Del Norte BART to Orinda

Distance 54.3
Moving Time 4:04:22
Elevation 2,674ft
Avg Speed 13.3mi/h
Max Speed 32.0mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 120bpm Max 156pm
Calories 1,592
Temperature 63

Oh what a ride. Thank you Hugo, Jeff, Jessica, Kobie, and George for being wonderful volunteer Training Ride Leaders!

I woke up at 5:20am to get ready for today's ride. Meet time was 9:15am, and I wanted to get at least 20 miles in before the 28-mile training ride. As I went through my ritual of eating breakfast and rolling out my legs, I got more and more unmotivated to train this morning. I even shared with John, when he woke up around 7:00am, that I had asked myself why am I getting up so early to train, especially when fundraising seems so cumbersome at this point. As the words came out of my mouth, I was reminded of the main reason for training, fundraising, and eventually riding the 7-day/545-mile ride.

I ride for those who can't

I ride for those who live

I ride for those who give

I ride for those who can't live if we don't give

And most of all, I ride in memory of Edna, Rider 1371

I'm glad I was able to knock some sense into my selfish thinking to get out and ride. Granted, I didn't ride the extra miles before the ride, but I did ride, and ride I did.

Thanks Uli for lending your iPhone 6 to Jeff so that he could take a wonderful group picture before our ride. I'll post once, Jeff shares the photo with us - and, Hugo shares the photo ...

East Bay Wildcats Fun

Grainy, but you get the picture - View from Golden Gate Fields

Mount Tam from Golden Gate Fields

Del Norte BART Training Ride

Distance 55.2
Moving Time 4:02:24
Elevation 2,428ft
Avg Speed 13.6mi/h
Max Speed 37.6mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 127bpm Max 175pm
Calories 1,565
Temperature 66

Today's training ride was led by Hugo with Training Ride Leaders Angelica, Greg, Rachel, Jeff and Sam. I decided to ride more miles by taking the same route as I did two weeks ago going up and over Grizzly Peak and along San Pablo Dam Road to the Del Norte BART station.

We had a good group of about 20 riders. On our ride up the East Bay span, I thought I had heard someone shouting my name, but I was focused on getting to the mid-point. I took a few pictures of riders coming in and decided I had enough or trying not to look over the railing and into the bay. I still don't do well with heights. So as I coasted down the span, I past a couple of runners and hear someone shouting my name. What a wonderful delight! Carlos and Gregory. But did I take pictures? No, remember I'm afraid of heights and I had exhausted my sense of "I'm not afraid of heights" taking pictures earlier.

Now on my way to rest stop 2, which was at 40th & Horton in Emeryville. You would think this savvy East Bay cyclist would know how to get there, but I got lost. Siri couldn't even help me. By the time I realized that I had to go back, rather than forward to the rest stop, I called Hugo and told him I was lost and that I was on my way to Del Norte BART station to sign out. I did get to wave to everyone on their way to the station since the path back home was the same. A good day getting in extra mileage - almost 30 extra miles added to our training ride.

32 minutes from 48th & Telegraph to Grizzly Peak & Shasta

The view

Going over the route 1

Going over the route 2

Going over the route 3

Going over the route 4

Going over the route 5

Rider at the mid-point

Rider 2 at the mid-point

Rider 3 at the mid-point

Rider 4 at the mid-point

Rider 5 at the mid-point

Tony at the mid-point

Rider 6 at the mid-point

Angelica at the mid-point

Riding with Jude

Distance 14.2

Moving Time 1:19:46
Elevation 702ft
Avg Speed 10.7mi/h
Max Speed 36.9mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 92bpm Max 143pm
Calories 357
Temperature 64

Today's ride was me the newbie turned veteran to share with Jude what I had learned since I started this cycling journey in February. Jude and I had planned to ride today for at least a couple of weeks. Since I knew this was going to be short ride, I wanted to get in a few more miles before our 8:30am meet time. As I got closer to Tunnel Road, I heard my phone notify me with a text from John at about 7:49am. Jude's excitement got her to 48th and Telegraph 40 minutes ahead of schedule. I turned around and rushed back home to meet Jude so that we could head out to the Bay Bridge.

Before riding, I showed Jude a few pointers about her bicycle, including taking off and putting back on her front wheel, knowing what the tire pressure should be, and pumping air into the tire. Funny how I had to think about what to share with her since these basics were now ingrained in my DNA. We reviewed hand signals and vehicle safety guidelines (well, stopping at stop signs and red lights - that's a biggie).

We were off to the Bay Bridge. Not too much traffic since it was relatively early for Saturday. As we descended from the small incline overpass to IKEA, we made our hairpin right turn into the bicycle path towards the bridge. As I looked back to make sure that Jude was completing her turn - WIPEOUT! Aww, I felt so bad for her. Jude was a bit frazzled, but claimed everything was fine and that her wrist felt a bit out of whack, but not enough to keep her from reaching the top of the east span of the Bay Bridge, cycling at an average speed of 10 miles. Way to go, Jude.

