Reminder: NorCal Riv Ride: Mount Hamilton next Sunday

[Anne Paulson]

This is a repeat of the message I sent out a few weeks ago. I hope to
see a lot of you next Sunday to ride up Mount Hamilton. Four thousand
feet of righteous vertical fun! A classic ascent all local cyclists
should do at least once! This time of year is perfect to ascend Mount
Hamilton. If we're lucky and it's clear, we'll be able to see all the
way to the Sierra.

Bring snacks and lunch; there is nowhere to buy food except crummy
vending machines at the top. Bring water; there is no water at the
start, and only one water source on the climb. Bring warm clothes for
the descent.

I've also invited some of my local carbon-fiber-loving weight weenies
along. I'm hoping you guys will help me preach the steel gospel to
these (nice, friendly) heathens.

Original message:

Meet at the corner of Alum Rock and Mt. Hamilton Road at 8:45 on
Sunday November 22 for a 9:00 start. There is some parking right at
that intersection; otherwise I think you can park on neighboring
streets.

We'll head up Mount Hamilton Road to the top, then turn around and
ride down. If the weather has been dry, we'll have an optional dirt
section from Grant Ranch Park to Twin Gates.
The top of Mount Hamilton, about 4000 feet, can be very cold at in
late November; the descent can likewise be frigid. Bring appropriate
clothing. Water and bathrooms are available at Grant Ranch, but other
than that, we'll have no services until we reach the top. At the top,
if the Observatory is open as it usually is, we'll have water and
bathrooms. The Observatory also has some vending machines selling junk
food.

--
-- Anne Paulson

He who wills the ends wills the means

--
-- Anne Paulson

He who wills the ends wills the means

[manueljohnacosta]

Count me in rain or shine. I would love to meet other rivendell riders
around the area.
-Manny

[Jim M.]

I was looking forward to the ride but my company has announced a
sudden re-org and I'm traveling on business. I posted this
announcement to the I-BOB list to reach more folks.

Have fun and I'll see you next time!

jim m
wc ca

On Nov 15, 10:23 am, Anne Paulson <anne.paul...@gmail.com> wrote:

[manueljohnacosta]

Great ride today Anne thanks for planning this out. I had a blast!
Glad we saw some ponies and cows that look like horses! And that
coyote I saw a couple months ago. Thanks again.

[Anne Paulson]

Four of us ended up making the ride up Mount Hamilton: Manny, on a
beautiful Bleriot equipped with a medium-sized Carradice bag; Todd, on
a blue A Homer Hilsen with a front basket, Benz, on a Della Santa
sporting a handsome Nigel Smythe saddlebag; and me on my scrappy
Atlantis, with a Carradice bag stuffed with warm clothes and food.
Everyone had fenders, which came in handy on the wet roads. I had
invited a few carbon-fiber weight weenie friends, but none of them
showed up. Just as well, because those delicate flowers would have
been afraid to ride on the dirt.

We headed up Mt. Hamilton Road to Grant Ranch, then turned off at
Grant Lake to go up Halls Valley Trail and Canada de Pala, returning
to Mt. Hamilton Road at Twin Gates. That dirt section is my favorite
way to go up Mt. Hamilton, quiet, and beautiful at all times of the
year.

Normally, on the section after the second retrograde Lick Observatory
taunts the unwary cyclist. "Almost there," it will whisper as you look
up at it, seemingly just around the corner when actually it's seven
miles away. Or six miles, or four miles... the Observatory always
looks like it's just above you. But today it was fogged in. I couldn't
even get a glimpse of it until just before we turned off Mt. Hamilton
Road onto the Observatory driveway.

I've been up on top of Mt. Hamilton when it was colder than today, but
the fog and wind drove us indoors to eat our lunches on the
comfortable benches. Then we bundled up, to head down and finish a
delightful ride. Thanks, guys.

[manueljohnacosta]

Beautiful description Anne! Very well said. Here are pictures from
said ride. Mist conditions to say the least but I believe it added to
the ride.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41060758@N07/sets/72157622859619794/

[cyclotourist]

Thanks for those photos!  The dirt section through the oaks is AMAZINGLY beautiful!

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--
Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

"Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There is something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym."  ~Bill Nye, scientist guy

[Aaron Thomas]

Is this bike the Della Santa?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41060758@N07/4126421381/in/set-72157622859619794/

Whatever it is, it's inspiring bike lust...

> > rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com<rbw-owners-bunch%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>
> > .

