See this link for details.  Please register.  https://sfsob.cosine-santafe.com/events/may-saturday-rides-2017-05-06/

The University of Texas students participating in the Texas 4000 arrive in Santa Fe on Friday, June 9. This is the third year that the group has ridden to Santa Fe on its way to Anchorage, Alaska. There are 4 different routes that over 100 students take, and there will be about 33 students on the route that passes through Santa Fe. These are upper division and graduate students who have dedicated one preliminary year to developing leadership skills and raising funds to battle cancer. Of the 1000 students who participate in the first year, a little over 100 are selected for the ride to Alaska. Those 100 students spend a second year continuing to raise funds for cancer treatment and research and putting in long miles on their bikes to prepare for the almost 4000 miles they will ride.

Seniors on Bikes have welcomed the Texas 4000 as it arrives. We meet them at Eldorado and lead them to their motel in near the Railyard. This is a lot of fun. We have two advantages with which to meet the challenge of riding with 20 somethings. We are acclimated to the altitude and we will not have ridden the distance on June 9 that they have. It is exciting to ride down Old Santa Fe and to the Plaza as a group of about 50 riders. The students are wearing specially designed jerseys and with our jerseys, the public at the Plaza are impressed. You will be feeling great to be a part of the arrival. Last year, the Giant Bicycle Company donated identical bikes to each student. That added to the impressions on the Plaza.

After the ride, we and our spouses, partners, and friends join the students and University of Texas alumni living in Santa Fe for a fabulous dinner at the Las Campanas Golf Club where we sit and eat and talk with the students, finding out about them, and their plans for the rest of their ride to Alaska. When one talks with these students, it is guaranteed that you will wish you were riding with them. They are confident, developed personalities that enjoy conversation. Being enrolled at the University, there are many who have come from all areas of the world.

This is the first announcement about the Texas 4000. More will come in the weeks ahead to remind you and to invite you to participate. The students arrive in Eldorado about 1:30 p.m. The Happy Hour at Las Campans begins about 6:00 with dinner shortly after. Many of the SOBs have ridden from the DeVargas Center to Eldorado, so we get about 26 miles of riding. The program at the dinner is several of the students describing what their motivation is for the ride. Many are survivors of serious cancer treatments themselves. Others ride to honor family and friends. And all ride to raise money for cancer research.

As of April 5, we have 97 folks who have paid their dues, and 75 who have submitted waivers.  Within this group there are 5 people who have submitted waivers but not paid dues, and there are 27 who have paid but not submitted waivers.  A big thanks to the 70 who have paid AND have submitted waivers.

If you want to check your status, click this link and find your name.  The code is below.  

If you think there is an error in your status let us know tomorrow.  To complete your membership click this link and follow the instructions for the items you have remaining.  Or take care of it tomorrow at the first ride.  Thanks.

Let’s do Truchas to Penasco and back.  Leave from Truchas at 10.30am.  15 miles each way but elevation gain about 1400 ft out and 1700 ft back for total of about 3K unless you’re Joe then 4K.  Drive to Truchas estimated 45 min from DeVargas.  I’ll post in rides on Wednesday.  Please indicate your attendance and monitor email in case of issues.

We have several ways for you to join / renew.  The process is the same whether joining or renewing. We need two things from you.  $20 membership fee and a signed waiver form.
(If you are unsure of your status see the bottom of this message on how to check it.)

Waiver Form   We need everyone to sign the new waiver form.  Download the waiver / join form by clicking here.  Print it.  Fill it out.  Sign it.

Then either Scan it and Email it back to admin at sfsob.cosine-santafe dot com.
Or
Bring the filled out waiver form to the next ride you do with the club, does not have to be the first April ride, but it can be.  Give the waiver to Bob or Ian or Edwin.
Or
If you cannot download / print out we will have some blank waivers at each upcoming ride, even ad hoc.

