two flats and a damaged tire– all due to the edge of my brake pad rubbing against my tire and finally wearing through the side wall) which delayed us an hour and led to the group splitting up. It was also cold and foggy all day, which made the beach less exciting. A few of us finished the loop and then headed to Speakeasy Brewery for their 13th Anniversary party.

Biked to work today (about 44 miles)

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 03:55:00 +0000

…with a few dozen people heading to various companies around the peninsula, following this route: http://sf2g.com/bayway.html

Getting up and active before 6 was painful, but the ride was very nice– misty fog, small animals, marshes, and the bay. Light traffic for most of the way.

RAGBRAI, condensed

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 06:42:00 +0000

I spent a week biking and camping across Iowa with 10,000+ strangers. It was one of the better vacations I’ve taken. Here’s a map of the route, about 450 miles (50-80 miles/day, only one day with serious hills).

I emailed some updates and photos to this blog from my cell phone while I was on the ride– I’m combining all those updates into this post (link below).

Saturday:

Starting off the trip with a near-disaster: the airline (Fronteir/Midwest) lost my bag (tent, clothes, cycling gear, everything except my bike itself). The bag wasn’t even in their system– they had no idea where it was. Then an agent in Milwaukee called me because he’d found my bag and it had my number on it. He didn’t know I was in Omaha. They said they could get it to be a few days later– not useful since I was about to get on a bike the next morning. They said there were no flights left today to send it on. Then I asked someone else and he found a flight to put it on. 4 hours later, it showed up at the airport!

Butter Lap: it Hap

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:06:00 +0000

My 2nd butter lap. Cary joined for her first butter lap (and first bike ride in a while). Friendly unhurried group, as usual– everyone waited at the top of any major hill, even when someone had a flat tire and needed a while to change it.

It got a little chilly and dark at the end, but I still made it to Bender’s for a fish taco and IPA-in-a-can.

Photographic evidence below. Fun trivia: if you click through the map to the GPS trace and zoom in on the Palace of the Legion of Honor, you can see the GPS tracks from when I was biking around the fountain in circles to try to keep warm while waiting for someone.

Butter lap, this Wednesday, 7pm, ferry building

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 00:38:00 +0000

All are welcome.

My last pre-Iowa ride.

edit: Route summary and a few other notes about the butterlap: http://www.sf2g.com/butterlap.html (edit #2 10+ years later: updated site at https://butterlap.bike/)

Riding through the redwoods (there’s a school ahead??)

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 04:43:00 +0000

Riding through the redwoods (there’s a school ahead??)

Reservoir, seen from the second bear.

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 04:41:00 +0000

Reservoir, seen from the second bear.

The morning fog in Tilden that burned off.

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 04:40:00 +0000

The morning fog in Tilden that burned off.

Map/recap: "Three Bears Plus"

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 04:37:00 +0000

I didn’t organize a ride this week, but went with Adam & Becca on a roughly 50-mile ride combining Berkeley->Orinda (via Tilden Park / Inspiration Point / Wildcat), the “Three Bears” loop (a.k.a. San Pablo Dam loop, but nicknamed after the three moderate hills in a row), a ride through Moraga (less scenic), and then a switchback-filled climb among redwoods and fast descent on Pinehurst. GPS map of the route.

It was a good day, at a modest pace (5+ hours, 4 hours actually in motion). Fauna sightings included wild turkeys (including a fluffy little baby turkey), sheep, deer, many trailers of horses, and roadkill.

Map: Ocean Beach & Back

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:19:10 +0000

This map is nothing special: I just took out the GPS (running in a higher-resolution mode than the previous maps) on a quick crosstown break for coffee and exercise, to record “the wiggle” and one way of getting from the Mission to the beach and back.

Alpine Dam, take 2

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 23:04:00 +0000

Rode Alpine Dam again today on the new bike, leaving the house at 6:40AM (ouch…).

Here’s a quick overview image of the route (you can also check out the GPS track I recorded, though it’s approximate). The ride was about 70 miles and 4500’ elevation gain, and I wrapped it up with a visit to La Taqueria (3 tacos con aguacate) and Humphry Slocombe (peanut butter curry ice cream).

