Northern California - Curse of the Pesky Penguin

Ummm, I dont know what BlastRadius was looking at, but I thought we were talking about chainrings....:innocent:

Nope. Rear cogs. :thumb:

Don't know about anyone else, but I'm heading up Ham by the most direct route possible, meaning 130. Some of you guys could do Sierra, Calaveras and Mines/San Antonio Roads and come up the back side of Hamilton and still beat me to the top, so no extra foolishness for this Clyde.

And nekkid Twister involving me is a visual you can really do without. :twitchy::eek:

Ummm, I dont know what BlastRadius was looking at, but I thought we were talking about chainrings....:innocent:

:ride:

As for this TA member, unfortunately I will not be able to partake in the Mt. Hamilton funfest...although Twister is quite motivating....I will be assembling at a baseball field to run a tryout for our spring team and potentially play the grinch for several of them prior to the holidays...:( or should I just take them all and have a 16-17 player roster and not cut any of them?
that's ok cause you already beat me down the hill....:mad:

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/SDC10520.jpg

that's ok cause you already beat me down the hill....:mad:

Oh come now, we know you were just being gracious:thumb: plus, gravity has a much nicer effect with my body type than yours...lol

But I will be thinking about you guys and gals. Looking forward to the write-up and the pictures!

hmmm ... I might do Sierra after coming down from Hamilton ... might be a last minute decision though.

Don't worry, we'll talk to you into it.

Quimby and Sierra on the tandem is going to be fun :)

Quimby and Sierra on the tandem is going to be fun :)

Maybe this is a big Duh? , but by now you're probably used to them from me:rolleyes:

I've never done Quimby (sheltered child) but they now have it on...Google Street view
Now I know what I'm getting myself into!

http://lowkeyhillclimbs.com/2008/week3/profile.png

I've never done Quimby (sheltered child) but they now have it on...Google Street view
Now I know what I'm getting myself into!

Quimby is the reason why I went from a 39-53 to a triple ... and I have never gone back since then. First time I ever had to get off my bike and walk it ...

Maybe this is a big Duh? , but by now you're probably used to them from me:rolleyes:
I've never done Quimby (sheltered child) but they now have it on...Google Street view
Now I know what I'm getting myself into!

I believe Tim has a low of 39x25 on his Felt and he rode up with me on the last big Hamilton ride. There is the long descent and the flat sections of White and Piedmont as well to get ready for Sierra.

Quimby is the reason why I went from a 39-53 to a triple ... and I have never gone back since then. First time I ever had to get off my bike and walk it ...

You're doing Quimby this time, right??

You're doing Quimby this time, right??

Uh .... I want to make sure I complete the ride by darkness ... :lol: You might have to twist my arm!

http://lowkeyhillclimbs.com/2008/week3/profile.png[insert expletives here]

Chris, the following weekend you can do Mt. Tam or Umunhum if you haven't hit those up already :)
ps, I am still in for this ride and my brother might do it too. Right now I'm leaning towards taking Caltrain to San Jose. I'd arrive there at 9:36 and then have a 6 ride to the start so I might not get there until a bit past 10am

I will be on this train for sure. We should be at the start by 10am but you never know if CalTrain will be a little late. It looks like the best bet is to motor up Rt. 130 from the station to the start.

I will be on this train for sure. We should be at the start by 10am but you never know if CalTrain will be a little late. It looks like the best bet is to motor up Rt. 130 from the station to the start.

Basically straight shot. Santa Clara St becomes Alum Rock (HWY 130)

School is on Kirk.

I am still planning to attend (cross your fingers), but I have to work in the morning and might be late, so don't wait for me. Will try to catch you guys on the way if I'm late. I'll be on my AFTERBURN Cannondale (orange/yellow/red) and wearing a camelbak. I will not be wearing sunglasses. ;)

So how many people are doing the standard route vs. the extended route? Inquiring minds want to know... :)

Ruth & I are in for extended.

So how many people are doing the standard route vs. the extended route? Inquiring minds want to know... :)

I am in for the extended.

I am in for the standard, until someone twists my arm to the extended ... :p

I am in for the standard, until someone twists my arm to the extended ... :p

You know you'll feel fresh again after 18 miles of descending.

Since I'm in for the dime, count me in for the dollar.

So how many people are doing the standard route vs. the extended route? Inquiring minds want to know... :)

Standard for me...

I'm in. I finally get to meet everyone, and see BBM again. Wife is dropping me off and going shopping with the kids. Sounds like a fair trade to me.:thumb: I'm thinking of joining the autobus, I'm doing Atlas Peak on Sunday.

Someone please print out or memorize SilentBen's route from Alum Rock to Quimby since I normally ride down White to Quimby. His route adds in 600 something feet of climbing.

I printed out directions from the start to Quimby yesterday :) I am in for Quimby and as a group we can probably convince my brother to do it too (yay peer pressure)

Edit: bikely route (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Hamilton-via-Quimby228314) from the start to the top of Quimby. Also try Show -> Cue Sheet

So far it looks like there are more people for the extended rather than the standard route. If I'm to (ever) get my gladiator's wings (wings?) then I guess I should put in for the extended route too.