[Rene Sterental]

I'm very sorry I couldn't come to this ride... I got back from my business trip and got sick.

Is there any chance this ride can be repeated sometime soon? The pictures look amazing!

René

[Anne Paulson]

On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Rene Sterental <orth...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm very sorry I couldn't come to this ride... I got back from my business
> trip and got sick.
> Is there any chance this ride can be repeated sometime soon? The pictures
> look amazing!
> René

We could try between Christmas and New Years, if people were
interested. The dirt section might be iffy if it has been raining,
though.

[CycloFiend]

Great writeup! Great images!

Hopefully Anne, you shared both with your friends who are suffering from
Carbonic Fibritosis that seemed to have seasonally induced manifestations.
I mean, just so they know what they missed... ;^)

I'm sorry to have missed that myself. My cousin was in town for a
conference, so we had a constantly changing window of availability to
connect. I've never ridden that road and was looking forward to the
opportunity to do so.

Hopefully next time! Thanks for sharing!

- Jim

--
Jim Edgar
Cyclo...@earthlink.net

Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com
Current Classics - Cross Bikes
Singlespeed - Working Bikes

Your Photos are needed! - http://www.cyclofiend.com/guidelines


"Steel's what you want for a messenger bike. Weight. Big basket up front.
Not cardboard with some crazy aramid shit wrapped around it, weighs about as
much as a sandwich."
-- William Gibson, "Virtual Light"

[CycloFiend]

on 11/23/09 9:23 AM, Aaron Thomas at aaron.a...@gmail.com wrote:

> Is this bike the Della Santa?
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/41060758@N07/4126421381/in/set-72157622859619794/
>
> Whatever it is, it's inspiring bike lust...

I'm pretty sure that's Benz's bicycle, which appears in more detail here:
http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2008/cc539-benzouyang1008.html

- J

--
Jim Edgar
Cyclo...@earthlink.net
Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries - http://www.cyclofiend.com
Current Classics - Cross Bikes
Singlespeed - Working Bikes

Send In Your Photos! - Here's how: http://www.cyclofiend.com/guidelines


"Nigel did some work for some of the other riders at Allied, onces who still
rode metal. He hadn't liked it when Chevette had gone for a paper frame."

[Esteban]

Wow. Lovely! I'm going to drive up in the 27th. It would be great to
get a ride in with you folks between Christams and New Years - or
after too.

Esteban
San Diego, Calif

On Nov 23, 9:38 am, Anne Paulson <anne.paul...@gmail.com> wrote:

[manueljohnacosta]

pictures of this bike doesn't do it justice. Benz has put a lot of
thought and care for just about everything on that bike. Taking about
him about the components and the bike itself was a treat alone. Again
I'm glad I was able to ride with such amazing people.

On Nov 23, 11:10 am, CycloFiend <cyclofi...@earthlink.net> wrote:

> on 11/23/09 9:23 AM, Aaron Thomas at aaron.a.tho...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > Is this bike the Della Santa?
>

> >http://www.flickr.com/photos/41060758@N07/4126421381/in/set-721576228...

>
> > Whatever it is, it's inspiring bike lust...
>
> I'm pretty sure that's Benz's bicycle, which appears in more detail here:http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2008/cc539-benzouyang1008.html
>
> - J
>
> --
> Jim Edgar

> Cyclofi...@earthlink.net
> Cyclofiend Bicycle Photo Galleries -http://www.cyclofiend.com

[Todd Olsen]

I was the one riding the blue AHH. This was my second trip up Mt.
Hamilton. I am glad Manny took the beautiful photos, especially
through the Oaks on the dirt track, as I was so winded, I didn't
notice how pretty that section was.

There is actually a New Years Day traditional ride up Mount Hamilton,
so if some would like to do it then, perhaps we could join this
group. I like to do something unique New Years Day, and this looks
fun.

http://www.chainreactionbicycles.com/mthamilton.htm

Todd Olsen

On Nov 23, 7:21 pm, manueljohnacosta <manueljohnaco...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> > -- William Gibson, "Virtual Light"- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[benzzoy]

Anne, thanks again for organizing this. It was my first time up and I
was glad to have the local knowledge of someone who rides there
frequently. Without your guide, I don't think I'll ever be on that
beautiful dirt road excursion.

Manny, those are fantastic pictures! I've revealed them to my friends
who didn't manage to show up on Sunday, mainly as a taunt but also as
a teaser for a future Mt Ham ride. :)

Thanks for the kind words about the bike. It was quite fun putting it
together, but even more fun riding it with like-minded folks!