Weather getting cold! Time changed for all ad hoc rides to 11am
It is going to be winter starting tomorrow. So I am changing the start time to 11am for the rest of November. Tell your friends. We start Dec Jan Feb at 11am anyway. Stay Safe.
Also I am cancelling the Thursday Nov 21 ride for all groups. Weather forecast is pretty bad.
Recent Rides Recap
The energetic group has been averaging about 14 riders per ride, 3 days per week, since November started. Great turnout. We recently did two atypical rides, one in ABQ and one here in town. If you don’t want to read about them, now is the time to move on.
This past Thursday we rode about 40 miles in ABQ. Starting and finishing at the Sandia RR Station, we rode to southwest ABQ and back with a stop at Slice for just that (and a beer) before the last 7 miles, which fortunately were all downhill.
The weather was fantastic, about 52 at the start, warming to 62, with little wind. It was a very relaxed ride since no one but MikeD knew where we were going. Thanks again Mike.
On Saturday, the informal Santa Fondo, hosted by Irena Ossola, was well attended by SOBs. Of the 26 riders in the start photo (below) 19 are SOBs. Start and finish at Santa Fe Brewing. Most of us went out and back to Galisteo, while the super energetic team did the full Galisteo loop.
Irena with hands raised. You may have to really search the image to see us all. (best image will be if you click read in browser) We had decent weather, a bit on the windy side, although a tail wind from 14 to Galisteo was much appreciated, the return into it was less so. Still there was a awesome result from 3 of our riders. See below. On an 8.4 mile segment from just after the turn onto 42 until Galisteo, 3 of our guys (Tom, Shawn, and Gordon) rode faster than the perennial KOM of Santa Fe, Fortunato Ferrara.
Above is the segment. Below are the results. Not all time mind you, just on Saturday.
After the ride we relaxed with a free beer courtesy of Santa Fe Brewing.
Shawn, Diane, hidden person, Christa, yt
Gordon (not facing camera), Shawn, John and CatV. Thanks for the photos, Irena.
Also, on a slightly different note, we heard from Lynn regarding the upcoming trial. She posted a comment to the blog entry. Click here to read her comment (and one from Khalil).
World Bicycle Relief
World Bicycle Relief is having a 1:1 gift matching fund raiser today.
Here is a chance to directly help make a person’s life better through the gift of a bicycle.
update from DougH regarding trial
I was called today by the district court regarding the attack on the SOB’s 20 months ago where 3 of us were injured. The final status hearing was held yesterday and no move to again postpone the process was accepted, so now, we proceed to trial. Next Tuesday, the 19th, jury selection is to begin. So, sometime next week, a jury should be seated to hear this case. Additionally, Monday, the 18th, the judge will hear arguments from both sides, regarding 7 motions made by the defense to limit or eliminate testimony from various witnesses, most especially Bud and myself. The prosecution has stated they will vigorously oppose such motions, so hopefully, they will not go through. Because of the holidays and cases already on the docket, an initial trial date has been set for January 6th, 2020, and is expected to conclude by the end of that week. Subpoenas for the trial will be issued sometime in the mid to late December timeframe. The proceedings are open to the public, but anyone who has been subpoenaed may not be in the courtroom except as they are called to witness. Once dismissed, we still cannot enter the courtroom to watch the proceedings in case we may be recalled for further testimony. The intent is to prevent any witness from having their testimony from being tainted by the proceedings.
I asked, and was told that the press would already be in court to report on the proceedings. Also, any other interested party, members of the SOB’s who were either not on the ride or are not subpoenaed, are encouraged to attend.
I’m dizzy by all this, but determined to go through with whatever is needed. The message that we bicyclists are not fair game for angry motorists must be made.
ed. note: Regarding attendance at the trial, I will request Lynn to chime in if there is value in having folks who were not on that ride attend the trial.
Stay Safe everyone.
New rides posted – read for comprehension
Nov 14, Thursday from Sandia RR Sta for those interested. Same 10.30 time. Please register if you are coming. This is weather dependent so make sure you check twitter before heading to ABQ. Also, this is a winter ride and it is for all levels. We will stay together and ride tempo. Route to be determined based on weather, who shows up, and MikeD and me at the start. Several routes are available. The Paseo de la Mesa we did last year, a south ABQ loop, and a climbing ride. (GPS links are on the ride page.) All rides are about 35 miles with between 1K and 2K climbing. Regardless of which ride we do we will try to do the others later in the year. Thanks to MikeD for planning these rides and mapping the routes.
Nov 16, Saturday at 11am. The Santa Fondo is back. Courtesy of Irena Ossola (see below). While the standard route is Galisteo Loop, in the past we have gone out to Galisteo and then returned making it an out-back of about 40. The racer boys and gals will be long gone when we get to Galisteo and we usually get back around the same time they do. Of course our own racers may want to go all the way around, your choice. I will probably be content with 40, but depending on wind etc. This ride repeats on the following Saturday, the 23rd, so IF the weather for the 16th deteriorates then we will push it to the 23rd. Again check the twitter before heading out.
Santa Fondo description.
From Santa Fe brewing company (near the highway) on NOVEMBER 16 & 23. It will be at 11am (to hopefully avoid the cold) and be about 50 miles as we’ll ride the galisteo loop.A free beer to every rider and I’ll bring Larabars for everyone too! There is also supposed to be a food truck after the ride.
No official support, so bring a flat kit and cell phone. I’ll have my dad drive a car behind for emergencies.
SOB Holiday Party
Hi all you SOB’s, You are invited to a Holiday, and end of the season party.
It is in the El Castillo Community Room
250 E Alameda
Thursday, Dec. 19th at 6 PM
Bring your favorite dish to eat!
More information later.
From Senator Peter Wirth
Time change for Saturday Energetic Ride to 11am
was 10.30 am. opting for a bit more warmth so now 11am. just this coming Sat, Nov 2. at least for now.
Thrs Oct 31 rides IMPORTANT
Forecast is for quite cold at 10am. Christine and Dave have changed the A/A- ride to start at noon at Ft Marcy and go 20-30 miles but NOT down to Pojaque. NOTE: There is no A- ride leader.
For B (all types) and C: Bill P is going to lead a short 15 mile ride STARTING AT 10AM AT FT MARCY, around city area such as Canyon Road. Not to Pojaque.
Rides for November (and catchall ramble)
Yikes. 70 yesterday, snow today! Should be ok for a ride Tuesday the 29th, cold but barely within acceptable limits. (As a reminder, for me, those limits are: >=38 F, full sun, <=15mph wind, no precip, no significant snow or ice on the pave.) Forecast for 10am on Thursday the 31st is 28 and since the A and B rides are down to Pojaque, for those that show up, it will a test of fortitude and your winter kit. As always now that we are into more iffy weather, check twitter in the morning for any last minute cancellations or adjustments! (I strongly suspect that there may be some changes coming for Thursday the 31st, given the forecast start temp, so stay tuned).
15 SOBs joined the Day of the Tread in Querque yesterday. Fine day to ride out, bit of a head wind on the way back! We did the unofficial 60, out to Bernalillo (after a sopapilla hit at El Pinto), up Placitas, and then back. Managed to stay upright going down hill in the cross wind and then with the help of Tony Martin (aka Pete Nast) we pelotoned from Bernalillo to Sandia, barely managing to make 11 or 12 mph. Once on 4th St in the houses and on the Bosque there were some trees to break up the wind a bit, but all were tired from pushing into the wind for the final 20 miles! Photo below (all the boys were so blown away by the pulchritude that we couldn’t stand up.)
I am going with a 10.30 start for Nov ad hoc rides since there will be some help from the clocks but we can change if it proves to be too cold. So starting Nov 1, we will do our rides at 10.30 am. For those not familiar with our “off season” rides, we do ride all year, weather permitting (see above). There are usually 2 ad hoc rides each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, relaxed and energetic. Tuesday and Thursday rides all start from the same location although the Thursday location varies each month. Saturday the relaxed group starts at DeVargas while the energetic group starts at El Camino Academy. To break up the monotony, we are going to schedule an ABQ start once a month, although this is still weather dependent.
For November let’s start Thursday rides from 599 RR station. Other start locations will be: December – ElDorado, January – Museum Hill, February – SFCC (Community College), March – Outlet Mall. Subject to change with notice.
