I did the Three Bears!!

[bikerz]

Today was a gorgeous day, and my friend and I did the Three Bears loop from her house in El Sobrante - 20 miles. I made it up mama, baby and papa bear hills without stopping (and up all the other "bear relatives" also!). That downhill after papa bear is sooooo fun (I hit my lifetime max speed so far! 37.9 - )

The only drag was a wicked headwind on San Pablo Dam Rd back to Castro Ranch - we were working hard to get 12 mph downhill!

So my repetoire of East Bay Hills is growing, and I'm looking forward to enjoying these hills in the cool weather over the next few months.

W went around clockwise, but I saw lots of people going counter-clockwise, which seems like it would be way harder... Any opinions from you any of you 3 bear experts out there? (CindySue? TomGrrrl?)

[jobob]

Sounds like fun! Lemme know when you plan go again.

[bikerz]

Well - maybe next weekend! There were tons of cyclists out there...

[SadieKate]

Way to go, BZ! Sounds like that ride was perfect! Not too easy, not too hard, but jussst right!

[shadon]

today I died on the hill up to Lands End, just past Sea Cliff, after dying on the Arquello hill. I've *got* to work on hills. I *dream* of riding the Three Bears. Good for you!

[shadon]

today I died on the hill up to Lands End here in San Francisco, just past Sea Cliff, after dying on the Arquello hill. I've *got* to work on hills. I *dream* of riding the Three Bears. Good for you!

[cindysue]

We went around clockwise, but I saw lots of people going counter-clockwise, which seems like it would be way harder... Any opinions from you any of you 3 bear experts out there? (CindySue? TomGrrrl?)

congrats on tackling the bears and on your record descent!!!!!

I've gone both ways. If you approach the three bears from San Pablo rather than from Alhambra Valley Road (I'm assuming this is what you mean by counter clockwise), you climb "pumphouse hill" (rather than descend it like you did with your record speed). I didn't think one way was much harder than the other. I guess if you are returning via Wildcat Canyon, it might be easier to do the reverse route (from San Pablo) and then coast a bit before climbing wildcat rather than tackling the three bears then being slammed soon after with wildcat.

[aka_kim]

But now you know that the Bears are easier than some of your other accomplishments - easier than the Mt. Diablo junction, easier than Pinehurst... what's a hard hill we can find for you?

I really like riding the Bears too, and combining them with Pinehurst or Wildcat makes a nice longer loop.

[Veronica]

You know - I have never done the bears.

V.

[tomgrrrl]

Way to go Z! You picked a perfect day for it. I just missed you, rode that route yesterday....I have done it both ways and I think it's kind of a wash....I think Mama Bear going clockwise is for some reason the hardest....harder than Papa in my mind.

I was also happy to see yesterday that someone had actually cleaned up all the big trash on the route!!! The couch and lazy-boy recliner were gone. Perhaps someday us TE gals can take my pickup and do a trash pickup for all the other little crap that lines the route....particularly Alhambra Valley Road (for some reason).....

At any rate, Z, you added another notch to the o'l belt!!!

[bikerz]

Thanks gang!

Perhaps someday us TE gals can take my pickup and do a trash pickup for all the other little crap that lines the route....particularly Alhambra Valley Road (for some reason).....

I'd love to do that - there was a lot of glass along the road, and plenty of road kill (but nothing like that Lodi ride!).

what's a hard hill we can find for you?

Ha! They're all hard! From what you all said in another post about South Park, I think we can say it would be a really tough on for me. My main accomplishment yesterday was not having to stop mid-hill - otherwise, I have a long way to go with hill-climbing - I am so unbelievable slow! I think agree with TG that mama bear is the worst - I just looked at my front wheel the whole way up - everytime I looked up to the top, it seemed as far away as it had been before - so depressing! And at my sloooow rate of speed (3.5 mph on that hill, I think!), it really did seem to take forever. The main thing now is to keep dropping the weight so I can go just a *little* faster up those hills!

But you all were right - hills hills hills, and everything (including the hills) gets easier!

So, I think now I can plan a tough route "out the door" from my house - through temescal and up Tunnel rd, skyline to redwood, along canyon, through orinda, onto the "Dam rd", around Alhambra and the 3 bears, up wildcat cayon ( ) then along grizzly, or back through orinda and up pinehurst ( ) , back along skyline and down snake to home. That will be a long ride, with a lot of climbing! One day!

And Shadon, take it from me, just like the TE girls hill climbing mentors say - just keep riding and it will get (a little!) easier - plus, get teeny-weeny front touring chainrings and whopper back chain rings, and you'll be all set!

[helga]

Hey BikerZ,
Way to go! You really are an inspiration. From zero to the bears in less than a year. Amazing!

[snapdragen]

I like that - "From Zero to Bears"

Hey BikerZ,
Way to go! You really are an inspiration. From zero to the bears in less than a year. Amazing!

[Bike Goddess]

Biker Z- Good job!!!! I think the way you did it is a bit easier. I've done the Bears your way as well many times. We come from Benicia so we do a lot of climbing before we even get to the BEARS!!!! I've also done the Bears one way and then turned around at the top of Papa Bear (the one before that long down hill) and gone backwards to Mama and Baby plus other hills to get home. I think the reverse way (counterclockwise) is a bit harder, but maybe that was because I was already a bit tired. At some point I will go down to San Pablo Road, turn around and go back up. Maybe I could call that ride the Double Bear ride!

Your next route sounds pretty challenging! As others have said- the more you do the same route, the better it will be for you. It's not necessarily going to get a lot easier, BUT, you know what to expect and for me anyway, that makes a big difference. I'm out that way most Sunday mornings so if you ever want to meet up, I'll do those "Bears" with you! (That goes for anyone else as well!!!)

VERONICA- We definitely need to initiate you! You could start in Martinez (just down the freeway from you). I'd love to do that ride with you!

[Veronica]

Pick a day Nancy. Has to be a weekend or a holiday. I've got stuff going on both days this weekend. But after that I'm free. Well, maybe not free ...


V.