Butter Lap Map

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:00:00 +0000

I rode Butter Lap on Wednesday w/ Margo (most of the way)– it was fun. There were probably 20-30 people on the ride, almost all strangers.

People meet at 7pm at the Ferry Building every Wednesday and ride a set route, ending in the Mission for a beer (usually at Bender’s). This has been going on every week for many years– I’m not sure if there’s even an organizer/owner any more.

My new bike, plus accessories.

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:58:00 +0000

My new bike, plus accessories.

Summary of Monday evening ride

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:55:00 +0000

This is a nice evening ride/workout: we left Sports Basement around 5:20, and probably got back to it around 8(?), while it was still light out. And the climb and descent on Camino Alto were good. Here’s the rough map (38 miles RT from Potrero, or about 25 RT from Sports Basement).

It was ridiculously windy, though– side-gusts nearly skidding my bike on the bridge and a painful headwind while coming back up the post-Sausalito hill (*shakes fist at sky*).

Weekday evening rides

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:08:42 +0000

Riding in the evenings while the weather / light / job situation permit:

Leaving work a little early Monday (today) to meet up at 5pm at the Presidio Sports Basement with a few people for a jaunt into Marin.
Butter Lap on Wednesday (7pm at the Ferry Building, low-key loop around the city and then a beer, see more notes in previous posts).

A few of us biked Paradise Loop yesterday afternoon, and it was a great day for it– sunny, warm, and fairly low-traffic so we could just zoom. We took the ferry back from Tiburon (and were considering stopping at Angel Island for a bike around it before catching the next ferry home, but that didn’t work out– next time?).

A few photos from the ride to China Camp.

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:23:00 +0000

China Camp ride map

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 03:36:00 +0000

It was a generally good day, and a fairly long one (I racked up 67 miles, though it was much less hilly than the Alpine Dam loop). Three of us went on the ride, which was a mix of the usual nice Presidio / Golden Gate / Sausalito ride, a lot of boring suburban and busy-streets riding up by Larkspur / San Rafael, and several few-mile sections of good views in China Camp, and on Irwin and Corte Madera (taking the less direct, more hilly, back streets route on the way back was worth it). Fun, but I didn’t like it as much as some other rides I’ve done.

Wednesdays: Butter Lap

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:10:46 +0000

I just recently heard about “Butter Lap”, a laid-back 17-mile ride every Wednesday evening, ending with a beer at Bender’s, Zeitgeist, or so on. I have other plans this Wednesday, but I plan to check it out in the next few weeks. It sounds like it kicks off from the Ferry Building at 7pm.

Map: http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san+francisco/836271138504

Bike blog mentioning it: http://bikesandthecity.blogspot.com/2009/06/butter-june-it.html

This Sunday: China Camp

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:23:00 +0000

After a few weekends out of town, I’m back to biking.

This Sunday: the China Camp State Park loop in Marin (the road-bikeable route, not the many mountain bike routes). A little under 50 miles round trip from the Presidio Sports Basement. Details TBD (I have some maps to dig up– I’ve never done this route), but here are a few bikely maps for a high-level overview:

Optional extended 61-mile version including Paradise Loop:

City Ramble Recap

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:47:00 +0000

Four of us went on a roughly 25-30 mile ride (depending where you started). Here’s an approximate map. It was a neat route I’d never taken from the Mission to Ocean Beach via Corbett (a low-traffic, modest-slope street between Market and 17th) and Taraval.

We stopped at Trouble Coffee for the requisite excellent espresso (elbow grease blend) and cinnamon toast, then headed south to take a loop around Lake Merced (dragon boat racers were practicing in the fog), and returned via golden gate park and Page, with a stop for a bloody mary and a few beers at Zeitgeist. Another good day.

Post-ride, surprisingly-empty Zeitgeist (not shown: during-ride, surprisingly-packed Trouble Coffee)

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:54:00 +0000

Post-ride, surprisingly-empty Zeitgeist (not shown: during-ride, surprisingly-packed Trouble Coffee)

Great Highway was closed to cars in places.

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:53:00 +0000

Great Highway was closed to cars in places.