Find your winter kit and join the rides.
the lunch will go on even if it snows
Many of us have noticed the weather forecast for tomorrow. If you choose not to ride in the snow or rain, no worries, you can still come to the lunch. Even in civilian clothes. Lunch is 11.30 at Pecos Trail Cafe. Warm up that indoor trainer.
Some rides have been cancelled: RobR has cancelled A rides. Pam has cancelled her B ride.
Save the Date!
The SOB Holiday Party is Thursday, Dec. 19th, at the El Castillo Community Room from 6 to 9 pm Save the date. More information to follow.
Please sign up for White Rock ride
Please sign up online. We’re running a test.
Click here. https://santafesobs.com/events/white-rock-smiths-oct/
Then under “join the ride”. And pick your group.
Our Special End Of the Season Gathering is Right Around the Corner !!!
Our End Of The Season Luncheon is Thursday, October 24 at The Pecos Trail Cafe. After a short ride we will enjoy a lovely buffet for only $20.00 with lots of important and fun presentation.
Do remember to make your reservation this Thursday at the check in desk.
Bike Index
From GuyB. Store your bike serial number, and allow law enforcement access if needed. https://bikeindex.org/about
Oct 10 A ride CHANGED to 0930 from 599 RR
Due to high wind forecast. So start from 599 not SFCC and start at 0930 not 1000.
Tour de Taco
The best ride of year was well attended by SOBs. 16 of us rode the 60 mile Tour in (finally) beautiful weather. Had excellent dinner at Rib Crib the night before to get our energy stores up. No flats etc. on the ride for all of us. 60 miles, 600 ft. Bit of wind but made the last 10 miles (tailwind) super fast. For those unaware, the Tour goes from the Clovis Taco Box to the Portales Taco Box and back. RIde benefits the Boy Scout troop in Clovis. Picture below is at the start.
Upon entering Portales, no grouches were to be seen. (They must have been up the road?) Rick clearly did not get the jersey memo.
At the turnaround in Portales (Dave and Christine looking at the ground?)
Santa Fe County Transportation Plan Inputs Requested
Join the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as we update the 2020-2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). Oct 24 Public Workshop, 5:30 to 7:30 pm Presbyterian Hospital, Lower level
These are the ways you can be engaged:
· Take the MTP Survey and share it with others (available in English and Spanish).
o MTP Survey: http://bit.ly/mpo-pg
o Social Media Content Library: http://bit.ly/mpo-sm-library
Contact the MPO office to arrange for printed copies of the survey (in English or Spanish).
o Request by email: lxyngve@santafenm.gov
o Call the MPO office: (505) 955-6614
Lynn P says: I just took the survey. It took me about ten minutes to complete and I was able to express my preferences for better road maintenance, more bike lanes, more and better public transportation, and the like.
A Road Well Paved
11 SOB members tried out the new pavement on Highway 41 last Tuesday. Starting in Galisteo, they rode to Stanley to test out the new pavement. For the present, Highway 41 may be the best paved road in the state! Smooth asphalt has been used for the paving, and the state has added 12-foot wide bike lanes on the shoulders with no lip or break in the paving with the new highway. The new paving begins just south of Galisteo and ends at the bottom of the steep hill that climbs to the mesa. The contractor is still making some repairs that involved substantial replacement of sections of the highway. The riders were asked to follow a pilot car through a 2-mile stretch of cones with many trucks bringing asphalt to huge machines and substantial work forces doing the repairs. The flag people were very courteous and supportive to the riders. The out/back distance was 36 miles. Lots of great scenery with vistas stretching for miles. The downtown Stanley skyline is very supportive of these vistas.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
More ride changes
We are reversing Oct 24 and Oct 31. End of season lunch is now Oct 24. Ride is short from MH. Those that want to ride on Oct 31, the ride will start from Ft Marcy.
Bosque ride in ABQ Tues Oct 8
Ride the Bosque trail in ABQ Tuesday Oct 8. Meet in ABQ at Alameda Open Space at Alameda and the Rio Grande at 9:30 ready to ride by 10:00. Weather looks good. 34 miles flat but it’s an out and back so you can turn around any time. Food afterwards at Flying Star just a bit farther out Alameda. Relaxed pace, no one gets left behind. I’ll lead. Carpool if you want from 599 RR station at about 8:00. This part is on you. Hope to see you there. Questions at juliejacobs2303@yahoo.com
Ride Changes – Oct 10 A ride from SFCC. Oct 24 start location now Ft Marcy.
For Oct 10, A/A- ride will start at SFCC, NOT Ft Marcy. We are going out 14 to near Los Cerillos and turning on Gold Mine Rd and going to the end of the pavement. Something a little different. Link to ride on RWGPS.
Ride is 46 miles, 2800 ft. Please register online. Click here.
For Oct 24, start location for all rides will be Ft Marcy as we cannot park large group at DeVargas. The rides are the same, just the start location has changed.
A ride added to Tuesday rides
Tuesday, October 1, a group of “relaxed” riders plan to ride from Galisteo to Stanley to celebrate the new pavement on Highway 41. Park at the Catholic Church. The ride is about 18 miles each way. Fall weather promised great comfort. Meet at the church at 10:00 a.m. A change of scenery and beautiful vistas to see. Riders who enjoy a relaxed pace are especially invited to join.
The regular Tuesday rides will operate as scheduled.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Texas 4000 Alaska Finish
The Texas 4000 web site has published 10-minute video of their finish at Wassila, Alaska. Some film of the riders on the way. A lot of emotion at the finish of riding 4000 miles over 2.5 months and stimulated by the mission to raise funds for cancer research and to honor family and friends who have had cancer.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
October? Already?
Most rides start at 10am. But some do not. That’s why we have a website schedule. 1 click gets you there. Stay Safe!
Blast from the Past
The El Rito crew was joined by an old SOB (well, that’s kind of repetitious). If you weren’t on the El Rito ride and you are the first to identify the mystery rider (pictured below) you win an Enduro Bites bar. Just post a comment to this blog post on the website to win. Clue – he’s faster than ever.
A / A- ride Sept 26 please sign up in advance
Advance sign-up worked well last week. So please do it again if you plan to ride El Rito. Once we have a list we can communicate and folks can set up carpools if desired. To sign up, go to the SOB site, click the Thursday ride calendar, then click the ride name (in red). Or click here. You will see a section below the description labelled “Join the Ride” Follow the instructions. Oh, and make sure you check twitter before you leave. If anything changes weather wise I will post there NLT 7am Thursday morning.
Also, as far as a starting location. I want to cut out the first mile or so of riding on 84 as it is narrow and the shoulder is not particularly good. So, I will attempt to arrive at the Chevron at say 9:10 AM and then from google satellite view it looks like if we go up the road about 1.7 miles there is an electrical substation on the LH side of the road with another paved road parallel to 84 right there. It appears we can turn left off 84 and then immediate left onto the paved road and park in that area. Here is a link to the location on google maps. You should be able to look around the area in satellite view. Click link then click photo on left of page. Look around. https://goo.gl/maps/jwUmejN3LY9SpwcV9
Jemez Springs to Fenton Lake
We enjoyed great weather, light traffic, and fantastic company. Worth the long drive (although the scenery on the way was worth the drive alone). After climb out of lake, at 22 miles, we had 3400 ft of elevation gain. Then 12 mile descent back to Jemez Springs. Lunch at new brew pub, Second Alarm Brewhouse, in Jemez Springs was also a high point, thanks especially to our server, Devin. I think this ride is a keeper!
A few photos below:
Bike racks for sale
I have two bike racks that fit a trailer hitch:
1. An old Thule (in the back of the picture) that will hold one bike with the existing straps and perhaps another with bungee cords. This one is free.
2. A newer Kuat that I paid $450 for a few years ago. It has been used only a few times. I’d like to get $250 for it.
If interested, contact me at 310 1395 or lynnpickard1 at yahoo 
A/A- ride Thrs Sept 19 (please register in advance)
This is a new ride. It is from Jemez Springs to Fenton Lake. We have never done this exact ride before. Hopefully weather will cooperate. We start from Jemez Springs which is a long drive but….. Anyhow, I want to collect a list of who is going to ride so I can communicate and folks can set up carpools if desired. Also, since this is a long drive and we don’t know exactly how long it will take, if I know you are coming then we can wait at the start till you show up, or at least a few extra minutes. So to that end we are using a feature of the website that we normally do not use. Go to the SOB site, click the Thursday ride calendar, then click the ride name (in red). Or just click here. You will see a section below the description labelled “Join the Ride” Follow the instructions. Thanks for helping with this. Oh, and make sure you check twitter before you leave for Jemez Springs. If anything changes I will post there NLT 7am Thursday morning. (I will also try to email using the signup list.)
