Ed. Stephen Shirreffs, the ride host, offers his report.

A week after a rainout, the weather on Mount Hamilton was perfect for a winter climb — clear skies, coolish temps that eventually got into the 60s. Twelve of us [Ed. Stephen now says it was thirteen.] set out from Penitencia Creek Park, and quickly spread out along the road as is pretty usual on a long, long climb like Mount Hamilton. There was a front group of three, a second group of two, then a group of five and finally two off the back. The third group saw the first group descending when it was maybe a mile and half to the top, so the separation ended up not being too great. Ten made it to the top, one almost got there, and one abandoned about half way up. One flat tire. This is a signature ride for the club and the numbers are finally getting back up to what we were used to before the Pandemic. Hopefully next year we can keep the trend going. Lots of pics on the website. And David G., we missed you!
—Stephen Shirreffs

Ed. Ride host Chris Chiang submitted the following report.

First off, congrats to Sara and Larry for completing their first Three Bears! Sara is a consistent and strong rider and a great road companion. Be sure to learn from her easing into the ride and finishing strongly on every challenging climb. Larry has come a long way since joining in June. He’s started to use me to pace like my own shadow but has tried to move ahead once he studies the route and elevation. I now have to up my own game!

The Three Bears is no walk in the park. I created this ride after doing a fabulous version led by Cathy and Nancy early June. The standalone clockwise loop from Orinda is around 18 miles, 1,800 feet, and back-loaded. Why not just leave out that front end and distribute—but increase—the load more evenly? So out came a counterclockwise version starting from Lafayette that includes big climbs on Reliez Valley Road and Pig Farm Hill, at 30 miles and 3,000 feet.

Dismissing my concerns and counsel, Stephen insisted I make the day even tougher and longer with more climbing, thinking that the club would have lots of post-ALC riders jonesing for difficult, nostril-flaring routes. So I slipped in my recently-devised Martinez loop instead knowing it’s not difficult and would provide a pretty diversion out to a new favorite coffee shop, at 47 miles and 4,100 feet.

We got nine riders for this ride: David G., Kurt, Larry, Nancy, Rick, Roger, Sara, and me at Lafayette BART; we met Stephanie down the road. Kurt is a newer member having ridden with David a few times but never on a club ride yet. Once we got on Reliez Valley Road riders slowly separated on this first climb. As I shifted to low gears, I suddenly heard metal-on-metal rattling. Rats, the chain had popped off and was stuck between the cassette and spokes. The plastic spoke protector experienced an unscheduled rapid disassembly and the indexing was now off as well. Rick double-backed and we managed to get the chain back on the cassette. No more shifting to the last gear or the chain will pop. We met up with the group and Stephanie at the turn onto Franklin Canyon Road. Big smiles and laughs, small cleanup of black grease.

Franklin Canyon is a charming climb. It’s a residential area mixed with front yard vineyards. A sugary, fermenting odor wafted in the air. Larry noted to Roger and me that this must be grapes drying into raisins. I chimed in that we three grew up in the Central Valley, which is raisin territory. We laughed and swapped tales about old local happenings there. I then watched Kurt up ahead miss the turn onto McEwen and yelled for him to return. More laughs. McEwen has a higher grade but not by much. It reminds me of Stage Road down in Pescadero and offers the spicy scent of wild sage that grows along the road. When the road began the quick descent, Rick zoomed by and Larry went after him. At the bottom of McEwen’s final 15% plunge, we took a sharp right to climb Carquinez Scenic Drive after waiting for Larry, who had taken a wrong turn. Thanks to Rick for thinking quickly and calling Larry by phone. Even more laughs. Carquinez Scenic Drive rides like a bigger sibling to Tiburon’s Paradise Drive, with water on one side and undulating climbers and rollers on the wheels. At one point we heard Amtrak down below heading into town on its way to Sacramento. Near downtown Martinez Kurt had a flat but quickly changed tubes. Larry’s battery-operated tire pump came in handy. Having a chill and collaborative group of cyclists makes a ride more enjoyable and safe.

When we got to downtown Martinez, we sure earned that cup of joe! Many other groups of cyclists were hanging out and Stephanie seemed to know a few. I happily chugged an icy cold-brew from my water bottle like a toddler with a sippy under the sun. David and Rick shortened the ride and returned to Lafayette while we continued westward on Alhambra Valley Road. After more dramatic bike-chain moments near Pig Farm Hill (with Kurt and Roger providing assistance), I was determined to finish strongly even if the bike was now functionally a low-gear fixie. This ride leader is covering the whole hog!

