Ride Sunday 3/31 - Options

[MrCrash]

Anyone interested in something a little different for this weekend?

I was thinking the following options are available:

1. Marin to Bodega to Skaggs
2. Berryessa to Clearlake
3. Calaveras to Palomares to Redwood to Grizzly
4. Hamilton to Del Puerto, back via Patterson Pass
5. The same Pescadero / Bonny Doon / Highway 9 loop that Hooligan has been doing for the past decade

I'd throw a 6. Highway 25 out, Carmel Valley back loop in there as well, but I'm likely doing that in a separate ride with another group before the weekend arrives.

- Mike

 

[jkd]

I'll take a #3, super-sized, with a coke!

Although any one of those sounds fun. I'm kinda new to this area, so I'm not intimately familiar with these roads. So I won't ride really fast (like i could anyway :rolleyes )...what skill/pace do you guys usually go?

 

[theSteveCo]

I'm partial to option #5... I'm still trying to stick to familiar roads while I learn to feel the new bike in the turns.

 

[MrCrash]

Yeah, Hamilton / Del Puerto / Patterson are roads in the South Bay which lead out to I-5. Calaveras / Palomares / Redwood / Grizzly are all in the east bay hills, fairly close to civilization.

I try to avoid Highway 9 or Highway 1 in Marin on weekends, and the East Bay hills as well. Too many overaggressive riders, crashes as a result of that overaggressive riding, and too great of a police presence as well. Skaggs is reaching the same levels of notoriety, I often skip it as well when I'm in the North Bay. I'm still more than happy to lead groups up that way to experience what many consider to be the best road in California, but with the negative attention it has been getting, I do my best to keep it toned down. It's tricky on a stretch of road with a superficially low speed limit of 35 mph. The 25 mph speed limit on Redwood Road is almost as bad.

The presence of aggressive riders is a source of temptation. I'll typically be as aggressive as anyone in the face that kind of temptation, I figure my license and machinery will last longer if I can isolate myself from it. I'm not big on the feeling of Russian Roulette with my driving record that I used to always get when riding Skyline / 9 three days a week back in the mid 90s.

If we have enough people interested in 1 or 2, I'll throw some ideas / proposals in the air. Otherwise, I'll wait until we do have people interested in exploring territories a little more out of the way before trying to put something together.

- Mike

 

[magyarbetyar]

What time would we be leaving and returning. I work on Sundays at 3pm. If we can get backin time I might be interested in any of them.

 

[nolefturns]

I'm in if the route chosen is away from the Police attention and too overly aggressive riders. Let me know if that's happening and more details as Sunday approaches. Thanks.

 

[MrCrash]

I'll take a #3, super-sized, with a coke!

Although any one of those sounds fun. I'm kinda new to this area, so I'm not intimately familiar with these roads. So I won't ride really fast (like i could anyway :rolleyes )...what skill/pace do you guys usually go?

I do my own version of "The Pace" where my corner speed and aggression level is marginally higher than what is outlined, my body positioning and english can be best described as "animated". Typically I go JUST fast enough to skim a knee on the deck if I hang it out there. Straightaway speeds typically don't exceed 80 mph unless I'm in the middle of nowhere.

I rode Skaggs with some friends who were already doing track schools, we stayed in a pretty close bunch the whole way, the leader of the group was a bit ragged and riding at his limit. Shadowing him but not going fast enough to pass him cleanly, I saw him running hot and wide on corner entrances a couple of times.

I think he figured because we stayed close on that road that he might stay reasonably close to me on the track. Turned out I was 20-25 seconds a lap faster at the next Thunderhill date.

That 20-25 seconds over a fast street pace quantifies the margin of error I like to leave on the street. I'm not sure how else to classify my street pace.

- Mike

 

[theSteveCo]

I'm in if the route chosen is away from the Police attention and too overly aggressive riders. Let me know if that's happening and more details as Sunday approaches. Thanks.

CHEATER! No new posts w/o introducing yourself first! I won't welc:barfme you here 'cause that'd bastardize the thread... Get your anus over to newbies and say 'hi'!!

 

[alang]

I am not sure about the rest of you but I will be doing option 4. I however don't know what this Del puerto section in option 4. Mr.Crash if you could tell me what that is I will do that on Sunday.

