Petaluma to Tomales Loop:
50 miles 3200 feet climbing. Saturday, June 4, 2022
By Brett Nelson
We decided to do an offsite ride last Saturday and the forecast was for good weather in the North County.
The ride started on the corner of 6th and D St. in downtown Petaluma. Those present included Craig Snider, Mike Dunn, Bob Hyde, David Malloy, Scott Overfield, Kathy, and Brett Nelson. The drive to Petaluma was easy, 40 minutes, with no traffic. We pedaled out along D Street, which turned into a quiet country road. There were some fairly steep climbs in the first 10 miles which led to the top of some hilltops with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. At the top of one climb, we could see the entire extent of Tomales Bay stretching from the south all the way up to Tomales which was our first destination. After a nice descent down to the coast, we began riding north on Highway 1 along the beautiful and calm Tomales Bay. After riding several miles, we were passed by a large group of 20 brightly colored Ferrari sports cars which were very polite and passed us safely. A short climb brought us up to the small town of Tomales where we found a nice place to eat at Route One Bakery. https://www.routeonekitchen.com We enjoyed coffee and pastries sitting out at a picnic table by the coffee shop. After a brief break, we headed back down towards Petaluma making a right turn onto Chileno Valley Road to avoid traffic and enjoying more beautiful rolling valleys and a large reservoir with a feeding swan. We continued the ride and descended back into Petaluma. The only negative incident was when a large 4 x 4 diesel truck decided to “Roll Coal” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_coal) on us as he passed by with large flapping flags mounted in the truck bed. But no harm was done and we arrived safely in the town of Petaluma.
Marin Century Aug 6, 2022
by Bob Hyde
BBC was well represented in this year’s ride having a large group participating in the 100K route. After starting the ride together, smaller groups formed with some opting for a fast, hammerfest pace and others choosing a more comfortable, sane pace. Rest stops were spaced every 20 miles which allowed the groups to come together again. The route was spectacular with good roads having very little traffic winding through beautiful, rural countryside. The rest stops were well stocked with a variety of goodies. The Roctaine gels were a big hit. The post-ride festivities were also well done with great food, music, vendor booths, and beer! BBC riders hung out together and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We will certainly be doing this ride again.
Biking to Work Day, Friday, May 20th, 2022
by Craig Snider
Friday, May 20th, is the annual “Bike to Work Day”. This is my story. When I moved to Benicia in 2003, I had no intention of biking to work on Mare Island. After all, our new home was near the top of Rose Drive, and climbing back up seemed daunting. Having a desk job, I needed exercise; so I continued my routine of running after work. This was fine, except that my aging body wasn’t so accommodating. Foot pain here, knee pain there, pulled calf muscle..ugh…I needed a change and decided to dust off my bike and ride 5-10 miles on the weekends. In 2004 I became aware of “Bike to Work Day” and decided to give it a go. I studied Vallejo street maps and found a great route to Mare Island via Benicia Road. But It took a lot of courage and planning. Beforehand I placed a change of clothes and shoes by my office desk and attached a milk crate to my bike to carry my backpack, lunch, tire changing kit (in case of a flat), bike lock, etc. To my surprise, it wasn’t that bad. The hardest part of the ride was the return climb up to Rose Drive. I vowed to try it again someday when it suddenly dawned on me. I was spending 40 minutes a day commuting by car, then another hour stretching and jogging after work; whereas I could get my exercise commuting by bike instead of losing 40 minutes driving each day. And when I got home all I needed was a shower - no need for more exercise. I set a goal of biking to work once a week, then twice, thrice, and eventually full time - 20 miles per day. I continued to bike to work for another nine years, even loathing the few days I had to drive. Over the years I learned a few things. With so much glass on the roads, I would get a flat a week! Eventually, I added hard tire liners between the tube and tire. I also added “extra thick” tubes. This combo reduced flats to once every six months. One time I replaced a worn-out tire and noticed 40-50 glass shards embedded in the rubber, but no flats! Today’s tubeless tires, filled with tire puncture sealant, may negate the need for tire liners and/or thick tubes. I