From the top of Pig Farm Hill I watched Roger zoom off and saw him next when he waited on Bear Creek Road. At the top of Mama Bear, I came to the group with Kurt fixing another flat. More laughs and club chats. I then watched each cyclist gradually pull away on the road, thankful that they’re with Stephanie while I’m playing catch-up. She’s a strong, experienced cyclist, a former ride coordinator, and a local who knows these roads well. We talked several times about co-leading a ride together, and now she’s the de-facto ride leader. While climbing the seemingly endless Papa Bear, I nearly slipped and stopped to steady. Once I began the rapid descent, I broke out into a big grin but then remembered that Baby Bear next is a small lump of steep bad ass. Imagine the elation when I crested that little twerp but then—clang!—the damn chain popped out of place.

At San Pablo Dam Road, we said farewell to Stephanie and headed toward Orinda. Kurt took BART home (exactly as I had intended for this option when I created the route, for backup and convenience) while Nancy, Sara, Larry, Roger, and I grabbed a quick meal. Nancy and Sara got ready to leave while we boys continued to chew and I mentioned to them that could they could take BART one station over to Lafayette if they had driven in. “Nah, no thanks.” Their composure said they knew a thing or two about challenging rides and they took off. Roger, Larry, and I followed shortly and returned to Lafayette where this fun, high-intensity ride began. Unexpected circumstances and contingencies conspired but failed to derail our plans.

Haha, we’re back and we’ll keep coming back.
–Chris Chiang

Ed. Ride host Chris Chiang recounts how his ride went on Saturday, November 1.

Redwood-Norris loop is a route I’ve been looking forward to ride. Tony had originally posted it on short notice back in May but I wasn’t able to make it then. I had an inkling that since it starts in the East Bay on the eastern side of the Caldecott Tunnel and runs for almost 50 miles and 3,000 feet, it would attract a special group of riders open to new experiences. Long story short today’s ride was fan-damn-tastic especially with Cathy, Larry, and Peter onboard! (Poor Rick called in sick so we’ll see about making it up in the future.)

The morning was foggy and dreary but my mood lightened up when I saw sunshine and blue sky on the other side of the Caldecott. From Orinda we took an easy pace through Moraga and turned onto Pinehurst Road. The climb was consistent and moderate as Peter and I commented about how Cathy and Larry effortlessly moved ahead with the former having announced earlier that she’s expected to be slow and the latter being a newer cyclist finally hitting his stride.

When we descended to Redwood Road, I noted about the road being on sport car enthusiasts’ radar so we should be alert. A few loud motorcyclists and sport cars zoomed by but maintained respectful distance throughout the length of Redwood Road. The climb happens in three stages with the third being the steepest. After the descent—be careful of potholes!—we stopped by Redwood Canyon Golf Course for a quick refuel and restroom break. This is a nice public golf course popular with passing cyclists and people have always been courteous and friendly from my previous stops. The nice golfer who took our group picture asked about our ride and mentioned about doing the Headlands on following day. When I told him of the sidewalk closure on the GGB for an event, he quickly said he’ll head for San Bruno mountain instead on his mountain bike. All the fellow cyclists you get to meet when you go beyond your usual comfort zone!

Leaving Castro Valley Peter and I took the wrong turn based on some internal glitch within RWGPS. After a course adjustment, we were then underway onto Crow Canyon Road. This is a fairly utilitarian regional road used by commuters to and from the San Ramon Valley. Surprisingly there was quite a bit of Saturday traffic. When the bike lane ended and the road narrowed, we moved cautiously in single file with me at the back with red blinking lights until the turn to Norris Canyon Road. Peter noted the newer pavement here. It’s mostly quiet and under tree canopy which would be so welcoming on a warm summer day. It starts at moderate grade but has two short stretches that go up to 10% as if to tease what’s to come. On the final climb I saw the canopy giving way to blue sky up ahead and I pushed to conquer that finishing 10%. At the top the road flattens with rolling pastures and farms on both sides. We took some selfies and were all smiles, amazed at how the big climb seemed far less taxing than expected.

