July 8 Beginner's Ride - Alameda Creek Trail

I'm planning a easy-paced ride in Fremont along the Alameda Creek Trail for Saturday July 8 with a couple of friends of mine who have just taken up cycling. We thought the Alameda Creek Trail would be a great route - nice and flat, no chance of getting lost, plenty of bathrooms along the way, and hopefully a tailwind on the way back. It should be between 22 and 25 miles. Also, since it's an out-and-back, folks who want a shorter route can turn back anywhere along the way, or relax at one of the shady park areas and catch the rest of the group on the way back.

Any of you TE-ers want to come along, and bring some friends? I think Trek420 is in, and Winddance may be bringing a friend who has just started riding.

(Of course, hill repeats on Jobob's "Nemesis hill" are optional - but I'm going to tackle it - once!)

I'd like to meet up between 9 and 10 am (maybe even earlier, if it's going to be really hot) at the Niles Canyon Staging area parking lot.

For anyone who's interested, here's a link to our last group ride down there.

I'll start a roll call and post more details as the time draws near...

This sounds like fun. I'd like to come along.

Thanks!
Amy

Great Amy! (And you'll be bringing your new Bianchi, right?)

Here's the roster so far:

Me
Trek420
My friends Nicole, Mary and Rebecca (not TE members - YET!)
Winddance
maybe Winddance's friend? (who's also new to cycling)
Dachshund
MelissaM (?)
Snap (?) temp permitting...

Any other locals? (Shadon? Slinke, Mel, Snap, the Bob's, Spazz? Who'd I leave out?)

I'll be there! Oh, I see you're already signed me up ;)

I'd like to go, but I may be out of town that weekend.

-- Mel (but probably not the Mel you were referring to in the above post)

Me probably. Depends on the heat!

Hey Mel-M- I hope you are in town and can join us!

And Snap - if it's hot we'll start earlier - I hope you can come!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bikerz

Great Amy! (And you'll be bringing your new Bianchi, right?)

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Yes ma'am!

I don't have a lock yet - do you think I'll need one?

No, I don't think so...

dachsund, you don't need a lock, you'll be on your bike and IF we go for coffee after you'll be near your bike so your bike'll be fine.

Cool beans...... Thanks!

I'm in, but my friend will be out of town that weekend. Which means...we have to do this again sometime soon!

I hate when that happens...

Hi Z -

Not sure if we can make it, but I'll know closer to the date.

- Jo.

I'm in! Keep me posted via email. Not online here to much of late, plus I'll be watching "Dopers-R-Us" every day... er, I mean, the Tour de France.

spazz

Excellent! Updated roster (since I can't edit that original post anymore...)
(And adding LL_DUper_D to the list as well!)

Definitely:
Me
Trek420
Duck on Wheels
Nicole, Mary and Rebecca
Winddance
Dachshund
Spazzdog
LL_Super_D

Maybe:
MelissaM (?)
Snap (?)
The Bobs (?)

I had been hoping to be able to ride with some of you Bay Area TE gals one of these days and looks like the stars and planets are finally all in alignment :p . I'm in!

LL - That's great!

(And BTW - congrats on the Bears! In the heat too!)

bikerz, can you still edit the list? I'm trying to arrange a rental bike for Duckless, I mean H** on Wheels, I mean Duck on Wheels. :cool:

Quote:

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bikerz, can you still edit the list? I'm trying to arrange a rental bike for Duckless, I mean H** on Wheels, I mean Duck on Wheels.

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Consider it done!

Hi Z -

I spoke with the Mr and checked our oh-so-busy social calendar (har har har) and we'll be there.

Melissa, I hope you can make it, it would be great to see you, it's been ages. Still have helium in your tires? ;)

Oooh! Looks like we're gonna have a crowd!:D

Woo hoo! What a crowd!

Here's the hourly update:

Definitely:
Me
Trek420
Duck on Wheels
Nicole, Mary and Rebecca
Winddance
Dachshund
Spazzdog
LL_Super_D
The Bobs
Snapdragen (she's in!)

Maybe:
MelissaM (?)
Shadon (?)

I'm in! I may pass out, but I'm in. :D

I'm house/dog sitting in San Mateo for most of july starting that week. If I can work out getting my bike down there, and then come up with a plan for the critters to not be alone for to long, I"m in! (how's that for simple?).

I really need to get back on the bike, haven't had a ride to speak of since ALC! Riding in the Pride parade was a fun kick in the pants, but it didn't count as a ride!

count me as on the "maybe" list--sounds fun, but i might need to be burried in the library that weekend.

rai sue

And the roster as of July 3:

Definites:
Me
Trek420
Duck on Wheels
Nicole, Mary and Rebecca
Winddance
Dachshund
Spazzdog
LL_Super_D
The Bobs
Snapdragen

Possibles:
MelissaM (?)
Shadon (?)[/QUOTE]
Rai Sue (welcome!)


anyone else?

