Category: Just for fun

And the winner(s) are…

In January, I solicited for nominations for club member’s favorite organized ride, and then members were able to vote for their favorite of those choices.

Of the eight (8) single day organized ride nominated, the top choice was the Tour of Napa Valley. Held in August this has certainly been one of my favorites, although not the first century I ever did. Close (very close) in the number two position, is the Tierra Bella, held in April each year, and third place honors went to the Chico Wildflower, also held in April.

Tierra Bella 2013

Interesting to note is the absence of the Wine Country Century, a good choice for a first century for any rider, and one that falls on the first Saturday of May, allowing for folks to get prepared for it. And it sells out quickly each year, this year on the first day. There are certainly earlier centuries, the Tour de Palm Springs being held this Saturday, and the Solvang Century in March.

Wine Country 2013

Thanks to those who submitted a nomination and for those who voted.

The nominees were:
–Tour de Palm Springs
–Tierra Bella
–Chico Wildflower
–Grizzly Peak Century
–Sequoia Century
–Indian Valley Century
–AIDS/LifeCycle (multiday)
–Tour of Napa Valley
–Double Bay Double
–Foxy’s Fall Century

The Different Spokes listing of 2013 organized rides will be updated soon, stay tuned.

American Conservatory Theater presents “4000 Miles”

Jaime Guerrero shared this on the DSSF Yahoo! list serve–

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) presents “4000 Miles”:

A poignant comic theatrical drama in which a hot 21-year-old Leo unexpectedly arrives on the doorstep of his feisty 91-year-old grandmother Vera’s New York apartment, dazed after a cross-country bike trip.

Sparks fly as Vera’s surprising political views collide with Leo’s carefree hippie lifestyle. When Leo’s old girlfriend shows up and he begins to reveal the mysterious events of his journey, Leo and Vera discover the fragile line between growing up and growing old. The winner of two 2012 OBIE Awards (including Best New American Play), 4000 Miles is “a funny, moving, altogether wonderful drama” (The New York Times) from one of today’s most celebrated new playwrights.

A.C.T. presents: 4000 Miles

Looking for a great night out with your bike? The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and the SF Bicycle Coalition have partnered to bring you two Bike to Theater Nights for the play “4000 Miles”.

You won’t have to travel that far to get to A.C.T. (it’s just downtown), but when you bike to the theater on January 17th or 24th, you’ll enjoy a special discount to the show and complementary secure bike parking provided by the SF Bicycle Coalition!

To buy discount tickets, visit: http://www.act-sf.org/4000miles and enter code TRAVEL10. ($35 Orchestra, $25 Mezzanine, or $10 Balcony).

2012 Best of Poll: Your Favorite Organized Ride

Solicitation were made thru both the club’s Yahoo! group list serve and the Facebook group for nominations for best event or ride of 2012. Nominations have been compiled into a poll.

Nominations included specifics, such as the infamous cold and rainy Day 2 of AIDS/LifeCycle 11, and Day 2 of Double Bay Double at the opposite end of the temperature spectrum. Rather than list each of those as a separate event (out of a seven or two day event, respectively), the event themselves are listed.

The other organized rides nominated are features in the poll, along with a link to the event. Please make your vote count, where a 10 is your favorite event (could be of the year or always), a one is just an event you have never done, and 2 through 9 serve as the in-between not liking an event or just an okay event.

Vote now in the 2012 Different Spokes “Best of” organized ride (or event) poll open now thru January 31st. The results will be tallied in February, so check back.

To vote, go here now”!

Ralston Bike Bridge

Jamie Guerrero took in the opening of the new Belmont Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge on Saturday, check out the photo:

He notes: “The peninsula’s most voluptuous bike bridge. Note the helmet-height and handlebar-height smooth scrape plates, and angled fence for anti-claustrophobia. The roadway is lit, not your eyes.”

Saddle Challenge 2011 final results…

…are in!

Despite fifteen days of rain in March, Gordon logged an impressive 608 miles or 121 percent of his mileage goal of 500 miles. He was followed by Danni ( with 584 miles, or 116% of her goal) and David Go (with 480 miles or 96% of his goal, so close!)

Gordon rode an equally impressive 25 days too. Even with the rain, there were only two days with no miles logged, the 23rd and 24th of the month.

Last weekend and this past week a lot of catch up miles were put in, with 394 over the weekend and an additional 240 miles with our Spring into Summer weather this week.

The biggest day was March 5 with an impressive 437 miles.

Everyone who joined the challenge and rode during the month is a winner! Overall we completed 2,786 miles of the 3,925 total mileage goal with $210 raised for Project Inform by 9 participants!

Those who pledged money for Project Inform can send your check to the club PO box and they will be send in on the club’s behalf, in memory of Ron Wilmont.

Thanks to all who participated in this year’s Saddle Challenge. Great job everyone!

If anyone is interested in doing this as an ongoing monthly challenge, please contact me!

Saddle Challenge 2011 – Update #2

After more than three weeks into the challenge (and the weather is certainly making this challenging), Gordon Dinsdale has edged out Danni Mestaz, both in miles completed and percent complete. But not by much; with identical mileage goals, 500 miles each, Gordon has logged 412 miles and Danni is on his rear tire at 374 miles. And not far behind them, David Goldsmith has logged 328 miles.

The miles champion for one day goes to Larry L’Italien, with 103.8 miles, with William Bir in second with 100.4 miles. Congratulations to you both, centuries completed in March!

Gordon has also rode the most days, 19 days out of 22.

Other stats:
1993 miles have been ridden so far.
The two biggest days are Saturday the 5th with 438 miles, and Saturday the 12th with 426 miles.

We’ve raised $149 towards our goal of $290.

It still not too late to sign up! Just go to http://dssf.org/dssf_html/sc and enter your first and last name, and the password [ask us], and then you can retroactively enter your miles of the month.

Happy riding!

Saddle Challenge – 1st Update/Two Weeks down

The 2011 Saddle Challenge has just nine participants so far, but that has not kept riders from logging some miles. This update covers the first two weeks of the challenge, but it’s never too late to sign up. Just go to http://dssf.org/dssf_html/sc and enter your first and last name, and the password [ask us], and then you can retroactively enter your miles of the month.

As of yesterday, Danni Mestaz is leading the pack, one of three members with a 500 mile goal for the month! She is at 67% or 335 miles, ahead of everyone, way to go Danni! Great to see both a female AND a new member in the lead. Following closely both in mileage and percent of goal are Gordon Dinsdale, also a new member from Napa, followed by board member, David Goldsmith.

With mileage goals varying from 200 miles for the month (which is 50 miles a week, quite doable), up to 500 miles, the Saddle Challenge makes it easy for any member to participate and not feel like they have to a fast or high mileage rider to compete.

As a reminder, the Saddle Challenge is the club’s annual event in March to challenge each other to get out on our bikes and ride! Choose a goal for yourself: 100 miles, 300 miles, 900 miles…!
Whenever you come back on the SC page, you’ll be able to log your miles, watch your progress and see what other members are doing.

Don’t forget: every mile counts. So, if you commute with your bike, it’s even better!

The Saddle Challenge is also a way for members to raise money for Project Inform where Ron Wilmot, a long time DSSF member who started a fund-raising ride, the Ron Wilmot ride. You can choose to pledge per mile or a lump sum. Of course this part is entirely optional.

Again, just go to http://dssf.org/dssf_html/sc and enter your first and last name, and the password [ask us] to join up.

Other stats: 1,636 miles have been ridden so far. And we’ve raised $149.

Happy riding!