After the descent and roll through the suburbs, we arrived for lunch at Sultan’s Kebab in Danville, another delightful and reliable go-to from Tony. Peter and Cathy got the combo (chicken and lamb) shawarma salad, Larry got the chicken, and I got the lamb. For my dish the dressing was tangy and the meat was smokey and gamey, just what lamb kebab should be. We lingered a bit and chatted while Peter ordered Turkish coffee and dessert. On the return we took the Iron Horse Trail instead of Danville Boulevard. The street route from Walnut Creek to Orinda seemed a bit long on a full tummy with some unexpected climbs and turns but Peter expertly navigated us back to Orinda BART. This route is a definite keeper for the adventurous.

—Chris Chiang

Ride Leader Kate Dresher sends in this report on last Sunday’s ride to Stinson Beach:

Four riders—Nancy, William aka Milo, Darrell, and I—tackled the Mill Valley-Stinson Beach loop, returning via the climb to Pantoll Camp out of Stinson. It was a gorgeous ride, pedaling into and out of fog several times during the morning. Weather was superb—nice mix of cooler temps on the hills and the warmth of the sun shining in clear skies elsewhere. We considered shortening the ride when we arrived at a somewhat foggy Four Corners on the way out—to avoid possible pea-soup conditions along the coast between Muir Beach and Stinson—and are so glad we didn’t! Gorgeous day, fun outing and a great hill workout. No pictures were taken of the group. Oops! I think Milo took some vids of the fog….

Ride leader Chris Chiang submitted this report on last Saturday’s Mt. Diablo ride.

On this inaugural Spicy Saturday ride Kevin, Peter, and I formed a mighty trio as we aimed for Mount Diablo Junction. I put the ride together last minute when the day became vacant without a club ride. I was relieved that both Kevin and Peter joined to keep me honest and committed to the ride and thought it was phenomenal with just two-day notice. They’re both good riders and pretty chill road companions. From Pleasant Hill BART we made an easy and efficient pedal. At the North Gate ranger booth, we stopped to chat with the ranger to confirm road and weather conditions. There have been online chatters about certain ranger(s) issuing tickets to cyclists for seemingly technical and minor infractions. We did our best to establish rapport and flash some pearly whites before getting underway.

The climb is no joke and there are 8-12% sections right from the start. Kevin, being the superstar climber, pulled away like a little billy goat while Peter and I focused on our own rides. We passed multiple cyclists and were passed by others. There was hardly a single car as the day begins to warm. The road is narrow for two-lane traffic with moderate cracks in places and no shoulders.  There are bike pullouts in places which cyclists are expected to use to allow trailing vehicles pass. A-okay and no problem. But it was also at a bike pullout where a cyclist got ticketed for not hand-signaling the return/merge back to the traffic lane. Apparently that ranger followed the cyclist and issued the citation even though there was a hundred feet or more separating them with no effect to any flowing traffic. Not even a warning, but a ticket!

I took plenty of water breaks while Peter passed me. I then passed him for the next few turns. We kept up this game of leapfrog until Kevin descended to us about a mile from the Junction after getting there himself. This time of year is Mount Diablo’s tarantula mating season. Male spiders from four to seven years of age leave the safety of their burrows to look for female spiders, including crossing the road. Someone showed Kevin a male spider and helped it gingerly to the other side safely. Typically the male dies in the winter after mating while the female lays eggs and get to live up to 25 years.  The female might even kill and eat the male after mating especially if she’s hungry! If I were a tarantula, I’d gratefully be a fabulous gay one that safely climbs uphill to meet with my buddies.

Kevin showed us a rest stop with water spigot a quarter mile from the Junction. We then made a beeline to the Junction for some selfies and more hearty laughs about the poor male spiders. The descent was cautious but efficient as Kevin stopped to take pictures of Peter and me going downhill.  When we were near the bottom where Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard widens and begins to flatten, we each instinctively accelerated and started spinning. Peter chasing Kevin, and me behind responding, us laughing about the seemingly easy effort when we stopped at traffic lights.

We arrived at Lunardi’s in Danville in what seemed like 30 minutes, but…er…probably closer to 40. Kevin’s husband, Christian, joined us there and we had a quick meal together. Lucky Kevin then got in the car with hubby to spend the day with family. Peter and I decided to go off the planned route and just ride leisurely down the Iron Horse Trail. This is the nicer part of the Trail because it’s in between established residential area and mostly under the shade. We returned to Pleasant Hill BART a little past 2 PM.  A quite enjoyable few hours on a Saturday with no worries to optimize weekend plans or commodify experience.  Spicy climb indeed, and that’s why we ride.