I will probably being doing this myself because I don't think anyone likes Hamilton except for you Mr. Crash. If however someone would like to do this ride let me know.

 

[bushido]

I like doing MT. Hamilton too , I thought I'm the only that like that road.
I usually start on the Alum Rock side .

alzx6r if you want to hook up and ride there, check your mail.
Anyone else game with this route.

 

[alang]

AH yes, a fellow Isle of Ham rider. Bushido and I will be going this sunday any one else want to join us? ld-cool

If you have not done this ride it's worth it to try it once. There are some spots were the roads are liltte dirty but I or Bushido can give anyone who comes the heads up on what type roads are ahead. Besides being dirty there are some other places that are excellent to ride on. I will try and post a little write up on the road conditions up there since I rode there just last week.

 

[morthrane]

Why not do something like #3 and go for #1 or #2 afterwards?

Comeon, where are the ridin' fools around here?

 

[MrCrash]

Del Puerto splits off from the junction out to I-5. It's a little faster and smoother than everything else up there.

I'm going to be leading a ride with some newer riders out that way this Sunday, the pace will be significantly down on what I and most other riders will be doing. It's inevitable that I'll bump into someone I know either at the observatory or at the junction, if any of you see a turquoise ZX-6 with Yosh Slipons and a little Ohlins remote preload reservoir hanging on the rear fender, say hi

Al, where do you plan on meeting up for this ride? I'm trying to keep my group small and unintimidating for the newer riders, feel free to PM me if you don't want to make it public.

Morth, do you think the distance involved in your proposal might be a touch intimidating? Shoot, if little Megan on her Ninja 250 with all of a few weeks of backroad riding experience can do a 400 miler up to Skaggs (part of it in the dark), I'd think more people would be confident and capable of pulling it off *ahemSTEVE*



Looking forward to this weekend!

- Mike

 

[morthrane]

Morth, do you think the distance involved in your proposal might be a touch intimidating? Shoot, if little Megan on her Ninja 250 with all of a few weeks of backroad riding experience can do a 400 miler up to Skaggs (part of it in the dark), I'd think more people would be confident and capable of pulling it off *ahemSTEVE*
[/B]

Haaaahhahahahah

Megan's a menace to sportbiking ego. And male libido.

 

[hondagrl]

I am interested in coming along. I am not a fan of hwy 9 on the weekends, though. Too many intimidating CARS and bikes. I have about this much < > experience riding hills, so...

 

[theSteveCo]

Morth, do you think the distance involved in your proposal might be a touch intimidating? Shoot, if little Megan on her Ninja 250 with all of a few weeks of backroad riding experience can do a 400 miler up to Skaggs (part of it in the dark), I'd think more people would be confident and capable of pulling it off *ahemSTEVE*

:laughing Actually, the more I ride the Zook the less worried I am that I wouldn't be able to last on a long ride. I'm up for trying a long ride soon. Seems I suddenly have a lot of time on my hands.

BTW - I'm not going to be able to do any riding on Sunday. Be safe everyone, and have fun! :burnout

 

[Instance]

I spoke to Mr. Crash this morning after our Mountain Biking trip thingy and he said tomorrows ride will be perfect for beginner beginner beginners.......... Nice slow pace. I'll try to convince Vixen to go and I'll tag a long too. Vixen has been all freaked out because of all the people going down/dying from doing twisties lately.


Sooooooooooooooo...........

MIKE, whats the plan for sunday??????????

 

[rgk_126]

Mind if i tag along? I'm trying to ride as many different roads up here since i'm a newbie to the area. And a nice slow pace sounds perfect for a nice sunday afternoon.

 

[bushido]

Myself and alzx6r are meeting up at the shell gas station next to 680 at 10:30 if anyone is interested.

Well probably all meet somewhere along the way.
Why do I have a feeling that the whole day I'm going to be waving at a lot of bikers?

Its going to be a great day for riding .... no cops other than the park ranger and they've always looked the other way.

Ride safe

 

[nolefturns]

If the Sunday ride is still on and the details unveiled, who lives in or close by San Jose and wants to meet up in San Jose and ride to the meeting spot?

Perhaps Parking lot next to Chevron on Capitol Expwy and Silver Creek Rd close to the 101 highway? Meeting time will depend on how long it takes to ride to the other meeting spot, etc...