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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    1,351

    Thumbs up ALC 5 has started!

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    I just got back from seeing the ALC riders off in SF - a glorious morning - warm and sunny. Everyone was saying it was the warmest Day One ever.

    I saw Shadon and Eliza (CindySue's friend from Lunachix), and a bunch of other friends of mine who are riding - including my hill-climbing-riding-buddy Nicole (who some of you met on last week's Mt. Diablo ride). It was so great to watch 1840 riders heading out of town in a big group - all wearing red helmet covers that said "Not another 25 years".

    Of course they all come out of the Cow Palace and have to go immediately up a hill but they all looked strong, excited and raring to go!

    Here's wishing them all a safe and fun ride - Go riders!
    Keep calm and carry on...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Mrs. KnottedYet
    Posts
    9,152
    the route today was 79.8 miles. .

    Hope they had a great and safe ride.

    Just got a voicemail from my friend ride John Hronowski rider 1334, head of my company team.

    He'll be sending me updates throughout the week, I'll share them with you.

    He says the ride started pretty cold. They head out through the city on Hwy 35, ride by lake Merced, then climb on Hwy 35 though San Mateo Couny.

    He says that in his 8 previous rides he has never seen as much traffic on the climb up 92.

    It was very busy due to Hwy 1 being closed once again for repair to Devils Slide, more trucks and cars than he has ever seen in his 8 previous AIDS rides.

    TE gals the thought of that climb more than anything kept me from registering for years. It's a long hard climb with no shoulder and lots of traffic. Once you get going you really can't either pull over ... or pass but oh the view of the ocean from the top and the downhill into Half Moon Bay.

    Best you can do is hope the person in front of you has a nice pace and just keep plugging along.

    John says it didn't really warm up till around Pigeon Pt.. then the rest of the day is along Hwy 1 into Santa Cruz. He says they had tailwinds into Santa Cruz so I hope our TE gals enjoyed that.

    Tomorrows ride is 102 miles from Santa Cruz to King City. The ride heads inland after Moss Beach. Day 2's route is relatively flat, with one very long hill at the end. But in Californias farmland the headwinds can be huge also lots of dust.

    At times it feels like riding sideways.

    But the food may make up for what Day 2 puts you through. Our gals will enjoy the unofficial stop for fried (or steamed) artichokes and at some point on the route the cookie lady may appear.
    Last edited by Trek420; 09-11-2008 at 10:44 AM.
    Fancy Schmancy Custom Road bike ~ Mondonico Futura Legero
    Found on side of the road bike ~ Motobecane Mixte
    Gravel bike ~ Salsa Vaya
    Favorite bike ~ Soma Buena Vista mixte
    Folder ~ Brompton
    N+1 ~ My seat on the Rover recumbent tandem
    https://www.instagram.com/pugsley_adventuredog/

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    1,080
    I had a mtn bike race in Monterey this morning, followed by a road ride in Pescadero this afternoon, so I drove north on Highway 1. As soon as I saw the first riders in Santa Cruz, the tears started welling in my eyes (yes, I'm an emotional sap). The entire drive between Santa Cruz and Pescadero was a constant stream of riders. After four AIDS Rides, I said I wouldn't do another one, but I had a little urge to ride with them today.

    Saw Julie Brown, Shelley Ross, all the P.I.G.s, and lots of the usual characters. Oh, and Team Tall Bike is too cool!

    ps -- Dita, every year I've done the ride, Day 2 is the fastest day of the week (even though it's the longest). Since it's flat with primarily tailwinds for the first 70 miles (and that crazy blow-you-off-the-bike crosswind for the last 30), it can be a super-fast day. I sure don't remember any headwinds. I do, however, remember it taking forever to get out of Santa Cruz with the morning traffic.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Sillycon Valley, California
    Posts
    4,872
    Trek and I both worked Day 0 at Tent Registration- my knees are killing me today. I'm not built to spend 8+ hours on my feet.

    I wish I had pictures of the faces! I'd ask if this was their first ride - the newbies would have a terrified smile on their face. Furiously shaking their heads up and down saying yes. And intense listening when I explain all the little chips and what they're for. I'd finish, and they'd say "wait! The blue one is for my tent?" No, that's for your duffel, the little orange on the short chain is for your tent. "oooookay....." So cute.

    And the veterans are so cool, especially the Positive Peddlers. You figure most of these guys didn't expect to be around 25 years after the firsts AIDS diagnosis. But here they are, and they're riding their fricking bikes to LA! One fellow I talked to is on his 11th ride, including one in Alaska.

    velogirl - I get all teary when I see the riders too.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Huntington Beach, Ca
    Posts
    1,004
    Thanks for the reports...I would love to do this ride next year but the fear of not making the fundraising goal is really what is holding me back from registering.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Mrs. KnottedYet
    Posts
    9,152

    oh, I'm tearing up 8-(

    velogirl "After four AIDS Rides, I said I wouldn't do another one, but I had a little urge to ride with them today."

    well, there's always next year

    "Oh, and Team Tall Bike is too cool!"

    team tall bike? are they like....tall?

    about a mile before camp in Santa Cruz there is this coffee shop that offers free coffee to all the riders. So much for the diuretic effect, I remember being tired enough to take advantage to make that last bit in.