TLDR: Same route, different refreshment.

“We forgot to take a photo!” Chris blurted out at the end of our little Ladies Who Lunch confab. So sorry, you will all have to settle for words, probably too many of them and of slight import to boot. But occasionally quantity does not belie quality–you be the judge.

It’s become a formula: start in downtown Lafayette and head up the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail to Moraga Common and back, then relax and enjoy some food and maybe an adult beverage of the hoppy kind. That last meal to Tutu’s had me thinking of doing a repeat but I also wanted to try someplace different. This time we ended our ride at Batch & Brine, which is just around the corner from Tutu’s and the Lafayette Public House.

It was the usual East Bay crowd: Roger and me, Lamberto and Joe, and Chris. Joining us this time were Kevin, a brand new member hailing from Seattle, and our club president Stephen. Kevin moves fast in more than one sense. While flying down here from Seattle for an extended work assignment he joined Different Spokes! He’s a member of Outspoken, the newish Seattle/San Diego LGBTQ club. Stephen intended to join us a couple of months ago but punted when he got too busy. This time he managed to show but minus the bike, so he met us just for the post-ride meal. Kevin on the other hand had to take off for a meeting so he couldn’t hang out over a meal. (Or, at least that’s the story he told us… maybe he’d had enough of us. Talk about hooking up!)

Although I didn’t get a chance to converse with Kevin more—he was up ahead most of the time and I was at the back—he did tell me he was relishing the Bay Area weather because Seattle is moving quickly into winter. I didn’t tell him that this wasn’t exactly normal. It has been an unusually mild summer and early October often brutalizes us with raging heat, which may be great for taking in Fleet Week and the JR but also can be a gruesome hurrah for raging wildfires. I expect we’ll see more of him on club rides unless he’s kidnapped by the ALC crowd.

When I greeted Kevin at the start he said he’d just met Stephen on BART coming over. Huh? Just an hour before Stephen had told me he couldn’t make the ride but would come afterwards. Yet he was already in Lafayette? A mystery. When we met Stephen after the ride, he said he decided to come over to inspect Lafayette, a burb he’s never been to. I suspect a lot of SF Spokers rarely set foot in any of the Contra Costa communities except on a club ride. That brought back a chuckling memory. (WARNING: club history dead ahead!) Back in the 1980s a particularly vitriolic hate organization, Lou Sheldon’s Traditional Values Coalition, was active in the Walnut Creek area. The Reverend Lou got his start with Anita Bryant saving children from evil homosexual men and lesbian gym teachers who preyed upon America’s youth. Lou started his own organization and a chapter promptly popped up in Walnut Creek. Back then Contra Costa was a red state. Pretty much everything east of the Caldecott was conservative. Club rides out here were jokingly referred to as secret forays into enemy territory ‘to gather intel’ despite the fact that Contra Costa was crawling with gay people who just weren’t as visible as the ‘newsworthy’ freaks paraded on TV every Gay Pride. Walnut Creek must have been a den of iniquity with its two rather non-discreet gay bars at that time.

We started the ride an hour earlier because the days are shortening quickly and we didn’t want folks to have to bring lights. Plus, it’s just safer to ride in broad daylight. The jaunt up the trail was a bit busier this time but not at all crowded. I ended up at the back talking with Joe all the way up. We did a quick turn-around at Moraga Common and zoomed back down arriving at Batch & Brine with plenty of daylight. By the way if you haven’t been on the trail yet, I highly recommend it. The Iron Horse Trail gets all the glam attention yet there are actually several rails-to-trails in Contra Costa that are a soothing getaway from traffic. The LMT is, in my opinion, the nicest and has the most rural ambiance of them all.

Although Roger and I had eaten lunch at Batch & Brine before, we weren’t sure how crowded it might be after work. It turns out Lamberto and Joe also had eaten there once when they couldn’t find another place that was open and they thought it was pretty good. Our fear was unfounded: it wasn’t crowded at all and we were able to grab a set of tables on the front patio without any problems and with our bikes parked right next to us. That’s when Kevin had to go to his meeting.