kept a pair of shoes at work and stocked baby wipes and deodorant to freshen things up when I changed into work clothes. I also stocked breakfast food at work, since I didn’t want to ride to work on a full stomach. Due to the year-round cool mornings in the Bay Area, I seldom worked up much sweat before arriving at work - no need to shower. Winter months found me riding in the dark, so I installed a high lumen headlight in front and a pair of blinking red taillights in the rear. Why two rear taillights? They can fail, fall off, or run out of battery and you won’t notice until you’re home. I was lucky to have a flexible work schedule allowing me to use weather radar to track rain clouds and time my ride to avoid downpours. Bikewise, I settled on a “Cross” bike with 32mm tires. Cross bikes have similar geometry to road bikes but are built to take a beating. The larger tires are more stable and make for a more comfortable ride. My bike had mounts for fenders and a bike rack. Fenders are essential for regularly riding on wet roads. With time, I got stronger and the Rose Drive climb got easier and faster. Eventually, I joined the Benicia Bicycle Club and discovered a whole new world of cycling including group riding, If you’re interested in learning more about bike riding, bike safety, bike gear, and more, check out the Benicia Bicycle Club. Our members have all levels of skill and fitness and believe group bicycling is a fun way to exercise, make new friends, and share the challenges of a great sport.
Grizzly Peak Century, May 1, 2022
By Bob Hyde
Several BBC riders participated in the 75-mile option of the Grizzly Peak Century ride held on May 1, 2022. This is a well-supported and popular ride for our club. The route covers familiar territory in the East Bay with about 6000 feet of climbing. Some of the notable climbs are Pinehurst Road (including a chilly ride through a beautiful redwood grove) and the very steep McEwen Road near Port Costa. It also features outstanding panoramic views of the SF Bay along Grizzly Peak Blvd.
Primavera Ride, April 10, 2022
By Brett Nelson
This year’s first organized ride chosen by the BBC Board was the Fremont Cycling Club’s Primavera Ride. Though it was sold out, some of us managed to procure registration tickets nonetheless through a Facebook Transfer page. Since it was early in the season, we elected to do the 100K event.
Leaving Benicia @ 6:30 on Sunday morning, the freeway traffic was light heading down, and car parking was easy at the start: Fremont’s Mission San José High School. Who showed up? It was the “Grateful Eight”: Bob Hyde, Elle Hands, Mike Dunn, Marvin Ruiz, Julie Jennings, Scott Overfield, Kathy, and Brett. We checked in, and everyone was ready to roll out at around 8 a.m. The weather was nice, with clear skies, and a light breeze. We headed south from the start on our bikes towards Milpitas and then climbed north along the scenic and windy Calaveras Road. The road surface was smooth without potholes (!), and views off to the east were amazing with wildflowers and green hills, looking out over the Calaveras Reservoir. There was steady gradual climbing heading north and then one particularly steep climb appeared called the “Calaveras Wall” which was a 10-14% grade, where one cyclist not in our group touched wheels with someone in front of him and fell but wasn’t injured. “You ok?” “I’m ok.” “You ok?” “I’m ok.” was heard as we all rode up to him. He was ok. Soon the steep wall was behind us, and we were all pedaling together in a group along the winding plateau on the west side of the valley. Towards the end of the valley, a descent appeared, and we formed a fast peloton of about 25 people, winding quickly down along the edge of the valley. There were rest stops about every 15-20 miles, which had fruit, potatoes, cookies, energy drinks, and Rocktane Gu Gel. At the Sunol rest stop, you could even order custom sandwiches. There’s nothing like a Turkey Sandwich on a long ride. We bumped into Alex D at the rest stop by the Sandwich bar, who had done a marathon the day before! After a little loop in Sunol, we headed back along Calaveras Road again to the finish. The total mileage for the ride was 62 miles with about 4000 feet of climbing. At the finish, we passed like heroes under an arch of brightly colored balloons and were greeted immediately by the sight of a circle of 5 colorful Ethnic Food Trucks where you could use your meal ticket to try various styles of delicious Mexican, Korean, and American food. We chatted together at a picnic table in the shade, and Kathy suddenly appeared carrying an armload full of ice cream snacks that we all shared. The drive back was uneventful with no significant traffic and we arrived home pleasantly tired but not exhausted.