A Ride Sept 5 STARTING EARLY 0900
Attention A and A- riders. Christine and Dave have moved up the start time to 0900. We will leave then. B and C rides will still start at 0930.
Greetings From Eldorado
Hi all, just a quick note. We are sorry that Cynthia and I missed getting the club picture. Cynthia was out of town and I have been laying low lately. A friend of mine sent me an email this morning saying she saw that the blog of my bike tour last summer became the featured journal out on the Crazyguy website: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=21042&v=1dw .
I thought that would be a good time to update the journal, so I added a page at the end of the blog this morning that talks about my recent medical misadventures, which help explain why I have not been out riding with the club much lately: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1mr&page_id=589622&v=U . Hope to see you all on the road again soon,
Important Stuff
Sept Ride Times are all 0930. How simple is that? Except if your name begins with D or A, then it is 0915. Oh, and what month is Saturday Aug 31? Stay Safe!
Photos:
2019 Group
2019 Elite Eighties
Advance Notice
You have less than a week to trim your nose hair (or head hair if that is still a thing) before the screen shattering SOB group photo shoot. This coming Thursday Aug 29. Arrive NLT 0830 to be included. Arrive 0845 if all you want to do is ride. Caja del Rio rec area. You’ve been warned!
New Chip seal in Eldorado area
The County has notified Eldorado residents that new chip seal will be applied to Avenida Eldorado (this is the 3rd street south of I-25) beginning Tuesday, August 27 and ending Thursday, August 29. A number of SOB riders also ride on this street, so riders will want to avoid the street next week and probably for another couple of weeks.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Womens Bike for Sale – from Pam Parfitt
Womens Bike for sale: Specialized Sequoia.
It is a women’s size small and lightly used. Price is $500. Email Pam Parfitt at sffiddle@gmail.com or call/text 505-690-5114.
Women’s bike for sale
I’m selling my 52 cm Specialized Ruby. The bike was just tuned-up at Bike n’ Sport. The bike has never been in an accident nor has it been dropped. It has been lovingly cared for its entire ‘life’!
Price: $800*
Please call (505) 983-3026
* There’s also a bike carrier that fits a Honda Civic ($20)
Request for NM bike touring info (see entire message)
I am a 71 year old who has done numerous long distance,loaded, bicycle tours. Last August 400 miles in Texas. If someone wanted suggestions for the Midwest states I could certainly give it.
I am looking forward to a long tour,maybe 500 miles plus in NM, Road bike. Latter part of Aug into early Sept. Will be carrying 50-60 lbs. 3-4 weeks of riding. 20 -60 miles a day. I am very fit but with my age and load want to avoid the hardest climbs. ( One killer climb to feel macho, maybe towards end of loop with less food ). Will drive from Chicago to some starting point in NM. Always camp,never stay in a motel; just find a good spot the woods or countryside.
My Yellowstone tour was a favorite. For NM I would like to again experience high desert country,mountain valleys.Forests, yes , but as different as possible from what we have in the Midwest.
I have the state bike map and have been poking around on web sites,but still have no idea where I want to go . Serendipity,and course changes have always been part of my tours.But could you make some recommendations? Would rally appreciate any suggestions, advice. Or can you put me in touch with someone ?
Last August, early Sept in Texas ,tour, I didn’t need a sleeping bag. Do you think I need one for NM . ? My simple propane/butane stove is a lot less trouble than my MSR white gas stove. Would one be better than the other for the altitudes I will be in ? Again I don’t want to tackle the hardest, longer climbs . Any idea of butane/propane fuel ratio to boiling x cups of water ?
Paul Skelley
skelleypaul at yahoo dot com
SOB stickers
We have created SOB logo stickers with Veloink.com See picture below. These shown are size small, about .5 in by 2.7 in depending on name size. They are Name + Flag style, silver background, black text, matte finish, Exo font. You can also get medium and large sizes. If you want some go to Veloink.com and for the flag order Team SOB Logo. Or whatever you want.
Bicycle safety editorial
The Denver Post has published an editorial calling attention to the dramatic increase in death of bicyclists in Denver.
Denver Post, August 1, 2019
The Post Editorial
The least drivers can do for cyclists who have died recently
She was just out for a bike ride around Washington Park, but 37-year-old Alexis Bounds never made it home to her 9-month-old and 4-year-old sons.
Bounds wasn’t taking a risk riding on a major thoroughfare during rush hour. She was riding in a bike lane on a street designed to be pedestrian-friendly when, according to a police report, a dump truck driver took a turn, crossed into her bike lane and hit her just before 4 p.m. last week. The driver was cited for careless driving resulting in death.
Her death alone is enough to strike fear into even the most casual and careful of cyclists in Denver, but she was the fourth cyclist killed on the Front Range in July.
And the statistics reported by Denver Post reporter Andrew Kenney can’t make anyone feel safer: Six bicyclists and 18 pedestrians were killed in 2018, which is the highest death count since 2013. One hundred more cyclists and pedestrians were seriously injured.
The cycling community in Denver, admirably, isn’t allowing these deaths to drive them off the streets, nor should they. Bicyclists have an important role in our community — they take cars off the road, reducing traffic; they reduce both ground-level air pollution that can make people sick and greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change; and they promote healthy lifestyles for our communities.
That’s why we applaud the response to these recent deaths.
Cyclists are taking to the streets to advocate for safety in honor of Bounds and others who were killed, including Scott Hendrickson, who was killed in south Denver. Joining in the ride that took place Wednesday night or the upcoming Critical Mass ride on Friday night starting at Denver Skate Park are great ways to show solidarity.
On Saturday, there is a MADD walk around Sloan’s Lake to raise money in the fight to end drunken driving. A team of Denver Post employees past and present will participate in honor of Denver Post reporter Colleen O’Connor, who was killed by a drunken driver in 2016 while walking across East First Avenue and South Downing Street.
But there is another way to honor those who have died or been injured in these tragic and preventable accidents — pledge to do better and be safer on the road.
Drivers must slow down on city streets and calm down too, put down cellphones and put our attention back on the road, and never drive after drinking or consuming marijuana or any drug known to impair driving skills.
And drivers must actively look for pedestrians, cyclists and scooters. Even in broad daylight, it can be hard to spot someone whether they are in the street or on a sidewalk. This is a collective responsibility for safety, and it also extends to those biking or walking. Bicyclists must take steps to make themselves more visible and obey the rules of the road as though they were cars, and be confident yet cautious.
We all can and must do better for Bounds and others.
SOB Hincapie store closes July 31
If you want to order something, do it NOW. Once store closes, jerseys should arrive in about 6 weeks.
August Ride Times
Vary. Most rides are 0900 but some are not. The schedule indicates which are which. Range is 0830 to 1000.
Congrats to Egan Bernal, the winner of the Tour de France. The first winner from Columbia, one of the youngest ever to win at 22 and a mere 132 lbs. BTW he also won the best young rider, duh. In 28 years he can ride with us.
Some Airlines Dropping/Reducing bike charges
An AP article in Honolulu Advertiser reports that airlines are dropping or reducing baggage fees for bicycles. Good news for many SOBs.
Delta removes $150 fee for sporting equipment as checked baggage
ATLANTA >> Delta Air Lines says it eliminated its $150 fee to check golf clubs, surfboards, bicycles, scuba gear and other large sporting equipment, starting today.
Atlanta-based Delta’s decision follows a move in May by competitor American Airlines to eliminate oversize bag fees for a variety of sports and music equipment. And United Airlines last year eliminated its $150 or $200 service fees for checking a surfboard, wakeboard or paddleboard to and from California.
Southwest Airlines already allows passengers to check golf bags, scuba equipment and small bicycle boxes as baggage without charging a special fee for sports equipment. Dallas-based Southwest allows passengers to check two bags for free. It charges a $75 fee each way for larger bicycle boxes, surfboards and some other equipment.
Delta said its new policy eliminating its $150 fee for sporting equipment is effective for travel worldwide.
But passengers traveling with sporting equipment will still need to pay any regular checked baggage fees.