Count me as a maybe. I'll see if I can escape for a few hours on Saturday morning!! :)

Hey Slinke - how fantastic - it would be great to see you again!

Trek420 and I did the "out and back" version of this route yesterday - it was very pleasant, but a tad on the windy side. It seemed like a head wind 75% of the time (but the other 25% was a blast!) We started late (after 12) so we caught the afternoon breeze off the bay on our way out.

My headwind face: :mad:
My tailwind face: :D

So I think if we all meet at the parking lot at or slightly before 9 and get rolling soon after, we shouldn't get too much headwind on the way out there...

Ride roster as of July 5: (it's growing!)

Definites:
Me
Trek420
Duck on Wheels
Nicole, Mary and Rebecca
Winddance
Dachshund
Spazzdog
LL_Super_D
The Bobs
Snapdragen

Possibles:
Slinkedog
MelissaM
Shadon
Rai Sue

Is anyone from San Jose going who would like to do our part for the environment and 'pool with me? It's looking hopeful for me to go. I can take one more bike and human in my car. :)

Slinke, it'll be great to see you !

Z, have you declared a time yet? :confused:

Ed. to add - oops, Z sorry, just saw your post.

9 am is a very good time to start, it seems the wind has been whipping up pretty early so we're much ore likely to miss the brunt of it starting at 9.

Hello gang - the big day draws near!!

July 8 (Saturday) - 8:45 - 9:00 am (meeting time)
and let's try to start riding by 9:15 or so.

The route: It is 11 miles flat out to the the end, an optional 3 mile loop with rolling hills, and an additional totally optional hill (the infamous "Jobob's nemesis" hill - see description in the other thread :eek:) then 11 flat miles (possibly with a tail wind :D ) back to the start.

Since we will have some beginners with us, and some folks on mountain bikes, we might end up splitting into groups. If at any point anyone wants to shorten the route, there are shady little rest areas and picnic benches every few miles along the way.

Maybe afterwards, we can caravan or ride up to the Mission Coffee shop for smoothies or lunch??? That was so fun last time!

Here are Jobob's excellent directions from last time:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jobob

Here is a link to a Google map of the location of he Niles Canyon staging area, with a small parking lot, picnic benches and porta-potties.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...04884,0.107803

The general location is 700 Old Canyon Rd Fremont, CA 94536 if you want to map-quest directions.

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*** Bring emergency notification/ID, snacks, water, sunblock, spare tubes, etc. ***

Any other riders? Any word on our Maybes?

Oh - if anyone would like my cell phone number for last minute coordination, please PM me and I'll be happy to provide it.

(Slinke - I'm moving you to the defnites! Yay!)

Definites:
Me
Trek420 and Duck on Wheels
Nicole, Mary and Rebecca
Winddance
Dachshund
Spazzdog
LL_Super_D
The Bobs
Snapdragen
SlinkeDog

Possibles:
MelissaM (?)
Shadon (?)[/quote]
Rai Sue (welcome!)

Thanks, bikerz. I'll take you up on the phone #, and will PM when I get home this evening.
Amy

Rats, I DO have to go out of town this weekend, so I can't join you all. I really, really, really, really wanted to go, too.

Jobob, I don't have the helium any more. Do you know where I can pick some up? My previous helium supplier has disappeared, as well as my quads. ;)

Have a great time, everyone! Hopefully I can join you next time.

-- Melissa

Bummer, Melissa! Well, hopefully next time! Are you coming on the Monterey ride?

Can't wait to see the rest of you all Saturday!

(Amy, I just PM-ed you my cell info...)

Could you PM or email me directions to the start (from my abode off 580).

I'm going to invite my upstairs neighbor, Pierre. If he wants to come, I'll have to drive us rather than me meeting up with Trek420.

Remember, directions for dummies... I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies.... er, i mean, getting around in California.

spazz-o-directionless

P.S. in case he comes, does anybody speak French?

Je parle Francais un peu, and I really mean EN PEU. I could ask him where the toilets are and tell him my name, but that's about it. ;)

Well, both are very important sentences... but he won't know where the toilets are :D

spazz

A little extra location info -

The turn onto Old Canyon Rd off Niles Canyon is a soft right. You'll then cross over a little bridge over the creek, and then start looking for a down-sloping driveway on the left into the parking lot - there are actually 2 driveways, one on each side of the lot.

If you do a google maps of the address and then look at the sat photo, you can see what it's like. (I only mention this because I missed the Old Canyon turnoff AND the parking lot turn the first time I went there :o )