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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 September 6th, Annual Two-Pass Ride!
Please Note: The Two Pass Ride is still on, however, due to the fires and road closures we will return via Ebbetts Pass instead of Tioga Pass.
Sorry to be so late in posting this. I have been recovering from pneumonia and was not sure I would be in shape to lead the ride. September 6th will be our 500 mile Two Pass Ride! This is our longest ride of the year; it starts early and ends late!
We will be leaving from Cal BMW at 7:00am, and get back to the West Bay around 9:00pm or so. The last 90 miles are the hardest.
Our route is simple - we go over Sonora Pass, south on 395 to Lee Vining for lunch, and back over Tioga Pass. Total mileage is about 530 miles, more or less depending on whether you take any side trips, such as to Twin Lakes or Bodie. We will start out at Cal BMW a little after 7:00 am. We will pick up people along the way and regroup at our first gas stop in Jamestown. We will pause for about 20 minutes in Jamestown for a little rest and a chance to get something to drink.
We will try to keep everyone together until the Jamestown gas stop, and more or less together all the way to the store at Dardanelle, on Sonora Pass. The weather should be perfect - not too hot, not too cold, and almost surely sunny. After Jamestown the road gets interesting, and we should have light traffic from Sonora through Strawberry all the way to Dardanelle. The last ten miles to Dardanelle are among the nicest in the Sierras, and we will have great corners leading to the turn-out to the Dardanelle rest stop and food store.
We will take about a 30 minute rest stop at Dardanelle, buy snacks at the little store and relax before heading up to the top of the pass. It is only about another fifteen miles to the summit, and we will stop there for pictures and a quick break to rest the throttle hand before heading down the east side of the pass to Bridgeport. Some of the best views are seen on the south side of the pass - Leavitt Peak, Sardine Falls, the entrance to the Leavitt Lake trail, and then the West Walker River Valley opens up onto 395, which takes us in to Bridgeport. There are terrific views of the Matterhorn Range to the west as you approach Bridgeport. There is heavy enforcement over the Labor Day Weekend, so try not to get traffic tickets. We will all stop at the Bridgeport gas station on the right as you come into town, gas up and regroup.
In Bridgeport we can take a short detour up to Twin Lakes for spectacular mountain views, all street riding, and I'll probably lead the Aurora Canyon Road route for any adventuresome GS'ers who want to ride into Bodie via the back way (all dirt) and out the Bodie-Masonic Road (also dirt).
We'll stop in Lee Vining, for a late lunch and pie at Nicely's Restaurant. We always make that our destination stop, because the food is good, and they are not upset at accommodating 15 or 20 hungry bikers at one time. I always finish my meal with deep-dish peach pie and vanilla ice cream, but instead of a nap, we'll gather the group for a charge up Tioga Pass to Tuolumne Meadow.
We'll stop in the parking lot at the foot of Lembert Dome, the big granite knob just to the north of the road going into Tuolumne meadows, at the bridge over the river. I make a point of mentioning this, so that you can climb it, if you want to. I often bring sneakers and shorts with me just for this purpose, but will probably give it a pass this year. We friction climb right up the front of the dome, eschewing the trail that runs around behind it, and usually make it to the top in about half an hour. After enjoying the views of Cathedral Peak, Unicorn, Hoffman, Mt. Conness, etc. we'll head back down in about 15 minutes. By this time it will be about 4:30 pm and we still have a lot of miles to go. We will stop again briefly at Olmstead Point, for views of Cloud's Rest and Half Dome in the evening sun.
Our next major stop will be in Oakdale, at the Shell station on the right for Starbucks double shots and junk food to get us the rest of the way home. It should be just starting to cool off and be pleasant for crossing the Central Valley.
Total mileage will be about 530, time on the road about 12 - 14 hours, probably about 11 of them actually riding, the rest spent eating, climbing, etc.
This remains one of my most favorite and popular rides and if you did not make it last year, I hope you can join us in 2009! Have fun and be safe! e-mail me or call (650.966.1183) if you have any questions or concerns.
Ride Safely,
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