You're Invited to the Farewell PABadger Ride & Bash

[jobob]

Please join us in sending off Dr. Badger in fine style on Sunday, September 2 with a short yet scenic ride from San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge thru Sausalito & Tiburon, culminating at the the Marin Brewing Co (http://www.marinbrewing.com/index2.php) in Larkspur, conveniently located near the Larkspur Ferry Terminal (http://goldengate.org/news/transit/laborday_baybridge.php).

After a celebratory repast, we'll take the Larkspur Ferry back to SF, and those of us who started off at the Sports Basement will have a short ride back to the Presidio.

Those of you who don't want to ride could meet us at the Marin Brewing Co.
For instance, you could take BART to Embarcadero station in San Francisco and take the ferry to & from Larkspur, or, drive directly to the Marin Brewing Co. in Larkspur (which is near the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge).

For the riders:
Let's try to meet up at the Presidio Sports Basement (http://www.sportsbasement.com/pop_ups/directions/code3_presidio.htm) around 10am, for a rollout by 10:30. It's about a 25 mile ride to Larkspur. Allowing for suitable photo ops and general lollygagging, our estimated time of arrival at the Marin Brewing Co. is somewhere between 1 and 1:30(?)
[edited] BikeGoddess plans to take the Vallejo Ferry to the SF Ferry Terminal and ride over to the Presidio, which she guesstimates should take about 30 minutes.

For the non-riders:
Here's the ferry schedule for Labor Day Weekend (http://goldengate.org/news/transit/laborday_baybridge.php) and here's the webpage for the Marin Brewing Co (http://www.marinbrewing.com/index2.php). Plan to be there around 1 or 1:30 ?

Can we have a headcount?

I'll start: LeeBob & I will be riding, and we'll start at the Presidio Sports Basement.

[DrBadger]

I will be there! Can't miss my own party :D

I will be leaving from the Sports Basement in the Presidio.

I will check with Amie to see if she is interested in coming and let you know.

Thanks all for organizing!
See you all on Sunday!
Ellen

[maillotpois]

My plan is to meet you en route somewhere. If I get dreadfully behind in my life, I'll just meet you at the brewery. :cool:

[snapdragen]

I'll be in the bar.......:cool: :D

[five one]

Sigh... one of these days I'll make it to a Bay Area TE gig, but can't this time. I hope you all have a great day and I look forward to seeing pictures.

[Trekhawk]

I will be there! Can't miss my own party :D

I will be leaving from the Sports Basement in the Presidio.

I will check with Amie to see if she is interested in coming and let you know.

Thanks all for organizing!
See you all on Sunday!
Ellen

Hey Ellen
I am sorry that I wont be able to make it to your goodbye ride. I hope you have fun with the gang and a safe trip (with all the holidays on the way) to Texas.:)

[Bike Goddess]

I'm planning to come over on the Vallejo Ferry which docks at the Ferry Building at 9:45. I will call someone (I need a cell # please) when I get off the ferry so you will have a better idea as to when I should be at the Sports Basement. Since the bridge is closed, I'm expecting a lot of people on the ferry so it might take me a bit longer to off board. (I have MP's but she sounds like she's not going to come over to SF)

Looking forward to seeing you all!

Nancy

[jobob]

Ooops sorry, Nancy, I misunderstood your earlier post. :o

I'll PM you my cell number.

[jobob]

bump?

[snapdragen]

bumpity

[aka_kim]

Sorry, I can't make it. But Ellen, you will need to post pix and a story about all your upcoming adventures! Hope everything goes well with the move and the job. And remember, if you can ride 100 miles of Holstein, you can do "just about anything" :). Hope you stay on the board after things settle.

[DrBadger]

Hello all! Soooo looking foward to Sunday!

Thanks for the well whishes from those of you who can't come, and yes, I will be sure to post updates and photos from my travels and as I get settled in Houston.