It was another long dinner that ended well after the sun had set. We didn’t leave until almost 8 PM. Roger and I got the fish & chips, Chris got a fried onion blossom, Lamberto the ribs, and Stephen an ahi tuna bowl. Joe had what I should have gotten, eggplant with curried lentils. It all looked great when it arrived. Unfortunately Roger didn’t like his fish and chips whereas I thought they were a solid “B”: the fish was cooked just right and the batter wasn’t soaked with oil. This time no one got dessert. Hmm.

This was another atypical Spoker meal confab: not a word was mentioned about club business or goings-on. Instead the conversation veered off into family histories; what growing up Catholic was like in the “old days”; why parent’s don’t raise their kids bilingually; dialect variation in France, Japan, and Italy; “world Spanish” versus Castilian; ex-pat life in Panama, segregation in New England; and cycling in Taiwan. Whew! There was a time when Spoker conversations unerringly ended up on three topics: club happenings, juicy gossip, and bikes. Times have changed. Or have we?

Daylight Savings Time ends on November 2. So the next Happy Hour in the East Bay will likely be next March or April after we’re back on DST. I’m thinking we may start in Walnut Creek next time to ride one of the other MUPs. On the other hand there’s a Filipino restaurant in Lafayette that might be a good place to end the ride. Stay tuned!

A report from Nancy Levin, the ride leader of today’s ride:

Super fun ride today. It felt like a big hug to SF – from the bay to the ocean, to the Presidio and Twin Peaks, lots of coastline and views. The ride was just listed a few days ago but five of us signed up including Al and his young son Elliot, who just got his cool Trek road bike a month ago. Hats off to Elliot for his great attitude and strong cycling! What a climber. Larry and Chris rounded out the fabulous fivesome. 
After we made our way from Peet’s down to the bay, it was a tourist’s delight. We enjoyed the views of the bay while cruising by a marina, the Valkyries and Warriors arena (aka Chase Center) and Giants (aka Oracle) stadium, past the bustling Ferry Building, down to Ghirardelli Square, then to Fort Mason and Crissy field, with a snack at the warming hut and a “money shot” in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a reminder of why so many people visit S.F.  We took in the close-up of the bridge at the Fort Point turnabout and began the climbing part of the ride into the Presidio. After regrouping at the Legion of Honor (that darn hill!), we headed towards Lands End and a spectacular view of Ocean Beach heading down from the Cliff House. We deviated from the route a bit, stopping at Java Beach Café rather than Java Beach at the Zoo. After lunches of bagel+cream cheese+bacon, ice cream+ hot coffee, and wrap sandwiches, father and son headed towards home, and Larry, Chris and Nancy made their way to Vicente and the slow gradual climb to West Portal and the grind up Ulloa. Whew. Then a coda up Twin Peaks (where the leader somehow lost track of the guys). But all got home, safe and sound.

This was the second time that Roger and I offered our Happy Hour in the East Bay ride. By club standard’s it’s an outlier of a ride because it’s quite short—just ten miles, takes place midweek, and barely after work hours. Oh, and it’s in the East Bay rather than San Francisco and by “East Bay” I don’t mean Oakland or Berkeley but the other East Bay, i.e. the other side of the Berkeley/Oakland hills. Not a lot of Spokers live east of Berkeley and if you drive over there’s a congested tunnel you have to drive through if you do want to enjoy the best of Contra Costa. (More the reason to take BART…if you can squeeze you and your bike into a train car!)

This ride was originally offered as a lark. Is it that hard to post a post-work ride or gathering? Nobody since Aaron and to some extent the late Will Bir has done it with some regularity. There have been occasional one-off attempts. So I thought we’d give it a try. Kind of a demo—see, anyone can do it. That’s kind of what we did with our Social A Rides a decade ago: throw something up on the wall and see what sticks.

Last month there were five of us and this month there were the exact same five! I guess we’re the “Outsiders”. Lamberto and Joe live in Contra Costa, as do Roger and I, and it’s easy for them to make their way to Lafayette for a ride. Chris is from the other side of the hills but a BART ride over is all it takes for him to join us.

The ride was the same as last month: start at the Lafayette Public House, go up the Lamorinda trail to Moraga Common, and then turn around and head back for post-ride refreshment. Unlike last month it was hot—90F at 5:30 PM when we left. In other words it was a typical summer day in Contra Costa during a surprisingly atypical summer in which this was only the second heat wave. Unlike last time when the trail was well populated, it was quiet and mostly deserted and that allowed us to move a bit more quickly.

