The Wonderful World of Two-Wheel Transit

The LAST training ride.. nice long one on a coolish day. Stopped at Sharp Bicycles to get my front derailer adjusted one last time. The chain doesn't fall off now! I think that did it.

typical neighborhood ride, this time in the evening... AND the first time I had been on the bike in a couple weeks, after having had a very bad cold!

A very hard day in the saddle. Our first time doing Palomares Canyon with our new bikes.

We were joined by my elementary school friend, Mark Neilsen who I haven't seen in 20 years. Through Facebook, we realized we lived pretty close; he in Berkeley and us in Oakland. And it so happens that he's a big time cyclist, having always been an athlete (swimming and water polo in high school). He now is a massage therapist, and also teaches spin classes. Needless to say today's pace was a lot quicker than I think we bargained for. It knocked my off my stride a bit and made all 5432 feet of ascent a lot harder. We were averaging 14 miles per hour before the last part of the final climb back home.

My bike is still having some shifting problems. Even though I got a new chain and front derailleur, it needs further adjustment as the chain can easily drop off the big chain ring. ANNOYING as hell. And there can be some chain lock up where it gets tangled in some shifts to the lower gear. I hate it. A lot of money for a nice, new bike to have this shit happen.

A good ride for having done it and it was a gorgeous day weather wise. Not too hot, but sunshiny.

Neighborhood quickie

The return trip to Mill Valley from the Russian River.

I had only my big chain ring as my front derailer broke in half! I managed to do some pretty tough climbs, keeping my cadence up high and powering it through. (I had a fun time actually, but was initially worried I'd tire out.

Tracey and I had a super weekend camping out and getting to know the riders we already love even better. We're really looking forward to the big ride in June and feel this ride is the best dress rehearsal there could be.

Photos here by John Hershey: http://web.mac.com/hersheyj/BlogSite/Photo_Albums/Pages/2008-05.03,04-JonPon.html

The ride out to the Russian River from Mill Valley.

A great start to a terrific weekend of overnighting with 115 or so riders, organized by the Positive Pedlars whom Tracey and I have come affectionately close with. A great group of riders and training ride leaders.

This route took us from Mill Valley to Nicassio, to Petaluma (lunch), to Occidental, then to Monte Rio or Russian River area at a camp ground.

About 10 miles before the end, my front derailiuer broke. Sheared the metal in half, and I could no longer shift my front chain ring. I was stuck in the hardest gear. Also, I could only keep it in a few gears in the rear before the chain would fall off. I was nervous about handling all 75 miles on the way home the next day.

Nice, sunny day Sunday training ride climbing Mt. Tamalpais (Marin County) from Fairfax, up to Alpine Dam, past the seven sisters, and back down again through Mill Valley and back over the Golden Gate bridge to the starting point in the Presidio.

Was pretty warm. Although not the longest of routes, the climbing and heat made it hard. We didn't stop either for a meal, so had to rely on gu shots, and cliff bars. No man should live on cliff bars and gu shots.

My Garmin bike computer also once again sucked ass and kept turning off and not doing anything. Frustrating. I paid a lot of money for it, the Edge 305, and it's a piece of shit if it just randomly turns off for no reason. Time to contact them for the what for!

After the ride, Tracey and I got subs (sandwiches) and ate them on Baker Beach, overlooking the Golden Gate and ocean. Was a very nice, gentle breeze and idyllic setting. We stayed there for about an hour on a blanket enjoying the sweet life. A day to remember. There should be photos posted in my galleries.

typical shorty in the morning around the neighborhood

Great ride with the Positive Pedlars. This was the official ride we had scoped out the week earlier with Peter Lavoie, the ride captain.

It was a great day. A little chilly in the morning, and breezy in the afternoon, but MUCH better than the high heat we had the weekend before.

My Garmin bike computer was flawless this time. In face, I was able to make a ride profile via Motionbased.com here: Three Bears- Mt Diablo.

typical Thursday morning quickie ride

With Peter Lavoie, Tracey and I scouted out a route for next week's official training ride with the PosPedlars.

Once again my Garmin Bike computer kinda screwed up and I didn't have it zero'd out before riding, so my numbers are estimates.

It was also a pretty hot day. Ranging from the 80's the 100's in the direct sun, which made the ride a lot harder and tiring than it should have been.

Yet another quickie in the hood in the morning.

A training ride with the Positive Pedalers. Nice day getting to Woodside, but the way back had the most terrible winds which made it a very miserable day on the bike.

Along the Great Highway, back over the hill to Ocean Beach, we all got sand blasted by sand on the road. YUCK.

My bicycle gearing also began to get all screwed up. The chain rings many times would drop the chain, and now the rear derailieur is not working as it should. I'm going to take the bike into the shop and have the front derailiuer lowered down to be closer to the chain rings and then have them adjust the rear as well.

Okay, our longest ride to date (yet again)

Another training ride starting in Mtn. View. Took us from Mtn View, to a first stop opposite of Ohlone College next to Mission San Jose. Then through Niles Canyon road to Sunol. On to Castro Valley through Norris and Crow Canyon. Then through yucky parts of Hayward, Fremont, over the Dumbarton, through GORGEOUS Palo Alto homes on their Bicycle Blvd. And finally back to the normal start/stop parking lot in Mtn. View.

My computer mysteriously had the timer button stopped for about 8 miles or so.

