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Category Archives: Rides
Davis Double Century – Resurrection rest stop
Davis Bike Club member Diane Richter, right, pours water onto a rider to cool him off at the Resurrection rest stop at mile 136 of the Davis Double Century near the Colusa County line on Highway 20 on Saturday afternoon.
The 43rd annual Davis Double Century was held on Saturday, May 19. The afternoon temperatures ranged in the mid-80′s, and when riders arrived at the Resurrection rest stop on Highway 20, many were getting quite hot. Using a variety of methods including a garden sprinkler can, a hose, a spray bottle and ice-filled tube socks, volunteers helped cool the riders.
Upcoming events, weekend rides
Riders take the ramp descending off the Hazel Avenue bridge on the American River bike trail.
If you are still looking for a ride to do tomorrow, the “Bike around the Buttes” is still open. In its 27th year, this event is a benefit ride for the Yuba-Sutter Childrens Type 1 Diabetes Support Group & Resource Center with all proceeds being used locally and for a variety of programs for diabetes in the Yuba-Sutter community.
On Sunday, April 22, there is a Tireside Chat Guest Lecture and Book Launch with Author Matt Biers-Ariel at the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame at 303 3rd Street in Davis. His book is titled, “The Bar Mitzvah and the Beast.”
If you are looking further down the road, the California Bicycle Coalition has posted their bimonthly selection of “…the state’s most interesting rides, routes and bike-related events.” Included in the list is the ever popular Chico Wildflower Century Ride on next Sunday, April 29, which is sponsored by Chico Velo Cycling Club.
And, this Saturday is the Devil Mountain Double Century staff ride, which is where I will be. I will post pictures and video next week from the ride which is a precursor to the DMD ride next Saturday, April 28. And, if you noticed, the rider on the left in the picture above is wearing a DMD jersey.
Posted from Fair Oaks, California, United States.
Looping around Placerville
I rode one of my favorite rides on Saturday. It’s a ride with a huge amount of climbing, but one that’s well worth the effort because of the amazing scenery. It’s a ride that I found years ago on Richard Zipf’s website. Over time, I have modified the ride to avoid a stream (Weber Creek) that is usually a overflowing and to exclude a climb up Shoo Fly Road because I never seem to have the legs for it.
It begins at the El Dorado Hills park and ride and goes through Coloma (with a quick climb up Prospector Road). The next leg goes to Placerville, then on to Camino. Next is a return to Placerville, then a drop to the south fork of the American River on Mosquito Road. Then comes the best part of the ride, crossing the river on the Mosquito Road suspension bridge and climbing out of the canyon. Many spectacular views grace the climb and the following descent along Rock Creek Road.
The photograph above is of my riding companion, photographer Martin Christian, as he heads down Hwy. 193 toward Chili Bar on Saturday afternoon. The photograph at the right was taken by Martin from Rock Creek Road. It shows the south fork of the American River east of Chili Bar.
You can view a map and profile of the ride at the RideWithGPS website here.
Please be aware that this is a difficult ride. It is 107 miles long with almost 12,000 feet of elevation gain. The great thing about the ride, though, is you can delete some of the loops and do only as much as you want.
You can view a gallery of images from the ride here.
Posted from California, United States.
In the news: 3-foot passing bill returns, bike commuting tips and fatal accident in SF
A cyclist heads across the Guy West Bridge Thursday evening as clouds billow overhead.
The three-foot passing bill is has returned. The new bill, SB 1461 is very similar to the previous bill that Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed, according to the Davis Bike Club’s monthly newsletter, “Changing Gears.”
“SB 1464 does not contain the exception found in SB 910 that required drivers to slow to 15 MPH when passing closer than three feet. The CHP opposed that provision, which was the reason Gov. Jerry Brown cited when he vetoed the bill. So for now SB 1464 doesn’t make any exceptions to the three-foot requirement,” according to the story in the newsletter.
Pennsylvania enacted a four-foot passing law just this month, becoming the 19th state to add a bike passing law to the books, according to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
In other news, if you’re looking for an article about bike commuting in these days of exorbitant gas prices, the Sacramento Bee published a brief article by veteran TV meteorologist, Terri Bennett, titled, “Do Your Part: Top 7 secrets to commuting by bike.”