The Lamorinda Trail—officially, the Lafayette Moraga Regional Trail—is my favorite local ride. It’s a rails-to-trails multi-use path that despite being well-used is great for a relaxing ride. When Roger and I want to get in a quick and easy ride, this is where we go. The trail climbs very gently up to St. Mary’s College and down to Moraga Common.

Last time we had an ad hoc confab at the restrooms at Moraga Common—not that kind of “confab”!—that had us getting back to the Public House late. We were so lost in gabbing that time got away from us. Because sunset is coming earlier we were more cognizant of getting our business done and then heading back. Even though we did gab a bit, we were able to make good time down the trail since it was so devoid of the usual walkers, doggers, and fellow cyclists. Plus, it’s a gentle downhill almost all the way back.

Back at the Public House we were greeted by a huge group of women with name tags. It looked like two groups of refugees from “Sex and the City” were holding court and hogging most of the outdoor tables. Lamberto went inside and reported back that the sole server/barista/bartender was holding the fort against a long line of customers. Time for plan B: we jumped across the street to Tutu’s, which also has outdoor tables. We immediately snagged a table where we could conveniently watch our bikes.

Tutu’s used to one of the Chows. Maybe you recall Chow? This tiny chain had four restaurants. The first was at Church and Market just around the corner from where I used to live. The owners opened another one in the Inner Sunset and then two over the East Bay, one in Danville and in Lafayette. Chow crumbled about ten years ago for unknown reasons. But the Lafayette Chow was, I understand, sold to its employees who mostly kept it the same—the organic market, the menu, the vibe, and the look. The only thing substantial that changed was the name.

This turned out to be a fortuitous turn of events because although the Lafayette Public House has a really nice biergarten feel and the food is decent, it closes early being mainly a breakfast/lunch venue and the menu is limited. Tutu’s on the other hand does a real dinner service and the menu has a variety of comfort food. Oh, and they do fish really well and it’s almost always my go-to choice. We got there just in time because within 15 minutes the outdoor tables went from less than half-filled to brimming with eager diners.

Our casual post-ride refreshment turned into a two-hour dinner. Chris got the lamb burger—the “Silence of the Lambs” fav—which is always a good choice; Roger got the Cobb salad—they do an excellent version ; I got the petrale sole, natch’; and Joe and Lamberto both got pasta dishes. They also got real post-ride “refreshment” aka beer. Hey, we weren’t riding anymore and they were gonna catch BART back to Walnut Creek so no harm, no foul.

Our ride and dinner conversations were one of the more wide ranging ones I’ve had in a long while. Joe and Lamberto recently got back from a two-week road trip in the Southwest; Joe got new cycling shoes that he was trying out on this very ride. Other topics included: getting the latest Covid shot, the number of older men who are coming out later in life; the pros and cons of revocable trusts and wills; touring Taiwan; gluten intolerance; prediabetes; Filipino restaurants in Lafayette (there’s only one); real versus dumbed down Chinese restaurants (cough PF Chang’s cough), the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in Davis; cycling in the Delta; and pet insurance. Was there any talk about the club? Strangely enough, almost none.

It was very dark by now. Then our very helpful waitperson naturally offered us dessert. Despite their best efforts to eat better, J&L requested a raspberry crumble. With a lot of ice cream. Some people just can’t skip dessert! After it arrived they offered some of it to us, which we declined despite its very appealing nature. Whoever said “nothing tastes as good as the way thin feels” was obviously demented.

That was one enjoyable ride and dinner.

Next month we’re starting an hour earlier, at 4:30 PM instead of 5:30 PM and starting just down the street at Batch & Brine instead. Or maybe we should go back to Chow- I mean, Tutu’s…

I developed a hip injury almost three months ago that has mostly kept me off the bike. I tried selling my soul like Dorian Gray but I got a bum deal: not only is the picture hideously aging but so am I. The record of my sins is in every niggling overuse injury I seem to be incurring with increasing rapidity the older I become. I finally got into PT and am making progress and the pain is diminishing. So what better than to lead a club ride and thereby either proclaim my miraculous youthful recovery or reveal the broke-ass nature of my old body, one or the other?