Giant Tire

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:51:40 +0000

Giant Tire

Alpine Dam Recap

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:46:00 +0000

The Alpine Dam Loop last weekend is my favorite ride in California to date– I highly recommend it. It was scenic enough to make me swear out loud in amazement on several occasions (a crystal clear day with views of SF and the Farallones didn’t hurt).

It was also a moderately challenging 65 miles door to door, with a fair amount of climbing (about 4500’ ascent total) and fast twisty downhills. Here’s a route map based on CC’s GPS track.

Some blurry cell phone photos from the excellent Alpine Dam ride. More here from...

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:26:00 +0000

Some blurry cell phone photos from the excellent Alpine Dam ride. More here from JG: http://mediaingredient.com/?attachment_id=481 . We spent all day riding, about 65 miles and 4500’ of elevation gain total, beautiful views, and a break for food and beer at Iron Springs Brewpub in Fairfax.

Saturday longer ride: Alpine Dam

Sat, 29 May 2010 00:08:00 +0000

The loop is 31 miles, and the total ride starting and ending at the SF Ferry Building is about 60 miles. Approximate route (I’ve since been told that one of the roads Google shows is not actually passable). Beyond just the length, I hear it’s moderately challenging – I may have no idea what I’m in for. Of all things, a Yelp review about it.

Some people like to start early, some like to start late, so to compromise: meet at 10AM at the Ferry Building (or get there at 9:30 to eat some pastries / chilaquiles / etc at the farmers market with me).

Sunday, 10AM, Ferry Building, 15-mile ride

Fri, 28 May 2010 19:23:00 +0000

This weekend Saturday: long ride, details TBD.

This weekend Sunday: 15ish-mile casual-pace ride, Ferry building -> Ocean Beach and back, with the requisite Trouble Coffee stop for caffeine / cinnamon toast / coconuts. Meet in front of the main center entrance of the Ferry building, 10AM.

Port Costa Ride: photos

Mon, 24 May 2010 04:58:00 +0000

Port Costa Ride: photos

Port Costa #3 debrief

Mon, 24 May 2010 04:37:00 +0000

The ride today was both a great success and a collection of minor disasters.

On the up side:

Eight people, including a few people who hadn’t been riding in a while.
A casual-pace 29-mile ride, with successful climbs of many winding hills and a few thousand feet of elevation gain. People got tired of me saying “I think this is the last hill.”
Port Costa was not at all sleepy– there were 100-200 motorcyclists (of the Harley / leather / chaps persuasion), a live band, and more loud-exhaust bikes rolling in every few minutes. It was a scene.
We’d heard “the motorcyclists are taking over the Warehouse kitchen for the day” and it felt like a private party, so we weren’t sure we’d be able to get food… but they encouraged us to help ourselves to the spaghetti, salad, and bread, for free!
A few interesting (and also large, and strong) beers.
All in all, about everything I wanted out of the post-birthday ride, thanks everyone.

On the down side, members of the group experienced:

Paradise Loop Ride Map

Tue, 18 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Here’s an approximate google map of the past weekend’s Paradise Loop ride. The details of crossing the 101 after leaving Tiburon aren’t quite right– we biked down a feeder road and then over a pedestrian/bike highway overpass that’s not on the map, to avoid Tiburon Blvd.

My bike computer says it was 54 miles of riding, and it was quite a day– about a dozen of us did the full ride and kept a decent pace, and there was live music, food, drink, and shopping afterwards at Sports Basement.

On Paradise Drive (from my phone, while riding-- some day I'm going to drop it).

Sat, 15 May 2010 19:39:00 +0000

On Paradise Drive (from my phone, while riding– some day I’m going to drop it).

Reminder: Paradise Loop tomorrow

Sat, 15 May 2010 06:10:00 +0000

Leaving the Presidio Sports Basement at 10:30AM sharp. Five people I know and many I don’t are going.

http://climatecyclebayarearide.eventbrite.com/

p.s. If I’m fired up about more biking/exercise/outdoor time after Saturday, on Sunday I might bike to the “Tourist Club” (private Bavarian-style lodge near Mill Valley, three public beer fests a year). It’s about 40 miles round trip. Though I might decide to just take it easy Sunday, or work.