Also, as we had two stops near Subway, I had one 6inch sandwhich at both of them. I was hungry!

I had my wool "AIDS/LIFECYCLE" jersey on and that was a mistake, as the day was rather damp and the jersey got heavier with the moisture. I'll make a note to wear synthetics on a damper day. Other wise I like the wool jersey fine enough.

Bob Katz, training ride leader, had a bad day. He and other riders including another training ride leader, got lots of flats. Bob had to cut his ride short and turned for the Dumbarton bridge earlier, never makding it to Sunol and beyond. We missed him, as for us, it doesn't feel like an ALC Training Ride unless Bob is there with us.

This time done in the early evening, same old course yet. Was cold at night and I wanted to bail when it was getting dark, but I stayed with Tracey who didn't have a phone. Glad I went, but I hate riding in the dark, esp. also when it's only in the 40s out.

My stupid Garmin (expensive) computer didn't work well. It recorded the distance, but that might be off by like 5 or so miles. It certainly didn't record the whole route which it usually does by satelite. In fact, the computer would turn off at weird times. I have no ascent data for the trip either.

I was gumpy for this ride and wasn't sure why. Perhaps not starting out with coffee in the morning was the reason.

Tracey and I also made Easter Baskets for all the Positive Pedalers ride leaders, and "bunny bombs" of candy for all other riders who wanted them.

Looking back on it, I really enjoyed the ride. The country side around Nicassio is gorgeous and the park/campsite we went through with gorgeous red woods and a newly, fresh paved bike trail was some of the prettiest scenery we'd ever seen on a bike.

Yet another early morning ride, etc...

This was a VERY hard ride.

The ALC training ride held the Saturday (day before) this was cancelled due to rain. It would have been a neat ride from Mtn. View to San Gregorio beach, etc. So we decided to do this big ride all on our own.

Tracey and I love Morgan Territory, which is a reserve/park behind Mt. Diablo. Getting there takes a while from Walnut Creek where you ride out on Ygnacio Valley Rd, and enter the town of Clayton and then go off the grid essentially around very pretty country side, rough rode, and decent climbs.

The last time we did this ride was in 2006 (we think) when the temperature was in the triple digits of summer which was a really *stoopid* thing to do. No wonder we hadn't been back in a while.

What was hard this time, was very heavy head winds on the way back north from nowhere up through the countryside on the outskirts of Danville. We also had to face our local torture test of Pinehurst Road back up to our house. After 80 miles, a steep hills is not a welcome site.

The day was breezy as said, but also kinda cool. I was freezing at lunch where we ate outside at a pub in Clayton.

+/- a couple miles depending if you use my computer or Tracey's, but we thing this was clearly our longest ride to date.

Another morning quickie. Getting old, huh?

ALC Training Ride with the Positive Pedalers in our own neighborhood.

We added the chore of riding into Orinda and back home over the hill, etc. from Moraga.

My computer's timer was switched off in certain spots, so the mileage is based on Tracey's results with hers.

yet another neighborhood quickie in the morning

A fun ALC Training Ride as part of the Mtn. View Distance series.

Was fun to see parts of South San Jose countryside I had never seen.

Was a very windy day, but Tracey and I both had our NEW rides and this was our first ride together on them.

We had fun at lunch getting to know more riders. David and "Mary" come to mind!

Another quickie ride in the morning before work.

ALC Positive Pedlar ride, cut short by rain. Was just a quickie in the morning where we all had something to eat and drink at a Tiburon cafe.

Was going to be a Nicassio loop ride and with my new ride. Oh well. Tracey was also sick with flu this weekend.

(solo) First ride with new 2008 Trek Madone 5.5 - it was fantastic

Falling in love with the new bike. This was Presidents Day (I think) and I took my ride for a ride and loved it. 3200 ft of climbing in 33 miles is somewhat intense, but the new bike eat the hills like candy.

I couldn't believe the handling of the new machine. Very sure and fast through technical curves.

Another Mtn. View Distance Training ALC Ride.

We got to hang out with Bob Katz, the PosPedlar who we like a lot!

Was a windy day on the way back in. The Dumbarton bridge crossing was our frist.

I was also informed by cell phone on the trip, that my new bike was ready for pick up at Sharp Bicycles.

After a long ALC ride of 60 miles, we picked up my new bike from Sharp Bicycles in Lafayette. Then, I took BART to Rockridge Station, and climbed up the hill back home with it.

It sure was hard climbing up the hill after such a long day, but I was happy to have my new bike!

Our second Training ride with the Positive Pedalers. Fun and nice through Marin County, etc.

Another early morning ride to put the miles in in our neighborhood.

Every ride counts!

Tracey and I test rode 2008 Trek Madone 5.2s and loved them. Bikes were provided by Sharp Bicycles of Lafayette, CA. (Where we bought our first road bikes in 2004)

Was a fun ride up Happy Valley Rode, and Papa Bear and back

The first ride we went on for the CAT 3 Mountain View Distance Training.

Was our first training ride with a fairly large group.

We also got used to making the trek early in the morning down to Mtn. View.

Quick early morning ride in the neighborhood before work.

We had to find an alternate way home as Skyline was blocked by workers repairing a landslide.

Our first ALC Training Ride where we met and joined the Positive Pedalers and where Tracey decided to join the main ride!!

Was a nice ride that started out in our own backyard, so to speak.

Just a morning warm up ride before work around the neighborhood.