Thanks to Erik, Les, and Jeremy (welcome to DSSF!) for joining me for my Birthday Ride today. We rode the Pescadero Loop from the Half Moon Bay fire station. Great weather, slighly more car traffic than I’ve seen in the past. I’m happy to report that Stage Road has been repaired. In the past the road has been filled with holes and chunks of asphalt, which made for a challenging descent on the downhill after lunch at Pescadero. Speaking of lunch, we did the usual: Ordered a sandwich at the store and relaxed at the picnic tables in back. But this evening a friend told me that there is a taqueria in the gas station on the corner which got written up in the New York Times food section. Must be good food. I’ll try that next time, a welcome change to a sandwich.

Also happy to report that, as you’ve probably heard, Highway 1 has re-opened at Devil’s Slide. This is very good news for me as I live on the southwest corner of San Francisco, and Hwy 1 is the quickest way for me to get to Half Moon Bay.

Here are a couple pictures from today’s ride. The hills were challenging as always.

Courtesy of gocomics.com

I say centuries, as in plural, as there was a great turn out for both the Marin Century and the Double Metric Century (130 miles) by Different Spokes and friends. Tony M and Roger H, Bill B, Bart N, Erika H, Anne Z and Chris L, Scott S, Kevin T, Don D and Gabriel, Doug D, Rico N and myself were among those seen on Saturdays ride.

Erika H was spotted riding out at 6:30, right as Rico and I rode up to the school on our bikes, and she was never seen again. Bill and Bart headed out next on the Double Metric, followed by Tony and Roger on the tandem, opting for a bit of a head start.

The first climb of the day is Lucas Valley Road, while only 8/10ths of a mile, it averages an 8.4% grade. From there on to Nicassio and out Pt. Reyes-Petaluma and past the Cheese Factory to the first rest stop on Hicks Valley Road at Lincoln School. Doug missed us at ride out, but caught up to us here.

Chris opted for the metric at this point, and turned off after the first rest stop, as an injury was bothering her. Not long after leaving the first rest stop, we began the second climb of the day, the infamous Marshall Wall, a 1.3 mile climb with a 6% grade and a false summit. The down hill had a few bad patches of road, most were marked, and it was not as bad as the descent down Coleman Valley Road was on the Wine Country. From there we head north along Highway 1 to Tomales, then on to Valley Ford and the second rest stop at mile 49.

You couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather. In fact, the only thing we did ask for was less headwinds. But then again, when one expects tailwinds on Chileno Valley Road on the way to Petaluma, and you have headwinds, one might get a bit cranky. At least it wasn’t in the 100s when we arrived in Petaluma in the afternoon at rest stop 3 at 77 miles.

The climb at Red Hill after you leave Petaluma can be quite brutal when it is 100 degrees, even in the mid 80s it was still a nice break with the water/ice stop at the top of the hill. From here, we retrace the route back, past the Cheese Factoryand to the last rest stop in Nicassio. From there, it was 12 miles, and the return climb up Lucas Valley Road while only a 2% grade, it is 3.7 miles.

Marin Cyclist definitely put on one of the most well run organized rides, and the post ride meal is outstanding; salad, choice of four different pizzas, pasta, lasagna, grapes and watermelon, cake or brownies and ice cream.

Details of the ride can be see at MotionBased.com, where you can export the file to view on Google Earth, if your interested.

By the way, Tony and Roger are back from two weeks of cycling in the French Alps, including climbing l’Alpe d’ Huez on the tandem, no less!!

After the long heat wave, it was a relief to wake to the overcast morning for our jaunt to Freedom/Corralitos in Santa Cruz County. I was joined by ALC friends Michael H. and Keith W. along with potential new DSSF members Chris T. and Jeremy J., who met last weekend on Stephanie’s East Bay BART to BART ride. Chris drove over from Fresno and Jeremy drove down from the City, pretty much a toss-up on who drove the furthest!

We headed out Union Road and across the valley, bypassing busy Highway 156. While we were spared heat, we were not spared of headwinds, which is unusual for the morning heading west. We zig-zagged around San Juan Bautista, coming up on the backside of McAlpine Lake & Park where Anzar Road begins the easy ascent to Carr Avenue and the short climb to the top, followed by the descent down to Carpenteria Road and in to Aromas, where the librarian allowed us use of the facilities, before contining on our trek.

