davester

It seems to me that there are a ton of active users on this forum with locations in the bay area, including several in my town. However, I never see any mentions of C&V rides or get-togethers around here, despite our massive surplus of stunningly beautiful riding territory and weather. What gives? Am I missing something? There seem to be quite a few formal and informal rides that are listed elsewhere in the country.

jetboy 

maybe the regional forum? im game if I am free. id love to get the holdsworth ready for day rides.. but have been so focused on the commuters etc that I have not had time to deal. if I had a ride in my sights it might motivate.

be a good match for your Ron Cooper - same year even.

verktyg 

There are some Classic Rendezvous rides a number of times a year here in the Bay Area. Mostly over on the peninsula, Woodside, Sausalito, and Livermore. Next one will probably be in January, a Copi's birthday ride out of Woodside. They're usually casual 25-35 mile rides without too many "hammer heads".

Sometimes a few of the local greats will show up.

verktyg

Chas.

iab

Organize your own.

If one other person shows up, it is a success.

If two people show, it is a smashing success.

leicanthrope

Depressingly, that's probably all I could possibly hope for now that I've left the Bay Area for the Atlanta area. As far as I can tell, there is only one other person from the CR list in the entire state of Georgia.

I never really realized how good I had it...

iab

I don't think that is depressing.

What's depressing is doing nothing.

unworthy1

If you can afford a house, you're way ahead of the game...Dubai the Bay is strictly a plaything for the uber-wealthy. Soon you'll be surrounded by refugees from Oakland who had to leave when they were pushed 'way East by the spoiled children of spoiled children...and everybody will be complaining that the coffee's no good and you can't find a decent burrito!
You are at the ground floor...be prepared

leicanthrope

The nice thing about Atlanta, is that nobody is from here. It's rather like the Bay Area in that regard. (Huge growth since the 1996 Olympics.) Unlike a lot of the little hick towns in the South where my various relatives live, you don't immediately stick out if you don't have the accent. Still Californians are pretty rare, and I'm convinced that most of the locals think that we're all pretty much Hansel from Zoolander.

Ironically though, an Indian family from Walnut Creek just moved into the house next door. As best I can tell, we own the only two hybrids in the entire subdivision...

jetboy 

i thought everyone just moved to portland

but im game - get a ride together for the east bay: we could always start with the Bay Bridge bike lane to no-where to get our blood up.

jyl

I've led a few C&V rides in Portland, and always get at least a few folks to show up.

Post about it here to let people know. For the first ride, choose an introductory route that isn't too long or too hard. Don't have the ride start at Cal and go straight up Centennial to Tilden - have pity for the corncob riders. A coffee or beer at the start and end is a good thing. Ogling the bikes is an important part of the ride.

gaucho777 

Count me in. I've had a chance to meet a handful of forum members through transactions, but never on a ride. East Bay is preferred since I'm in Berkeley, but I'm willing to travel, too.

@verktyg, I've searched on the CR-list for details about the Coppi ride, but I'm not finding anything. If any details are for that ride are set, would you mind sharing here (assuming that's cool with the CR folks)?

Maybe a New Year's Day ride?

ThermionicScott 

+1. Organizing stuff can be so frustrating and annoying, that it's best to set one's expectations low. That way, you're in the proper mindset to appreciate any participation.

Salamandrine 

hahahaaa... I'm a Bay Area native and lived in SF most of my adult life. When I moved to LA I spent the first couple years whining about the coffee and lack of decent burritos. I guess I'm not alone.

Dubai by the bay - that's the truth. I barely recognize the city anymore. Seems like all the SF misfits and hipsters pretty much moved to Oakland or Portland or LA.

ThermionicScott 

At least the toast is good: An Overview of the San Francisco "High-End Toast Scene" - The Bold Italic - San Francisco

jetboy 

I can never do New Years day as its a family day for us - maybe that weekend, 2nd or 3rd..

gaucho777 

^That works for me, too.

davester

Depending on weather, the saturday or sunday after new year might be good. My favorite area to ride is Marin County. However, the East Bay Hills is more central to most parts of the bay area so might be a good group C&V ride. If I were to propose a ride I'd suggest starting at Rick&Ann's/Peet's on Domingo Ave across from the Claremont Hotel (a short ride from Rockridge BART), then riding up Tunnel Road (an easy climb) then south on Skyline and Redwood and return via Pinehurst through Canyon. That's about 22 miles and begins/ends at a place with food and drink.

gaucho777 

^Sounds good. I'm available either the 2nd or 3rd. An early start works best for me, but I'm flexible.

Tunnel is a decent ~4-mile climb from the Claremont, but it never really gets too steep. You're rewarded with some wonderful views of the bay from this climb. Pinehurst road through the canyon is one of my favorite local areas to ride--a fun twisting descent, followed by a beautiful little canyon through an old redwood forest with a stream gurgling by the roadside, and about a 1-mile climb up Pinehurst back to Skyline along the ridge of the east bay hills. The finishing .25-mile section of the Pinehurst climb does get steep, but the climb itself isn't very long, and we can regroup at the top if necessary.

View of the bay from Skyline:


Pinehurst Road:

jetboy 

I reserve the right to go very slowly.

73StellaSX76

I'd like to join you all for this ride if that's OK, and if the weather permits. My Stella hasn't been back to Berkeley since I graduated in '81. I'll watch this thread for updates.
Alex

jetboy 

cool. looks like it might actually come together! I am up for the local route - Marin scares me. can I say that I don't actually own any spandex??

obrentharris 

I can probably make it also! I'll watch this thread for updates.
Brent

davester

Spandex is not the preferred material. Wool is what you wear to a C&V ride.

verktyg 

A number of years back, we were on a CR ride around the China Camp loop out of San Rafael. Some guys on zoomy plastic bikes going the other direction, stopped, turned around and caught up with us. Their comments: "WOW, you guys are all wearing wool"!

I guess they could smell us!



verktyg

Chas.

verktyg 

I like the Iron Horse Trail in Contra Costa County for pleasant easy rides. It runs from Pleasanton Bart Station and ends at Highway 4 in Condord - 49.5 miles round trip.

I usually start at the Whole Paycheck store in Walnut Creek on Newell. I can go either towards Pleasanton or Concord. There are a number of side trails that take off of the Iron Horse with some climbs too.

The temperature is usually warmer with less humidity than Bay Side plus there's less wind (most of the time).

verktyg

Chas.