Put this on your list for next year: This is a first-rate organized ride!
Benicia Bicycle Club Ride Report: March 26th, 2022: US Cycling Hall of Fame, Davis, CA
By Brett Nelson
A few months ago, BBC Treasurer Steve Bahr had heard about the United States Cycling Hall of Fame (HOF) located in Davis and thought the BBC would enjoy seeing it. He called the museum to see if we could get a COVID-safe tour, and we planned a day to explore the museum along with a nice bike ride from Benicia to get there.
USBHOF | Honor, educate, preserve, and promote the history of bicycling in the USA
The day started in Benicia with the B group leaving from Starbucks a half hour before the A group left from the Benicia State Park. We pedaled out by the usual route through the orchards and fields on the north side of Fairfield, Mankas Corner, Hilborn, Lyon Road, then Pleasant Valley Road in the morning sun. We stopped at the city park in Winter to use the restroom and get some water, then continued on to Davis by Putah Creek road. There is a nice separate “off the road” bike lane as you get closer to Davis that kept us away from the auto traffic. We rode through the U.C Davis campus on the Bicycle Highway there and stopped at Sudwerks Brewery and Taproom, recommended by Iron Mike Dunn, to have lunch and some refreshments. https://www.sudwerkbrew.com/taproom.html
It was a great rest stop, and we had some fun conversations and laughs.
Steve Bahr had arranged for a private tour of the US Bicycle HOF museum after it had closed to the public, at 3 pm, open only to the Benicia Bike Club. They let us bring our bikes inside the museum. The docent gave us a detailed tour which included authentic exhibits of antique bicycles from the Penny-farthing to a 6-man crew bike. to racing bicycles like the time trial bike used by Speed Skating Gold Medal Olympian Eric Heiden, to Greg Lemond’s bicycle used during his Tour de France victory. See the photos below.
After the Museum tour, we rode about a half-mile away to the Davis Amtrak Train Station and caught the 5:10 pm train back to Martinez, which takes about 45 minutes. They have a baggage car on the train where you can hang your bicycles by the front wheel, and then we all went up to the observation/seating area for the train ride home. It was all downhill and with a tailwind. Arriving in Martinez, we pedaled socially back to Benicia over the bridge, tired from a long but satisfying day.
BBC Goodwill Ambassador Marvin Ruiz made a nice video and photo montage of the day. Take a look:
Thank you, Marvin!
BBC Spring Moxie Ride Sat, March 12th
by Bob Hyde
Our annual Spring Moxie ride had an excellent turnout with 20+ members participating from the A&B ride groups. Both groups rode the same route but at different paces. This 60-mile ride had multiple stops to regroup and a more extended rest stop to refuel with snacks & drinks provided by the club at Lake Solano Park (37-mile mark).
A Big Thank-you to Marvin and Kalani for this video-photo collage!
Bike Clothing De-mystified
by Craig Snider
When I first began riding with the Benicia Bicycle Club I had a couple of pairs of standard black bike shorts, two bike jerseys, and some fingerless gloves. That was fine for warm summer days, but I would need more bike clothing for the rest of the year. As the days grew shorter and colder, I remember stressing about choosing the right clothes for the day. Overdressed: too hot!-underdressed freezing! Fortunately, after 9 years commuting by bike, 18 years with BBC, and 4 years of bike racing, I figured it out. In this article, I’ll share my insights about bike clothing for year-round riding. Much about bike clothing is a personal choice, but some items are essential.