Upcoming May bike rides

Fri, 07 May 2010 21:51:00 +0000

All right, I and friends have several rides planned:

Sunday 5/9: I may be going on a 30ish-mile ride with James, not sure where. If that doesn’t materialize, I’ll probably do the 15-mile ride from the Ferry Building to Ocean Beach and back, even if it’s just me. I don’t plan to send out email about this since I’ll decide at the last minute, so if you get up Sunday in the mood for a ride, just call me. (edit: Cancelled due to rain).

Bike route from SF to San Bruno

Sun, 02 May 2010 05:23:56 +0000

(continuing my expansion of this site from not only documenting group rides, but also interesting or long rides I take):

Here’s a route I took today between San Francisco and the Westborough/Skyline part of San Bruno: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3691599

The 2 miles of uphill on Westborough Blvd was brutal and took me a while, but going back down was fun.

More rides soon

Sat, 01 May 2010 19:27:27 +0000

This weekend and next weekend ended up full of events but I’m itching for some more rides, so soon.

Bike ride in Switzerland

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:42:00 +0000

A departure from the usual Bay Area group rides post: I recently rented a bike near Locarno (Switzerland) and biked into Valle Maggia (Maggia Valley). It was a beautiful, gradually-uphill ride, with some riding on traffic-heavy streets, but mostly on bike paths or back roads.

Then I headed up a side valley and hit an unexpected series of switchbacks (the tourist map just showed a straight line), bringing me up another 1000’ of elevation or so in a short distance (map). I almost turned back because I didn’t know how far up it would keep going, but I made it to the top of at least the first set of switchbacks, and an interesting small town (Linescio) of deserted-looking stone buildings. Some photos:

Photos from the east bay vineyard ride. The weather was pretty much perfect, and we saw jackrabbits, a wild turkey, other...

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:54:00 +0000

Photos from the east bay vineyard ride. The weather was pretty much perfect, and we saw jackrabbits, a wild turkey, other strange birds, and several groups of spandex-clad bicyclists.

3/28 Vineyard Ride Plan

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:25:53 +0000

Meet at 11AM at Dublin/Pleasanton BART (a ways out there: about a 50-minute BART ride from 16th & Mission, for example).

Hitting up Ruby Hill Winery in Livermore first for a picnic (they sell bread and cheese) and tasting, about an 8 mile ride: http://www.rubyhillwinery.net/tastingroom.html

Next stops TBD.

Four more photos from last weekend's ride, courtesy DR (and I'm trying out the new Tumblr slideshow feature)

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:24:00 +0000

Four more photos from last weekend’s ride, courtesy DR (and I’m trying out the new Tumblr slideshow feature)

Two plans for upcoming rides (if there's good weather). Both are of the somewhat leisurely exploration-with-stops, 15-20 mile...

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:37:57 +0000

Two plans for upcoming rides (if there’s good weather). Both are of the somewhat leisurely exploration-with-stops, 15-20 mile type.

Sunday 3/14: A detailed exploration of the Presidio by bike. Starting at the Ferry Building, biking along the water to say hello to the Golden Gate bridge, and then exploring a network of twisty roads, lookout points, old buildings, hills, and Yoda statues in the Presidio.
Sunday 3/21 or 3/28: Wine tasting and picnic by bike in the Livermore area (continuing my “where can you bike to from a far-out BART station?” theme). Starting from Dublin/Pleasanton BART, about a 9-mile ride to where the vineyards start (see photo above), then hopping from vineyard to vineyard. Stopping at one of them for a picnic of bread, cheese, and cured meats. The exact route is TBD. Be aware that while the ride is fairly flat, part of it is on somewhat busy streets without bike lanes– traffic wasn’t bad when I explored part of this area on a weekday, but I don’t know if it will be less or more busy on weekends.

Flowers along McEwen Rd

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:14:00 +0000

Flowers along McEwen Rd

On the ride

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:07:00 +0000

On the ride

Port Costa Ride

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:45:00 +0000

Four of us met up for this ride. 29.2 miles, 2:45 active riding time, about 4:30 total including a break for lunch and a beer in Port Costa, a stop to photograph miniature horses(!), and so on. Lots of scenic, rolling hills, and not much traffic.

Approximate route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2924086

I’ll post a few photos shortly.

