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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. |
Welcome to the December California BMW Triumph/Tri-Valley Moto Shop Ride! We will be riding out on Sunday, December 7th, leaving the CalBMW parking lot at 9:00 am. Please be gassed up and ready to go at that time. We'll have a short safety meeting before the ride, and a sign-out sheet for contact information if needed. As always, we'll have coffee and doughnuts by 8:30 or so. Please arrive a little early and give yourself a chance to relax and socialize before the ride. We are first heading to Tri-Valley to pick up additional riders, then the ride will move on from Livermore to Mount Hamilton.
We'll leave Cal BMW and head down 101 to 237 until it turns into Calaveras Road. We'll follow Calaveras Road all the way to Route 84 and follow that to North Canyons Pkwy and Tri-Valley Moto, arriving about 10:00. We'll take a few minutes here for a potty stop and to pick up additional riders for the group.
Next we'll go East on 580 and get off at Vasco Road, with a right on Tesla and a left on Mines. We'll follow Mines Road up as far as the junction with Del Puerto and stop at the little cafe there. Then we'll continue South and West on San Antonio Valley Road to the top of Mount Hamilton where we will make another stop at the observatory, to look around and use the bathrooms if necessary.
We'll descend Mount Hamilton and end up on Alum Rock Road, back to 101 and retrace our steps back to the shop. Folks from the Livermore area can hop onto 680 North and head towards 680/580 and points North and East.
Some of these roads are TIGHT, especially Calaveras and the West side of Mount Hamilton, but we'll be going cautiously, for the most part. I'd say this ride is too challenging for a pure beginner, but it should be OK for anyone with a moderate level of experience.
Please, be sure to stay within the safe limits of your riding ability. This is a social ride, not a race, so always ride within your comfort zone and work on being the smoothest rider on the ride, not the fastest. True riding skill is built on the practice of smoothness, control and a sense of the right line, not on trying to go fast. So as always, this is a leisurely ride, and please, no racing! I hope you can join us. Have fun and be safe! E-mail me or call (650.966.1183 ext.3) if you have any questions or concerns.
Best regards,
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