    Funny thing though was from day 3 just felt stronger. I think day 7 felt like the fastest I've ever done a metric +. Could have been adrenalyn....or not wanting to miss my flight home.
    Fancy Schmancy Custom Road bike ~ Mondonico Futura Legero
    Found on side of the road bike ~ Motobecane Mixte
    Gravel bike ~ Salsa Vaya
    Favorite bike ~ Soma Buena Vista mixte
    Folder ~ Brompton
    N+1 ~ My seat on the Rover recumbent tandem
    https://www.instagram.com/pugsley_adventuredog/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    1,351
    Hey Velogirl - I know the Team PIG gals too - I saw 4 of them this morning - dressed in pink and ready to ride! And the tall bikes today were a kick - I wish I were a quicker draw with my camera!

    It's always so emotional watching them ride out. This is my 4th time watching a send off - I love the energy and the emotion.
    Keep calm and carry on...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Huntington Beach, Ca
    Posts
    1,004
    Do they ride the 101 through Goleta? I see that they ride from Lompoc to Ventura on Friday and we'll be camping at El Capitan State Beach this week. I would love to see them ride by!!!!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    1,351
    If the route is like previous years, they do ride through SB and Goleta. I've met them at both a park in central SB and an elementary school off Foothill north of Mission. They might have turned inland off 101 by the time they get to El Capitan.

    Trek420 - do you have more up-to-date info?
    Keep calm and carry on...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Mrs. KnottedYet
    Posts
    9,152
    unfortunately not here. I have the route sheets from last years ride at work. Also think it's on the website. Though it can change a bit it's likely similar.
    Fancy Schmancy Custom Road bike ~ Mondonico Futura Legero
    Found on side of the road bike ~ Motobecane Mixte
    Gravel bike ~ Salsa Vaya
    Favorite bike ~ Soma Buena Vista mixte
    Folder ~ Brompton
    N+1 ~ My seat on the Rover recumbent tandem
    https://www.instagram.com/pugsley_adventuredog/

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Concord, CA USA
    Posts
    1,299
    Will we be getting a daily news feed?

    BikerZ - do you have Nicole's rider number?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Huntington Beach, Ca
    Posts
    1,004
    I found some old route sheets online and it looks like they exit the 101 at El Cap and then get right back on. The kids and I will have to walk up there and cheer them on when they ride by on Friday.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    1,351
    Hey Kim - yes, Nicole's rider numbr is 2122. (http://www.aidslifecycle.org/2122)

    For kicks, here a picture I took of her yesterday, 2 minutes into the ride::

    Click image for larger version. 

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    The pictures from Day One are already on the ALG site - you can see some of the tall bikes there.
    http://aidslifecycle.typepad.com/pho...one/index.html

    And anyone who wants to post a message for any rider can go here: http://experience.aidslifecycle.org/2006/support/
    Keep calm and carry on...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Mrs. KnottedYet
    Posts
    9,152
    aka_kim "Will we be getting a daily news feed?"

    I have ACG's cell phone number and she has mine. But due the fact you can't always recharge your cell in camp I'll lay off calling her.

    Last year we had a "news feed" to TE maintained by intrepid reporter Spazzdog who I would call then she posted to TE.

    I'll share John Hronowskis voicemails with you each day as I get 'em Eeek, there's a man on the board

    You can send a message to an individual rider or crew member or all of 'em from the link provided by bikerz. Just need the persons name and or number (hint, our TE gals are in my footer)

    how do they get on and off of these bikes???

    http://aidslifecycle.typepad.com/photos/day_two/h2.html

    Quick edit. I still haven't got an update from John about day 2 which does concern me. I've sponsored him for 9 years and he does (through one call using group voicemail) an update each day like clockwork.

    Of course he could be having just too much fun, or out of cell phone network....
    Last edited by Trek420; 06-06-2006 at 05:23 AM.
    Fancy Schmancy Custom Road bike ~ Mondonico Futura Legero
    Found on side of the road bike ~ Motobecane Mixte
    Gravel bike ~ Salsa Vaya
    Favorite bike ~ Soma Buena Vista mixte
    Folder ~ Brompton
    N+1 ~ My seat on the Rover recumbent tandem
    https://www.instagram.com/pugsley_adventuredog/

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    1,351
    Quick report from Nicole: she got to camp in Santa Cruz at 4:00 pm - it was very hot, but her ride went well. Her tentmate (another friend of ours who is super-fast) got in at 1:00 pm and had the tent set up and all Nicole's stuff there already.
    Keep calm and carry on...

 

 

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