SFgate article on bike camping

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:48:00 +0000

Just published today, how convenient:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/24/NSA51C37BO.DTL&type=printable

2010 rides

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:34:00 +0000

I’ve been on some individual rides with people (including a few 20-mile SF circuits involving Trouble Coffee), but it’s been a while since I’ve been on a group ride.

But… weather permitting, Port Costa/Martinez loop in the east bay again a week from Saturday (that is, on 3/6).

I’m open to votes on whether to do it the “standard” direction (several miles of long gradual uphill and then a steep shorter decent on a 17% grade on McEwen), or the opposite, the direction we accidentally did it last time (sorry, helen and matt!).

SF ride this Saturday

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:32:00 +0000

It’s been a while— how about an SF ride?

Meet outside the SW corner of the Ferry Bldg, 10:30AM Saturday. (or get there earlier and eat delicious Primavera breakfast chilaquiles/tostadas with me).

Route idea: Embarcadero up and around to Presidio, along ridges w/ views there, down into the park, to the ocean, trouble coffee, back over Portola to the Mission. Probably 20-25 miles. Option for a loop around lake Merced.

Bay trail foster city: trip report & map

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:24:00 +0000

Six of us met up at Millbrae and biked South along the Bay Trail, through the Coyote Point recreation area (where we were tempted by the smell of barbeque), past San Mateo, and around Foster City, cutting back inland to Belmont, for lunch at Cafe Mossant, and then back via caltrain. I didn’t take any photos, but if anyone did I’ll post them. I tried out GPS track recording on my phone, you should see an embedded map below: A few stats from the cycle computer:17 miles, average speed 10mph, 100 minutes of cycling time. No organized rides for the next month or so, next ride mid-August.

Laid back Bay Trail ride, Sunday 7/12

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:25:00 +0000

Details to follow.

This will be a more mosey-along ride than usual, a great starter ride. A few people have already said they’re coming on this as their first ride.

It will be fun– minimal traffic, very flat, and a relaxed pace (much of it is on a paved path separate from the street, shared with the occasional jogger), though still a respectable distance (maybe 15 miles depending where we finish).

benicia bridge

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:16:00 +0000

benicia bridge

rolling hills

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:10:00 +0000

rolling hills

so many flowers

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:07:00 +0000

so many flowers

graveyard

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:06:00 +0000

graveyard

video: biking through a tunnel

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:00:00 +0000

video: biking through a tunnel

Port Costa debrief

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:54:00 +0000

Three of us met up on Saturday for a nice East Bay ride, from Pleasant Hill to Martinez and Port Costa, in a loop. We did a hybrid of a ride in the SF Short Bike Rides book (in particular, warm-up riding on the Iron Horse and Contra Costa Canal trails – paved, off-road meandering along a canal for miles, flat with mild rises and dips), and a loop recommended by Max C. This is more or less the route we took: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2937679 . My cycle odometer says it was about 34 miles total– there was a lot of small-scale twisting and turning that doesn’t show up on that map (it was about 19.5 miles out, and 14.5 miles back). The ride along Carquinez Scenic Drive was fantastic, up through an old graveyard, and then along a twisty cracked/filled/painted pavement road closed to cars with great views of the Carquinez Strait and the Benicia Bridge. We saw turkeys, deer, huge butterflies, and wildflowers. Port Costa was a tiny little town, with some friendly dogs outside Sparky’s, a new motorcycle shop under construction, blackberries just ripening along the train tracks, and The Warehouse – a huge bar with hundreds of beers, a gigantic stuffed polar bear, and really mediocre sandwiches and shrimp cocktails (they do weekend BBQ, but only on Sundays, we found out). Then coming back, we climbed McEwen (a painfully steep mile and a half, see the elevation at Mile 18 on the map above– I’ve since learned that most people do the loop in the opposite direction), but were then able to coast and ride along a gradual, curving downhill for about 6 miles. That was perhaps my favorite part of the ride. Smooth pavement, gradually winding turns, riding between rolling hills covered brown (I mean, “gold”) grass, warm sun with a slightly cool breeze, and almost zero traffic. I’ll put up another few photos after this.

