Bike Around The Buttes

[dauphin]

Anyone doing Bike Around The Buttes this weekend? My wife and I did it last year and are thinking of doing it again.

[East Hill]

If I hadn't come down for the Cinderella Classic, I would have done the BATB. Nice course, not many steep hills, just the right length for those of us with pathetic dwindled winter leg muscles :D .

Bonus: Mr. East Hill's mum lives in Yuba City, always a good opportunity to do a twofer!

East Hill

[dauphin]

I just signed up for it..hopefully no rain this year!

[East Hill]

I just signed up for it..hopefully no rain this year!

Yes, well, that was perfect weather for us Puget Sounders, but I know it discouraged the bigbossman family and BlankCrows last year :p .

East Hill

[bigbossman]

The wife, daughter, and I will be there this year. We'll be doing the 40 mile "fun ride", as the little one isn't ready for a full century yet, they don't offer a metric, and I have the Primavera on Sunday.

Last year the weather was miserable - so, while we did show up, we bailed and went to breakfast. :D

[cantdrv55]

Same here. We rode for a little while 'til our toes got real cold and wet then bailed. Like I said, I'm a fair weather cyclist.

[BlankCrows]

I'm gonna try to get up there. Will know for sure on Friday.

[humboldt'sroads]

I really want to; the easy 100 would make for a nice warmup for Wildflower and Tour of the Unknown Coast. It crossed my mind, but driving solo for 6 hours each way from Arcata doesn't make much sense, being that I can't find anyone to ride share with...stuck here in Humboldt for yet another cold, windy and wet weekend...:(

Anyone going down from Del Norte/Humboldt/Mendo with space for another??

[bigbossman]

Same here. We rode for a little while 'til our toes got real cold and wet then bailed. Like I said, I'm a fair weather cyclist.


I got you beat - we never even started. :D Just showed up, gave the sky the ol' fisheye, and headed back to town for breakfast.

California has more than enough nice riding weather, so there's no need to ride in crappy weather if you don't want to......

[x136]

This sounds like a nice ride. Were my schedule not full for the weekend, I'd be considering it.

[Goatbiker]

Goatbiker and Bent Pebbles will be there doing the 40. We will do a few extra miles, then at 7 PM, we will join the Recumbent Riders of Sacramento at Bella Bru, 5 points shopping Ctr, Arden and Fair Oaks, for the Moonlight Ride. 16 miles round trip to Gold River for snacks, then home in the moonlight. It will give us a metric century. All are welcome, light and helmet are required.

Tom

[dauphin]

the wife and I did the 100 yesterday and the weather was gorgeous...especially compared to the rain last year. Portions of the ride had some fairly stiff winds, but nothing to hard to handle. We ended up at 105 miles at the end. I highly recommend this ride for those considering it next year.

[BlastRadius]

Is it as flat as they say?

[bigbossman]

Is it as flat as they say?

Yes. The Delta Century out od Stockton is flatter, though, but can have some nasty winds.

Saturday I rode the Bike Around The Buttes ride with my family and BF forum member BlankCrows, and Sunday I saddled up for the Primavera Century with Mhendricks.

The Bike Around The Buttes was a family ride, and since they didn't offer a metric (just century and 40 miler) we elected to ride the 40 mile ride. The Buttes are the smallest mountain range in the world probably, and the 40 mile route is enough to circumnavigate them in their entirety. In addition, it is a very scenic and mostly flat ride, so there is plenty of time to loaf and dawdle along.

When we started it was overcast and cool. It burned off soon enough, and warmed up very nicely. Wind can be a problem on this ride, but it really didn't become an issue until we were off the course. Since Bill was riding his Paramount for its' first sustained shakedown cruise, I saddled up on my vintage Mondia. I hadn't had the "joy" of using DT shifters since last October, but nevertheless retained enough of my former skills to figure it out in short order. We all had a grand time, the weather was very nice, and the Paramount and Mondia were constant companions all day.

Some pics:

Bill in action on his Paramount:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2008%20rides/Bike%20Around%20The%20Buttes/bill.jpg

The west edge of the Buttes:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2008%20rides/Bike%20Around%20The%20Buttes/buttes-1.jpg

The only "climb":
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2008%20rides/Bike%20Around%20The%20Buttes/climb.jpg

A little Marinoni. The woman who owned it was 4'11", so it is "Easthill" sized:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2008%20rides/Bike%20Around%20The%20Buttes/marinoni.jpg

Mondia and Paramount, snuggling:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2008%20rides/Bike%20Around%20The%20Buttes/mondiaandparamount.jpg

My Mondia:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2008%20rides/Bike%20Around%20The%20Buttes/mondia-1.jpg

Bill's Paramount:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2008%20rides/Bike%20Around%20The%20Buttes/paramount-1.jpg

Cattle roundup on west side of the Buttes:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t267/jd6572/2008%20rides/Bike%20Around%20The%20Buttes/roundup-1.jpg

[dauphin]

Henry, it's pretty darn flat...you could probably ride it in 3 1/2 hrs :)

[BlastRadius]

Might have to plan on this one next year. Looks like very pretty country.