Membership Fee  There are several ways to get us your $20.
Bring $20 cash or check to your next ride and give it to Bob or Ian or Steve G or Edwin.  If none of them are at the ride save it till you see one of them.
Or
New this year, we now have PayPal so you can pay online.  Click this link to go to PayPal and submit your $21 (extra $1 for processing fee but you get miles and club gets all $20).  You do not have to be a PayPal member to use PayPal, you can just use a credit card without joining.  The first person to submit their dues via PayPal gets a free pair of SOB cycling socks.  You know you want them.

You can see your status (as of March 12) for 2017 by looking at the current membership list.  Click this link. 

Friendly reminder that ALL rides are listed on our website.  Ad hoc rides, Winter rides, Thursday rides, …..  We list the start location and the start time.

On the main menu, click Ride Calendar.  Go ahead, try it now!  😀

Even though we are not listing mountain bike rides, members might be interested in attending a skills camp.  Click this link for information.  There is one in Angel Fire in late September.

Same time – same place

Greetings to all and a belated Happy New Year!

I want to thank everyone for the great support that I have received from members of the SOB community as I recovered from my accident.  Whether it was with meals (What a talented bunch of chefs we have among us!) or with transportation for medical appointments/shopping, a SOB member was always there to help me and provide me with the necessary assistance.  I have also greatly enjoyed the conversation during the many visits that I received.  I have no doubt that my recovery to date is due in part to the help provided to me by members of the SOB community.

It has now been 5 weeks since my final surgery.  My recovery has progressed better than I expected it would given the severity of my injury.  I am no longer receiving Home Healthcare.  I no longer where a cast or a sling and, with the help of physical therapy, the range of motion of my left arm is slowly improving although I am still prohibited from bearing any weight on my left arm.  X-rays show that, with the help of 5 plates (One of which was custom made!), my radius and ulna bones remain properly aligned.  In fact, the X-rays look a bit like two chain stays!  Also, my skin graft is healing nicely and I am finally able to take a shower without bagging any parts of my body.  What a relief!

The timetable for my recovery remains uncertain at this point in time.  It is very much a week-by-week program for me at this stage of my recovery.

Finally, my bike awaits me in my indoor trainer!  I hope that soon I will be able to get back in the saddle!

Apparently there has been no plea bargain yet, so the trial involving the crash in Tucson is still set for February 7. Those of us listed as victims who have received notices from the prosecutor in the past will likely be subpoenaed, so it would be wise to put this on your calendars. I don’t know when those subpoenas are likely to be served.
If there is a plea bargain, the prosecutor is required to notify the victims. I will keep checking and posting updates, but if you are not notified of a plea bargain, you can probably expect a subpoena.
Also, officers found drug paraphernalia and narcotics in Brian Lynch’s jail cell, so he is now facing additional charges, which have been assigned to the same judge. I don’t know if that might affect the trial date.

I made an announcement at the holiday party that Pactimo was offering specials on some winter riding gear with the SOB logo. After looking carefully at the items offered, we have decided to forego another order. The truly “winter-weight” items, such as jackets, vests and bib tights, were unisex-sized. I don’t think that would work for our group! The women’s and men’s specific jackets and vests were rated at 40-70 degrees — hardly suitable for Santa Fe winter riding.

If there is sufficient interest in the spring for jerseys and shorts, we can certainly look into doing another order then.

As someone who rides through the winter months, I am always on the lookout for winter bicycling clothing to keep me warm.  I recently came across an interesting pair of pants that those who ride through the winter months might wish to consider.  You can find the find the pants at: 

https://www.amazon.com/4ucycling-athletic-active-thermal-Xl-gangsuo/dp/B00AQDTTC6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1478346996&sr=1-1&keywords=4ucycling+pants

These pants are a good quality (especially considering the price), inexpensive cold weather cycling option.  However, be mindful of the fact that these pants are Asian Sized.  Therefore, order at least 1 size up from your American size.  I am 5 ft 10 in with a 32/33 waist and a large size fits me perfectly.  It should also be noted that these pants are, in fact, multi-sport pants.  Therefore, they do not have any padding.  That being said, they could also be quite good for winter hiking and snowshoeing.

