Much awaited Giro D' Barkada clip

Hello fellow Siclistas. Better late than never... Here's the Giro footage that the Lising brothers took. I needed to do a bunch of editing for your viewing pleasure, not to mention make the download shorter. Click on the link below (it takes about 20 - 50 min depending on your connection speed so you can spin on your roller while waiting). If someone has a website that can hold this file (77MB) the download time might be faster. This is a free site so they purposely slow download speed so you'll sign up for their service.

Download GiroD'Barkada Video Clip Here

This file requires quicktime to play. If you can't open the file, here's the link to download quicktime player:

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Click Free Download.

ps. uncheck all the check marks if you don't want to get a ton of advertising from apple.

There's a clearer version which is 500MB large. I don't know where to store for download. If someone knows a free website where I can post it, let me know.

Kings Mountain Ride Report

13 riders showed up at the park & ride off of Page Mill Road and I-280 for the Kings Mountain Ride. The ride covered 31.5 miles and 3100 feet of climbing

Fellow rider TonyC developed mechanical trouble during the ride. The mechanical issue he experienced was quite unique, it was a frozen freewheel. His bike was now practically a fixed gear. The only way he was going to be able to ride back after reaching the top of Kings Mountain was to spin all the way back. I held back with him and barked at him like a lunatic coach trying to tell him to keep pedalling every time I saw the chain loom closer to the top of the chain stay and wheel. We managed to make it back safely to the start.

The Route:King Mountain Ride at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:Share GPS tracks

Elevation Chart:

















Grade Chart:

Thanks everyone..

for helping out when I needed it. Bong, JohnV, Ed, Romy, Jack, Cesar, JR., Rollie, Rodger, Jerry, Nancy.

We were still in Livermore on our return path on Vineyard Ave right past Old Vineyard when the grade pitched up by about 8 degrees - I left my gear on the big ring (53) and probably a 17 at the back, off the saddle and did about three full rotations on the crank when I felt like my bike broke in two pieces. Turned out my chain - which was still fairly new - broke. Right behind me when I and my bike collapsed to the ground were Ed, and Romy. They immediately helped me up to the sidewalk out of harms way. Bong whipped out his chain tool, removed the broken link and reconnected the chain with such deft and speed that by the time I got up the bike was ready to roll.

Now I'd like to pause for a minute here.

First off thanks be to God the Father the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth - for literally saving my behind. As I said earlier I was on an 8 degree incline off the saddle meaning about 4 feet above ground when I flopped to the ground since the weight bearing chain snapped. It's like I was guided on that fall - I did feel the impact but the placement of the fall was on the best spot one would like to fall on incidents like this - on one's tush. I could have fallen on my back, and Bong mentioned I could have fallen on the handlebars with potential serious injury to my ribs. I've always believed and prayed for divine intervention and this is one of those moments so evident I cannot even deny it.

JohnV insisted that we get the proper chain link put in, and guided us to the Pleasanton Cyclepath. I've always admired John's ability to lead well and in moments like this, I saw his leadership shine even more with his concern for my safety on the way back (we had another 25 miles heading back to Union City). I had the pleasure of meeting Pleasanton Cyclepath's Joel who sold JohnV his Specialized, and another Cyclepath celebrity I haven't seen for months - Gephardt (boy has he lost some major pounds!). Bong whipped out his chain tool again and installed the chain link. Special thanks as well to Kuya Romy for dolling out the cash for the link (Romy, I owe you a link and two tubes among many other things;-)

Everyone was just super accommodating - all the guys and gals I mentioned above, and for this I am truly thankful. I'll definitely be spinning up those hills next time on a lower gear:-)

Happy Thanksgiving to you all and God bless you always. -Manny

New Purpose For An Old Friend

Recently converted...read about it here.

Ride On! Grant Ranch Park

Despite the good dose of rainfall on Saturday night and the possible ride cancellation looming diehard Siclistas still manage to ride! Ride on guys!

Because of either time constraints or afternoon commitments there were two rides formed for Sunday. Mt. Hamilton and the other a local loop via Mission Blvd, 84 Niles Rd, Foothill Rd, Dublin Canyon Rd.

I chose to meet up with ride leader Jack for the Mt. Hamilton ride since the starting location was just 4 miles from my house. Johnny rode up to my house and then we proceeded to Piedmont/Sierra Road where we met up with Jack, TonyC, and Rodge.

