So, you're comfortable on bike rides of up to 25 miles, and you've always wanted to ride a century, but weren't sure you could? Or maybe you've ridden longer distances in the past but you've been dormant for the winter and now you'd like to get back in shape? If yes, this ride series is for you!
Grizzly Peak Cyclists is a recreational road-riding bicycle club based in the East Bay. We have members of all ages and levels, from family riders to fanatics. We are dedicated to the principle that cycling is fun, social, and friendly. Our unofficial motto is `ride to eat, eat to ride.' We do plenty of both--most rides include hanging out and eating, either at a lunch stop or after the ride proper.
Our club's annual highlight is the Grizzly Peak Century, held the first Sunday in May each year with routes of 71 and 109 miles. Our century is every bit as well known for its superb food and support as for its spectacular route. Additionally, there are one or more club rides nearly every weekend day throughout the year. Rides vary from very easy family-oriented (child-friendly pace and distance), to advanced unsupported 100+ milers, to everything in between. The current schedule, and other information, are on the club's web site www.GrizzlyPeakCyclists.org. Other impromptu rides and a wide variety of bike related topics are discussed on the club's e-mail list, which is open to club members. Club members receive discounts at a number of local bicycle stores.
This spring, GPC is giving a series of three warm up rides followed by seven rides for intermediate bicyclists who want to build stamina and increase range. The rides will be on ten consecutive Sundays, February 25 through April 29, and will gradually progress in distance from about 25 to about 55 miles. All are over moderately hilly terrain, similar to that of our Century, and they cover many of the classic loops of the East Bay. Those who complete the series should be well-prepared to ride at least the 71-mile (metric century) north loop of our Century on Sunday May 6, as well as many other great club rides.
The three warm up rides start at 10am and the remaining seven rides in the series start at 9am, and almost all start at BART stations to encourage auto-free transit. It's easy to take a bike on BART; we recommend you learn how. Using BART can greatly expand your riding area and give you the flexibility of beginning and ending a ride at different places.
Everyone is welcome at the ride series. There is no fee and no need to sign up in advance. All participants will be offered a copy of the excellent booklet Street Smarts: Bicycling's Traffic Survival Guide by John S. Allen. Later this year we will give a gentler series of `Novice Rides' aimed at encouraging less experienced cyclists to stretch themselves a bit.
Each ride will have several club members designated as leaders. They will have planned the route, printed cue sheets or maps, and will have everyone sign in. The ride leaders will guide people through the route, make sure no one is left behind due to mechanical or physical problems, and/or suggest a `bail-out' route to those unable to complete the ride. We encourage calling the leaders in advance with any questions about the ride. In addition, other GPC members will be on the rides to offer assistance, helpful hints, or just moral support.
Each rider is responsible for bringing a suitable bicycle. For the century-prep rides, a road bike is recommended but not required. No safety inspection will be performed, but riders with obviously unsafe bikes will be discouraged from participating. Bicycles should be lubed and tires fully inflated to the pressure marked on the side of the tire. Riders are encouraged to carry a basic tool kit with at least a spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, and pump. Assistance from GPC members will be available for roadside flats and adjustments.
Bicycles are vehicles operating on public roads and must obey all traffic regulations, including traffic signals, pedestrian and other right-of-way rules, lane indications, and plain common sense. Riders should remain single file unless conditions clearly permit otherwise. Ride series and Century participants must wear approved bicycle helmets. The first two rides are preceded by optional safety sessions.
Riders should carry at least one water bottle and drink regularly, and also carry an energy bar or similar small snack. Longer rides usually have a food stop, so bring money or lunch. Clothing is a matter of personal preference. Lycra is not required; however, riders should choose clothing that won't chafe and should dress in layers to be prepared for all reasonable temperature extremes. Rain cancels the ride. If weather is questionable, call a ride leader.
Sun Feb 25 2/L/23
Roundhill Loop-Warm Up Ride #1.
Wipe off the
Winter dust and join us for this ride, which is the same ride as the
#4 Novice Series. The 3 Warm Up Rides will help you ramp up to the
Century Prep Ride Series. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the SE lot of Pleasant
Hill BART. We'll ride through Walnut Creek and down Danville Blvd,
circling back through the neighborhoods of Danville, Alamo and Walnut
Creek. Bring lunch or $ to buy. No drop. Helmets required. Ride
leaders are Chuck Wunderlich chuckwun at speakeasy dot net, (510)
526-7670; and Sara Atkins, atkins dot atkins at sbcglobal dot net,
(510) 520-4834.
Sun Mar 4 2.5/L/25
SPDR and Wildcat-Warm Up Ride #2.
Wipe off the
Winter dust and join us for the second of three Warm Up Rides that
will help get you ready for the Century Prep Ride Series. Meet at
10:00 AM at N. Berkeley BART and ride to San Pablo Dam Rd, and climb
Wildcat Canyon to Spruce and return to BART. No Drop. Helmets
required. Rain cancels; if weather is dubious contact ride leader.
Ride leaders Frank Carothers, (510)528-7048, frank_c at berkeley dot edu
and Chuck Wunderlich chuckwun at speakeasy dot net, (510) 526-7670.
Sun Mar 11 3.5/LT/25
Tunnel Rd and Pinehurst-Warm Up Ride #3
Get
ready for the Century Prep Ride Series with the third of three Warm Up
Rides. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at Rockridge BART. Climb Tunnel Rd to
Skyline, continue to Redwood, then climb back to Skyline via
Pinehurst, which is the first big challenge of the Grizzly Peak
Century! Descend Shepherd Canyon back to Montclair Village. Optional
coffee stop before return to BART. No drop. Helmets required. Rain
cancels; if weather is dubious contact ride leader. Ride leaders Toshi
Takeuchi, (510) 919-7876, ttoshi at gmail dot com and Sara Atkins,
atkins dot atkins at sbcglobal dot net, (510) 520-4834. Note: Daylight
Savings begins today.