“”Don’t expect the pain at the pump to end anytime soon. That makes it the right time to grab your bike and use it to get to work and run errands,” Bennett writes.
And last, sadly, there was a report this morning on SFGate concerning a pedestrian who was hit by a cyclist. A 71-year-old San Bruno man who was hospitalized after being hit by a cyclist last Thursday died Monday, the website reported.
Update – Things to do this weekend:
Tonight (April 6) is the Team LIVESTRONG Happy Hour and Course Unveiling for the Davis Challenge. The route will be unveiled at 7:00 PM. The event begins at 5:30 and runs through 8:30 PM at Sudworks in Davis. The LiveSTRONG Challenge will be held in Davis on Sunday, June 24th.
Saturday is Party Pardee in Ione. The Sacramento Bike Hikers signature ride has been sold out for months, but SABA is looking for volunteers to help with their valet bike parking from 10:30 am – 1:30 pm or 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm in Howard Park in Ione. They are looking for 6 volunteers to park bikes and a super volunteer with a truck to transport the compound to and from the event. If you can help, email Larry Robinson at volunteer[at]sacbike[dot]org.
And then on Monday night, the film Bicycle Dreams will be showing at 7:00 pm at
the Varsity Theater, 616 2nd Street in Davis. Tickets are $11 in advance, $15 at the door. The award-winning film by Stephen Auerbach takes an up-close look at what RAAM riders go through.
Moskowite Corners store closes again
The store at Moskowite Corners closed a few weeks ago, making it more difficult for cyclists climbing over Cardiac Hill on Hwy. 128 to find water and supplies. The nearest store to Cardiac is now the Turtle Rock Inn, five miles farther north on Hwy. 128.
The Moskowite store, “The Crossroads at Lake Berryessa,” was in bankruptcy in 2008 when it was purchased by Jim Keller of Napa, according to a story in the Napa Valley Register. Keller fixed the place up and found a new tenant, Jim Winchell, to run the place in 2010, according to the Register story. Winchell ran the market, restaurant and bar with his family until last month. On March 11, they closed the doors to the store for the last time and sent out a letter on the internet to their customers. They also posted a large copy of the letter in the window of the closed store. Read the letter.
Posted from Napa, California, United States.
In the news: Gran Fondo in Davis
Nice article on sacbee.com and in the Living Here section of The Sacramento Bee today on the Legends Gran Fondo on May 6 in Davis, sponsored by the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame. The article, penned by Blair Anthony Robertson, takes a look at the growing interest in gran fondo rides.
“A mass-start bike event with origins in Italy, gran fondos, or big rides, are a booming new style of cycling activity in the U.S.,” Robertson writes.
Website posts list of 20 Yolo County bike rides
The Yolo County Visitors Bureau has added a new page to their website with a list of 20 bike rides on various routes throughout Yolo County. The routes include Davis, Woodland, Clarksburg, the Capay Valley and more. There’s even a route from Davis to the Martinez Amtrak station, a ride I’ve always wanted to do. Another of the rides goes up Cantelow Hill, which is featured in the photo above taken by Martin Christian.
The page has brief descriptions of the rides with links to an interactive map created on the Ride with GPS website which includes cue sheets and elevation profiles. They were created by members of the Davis Bike Club. the visitors bureau and the DBC plan to collaborate on adding future routes to the page.
“We also intent to add routes from events that are held in our area, such as the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame Gran Fondo, the LiveStrong Challenge and the Davis Double Century,” said Alan Humason, Executive Director of the YCVB in a prepared statement.
Most of the rides start in Davis and Winters and there are options for all skill levels, Humason added.
Posted from Vacaville, California, United States.
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
I was riding with friends in the Volcano – Plymouth area on Saturday and chuckled when I saw the sign at the left in downtown Volcano across from the park. The sign above, is always a welcome sight after climbing Slug Gulch Road northeast of Fair Play. Slug Gulch is one of the tougher climbs around, covering about 5.4 miles and a little over 1,300 feet of elevation gain. It is part of “The Century” ride and “The Challenge” ride that are offered at the Sacramento Wheelmen bicycling club’s Sierra Century which is back in Amador County this year on Saturday, June 16
Posted from California, United States.
