OT: bikes, ferries, and (model) trains: kid-friendly day trip Oct 15 or 16?

[Nathan Dushman]

I took my 7-year-old to see model railroads in the East Bay yesterday, and as we were about to get in the car he asked if we could go by bike and ferry instead. We didn't have time then, but it got me wondering.

We visited the Carquinez Model Railroad Club (https://cmrstrainclub.org) - shares a building with the Carquinez Toy Train Museum (https://cttom.org/), which was not open on our visit - and the Golden State Model Railroad Museum (https://www.gsmrm.org/) in Richmond. The next open house in Carquinez is the weekend of Oct 15-16. Anyone interested in going there by bike, train and ferry? Anyone know about bike rules on Amtrak between Martinez and Oakland, and whether it's feasible to get a cargo bike onto the train?

One possible schedule:
10:30am depart Ferry Building for Vallejo

11:30am arrive Vallejo

Bike to Carquinez Model Railroad Society, 5.5 miles according to Google Maps
Stop for lunch somewhere along the way

1pm-ish arrive Carquinez Model Railroad / Toy Train Museum
Spend 1.5-2 hours there
2:45pm leave Carquinez

Bike to Martinez Amtrak, 8 miles along the Carquinez Scenic Drive
3:55pm Amtrak departs

4:45pm Amtrak arrives Oakland Jack London Square

5:15pm Ferry departs Oakland

5:40pm Ferry arrives SF Ferry Building

Nathan

[Nathan Dushman]

We're doing this Sunday, Oct 16. I'm expecting one other SF2G family, would love to have more! Appears there's not a lot of open food options on a Sunday in Crockett, and the timing might be tight anyway, so we'll bring lunch to eat on the Vallejo ferry. If you need to get back a little earlier, and do a little less biking, you could ride back to Vallejo in time for the 3:45 or 4pm ferry.

Nathan

[Brett Lider]

I can’t make it this time around but this sounds like an awesome itinerary. 

(With my giant-ass bike, I’d probably have to bike from Martinez all the way to Oakland for the ferry. There’s no way I could lift it onto an Amtrak.)

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[Nathan Dushman]

We're tentatively planning to do this again on Saturday June 24. We had a great time last fall, anyone want to join us? Here's how the route looked, along with my notes: https://www.strava.com/activities/7975256093 There's a good chance I've got some sort of bike trailer to loan - best bet might be the Weehoo - to someone whose kid can't do the whole distance on their own.

Nathan

[Joyee Chen]

June 24 sounds great for me! I'm a massive train nerd, but I'm a college student without kids; will that be ok?

[Brett Lider]

Tentatively in. Just need to figure out the route back with the bike that can't go on Amtrak. 

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[R Samuel Klatchko]

Does your bike fit on BART? I'm thinking about joining in and either riding on to Lafayette BART or Orinda BART via Three Bears.

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[Brett Lider]

My bike doesn't fit on BART elevators. 

[Nathan Dushman]

Hi all - We're still planning to do this on Saturday! (Sorry my original subject line was off by a day.) Ferry to Vallejo is at 10:20am. We'll aim to be at the ferry building by 9:45 to grab snacks.

If anyone wants to borrow a non-motorized long-tail cargo bike (Lider?) for this, I have one available. Works fine for hauling a kid and a bike, that's what I did last time. I'm thinking this time I'll take my long-tail with a motor as there might be point where I'm trying to haul two kids and their bikes uphill.

Nathan

[R Samuel Klatchko]

I'm planning on joining you except instead of taking Amtrack back, I'm planning on taking this route if anyone wants to join me.

Can we bring our bikes into the museum?

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[Nathan Dushman]

I don't think there's a good place to leave bikes inside the railroad club, at least not a big cargo bike (it's up a set of stairs). Last time we locked them outside. I can bring a spare heavy lock.

[Brett Lider]

-1 as a conflict has arisen. Sorry to miss. 

[R Samuel Klatchko]

At the ferry.

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