Northern California - Saturday Alternative - Hamilton Legwork

So, I'm not able to make the century in Sacramento, and my ever-increasing anxiety about attempting a double is pushing me to do something Hard this long weekend.

Hence, Ramon has agreed to the following with me. Anyone else is welcome to join. We'll be leaving early Sat. 5/23 at 7am from Alum Rock and doing this route.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Hamilton-Up-Over-Up-Down-Up-Down

Basically, its up hamilton, down the back, up again, down the front, and then one more repeat of the front side.

84 miles, 12k-ish climbing. :innocent:
Departs 7am from Alum Rock

In:
Ygduf
Bostic
Mellum (out and back)
YOU!!?

Why don't you start with Quimby for some variety???

Why don't you start with Quimby for some variety???

+1. I won't be making this ride but if I was I'd also want to check out Kincaid for even more variety. But then again maybe "repeats" and "variety" are not compatible.

+1. I won't be making this ride but if I was I'd also want to check out Kincaid for even more variety. But then again maybe "repeats" and "variety" are not compatible.

I was thinking I would end up alone on this. I like The front side of Hamilton because I can get on it, not think for 90-100 minutes, and be at the top. Quimby means navigating the neighborhoods to get to it, and then crazy steep pain/tired legs.

I don't know Kincaid, so I never knew it was an option.

For good measure, you should also ride there to the start and back to gain more mileage? :twitchy:

For good measure, you should also ride there to the start and back to gain more mileage? :twitchy:

No. Too early and I want to use the car as a re-supply point!

Everyone jumps in to criticize, but no one wants to come out?! :P

I'll be in LA, so I won't be able to join you. How about this as an alternative ... Up and down Mt. Hamilton, up Sierra, then over to Calaveras, up Palomares, back across Dumbarton, up Kings, down Skyline, then downhill on Page Mill?

Easy for me to say ... I'll be out of town. :p

Holy crap this is an awesome resource:
http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=92

Here's Kinkaid:
http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72199

Check This out.. I made this:

Hamilton Back Roads (explores the new and different):
- Up Alum Rock Falls to HWY 130, descend to Clayton.
- Mt Pleasant to Quimby
- Up Quimby
- Hamilton to Kinkaid
- Kinkaid to the gate and back
- Hamilton to Summit
- Down backside to Del Puerto Canyon
- Out and back on Adobe Canyon Rd (get some natural spring water) ;)
- Up the backside of Hamilton
- Down the normal way

122 miles and 13,917 feet

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Hamilton-Backroads

EDIT- Pretty sure Alum Rock Falls Road is not paved all the way through. Maybe skip that part

PS - If you guys want to do that ride some other time, I will do it. I can't do it on Saturday, due to the Calaveras TT.

I'm in for the original out 'n back route. I've gotta be back in SF, by 5pm, anyways.

7 AM ???

Means I have to leave at 6 AM!

I'll join if I can get up. Was at the summit last weekend, wonder if all the bugs/nats and caterpillars are still there?


Here's my back seat route w/o repeats and no 4-wheeling.

- starting in Alum Rock
- up Crothers Rd
- down Clayton Rd
- over to Quimby Rd, up Quimby
- continue up Hamilton and down back of Hamilton to the bridge
- up backside Hamilton, down the front
- over to Sierra Rd, up Sierra
- back to start/finish.

I'll be in LA, so I won't be able to join you. How about this as an alternative ... Up and down Mt. Hamilton, up Sierra, then over to Calaveras, up Palomares, back across Dumbarton, up Kings, down Skyline, then downhill on Page Mill?

Easy for me to say ... I'll be out of town. :p

Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Ron, want to do this the weekend of the 30th? We could ride from Homestead and Foothill, do this whole circuit. It would be an all day ride! Do this, take a week off, do Eastern Sierra...

I'm in for the original out 'n back route. I've gotta be back in SF, by 5pm, anyways.

Good. Was counting on this! Still a solid 50ish miles and 6-7k climbing.

Good. Was counting on this! Still a solid 50ish miles and 6-7k climbing.

No, no, what I meant to say is that 84 miles is do-able in 6 hours, or so, right? If that's the case I can go the full-monty - beginning at 7am. :thumb:

Check This out.. I made this:

Hamilton Back Roads (explores the new and different):
- Up Alum Rock Falls to HWY 130, descend to Clayton.
- Mt Pleasant to Quimby
- Up Quimby
- Hamilton to Kinkaid
- Kinkaid to the gate and back
- Hamilton to Summit
- Down backside to Del Puerto Canyon
- Out and back on Adobe Canyon Rd (get some natural spring water) ;)
- Up the backside of Hamilton
- Down the normal way

122 miles and 13,917 feet

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Hamilton-Backroads

EDIT- Pretty sure Alum Rock Falls Road is not paved all the way through. Maybe skip that part

This looks like a fun route for another weekend. I think Adobe Canyon is dirt too though. I don't mind dirt if it's a short-ish connector between paved roads but would probably opt out of extended dirt road exploration on a road bike :)

http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65483

Looks like road here...

No, no, what I meant to say is that 84 miles is do-able in 6 hours, or so, right? If that's the case I can go the full-monty - beginning at 7am. :thumb:

Eh, better watch the clock. I'm thinking 1:45 for front-side climbs and 1hr on the backside? so 4.5hrs climbing, however long descending and however long rest breaking. I want to limit stops to <10minutes because I get cold too quickly. Just enough time to hit the restroom and water fountain.

where's the meeting location? At the intersection of Alum Rock/Hamilton Rd or the school on Kirk Ave.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Ron, want to do this the weekend of the 30th? We could ride from Homestead and Foothill, do this whole circuit. It would be an all day ride! Do this, take a week off, do Eastern Sierra...

I don't want to over do it, and not overtrain one week before the event. Maybe we'll play it by ear.

So my day was going well. We sorted out some early skipping issues on my rear derailleur and I managed to hang onto Donald for the ascent of Hamilton. Right as we turned to go up to the observatory I heard a "poing" and then lots of rattling/bad noises.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/ShiFnrz7vcI/AAAAAAAABb0/jAgEGpFKcWQ/s800/IMG_0180.jpg

It turns out my Roval wheels that I've never had a problem with, are pretty tightly wound. The 1 broken spoke warped the wheel so badly it was rubbing on the frame. So, that was the end of my riding day.

Michael stepped up to bail me out. He descended, drove back up, and carted my sorry self back to the start.

On the way down, I tried to make myself useful and take a few snaps of Donald and Ramon.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/ShiFn72kAnI/AAAAAAAABb8/7FwopQ_ofdo/s800/IMG_0189.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/ShiFocqXeWI/AAAAAAAABcA/3YR9Sh-Uzso/s800/IMG_0196.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/ShiFogazL2I/AAAAAAAABcE/4zzY_bZJ9Vg/s800/IMG_0201.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/ShiFow0hHZI/AAAAAAAABcI/iti7sGxyudU/s800/IMG_0203.jpg

Then, while I waited for my wheel to be fixed at Menlo Velo (highly recommeded! only place that would relace my wheel same-day, did a great job!) I ate a nice burger across the street.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/ShiFpI_QO2I/AAAAAAAABcM/9dLdGI2DuNM/s800/IMG_0204.jpg

Sorry to hear about your mechanical issues, Chris. Amazing how you suddenly discovered your broken spoke while at the top. At least you go the climb in, and that it didn't cause you to go down.