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.
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). ...
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
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: ...
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).
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.
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). ...
(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.