Bostic

Update:
Attendees scheduled:
Ramon, Norman, Marco, Glenn, Henry, Josh, Russell

Leave at 8am from Linda Vista Elementary School 100 Kirk Ave. 1 block off of Alum Rock.
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=e...ate1=saveplace

Route:
https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...ridge-back-130
Roughly 5 miles of straight to warm up for hills
There is water after the Quimby descent at the entrance to the park as well as at the Observatory building. Vending machines at the Observatory as well, bring coins or crisp dollar bills.

50.2 miles, 7920' up, 7936' down
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Putting out the feelers if anyone is interested in joining Norman and I this Saturday 8am-9am. This will be some sort of variation of one of Glenn's bikely routes but figure at least 40 something miles and 7500' of climbing. Quimby is a challenge but a satisfying one as well as having a great view of the valley during the difficult upper switchbacks. I have not done the east side of Hamilton to the bridge and back but this is a fine time as any. As far as what to expect compared to group rides from the past, McEwen road, steep part of Calaveras Road where it meets up with Felter.

https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...ridge-and-back
(Would start at Kirk, Alum rock and ride back Alum Rock to S. White to Quimby. 5 miles of warm up before climb begins. On way back just take 130 back to Alum Rock).

https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...Hamiton-Metric
tougher.

spingineer

Oh damn ... I'm out of town this weekend ... such a pity

jbull13

I may be in San Jose this weekend...not sure if I'd be there by Saturday morning so I may have to do the ride solo, but I looked at your routes and am interested (after watching the Tour of California and seeing that stage). How safe do you find those roads (130, Mt. Hamilton etc.)? Iam guessing that cyclists ride those roads a lot, is that true?

I hope you have a great ride...

t4mv

I would consider them (130 up & over Mt Hamilton) pretty safe; there're usually a good handful of folks that ride it on either day of the weekend, as well as weekdays, and the traffic after the lower residential areas below Grant Ranch thins out nicely. Road surface is pretty reasonable, but as with any other road you can hurt yourself if you looked for a way. The climbing on Hamilton you saw in the ToC was ~ the last couple miles of the east side of the summit.

uspspro

I might be in. I destroyed my tire on HWY 1 on Sunday.

I can't order until tomorrow. I'll think about swapping the tire off my commuter. Maybe.

SesameCrunch

... too rich for my blood! ...

You guys "enjoy" though

msincredible

I'll be flying back home, have fun!

PrincessZippy

We're planning on riding the Livermore side up Mines Rd. and going through the flats past the Junction cafe to see the flowers in the valley. At least I hope there are flowers. Maybe we'll go further, maybe not.

Have a good rie!

Veronica

Bostic

Pete's Mt. Tam ride last year was a good chunk of climbing too since it involved Bolinas road up and down to the dam and back out up to Ridgecrest and the seven sisters. This ride does have two steep climbs but the two thirds of west side of Mt. Hamilton are not bad at the right pacing.

uspspro

Haha. Yeah, and "right pacing" does not equal trying to catch the group that started 15-20 mins before you

Ty.S

I don't think I have the legs for Hamilton yet. Looks like a good ride, I'm going to try to get Hamilton / Diablo / Tam done this season.

uspspro

Trust me it's not all that bad. Long, but not that steep.

x136 

*looks at the distance to the starting location and the starting time, and cringes a bit*

*looks at the elevation profile and cringes much harder*

t4mv

Exactly, and the east side isn't so bad, either. No, really...

Besides, it couldn't possibly be tougher than this epic ride last year by a few of the intrepid "hard people" amongst us:


* Thanks, Zorrov, for the use of your pic and, er, penguin.

jonathanb715

Oh, as long as you're not planning anything too tough!

I'll stick to the TnT ride in the Oakland Hills, thanks (we'll still get 5,400 feet of climbing in 52 miles, though, just in smaller chunks).

JB

taxi777

I love penguins!

I have to try to ride with the ALC group this weekend. I have to start scoping out for a tent mate. Anyone know any females doing the ALC that might want a New Age Senstive guy as a tent mate? I'm really a nice guy...most of the time

Hope you guys have a nice ride. Maybe the next weekend I'll be free.
Pete

jonathanb715

but not easy, apparently!

JB

kb5ql

You guys really know how to entice a person. Uhh, I have things to do with the kids this weekend. Yeah, that's the ticket...

;P

sweetnsourbkr

Man .. this is really tempting ...... but too bad we're going to Mt Tam Saturday. Have a good time!

taxi777

Maybe, I'll see you up that way. I'm maybe doing a ride saturday up that way. Are you with Team A ?
Pete

BlastRadius

ALC group? Are you two-timing us

spingineer

Such a gigolo. Mr. Sensitivity. Ya know, they do have sensitivity trainers ...

jobob

Hey JB, I might be riding up that way on Saturday - I'm planning to go up Redwood, Pinehurst, Canyon to Moraga Way/Camino Alto and out to the Bears. If you see a lone rider on a dusty rose/mauve Rivendell, give me a howdy!

jonathanb715

We should have lots of overlap - we're going up Pinehurst/Canyon, down Snake, up Tunnel, down Shephards Canyon, up Snake, down Redwood (and then up), turning around at some point to go back down to Pinehurst and back into Moraga. We'll be Yo-yos - up and down and up and down and up and down.

Hope to see you!

JB

PS - if you're bike is dusty you can always clean it off!

Bostic

Mt. Hamilton is three different climbs broken up from Alum Rock & 130 to the summit. There are some breather spots where you can descend but it does take some training and conditioning to get used to climbing for that long. A good way to prep would be to ride Highway 9 up to 35 a few times since that is a longer short climb. The grade is fairly consistent so you can get your body used to a steady rhythm and cadence.

This ride does have a lot of elevation but the only way I'm going to improve is to suffer through it and just get it done. The first time I climbed Moody road in Los Altos I had to stop three times. Eight times for Page Mill (39x23 what was I thinking..). The first group ride with Ron up 9 I had to stop halfway. My plan is to add on a climb every few weeks to pile on the elevation. Quimby/part of east side of Hamilton, Quimby & Sierra, Quimby, Sierra & Welch Creek.