Passed the ghost bike for mark pendleton :(

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:52:00 +0000

Passed the ghost bike for mark pendleton :(

On the way to Port Costa

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:17:00 +0000

On the way to Port Costa

Port Costa this Saturday?

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Okay, after several failed attempts to organize this ride, let’s give it a try: This Saturday, 10:30, Walnut Creek BART. About a 35-mile round trip, moderate hills, taking us to Martinez, Port Costa, and maybe the John Muir house. Some notes from Short Bike Rides San Francisco: “This mellow, mosey-along kind of ride offers highly scenic views of Mt. Diablo and the Easy Bay Hills as well as of the Carquinez Straits and the tiny and ancient hamlet of Port Costa. I don’t know which is the bigger treat: riding the eroded and unrepaired Carquinez Scenic Road, which is closed to cars, or shooting the bull with the locals at the Warehouse, an immense, historic bar [side note: has 200+ beers, and might have a BBQ running] in Port Costa right out of a country-music video. Then, of course, there’s the John Muir House to be visited, charming downtown Martinez to peruse, and the uncrowded multiuse paths of Contra Costa Country to check out.” And a few other excerpts: “You’ll find yourself climbing through a beautiful and very Spanish-looking old graveyard”, “postcard views of Carquinez Straits […] Forty percent of the land area of California drains its runoff water through these straits.”

Ride debrief, map

Sun, 31 May 2009 22:44:00 +0000

A few people from our usual group joined a group of maybe 150 bicyclists at Dolores Park at 8:30AM on a gray and misty morning (the people in the Dolores Park Cafe were confused by the crush of business). It was amusing to see another bicyclist heading to the park through the deserted streets of the mission and think “I bet I know where he’s going”. The group headed out around 9:30 (some with stereo systems, musical instruments, and other bulky objects), and took a route from Bayshore -> Tunnel -> Sierra Point -> McDonnell -> the Bay Trail south of the airport -> 3rd Ave in San Mateo. We didn’t ride on the Bay Trail itself for much of the ride– we took the slightly more direct (and wider, easier to bike on with a crowd) surface streets. The ride was at a slow pace, with a few bikes with stereos, and some periodic waiting to regroup, and we reached Maker Faire a little before noon. After Maker Faire, around 6:45, I was feeling my oats and decided to bike back on my own, trying to beat the setting sun. I took the more scenic bay trail routes much of the way, with a few accidental detours. Here’s a rough map of the overall ride. My recently-purchased bike computer says I rode 53 miles total, including getting to the park in the morning.

Heading South on Tunnel Ave

Sat, 30 May 2009 21:34:00 +0000

Heading South on Tunnel Ave

About 150 bikers at 9am on a Saturday.

Sat, 30 May 2009 16:40:00 +0000

About 150 bikers at 9am on a Saturday.

ride this saturday

Mon, 25 May 2009 18:31:00 +0000

I’m planning on joining someone else’s organized ride this Saturday, in case you’re interested – the Rock The Bike group biking to Maker Faire. http://www.rockthebike.com/node/10277 from the web page: “the ride is about 19 miles over mostly flat terrain, and we will take a leisurely pace, cruising with great music on our party bikes.” Plus, there’s valet bike parking and you get into Maker Faire at a discount. To get back without doing that length of ride again, the Hillsdale Caltrain station is just a few miles away. If you’re interested, let me know (I’ll mass-RSVP to the organizers), and meet at Dolores Park at 8:30AM.

next rides

Sun, 10 May 2009 23:14:00 +0000

I’m not sure if I’ll organize a ride in the next two weeks, but I’m seriously thinking about doing this in three weeks: http://rockthebike.com/node/10277 (biking to the Maker Faire in San Mateo, about 19 miles / two leisurely hours from Dolores Park, with the Rock The Bike crew) Other upcoming ride ideas: * Port Costa Loop (see failed attempts below) * BART/Caltrain to Millbrae, then South on the Bay Trail for 15-30 miles, to Belmont / Redwood City / etc. Ultra-flat, mostly car-free paved paths, fresh marshy smells. * Iron Horse trails in the East Bay (also mostly car-free) * Bike camping in Marin * China Camp loops, from the Larkspur Ferry * “Planet of the Apes” / Lake Merced -> Montara Lighthouse, overnight