On domestic flights, Delta charges $30 for a first checked bag and $40 for a second checked bag. There are different rates for international flights — there may be higher fees for checked bags on some international routes, while on other international routes passengers can check one or two bags for free.
There are still overweight bag fees on Delta for items that weigh more than 50 pounds, and in many cases the airline says it won’t accept items with length plus width plus height totaling more than 115 inches.
Also, policies on Delta Connection regional flights may be different — those flights are operated by regional partner airlines on smaller planes.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
REMEMBER THIS IMPORTANT DATE !!
Our Mid Season Luncheon at Rancho de Chimayo, this Thursday, July 18, starting at 11:30
After a fun ride you will be hungry and ready for a tasty lunch. If you have not made your reservation, there still is a chance !!! I will be at the door of the restaurant collecting your $20.
We will have a great time together !
Removing unused accounts from website
We have 144 people with logins to the website. Of those only about 20 have ever created a post. To keep the site secure I am going to purge all the users who have never created a post. I will start doing that next week. If you want to retain your ability to post to the site and you have never posted, you will have to email bob at santafesobs dot com to request that you remain active. This will NOT affect your registration with the blog so you will still get blog emails like this one. Just the ability to create posts. And if you suddenly discover the need to create, and you have been purged, I will (after sufficient bribe) add you back.
Found necklace on today’s (7/11) ride
I saw a necklace on the southbound shoulder of the road between Tesuque Village Market and Hwy 285. It didn’t look familiar, so I rode on by, but my husband picked it up. If you lost a necklace on today’s ride to Rio en Medio, please contact me. (I was unable to post a photo). I have posted on Craigs List as well (without the photo).
Pam
SOB store now open for 2 weeks ONLY
If you want to purchase any SOB stuff – jerseys, bibs, hats, etc. Now’s the time!
SOB Store: https://order.hincapiecustom.com/sobCU19RY2
NOT TO BE MISSED !!!
Our annual Luncheon at RANCHO DE CHIMAYO is less than two weeks away ! THURSDAY, JULY 18. After a challenging ride we will gather at 11:30 for a tasty luncheon and fun company.
Please do make your reservation. This Thursday, I will be at the sign it table, together with Edwin to collet your $20 for the luncheon. See you there !
Lore Thorpe
Pancake Ride
Thanks for leading, Mr. Bill!
Last Reminder July 4 Ride
Thursday, July 4
8:30 a.m. Start from Kohl’s Department Store parking lot.
9:30 Arrive at Santa Fe Plaza. Tickets for pancake breakfast are $10. Bring a lock. Lock bike to posts of store fronts on the Plaza or find bike racks on side streets.
10:45 Leave Plaza and ride mostly downhill to Kohl’s via Rail and Chamisa Trails.
11:30 Arrive at Kohl’s
Submitted by Bill Pollock
July 4 Ride
From news reports
July 4, 1879, Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory
Captain Ronald “Ronnie” Robinson, Quartermaster at Ft. Marcy, attended the impressive July 4 pancake breakfast on the Plaza today. While enjoying his pancakes, he was greeted by Rudolpho “Rudy” Rojas and his wife, Rosa “Rosie” Rojas. Mr. Rojas reported that, since the railroad will serve the city next year, he will no longer be wagon master of the caravans bringing supplies to Ft. Marcy from Ft. Union.
“Captain,” Rudy said, “those tortillas you are eating look different. What are they?” Wiping some syrup from his lips, Captain Robinson replied, “These are pancakes and the best in the world. You should get them here now. We’re celebrating the Fourth of July and we always do it with pancakes.”
A few minutes later, Rosie and Rudy found Captain Robinson in front of the saloon. “Captain,” Rudy called. “Rosie and I have been eating tortillas and frijoles every day of our lives for breakfast. But these pancakes, they are fantastic!” And not surprisingly, the Rojas did have those Santa Fe pancakes for the rest of their lives until they died in 1901. Captain Robinson? He finished his career teaching at West Point where he also introduced the cadets to those Santa Fe pancakes every Fourth of July. Happy soldiers are the best.
Now here in Santa Fe, you can have those same pancakes on July 4. Jump on the saddle of your bike and ride with the SOBs to the annual Pancakes on the Plaza celebration. And on July 5, you can have tortillas and frijoles and think of the Rojas. . Santa Fe–What a place!
8:30 a.,m. Start from Kohl’s Department Store parking lot
9:30 a.m. Arrive at the Plaza. Plan to lock your bike to a post or bike rack while you eat. Be sure to bring a lock! Tickets available at the Plaza are $10, and you can buy tickets for $8 in advance at most banks and credit unions.
10:45 a.m. Depart the Plaza for a great downhill ride back to Kohl’s and your car. Or, you can extend your ride past old Ft. Marcy and think about how pleased Capt. Robinson was with his pancakes.
11:30 Arrive at Kohl’s
This ride is not a race, and it’s whole purpose is to have fun and enjoy this unique Santa Fe tradition. So riders of all speeds are invited and we ride close together. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Vulpine Cycling Jeans
Black denim, Medium – 30-32 waist, Regular length – 34. New. $95 firm. Call or text 805 798-0679
Wanted; Bruce Gordon rear rack
Looking to buy a rear rack made by Bruce Gordon for 26” touring wheel/bike. Contact at juliejacobs2303@yahoo.com
Thanks
July 4 Ride
Thursday, July 4
8:30 a.m. Meet at Kohl’s Department Store Parking lot.
Ride at a comfortable speed to the Plaza. Re-group to keep the riders reasonably close and fun for all.
9:30 a.m. Arrive at the Plaza, buy tickets for pancake breakfast and enjoy the atmosphere and pancakes.
Locking your bike: I have found that there will NOT be a parking valet service, as city and Bicycle Santa Fe could not achieve agreement on some issues. Be sure to bring a lock. Best to lock your bike to large posts on patio covers of buildings around the Plaza. Suggest sharing post with other riders. And you can also lock to bike racks where you can find them on side streets.
10:45 a.m. Prepare to depart Plaza. We will be riding on Rail and Chamisa trails back to Kohl’s. Mostly downhill.
11:30 a.m. Arrive at Kohl’s
Questions? Send via email to pollockb@aol.com
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Chimayo Luncheon Ride
Greetings to all our wonderful riders !
Our annual luncheon at Rancho de Chimayo is coming up soon
Be sure to mark the date : THURSDAY, JULY 18 !!!
After a fun bike ride we will gather at Rancho de Chimayo for a tasty luncheon and good company, starting at 11:30
Please make your reservation, I will be at the sign in table, starting July 4th, to collect $20 for the luncheon.
see you there
cheers
Lore
July 4 Ride
After the Battle at Glorieta Pass in 1862, Sgt. Gary Smyth of the Denver Volunteers set about to organize a celebration of July 4 on the Santa Fe Plaza. He planned for a humdinger of a celebration. “What are we going to eat, sergeant?”, asked Private Liscomb. “Pancakes, saussage, coffee, juice,” the sergeant replied. And so the tradition was born. And you can enjoy the same spirit next week on July 4 when the SOBs ride to the Plaza for the historic pancakes.
Thursday July 4
8:30 a.m. Meet at Kohl’s Department Store parking lot. Ride about 10 miles to the Plaza.
9:30 a.m. Arrive at the Plaza Mingle with the citizens of Santa Fe and visitors while eating pancakes, sausage, juice, and coffee. Look at vintage automobiles.
Parking your bicycle: Last year there was a free valet parking service in front of the Art Museum where bikes were secure. I continue trying to find if this parking will be available. So be sure to bring a lock, in case it is not available.
10:45 Leave the Plaza and ride back to Kohl’s primarily on the Rail and Chamisa trails. This is a downhill ride most of the way.
11:30 Arrive at Kohl’s and head home to barbecues and other festivities.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
July 4 Ride
CITIZENS! HEAR YE! HEAR YE!
July 4th has a name: Independence Day. And it is also known as SOB July 4th Ride to the Santa Fe Plaza celebration. There are traditions, some of them seem to lose their sizzle. Psychiatric workers in Santa Fe testify that citizens who decide not to attend the Pancake Breakfast on the Plaza experience self doubt and unbalanced emotions. Don’t let this happen to you!