Well, I got my last signatures on Thursday, printed out all the copies of my dissertation today, and have started cleaning out my desk area. I turn in my dissertation on Tuesday and then I am officially a Dr! (Well, pending university review according to the letter I will get :rolleyes: , the degree will be officially conferred near the end of Sept)

See many of you on Sunday!
Ellen

[bikerz]

Just back from a week's vacation :D, followed by a harried 2 days in the office :eek: :eek: - whew!

Melissa and I are planning on meeting you all at the Brew Pub (we'll look for the up-ended lemon drop glasses and assume Snap is somewhere behind them! :rolleyes: )

Sadly, we won't be on the ride - I'm still off the bike for tail-bone and ankle problems, and Mel is still nursing her shoulder :(

Snap - when are you planning on being at the pub, and by what mode of transportation will you be arriving?

[snapdragen]

I'm going to take BART (from Millbrae) up to the Embarcadero, then the ferry to Larkspur. I'm thinking of getting up there earl (9ish - 9:30), so I can wander the Ferry Building for a while. I'm in need of a new Scharffen-Berger t-shirt, due to an errant grease spatter. :rolleyes: A definate stop at Peets, and possibly breakfast at the Mijita. I want to catch the 11:30 ferry to Larkspur.

Ferry Departs SF Terminal 11:30 *
Ferry Arrives Larkspur 12:20 *

[jobob]

It was a fun ride and the lunch was a blast!

PABadger, BikeGoddess, LeeBob and I started out from the Sports Basement at the Presidio, and rode over the Golden Gate Bridge. Ellen & I stopped a lot for photo opps and general sightseeing since it was her first time riding over the bridge. Luckily, the bridge wasn't very crowded so it was a really nice ride over.

Here's PAB (Ellen) checking out the scenery:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/jobob22/Farewell_PABadger_02Sept2007/EllenOnBridge.jpg


We took the back route via Ft. Baker into Sausalito, and we were treated to this stunning view of the bridge:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/jobob22/Farewell_PABadger_02Sept2007/GGBfromFtBaker.jpg

Going through Sausalito we managed to wend our way around the meandering tourists and avoid the kamikaze parkers, and we met up with maillotpois on the other end of town. She led us up the path towards Mill Valley and took us on a new (for us) route into Tiburon.

We went around the bay side of the Paradise loop, which was a very nice route indeed:
(l to r: jobob, maillotpois, PABadger, & BikeGoddess)
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/jobob22/Farewell_PABadger_02Sept2007/ParadiseLoop.jpg


We reached the Marin Brewing Co in Larkspur where Snap, BikerZ and Mel were patiently awaiting our arrival.


We had a very fun lunch, then all of us (sans MP) boarded the ferry for the ride back to SF:
(Back row: Snap, BikerZ, & jobob; front: PABadger - clearly amused by something! - MelissaM, & BikeGoddess)
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/jobob22/Farewell_PABadger_02Sept2007/GroupOntheFerry.jpg

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/jobob22/Farewell_PABadger_02Sept2007/SFSkyline.jpg


Lots of laughs were shared this day:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/jobob22/Farewell_PABadger_02Sept2007/OntheFerry.jpg



We hung out a bit at the Ferry Building (gelato, yum....), then Lee, Ellen and I negociated the crowds up Embarcadero thru Fisherman's Wharf and across Ft. Mason back to Chrissy Field & the Sports Basement.

A few more photos are here (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/jobob22/Farewell_PABadger_02Sept2007/?)

A fun sendoff for a lovely person. :cool:

[Starfish]

Jo, what a great report and great pics! Sounds like it would have been a ton of fun. I see lots of sunshine, and lots of smiles. Nice! :)

[DrBadger]

Thanks for posting the photos and such a nice ride report Jo!

I had a great time yesterday, and wanted to thank you all for such a wonderful send off! The ride was probably one of the prettiest I have been on out here, every turn had another great view, and the weather couldn't have been better! Thanks for showing us the back route MP, it was so much nicer than if we had just taken the bike path the whole way.

