Northern California - Sierra Rd - Welch Creek - Morrison Cyn Ride

Update - Ride is happening Saturday 2/21. Meet at 10AM at Fremont BART.


Anyone interested in an East Bay ride one day of either the weekend of Feb 21/22 or Feb 28/March 1, depending on weather?

The route starts at Fremont BART and heads south to Sierra Rd with a warm-up climb of Old Calaveras. Then back down new Calaveras and up Sierra to Felter, up the Calaveras wall and around the reservoir to Welch Creek. Up Welch Creek and back down to Calaveras, through Niles Canyon to the final climb of Morrison Canyon Rd. About 65 miles and ~7000 - 8000 feet of climb (depending on your favorite climb measuring device/method).

Bikely route:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Sierra-WelchCreek-MorrisonCyn

-Glenn

I'm a "maybe" for the later weekend. It'd be good to climb Sierra, and I've never ridden any of those roads. Looks like most of the route is out in the countryside/regional park land - is that accurate?

Maybe, if it's Feb28/Mar1 ... love Morrison Cyn ... ride up to see the odd airframe structure, if it's still there. We'll have to wait and see.

My vote would be for the Feb 21 date. If I'm out-voted, however, I'd petition for the March 1 date. :thumb:

My schedule for the next two weekends is in a state of flux and I'm planning on doing Henry Coe on Feb. 28th. It looks like a cool loop though and I'll make it if I can.

Old Calaveras, Sierra, Welch Creek, and Mo' Canyon?

Good god Glenn you're a sick puppy! :D

Old Calaveras, Sierra, Welch Creek, and Mo' Canyon?

Good god Glenn you're a sick puppy! :D

Ya think? He's the one who rode this, and took it, while waiting for this slow putz to finish the hill.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/gw_12/3a.jpg

Looks good to me. I vote for Feb 21/22 so we can still do Henry Coe on Feb 28.

Count me in, I've never done Sierra but hear about it a lot.

Either date seems OK although I may want to do Ben's Henry Coe ride on the 28th - the logistics for that could be tricky, though.

Did you have a start time in mind? I say later, like 10, to give the world some time to warm up. But if it's 9, that's OK, too.

I'm potentially interested, though I'm afraid I might die on Sierra. I even hated riding DOWN it.

I'm in if I'm free and the back is OK

I am interested, but would need an early start.

.... I even hated riding DOWN it.

This route goes down from Sierra towards Calaveras, imo, one of the best downhills in the area. Riding down Welch Creek is not fun though.

Wish I could come over for this. :) All three I not done yet.

Twain

Anyone interested in an East Bay ride one day of either the weekend of Feb 21/22 or Feb 28/March 1, depending on weather?
-Glenn
...oh alright...I'll do it...:p

I'm potentially interested, though I'm afraid I might die on Sierra. I even hated riding DOWN it.

This looks like a pretty challenging ride, so "this early in the season" (translation - I've had ****-all serious riding time so far in 09) there'll be no heroics from me. I'll be sure and keep ya company if my calender stays open.

Awww, go for 10k feet and toss in Mill Creek, just north of Mission San Jose. It goes up that same ridgeline as Sierra, Calaveras and Morrison Canyon. My climbing legs are MIA, so I won't be there, though! :)

JB

PS - just be careful of those descents down the single lane out and back climbs (Welch Creek, Morrison Canyon, and Mill Creek) - none get a lot of traffic, but there's nowhere to go if you come around a blind corner and someone's coming the other way.

I've been holding off on firming up plans to check the forecast. Looks like the weather forecast is calling for a good chance of rain Feb 21st, so I'm inclined to plan to do this ride on March 1st. Last time I did Welch Creek in a drizzle it was tricky to keep traction on the steep part of the climb.

Yes, it's mostly rural after the first dozen or so miles through Fremont and Milpitas.

Yes, the inverted airframe is still on the turntable at the old ESL site at the top of Morrison Cyn. At least it was last time I was up there late last year.

10:00AM works for me, but if some folks are heading to the start via BART we can pick a start time that works best for them.

Jobob, I'll take that as a - yes, you'll join us. :):)

BTW folks, the last two climbs are up and backs, and therefore can be optional.

-Glenn

Jobob, I'll take that as a - yes, you'll join us. :):)


http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys/laugh3.gif (http://www.millan.net)

guess again...

This saturday might be OK according to the forecast.

