Easter Sunday Mt Tam Sunrise Ride
- Thread starter SFMCjohn
- Start date
two wheel tramp
exploring!
:thumbup
two wheel tramp
exploring!
I'm trying to talk DOC2416 into joining.
SFMCjohn
13
:thumbup
artyIt was amazing. My breath was literally taken away by the beauty.
... weather’s supposed to be good ...
maybe you’ll ride the new 250cc single ...? :toothless
:ride
two wheel tramp
exploring!
Mission accomplished. :cool
Rumbo Sur
learning everyday
I was curious about the current status of the Easter Morning Ride. For years, Mean Marshall Elhers was the very unofficial ride leader and reluctantly made arrangements with the Park Service to open up the gates early.
Marshall passed on these duties to others at some point ... and of course to honor him, RIP Mean Marshall. I will never forget you!
I know organizing duties changed hands ... lost track as I haven't been up there since late 90's. So who is doing it now? And what is the current gate fee?
Bit of History ... as I remember it ...
Got a bit crowded in the hey day, with 300 to 400 riders showing up. :wow
Usually a fair number of non local Noobs falling off in the Fog and on slick wet roads. Quite a spectacle. Many riders tried to ride from their favorite bar up to the top on Mt. Tam, still half in the bag! :laughing
Also, many very new riders who had never much ridden a "real" twisty road would crash or run off the road on the way up. :ride
In the early days Marshall always pushed more for a Vintage Brit bike sort of affair, but was open to Vintage Euro bikes as well. (if you ever saw Mean's Mercedes collection you'd understand his love for all things teutonic) Lots of "Vintage" BMW's, DKW's, NSU, Urals and a few other obscure marks would show up.
Then, sometime in the late 80's, the ride went wide open, with even the Sunday Morning Ride showing up. In a few years it was mostly all Japanese bikes with maybe 25% Vintage bikes (and beaters) remaining.
I Also remember some serious collectors would ride their precious bikes for their once a year (or so) outing. Saw (and heard) some very rare bikes, mostly British of course. Some true show stoppers. Ariel Square Four, Nimbus, Ancient BSA singles, AJS, Triumphs .. all rode up there. (bring tools)
I haven't been in years ... what's it like now? :mm4l
Marshall passed on these duties to others at some point ... and of course to honor him, RIP Mean Marshall. I will never forget you!
I know organizing duties changed hands ... lost track as I haven't been up there since late 90's. So who is doing it now? And what is the current gate fee?
Bit of History ... as I remember it ...
Got a bit crowded in the hey day, with 300 to 400 riders showing up. :wow
Usually a fair number of non local Noobs falling off in the Fog and on slick wet roads. Quite a spectacle. Many riders tried to ride from their favorite bar up to the top on Mt. Tam, still half in the bag! :laughing
Also, many very new riders who had never much ridden a "real" twisty road would crash or run off the road on the way up. :ride
In the early days Marshall always pushed more for a Vintage Brit bike sort of affair, but was open to Vintage Euro bikes as well. (if you ever saw Mean's Mercedes collection you'd understand his love for all things teutonic) Lots of "Vintage" BMW's, DKW's, NSU, Urals and a few other obscure marks would show up.
Then, sometime in the late 80's, the ride went wide open, with even the Sunday Morning Ride showing up. In a few years it was mostly all Japanese bikes with maybe 25% Vintage bikes (and beaters) remaining.
I Also remember some serious collectors would ride their precious bikes for their once a year (or so) outing. Saw (and heard) some very rare bikes, mostly British of course. Some true show stoppers. Ariel Square Four, Nimbus, Ancient BSA singles, AJS, Triumphs .. all rode up there. (bring tools)
I haven't been in years ... what's it like now? :mm4l
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sckego
doesn't like crashing
Not sure about 'everybody', but there's been a large group at Tam Junction, 5am-ish departure, I think.
SFMCjohn
13
Hey Rumbo Sur and sgrant914,
... I try to be at the Arco Station at Tam Junction around 5am ...
think people start riding up around 5:30am ...
... we’ll see if the gate is unlocked this year ... :laughing
... the best view east is a 15 min walk up to
the watch tower and the sun is supposed to
rise at 6:55am tomorrow ...
... not sure who has taken up the thankless
task of calling the ranger to try to have the gate open ...
Pay up! :ride
... here’s a pic of the pay station in 2014 ...
can’t remember if it’s $8 or $10 now,
think I just put in a $20 last year ...
arty... I’d guess there were 200 bikes last
year, and maybe 30 vintage bikes ...
... when everything comes together
this ride is still a gathering of the clans
and enchanting, and I suppose the risk
that the fog will roll in or that the gate
will be locked makes it that much sweeter
when everything works ... :toothless
... weather report still looks good ... :thumbup
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nomi
Hoon
OK maybe that’s a bit much, 2500.
two wheel tramp
exploring!
I'd say we probably had about 200 bikes there.
SFMCjohn
13
... set my alarm for 4am, and rode over to
Market and Van Ness from Berkeley ...
met up at the 24 hour doughnut shop at Market/Van Ness/Oak ...
... met up with some of the usual suspects at 4:45am ... :ride
... Market and Van Ness ...
... wound up with five riders at 5:05am ...
arty
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