Mt Tam fide report

[taxi777]

Great day to ride Tam. Started out really cold and Sunny in Sausalito. I had one brave soul who showed up right at ten. Tim from San Francisco arrived on his aluminum Trek ready to ride. I didn’t get a lot of interest for this ride so I didn’t wait around too long. We started out and the bike path was a little sketchy because of the mud and gravel that washed up from the bay during the recent storms. Tons of cyclists out today. Obviously making up for the previous rainy weekend. Tim had been perusing the bike forums and had never done a ride with the NorCal group, so he may show up next Saturday. We had some great conversation and got through the ride pretty quick. I just bought a Polar heart monitor and was trying to stay disciplined and ride in my aerobic zone, but it was pretty difficult. Tim kills on the hills. I told him he should race this year in the Mt Tam challenge. He actually had been considering it. Maybe if he does we can convince him to wear a BF shirt and represent. I had to shut the monitor off by the way . I felt like I was being hen pecked. I was either above or below and to distracted to stay in my zone. At Alpine dam there was a hardcore bunch of motorbike guys and gals hanging out, and I yelled out as I went by, last one up is a rotten egg!…..LAME! They just stared at me and I felt like a retard. On the way up the backside we saw a procession of Myatas! A million of them, endless. I’d never heard of a Myata club ? Anyway it was beautiful at the top sunny with dense fog over the ocean. We flew down the the front side and got stuck behind some traffic on Highway 1. Thanks for the ride Tim hope to see you and the rest of you next Saturday 10am.

From John
“Hey did this ride go off? Got to Mikes Bikes late but went up over Ridgecrest and down. Did you
go up to the summit or did I just miss everyone?
Ended up riding up Tam with a guy from Connecticut. Good climber so now my legs are fried.” Sorry we missed you John, bummer. Maybe next week. You got my cell next time call and I’ll wait up.

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[jobob]

On the way up the backside we saw a procession of Myatas! A million of them, endless. I’d never heard of a Myata club ?

There must be something about car clubs & mountains. :rolleyes:
Riding up Diablo I've seen a Corvette club and a Mini-Cooper club (that was neat-many originals, not the newfangled ones!). Riding up Palomares (not a mountain but sometimes it feels like one) I was passed by a swarm of beemers. Oh yeah, and a Triumph club on Diablo as well.

[BenRidin]

I once was passed by over 30 Vespa's one morning while climbing Diablo. Those can get a bit stinky after awhile.

[alainp]

Nice report, Peter. Looks like the penguins are gone for good ;). Btw, is that a bf norcal vest?... I like.

[knotty]

Hey Pete, have you ever gone to Alpine Dam from Shoreline Hwy on the coast side?

knotty

[taxi777]

Hey Pete, have you ever gone to Alpine Dam from Shoreline Hwy on the coast side?

knotty

No anytime I've gone up from Stinson, I would go right on ridgecrest and down the front. This weekend it wouldn't have been to much fun, there was a lot of crap from the storm last week.
Pete

[taxi777]

Nice report, Peter. Looks like the penguins are gone for good ;). Btw, is that a bf norcal vest?... I like.
Yep I had to steal the NorCal vest back from Cathy for the day. Also the penguins we're in the Myata's, it was too warm for them outside, they stayed in their air conditioned Penguin cars. : )

[luludog]

Hey Pete, have you ever gone to Alpine Dam from Shoreline Hwy on the coast side?

knotty
I've done that. Came up Bolinas road to Ridgecrest and then down to Fairfax. Tough climb but a great
workout.

[knotty]

I've done that. Came up Bolinas road to Ridgecrest and then down to Fairfax. Tough climb but a great
workout.
Years ago, I took that Bolinas road turnoff coming back down Shoreline from Olema and remember thinking if it was ever going to end...LOL

knotty

[luludog]

Years ago, I took that Bolinas road turnoff coming back down Shoreline from Olema and remember thinking if it was ever going to end...LOL

knotty
Yep. I haven't done it years but I remember how much I suffered. Profile maps are deceptive because,
the avg gradient is around 5 percent. It doesn't tell you that there are steep sections and that the
surface is coarse with a lot of rolling resistence so it's a 5 mile uphill slog. When it's summer you have
the double insult of the sun beating down on you. That's why it's a great climb: the suffering. Looking
forward to doing it again in the near future. Masochist that I am.

[knotty]

Actually I did it about 25 years ago back in the early 80's. (when I was fairly young yet) You bring back a good recollection of what it was like the sun and all, one good thing was back then there were very few cars, I don't remember even seeing one on that road, I don't know about today. The worst part was I had no idea where it went or how long it was.

Maybe if I can get in good enough shape this year, I may go look at it again, perhaps going from the Fairfax side and down first.