[Francis Cebedo]

Ok boys, I'm ready for a group ride. I want to see your ugly mugs again.

Time: 9am, Sunday, March 26
Place: Park n Ride parking lot at 280 and Page Mill.

Route: Arastadero, Portola Rd, OLH, 84 west, West Alpine, Page Mill.

Stats: 45 miles, 5000 ft climb, I think

This is one of the finest routes in the bay area. It also has some dangerous descents. We have to descend easy and ride 100% safe.

Who's in?

francois

 

[Woofer]

I just did that this morning. It's closer to 4000 feet. Road surface was *newly* poor in places on WOLH and some nice pavement on 84 is being torn up for some reason with a couple of cracks and bumps that didn't used to be out there now in place in one stretch. Sand from the snow days is still on Page Mill - seemed like very little decline from last Sunday, hopefully that will be swept.

 

[rensho]

One of my favorite rides. From the Park/ride, i only have 34mi and 3940ft.
Not sure if i can make it; already committed to a slow ride out in Uvas. We'll see.

 

[smw]

One of my favorite rides. From the Park/ride, i only have 34mi and 3940ft.
Not sure if i can make it; already committed to a slow ride out in Uvas. We'll see.

Ah c-mon rensho, we can car pool. Im in, dont know what it is about suffering that I seem to enjoy so much.

Sean

 

[bustamove]

we easily add more suffering

The peninsula has lots of hills worthy of climbing. We can detour up Haskins Hill for those hammerheads who don't think 4,000 feet of climbing is just not enough pain for one ride.

 

[smw]

The peninsula has lots of hills worthy of climbing. We can detour up Haskins Hill for those hammerheads who don't think 4,000 feet of climbing is just not enough pain for one ride.

Which way do the flat heads go?

 

[bustamove]

Turn left, up towards that small hill. It is only a half mile or so to the top.

You should only begin to worry if you see the beach and smell the ocean. Then we know you made a wrong turn.

 

[smw]

Turn left, up towards that small hill. It is only a half mile or so to the top.

You should only begin to worry if you see the beach and smell the ocean. Then we know you made a wrong turn.

Im hoping this ride is no more then Hamilton, or atleast close to that.

Sean

 

[bustamove]

Less total climbing, but in a shorter amount of distance.

A Mt. Hamilton ride (alone), up and down, is over 5,000 feet of climbing over the course of 40 miles. Mt. Hamilton may only be 4.200 feet, but those two valleys between the Alum Rock Ave and the observatory add to the total elevation gain.

Old La Honda and West Alpine have slightly steeper pitches, but you are not going to be climbing for two hours like your earlier Mt. Hamilton ride. You ride SS, which means this route is very doable for you. We might have to send you up Skyline Blvd, towards home, if you are not tired enough by the time you reach Hwy 35.

 

[robwh9]

Watch out on 84...

Ok boys, I'm ready for a group ride. I want to see your ugly mugs again.

Time: 9am, Sunday, March 26
Place: Park n Ride parking lot at 280 and Page Mill.

Route: Arastadero, Portola Rd, OLH, 84 west, West Alpine, Page Mill.

Stats: 45 miles, 5000 ft climb, I think

This is one of the finest routes in the bay area. It also has some dangerous descents. We have to descend easy and ride 100% safe.

Who's in?

francois

About half of the lane has sunk about 6 inches, forcing you out wide. Look out for cars coming from behind.

 

[smw]

Less total climbing, but in a shorter amount of distance.

A Mt. Hamilton ride (alone), up and down, is over 5,000 feet of climbing over the course of 40 miles. Mt. Hamilton may only be 4.200 feet, but those two valleys between the Alum Rock Ave and the observatory add to the total elevation gain.

Old La Honda and West Alpine have slightly steeper pitches, but you are not going to be climbing for two hours like your earlier Mt. Hamilton ride. You ride SS, which means this route is very doable for you. We might have to send you up Skyline Blvd, towards home, if you are not tired enough by the time you reach Hwy 35.

Ill be plenty tired, thanks though.