a nice day for a ride

Sun, 10 May 2009 23:04:00 +0000

Four people came out today, two for the first part of the ride (from the ballpark South, through empty industrial back streets of Bayshore, then along the bay around Candlestick Park, and back to SF). Two of us continued South along Tunnel Ave and along the Brisbane Lagoon on Sierra Point Pkwy (a road that always feels like it’s about to force you onto the 101), along the Bay Trail, through the airport, and then back via the BART from Millbrae. See some photos below. Wildflowers were blooming along the path, and the sun was shining, though there was an intense headwind along much of the bay. Here’s a rough map, 20-25ish miles total depending on starting and ending points (I’m not sure I correctly traced all the Bay Trail, much of which was on paths).

Less scenic: McDonnell through the airport (there may be a better way)

Sun, 10 May 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Less scenic: McDonnell through the airport (there may be a better way)

Approaching the airport

Sun, 10 May 2009 19:35:00 +0000

Approaching the airport

On the Bay Trail

Sun, 10 May 2009 19:00:00 +0000

On the Bay Trail

ride this sunday: 2-part (1 easy, 1 long)

Fri, 08 May 2009 01:43:00 +0000

Part 1: Sunday Streets (http://sundaystreetssf.com/?page_id=470) route from the ballpark at 4th and King (meet there at 10:30am) down to the Bayview Opera House. Part 2: A ride as far south as we can along the Bay Trail (a separate bike path or lane some places, but also riding on the street many places). Maybe to the airport or farther to Foster City/Belmont (once we pass the airport it’s an amazing section of swampy marshes and mostly paved, car-free riding). I’m thinking an abridged version of this general route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/San-Francisco-to-Sunnyvale

And another

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:27:00 +0000

And another

Another pic from Saturday.

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:26:00 +0000

Another pic from Saturday.

Five of us rode up into the Oakland hills this morning, up a long though not too steep climb, past eucalyptus, along a ridge...

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 02:39:00 +0000

Five of us rode up into the Oakland hills this morning, up a long though not too steep climb, past eucalyptus, along a ridge with great views, and then back down a swooping, turning descent. Good pavement quality, generally low traffic, perfect weather. Then lunch on the back patio at Lynn & Lu’s Cafe near Lake Merritt. About 20 miles overall. Next ride tentatively in three weeks: Sunday 5/10, perhaps starting with the car-free Sunday Streets route for that day, and then continuing South along the bay?

East Bay Ride Sat 4/18

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:26:00 +0000

This Saturday: an east bay ride conceived by Colleen. Meet at Rockridge BART at 10:30 (and let me know if you’re coming). It will be a scenic ride with some hills, up to Skyline, maybe ending with lunch in Chinatown or around Grand/Lake. Possible route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/278009 p.s. Port Costa didn’t happen last weekend due to Easter and other events, but some weekend…

Lake Merced ride map

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:06:00 +0000

It was just two of us on the ride yesterday, we ended up taking approximately this route (about 24 miles including Great Highway, a loop around Lake Merced, a stop at Trouble Coffee, and heading back along Sloat/Monterey):

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2704757

Upcoming 4/5 and 4/12 rides

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:06:00 +0000

Some quick notes before I run out the door: Well, the rain seems to be in retreat. I’ll be out of town for the next week and a half, returning 4/4, but when I get back, I’m thinking: A shorter warm-up ride Sunday 4/5, likely: 10:30 AM @ 16th & Mission, bike to Ocean Beach again (via Trouble Coffee w/ their cinnamon toast). TBD. A longer East Bay ride on Sunday 4/12 – maybe Walnut Creek->Martinez/Porta Costa if people are up for it, or something else on the Iron Horse trains from Walnut Creek. Generally involving meeting around 10:30 or 11 at one of the East Bay BART stops, details TBD. Also, several people have expressed interest in some day doing the Planet Of The Apes / Montara lighthouse ride (Pacifica area, fairly long/steep? likely involving staying overnight in a hostel down there, biking back the next day). I’m thinking in July some time…

Port Costa ride cancelled due to rain.

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:39:38 +0000

Port Costa ride cancelled due to rain.

Port Costa bike ride planned for Sunday 3/1, details to come.