Here’s how–join fellow SOBs to ride your bike to the Plaza and join all the citizens of the town for a great Pancake Breakfast. All SOB ride groups are invited: A, B, and C. There will be re-groupings of riders so that no one feels left behind. The ride from the start to the Plaza is about 10 miles. The ride back to the start after breakfast is mostly downhill via the Rail and Chamisa Bike Trails. The serving is two large pancakes, saussage, juice, coffee. Prior studies show that the two pancakes increase downhill speed by 10%. Four pancakes increase downhill speed by as much as 40%!
Schedule:
8:30 a.m. Leave Kohl’s Department Store Parking lot on Cerrillos. Route is east on Governor Miles, working up to Rail Trail and then to Galesteo and direct to the Plaza.
9:30 a.m. Arrive at the Plaza, purchase tickets for the breakfast at $10. (You can buy advance tickets for just $8 at local banks and credit unions. And 4 citizens can get together at the Plaza and buy 4 tickets for $30–$7.50 each saving $2.50)
Enjoy the people and the many visitors to the city. Have a great breakfast! Look at the Antique Car Show, visit Arts & Crafts booths
10:45 a.m,. Mount up and begin the ride back to Kohl’s
11:30 a.m. Arrive at Kohl’s
Good opportunity to wear SOB jerseys and also patriotic red, white, and blue jerseys. Lace your spokes with crepe paper as you did when you were 10 years old.
Watch this site in coming days for more information.
Questions? Send to pollockb@aol.com
Submitted by Bill Pollock
GFnySF SOBs
SOBs crushing the GFnySF on Ridgetop climb. Due to photo malfunction (I wasn’t ready) I missed Don and Alex and only got Martha’s back as she whizzed by so fast. In order we have:
Tom greeting his cheering section!
And on the other side of the road
Joe acknowledges the crowd (aka Barb)
Tom and Joe continue crushing the field
Gordon accepts accolations
RickG pulling away
Martha surprised me, couldn’t get camera operating till she was in the distance
Note That Ride Times Vary
The days of all rides starting at the same time are over for awhile. Thursday June 20 ride is at 0830. However Tuesday and Saturday are still 0900. We will move July Tuesday and Saturday to 0830. Some July Thursday rides are at 0800. Be sure to check the website and your alarm clock. Stay Safe.
July 4 Ride
After the ink dried on the Declaration of Independence, Tom Jefferson and John Adams were finally able to agree on something. John turned to Tom and said, “Tom, as soon as we get this country organized, let’s move to Santa Fe. We can celebrate this whole thing right there year after year after year.”
“That’s good for me, John,” Tom replied. “It will take until 1845 before we can call Santa Fe home, but let’s do it!”
And every year the celebration overcomes the city of Santa Fe. No citizen wants to be left out. And now we have bicycles that make it easy to swoop into town, have a pancake breakfast on the Plaza, toast the Republic, and ride downhill to where we parked our vehicles and be home for the barbecues..
This year, July 4 is on a Thursday. Bicyclists in other places have nothing to do and are almost too sad to celebrate the meaning of the day. Not here! Not in Santa Fe! The SOBs will have a ride and more information will be posted here and the town crier will spread the word.
So look for more information at this web site in a day or two.
Submitted by: Bill Pollock
NM 14 to be fixed.
Opera Tour
Tomorrow, Saturday, June 15, we visit the Santa Fe Opera for a tour of the backstage areas. Tremendous facilities that have been built over the years. Do you know that the productions of the Santa Fe Opera are sometimes “rented” to other major opera houses, including the New York Metropolitan Opera? Costumes, sets, and equipment made here in the back stages of the Santa Fe Opera are made available to other productions. This is a common practice among opera houses, and Santa Fe’s is recognized for the creativity and skills with which they are made.
There has been a slight change in the tour. The talk is going to be by the director of the costume department. She is a very skilled speaker and will have some costumes on hand to illustrate the points she is making.
Tour starts at 8:30 a.m. Coffee and muffins. After entering the theater, we will be seated for the talk. The audience is divided into smaller groups with a guide from the opera. The tour through the facility will take about 1 1/2 hours.
Parking is available at the upper parking lot adjacent to the entrance.
Those who are biking to the opera leave Ft. Marcy at 7:45. Use the parking lot where we usually park for the rides. If the gate is closed, proceed up the short hill to the east to the parking lot there. We will ride up Old Taos Highway and then speed down the service road to the opera. The bikes will be secure while you take the tour. After the ride, you can ride back to your car, or extend your ride along Tano Ridge.
Weather forecasts predict excellent weather for the day. Last year, there was rain during the tour. Can you believe that? But this year, perfect Santa Fe Weather.
Please send me an email if you plan to attend the tour so that the ovens of the Opera Hansel and Grettel can bake the right number of muffins. Send email to me pollockb@aol.com
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Ever want to direct traffic at a bike race? Here’s your chance!
Volunteers are needed for the National Senior Games Cycling Events – 20K &
40K Road Races – that will be held at Las Campanas in Santa Fe next week
on Tuesday & Wednesday, June 18 & 19.
Volunteers are currently needed throughout the day, especially to help as
Course Safety Flaggers. This will involve volunteers stopping cars coming
from driveways until the course is clear of cyclists plus advising the
drivers which direction to travel OR flagging cyclists to the correct
course direction at Ys in the road.
There are also a variety of other tasks that still need help including
information, water stations, and more.
To volunteer, please email Volunteer@BikeABQ.org
Your help with these events of the National Senior Games is appreciated!
A group and wild iris at Jack’s Creek
What don’t they want you to know?
What goes on backstage at the opera? Why don’t they tell you? Let’s find out! Join the tour of the Opera’s fantastic back stage areas on Saturday, June 15. And ride your bike, too!
At 8:30 a.m. the SOBs will tour the backstage area of the Opera to see where they make the costumes, the sets, where the singers lock themselves in rooms to practice. And look at where they store all that stuff! First on the agenda is free coffee and muffins, and then the tour begins. We will sit in the house for a brief talk by the director of the scenery and set design areas. This is the last talk of the summer for the Saturday tours, although the tours continue on Saturdays to the end of the opera season.
Your spouses, friends, partners are all welcome to join the tour. It is free! You can drive your vehicle if you wish. Park in the upper lot in front of the entrance. Plenty of parking space. The tour takes about 1 and 1/2 hours.
Bicycling to the Santa Fe Opera is a great activity. We meet to leave at 7:45 a.m. from the Fort March Recreation area. We ride up Old Taos Hwy and then a really fast ride downhill to the opera. Our bikes are secure during the tour. When you enter Fort Marcy, park where we usually park when we ride from there. But if the gate is closed, drive up the short hill to the east where there is a good sized parking lot. After the tour, your bike is right there to ride back to Fort Marcy and you can extend your ride along Tano Ridge as you like.
To help the Opera staff know how many muffins to bake, let me know that you plan to attend and how many guests you are bringing. Send me an email: pollockb@aol.com
In case you are asked to sing. bring a sheet with music and words to your favorite aria.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Ride your bike to the Santa Fe Opera
Saturday, June 15, members of Seniors on Bikes and their spouses, partners, and friends can participate in a fabulous backstage tour of the Santa Fe Opera where they will see all of the facilities and work areas necessary to produce world class opera. And this tour will include a talk by the director of scenery and stage sets as the tour begins. One cannot imagine the immense space required for the facilities. Space to allow semi-trucks to deliver supplies, equipment. Elevators to move large stage sets up and down from floor to floor. Practice rooms for the singers. Rows and rows of costumes. The making and sewing of costumes. So join us.
The tour is free and begins with free coffee and muffins.
It’s OK to drive yourself to the opera instead of riding your bike. This is a great opportunity to take the tour with fellows SOBs.
The tour begins with coffee at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. The tour will take about 1 and 1/2 hours.
Riding your bike there is the real excitement. And you can create an extra ride following the tour.
Bike riders meet at Ft. Marcy Recreation center at 7:45. Park where we usually park for rides from the complex. If the gate is closed, park up the short hill to the east. Plenty of room there. We start at 7:45 and ride up Old Taos Highway and then down to the opera. Your bike is secure while you take the tour.
To plan for the coffee and muffins, let me know if you and guest(s) are going to participate. Send me an email: pollockb@aol.com Submitted by Bill Pollock
Texas 4000 Riders arrive tomorrow
There is still time to sign up for dinner at the Las Campanas Country Club. Send me your name and the name of your guest. Send it to pollockb@aol.com
June 7 5:30 p.m. Social Hour and dinner at 6:30. Texas 4000 riders and alumni of University of Texas will gather around tables in the dinning room. Great conversations with the students riding to Anchorage.
