Re: Whatcha doing January 16th?

[Rob Hawks]

An objection to the original wording of this message was registered, so please read the revised below:

While the SFR optical telescope was pointed west southwest about 15 degrees above the horizon yesterday, the following message was received by our colleagues manning the SFR radio telescope. The SFR board has deemed the message to be friendly and is passing it on to you for your consideration.

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Covid-19, to be sure, has affected our lives in many ways, and has certainly torpedoed group riding. For too long. Right now SFR can't safely host brevets which means we can't gather at East Beach before the start, put up with the RBA's attempts at jokes in the pre-ride talk, we can't cross the GGB in a long paceline and then coalesce into groups as the miles begin to add up. We can't linger at controls as the groups temporarily merge and we can't hang with the volunteers at the finish control while we attempt to correct our caloric deficit after the route is completed. Heck, it is even a bad idea to ride outdoors with people outside our own households.

But there's still a way for us to come together as a community after playing bikes outdoors. Even if we couldn't ride with everyone on each brevet, we could always check in online after finishing the event by reading ride write-ups, clicking through photo galleries, and comparing notes with follow-up comments on the SFR discussion list. And that is something we can still do!

During more optimistic times, SFR had scheduled three ACP 200km brevets to be held on January 16th. Maybe some of you had blocked out that date and planned to ride the brevet, or you had planned to do your own ride that day, maybe you had a conflict on that specific date but had the following day free. Come meet post-ride virtually! Here are some "rules":

Date: Shoot for Saturday, January 16th, but it can be the next day or even any time the following week. Go out and play in the sunshine on your bike and then tell about it.

Who: Anyone can participate! We especially encourage members of the SFR diaspora to take part virtually.

Distance: Overall distance must be a non-zero number. Distance can be expressed in miles, kilometers, or if you prefer, smoots. Any distance can include the randonneuring spirit. If you feel like it, go on a long ride (whatever that is for you, right now)! The point is to go have fun outside and then share your story.

Start time: Start times must be the time you started and can not under any circumstances be any earlier or later than the time you started.

Route: Whatever you want, but must be ridden entirely on a bike under your own power.

Riding for credit?: By now you have probably gotten the hint that for the riding part, there are pretty much no rules involved here, so it should be pretty clear too that this isn't necessarily about getting ride "credit" whatever that might mean. If you want this experience to count for something more than a grand day outdoors that is totally fine, but you'll need to play by someone else's ride rules. As mentioned, SFR won't be hosting brevets that day or at all in January but you could still wrangle RUSA 'credit' (if that is your goal) if you signed up and rode a RUSA permanent. That part is up to you but either way, please post to social media whatever ride you do that day.

Share your experience: If you get on your bike and ride the weekend of January 16th, consider posting something about your ride to the SFR discussion list and elsewhere. Your friends in the San Francisco Randonneurs want to hear from you!

If you post to social media such as Facebook or Instagram, please use the hashtags #SFRVirtualRando and/or #sfrandonneurs.

If you post to Strava or Ridewithgps consider adding photos and a description. Strava and Ridewithgps both have SFR clubs that you can be part of if you are a current SFR current member. (If you use a pseudonym on those platforms, go ahead and submit a join request and then send an email to r...@sfrandonneurs.org to let us know it is you!)

[Massimiliano Poletto]

I know it's not outside, but I wonder if anyone is up for an SFR Zwift meetup. :)

max

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[Rob Hawks]

One way to find out Max. Go for it.

[Sourav Das]

Max and All,

Till a few years ago, I used to ride with a bike racing club** in the Peninsula that I am still in contact with and ride maybe once a year with (to remind myself why I don't want to do that stuff). They too have suspended their group rides and have exclusively moved to Zwift, along with having a Discord channel to communicate during the ride.

I don't own a trainer and am yet to join a ride but it is proving to be a hit. They have quite a party. Some have not ridden outside in weeks but are pretty happy with their improved fitness. One person that I follow on Strava stepped out of home two weeks ago for a fitness test on Old La Honda Rd and clocked sub-18 mins. 

Sourav

** I wouldn't really call it a racing club since only maybe 20% actually race, but if that's what they want to call themselves then so be it

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[Mike Hrast]

Max I might be up for Zwift meet up. What were you thinking about for a course?

[Mike Hrast]

Sorry forgot to add my name

Mike

[Holly Brown-Williams]

If anyone is interested, I’m part of a crew leading a fun Zwift ride every Thursday, Poursuite de la Lanterne Rouge (pas de poursuite cette semaine). Special edition this week with a guest leader and everyone on Buffalo bikes in honour of World Bicycle Relief. Would love to welcome some local riders!

https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1421045

Happy new year to all you amazing riders in SFR!