Sun Mar 18 3.5/T/27
Ride #1 -- The Bears and a Bit.
Meet 9:00am at Orinda BART in the west parking lot, with an optional
pre-ride advice clinic at 8:30. We will ride north on Camino Pablo/San
Pablo Dam Rd, then clockwise around the hills known as The Three
Bears, then counterclockwise on the little-traveled El Toyonal loop.
Finish with optional lunch in Orinda -- bring your own or $ to buy. No
drop. Helmets required. Rain cancels; if weather is dubious contact
ride leader. Leaders Jeff Kurtock, (510) 653-1771, jkurtock at sbcglobal dot
net
and Melarie Johnson, (510) 237-5265, melariej at sbcglobal dot net.
Sun Mar 25 3.5/T/35
Ride #2 -- East Bay Hills.
Meet 9:00am at Orinda BART in the west parking lot; optional pre-ride
advice clinic at 8:30. We will ride north on Camino Pablo, climb
Wildcat Canyon, Grizzly Peak Blvd, Skyline Blvd, descend Redwood Road,
then return via Pinehurst, Canyon, Moraga Way. Optional lunch in
Orinda -- bring your own or $ to buy. No drop. Helmets required. Rain
cancels; if weather is dubious contact ride leader. Leaders Mark Abrahams
(510) 524-1294 and Veronica Tunucci (415) 927-7665,
veronucci at comcast dot net.
Sun Apr 01 3/T/40
Ride #3 -- Three Small Walls.
Meet 9:00am at El Cerrito Del Norte BART, east side station entrance.
Ride San Pablo Dam Rd to Appian Way, through Pinole and Crockett,
climb McEwen (small wall #1). Return via Martinez, Alhambra Valley,
Pig Farm Hill (s.w. #2), El Sobrante, and Hillcrest (s.w. #3). Picnic
lunch on the lawn at Swett School in Martinez -- bring or buy
something you can carry there. No drop. Helmets required. Rain
cancels; if weather is dubious contact ride leader. Leaders Frank Carothers,
(510) 528-7048, frank_c at berkeley dot edu and Mike Briggs, (510) 236-1698.
Sun Apr 08 (Easter) 2.5/T/50 Ride #4 -- Embarcadero, Headlands, and Tiburon. Meet 9:00am at Embarcadero BART in San Francisco, on the plaza at California/Drumm just north of the station entrance. We'll ride through Fisherman's Wharf, the Presidio, over the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin Headlands and Sausalito, lunch in Tiburon, then return. Possible shortener for those who wish: return via ferry from Tiburon or Sausalito. Bring lunch or $ to buy. No drop. Helmets required. Rain cancels; if weather is dubious contact ride leader. Leaders Bill King, poubelle00 at yahoo dot com (510) 601-1404 and Brian Aldrich (510) 748-0603, brianaldrich at comcast dot net.
Sun Apr 15 5/T/44
Ride #5 Tunnel-Grizzly South Loop-Pinehurst.
Meet 9:00am at Rockridge BART. Climb Tunnel Road to Skyline and do the
Grizzly century South loop through the zoo, past Chabot Park and back
through Redwood Rd and Pinehurst. Leaders Brian Aldrich (510) 748-0603,
brianaldrich at comcast dot net and Jeff Kurtock, (510) 653-1771, jkurtock
at sbcglobal dot net.
Sun Apr 22 4/T/55
Ride #6 -- Mr Morgan Meets the Devil.
Meet 9:00am at Pleasant Hill BART, east side station entrance. We will
ride clockwise around Mt. Diablo via Morgan Territory. Lunch stop at
Blackhawk, then climb Mt. Diablo Southgate Rd to the junction only,
with an option to bypass this climb. Bring lunch or $ to buy. No drop.
Helmets required. Rain cancels; if weather is dubious contact ride
leader. This ride is co-listed with Go! Greenbelt.
Leaders Phil Morton (510) 847-7651, pmorton at lmi dot net, Chris
Witt (510) 548-5790, and Pat Greene (415) 566-6637, greene at cgl dot ucsf
dot edu.
Sun Apr 29 2.5/T/56
Ride #7 -- Bovine Lasso.
Meet 9:00am at Mill Valley Safeway (Miller and Camino Alto). We will
ride through Fairfax and Nicasio to Pt. Reyes Station. Return via Bear
Valley, Samuel P. Taylor and Fairfax Bring lunch or $ to buy. No drop.
Helmets required. Rain cancels; if weather is dubious contact ride
leader. Leaders Janet Monks (510) 534-7621 and Mark Sapiro (415) 388-8910,
msapiro at value dot net.
For general questions not answered above, contact our Ride Series Coordinator, Toshi Takeuchi, (510)919-7876, RideSeries2 at Grizz dot org. For questions about specific rides, contact the ride leader(s) listed.
GPC rides are rated by terrain/pace/distance. Terrain ratings are: 1) nearly flat; 2) somewhat hilly; 3) moderately hilly; 4) hilly; 5) very hilly, considerable climbing. Pace ratings are: XL) extra-leisurely, child-friendly; L) leisurely, easy pace with frequent stops; T) touring, steady pace, fewer stops, for experienced riders; M) moderately fast pace, for strong experienced riders; B) brisk, for very strong riders. Mileage follows the first two factors. Pace letters may be combined to show intermediate ratings. For example, 3/LT/35 is a moderately hilly ride at pace between leisurely and touring of distance 35 miles. Riders are expected to check ratings in advance and choose rides appropriately.
GPC Home Page | GPC Ride Series Overview | GPC Ride Guidelines | GPC Ride Rating System