Northern California - Sat 3/22 Quimby - Mt. Hamilton +

nice view! looks like I missed another fun ride.

Great pictures Norman! I like how the road looks like it just ends at a cliff where the Truck out of control sign is.

You guys are nuts! That's some crazy freakin climbing. I came really close to bailing on my ride and heading down there. I kind of wanted to chomp down some good milage and mix it up a little up here.
The estrogen was in full bloom up here...if ya know what I mean..;)

Great ride - just under 8000 feet of climb in less than 55 miles. Beautiful weather too. Thanks again for the invite.

-Glenn

That's a good average, 145' up for every mile.

That was a great ride guys. Quimby was so much fun. Mt. Hamilton down, two more peaks to go. Today also showed that I need to get more mileage in. I tried taking some pictures but most of them didn't turn out (moisture from sweat). Here's one seven miles from the summit.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2369/2353945722_3efacac4e5_b.jpg

Thanks for the route idea, it was a great ride. That was not me in the photo, I must have come just after that photo was taken as I "parked" next to the guy in the Postal Jersey. I talked to USPSPRO very briefly as the group was about to head down.

I loved Mt. Hamilton Rd....Quimby, on the other hand, kicked my arse. I got up late so I only went up to the observatory and back, I'll have to come back and do the complete ride the next time I'm in the bay area.

Thanks again for all the advice on the route.

Josh

Great ride guys. Wish I had been there. Temps down here in LA, up to 91 F. So Saturday, I got 60 miles and 1000 feet climbing, and Sunday, 41 miles, 1500 feet climbing. Definitely not the climbing you guys had. I might be suffering next weekend.

Part II:

kb5gl summitting Hamilton
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/t4mv/KB5GL.jpg

View from the bridge (north)
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/t4mv/Bridge1.jpg

Opposite view from the bridge (south)
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/t4mv/Bridge2.jpg

Looking east towards the bridge, at the bottom before climbing back up some rollers. This is 2 miles from the top on the east side of Hamilton
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/t4mv/Overview1.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/t4mv/Overview2.jpg

are these all on the road up to Mt Hamilton?

Those last four pictures are from the other side of Mt. Hamilton, San Antonio Valley Road. Coming up the East side of the mountain is much harder. Grades are higher and just when you think you're up at the top there is one more steep switchback.

Those last four pictures are from the other side of Mt. Hamilton, San Antonio Valley Road. Coming up the East side of the mountain is much harder. Grades are higher and just when you think you're up at the top there is one more steep switchback.

I've never ridden those roads... so you'd go down that road after climbing to up hamilton? Where does San Antonio Valley Road end? Is there a simple loop that would go up that road, down Mt Hamilton and around? Or is that what you just did? Sorry, its all new to me! :rolleyes:

Trac' San Antonio Vlly Rd goes down and meets Mines Rd, and eventually will get you to Livermore. Since most people (who are riding this) are coming from there anyway (as opposed to say, Modesto or somewhere out in the Valley), the loop below is generally one of the more travelled ones for folks who want to incorporate both sides of Hamilton. It's taken from the Mt Hamilton Challenge (http://www.hillsidegraphics.com/hamilton-challenge/), which is coming up on Apr 26, 2008, if you're interested.


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/t4mv/HamiltonLoop.jpg

Trac' San Antonio Vlly Rd goes down and meets Mines Rd, and eventually will get you to Livermore. Since most people (who are riding this) are coming from there anyway (as opposed to say, Modesto or somewhere out in the Valley), the loop below is generally one of the more travelled ones for folks who want to incorporate both sides of Hamilton. It's taken from the Mt Hamilton Challenge (http://www.hillsidegraphics.com/hamilton-challenge/), which is coming up on Apr 26, 2008, if you're interested.


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t139/t4mv/HamiltonLoop.jpg

Thank you! Do you know the mileage on the loop attached? I could be coming from Modesto... but Livermore is just as easy...

edit: Ooops, I realize this is the whole Hamilton Challenge... anyone have any ideas for shortening the loop?

Thank you! Do you know the mileage on the loop attached? I could be coming from Modesto... but Livermore is just as easy...

edit: Ooops, I realize this is the whole Hamilton Challenge... anyone have any ideas for shortening the loop?