Drippy Saturday morning in Davis
Saturday provided an chance to ride into the drippy fog hovering over Davis. The day finally turned out sunny and warm, but the morning was downright clammy. This image was taken heading west on 3rd Street in downtown Davis around 8:30 a.m.
Posted from Davis, California, United States.
Dachshund in the window
I ran into this dachshund with his head out the window as I crested the top of Foresthill Road in Auburn during a hill-climbing ride on Saturday. The little guy didn’t seem very impressed by my spandex or my helmet cam.
Posted from Auburn, California, United States.
Weekend bicycling activities
There are lots of cycling events and rides going on this weekend. Every Second Saturday the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen closes its shop to host a fundraising party from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with local bands and breweries.
Then there’s the Second Saturday Bike Tour hosted by Broad Acre Coffee. The rides go to places like Insight, Temple, Chocolate Fish, Old Soul and Naked.
And Saturday is the official launch of Artbike!, a bicycle-centric art exhibition, with self-guided tours of local establishments that are hosting the artwork.
If your looking for bike club rides, The Sacramento Bike Hikers have a couple rides scheduled including a spring training ride. The Sacramento Wheelmen also have a variety of ride choices listed on their calendar and the Davis Bike Club lists a some interesting rides on their calendar as well, including the Spanish Flat Century and the Hill Climb Series #2.
Riding part of the Grizzly Peak Century route
Saturday was spent riding two of the loops that are part of the Grizzly Peak Century ride that will take place on May 6, 2012. It’s a tough ride with lots of climbing in the hills above Berkeley. There are three options on the ride, 75 miles, 102 miles and 109 miles. Beware, the 109-mile route has about 8550 ft. of climbing. If you’re in shape for the hills, it’s well worth all the climbing because of the great views of the Bay Area. The ride is well supported, but if you go on a training ride, as we did on Saturday, there are no places to get food and water, so plan to bring your own. Or, you might happen across a lemonade stand along the way as we did just after noon along Skyline Blvd.
Posted from Oakland, California, United States.
Descending Cardiac Hill – Hwy. 128
With rain moving through the valley today, I’m thinking back to sunnier days. Here is a video I made on a warm sunny day a couple weeks ago. It is the descent on Highway 128 near Lake Berryessa in Napa County dubbed “Cardiac Hill.”
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod for the music, “Long Time Coming” downloaded from his site, www.incompetech.com under the creative commons license.
Posted from Napa, California, United States.
More rides to consider for 2012
Last week I published a list of some rides to consider registering for in 2012. There are many. Here are a few more to consider adding to your calendar.
First, and foremost, if you are a double century rider, the California Triple Crown Schedule came out last weekend. This is a list of most of the double century rides during the year in California. I’m already making my list of which doubles I’m going to try this year.
If doubles aren’t on your agenda, there are many other rides out there worth checking out, like the Bike Around the Buttes on Saturday, April 21. Or the quite popular Chico Wildflower Century on Sunday, April 29.
Another popular ride is the Wine Country Century on Saturday, May 5, hosted by the Santa Rosa Cycling Club. Registration for this ride opens on February 1, and is usually sold out in less than three days. The next weekend, you can enjoy the Lodi Sunrise Century on Saturday, May 12. And, the following weekend, on Saturday, May 19, the Davis Bike Club hosts their annual Davis Double Century which is a good ride for those who want to try riding their first double century. Moving into June, there is the 5th Annual Gold Rush Century in Folsom on Saturday, June 9, which is part of the Folsom Cyclebration series. The next day, Sunday, June 10, is the Rex Ride, sponsored by Rex Cycles.
Hope to see you out there.
Winds rage across the Sacramento Valley
Brutal riding conditions out there today. Ferocious winds were raging out of the northwest making riding in that direction a challenge. But, with the wind at your back, riding was effortless. Here’s an image of my friend Martin heading up Cardiac Hill on Hwy 128 near Lake Berryessa as the wind blows dust across the road ahead of him. We rode from Sacramento to Fairfield and suffered the winds out on the flats on the way to Winters, but savored the tailwind while heading south into Fairfield.
