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Sunday Ride Protocols |
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Ride notes: This is an informal ride, and as always, remember that this is a social ride; your safety and the safety of your fellow riders is paramount. As a reminder here are some basic group ride protocols which you may also find useful for your own rides. Safe speed: The safe speed for road conditions will differ from rider to rider. You are responsible to pick a pace that is comfortable and within your ability. There will be plenty of opportunities to regroup. Never ride beyond your limits in an attempt to keep up with another rider! Safe distance: Do not follow closely; leave a safe distance between you and the next rider. It is especially important to avoid following closely on secondary roads where you can't see around the next corner and circumstances can change without warning. Passing: If you must ride faster than the rider in front of you, put your blinker on and pass. If you see a rider behind you preparing to pass, move over. There is little point to passing when riding in a group, however. We all get there about the same time... Lane discipline: Never cross the double yellow line! Always stay in your lane, and pick your line accordingly. Passing: If you are prepared to ride faster than the rider in front, put your blinker on and pass. If you see a rider behind you preparing to pass, move over and give plenty of room. Don't speed up! Stopping: If the group stops, pull off the road completely. When the group starts, be sure to look over your shoulder for approaching traffic before you pull out after the person in front of you. Don't assume it is clear just because they pulled out... Breakdowns: The sweeps and riding friends may stop and provide assistance. It is not safe for then entire group to stop for one rider unless there is plenty of room to pull off the road. Taking off early: It is fine to head home early, but it is appreciated if you let the others in the group or the sweeps know so we don't wait around or go looking for you. |
Welcome to the February Sunday Shop Ride! This month we'll be starting at the new store, Tri-Valley Moto instead of at Cal BMW. We will be riding out on Sunday, February 1st, leaving the Tri-Valley Moto parking lot at 9:00 am. The address of the new shop is 952 North Canyons Parkway. It is just off 580 at Airway in Livermore. Turn left over the freeway, turn left again and it is on the left. Please be gassed up and ready to go by 8:45. There is a gas station just before the left turn to the shop, on the right. We'll have a short safety meeting before the ride, and a sign-out sheet for contact information if needed. As always, we'll have coffee by 8:30 or so. Please arrive a little early and give yourself a chance to relax and socialize before the ride. We have done a part of this ride already this year, so it will be familiar to some of you, but the landscape will be different, we'll be going the other way, and it should be very pretty. I am going rain or shine, so if it is raining or storming it could be a real adventure!
This ride is not too long, on some very tight and technical roads. Therefore, I would not recommend it for beginners. We'll be riding out on Mines Road to the Junction, which will be our first regrouping point. After a break we will turn left and head down Del Puerto Road all the way to Hwy 5. We'll regroup there, then head up Hwy. 5 to Corral Hollow Road (it is about 25 miles on the freeway), and take Corral Hollow Road back to Livermore. Optionally, there will be a brunch stop at Emil Villa's Hick'ry Pit, which is just past the City Hall, in the back of the shopping center to the right or you can head right back if your time is limited The fastest way home is back down to 580 and whichever way you came from. That's the way I'm going back. It's your choice; after brunch I don't try to keep the group together.
Please, be sure to stay within the safe limits of your riding ability! This is a social ride, not a race, so always ride within your comfort zone and work on being the smoothest rider on the ride, not the fastest. True riding skill is built on the practice of smoothness, control and a sense of the right line, not on trying to go fast. So as always, this is a ride where safety and control are paramount, and please, no racing! If you absolutely must go fast, pass the leader, go on ahead and wait for us at the stops. I hope you can join us for this mid-winter ride. Have fun and be safe! E-mail me if you have any questions or concerns.
Ride safely, ride well,
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