Before I choose my bike clothes for the day I check the day’s temperature trend and choose my bike clothes accordingly. Each of us has a different comfort level when it comes to temperature. I tend to be a cold weeny and would rather be a little warm than cold.
As with any outdoor activity, it’s important to dress in layers. However, there’s little space to stash extra clothing in jersey pockets or elsewhere on a bike; so be judicious about how much you wear.
So, here is my toe-to-head take on essential bike gear: Read More
Benicia Bicycle Club Christmas Party and Annual Meeting
Photo by Elizabeth Rice
by Craig Snider
On Sunday, December 19th, about 25 hearty club members braved the cold weather and gathered for the annual Benicia Bicycle Club Christmas Party and Annual Meeting. With Covid surging once again, the party was held outdoors at the Pacifica Pizza pergola on First Street (thanks to Pacifica owner, Jeff Comer, for constructing the site last year!). Despite the wind and low temperatures, everyone was in good spirits enjoying pizza, salad, and treats from One House Bakery. A general membership meeting followed the meal and the current slate of club officers were re-elected for 2022. Looking forward to another great year of cycling with BBC. Keep an eye on the BBC TeamSnap site for announcements about upcoming rides. Thanks to all who attended despite the dreary weather! -January 2022
BBC Annual Presidents’ Day Ride Report: February 21, 2022
By Brett Nelson
The Benicia Bicycle Club has a long history of riding to Winters on Presidents’ Day, and this year we returned to that tradition. This is a route that was developed by Jerry Wickham, who now lives in Walla Walla, Washington.
The “A” group met at the Valley Café in Fairfield around 9 am to prepare and chat before the ride. It was a chilly morning and there were reports that we could encounter strong gale force winds in the afternoon.
We started up Suisun Valley Road, through Mankas Corner, eventually passing by Hilborn Occupational Center, where the B group had started at 9 am. We didn’t see them at that time, as they had an hour head-start on us to that location. We continued through the fields of northern Fairfield/Vacaville, on Pleasants Valley Road and eventually Putah Creek road to arrive in downtown Winters, stopping at Steady Eddie’s Café. This café caters to cyclists with large A-frame bike racks in front which neatly and securely hang your bicycle by the seat.
The B Group had arrived just a few minutes before us, and we all had lunch there in the open-air seating in front of and alongside the restaurant. It was a good time of fellowship and both groups seemed to enjoy their rides to the café.
On the way back, we paralleled Highway 505 for a while before eventually joining the original route back through the orchards and fields of northern Fairfield, to the Valley Café finish.
The A ride was about 58 miles long round-trip, with 1700 feet of climbing, while the B route was about 36 miles round-trip, with 1500 feet of climbing. We were delighted that the forecasted gale-strength winds never did arrive, though there was some typical mild afternoon breeze, and the ride back was uneventful. Hope you can meet us again next year.
New Year’s Day BBC Ride
by Brett Nelson
2021 was a year to remember and a year to forget!
We celebrated Jan 1st, 2022, with our traditional BBC New Year’s Day ride to start things off right! We met at First Street Green in the crisp morning air, and after instructions, embarked on a nice tour of Benicia as a combined A/B group ride. Steve Bahr led the group at the front, and some of us did the sweeping duties to keep people out of trouble and on course.
We greeted dog walkers, joggers, babies in strollers, and retirees alike with a joyful “Happy New Year” as we rode through town. We started east down Military into old Benicia by the Arsenal and the Clocktower for a brief regroup. Then it was a trip down J/K to meet in the Benicia State Park parking lot to allow everyone to regroup again.
After a brief rest, we continued riding now up the hill to the Southampton and Water’s End tracts, and we saw longtime BBC member Barbara Woods taking pictures on the way to the top of Benicia. I got a flat at the top of the hill, the first flat tire of the year, and we repaired it on a re-group overlooking San Pablo Bay to the west. Then it was a glorious downhill descent on Rose Drive, to K Street then back east to downtown Benicia for coffee on First Street at Farm and Flour. The total ride length was about 17 miles.