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:13:43 +0000

Port Costa bike ride planned for Sunday 3/1, details to come.

Next Ride: Port Costa

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0000

[edit: cancelled due to rain, but to happen some time this spring]

This Sunday, 10:30, Pleasent Hill BART. About a 35-mile round trip, moderate hills, to Martinez, Port Costa, and maybe the John Muir house. Postponed to another week if weather is bad– check in with me . Some notes from Short Bike Rides San Francisco: “This mellow, mosey-along kind of ride offers highly scenic views of Mt. Diablo and the Easy Bay Hills as well as of the Carquinez Straits and the tiny and ancient hamlet of Port Costa. I don’t know which is the bigger treat: riding the eroded and unrepaired Carquinez Scenic Road, which is closed to cars, or shooting the bull with the locals at the Warehouse, an immense, historic bar [side note: has 200+ beers] in Port Costa right out of a country-music video. Then, of course, there’s the John Muir House to be visited, charming downtown Martinez to peruse, and the uncrowded multiuse paths of Contra Costa Country to check out.” And a few other excerpts: “You’ll find yourself climbing through a beautiful and very Spanish-looking old graveyard”, “postcard views of Carquinez Straits […] Forty percent of the land area of California drains its runoff water through these straits.”

(near the beach, good espresso and nearly-inch-thick toast slathered with butter and cinnamon sugar, courtesy of Trouble Coffee)

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 04:20:00 +0000

(near the beach, good espresso and nearly-inch-thick toast slathered with butter and cinnamon sugar, courtesy of Trouble Coffee)

It was a nice 8-person ride today to Ocean Beach, where it was sunny, clear, and play-frisbee-in-t-shirts weather. Crazy. About...

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 04:18:00 +0000

It was a nice 8-person ride today to Ocean Beach, where it was sunny, clear, and play-frisbee-in-t-shirts weather. Crazy. About 15-20 miles round trip depending where people started and ended, see a sample route

Upcoming Rides

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Everything is weather-dependent, but I’m up for trying to do this about twice a month. My tentative plans for upcoming rides:

This Sunday, Feb 1: the classic ride to golden gate park and ocean beach, via the wiggle. Lunch on the beach. With a stop at Trouble Coffee?

Map: SF -> Sausalito -> SF

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:44:00 +0000

Here’s an approximate map of yesterday’s ride (including my route back), suggesting the total ride was probably 25-30 miles depending where you started and ended. I think we left the Ferry Building at 11 and got back to SF around 4, with lunch and some walking around in Sausalito in the middle. That was fun! Maybe next time we can plan out a post-ride place to grab some foor/beer ahead of time.

Seven of us on the ride today, here's a photo from a stop in Sausalito. Overall ride about 20-25 miles, depending on route:...

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Seven of us on the ride today, here’s a photo from a stop in Sausalito.

Overall ride about 20-25 miles, depending on route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2704771

2009 Bike Rides

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:54:00 +0000

I’m going to organize some periodic (1-2 a month) bike rides with friends in the Bay Area for fun. Some will be very low-traffic and flat, some will be more challenging. Possible rides include:

Sections of the Iron Horse trails in the East Bay (BART-accessible): off-road, paved, smooth, railroad-to-bike/jogging-trail conversions, flexible distance (pick a direction on the trails, bike, turn around whenever). A good set of starter rides.
Sections of the Bay Trail– I haven’t done much here, but you can bike from Millbrae (BART/Caltrain) for miles and miles South right along the bay, mainly on a dedicated paved path. Maybe the first ride is Millbrae->Foster City->Belmont with a picnic stop.
The classic bicycling to Ocean Beach via Golden Gate Park, “the wiggle” through the Haight, and so on. Maybe with a stop at Trouble Coffee in the outer sunset for cinnamon toast & coconut, or the Riptide for a beer, depending on the time of day.
Biking to Golden Gate Park via the wiggle, but then back via Portola / Twin Peaks
Biking all around the Presidio.
Biking along the Embarcadero, across the golden gate bridge, to Sausalito (or maybe Tiburon), and back either by bike or on the ferry

Other more ambitious rides and suggestions by people: (periodically edited as I get more suggestions)