I, along with a number of SOBs (Judy, Lore, Sandra and Denise), had a wonderful biking/hiking Moab vacation last week enjoying Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.  Needless to say the scenery was simply awesome and the fact that you get so close to all of the attractions was an added plus.  The weather was most cooperative with sunny skies and afternoon highs in the 70’s.

Without a doubt the cycling highlight for me was riding the La Sal Mountain Loop.  A group of 10 cyclists from our party, including Denise, rode this 63 mile loop that included a grueling 17 mile, 5,500 foot climb up “The Big Nasty”.  The 21 mile descent, where I reached a maximum speed of 40 mph, was something that I will long remember.

Summiting “The Big Nasty”

Also, a cycling highlight of the trip was Judy attaining a post-crash personal distance milestone of 40 miles during our ride along the Colorado River.  Afterwards, the entire Santa Fe contingent celebrated with lunch and, of course, double shot lattes, excepting Judy, who felt that her accomplishment merited a triple shot!

In summary, a great time was had by all.

After Tuesday’s tough ride and hike-a-bike to Glorietta Baldy, we decided to ride on Thursday (10/06) at 9:30 AM from Thumb Trailhead at Galisteo Basin Preserve. Thumb trailhead is closer to Eliza’s Ridge than our usual starting location. Thumb Trailhead is posted and easy to find – a right turn after entering Galisteo Basin Preserve.

The dirty SOB’s are planning to move the regular Tuesday ride to Glorietta this week (October 4). 9:30 AM.

Driving directions courtesy of Diane Giles:
Take the Glorieta/Pecos exit. Left onto the overpass. Left to the Glorieta Center. Park at the gate and go into the building on the left just past the gate. There will be someone there that will have us sign a waiver and tell us where to park. They will also have trail maps there.

Our small-but-enthusiastic dirt group is planning to meet at 9:30 AM on this Thursday September 29 at La Cuchara Trailhead (off Camino de los Montoyas right after leaving NM 599).

After the successful White Ridge ride last week, the dirt ride will be back at the Cowboy Shack at 9:30 AM this Tuesday September 27.
If you have any interest in riding off-road, please e-mail me davidmainland@icloud.com, so I can put you on the e-mail list. The blog has an overnight delay, and sometimes there are last minute changes or even cancellations 😩 which you can only get by e-mail.

We will meet at the usual place, El Camino Academy, at 0930 (note, time is 0930).  We’ll do some sort of ad hoc ride as decided at the start time.

The Texans opted for a day off the bike rather than tootle around town with us.  Wise choice on their part.  If I were riding 1400 miles in 2 weeks, I’d take any chance I got to stay off the bike!

This Saturday, Sept 24, we will ride with a group of riders travelling from Austin to Denver. They are staying over in Santa Fe Friday and Saturday and they want to do a 30ish mile local ride (on their day off!). They heard great things about the SOBs from the Texas 4000 group. The 1400 mile group are riding to promote prostate cancer awareness. Their website is www.1400miles.com

We are going to meet the riders at Java Joes on Siler, just off Rufina.  They are staying at the Quality Inn on Cerrillos.  Time is 0930.  See ride listing.  Hope we can generate a nice turnout.

While most of you have been speeding down smooth roads at 10-25 mph dodging potholes and cars while fighting the wind, we off-roaders have been dodging rocks, gravel, loose dirt, tight turns, mud, horse manure, cactus, etc. at 5-6 mph. It doesn’t sound so great, but it sure is fun.

Tuesday Sept 13. Eight of us rode through Galisteo Basin Preserve – including Eliza’s Ridge, Sophie’s Spur, Nathan’s Trace, Mark’s Reach, Bob Was Here, and Kobe’s Cut-Off. (photo on Eliza’s Ridge courtesy of Diane, who is unfortunately not in the picture)

Thursday Sept 15 9AM. We plan to meet at the mailboxes on Camino La Tierra to ride through La Tierra, including the famous Flow Trail (which should be on everyone’s bucket list).