Relatively last minute I picked a ride I like, wasn’t long, and didn’t have much climbing: head out on Cañada Road on a Bicycle Sunday and then loop through Portola Valley and back. Roger is also slowly getting back into shape after a crash and broken collar bone in late spring. Cathy, Nancy, and Roger S. deigned to accompany us. Ironically Cañada Road and Portola loop were my “Tiburon loop” when I lived in the Midpeninsula to the point that it became boring just like the Tib loop when I lived in SF. I haven’t lived in the Palo Alto area since the very early 80s and every ride down there has now happily recovered its luster. I relish every chance I get to get over a bridge quickly and do a ride in my old stomping grounds.

If you’ve done this venerable route before, you understand its appeal. Woodside and Portola Valley have “semi-rural” environs. So even though you’re actually riding through a suburb, it doesn’t feel like it, or at least it doesn’t feel like your typical suburb with nicely trimmed green front lawns and houses lined up on the street like bowling pins. Most everything is concealed amidst trees and back roads giving you the false impression that no one lives there. Anyway it’s generally nice and at times feels like being out in the faux countryside. And they sure haven’t changed much in 55 years, which is remarkable for the Bay Area. (Because $$$$!)

Bicycle Sunday didn’t begin until just before I moved to San Francisco in 1982. I remember doing one of those very first Bicycle Sundays and what a crowd it drew. The idea of closing off what was a major thoroughfare for the hippie granola riffraff was like opening wide the asylum doors; everybody was there—skaters, bikes of every kind, xc skiers, walkers, buggies, you name it as long as it didn’t have an engine. Things have calmed down a lot over the years but Bicycle Sunday still brings out the masses just not in moshpit quantities anymore. It was pretty sedate when we started off. By the looks of things—the large number of cars parked at the north end—there were a lot of cyclists. But it sure didn’t look or feel like it was a typical bike event being fairly quiet. After a quick pit stop at the Pulgas Water Temple we headed south deep in conversation. Nancy and I gabbed about lubricant…bike lubricant! and the pros and cons of oil and wax. We also talked about loss and how long it takes to recover, i.e. a lot longer than everyone else thinks it should. I also quickly realized in talking with Nancy about chain maintenance that it’s been a slow, downward slide in my enthusiasm and diligence in taking care of the bikes. I used to clean off my bikes after every ride. Not anymore. That train left the station a long time ago. Hearing squeaky or crunchy sounds is the whip it takes for me to do anything about my chain and even then my declining hearing is helping me ignore that as well. Next I’ll be living in a van down by the river.

Chatting with Cathy I learned that the day before she did a metric century in the same area, the Tour de Menlo. I’d never heard of it. It’s run by the Menlo Park Rotary and the metric does most of what we were riding today. My curiosity piqued, I made note to include it in the list of centuries for 2026 and I sure hope Roger and I can do it then. Cathy observed that although the ride was great, the food was not. Whether it was due to inexperience in putting on a bike ride, or the intention of putting on a minimalesque event, the food provided sounded like the results of a pro forma trip to Costco. Eventually these nonprofits like Rotary and Lion’s Club, which are turning to bike events to fund their charity fundraising, are going to realize that if you want a good turnout (= $$$), you’d better provide good food. There are enough good centuries out there with great food that phoned it in is not going to cut it these days especially when you’re charging $85. I like to support good charities but if your event sucks, why don’t you just forego the hassle of putting on an event and just beg for $85? It’s like buying ABC cards from the Deaf guy on BART: here’s the money, keep the manual alphabet card and go away, please.

Roger S. and I got to share our latest medical ailments. That’s what happens when you old. All that coy gay banter about hunky boys and fabulous parties is replaced by commiserating about your gradually failing body.

After a really nice roll through Portola Valley—it was sunny and the temperature was perfect—we zoomed down Alpine to Amigo’s Grill. This is quickly replacing Robert’s as my preferred stop on the Portola loop. Robert’s is okay if you want to pick up something really quick and rush out. But stopping for a proper lunch is definitely the way to go. (Touring habits die hard.) The Ladera Shopping Center has other places to eat including a somewhat pricey Greek place and a bistro. It also has “Konditorei”, which should be a bakery, but instead sells bagels (huh??) and sandwiches. Not a cake in sight. Maybe we’ll try it out some day despite the misnomer. Amigo’s is a Mex place with reasonably priced lunch choices given that it’s in a luxe suburb. When the rent is high, there is no such thing as a budget Mex restaurant, so I’m not complaining! Going in to order, the regulars were pinned to the bar counter watching a football game. Not a bad place to watch sports and get restaurant quality noshes so you can forego the Cheetos and potato chips. Cathy, Nancy, and I opted for the usual midride go-to: a burrito. They were of course huge. (Is there any other size?) Roger got a quesadilla with what looked like a homemade tortilla. Roger S. got a huge, sizzling mound of fajitas. The odor of the crackling meat set off my carnivore gene and I was beginning to regret my choice of a veggie burrito.

