A Busy Busy weekend.

I started my weekend by going on a bike ride Friday afternoon still looking for the Three Bears, to no avail. That was O.K. because I did not have as much time as I thought and I had also plotted new accesses passes over this "hill" behind me. Then went out for Indian curry, yummy. Early to bed.



Saturday a.m. time to Conquer the Three Bears, which were kind of anti-climactic, it was the climb after the three bears that was cool, winding and on back roads that I'll remember.




After this it's home for a shower and left-over lunch, then walk down to the BART station and head in San Francisco for the afternoon/evening. It seems every-time I get out of an underground it takes me a few minutes to figure where I am... no orientation underground and "tube" maps are not to scale. Just the same, at the base of Powell street is where the Trolley's are that go up to Bay street... HUGE line up, so I walked up to the next stop and caught this!

As you can see it's pretty open air and they are TINY! but pretty darn cool. I then got up to Bay street where I walked around Pier's 45 to the famous Pier 39... TONES of tourist and not really my cup of tea, but I saw Alcatraz, Sea lions and Buskers. 

Then back through town, stopping to relieve myself and off to China Town where I had a very inexpensive dinner and back on to the BART home again!

 And I did ALL that JUST so I could get my daughter this sweat shirt to add to her collection.

Sunday Morning I rode with Skye from the Emeryville store

I love it when you can climb and descend this easy from one's front door, We had a good ride, it got Skye out of his house and it allowed me an easier Sunday ride. After we finished the ride I went out for Brunch at Rick and Ann's which is a half km walk from my front door, and sat a a communal table and enjoyed a good talk with my table guests. Then back home to the car, first time needed this weekend! Off to explore Highway 1, which I know people who have ridden it, and I did see cyclist but, TOO many cars and fast motor cycles on it for my taste, and to note any serious cyclist when asked if it can be ridden say "it could but.." Point taken, there are enough other fine roads around here without cars that make this not worth riding.

Back to my Sunday Drive, I drove along the road, and it's a 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock drive for sure, keep both hands on the wheel. I drove out and past Stinson Beach, where the road turns inland a bit, and became much less scenic, and a lot less traffic... Stinson Beach is packed, so I decided to go in and see what it was all about, I walked on the beach and stopped at a restaurant and had some nachos and people watched a while before getting back in the car and heading back home. It was a very pretty drive and great to get to enjoy God's creation.

a Hooker ride

Well today to have a recovery ride I did a Jeff Hooker ride... you just go out and buzz around town... the only "flat' around here. I went through the campus and saw some of the sights and the bell tower... which I can see from the highway coming home from IKEA. I then went around a bit of town and then ran across a CHEAP Mexican food place and my plans were thwarted, I had a enchilada  and taco with rice and beans and nearly free beer... then sat and listened to a cycling podcast in the beauty of the evening outside.

I know that one of the Frat houses is the Thorsen House, built in 1909 it is one if not the last of the Greene and Greene homes built. I have seen in on my rides returning home and I do want to get a photo, if not get inside... I am a finish carpenter and I did do custom furniture for years... I do know my craftsmanship and this is a Greene and Greene home!

Still have not found what I am looking for...

I had plotted out my ride, loaded it up, and was out to do the three bears. Well, it seems the file did not save my new course so I ended up climbing, which is not bad but did not get my course I wanted. It seems most people around here do it clock wise, so Friday is the next attempt.

BTW I have to send a big "shout out" for Mike's Bikes... Wednesday night is an open shop night where you can go and work on your bike... very cool when traveling to tune up the bike.



I stopped at Inspiration Point and took a photo of Mt. Diablo my goal before I leave, the first half is about like Claremont, which I've gotten good at over the last week, then the second half is a little more gradual, but still its after climbing, we shall see.

The Valley to which I descend to NOT find Bear Creak Road.

And off to the Right is Mt. Diablo of which I am going to conquer

The Weekend in San Francisco area

This was a weekend of visiting and fellowship.
I started the weekend off by taking a drive with my bike down to San Jose to meet up with Clyde Floyd who is setting up a FCA Endurance huddle group for the Bay Area, we took a nice ride which included the climb and most of the 2011 (they were not sure of the year) Tour of California' Time Trial. We then stopped at David's house and had our photo taken. That is Clyde's daughter-in-law Christy, Clyde, me and the "other" David.

Floyd and I then spent the afternoon "fellowshipping" talking about how and what he hopes to do with FCA Endurance in the area, it looks like a lot of good work will come out of this.

It was a quite night for me then I woke up to a cold room it was 3°C outside and my room was around 10! the two little heaters could not keep up with such freezing cold weather. I sat huddled under a blanket on the sofa reading part of the morning then went around the corner to have French toast with hippies, the had organic whole grain bread French Toast with free range egg batter, Free Trade Coffee and all for just a few bucks, by now it's warmed up to a very sunny 9°C and I figure with as much sun and NO clouds I can ride in the cold... So I pack up the bike and head over to San Francisco, I ended up taking the wrong exit so I got to drive through the Streets of San Francisco, once I arrived I had to drive around a while for a parking space, and then unpacked the bike and headed over the Golden Gate Bridge to the Golden Gate park. Where there are the "hulls" of WWII Batteries, the bunkers were built but the guns were not installed because the war ended.



Once I returned to the car I then went back over the Bridge to Golden Gate Seminary, and met up with my friend Kevin Trick who is studying for his D.Min.  We went out for lunch then spent the afternoon "fellowshipping" and catching up. He plans to do a half Iron Man in the fall so he wanted to get in a run before the sun set, and I wanted to get home before the sun set.

An After work ride again

I repeated myself on the Claremont climb, but went up and around then down into Berkeley right by the university, it's dropped 10° since Thursday and the climb was still warm, but the decent was pretty darn cool. I the last part of the decent I got stuck behind a city bus that hogged the road and weaved all over, and I could not get around. Then in town I got behind a student that would sprint off a the lights then ram on his brakes between the cars, he hit 4 car mirrors, bike handlers like that scare the crap out of me... I took the hole shot on the next stop sign... I took this picture at more of an angle to the sun so you can see the valley and bay

"spring training" in San Francisco

First off I know it's been a while, I missed writing about last fall's "wine tour" which was a BLAST, and a few other rides that were worth blogging.

I am in San Francisco doing the commercial lighting in IKEA stores here, and it's "cool" 60°F or 16°C, which when climbing I could just wear a jersey, on the decent... I needed my long sleeve fleece lined jersey, and then a wind vest when I got on the back side of the "hill" this is just beautiful country, the views are amazing and the photo does no justice to the view, it was into the sunset, on a hazy evening with a cell phone so there.

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/230053712/

The climb is less then a half kilometer from where I'm staying so there was no warm-up other than the climb... jump in with both feet! After the climb and getting off course a few times, the amount of self discipline to stay on course once on Skyline is tough, I could spend hours up there it's just fantastic, but alas being on major road descending in the dark is not very wise and I now have a few grey hairs so that means I have wisdom. I did use that wisdom and stayed the course. I arrived "home" safe and sound (I'm glad I have my mega bright LED rear light). I then grabbed my sling, wallet and my lock and headed out to explore Berkeley (and buy a chicken to roast), I zipped around town, talked to a young couple, popped into a few stores, and then went to the "other" Berkeley Bowl and got my chicken. I just would like to point out it's nice to walk through a store in a cycling kit, with helmet on your head and no one looks at you like your odd... it's somewhat normal here... just sayin'

I am pretty darn sure that this area and the stay will bequeath a few more blog entries so stay tuned.