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.
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.
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?)
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. ...
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). ...
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). ...
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 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. ...
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!).
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.