40% chance of precipitation. I know we need the rain but I'm sick of wet feet and general misery of the last few rides. Bring on the heat. You can quote me on that when it's 90+ degrees on whatever big ride later this year.

Whatevs. I rode my 28 mile commute in 102+ degree weather several times last year, but I won't ride in the rain -- and I'm a native of rain country. I feel no shame in refusing to ride when I won't enjoy it.

Haha.

To me 102 is just as bad as the rain.

Typical 60-80 and sunny days on the Peninsula will come in just a couple of months.

Hopefully some good days to train before DMD is all I can ask for.

The funny thing is, 100+ didn't feel that bad as long as you kept riding.. okay it was like riding into a hair dryer but it was totally tolerable until you stopped. As soon as you stopped at a light, THEN you felt hot with no wind and baking on the pavement.

Though I will say at its peak (102 indicated) I started getting some hot-spotting on my carbon fiber shoes, but only for a few minutes.

Also, after a 90 minute ride and 130oz of fluid consumed, I was both waterlogged and dehydrated... So I'm not sure it's something that you can really sustain for long.

Thing I hate is climbing in the heat, especially exposed climbs.

Hot, sun beating down, less wind due to lower speeds, and you're at 85-90% of your max HR... nothing left to unzip, etc... :eek:

That's when you need one water bottle for drinking from and the other for pouring on your head ;)

This Saturday is looking much better from a no rain standpoint.

This Saturday is looking much better from a no rain standpoint.

I might be crazy enough to give it a shot... :D

Ramon,

Ruth and I are looking to turn it into a century for DMD training (on the tandem).

Riding from San Mateo over Dumbarton to Fremont, doing the ride, and them going home.

If you're down, meet us up in Menlo Park.

Sounds like a fine plan. Where to park in the morning?

I was thinking you could start from your place. ;)

Otherwise, you could park at Menlo Park Caltrain, I think it's free on weekends.

Still not sure if I'm going to make it but if so I'm interested in joining you in making it a century. I don't know if the MP caltrain parking lot charges on weekends but there should be plenty of street parking on Alma St directly on the east side of the station.

Actually ,I think the lot might still charge. But I remember Ramon parking there before.

In any case there is a lot of parking around there.

So, is this happening this Sat.? Where, when, who?

Pete you can meet us at Menlo too.

Take the first caltrain, gets there at 8:59. Perfect timing to get to Fremont BART by 10.

Rain or showers by PM hours. I sense a quick pace late in the day.

Cool! I'm excited. I've been out of riding for a good couple weeks. I need to just jump right back in to the deep end ;)

I'll be in for sure, but I got a little weird feeling like a cold settling in. I'm hoping it's just an allergy attack otherwise I'm ready to suffer, I'll take the first train out.

When is this ride happening?

We will end up with around 119 miles.

Those starting/ending in Menlo Park will get just around 100 miles.

Here's what Ruth & I end up with:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Glen-s-Hill-route-to-and-from-home

Weird that the climbing is lower by like 200 feet from Glen's route, even though I put in his entire ride.

The latest forecast I've seen has no rain at all... :thumb:

If my toe holds-up I'll meet you guys @ Fremont BART - 10am

OK, Saturday it is. Is 10 AM at the Fremont BART ok for you guys riding over from the peninsula?

-Glenn

Sounds great, I will meet you at Menlo Park Caltrain at 8:59, or really at least 5 minutes before then. It'll be my first century since last May, when I did 2. But I've done plenty of 70 and 80+ mile rides recently so I should be okay.

It's 16 flat miles from Menlo Park Caltrain to Fremont bart. If we leave at 9 we should make it in an hour. I'm about 95% likely to make it on this ride :)

See you guys at the MP caltrain 9 sharp

Sorry guys - can't make this Sat as I'm travelling back from China. I'll need to get Sierra done some other time, plenty o'pics please.

I might be up for this one if I can get my arse out of bed and to BART on time. Definitely consider me a "maybe.":)

Looks like only a 20% chance of rain during the time we will be out there.

I think I'll make it a century too. I'll start from my place in Pleasanton, also about 16 miles from the Fremont BART station. So if anyone in the Tri-Valley area wants to join me, I'll be leaving Pleasanton around 9AM.

-Glenn

P.S. - some pictures from past rides on Saturday's route:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/gw_12/t2.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/gw_12/030808-12.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/gw_12/WelcdhCreek_1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/gw_12/wc3.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/gw_12/3-30-3.jpg

Just be sure to wait for the tandem on top of Sierra.. haha.