Plans on Velodromedary

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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…

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:

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

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)

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.

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.

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:

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Big Adventure planning.

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 02:30:00 +0000

Big Adventure planning.

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.

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.

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:

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…).

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 ]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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).

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.

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.

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!).

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

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

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…

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…

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?

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)