Holly

On Dec 29, 2020, at 4:17 PM, Mike Hrast <mike....@gmail.com> wrote:

Sorry forgot to add my name

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[Mike]

Thank you Holly

Mike

Sent from the dark side of the moon

On Dec 29, 2020, at 8:21 PM, Holly Brown-Williams <h.brown...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Massimiliano Poletto]

On Wed, Dec 30, 2020 at 1:16 AM Mike Hrast <mike....@gmail.com> wrote:

Max I might be up for Zwift meet up. What were you thinking about for a course?

I hadn't given it much thought yet, but probably something around Watopia, and not too hilly so as to keep a group together. Probably no longer than 100K, since a flat 100K with drafting at a social pace takes ~3h on Zwift, and that's about the limit of how much time I can ride a bike indoors at one sitting.

If there is interest, could do morning PST / late afternoon CET.

max

 

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[Mike]

Sounds good Max

Happy New Year

Mike

Sent from the dark side of the moon

On Dec 30, 2020, at 3:12 PM, Massimiliano Poletto <max.p...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Greg Merritt]

On Thursday, December 24, 2020 Max wrote:

I know it's not outside, but I wonder if anyone is up for an SFR Zwift meetup. :)

Hi Max,

Can you explain in a little more detail how this would work?

For example, while I do use Zwift, I primarily use it to manage & record pre-set workouts. I see some text chat via messages in both the main & companion apps, but that's all of the person-to-person engagement that I see....and, given that I ride rollers, it's not super convenient to use hands to type while riding. Would the proposal be to use something like Zoom or Discord in parallel? Is that a thing?

Does Zwift have other features that allow for ride-time communication among members of a self-selected group of participants? Does having a group "keep us together" in some way?

Thanks!

-Greg

[rando...@charter.net]

I’ll chime in. We would predetermine a w/kg to stay together. Example: 2.5 w/kg We would meet up on a named course, and see each other’s names on the side. We could put SFR after our name to know it’s an SFR member. Then you ride and enjoy. If you download the Zwift companion on your phone you can do a chat, but mostly the ride leaders will message to try to keep the group together.  The whole group can see the messages, if you’re not sending direct. 
I hope that helps Greg. 

Cheers! 

Karin S. Weller ~Peace, Love, and Cycling 

#Itcouldbeme - Local Leader

Advocating road safety for everyone 🚲 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 9, 2021, at 11:35 AM, Greg Merritt <greg.m...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Holly Brown-Williams]

If you arrange a meetup, everyone in the group will appear in the list in green and your chat will be private. However, whoever arranges the meetup can only incite people who follow her/him on Zwift. You can choose almost any course and have the option to “keep everyone together” (a rubber band feature will slingshot slower riders back to the leader, so as long as you don’t stop peddling you will stay in the group). Up to 100 riders can be invited to a meetup. 

Holly

On Jan 9, 2021, at 3:35 PM, rando...@charter.net wrote:

I’ll chime in. We would predetermine a w/kg to stay together. Example: 2.5 w/kg We would meet up on a named course, and see each other’s names on the side. We could put SFR after our name to know it’s an SFR member. Then you ride and enjoy. If you download the Zwift companion on your phone you can do a chat, but mostly the ride leaders will message to try to keep the group together.  The whole group can see the messages, if you’re not sending direct. 

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[Massimiliano Poletto]

Basically what Holly and Karin said.

I was thinking of organizing a 60-80 km ride (not too long until we see how people like it) at a moderate pace (2.5 w/kg seems reasonable) and with the "keep together" feature enabled.

I haven't tried organizing such an event yet, but I've participated in several (in particular, a 160 km ride on weekends that hums along at 3.2 w/kg for 4 hours), and they've been a lot more fun than I expected.

max

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[Holly Brown-Williams]

Can you add me Max? I will try to join for a bit, if I’m not leading a Zwift group ride at that time. Have fun everyone!

Holly

On Jan 10, 2021, at 12:49 PM, Massimiliano Poletto <max.p...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Holly Brown-Williams]

Sorry, meant to say I am Holly Williams with a Welsh flag on Zwift

On Jan 10, 2021, at 12:49 PM, Massimiliano Poletto <max.p...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Matthew McHugh]

Thanks Rob for extending those thoughts and that idea. 