And don’t forget that SOB members will meet the riders as they arrive in Eldorado shortly after 2 p.m. on Friday, June 7. We will meet them at the Agora Market in Eldorado.
The riders spent last night in Clovis. Today they ride to a state park near Santa Rosa. And tomorrow they arrive. They must have a lot of rain last night according to the weather maps. They will be riding 110 miles Friday into Santa Fe. SOB members will ride the last 17 miles with the group via Old Santa Fe Trail.
Texas 4000 almost here
Friday, June 7 SOBs meet Texas 4000 riders at the Agora Market in Eldorado at 2:00 p.m.
Friday, June 7 5:30 p.m. social hour
6:30 p.m. dinner at Las Campanas Country Club with Texas 4000 riders and members of the UT alumni organization. Great food
and great conversation with Texas 4000 riders. A short program presented by the Texas 4000 follows the dinner.
I need to send in names of those attending the dinner today. So please contact me at pollockb@aol.com to provide your name and the guest that will accompany you.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Texas 4000 approaching New Mexico
Friday, June 7–SOBs meet Texas 4000 riders at Eldorado at 2:00 p.m. and ride with the riders to their hotel
Friday, June 7–SOB members and guests meet the Texas riders and the alumni of U of Texas at Las Campanas. Social hour begins at 5:30. Dinner follows at 6:30 p.m.
Please send me an email with the names of guests you are bringing so that the Club can know how many to prepare for. Spouses and friends are certainly invited. My email address: pollockb@aol.com
At dinner, you could be sitting next to junior Cade Stone. Cade is majoring in government and has served as an intern to the Speaker of the Texas House. Furthermore, he volunteers to participate in many organizations providing assistance to different levels of government. Like others, he has lost a family member to cancer and finds this ride to Alaska to be a monument to his grandmother and to others facing the effects of cancer.
Bob Hilley
One of the original founding members of Seniors on Bikes has died. Dr. Robert Hilley, a physician and enthusiastic bike rider died suddenly. He had bicycled over much of the known world in the years past. Bob was a real scientist and practiced in pathology. He wanted to be in the field of medical inquiry in his earliest years. He was also an Air Force veteran. Bob had had some heart issues several years ago, but continued to ride as soon as he was able. He wore a heart monitor and followed his doctor’s advice to never ride over 150 heart beats. Bob’s wife, Lee Hilley, was also a long distance bicyclist, riding across the country several times. Lee was killed in a tragic bicycle accident while riding in Albuquerque a number of years ago. Bob had just returned from a trip to New Zealand and Australia. Bob continued to be active and continued making solo rides in Santa Fe. He was 91.
Bob will be interred at the Santa Fe Military Cemetery at 10:00 a.m. on June 12, 2019.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Bike Shop Discounts
Current members of the Santa Fe SOBs may receive a discount at our five sponsor bike shops: Bike-N’-Sport, Broken Spoke, Mellow Velo, Rob & Charlie’s and Sirius Cycles. The discount is 15%, but it does not apply to sale items, labor or new bikes. You should ask for the discount at time of purchase and show your SOB membership card as proof of membership, if asked. There are too many of us for all the bike shops to know everyone.
Your membership card came in your “Welcome SOB Members 2019” email. You receive a welcome email every year after paying your dues and signing the waiver for the current year. Both can be done online. If you are an Elite 80 member, you will receive the welcome email after signing the waiver.
You can either print the card and carry it with you, or show the email on your phone when you are at the sponsor bike shop.
Please email me at shirleyknarr@gmail.com if you have an issue with any of the bike shops and I will work with them to mediate the situation.
Texas 4000 Update
The Texas 4000 riders were in Abilene, Texas last night. Once a major cattle town, Abilene is now a modern city. And today they are heading toward Lubbock in the Panhandle.
Friday, June 7–SOB members meet the Texas 4000 at Eldorado at 2:00 p.m. and lead them to their hotel in the Rail Yard district.
Friday, June 7–Join the Texas 4000 and the University of Texas alumni at the Las Campanas Country Club for social time and dinner. The time has been adjusted from previous posts. The social hour begins at 5:30 and dinner is at 6:30. The cost is $60 per person for the dinner and checks are accepted payable to the alumni when you arrive at the Country Club. The cost is around what a similar dinner in town might cost. The dinner is always great with lots of food. Tables for eight are located in the dinning room and members of the Texas 4000 arrange for their members to scatter among the tables so that we all have a chance for conversation with them during dinner. At your table, you might be sitting next to Madeline Keist, a junior majoring in management systems. Madeline is from a large family and finds her brothers and parents to be very supportive. She is interested in environment and social living programs and she lives in The House of Commons, a residence of cooperative living, with fellow students who are focused on social structures. She is dedicating her ride to her grandmother who died of cancer recently, and who was, unfortunately, a smoker.
Please notify me at pollockb@aol.com that you will attend the dinner and the names of any guests you are bringing. Important that the Club know how many will be at the dinner.
Look for more information at this web site in the coming days.
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Texas 4000 Looking to Santa Fe
The Texas 4000 riders finished their second day of riding yesterday and now approaching the Texas Panhandle. They may be facing some rain in the next couple of days. Let’s hope they brought their rain gear. Some nights they camp out and other nights are in motels. Not easy to find hotel accommodations for about 30 people in some small towns.
But they are tough! Nearly 1000 students apply each year to participate in the Texas 4000 organization. Those who are admitted spend a year learning to do public speaking and organizing fund raising programs for cancer research. And, yes, they ride bicycles, too. They must demonstrate their physical and mental strength to do long day rides of 100 miles. Those who are successful are then invited to join the group for the annual ride to Anchorage. During that year, they do more riding and continue with fund raising activities. At the end of the second year, they start for Anchorage. And the Sierra group will arrive on Friday, June 7 in Santa Fe.
SOB riders will meet the group at Eldorado and lead them to their motel in the Rail Yard District. Riding down Old Santa Fe Trail and into the Plaza is exciting, riding with about 35 in the group. The size of the group demands attention and cars give wide berth to the group, even on the narrow roads and streets of Santa Fe.
And then there’s is dinner at the Las Campanas Country Club with the riders, their van drivers, and the alumni of the University of Texas. The evening starts with a social time and then a great dinner in the dining room. Texas riders split to sit at different tables to join SOB members, spouses, friends, and the alumni. During the event at the Country Club, one gets into some real conversations with the students. They are eager to talk. And they are always impressed with Santa Fe. Each year they comment on how amazing it is to find themselves in New Mexico and comment on how green it is after days in the Panhandle.
When you’re at dinner, you might sit with Ruthvik Allala who is a junior at the University of Texas majoring in biology and sociology. Born in Hyderbad, India. he emigrated to Texas t the age of two with his parents. His home town is Austin. Ruthvik is in a pre-med program and volunteers much time to several community organizations that provide health and wellness services to the homeless and others without resources. His grandmother was a victim of cancer but gave great meaning to his own life as he grew up.
The program:
Friday, June 7–Meet the Texas 4000 riders at the Agora Market in Eldorado at 2:00 p.m. and ride into Santa Fe
Friday, June 7 at 6:00 p.m. Meet at the Las Campanas Country Club for social time and dinner. A short program provided by 5 students on the ride will explain their goals and the purposes of the ride.
To inform the management of the number of those attending the dinner, please send me an email with the name of any guest coming with you. Send the email to me at pollockb@aol.com
A closing question: How tired would you be after riding a week from Austin and pedaling north from Clines Corner only to meet a fresh group of SOB riders at Eldorado eager to show those youngens who is the champ?
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Texas 4000 On Their Way!
The three groups left Austin, Texas yesterday after a ceremony and gathering of family and friends to see them off. Must be exciting, the first day. Everything to look forward to–the ride, the changing scenery best seen from a bicycle.
Next Friday, June 7, the Sierra Group arrives in Santa Fe. SOB members are encouraged to meet the Texas 4000 riders when they arrive at the Agora Market in Eldorado about 2 p.m. Ride with them to the Plaza.
And then join with them, bringing spouses or friends with you to the Las Campanas Country Club for social times and a great dinner in the beautiful dining room of the Club House. Just passing through the gate keeper at the entrance to the grounds and announcing that you are attending the Texas 4000 dinner swings wide the gate and the wonderful drive through the grounds.