I dont think it is possible as a loop to shorten it. That is the shorter loop.:eek: If ya want shorter do an out and back on one side or the other. I believe the loop is close to 100 miles.

edit: Ooops, I realize this is the whole Hamilton Challenge... anyone have any ideas for shortening the loop?

The Mt Hamilton Challenge route as shown is about 125 miles, including from and to the start in Sunnyvale. The loop itself is about 105. The only shortcut I can think of would be to take route 84 over Pigeon Pass from Livermore to Sunol, bypassing Pleasanton. Might knock off 5 miles or more (but Pigeon Pass can be a little dicey with traffic and little shoulder in some spots).

Thank you! Do you know the mileage on the loop attached? I could be coming from Modesto... but Livermore is just as easy...

edit: Ooops, I realize this is the whole Hamilton Challenge... anyone have any ideas for shortening the loop?

Starting in Livermore at the Library, Mines Rd. to the summit of Hamilton, descending to Milipitas and returning over Calaveras to Sunol, to Livermore is 102 miles and 7740 feet of climbing. The final 4 mile climb up Hamilton from the bridge to the observatory averages over 8% according to my Polar data.

It's a beautiful ride, especially this time of year.

Veronica

Here is my Horrible Hamilton ride that Norman suggested. There are probably little extra bonus hills that could be added along the way. Quimby, both sides of Hamilton, Sierra and Welch Creek. Might be a bit till I'm ready to try it.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/5-climbs

Here is my Horrible Hamilton ride that Norman suggested. There are probably little extra bonus hills that could be added along the way. Quimby, both sides of Hamilton, Sierra and Welch Creek. Might be a bit till I'm ready to try it.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/5-climbs

Wow.

Can't wait til the elevation shows.. did you click rebuild graph already?

Yep. Too bad the refresh rate is not faster.

Yep. Too bad the refresh rate is not faster.

Yeah they have been sucking these days. :(

At least they added the "follow road" feature.

Looks like "fun". I've done Welch Creek, Sierra, and Palomares in one ride, but this route should be truly nasty. Quimby, both sides of Hamilton, Sierra, the Calaveras wall and rollers, and then that long mid-teens section on Welch Creek? Sweet!

BTW - The bikely map is incorrect as far as the indicated end of pave road on Welch Creek. The actual end of the pavement is point 746 on this bikely route (from a GPX upload).
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Welch-Creek117721
You don't want to miss any of the climb, do you?

-Glenn

Woohoo. This graph makes me warm and fuzzy for the Horrible Hamilton route.

http://www.bosticman.com/bostic/cycling/hham.jpg

Looks like "fun". I've done Welch Creek, Sierra, and Palomares in one ride, but this route should be truly nasty. Quimby, both sides of Hamilton, Sierra, the Calaveras wall and rollers, and then that long mid-teens section on Welch Creek? Sweet!

BTW - The bikely map is incorrect as far as the indicated end of pave road on Welch Creek. The actual end of the pavement is point 746 on this bikely route (from a GPX upload).
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Welch-Creek117721
You don't want to miss any of the climb, do you?

-Glenn

Yowza!

When I was seriously training for DMD in 2006 I started in Livermore and did Hamilton, Sierra and Calaveras in a day. It wasn't that bad. Calaveras snuck up on me and I wasn't in the right gear for it.

Adding in Quimby and Welch Creek is just sick!

The Welch Creek climb is nice, but I don't think we'll ride it again, unless they ever make the road a little wider. I've decided I really like having my own lane to be in. :)

Veronica

Yikes! Is the Calaveras Wall (as Glenn suggested) in there, too?

Tell you what, Ramon, why don't you try two loops of this ride on a triple digit day, and let us know how it went. We can dub it "Über Horrible Hamilton" or UHH...for short. :D

Woohoo. This graph makes me warm and fuzzy for the Horrible Hamilton route.

http://www.bosticman.com/bostic/cycling/hham.jpg

Nice - and considering that the top of Welch Creek (~mile 77) is actually higher than the top of Sierra (~mile 57), there's really another few hundred feet of climb that the profile doesn't show :-).

Yeah, the Calaveras wall is there, right after the descent from Sierra (between mile 57 and 67 on the profile). It's just an insignificant little blip on this ride's profile:D.