Training Ride 7/11: Second Saturday Club Ride

Every second Saturday of the month (except May) the Grizzly Peak Cyclists have their all-club ride, the ASSR.  All club members and other interested parties are welcome.  There are five different groups that go varying distances and at various paces. All start together at the Orinda BART station and move at social pace along San Pablo Dam Road to Castro Ranch Road.

The Marin fountain.  I passed by here on my way to get to the BART station.

I have to admit that I've only been on the ride one other time about a year ago.  At that time, I joined the Allegreto group (65 miles), but the pace was challenging for me and I was pretty whipped at the end.  I felt slightly under-trained for that group, so I joined the Adagio group for 50 miles and a slower pace, but I did want to get in more miles, so I rode over to the BART station from home.

After regrouping at small parking lot on Castro Ranch Rd (at San Pablo Dam Rd.), we continued in our various paced groups.  My group headed over Pig Farm Hill.  Yes, Pig Farm Hill twice in one week even though I'm not a fan.  Why did I make this decision?  Honestly, it is as simple as the fact that I didn't know what the route would be since I only did this ride once.

Another hard climb up, another great ride down to Reliez Valley Road.  The sometimes open golf course on Grayson was open, so we stopped there for a break and regroup.  We made our way to Olympic Blvd and then a turn at Newell to get on to the residential streets and over to Danville Blvd.  We continued as far as Danville's downtown and stopped at Peet's for a beverage and a break.

Outside Peets.

 I have only been at this Peet's a handful of times, but every time it is full of cyclists outside and fairly quiet inside.  It was no exception today.  The bike racks were full, as were any surface a bike could be leaned against and a few unusual places as well, like in the trees and hanging from light fixtures.  We relaxed for a while in the sun, had lunch, and chatted.  We had nice moderate temperatures with a mile breeze.

One of the alternative spots bikes got parked. We returned on a similar route, but briefly took the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail and then moved on to Happy Valley Road.  I forgot how much climbing there is on that road.   We turned down Sundown and then took some residential streets back to SPDR and a short hop back to the BART station.  After that I returned home via Wildcat with Sherrie. Stats: 72.56 miles 4,241 feet of elevation gain www.grizz.org