Tuesday Sept 20 8AM. Instead of Galisteo Basin we plan to meet at the Rail Runner parking lot on 599 to car pool to White Ridge Mountain Bike Trails off US 550 near San Ysidro.

There are a couple of September rides that may be of interest to the SOB community:

On September 18th:

.gradient {
filter: none;
}

Another beautiful morning in the Galisteo Basin Preserve!
Diane, Tom, Mark R, JP, and I started off from Cowboy Shack after admiring Mark’s new bike and talking to some senior equestrians who also seem to be Tuesday regulars.
Unfortunately JP had to turn around early due to mechanical issues. The highlights were Bob Was Here, Kobe’s Cut-Off, and Shepherd’s Trail, which we did in both directions.
Next Tuesday’s ride from Cowboy Shack Trailhead will be at 9AM. Come join us.

If you have not picked up your SOB jersey that you ordered this summer please contact me. I will bring it to the ride on Thursday morning, for the photo shoot, but you might want to have it ahead of time. thunderpass@gmail.com.

Pam

Brian Lynch’s motion to reduce his bail was denied this morning, so his bail remains at $1.5 million.

Brian Lynch, the driver who ran through the SOB riders in Tucson, is currently in jail with bail set at $1.5 million. He has a new attorney who is making another attempt to modify his release conditions, which will be heard on August 25. His previous attempt was denied by the same judge, but I do not know if there is anything different about this motion. I will post the results as soon as I have them.

On Tuesday August 16, Diane, Alan Wardlow, JP, Rich Reynolds, Steve Griego, and I rode in Galisteo Preserve in beautiful weather with near-perfect trail conditions. Starting at 8:30 and ending around 11, we were rolling for an hour and a half with nice breaks for scenery and conversation, finishing the ride down the thrilling Kobe’s Cut-Off Trail. We did 8.73 miles at an average of 6 mph ascending and descending through varied terrain, which is pretty good, although it might not sound like much for you roadies.
We’ll be there again next Tuesday at 8:30 AM starting at Cowboy Shack Trailhead in Galisteo Basin Preserve.

The trial date for Brian Lynch, the driver of the truck who was responsible for the crash in Tucson, has been set for 8 days beginning February 7, 2017. Unless Mr. Lynch decides to plead guilty, it is likely that some of us would be subpoenaed as witnesses. So mark your calendars.

We ran into a lot of mud in GBP last Tuesday, which could be even worse this week, if it keeps raining. Let’s plan on trying Arroyo Hondo where the drainage should be better. There are two parking lots, but let’s meet at the Old Agua Fria Road parking lot, which is easier to start a ride from. Cross I-25 on Old Pecos Trail and go left on Old Agua Fria Road East (County Road 58D). The parking lot is on the right just before the end of the road but poorly marked. If you get to the end of the road, you are there, just look around for the parking lot.
Let’s do 830 AM as usual.

Alan, JP, and I are planning to ride up Pacheco Canyon Road on Saturday, August 6, weather permitting, starting at 9AM at the junction on NM 592, just before the descent into Chupadero.
It is about a 6 mile ride to the top of Pacheco Canyon Road at Hyde Park Road near Big Tesuque which is about 1300 feet of climbing. The road is rocky, but otherwise not technical.
A mountain bike is still highly recommended because of the rocks. I have done this with 1.5” wide cross tires, but I would not recommend it.
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=BGS056-035
The current weather forecast does not look that positive, so we are keeping an eye on it.

A small group of us are planning to meet at the Cowboy Shack Trailhead at 8AM on Saturday July 23 for a leaderless, zero pressure off-road ride.
Enter Galisteo Basin Preserve from US 285 then follow Astral Valley Road and Morning Star Ridge Road to the Cowboy Shack Trailhead parking lot.