The five of us started up Penitencia Creek Road towards Alum Rock Park and took a detour to Crothers Road to reach Mt. Hamilton Road. Johnny rode up part way on Mt. Hamilton Road then had to leave us and head back. TonyC, Jack, Rodge and I continued on.

On our way up, the road became foggy. We decided it would be safe just to continue up to Grant Ranch Park then turn around. During the our ride, our discussions mostly covered any thing to do bikes, biking, (of course :)) and health. It was a good ride. Jack, TonyC and Rodge got to try out Crothers Road.

Here is the route we took for this ride.
Grant Ranch Park Ride at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: GPS, Photos & Geotagging!

Elevation Chart


Grade Chart

JohnV's Ride through pleasanton hills yields an interesting encounter

Was it a chance encounter, or perhaps we were all thinking of the same person at the same time. As our wheels rustled through the fallen copper leaves that laid along Dublin Canyon Road, passing through the multi-million dollar ranch estates with adjacent private golf courses we or shall I say he - Mr. Jojo spotted her. All brimming and smiling she waved at us, and it was unmistakable - she was the "pretty woman". As she was teeing off , her golf ball bounces close to the picket fence barricading her private expensive home from Dublin Canyon Road. And it was there that Jojo quickly spotted her, ID'd her as the pretty woman: Ms. Julia Roberts. Her pretty woman smile and wave was indeed a bonus we did not expect on this 43 mile trek through the backroads of Sunol/Pleasanton. Cheers.

Mt Hamilton ride tomorrow

It will be a short ride. We will meet at the corner of Sierra Road and Piedmont at 9AM. I'm not sure if the ice cream shop is still there at the corner but that's the meeting place.

View Larger Map

Anyone who wants to have a nasty warm up can come earlier and cross Piedmont towards Sierra. 3+ miles up and 3+ miles down.
No worries, I already talked to the rain gods and we are good to go :)

Check the hourly forecast
here

What a cruel Siclista world

You guys did all this while I'm away :(
All that fun and pics and camarederie and ... sigh

Oh well... I'll post my ride as soon as I get home... tomorrow :) :) :)
I already miss my family, the bay area and the Siclista.


Stone Mountain
The big picture

Mt. Diablo fr. Niel

http://niel.smugmug.com/gallery

Mt Diablo Ride

I got up early Sunday morning and decided it was time to get back to riding after my letting my shoulder heal after my goof ball attempt to be a cyclo-crosser/mountain biker on my flatbar road bike on my commute to work. Siclista group put the call out for a Mt. Diablo ride. I figured this would be a good time to try out my legs and play around with my Garmin 305 GPS unit.

At around 8:30, Siclistas and guests started arriving at the Safeway parking lot in San Ramon. Our roll out time was supposed to be at 9:00 AM but we ran into some issues with the Safeway parking lot that we had to move a few stalls down so we wouldn't get towed. But by 9:20 AM we were rolling as a group 20+ riders.

The ride was of a moderate pace. This allowed me to be a roving photographer where I could ride up and down along the group taking pictures and meeting new people on the ride. Everyone that had done Mt. Diablo talked about the last 200 or so yards to the peak of the climb. I had my GPS set to display the grade in real time to get an idea of how steep it was. As I approached the gate to the last part of the climb I could feel the resistance increasing on the pedals. As I looked down at my GPS unit, the grade reported 16%....18%.....22%! That was unbelievable!

After getting to the peak, we waited for the rest of the group to make it up. While waiting, I was in shock to see a uni-cyclist make his way up the climb to the peak. The rider, Tom, was using a 29 inch unicycle. We talked a bit and he told me that there were 8 of them coming up on unicycles. Some of the unicycles had bigger wheels, which I think he told me they were something like 36 inches.

After the short rest, we all headed back down as a group back to the start. It was nice to meet new people on the ride.

Total Miles: 38.3 mi
Average Pace: 5:16 /mi
Average Speed: 11.4 mph
Total Ascent: 4431 ft.
Total Descent: 4390 ft.


I put the pictures here Siclista Mt. Diablo Ride at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: GPS, Photos & Geotagging!

Here are the elevation and grade charts derived from the Garmin 305 GPS unit.

MT. DIABLO PICTURES 11-4-07