Lunch and gelato were great as always, and MAN tourists are CRAZY along the wharf... that was a new experience!

So, Jo, turns out that the problem I was having with my camera is a known one and Canon will fix it for free even if the camera is out of warranty, so will be taking care of that soon, but my old camera will be coming to SA with me as the back up instead.

Thanks again guys, and I will be sure to post a link to all my photos from my upcoming trips and let you know as i get settled into Houston.

Hope to see you all again soon!
Ellen

[maillotpois]

Super fun! What a great day! I am sorry to have missed out on the gelato, though! :rolleyes:

Ellen, good luck to you in your move and your upcoming super rough period of time of world travel. :p Have fun handing in that dissertation tomorrow!

[Bike Goddess]

Sorry I missed out on the gelato too. (much BETTER than ice cream IMHO;) ;) ).

As the pictures show, yesterday was AAA weather and view!

Yes, we'll miss you Dr. B. Hopefully we'll still hear about your adventures far and wide.

Jobob- thanks for the great pics. Really did look that way too!:) :) :)

[snapdragen]

It was great fun, and wonderful to see everyone yesterday.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/snapdragen/Dr%20Badger/DrBadger_0011.jpg

A few of the steeds
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/snapdragen/Dr%20Badger/IMG_0010.jpg

The Doktor!
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/snapdragen/Dr%20Badger/DrBadger_0014.jpg

leebob, bikerz and maillotpois

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/snapdragen/Dr%20Badger/IMG_0013.jpg

mp's purty bike
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/snapdragen/Dr%20Badger/IMG_0012.jpg

[melissam]

Whew, what fun!

BikerZ and I got on BART to go into SF. Since the Bay Bridge was out of commission, BART started filling up fairly quickly. Lots of folks in tie-dye, since they were going to the Summer of Love festival. Interesting shades and hats were spotted too! (Visualize the Cat in the Hat crossed with a Dead Head.)

We met Snap at the ferry terminal and headed out to Larkspur. Found the Marin Brewing Co, staked out a table outside in the shade, and ordered some brews. Then some appetizers. Then some more brews. Needless to say, we chatted and laughed a lot.

The riding crew (JoBob, LeeBob, BikeGoddess, Maillotpois, and guest of honor PABadger) met up with us, and we ordered more brews and some "real" food. I have say that the Marin Brewing Co. is an excellent place for a gathering like this. They have good food, tasty beers, and an accommodating wait staff. Oh, and there was a live band playing outdoors. Just the right volume so you could hear the music but still carry on a conversation.

And what conversation was had! Dr. Badger graciously answered all of our questions about what the next few months had in store for her. Nothing that exciting, mind you...only a trip to South America, a drive out to Houston, finding a place to live, settling in, and starting a new job. You know, just your average stuff. ;)

I wish I'd recorded some of the conversations at the table. But then again, what goes on at TE gatherings stays at TE gatherings. Let's just say that TE'ers have a mixed and interesting set of life experiences.

After a bit, we bid adieu to Maillotpois and headed back to the ferry. Walkers staked out seating, and cyclists secured their bikes. Upon arrival in SF, BikeGoddess boared yet another ferry bound for the east bay, and the rest of us indulged in the aforementioned gelato. Some of us even made a special trip to the Sharfen Berger store. Did you know that they are now making a milk chocolate nibby bar? I can vouch for it -- it's superb! They also make chocolate mousse lip balm.

After the bikers headed back to their cars, we walkers weren't quite ready to go home yet. So, we found a nice hotel bar with outdoor seating, and enjoyed a couple more rounds of cocktails, appetizers, and conversation. Then back on BART to get home.

A good time was had by all! Thanks Jo, for organizing this!

PABadger -- congratulations and best wishes for much success in Houston!

-- Melissa