Next week, I ask that you send me an email saying that you will attend and the name(s) of those coming with you. Important to provide the number coming to the Club. In the past, our members have said that meeting the students on the ride and chatting with them is one of the highlights of the year. You might find yourself sitting next to Brittan McCarthy. She was raised in Australia and then six years in London before enrolling at the University of Texas where she majors in bioengineering. Brittan says she has a British accent that surprises other students.
Let me know next week if you can attend the dinner and also if you will be able to ride.
Bill Pollock pollockb@aol.com
Texas 4000 Ride to Anchorage
All three riding groups of the Texas 4000 take different routes that merge together in Whitehorse, Yukon. Whitehorse is the first Yukon city that they pass through. Located on what was known for years as “The Al-Can highway” that was built in the early years of World War II to get US Army equipment to Alaska for defense for an impending attack. Highway crews of Americans and Canadians worked 24-hours/day every day to complete construction in a very short time. But Whitehorse is also where the poet Robert Service wrote an epic poem–The Cremation of Sam McGee. The first verse you probably remember:
Parking on Thursday
There have been a lot of cars parked lately in the parking lot we usually use (west of the ballpark). You may want to park instead at one of the lots on top of the hill east of the ballpark for Thursday’s (May 30) ride.
Greetings from Girona / Sant Marti
Having great rides. Roads are smooth, no glass, few pot holes, decent drivers, great scenery, good company! Christa, Cat, Christine, Barb, Rich, John, David, Bud, Adrian, et moi. Photo at beach in Sant Marti.
Texas 4000 Riders
Memories of Seniors on Bikes members are often surprised at how time flies. A year has already passed and again The Texas 4000 riders arrive in Santa Fe on Friday, June 7. SOB members meet the riders at the Agora store in Eldorado Friday afternoon and lead the 30 riders to their motel in the Railyard District in Santa Fe. This is a fun ride because we ride Old Las Vegas and move to Old Santa Fe Trail to ride to the Plaza and then to the motel. Meeting these men and women students is stimulating and one forgets that we are somewhat isolated from young Americans. They convince you that there are great people moving soon into careers and contributions to society.
These students join the Texas 4000 program two years before they are eligible to ride. The route is almost 4000 miles from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Texas. Their purpose is to raise funds for cancer research, and a major effort is to raise funds for the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. But funds go to other research institutions as well. Several of the riders are cancer survivors themselves, and others have family members who have faced the disease. The Texas 4000 riders raise nearly $1 million each year!
There are almost 100 riders that ride three different routes. The Sierra Route is the one that stops in Santa Fe. This route heads north out of Santa Fe and then turns west to Las Vegas, NV and then to Yosemite National Park and to San Francisco and north on the coast. The Ozarks Route follows the Mississippi River to Canada and then turns west. The Rockies Route goes north out of Austin and along the Rockies to Canada. All three routes meet together in Whitehorse, Yukon Ter. and ride together into Alaska and to Anchorage. They arrive in Anchorage in mid-August.
Our long-time member of SOBs, Frank Battaglia, gives generously to the program and pays the cost of the motel bill for the group here in Santa Fe. This is the first major stop for the group after a week of riding. The motel and a shower are very welcome. But that’s not all! The University of Texas alumni here in Santa Fe host a fantastic dinner at the Las Campanas Country Club to which all SOB members are invited to attend. It is a remarkable evening and the opportunity to sit and eat with the students and Alumni is outstanding.
More to follow on this web site in next few days.
Here’s the basic schedule
Friday, June 7: 2:00 p.m.
Wear SOB jerseys and meet the Texas riders around 2 p.m. at the Agora. With our combined group it is an exciting down Old Santa Fe Trail to the Plaza where the size and speed of the group gets lots of attention from pedestrians.
Friday, June 7: 6:00 p.m. Meet at Las Campanas Country Club for social bar and dinner (casual dress) . Dinner will conclude about 8:30 p.m.
Watch this web site for more details. Here’s a challenge question: What is the hand signal for the slogan “Hook ’em Horns”?
Submitted by Bill Pollock
A / A- ride Thursday May 23 CHANGED !!!!!
Guy is leading the A / A- group on Thursday and he is going to do the ride that was cancelled from White Rock. This from Guy: “The A group will be doing the Bandelier Loop, counterclockwise, starting at 9:30 at the White Rock Smiths. I will give the group the option of riding into Bandelier, but not up the Pajarito Ski Basin road.” Please email Guy if you plan to attend so he does not travel up there and have no one join him. Have fun, Stay Safe.
ALSO NOTE: Tues and Sat rides are still at 0930. While Thrs rides in town (local) are 0900. Thrs May 23 White Rock (above) is 0930. Check ride schedule to be sure.
From Spike Ress via M.S.
New Rules of Cycling from Phil Gaimon
RickG put me on to this. Thanks Rick. Article copied from cyclingtips.com. With some adjustments for expletives.
__________________________________________________________
The latest effort to re-think cycling’s unofficial rulebook comes from extremely retired pro and probable YouTube star Phil Gaimon, who recently posted a video detailing his own New Rules of Cycling, dubbed Philuminati, an obvious reference to the Velominati Rules. (video link below)
The Rules, if you haven’t heard of them, is a list of rather firm suggestions put together by a group called the Velominati. They govern things like proper attire, tan line care, and equipment choice. Taken in aggregate their message is clear: There is a right way and a wrong way to be a cyclist. Don’t do it the wrong way.
They’re a bit tongue-in-cheek, these rules, but they’re also serious. There are lots of people out there who abide by them, and who chide others for falling afoul of them. And this is where we run into problems.
We’ve written responses to The Rules before. A few times, actually. Most recently, I called for readers to purposefully run afoul of Rules 16 and 17, which regulate the wearing of pro team kits.
There is a general backlash to The Rules going on right now. Maybe it’s because we’re finally recognizing how intimidating this sport can be, even without made-up rules. Maybe it’s a cultural shift toward appreciating individual expression. Whatever it is, we’re generally for it (ed note, me too, except maybe for rule #5)
Which bring us to Phil’s rules. They are as follows:
Rule #1: Everyone riding a bike and being safe and having fun is doing it right.
Rule #2: Wear whatever the hell you want.
Rule #3: Nothing on your bike has to match. Cycling is already expensive, complicated, elitist, and often sexist and racist. Don’t make it harder because someone’s tires aren’t the same brand.
Rule #4: A Gran Fondo is as competitive as you want it to be, but the group ride is a workout, not a race. You should have no feelings about winning, not winning, who crossed the imaginary line first for no prize or how they did it.
Rule #5: In traffic, we take the space we need, obey the laws that make sense for us, and try to be courteous. Pedestrians have right of way. If you want cars to respect cyclists, cyclists have to respect people on foot.
Rule #6: We all wave to each other. This includes triathletes, commuters, e-bikes, homeless people, and scooters. We’re in this together. The enemy is car culture.
Rule #7: If you’re not into helmets that’s your decision, but do respect the policies of who you’re riding with. We don’t helmet shame (adult) strangers we see without them, but don’t show up on the group ride like that if that’s not how everyone else does it. (ed note. for the record, SOBs ALWAYS wear helmets! )
Rule #8: Strava is a social media platform, not a race. Follow Strava’s policies, express yourself with your cool bike rides and your pictures and fitness. If you lose a KOM, you remember that a KOM means nothing. You give Kudos and get inspired to improve and try to take it back.
Rule #9: For fu#@s sake don’t litter. I can’t believe I have to say that.
Rule #10: Suffering is a choice–not a rule. You’re no more of a cyclist than someone else because you go faster or they stay home when it’s raining.
Rule #11 (This is broad to cover anything I’m missing): Don’t be a dick.
You can watch Phil go through his rules in the video below. Do you think he’s right?
Upcoming Rides – May 11 or 12, May 14 or 15, May 18 Changes
Weather is sucky as you well know. I have cancelled the Sandia Crest climb for Saturday and moved it to mid August. Right now we do not know whether energetic group will ride Saturday May 11 or Sunday May 12 or even where. Watch for a twitter tomorrow, Friday, when we will make the call. It is possible we will be able to ride as scheduled on Saturday in Santa Fe. Too soon to know yet. If not in Santa Fe, then plan is to meet at Sandia RR station.
