The Chainletter

The Saddle Challenge 2010 is on at:
http://www.dssf.org/dssf_html/sc/

To register, type your first and last name and the password “SC2010″

But what is it?

It is the club’s annual event in March to challenge each other to get out on our bikes and ride!
So choose a goal for yourself: 100 miles, 300 miles, 900 miles…!
Whenever you come back on the SC page, you’ll be able to log your miles, watch your progress and see what other members are doing.

Don’t forget: every mile count. So, if you commute with your bike, it’s even better!

The Saddle Challenge is also a way for members to raise money for Project Inform where Ron Wilmot, a long time DSSF started a fundraising ride, the Ron Wilmot ride. You can choose to pledge per mile or a lump sum. Of course this part is entirely optional.

How do I sign up again?
Easy: go to http://www.dssf.org/dssf_html/sc/

Enter your first name, your last name and the password “SC2010″
Then set up your goal and optionally the amount you want to pledge (you can always modify the values at any time).

Approximately 12 riders joined fearless leader David Goldsmith and myself for this lovely ride over to Caffé Rulli in Larkspur and back. These included fellow FrontRunners Tim Offensend and Bruno Olhshausen as well as many of our regulars, such as our pres David Gaus, Doug Sabo, Evan, Tim (a new DS rider), Rob, Lee and others. The sky was cloudless and the sun was out in all its glory though it was still a bit crisp in the city at the start. By the time we made it to the bridge, most of us had shed our extra layers, leggings, arm warmers, etc.

We had a nice rest stop at Rulli’s and then headed back. It was still mostly sunny though a few clouds had entered the picture and it was slightly colder on the return trip. Everyone had a nice ride back save our newbie, Tim, who unfortunately got a major blowout just before the climb back up Camino Alto and thus had to walk to REI to get a new tire, the old one being useless. We bumped into Joseph Collins at the Sausalito side of the bridge on the way back as he was leading a Cat 2 ALC training ride and bemoaning the loss of his pink handlebar tape but sporting a brand new sensible black one. After returning to the city folks could get on with their afternoon plans, mine (as well as a few others, I understand) included watching the Saints come back and beat the favoured Colts in the Super Bowl; all in all a very excellent day.

Three intrepid riders – myself, Nancy, and Evan – set out from San Rafael for a 33 mile jaunt through the Marin suburbs and back country. We were treated to a beautiful winter ride with sights rarely seen – a nearly-full Nicasio reservoir, plentiful and rushing water flowing through the creek that runs down the back side of Lucas Valley Road, and an empty parking lot (and no waiting) at the Cheese Factory at lunchtime.

I did not even realize there was a creek that ran alongside Lucas Valley Road  – I had never seen running water there – but on this particular day, it was spectacular.

A few minutes of rain at the very end of the ride did not spoil what was otherwise a glorious day for riding.

6 riders braved the January weather in Pescadero. We all drove through a deluge on Highway 1 before arriving at Pescadero, then spent the first hour of the “ride” having coffee and tea in the bakery and country store, lusting after the baked goods, and debating the merits of riding vs. the warm artichoke soup at Duarte’s. Great hanging out with Wly, Scott, Nancy, Frank, and Patrick for a while – but I’m glad we decided to take off on our bikes around 11 – the sky cleared, and we were rewarded with a beautiful day.

One of the goals of this ride was to help us get in shape for spring and summer riding. Good thing – several of us (myself included) discovered that we were quite out of shape after a winter of hibernating and not doing much riding. When I caught up with the fitter riders in San Gregorio, my thought was “I can’t believe I ever rode 100 miles on the same day before.” Things will get easier as the season develops.

It was a classic coastside ride on a gorgeous day – beautifully verdant hills on Stage Road, clear air as we rode down Highway 1, providing great vistas, and running water in Gazos Creek.

Yesterday was the first ride in a ride series promoted and put together by David Goldsmith; a series of progressively longer rides, leading up to a possible first century (the Wine Country Century in May), or just for those interested in getting out and to begin getting some miles in.

Thomas, Evan K, Anna, Rico and Joe joined David and I for “Our Destination is Destination“, heading first to Golden Gate Park, taking JFK to the Great Highway. We regrouped at the restrooms near the zoo, where Dennis caught up with us (actually, he was waiting for us; he missed us at the start and somehow got ahead of us.) Thomas unfortunately had a flat, and then Dennis joined him. Two new tubes later, we headed off to circle Lake Merced, then began the only significant climbing of the ride, up Sloat and St. Francis Boulevards, and over to Glen Park where we stopped at Destination Baking Company for a snack.