Lunchtime conversation veered about: upcoming trips, riding with “mainstream” (=non-LGBTQA+) cycling clubs, where we buy bike clothes–is the Pearl Izumi outlet store really closed??, the OPP, watching the Vuelta on TV, why club kit is less than fetching, etc. Hearing remarks about what it’s like to ride with straight cycling clubs made me laugh because ten years ago Chris Contos was blaming the dwindling membership of the club on the world being post-gay, i.e. we’re so accepted by the straight world that gay clubs don’t matter anymore. Yeah, right. Then I hear about being harassed by members of straight clubs by thoughtless—or maybe intentional—verbal macro-aggressions. I was sorry to hear it but glad to have Different Spokes to ride with. You should too. The world is still fucked even here in the “enlightened” Bay Area. If I hear another clueless remark about us being post-gay I’m going to scream.

Most clubs are probably like us in having no written or even understood code of conduct and this is what you get. You do know we don’t have a code of conduct, right? Maybe we should. Back in the day there was an infamous ‘fish’ comment made by a male Spoker at a Decide ’n Ride that horribly offended some women attendees. I’d like to say it set off an uproar. But my recollection was that nothing much happened. That he didn’t like women members was patently obvious and he took multiple opportunities to voice his opinion. Instead of being talked to or expelled he was allowed to wallow in the disdain and snubbing that ensued. No concrete action was taken as I recall but he did stop coming to Decide ’n Rides (or at least the ones I attended). What a jerk. And the club at the time was wondering why we didn’t have more female members. Yeah, of course you want to hang with a club that has members who actively hate you. What a nice way to feel welcomed.

After a long lunch break we waddled over to our bikes and headed down Alpine to Menlo Park. Cathy and I had managed to inhale our burritos but Nancy being wiser ate only half of hers. I’m not sure how Roger S. survived his mountain of fajitas. We needed to get going or else I was going succumb to food coma. Down Alpine we went past where I used to live—it was a hippie dump but it’s now the site of a trophy home. We also discovered since the last time we rode here that Santa Cruz Avenue and Alameda de las Pulgas are getting some love. Not only are they repaved but they are putting in bike lanes. The usual return route is to head up Sand Hill and then up Whiskey Hill. I actually like riding up Sand Hill, which is actually two hills, but you then have to avoid the cars accelerating across your path to enter I-280. Alameda de las Pulgas to Woodside Road has fewer cars (and fewer cyclists). Instead you get one longer uphill on Woodside Road back to the center of town.

As usual the northward leg on Cañada Road had a headwind. No one was in a hurry so it didn’t matter. Bicycle Sunday was still in effect but there were hardly any cyclists in mid-afternoon. We were back at the cars before 2:30 PM and more gabbing ensued before finally saying our goodbyes. Nice day, great company, good food, and my hip didn’t hurt. I call that a win on all fronts.

Ten Spokers headed out to roam the roads of the Marin Headlands last Saturday. What follows is the recap from Kate Dresher, one of the ride leaders.

“The ride was good. We all rode together (with regroup spots) to the top of first planned Hawk Hill summit. Then folks proceeded in mini-groups or by themselves based on route preferences. There were lots of individual preferences so I’m not sure how many subsets there ended up being. No one rode the double Hawk Hill option. Chetan, Milo (William) and I did Battery/Rodeo Road loop and climbed back up McCullough. At the crest where the traffic circle is, there wasn’t any interest in doing a second Hawk Hill climb. Nancy, Cathy, Anish, Chetan and I all finished at Peet’s—and four of us had a fun lunch at Duboce Park Cafe afterwards.”

But…Chris chimes in: “If inquiring minds wanted to know…I did the double Hawk Hill to the peak again and turned for home after getting to the traffic circle on McCullough.” So there!

A cool, scenic bike ride that’s not too long, not too short; hanging with the Spokerati; then a delicious post-ride lunch al fresco–sounds like a great day to me! See you all on the next Different Spokes ride!