I might start a little earlier than everyone though, since I know you'll catch-up to me...

Whattaya say Ron? :)

Since I'm in for the dime, count me in for the dollar.

You know, with the state of the economy the way it is, maybe we should count you in for 5 dollars? :)

So far it looks like there are more people for the extended rather than the standard route. If I'm to (ever) get my gladiator's wings (wings?) then I guess I should put in for the extended route too.

I might start a little earlier than everyone though, since I know you'll catch-up to me...

Whattaya say Ron? :)

Buckling into peer pressure? What time are you starting?

Someone please print out or memorize SilentBen's route from Alum Rock to Quimby since I normally ride down White to Quimby. His route adds in 600 something feet of climbing.

I thought you'd have this memorized by heart?

You know, with the state of the economy the way it is, maybe we should count you in for 5 dollars? :)

I have an idea: first one up buys lunch for the second one up. It could create an interesting sprint, or crawl, finish.

Buckling into peer pressure? What time are you starting?

I don't know, what do you think? If those guys are gonna hit the starting point @ 10am I figure at least 30 mins before that for me.

Meet at the school parking lot at 9:15 - 9:30?

Hey Chris, I imagine we'll run into each other on the train or at the SJ station. Anyone else taking caltrain?

Edit: actually i guess my brother is going to pick me up on his way down from millbrae so I won't be on caltrain after all. I may take it back home though if I do the Sierra loop and he doesn't.

I'll be there but I'll be bringing my kid this time so we'll be there around 9am for an early start.

I don't know, what do you think? If those guys are gonna hit the starting point @ 10am I figure at least 30 mins before that for me.

Meet at the school parking lot at 9:15 - 9:30?

I should stay till 10 am, just because I am the ring leader of this event. I think I will skip Quimby, just so that I will get to the top close to the same time everyone else will ... but I'll probably do Sierra at the end.

Does the climb start when you turn from Alum Rock onto Mt. Hamilton Road? Is that when the clock begins? If not, let me know. I should time myself.

Ron, I should be there at 10 but hardly before then. If I am running a few minutes late (CalTrain), please feel free to head out. I should catch up.

Markopolo,

Bikingshearer and I are going to try and get to the start by 9am, and take off before the main group. That way, they can catch us midway up. :)

Just a shout-out, in case you wanna join us! Check your PM for my cell#

Does the climb start when you turn from Alum Rock onto Mt. Hamilton Road?

Yes. Don't worry, there's a bunch of you coming on Caltrain ... I'm debating about coming on Caltrain myself, but I may just ride over, or take VTA.

Yes. Don't worry, there's a bunch of you coming on Caltrain ... I'm debating about coming on Caltrain myself, but I may just ride over, or take VTA.

The route is going up Hamilton first right? I don't want to be the only one at like Kirk/Alumrock/Mt. Ham road at 10am looking lost!

I'm driving, so if people are starting up early I may just head up when I get there, 9:45/50/whatever, but I want to know which way to go.

The route is going up Hamilton first right? I don't want to be the only one at like Kirk/Alumrock/Mt. Ham road at 10am looking lost!

I'm driving, so if people are starting up early I may just head up when I get there, 9:45/50/whatever, but I want to know which way to go.

Oh yeah, there will be folks going straight up Mt. Ham ... including me.

Markopolo,

Bikingshearer and I are going to try and get to the start by 9am, and take off before the main group. That way, they can catch us midway up. :)

Just a shout-out, in case you wanna join us! Check your PM for my cell#

Wait for me, bbm. I wanna join the autobus. can I be the Lanterne Rouge?:thumb:

Wait for me, bbm. I wanna join the autobus. can I be the Lanterne Rouge?:thumb:

OK - 9am. be there, or be L7.

Looks like the Penguin is on vacation:

http://eclectech.co.uk/b3ta/tropicalpenguin.jpg

http://mtham.ucolick.org/techdocs/MH_weather/pub/

55 deg @ the top as of 8:20 AM

Sorry I had to miss the ride. I only had 2 hours available today so I rode my usual Happy Valley-Bear Creek-Alhambra Valley-Reliez Valley-Mt. Diablo loop.
I don't know if today qualifies as penguin weather, probably balmy for a penguin but surely frisky for a California rider. Alhambra Valley was foggy and very cool, I imagine the top of Mt. Ham to be quite chilly unless the sun started warming it up early.
Hope you had a great ride.

Sorry I couldn't make it. I got delayed due to having to work in the morning. With the shortened time available, I didn't want to drive an hour each way to Man Jose. Instead, Peter, Brentley and I took an awesome ride up Mt. Diablo. 38 miles and 3800 ft of climbing. http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7252201

The day was gorgeous! Sweet.

But I still need to conquer Mt. Hamilton...

Looks like it was a great day to climb Diablo. I had a double whammy today - I was supposed to go to the Cal/Washington game with a friend from work, then had to bail on that and spent my morning fixing ducting under my crawl space. Fun (not).