Sean

 

[johnny99]

A Mt. Hamilton ride (alone), up and down, is over 5,000 feet of climbing over the course of 40 miles. Mt. Hamilton may only be 4.200 feet, but those two valleys between the Alum Rock Ave and the observatory add to the total elevation gain.

Hamilton is less than 5000 feet. Those two valleys are only 100-200 feet each and the Alum Rock start is already a couple of hundred feet above sea level.

 

[Fr Ted Crilly]

Ok boys, I'm ready for a group ride. I want to see your ugly mugs again.

Time: 9am, Sunday, March 26
Place: Park n Ride parking lot at 280 and Page Mill.

Route: Arastadero, Portola Rd, OLH, 84 west, West Alpine, Page Mill.

Stats: 45 miles, 5000 ft climb, I think

This is one of the finest routes in the bay area. It also has some dangerous descents. We have to descend easy and ride 100% safe.

Who's in?

francois

Count me in. We're going to be riding "early season" pace, right?

Coming off the 280 at Page Mill, where is this park 'n' ride parking lot? It's too common for me to spend as much time figuring out the last 1/4 mile as I did the previous 15 miles.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

About half of the lane has sunk about 6 inches, forcing you out wide. Look out for cars coming from behind.

yes, yes. You're leading the way for us right?

francois

 

[Francis Cebedo]

Count me in. We're going to be riding "early season" pace, right?

Coming off the 280 at Page Mill, where is this park 'n' ride parking lot? It's too common for me to spend as much time figuring out the last 1/4 mile as I did the previous 15 miles.

Yes, easy pace. No drop ride unless folks want to bail.

Parking lot is right beside the freeway on the west side.

fc

 

[JAishima]

I should be there

Sounds like a good ride, I need to be climbing more hills. See you there!

 

[Number9]

Drats - didn't see this post until after I had already made other plans. Will be riding out to the coast and back with some friends from the office so I might run into you guys somewhere along the way.

Francois, you've got to organize these local road rides more than once a year or so! BTW, still owe you a ride in the supercharted Zanardi.

Derek, you doing Tierra Bella this year?

 

[bustamove]

Hope to see you on the road somewhere Sunday morning. Its a good possibility our paths will cross since we have a good size group rolling out.

No Tierra Bella for me this year since it conflicts with the Sea Otter Classic. I'll be in the MTBR booth helping Gregg and Francis all weekend.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

ride report

Sunday was a brilliant day. The best thing about cold, rainy days is they make you appreciate the good days more. Today is a road ride featuring some mtbr and roadbikereview members. The ride starts in Palo Alto, goes up and over Skyline Blvd and back to town. 40 miles and 4000 feet for today

My mileage will be a little longer as I decide to ride from home. Here's some supplies:

The steelman cross bike is ready. It's dirty and loves to play in the wet. Carbon Look bike don't play that.

This is what every roadie needs. It's a garage door keypad so you can ride from your doorstep and close the damn door.

15 miles, later, I meet up with the motley crew. Present were Derek, SMW, K-Max, Fr Ted Crilly, Jaishima and xxx

After Arastadero road and Portola Valley road comes the Old La Honda climb. Old La Honda is a special climb. It snakes through a canopy of trees with a gradual grade. Every climber in the area knows their time up OLH. Not today though.

After a break at Skyline blvd, we proceed on the west side of OLH and descend one of the most scenic roads in the area.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

Going up West Alpine road, the road is closed. It looks lie a car ran off the road. By the size of the police force, the accident is probably very serious. This messes up our route and we have to go back the way we came down. We'll then take Skyline south and down Page Mill
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6871.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6876.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6877.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6878.jpg">

Going up West OLH is not half bad
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6880.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6881.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6882.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6884.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6885.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6886.jpg">

Going down Page Mill is an e-ticket ride. The top is rough and sandy. The bottom is nicely paved and grippy.
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6887.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6888.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6889.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6890.jpg">

Mountain biking habits don't die... and rightfully so.
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6891.jpg">

I get home and the kids are biking and smiling. That's a good day.
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6892.jpg">
<img src="http://mtbr.com/author/photos/3-26-2006%20road%20ride/IMG_6894.jpg">

So there was a great ride. Four veteran roadies and three noobies had an absolute blast!!!

francois