From Aromas, we got on Riverside Road Highway 129 for a couple miles, and then on to Carlton Road and more zig-zagging, and crossing Hecker Pass Highway 152 onto Casserly Road. This took us to Green Valley Road and after a few more turns, we arrive in Freedom, where four of us opted for Mexican food, and one opted for a sandwich from the grocery store. A few quick photos, before heading to Corralitos; Chris had headed out ahead of us to get a head start on the climb up Hazel Dell Road.

Hazel Dell Road has it’s memories for me, as my family owned 48 acres in the area known as Game Cock Canyon Ranch. This climb is actually higher than Carr Avenue, fortunately it’s not as steep.

The descent down Hazel Dell Road puts us on the lower portion of Mt. Madonna Road before we arrive at Casserly Road, and after a quick water refill, we continued on the return portion, onto Carlton Road again, and then east on Riverside Road Highway 129, and then to Aromas.

The climb up Carr Avenue heading home is the steeper and longer climb. I had told Bill that I would call him from Aromas, to give him a heads up on our estimated ETA back home. After starting the climb, I realized that since we didn’t stop in Aromas, I had forgot to call him, so I pulled off in a driveway to call him quickly. It also gave me a chance to catch my breath, as I was unable to keep up with Michael, Keith and Jeremy. I figured I had better call while I was thinking of it, because if I thought I was going to do it at the top, I’d have forgotten to, from relief of getting to the top and heading back down hill.

The jaunt back around San Juan Bautista this time found nice tail winds, and I noticed that I was averaging between 18-24 mph. The GPS route can be viewed at MotionBased.com where you can view detailed metrics of the ride or run it on a map player.

We returned home and Bill was in final preparations for the BBQ. Chris changed and headed on to the City, so as not to run into any of the Garlic Festival traffic. The rest of us took our showers and then relaxed and began refueling and rehydrating with tortilla chips and Michael’s guacamole and bean dip,and a bottle of Sterling Diamond Mountain Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Before we knew it, Bill had dinner ready, BBQ tri-tip, BBQ ahi tuna, cheesy garlic bread, grilled asparagus and bell peppers and a couple pasta salads, topped off with Joseph Schmidt truffles for dessert.

Congratulation to Jeremy for success on his longest road ride yet! Great job!! And thanks again all for making the trek to Hollister and joining me for the ride! I very much enjoyed the company!

Today’s Flash Ride netted three participants-the usual Conzelman suspects of Erik, Mark H and yours truly. We started in Orinda shortly after 9am, where the skies were clearing to blue with nice mild temps. Perfect riding weather! We followed the route of the Grizzly Peak Century from May. You gotta love routes with painted arrows on the road too-a very good thing for the directionally-challenged such as me! 🙂

Los tres Conzelman hombres took a nice swift tour through Orinda, Rheem Valley, Moraga, and the little hamlet of Canyon before heading up Skyline and Grizzly Peak in thick, dense (but warm) fog – very moorish. After the always fun screaming descent down Wildcat Canyon we went up San Pablo Dam Road and then on roads I’ve never ridden. Gotta love finding new bike territory after all these year too!! We rode through the forgotten towns of Pinole and Hercules and opted for a lunch of Extreme Pizza and Starbucks Coffee instead of the farmer’s market produce in Pinole (no Tour d’Organics this).

Along San Pablo Bay the ride got decidedly industrial…refineries, speeding traffic and tankers on the Carquinez Strait. A quick descent through Crocket and Port Costa and then up a little bitch of a hill called McEwen Road en route to Martinez. By this time the weather was warm but pleasantly so and Mark quickly found his was back to the route (thank allah for those arrows!). And still more new territory through the beautiful Alhambra Valley and then the perennial favorite of the Tres Osos. By this time, at 75 miles and nearly 6,000 feet of climbing, Mark and Erik had enough and departed back at the Orinda BART.

Eager to complete my 9th century of the year and make up for the three that got washed out in the spring, I soldiered on back through Orinda and Moraga. When stopping at the Moraga Safeway, I discovered making a contribution to the people outside the entrance is a great way to have someone watch your bike while you buy water and snacks. I’ve just gotta say it was kinda funny hearing all the Moraga housewive’s excuses for NOT donating to the battered women’s shelter.

Anyway, back to Canyon and then a turn the other way on Pinehurst to the south. Those of you who did David’s May Lafayette/Sunol route will remember this part of the ride. But then instead of a left on Redwood, I made the right and then a left on Skyline for 10 enjoyable elevated miles through swanky parts of Oakland I’d never ridden, including Grass Valley and the Oakland Zoo.