It was a fun and enjoyable ride, a wonderful way to greet the New Year, with hope for a better, brighter, and healthier one!
Hope you can meet us again next year! -January 2022
American River Trail:
by Brett Nelson
Sacramento State to Lake Folsom on bike trail: 49 miles
We did a combined A/B ride on the American River Trail. This is a 30-mile long trail if you start in Sacramento’s Discovery Park, but we elected to park in a better location at the Dog Park by Sacramento State on University Avenue, so the trail is 5 miles shorter. The drive from Benicia to the start took about an hour. After parking, we took a small onramp onto the trail below and began heading east. There are numerous restrooms along the way. The trail is designated as a primary bike trail so the walkers/joggers are supposed to be on the dirt path along the side of the road. Sometimes they would be on the trail but most people moved off when we used a bell or “on your left.” It was quite cool and overcast at the start. The trail winds through groves of trees along the south bank of the American River. The pavement was quite good. We passed a fish hatchery and eventually crossed the river and continued on the north bank. Cande had a flat tire, which was quickly fixed and we continued until Folsom Crossing, where we made one street crossing to the lunch/coffee stop at Folsom Grind Coffee Shop. There is a bike store next door which is convenient if you have any mechanical issues. . At the Folsom Grind, there was good seating outdoors, and bathrooms inside to use. The coffee and snacks were good. We made a quick side trip to Folsom Lake (about a mile from the coffee shop) and saw that the water level was severely low. Heading back, we stayed on the north bank of the river until crossing Hazel Road, continuing back on the south bank. There are kayakers on the river, and fly fishermen, and it was quiet and peaceful. The group included Cande Medrano, Steve Bahr, Kalani Keala, Mike Dunn, Scott Overfield, Joe Pritchard, Kathy, Brett, Marvin Ruiz, and Bob Hyde. There are some nice pictures of the ride on TeamSnap in the Chat section. It was really refreshing to ride 50 miles completely off roads with traffic/cars. We will try the trail again in the spring when it’s a little warmer and sunny. Next time there will be more of a lead time, I apologize for the short notice. This time of year with the weather unpredictable, we have to sometimes make more spontaneous decisions on a ride. - December 2021
Aiming High, The annual one million foot vertical climbing milestone.
by Kemal Abuhan
When I learned that people in the bay area actually try to climb over one million feet vertically in a year, I was blown away. Just try to consider what it takes to get that one million feet in a year. If my math is correct, an individual would have to climb 2700 feet a day on a bicycle. So that is basically doing one Mt. Tam climb a day. When I got the call from Kenny to come out with him and his friend to seal the deal, I was honored to be going along as a witness. And needless to say; his friend Mike came up with a grand route for us to ride; some smack-down rock shredder material. Not only was I blessed with coming along to such an event, but I also got to show off some skill that would consecrate the deal, “ we are Norcal MTB’ers and we love it!”
Congratulations again Kenny Leduc! - December 2021
Fall 2021 Moxie Ride
Our bi-annual (Spring & Fall) Moxie ride held on October 30th was a memorable and fun event! The ride had two route options (58 mile & 45 mile) each traversing through beautiful landscape with brilliant fall colors and a little fog mist thrown in to make the ride even more interesting. The ride was well supported with many thanks to Kemal Abuhan for volunteering to be our SAG driver and snack provider. Also, many thanks to Brett Nelson for coordinating this ride.