As the fair-weather, short distance (pretty much poser) randonneur that I am, I will plan (weather permitting of course) a 200k ride out through Marin next Saturday.  I may not start at 7am (or even 8am) and I may not cross the GG bridge and I may not collect receipts, but, in the spirit of the brevets, I'll keep the stops short, keep the pace high, won't to stupid stuff, and I'll wear a smile on my face for every one of the 117,500 Smoots.

Matt 

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[Greg Merritt]

Thanks, everyone. Max, can you add me to the group? I'll give it a go!

I Googled around a bit....looks like people do sometimes connect with audio or audio+video while doing a Zoom meetup......I could easily host an unlimited Zoom call, and people could join by regular telephone, or by Zoom app on mobile or desktop, with or without video. If there is interest, let me know...but I will absolutely defer to all of you Zwift experts in case this is not such a good idea. :)

-Greg

[Sarah Burke]

I will be on the Peloton, and would gladly log in to a Zoom meet up.

Sarah B

[Massimiliano Poletto]

I created a 60 Km event for 8:00 PST / 17:00 CET on Saturday.

Unfortunately, it appears that on Zwift one can only invite one's followers to a meetup, so so far I've been able to invite only four people from SFR, including Karin from this thread.

If you'd like to join, please follow me on Zwift (I think I'm the only Massimiliano Poletto) and I'll add you to the meetup.

If most people prefer a different time, we can arrange that too.

The current plan is moderate hills, moderate pace, and the "keep everyone together" feature enabled.

max

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[Massimiliano Poletto]

Hi all, two things:

1. There has been a request to move the ride 1h earlier. Please let me know if that would NOT work for you.

2. If you follow me on Zwift but we don't know each other, please let me know by email if you want to join the event. I can't always tell if someone is from SFR or just following me randomly.

Thanks!

max

[Greg Merritt]

1. There has been a request to move the ride 1h earlier. Please let me know if that would NOT work for you.

While I step off of the rollers to get that next cup of caffeine, the Zwift magic will keep me virtually with the group, yeah? 🤞😬🙏

-Greg

[Massimiliano Poletto]

Thermos on your desk? :D

[Greg Merritt]

On Thu, Jan 14, 2021 at 11:34 AM Massimiliano Poletto <max.p...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thermos on your desk? :D

Not sure if there will be room among the pastries, but I will try my best.

Also -- I created an optional audio/video Zoom meeting that I will fire up before the ride start. For people I could identify as participants, and for whom I could dig up an email address, I have sent a calendar Zoom invitation. While I won't post the Zoom info, I would be more than happy to directly add participating individuals; please just let me know before the middle of the evening tomorrow (Friday).

Thanks!

-Greg

 

[Massimiliano Poletto]

Hi all, since I have received no objection, I have moved the time back one hour, to 7:00 PST / 16:00 CET.

Best,

max

[Greg Merritt]

It’s a wrap.

Thank you for organizing, Max! ‘Til next time, everyone!

-Greg

[Matthew McHugh]

Did a 200k today and tried to honor the SFR spirit....smiled all day, rode hard, actually got my receipt, and didn't do stupid stuff. 

https://www.strava.com/activities/4632680531  

I saw a couple SFR members in their jerseys at about noon in Lagunitas (they were stopped at the deli) and I called out but they didn't hear me.

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[Eric Larsen]

Sourav and I rode to the lighthouse. The road is open and replaced all the way out - no more flooded sections or plywood on the cattle guards! A bit chilly and foggy, but good to be out riding!

E

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[Matthew McHugh]

I heard that about the lighthouse road repaving!  Cold and foggy today...perfect Randonneur weather.

[Brian Koss]

Thanks Rob for instigating the first brevet of the season. Although it lacked the excitement of the group, it felt good to get out and ride something with another individual. 

Had looked into  riding the original Point Reyes Route but the NP website said the roads were closed or otherwise torn up. We opted for a south bay route that looked like we would have an easy return to SF. That was hardly the case. It took longer to return because of the wind and constant acceleration from starting and stopping. The 2 sections of closed bike path in Foster City and San Mateo didn't help much either when no detour signs were posted and that area wasn't constructed on a grid.  The section along Skyline was nice other than the constant flow of speed racers but it did promote constant movement and enjoyable views. 

We saw one other SFR rider on the bike path between East Palo Alto and Palo Alto but he must have been deeply involved in his music or a podcast to hear us try and say hello. 

Looking forward to the next one with the idea of doing a full series. 

Hope you were able to get out for something given your recent incident. Thanks again for the push to motivate.

Brian

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/61578158

[Rob Hawks]

Credit where due, this was largely Ian Kizu-Blair's idea and he created the electronic flyer as well.