The Grizzly Peak Century is a bit of a misnomer. It is put on in May by the Grizzly Peak Cyclists and consists of the first loop we did (75 miles) plus the second loop I started. Unfortunately, their advertised mileage and elevation were both a little lower than actual. It appears the actual “Grizzly Peak Century” is 115 miles and has 9,200 feet of climbing according to Klimb. By the time I reached San Leandro at mile 99, I faced a fork in the road: Castro Valley BART a mile to the right, or Redwood Road and 15 more miles and 1,200 more feet of climbing back to Orinda (those of you on David’s May ride will no doubt recall Redwood Road). Even the fact that there was a Peet’s Coffee en route couldn’t distract me from the siren call of the BART train.

Thank buddha for BART! Not only a nap on the ride back home to the city, but the option to change plans mid-ride!

If anyone is interested in doing this ride (or at least some substantial part of it) sometime later this season, let me know. I had a blast and could be persuaded to post it again. Who needs an organized ride and active.com for a century, huh?

The reach of Different Spokes knows no limit! I am happy to report two more medals for a DSSF member, one gold one bronze..

…in Badminton.

Indeed, Ron got one gold medals in the Men Single and one bronze in the Mized Double with his partner Laura.

It’s been a while since we’ve posted a ride report on C-Loop Thursdays, but this mid-week afterwork ride is still going strong thanks to the leadership of Bill Bir and Erik Leung. I joined today for the first time in a while, leaving from home instead of downtown, and met Bill, Erik, and Mark enroute in the headlands. Today was a perfect day for riding. A bit of cooling fog, not much traffic (bike or car), and not too much wind.

I have to admit, I got a bit spooked the last time I led this ride by the winds that were gusting that day on the bridge. The tornado-like swirls in particular around the two towers can be a bit hairy, quite different from the usually calm winds we encounter on the Jersey Ride and other morning bridge crossings. Fortunately, bike traffic is typically light in the afternoon, and there are rarely any tourists on rental bikes.

But please don’t let the wind stop you from joining DSSF on Thursdays! The ride leaves from the Ferry Building at 6:00 p.m. Meet at the pedestrian island between the Embarcadero, near the crosswalk from Market Street. The ride takes one of a couple routes through the Fisherman’s Wharf area, along Crissy Field, up to and across the bridge, up and down Conzelman, and up McCullough. Bill and Erik usually make a couple more loops. Heck, I’m posting this at 10:15 p.m., and for all I know those guys are still out there looping around!

C-Loop Thursdays continue through the summer and into early fall, as long as the longer daylight provides for enough safe riding time. Remember, the fog can make it somewhat dark pretty quickly up there and on the bridge. So even if it is bright and sunny in SF, it is a good idea to bring a red-blinky light just in case.

Today was the individual time trial. We set out for the Palos Forest Preserve SW of Chicago. It is a 45 minute trip from downtown Chicago. We got driven there in style in a good old-fashioned yellow schoolbus!

The course was a somewhat hilly, 11 mile, banana shaped (or as Jerome said “croissant-shaped”) scenic (not) but challenging ride.

Great days were had by Derek L, Don D and Mike Y. Who appear to be in line for Gold, Gold and Silver medals (respectively). While our times were posted today

Jerome T., Joe L., Lance H. and Dave G. had good days with times of 32:20, 32:54, 32:56 and 33:37 but our age category had some blisteringly fast times less than 30:00 including one less than 27:00!!!

Big Kudos to Roy S. He borrowed his friends car and made the trek out to Palos. He was DSSF’s cheerleader-in-chief and volunteered at the turn-around point. Thanks to you for coming out to support us and the event.

BTW: It was f&*&^%ing hot and humid today.

Tomorrow will be the medal ceremony for the individual time trial and also the road race which should be a lot of fun.

We’ll keep you posted!!

Live in Chicago this is Dave Glidden reporting……

Today we had medals for 3 DSSF members in the criterium!

Gold for Don D. in the 60+ Men’s. All riders 50+ rode together and Don won against all 50+ riders.

Bronze for Joe L’s boyfriend Mark Y. in 50-60 Men’s.

Bronze for Jerome T. 40-44 Men’s.

All riders 40-49 rode (all 35 of them) rode together. Jerome was 4th overall (but 3rd in 40-44). Dave G. and Joe L. were 6th and 7th, respectively!

Jerome’s number was misread and they had him listed as 14th in the final results. After a lot of work, they straightened it out. He got his bronze!!

Congratulations to Jerome, Mark and Don!