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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. |
Dear Riding Friends!
June is rolling by and it is time to plan our July Shop Ride for Sunday, July 6th, leaving the Shop at 9:00 am and finishing around 2:30 - 3:00. This time of year, we like to ride out to Davenport and have a picnic out on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific. There are some nice concrete benches left over from some old equipment, and the views of the ocean and the cliffs are hard to beat! Since it is a picnic, you can either bring your lunch and something to share, or buy sandwiches at the café across the street and bring them out to the bluffs. I'll bring bread, salami, landjaegers, cheese and crackers, and some chocolate, so even if you forget lunch you won't go hungry.
As usual, this is a social ride, not a race! I will be maintaining an easy pace and we will have several stopping points to regroup, so ride at your own comfortable speed, well within your ability, and don't worry about keeping up with the rider in front. We'll have at least one sweep, but let's hope nobody misses Jamison Road and gets lost. (Seems like it happens every year...)
The route is a traditional one. We go out Stevens Canyon Road to Redwood Gulch, and take that up to Hwy 9 (be extra careful entering Hwy 9!) and then take Hwy 9 all the way to the 236 /Big Basin Redwoods Road, which we will follow to the Ranger station. This is a pitstop, there are bathrooms there, and we will rest about ten minutes before riding on. Hwy 236 heads into Boulder Creek, but just after a golf/country club is a bridge, and right after the bridge is a poorly marked road to the right, Jamison Creek Road. Watch for it! Take Jamison Creek Road up the hill to Empire Grade, which we will follow all the way to Pine Flat Road (right), which turns into Bonnie Doon Road and drops down to Hwy 1. Turn right on Hwy 1 and follow to Davenport. Park at the north end of town in the dirt lot on the left of the highway.
After lunch we will go back via Swanton Road, back to Hwy 1 and either up 84 and home, or up Gazos Creek/Cloverdale/Pescadero Road to La Honda and meet up with 84 there. A brief stop at Alice's, and we are all on our own to take the way home that is easiest.
Please feel free to call or e-mail me if you have any questions about the length or difficulty of the ride. It is mostly easy country roads, with Jamison Creek Road probably the hardest, something on the order of Tunitas Creek Road but not as bumpy. It is short, though, so it shouldn't represent too much of a problem.
We'll have a riders' meeting at 8:50, please attend this if you plan to come on the ride. Your safety and the safety of the other riders depends on it! Ride safe, ride well,
Kari Prager
California BMW
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