Palm Springs Snowbird Ride (12/20/2011)

Date: Tuesday, December 20
Meet time: 10:30 a.m.
Ride-out time: 10:45 a.m.
Meeting place: Best Western Inn at Palm Springs, 1633 S. Palm Canyon Drive (map)
City: Palm Springs
Rain policy: Rain, ice, or strong wind cancels
Category: 3 - moderate-fast pace (12-15 mph)
Terrain: 2 - rolling hills
Miles: 51

Description:
Spread your tiny wings and fly away,
And take the snow back with you where it came from on that day.

Visiting Palm Springs for the holidays? So are some of your DSSF friends. Bring your bike and join us for a ride!

This route starts near downtown Palm Springs and heads eastbound on city arterials toward Palm Desert before climbing up Thousand Palms Canyon and onto the famous Dillon Road, known for its frequent starring role in the Tour de Palm Springs. But because it's December and daylight is short, we'll only go as far as Desert Hot Springs before heading back.

RideWithGPS says 1,655 feet of climbing, but it's probably a bit less than that. You'll have about six hours to complete the route before sunset, so pace yourself accordingly.

Unfavorable weather of any type -- including very cold temperatures or very strong winds -- cancels. RSVP is required so the ride leader can keep you updated if needed.

Meet time 10:30, ride-out at 10:45. Dressing like Anne Murray is not required.

This ride is listed with Different Spokes San Francisco, so DSSF waivers will be used. DSSF membership is not required.


RSVP required for this ride.

Las Vegas: New Year's at the Lake (1/1/2012)

Date: Sunday, January 1
Meet time: 10:45 a.m.
Ride-out time: 11:00 a.m. sharp
Meeting place: Fiesta Henderson, 777 W. Lake Mead Pkwy. (map)
City: Henderson, Nevada
Rain policy: Rain, ice, or snow cancels
Category: Open pace; all are welcome
Terrain: 3 - rolling hills with some steep climbs
Miles: 40

Description:

Visiting Las Vegas for New Year's? Bring your bike with you! Part of the Vegas ALC crew? Join us! Las Vegas' very own official ALC training ride leader, Aaron Otte, will be one of your leaders today.

We're going to start 2012 in grand style with a scenic loop ride through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. As we descend about 600 feet to lake level, we'll have picturesque views of the lake and (for out-of-towners) an up-close look at the receding lake level and its effect on the area's geology.

Then we'll join the River Mountains Trail to take us up the big hill into and through Boulder City. (Depending on whether there have been any recent rains to flood the combination bike path and drainage channel, we might have to ride part of this leg on the shoulder of Highway 93.) After climbing about 1,400 feet from lake level, we'll reach the high point of the day and then have 10 miles of gentle downhill back into Henderson.

The Lake Mead NRA charges $3 (or a valid national park pass) for bicyclists to use the road. Food and water are very limited along this route, so plan on bringing enough to get you through the entire ride. Convenience stores are located in the first couple of miles and again just off the route near Mile 26, but there's not much of anything before that. Because this is a somewhat long ride with limited services, it's not suitable for beginning cyclists, but Aaron promises plenty of beginner-friendly Las Vegas training rides in 2012. You'll have a little more than five hours of daylight to complete the route, so pace yourself accordingly.

We will meet in the rear parking lot of Fiesta Henderson, across from the parking garage. Look for crazy people with bicycles. Plenty of free parking, and there's a Starbucks inside. (What? You thought I'd have a ride without a Starbucks?)

If the mid-morning temperature is expected to be below freezing, we won't ride. Please RSVP so we can keep you informed about any weather-related developments.

This is a renegade ride, not an official part of AIDS/LifeCycle, but we will follow ALC safety rules.


RSVP required for this ride.

Distance Training #1: Woodside (1/14/2012)

Date: Saturday, January 14
Meet time: 9:30 a.m.
Ride-out time: 10:00 a.m.
Meeting place: New location! Parking lot at Villa and Franklin streets, Mountain View (across from the Tied House) (map)
City: Mountain View
Rain policy: Heavy rain cancels
Category: 2 - moderate pace (10-12 mph)
Terrain: 2 - rolling hills
Miles: 42

Description:

Entering its fifth season in 2012, the AIDS/LifeCycle Distance Training rides have become a Peninsula and South Bay institution. These rides start in January each year and culminate in mid-May with the Altamont Pass Double Metric.

From our new meeting location in downtown Mountain View, we'll head around the Arastradero Nature Preserve, Portola Valley, Cañada Road, and Edgewood Road with an easy return on Alameda de las Pulgas. No surprise stupid climbs; this is all comparatively tame stuff. About 1,800 feet of climbing total, according to Strava.

This ride is Caltrain- and VTA-friendly. The first southbound train of the day leaves SF at 8:15 and arrives in Mountain View at 9:29. We're about four blocks from the station.


RSVPs are requested but not required.

Early-Bird Ride #4: Fremont (12/17/2011)

Date: Saturday, December 17
Meet time: 9:30 a.m.
Ride-out time: 10:00 a.m.
Meeting place: Parking lot at Villa and Franklin streets, Mountain View (across from the Tied House) (map)
City: Mountain View
Rain policy: Rain cancels
Category: 2 - medium pace (10-12 mph)
Terrain: 1 - mostly flat
Miles: 41

Description:

For our final ride, we'll do a big loop around the southern end of San Francisco Bay. This means that our route will be almost totally flat, except for crossing the Dumbarton Bridge! After we ride through the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, we'll pass through Newark on our way to a lunch stop in Fremont. Then it's into Milpitas and San Jose on some multi-use trails that take us into Sunnyvale for our ride along the edge of Moffett Field and our return to Mountain View.

Total climbing on this ride is only about 330 feet, according to Strava.

If you're planning to do our Distance Training rides beginning in mid-January, the early-bird rides are perfect for getting you back up to speed and distance. If you're a new ALCer, these rides are a great introduction to the people and ways of AIDS/LifeCycle.

This ride is Caltrain- and VTA-friendly. The first southbound train of the day leaves SF at 8:15 and arrives in Mountain View at 9:29. We're about four blocks from the station. If you're a veteran of the Mountain View rides, note our new meeting location this year! It's just one block away from our old spot.


RSVPs are requested but not required.