Checking Strava this morning was just like a year ago the day after SFR's first brevet. Lots of people from SFR posting rides and photos. A fair bit of activity on Instagram too. Haven't checked facebook yet, nor ridewithgps.

(as for my own riding, I've been sleeping a ton which is helping with recovery though my left side was not yet stable enough for getting on the bike. I may try to get on the trainer today and see how it goes.)

I've heard that the route out to the lighthouse is now fully reconstructed. I do not know how the rangers are treating cyclists or if the full route is open or closed to private cars. Perhaps someone can respond to that. There were SFR members that did a ride out to Pierce Point yesterday too.

rob

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[Eric Larsen]

The full route to the lighthouse is open, beautiful  and almost entirely repaved. The rangers were friendly, courteous and happy to see people out - many people, mostly in cars. A lot of traffic but drivers were also fairly courteous. No busses - I don’t think many people are riding them at all, which is unfortunate of course because it results in too many cars. Midweek is probably much lighter.

Eric Larsen

RUSA#7247

On Sun, Jan 17, 2021 at 9:35 AM Rob Hawks <rob....@gmail.com> wrote:

Credit where due, this was largely Ian Kizu-Blair's idea and he created the electronic flyer as well

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sfrandon/CA%2BV%2BKA2-hjLPUNtTbjjHpD7DFHPOA2V84RRtv4Fe6zdBktDN_A%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jack Holmgren]

Hi All,

Ian’s idea and Rob’s cheerleading got me out today to do one of the excellent Santa Cruz Randonneurs perms. The Gonzalez Ramble was very nice with just two five mile stretches of Holliday traffic on Highway One. River Road has a lot of new pavement!

It’s nice to ride but I ride solo lots and am self contained to lower COVID risk. I carry more tubes and an extra tire also.

Bonne route,

Jack Holmgren

Excuse typos, sent from my mobile. 

On 17 Jan 2021, at 9:42 AM, Eric Larsen <ciren...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Juliayn Coleman]

I posted a blog entry about my Virtual Rando yesterday and about the riding I've been doing during the pandemic generally. Feel free to drop in...

https://mmmmbike.wordpress.com/2021/01/18/virtually-randonneuring-sfr-virtual-rando/

[Carl Andersen]

Our headline: Two Riders, Three Bikes and Four hundred k’s

Details: On Saturday, Gabrielle and I rode an alternative version of the Pierce Point 200k.  SFD didn’t have too much traffic on the way out but from Inverness to the end of the Pierce Point road, we must have have been passed by 300 to 400 cars.  Honestly.  Crazy traffic for a very foggy, no views day.  We clearly didn’t get the memo.....don’t take public transportation, don’t car pool, but do go to Pierce Point.

So, rather than take highway one north for the out and back section, we tried our luck going out to Limantour Beach.  Even more traffic than on Pierce Point Road, only going faster and perfectly comfortable passing us on blind turns, in near zero visibility.

Given what we had seen so far, we choose to go through Nicasio on the return and, thankfully, traffic was relatively light.  So, all in all, any day on the bike is a good day, but.....I wouldn’t do that again anytime soon.

On Sunday, with tired legs, we decided to take the tandem out, hoping for sunnier weather with less climbing and less traffic.  We found the Napa 200k course to our liking.  We weren’t exactly wishing for this beautiful weather (we do need some rain) but we did enjoy it.  I thought I had a fast time but, somehow, Gabrielle’s garmin showed that she finished 30 seconds faster than me.  Talk about leading from behind?

We look forward to seeing everyone at a “real” brevet in the near future, but in the meantime, we had many of you in our thoughts this weekend.  Thanks for getting us out there, Ian.  

Carl

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[Eric Walstad]

Good times, good times. Not as good as getting to ride beside friends, but not too shabby ;)!

Thanks for organizing, incentivizing, and enabling!

Eric

https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports/5095-sfr-virtual-rando

[Bruce Fritz]

So glad you all prompted us to ride in January, here's a belated contribution.  Not quite a 200, but definitely a rando ride, as I was smiling (almost) the whole way.

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/62231631

As many have said, it's great to be able to get out when so many are stuck at home.  1/17 was particularly beautiful on the coast, warm, windless and green.  Especially it put a smile on my face seeing the many folks picnicking in the Hwy 1 pullouts, soaking in the sun with oysters and a glass of wine.  Proud to be the last customer at Bovine Bakery, for a chocolate muffin and coffee. Enjoy it whenever you can!

- Bruce F

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