Mount Tam Road Ride

[Veronica]

I love riding up Tam so I'm planning on riding it Nov. 25, as and up and back. Unlike Diablo, the descent is not all descending. It's more like Mines Road. Not sure of distances and elevation, or start time. Just wanted to get the date out.

Off to work. :)

V.

PS If the weather is decent, I plan on doing this again on my birthday (12/17) or the longer 70 mile loop I did in August if Thom's up for it by then.

[maillotpois]

You should do Alpine Dam loop (Fairfax - Alpine Dam - top - Mill Valley) - that's a better loop than a straight up and back from both terrain and traffic perspectives. Winter is less traffic, but I always try to plan my Tam rides to avoid bad traffic. About 35 - 40 miles, 3000 feet or so elevation.

I'll come bring coffee and watch. Or heckle. :D

[Veronica]

I was hoping you'd chime in with a better way to get back to Fairfax. One that would make a loop. Details please. :)

V.

[velogirl]

http://www.velogirls.com/resources/routedocs/alpine_dam_sportsbasement.doc

[maillotpois]

Basically, it's Velogirl's route - but meet at the MV Middle School (plenty of parking, right on the bike path) and go from there to Fairfax and over. Then you have to drop down Tam to Mill Valley.

I am sure we have a topo map as well. But I can take VG's route and make the necessary modifications.

[Veronica]

Thanks ladies! Between the info from the two of you, I've figured it out.

V.

[Veronica]

Allrighty then, two routes to choose from.

Mount Tam - Mill Valley - 37 miles and according to MP about 3,000 feet of climbing. I have not ridden the Mill Valley section of this route.

Mount Tam - Muir Woods - Olema - 73 miles and 6300 feet of climbing. I did this ride on 7/26 and then a bit different configuration on the Mount Tam double. It's a beautiful ride, goes up the coast. Rte. 1 is a bit rough in the beginning, a good climb and then some rough ride. But so beautiful since you're right on the water.

V.

[maillotpois]

Whatever ride you do, be sure to stop at the 7-11 in Fairfax before you start climbing to the golf course. It's the last outpost before a whole lot of nothing in terms of available food and drink.

Unless of course, someone comes out to provide SAG... I could be persuaded....

[SadieKate]

Veronica, between all of Bubba's and my planned rides for the 4-day weekend plus social demands, I'd prefer to do the 37 mile course.

Are you going to try uploading GPX to routeslip? I'd love to see the course. I ride much better when I'm not disoriented on the route.

[jobob]

I ride much better when I'm not disoriented on the route.

must ... resist ...

[jobob]

Mr. Bob and I will be out of town this weekend, but we'd love to join you for a ride on your birthday, if it's a road ride.

Or at least, see you at the start, and eventually at the finish.

[maillotpois]

The "shorter loop": It is 34 miles and 3400 feet to be more specific. I looked back. You can also hang a left at Rock Springs and go to the top of Tam if you want. That would add about 5 miles and 800 feet. Roughly.

[SadieKate]

That sounds good. Me likes summit bragging rights.

[SadieKate]

Oh yeah, what is the traffic like on a holiday weekend? Do we need critical mass to just take over the road?

[maillotpois]

There will be traffic. But the direction I recommended should be better for traffic than if you were to just go up Tam from Mill Valley. Also, I recommend starting early. As early as you can stomach. That will help.

Are you meeting in Mill Valley? I had suggested meeting there at the Middle School - plenty of parking and right on the bike path. Then once you descend Tam you're done!

[Veronica]

I put starting at Mill Valley MS in the shorter loop. How's 9 for a start time?

V.

[Veronica]

I've futzed around a little bit with Routeslip. Is there a button to push to make it track to the road? I also didn't see a place to upload a GPX file.

V.

[SadieKate]

No button to make it track to the road - that's against googling licensing.

Somewhere in his blog I thought he gave directions for GPS uploads. Maybe it is only downloads, but that seems stupid.

If all else fails, give me a route description and I'll sit and do all the little clickies.

[Veronica]

I'm almost done. I decided it would probably work better in IE than Mozilla.


Well, now it seems the site is too busy for me to work on it.
V.

[Veronica]

I am thoroughly frustrated by Routeslip. I looked through the blogs. There is mention of uploading GPS files, but no specific directions.

It's basically this route that Velogirl posted. Her ride is longer, but if you look at the link back in her post, you can see the distance between the turns.

Start at Mill Valley Middle School on Camino Alto

Camino Alto (begin 1.5 mile climb) – becomes Corte Madera then Magnolia
Continue Magnolia through intersection of Redwood Avenue
Left College Avenue at Bon Air
Left Kent (before College of Marin -- turns into Poplar in town of Ross)
Left Townhall/Lagunitas Road
Right Shady Lane
Right Bolinas Ave
1st Left San Anselmo Avenue (through downtown San Anselmo)
Left Continuing on San Anslemo (just before Sir Francis Drake)
Left Center Blvd (turns into Broadway)
STOP & REGROUP THE COFFEE ROASTERY IN FAIRFAX (on the left at Bolinas Ave)
Right Bolinas Road (becomes Fairfax-Bolinas Road) – climb, climb, climb!
STOP & REGROUP Alpine Dam Bridge (stop, catch your breath, and take in the beautiful view)
Left Ridgecrest Boulevard, continue to the end and turn around
Left Pan Toll Road
Left Panoramic Highway (follow to four corners)
Left Sequoia Valley Road
Right Edgewood Avenue
Right Molino Avenue
Left Montford
Right Miller Avenue
Left on Camino Alto

[maillotpois]

can I send you one of GP's garmin files for the route?