The National Weather Service posted a wind advisory for the Sacramento Valley today. The winds were blowing out of the north to northwest between 15 and 30 m.p.h. with gusts around 40 m.p.h.
Posted from Napa, California, United States.
Rides to consider in 2012
Happy New Year!
As you begin planning rides for the new year, here’s a few good ones to consider.
The Party Pardee Century, the Sacramento Bike Hikers signature ride, will be held on April 7, 2012 in Ione. Registration for this ride opens today at this location. Register early because this ride fills up quickly.
The Sacramento Wheelmen will return to Amador County Fairgrounds to host the Sierra Century. The ride will take place on Saturday, June 16, and will offer three routes, a metric century, a century and a double metric century. Once again, riders can test themselves on Slug Gulch.
The Davis Bike Club will host the 43rd annual Davis Double Century on May 19. Registration will open sometime this spring.
If you’re into the longer distances, the Davis Bike club also hosts a Brevet Series beginning on Sat., March 3, with a 200k ride and working up to a 600k on the first weekend in May.
For the double century riders out there, the schedule for double centuries in California should be posted soon on the Triple Crown Website.
Frosty, fogging morning ride on the bike trail
If you get up at first light and hit the bike trail these days you’ll encounter a winter wonderland of frost and fog. Dress warmly, though, if you plan to go out and enjoy the scenery.
Posted from Rancho Cordova, California, United States.
25-hours of riding to mark daylight saving time
A story in today’s Sacramento Bee reports on long-distance cyclist Greg Wilson who plans to ride more than 300 miles starting at noon on Saturday to mark daylight savings time. If you’re out on the American River bike trail after noon on Saturday or before noon on Sunday, you might see Wilson and four others from the Hammerin’ Wheels cycling club as they ride back and forth on the trail. You can read the story here.
Auburn Folsom Road descent
This is a recent ride down Auburn Folsom Road out of Auburn, Calif.
The music is a song titled, “Presenterator” from Kevin McLeod and used under a Creative Commons license from his website, www.incompetech.com
Posted from Auburn, California, United States.
Bicyclist dies after crashing during Foxy’s Fall Century
The Sacramento Bee is reporting that former Senate staffer Robb Deignan has died of injuries he sustained from a crash during Foxy’s Fall Century. Deignan apparently suffered a serious head injury when he lost control and crashed on Hillborn Road in Fairfield, Calif. Saturday morning, according to KTVU.com.
Read more here.
Go to a Facebook memorial page for Rob Deignan here.
Foxy’s Fall Century 2011
The Davis Bike Club hosted their annual fall ride, Foxy’s Fall Century, on Saturday. The new full century route of just over 95 miles was well supported with four rest stops plus the lunch stop and a pasta dinner at the end. Enjoy the video of the ride. Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech for the music.
Posted from Davis, California, United States.
Knoxville Double Century – Lake Hennessey rest stop
I volunteered on Saturday at rest stop #5 of the Knoxville Double Century. I made a time-lapse video of action at the rest stop from the initial setting up which began at 2 p.m. until the tear down at 8:30 p.m. after the last rider had passed through. The Knoxville double is one of two hosted by the Quackcyclists. To learn more about double centuries in California, check out the California Triple Crown website. For a good idea of what it is like to ride this double century, check out the video posted by Knoxville DC rider Stan Tsang here
Posted from St Helena, California, United States.
Dropping into the American River Canyon
The ride down Hwy. 49 north of Cool, Calif. down into the American River Canyon is always fun. It’s a drop of about 800 feet in about 2.4 miles. There are lots of hairpin turns and plenty of good views. It’s well worth the effort to get there, and, after climbing out of the canyon on Old Foresthill Road, the best remedy for tired legs is a Tasty Burger at Ikedas. The music is a song titled, ” The Whip” from Kevin McLeod and downloaded under a Creative Commons license from his website, Incompetech
Enjoy!
Posted from California, United States.
Too close for comfort
Driver in a dark green Toyota Corolla passes a little too close on Hwy. 49 just before the drop into the American River canyon north of Cool.