Columbus Pkwy bicycle lane closure
Well, it looks like the Columbus Pkwy road in Benicia/Vallejo is still closed for construction. It is from Columbus Pkwy and Aragon Street all the way down to Benicia Road. - December 2021
The Joys of Group Riding with the Benicia Bicycle Club
by Craig Snider
The Joys of Group Riding with the Benicia Bicycle Club If you’ve ever watched a bike race like the Tour de France, then you may understand the advantage of ‘drafting”; whereby the lead rider of the group or “peloton” pushes the wind allowing the following riders to save energy by drafting. That’s the beauty of group bicycling since it allows the entire group to ride faster and use less energy than someone riding alone. By taking turns “pulling” the group, a group of riders can go further and faster than any one individual, much like a flock of geese. Drafting is especially effective on long flat stretches of road such as Lopes Road or the Silverado Trail in Napa. It also makes for easier riding in our windy Benicia conditions as only the lead rider fights the full headwind. Group riding also helps to hone one’s bike skills by learning from others. Whether it’s fixing a flat or dealing with a mechanical issue, there’s always someone in the group that’s been there/done that. So, riding a long distance from home is a breeze. For most, a great benefit of group riding is the fitness gained by riding with others. I’ve found that when riding alone, I don’t work as hard as I do in a group. Not only do I work harder and ride faster on a group ride, but it feels like less effort than when riding alone. This phenomenon allows everyone in the group to go further faster. If you’ve ever considered doing a “Century” ride (100 km or 100 miles) you’ll surely achieve that goal by riding with a group. The Benicia Bicycle Club was established in 1987 to promote public interest in all aspects of bicycling and encourage recreational bicycling for all skill levels. So, if you want to experience the joys of group riding, join us on one of our scheduled daily rides. The more the merrier! Our ride schedule is posted on our website (beniciabicycleclub.org). For more information contact: mail@beniciabicycleclub.org. -June 2021.
Celebrate Bike Month by Joining the Benicia Bicycle Club
by Craig Snider
May is Bike Month and a good time to join the Benicia Bicycle Club! We are a club of about 100 members living in Benicia and beyond. We have members at all skill and fitness levels who’ve learned that group bicycling is a fun way to exercise, make new friends, and share the challenges of a great sport. Benicia Bicycle Club was established in 1987 to promote public interest in all aspects of bicycling and encourage recreational bicycling for all skill levels. The pandemic put a damper on club riding this past year, but with the easing of restrictions we are gearing up for a great season of cycling. Benicia is ideally located for great cycling and the opportunities are endless. We set the pace, terrain, and distance for most of our scheduled daily rides to the skills and interests of the group. Most rides are 30-40 miles long including the “Bridge to Bridge” loop (riding from Benicia to Crockett to Martinez and back via Benicia Bridge) and the “Rockville” ride through Cordelia and Green Valley to Rockville and back). Rides can vary from these routes depending on the size, skills, and interests of the group. All rides include a “coffee stop” to rest, snack, and enjoy each other’s company. No one gets left out, left behind, or “dropped”. Join us for a ride and try us out! Additional membership benefits include several social events, organized group rides to Marin, Napa, Alameda, and Sonoma counties, discounts from our cycling vendor sponsors, and access to our Club Strava and TeamSnap applications. We encourage you to join the club; individual dues are only $20 annually! -May 2021
Caltrans has started working on increasing the vertical clearance to the design standard of 16 feet 6 inches on six bridges that cross over Interstate 80 (I-80) in the City of Vallejo just north of the Carquinez Bridge.
The Georgia and Tennessee street crossings over I-80 are closed from Jan 2022 - April 2022
SHUTTLE SERVICE AVAILABLE:
Phone Number: (415) 263-4000
A 24-hr shuttle service will be available for pedestrians and bicyclists who need to safely cross Benicia Road Overcrossing. One shuttle stop will be located on each side of the bridge.
BBC Mountain Bike Survey Results
The club recently surveyed members’ interest in mountain biking. Here are the results:
Long-time BBC member and Bay Area cycling legend, Joe Shami
has passed away after suffering a cycling traffic accident in Lafayette. A memorial celebration is planned for Sat, May 1, 8:30-9:30 at Trek Bicycle in Alamo. An excellent tribute to Joe is posted on the Mount Diablo Cyclist website.
Congratulations to Cande Medrano for being named Solano County’s Bike Champion of the Year by Bay Area transportation officials!
Read more about Cande’s contributions to our cycling community in this Patch article.