[Veronica]

I have the route in my GPS. I wanted to put it on to Routeslip so SK and Kim could look at it.

So any chance we can hook up with you after the ride for a late lunch?

V.

[aka_kim]

I have the route in my GPS. I wanted to put it on to Routeslip so SK and Kim could look at it.
Oh, I'm fine with one of those old-fashioned paper thingies - a cue sheet I think it's called. Up the mountain, down the mountain, around the mountain - something like that, right? Barring rain, I'll be there for the short route.

[maillotpois]

So any chance we can hook up with you after the ride for a late lunch?

V.

That would be great. SK and I were planning to get together later after your ride to go over training schedules. We'd planned to do that last weekend and things got nutty. (She's trying to keep me grounded while I plan what I am doing next next year and I'm trying to help her work out her 200k training like I did last year.) But we could have lunch before and do that later in the day if it works for her.

What sort of food do you guys think you'll want?

[SadieKate]

(She's trying to keep me grounded while I plan what I am doing next next year . . .) Yes, MP's convinced she's Wonder Woman's secret twin sister.

[maillotpois]

You mean I'm not...? :eek:

[Veronica]

That would be great. SK and I were planning to get together later after your ride to go over training schedules. We'd planned to do that last weekend and things got nutty. (She's trying to keep me grounded while I plan what I am doing next next year and I'm trying to help her work out her 200k training like I did last year.) But we could have lunch before and do that later in the day if it works for her.

What sort of food do you guys think you'll want?

Oh, whatever, pretty much anything that tastes good is fine with me. But I don't want to mess up your plans for the day. :) We can forage on our own.

V,

[maillotpois]

It wouldn't mess things up at all and moreover, it's be great to see you! So here are some options -

- pizza - best bet is a new pizza place across 101 in Strawberry - fancy-ish pizza that's yummy. Other option is Round Table.

- Mexican - right near the start there's an average Mexican place with good margs.

- Pasta, etc. - there are a lot of great pasta-y places nearby. One has a wood rotisserie over and cooks a great chicken and pasta dish.

So why don't you guys just call when you're done and we can see what you feel like then. If you're rolling by 9:30 you'll probably be done around 1. Also, feel free to call if anyone has a problem or you need something. I'm around all day.

V - do you guys have school today? We do not. I don't remember getting Wednesday off last year but she insists we did. The high school does not.

[Veronica]

Yum! Pasta and rotissierie chicken! Do they do good veggies?

Half day for us.

V.

[maillotpois]

The veggies are probably good. What I usually get it this tomato-ey based chicken with pasta dish. Mushrooms, etc. in it. Yum!! Great when it is cold outside.

[aka_kim]

Because I'm slow... 9 am start at Mill Valley Middle School?

[Veronica]

That's the plan. :)

V.

[maillotpois]

I may come see you off. (I can point out where the bathroom is. it's not obvious.)

[Veronica]

Oh that's cool! I was wondering about elephants. A guy from my local club is coming along as well.

V.

[SadieKate]

I started mapping on routeslip but lost patience for now. 3 different maps use three different names, plus the road names on V's list. Fortunately, I know which roads are dirt but I'll finish it later. The exact route except for starting is in Bay Area Biking by Ann Marie Brown (pub. by Foghorn). It really helped me put it in perspective since I know the dirt roads but not pavement there (except at the summit).

Is the parking at the school obvious? Is it on Sycamore on Camino Alto. 9 am, huh?

I'll probably be on the road about 7 am to go by the LCS first. Call me on my cell if something comes up.

What's the weather forecast? My Baggins bag may gets its first foray.

[maillotpois]

101 - exit R on blithedale/tiburon.
L at camino alto
L at Sycamore - go L at end of road into school parking lot. bilke path is obvious. bathrooms are not.

it will be cold. may be foggy. could be damp on tam, especially coming onto Ridgecrest from the dam. redwoods are fog condenser magnets.

[SadieKate]

Stinson Beach - High of 59 and low of 43.

http://search.weather.yahoo.com/forecast/USCA1098.html

Just remember Kim is the one who wants to start at 9 am.

[Veronica]

I picked nine because MP said an early start would be good to avoid traffic. We can make it later.

V.

[SadieKate]

No, I'm just whining early because I won't be able to get a chance when Kim's around.:p

[Veronica]

Oh, okay. Continue whining then. :p Is Bubba joining us?

V.

[SadieKate]

I was just told "I'm thinking about it." You know him; he likes to play hard to get.

[aka_kim]

Just remember Kim is the one who wants to start at 9 am.I most certainly am not! But it will give me something good to whine about.

[SadieKate]

I enjoyed our joint whining session today. Thanks all. :D