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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,
Welcome, friends, to the June shop ride. This will be a ride suitable for intermediate dualsport riders, on mixed dirt and paved roads. The only dirt is a dirt road. I recommend GS's or Tigers or similar bikes.
Our route will be down Hwy 85 to Almaden and then down Uvas/McKean Road to Hecker Pass and Hwy 25 to Hollister for a mandatory gas stop, then on to Santa Ana Valley Road to Browns Valley Road (dirt) and a river crossing at Tres Pinos Creek. It should be very shallow at this time of year. There is a chance that the gates at Browns Valley may be locked and we will have to backtrack to Quien Sabe Road and Hwy 25, but it is usually open, we just have to be sure to close it after us.
From Browns Valley Road we'll go north on J1 to 25, then south on 25 to Gloria Road (Dirt) and take it over to 101 south. We'll take 101 South to G 13, Bitterwater Road, at King City, and take it over to 25 north. We'll take 25 North tp Coalinga Road, to Old Hernandez Road (dirt), and back to on 25 all the way back to Hollister, making a big circle. From Hollister we can go home on 101 or retrace our steps on Uvas/McKean Roads.
This is a little bit of a roundabout route but one of the only dualsport rides we can put together until New Idria is opened, and we can do our Panoche/New Idria/Clear Creek Ride.
Departure time is 9:00am from the shop (see website), coffee will be ready by 8:30. Be gassed up and ready to leave by 9:00am sharp. We'lll have a short rider/safety meeting at 8:50. I want to earnestly request that all riders ride within your comfort zones. Stay within the safe limits of your riding ability, and work on being the smoothest rider on the ride, not the fastest rider. True riding skill is built on a sense of smoothness, control and a sense of line, not in trying to go fast. For this Sunday's ride we are going to set an easy pace, and anyone who exceeds that and passes the leader is on his or her own.
There is no good place to have a sitdown lunch , so we will be bringing snacks and drinks with us, which we will eat along the way. Be sure to bring Clif bars or something sustaining as it is a fairly long ride. There are restaurants in Hollister for a meal on the way home.
I hope you can join us. Have fun and be safe! Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions about the ride, or its suitability for your level of experience. (All brands are welcome.)
Best Regards,
Kari Prager
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