Before ascending onto the span, we took a short water break. I asked if she was ready to climb, and I told her it was okay to cut the ride short if her wrist was bothering her. She opted to shorten the ride, but only if I would promise to schedule another ride to the bridge. Deal! Her health was more important than getting the clocking-in the miles. As we headed back, we got to the end of the bike path this time across the street from IKEA. A right turn. WIPEOUT! Awwwwwwwwww. I rushed to Jude's aid. This time she scraped her elbow and injured her wrist, again. When she said she would walk her bike up and across the overpass, I decided to have her stay put and I'd ride back home to get the car and bike rack. Got home, got ice, got Alleve, got the bike rack, got in the car and off I went to reduce the damsel in distress.

Jude was such a trooper! I hope she'll mend in time for another ride before the holidays.

Water break at the foot of the Bay Bridge East Span

Jude and her bicycle

Jude and almost a view of San Francisco

The view

The old and new span

Let's go back

And, she's off

$400! My niece, Gisele, ups the ante for the Lorico Family

Wow! Thank you so much, Gisele, for your generous donation! Your Tito Art appreciates your support.

WHAT?! No ALC training or fundraising update.

Yes, folks, I so missed cycling this past weekend. No use of my bicycle and bicycle computer stats almost had me itching to get on one. I rode a couple of times last week for errands, but by Thursday I was not a cycle-riding fool.

But, BUT, just a teeny bit of fundraising was had as you can see from the Mark Hodgson post. 

Also, John and I made a diversion this past weekend to attend the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) San Francisco Bay Area 30th annual gala. Oh, and yes, you guessed it, there was fundraising for another worthy cause. 

We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. We stayed at the Handlery Hotel - a gem of a boutique property in heart of Union Square, with a swimming pool. 

Here are some memories of the weekend. 

Welcomed to the Handlery Friday afternoon.
Thank you, Jon Handlery, President of Handlery Hotels, Inc.

And the following captures our HRC evening.

John and Art

The DJ's oh so fashionable girlfriend

Kevin, Art and John

Champagne for some

Had the pleasure of sharing a table with Neil

Art and Ben (What, no picture with Ben and Max?)

Ben and John not dancing the night away

$500 donation from Mark Hodgson

YAY, Mark, thank you so much for your generous donation! We appreciate your support.

Del Norte BART Training Ride 17miles and then some

Distance 47.2

Moving Time 3:38:04
Elevation 2,123ft
Avg Speed 13.0mi/h
Max Speed 35.1mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 127bpm Max 169pm
Calories 1,377
Temperature 73

This morning's training ride from Del Norte BART station was 17.5 miles. To get a few more miles logged (plus 29.7 miles), I decided to ride up La Loma to Grizzly Peak and up and over Wildcat Canyon down to San Pablo Dam Road to the station for the 9:15am meet time.

The crispness of the morning was warmed up with my ride up to Grizzly Peak. Surprisingly, when I made the last turn on Shasta to Grizzly Peak the heat from the east side of the hill gusted down Shasta. It was as if someone had turned the furnace on to blast hot air. I experienced a few more of those hot winds up and down my ride on Wildcat Canyon.

Google Maps estimated that I would take 2:07 hours to get from home to the station, so I was very pleased to see that I cycled into the station's parking lot right at 9:15am, 1:30 hours of riding time. This second Del Norte Sunday training was another mini-reunion as you will see from the pictures below. I was happily home by 12:30pm.

Instagram at 33 minutes into my ride to this intersection. Yay!

Panoramic picture captures a bit of the San Pablo Dam beauty

A view of San Francisco from another angle

Another smiling picture of Melissa Cycling Rep

Anthony riding in

More riders cycling-in

Lana's smiling - she's going to ride to San Leandro from Emeryville

Art, Amy, Jessica, Chris, Lana

And Jeff

Art and Kelly

Hugo fixing Angelica's third flat on this ride

Bicycles almost everywhere

Trying to keep cool

Distance 55.6

Moving Time 4:35:27
Elevation 5,220ft
Avg Speed 12.1mi/h
Max Speed 41.2mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 132bpm Max 171pm
Calories 1,990
Temperature 81

This morning's ride with Mark Tidyman was absolutely wonderful. The weather was just right - from Lake Temescal through Berkeley and up Spruce to Wildcat Canyon. And, you guessed it, the three bears once again. While the temperature was registered at 81, the times we weren't riding in the shade of the gorgeous trees the sun felt much, much hotter as it seared our sun-screened arms, legs and faces.



On our way back from Lafyette through Moraga, we bumped into Steve and Diane on a East Bay Wildcats Saturday ride. I was delighted to see them and to introduce them to Mark.

With Diane and Steve

On a clear day from Skyline

Trying to capture the entire view

With Mark