A delightful ride, without a doubt and great company! The next ride in the series is Saturday, January 16th, from Millwood Community Center to Nicassio and back!

Despite the rainy Saturday and cancellation of the Jersey Ride, the weather had no effect on the great time had by all at the annual Holiday Party last night. Hosted this year by Chris Contos, the party was in full swing well before 6pm. Members and guests arrived throughout the evening, food and beverages were in abundance with catering by Fete Catering.

The raffle was held for a $50 Sports Basement gift card, those ride leaders entered for leading five or more rides during the year were: Joseph Collins, Doug O’Neill, Chris Thomas. Will pulled the name and the gift card went to Joseph (who lead a dozen rides during the year!)

Thanks all for coming, see you on the road in 2010!

The Positive Pedalers invited DSSF to participate with them on the the 3rd Annual World AIDS Day Ride, an event designed to bring awareness to the Pandemic, now 29 years.

Dale Leininger, Ben Marks, Maurizio Franzini and Wanderson Carlos and myself joined the group for the 29 mile ride to Mill Valley and back. t was a gorgeous day for the ride, and we were greeted with fierce headwinds on our northbound crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge.

On the way back we stopped at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park.

September 26 was a warm day as Scott Steffens, Nancy Levin, and Maurizio Franzini joined me in Woodside, where we started our ride to Pescadero. Climbing Old La Honda, I was regretting the missed opportunity to wear a sleeveless jersey. However, descending into La Honda, we met the the Bay Area’s natural air conditioning. As we regrouped in La Honda, the club’s former ride coordinator, Bill Bushnell, passed us. He was taking advantage of the still longish days for a ride from Sunnyvale to Santa Cruz and back.

Nancy started out ahead of us from the regroup. Her day hadn’t started too well: She woke to find a flat tire and had gone to a bike store thinking she needed to buy a replacement tire. In her haste to get to the ride start on time, she had forgotten to pack her bike shorts. But without a second thought, she decided to do the ride in some loose-fitting gym shorts. I think those loose-fitting shorts acted like wings because the rest of us didn’t see her again until we arrived at the bakery in Pescadero for lunch.

Maurizio purchased a delicious-looking raspberry pastry twist for lunch. Some yellow jackets found it appealing, too. After changing tables and hopping about, he finally lured the yellow jackets with a nectar-flavored Snapple drink and salvaged the pastry to fuel the ride back along the rollers on Stage Road and the climb on Tunitas Creek. Turns out that the insect species had the last laugh: Riding down Kings Mountain I felt something bite me. Of course, I wasn’t going to let a little insect bite ruin this fun descent. But at the bottom I found a stinger in my Tibialis Anterior. I removed it and applied some Sting Eze, but over the next few days my foot and lower leg swelled up. Still, insects or no, this remains my favorite ride.

Today new member Peter from the Easy Bay joined Topher and Doug O for a ride up tunnel, over the three bears and finally up Pinehurst. Tunnel Rd challenged Doug’s confidence and he urged us to continue on without him, but with a gentle and friendly push he stayed with Topher and Peter, ultimately putting in a strong ride from then until the end, but we’ll come back to that in a bit. In the first descent, along Grizzly Peak Blvd, Peter went into a corner blazingly fast and found himself sliding across the road. He was a little shaken and suffered some abrasion, but this was not going to deter him. Peter picked himself up, dusted himself off and rode on. Yay! Peter hung in there through Three Bears, up San Pablo Dam Rd and partly up Pinehurst. At that point he decided to ease off the pace and take a short cut home for needed recovery—don’t overdue it Peter, we want to see you back!

Doug, who was doubting his climbing earlier, now urged Topher to make a route change. On the return, where we originally planned to descend Tunnel Rd the way we came, he suggested we instead head up Grizzly Peak again to descend Claremont, which adds a couple miles and some more ascent. Subtracting some time that we assisted Peter with his injury, Topher and Doug completed the 60 mile 4930 up-feet ride in 4:31. Peter gets credit for keeping that kind of pace too, since he did so until Pinehurst, and on a sore leg even. Brute.