Same for Tuesday May 14. Might switch to May 15 but too soon to know yet. Another tweet.
May 18 is the day before the SF century. Rides are still scheduled but for those riding the century, probably not going to ride Saturday as well. Especially given the weather forecast right now.
So, bottom line. Check twitter for updates up to a couple of hours pre ride. As always, Stay Safe.
Goatheads In River trail
I was asked to post this. The city has been using weedeaters to cut weeds along the river trail near the tennis courts. In the process they have stirred up and scattered LOTS of goathead (puncture vines) stickers onto the trail. We had 6 flats on Tuesday because of this. Be warned
Thursday May 9 ride
Be sure to check twitter feed before ride on Thursday. Inclement weather probable.
May is almost here! and etcetera
Times are changing. 0930 start time for the first several weeks of May. Then Thursday rides move to 0900. Tues and Sat rides will also be 0930 in May. Possibly move back to 0900 with the Thursday rides, but I’ll advise at the time. NOTE: May is not till Wednesday.
TomK crushed the La Tierra Torture MTB Race on Saturday (1st in age group, 9th overall in Cat 3). Then since he was just warming up, he did a 5h 5min (we’ll forgive the extra 5 min) 100 mile ride on Sunday at the TORGV with a little help from his friends Joe, Gordon, Adrian, and Rich. Christa completed 100 miles as well. And there was a great turnout of other SOBs at the TORGV on Sunday (~ 15). The organizers noticed and thanked us for our support. BTW, we are creating a new ride group, A+, for the aforementioned animals.
Stay Safe.
This Exercise Can Give You The Immune System of a 20yr old. (from Rob Balcer)
New size small SOB jersey looking for a good home
I am a new Santa Fe part-timer and looking forward to making my first rides with the SOBs over the coming weeks. I enthusiastically ordered a new SOB jersey only to discover that I should have ordered a size medium instead of a small. I will happily give the jersey to anyone who wears a size small. I can be contacted at calwinfield@sbcglobal.net
Thursday April 11 Ride Cancelled
Due to high wind forecast in 599 / Madrid area. Stay Safe. Just a reminder to ALWAYS check Twitter before a ride for last minute changes.
Governor vetoes HB 192 – 5 feet to pass
From Lynn P: Sen. Peter Wirth called me this morning to express disappointment, and he is willing to give the bill another try in two years, next year being a budget session. I am hopeful that Rep. Angelica Rubio will, too.
There was a lot of controversy among the cycling community about the last minute amendment to the bill concerning “adjacent trails”. See below note from the Gov.
Old Friends
Mike and I recently took a short bike trip to Phoenix and Tucson. We biked through Saguaro National Park and stopped to visit Dick and Karin Roth. I am happy to report that they are happy, healthy and biking regularly on a tandem and did a metric century this weekend. Further that they are enjoying their new Santa Fe SOB mugs. They extend warm greetings to all SOBs here in chilly Santa Fe.
Less than a week to go …
before our first 2019 Thursday ride. Rides in April all start at 1000. Check the ride list for locations and routes. Print or load routes into your GPS head unit. Instructions.
Weather for April 4 currently looks good. However, our friends in the forest service have announced a prescribed burn the the Santa Fe forest starting on Tuesday. Smoke is predicated to be prevalent for several days. So, if the smoke is bad, we may modify the ride on April 4. The only way you will know if there is a change is to monitor our twitter feed. See below for how to do that.
We have created a twitter hashtag, #sfsobsf, that we can use to communicate last minute ride changes.
Please write Governor in support of HB192
As many of you may know, HB 192, the five-feet-to-pass-cyclists bill, was the subject of an unfortunate amendment in the waning days of the legislative session. It was too late to do anything thoughtful about it, and so it became part of the law passed by the legislature: (1) motorists have to give five feet to pass cyclists and (2) cyclists should use “separate posted or painted bicycle lanes or pathways” “to the extent practicable.” Some in the bicycling advocacy community are of the view that the amendment is a mandatory law that requires cyclists to use multi-use paths and as such poisons the whole bill. I do not share that view; the practicable language has been in the law requiring cyclists to ride to the right insofar as practicable, and it has been interpreted to give cyclists the discretion to ride where it is safe to do so on the road. After consultation with the sponsors of the legislation, the SOB board, and the other main advocates for HB 192, we have decided that the bill ought to be signed and we will work to get the amendment repealed or tweaked in future years. The alternative is to have the bill vetoed and try to get a clean five-foot bill passed in future years. We think the former is way easier than the latter, and so we ask you to write the Governor and urge her to sign the bill.
You can write her here: https://www.governor.state.nm.us/contact-the-governor/
Your message can be quite short. At this point, numbers matter. She will be getting more complete analysis from the sponsors and the advocates who supported the bill. You may want to mention that as SOBs, you ride the rural roads in northern NM, and a five-foot law would be very helpful to you, especially inasmuch as the NM DOT has committed to educating the motoring public about the five-foot requirement. I am hoping for official “give bicycles five feet” signs all over the place.
Time Change for all rides Week of March 24
Moving all rides up to 10:30 for the last week of March. Looking warmer, still windy. Rides in April will start at 10:00 so getting part way there.
Also we will start the Mar 28 Thursday ride at Cities of Gold !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday Rides Mar 14 and Mar 21 changes
We are swapping the start location for Mar 14 and Mar 21. We will start Mar 14 in ABQ and Mar 21 at Cities of Gold. Weather in SF this coming week is looking pretty bad but so far it looks like Mar 14 in ABQ will work. Might be a bit cool at the start but no rain / snow so far. Watch the twit for updates and we will confirm (on twit) a day or so in advance. If weather in ABQ deteriorates for Thrs then we will punt on that ride for the time being. Ride details are on the ride page on the site. Good chance to load your GPS with a new route.
HB 192 – 5 feet to Pass Final Vote Help
Website SSL is back up
This happens every 3 months. It auto-renews but it takes up to 24 hours. Don’t panic. You can just continue to the website despite the dire warnings from your browser. While we do enjoy use of your bank accounts every time you log on, we try to only take out small amounts each time so you hardly notice. Gotta fund those European adventures. You didn’t notice, did you?
YES… SOB Cold Weather Warriors rode in February…
Undeterred by cold and windy weather, SOB riders were able to pick and choose a number of good ride days every week in February. When the weather turned unrideable in Santa Fe, the SOB riders made a “Return to Albuquerque” trip in search of a warmer weather!
26 February, BobB and MikeD put together a 32.5 mile “Return to Albuquerque” excursion. 17 SOB Riders met at the Sandia RR Station to start the trek. We deviated from the normal SOB route to tour the North Valley Alameda neighborhood in route to Alameda Bosque Trail Head. On Guadalupe Trail we found this beautiful carved art of “Our Lady of Guadalupe” in an old cottonwood tree. (Joe behind the lens)
We then continued our trek over to the Bosque Trail and then West winding through neighborhoods to the Petroglyph National Monument. It’s a cool place to stop – bathroom facilities and a chance to check out the petroglyphs!! (Monument visitor Tiffany behind the lens)
After “a pause to refresh” we were off again to the West Mesa. As we approached the final climb to the Mesa, MikeD assured us it was only a 3 mile climb; “trust me”! At the end of the 4 mile climb we regrouped in the middle of “no man’s land” in preparation for the return trip. (Joe behind the lens)
As with the end of any winter ride, our friendly “goat heads” were lurking along the route. But “goat heads” are NOT too tough to tame; just a pain in the butt to deal with!! However, on this trek, SOB riders were joined by the “world fastest, quick as a wink, tire changer” TomK!! On this trek he earned his tire changing merit badge!! Thanks for your expertise Tom!!
SMILE TOM!!
After 32.5 miles and 1,300+ feet of climbing under sunny NM blue skies, it was time for the refreshments!! We gathered at El Pinto for comradery, refreshments and nourishment of the soul before heading back to Santa Fe. Thanks BobB and MikeD for putting this trek together!!
Overall… A GREAT SOB ride and another awesome SOB adventure!!
Earth Day Fix-It Clinic
Eldorado Classes and Lectures and Eldorado/285 Recycles are sponsoring an Earth Day Event at the Eldorado Community Center on Monday, April 22 from 10 to 2 that will include a fix-it clinic. They hope to have a bicycle repair station with representatives from at least one Santa Fe bike shop to fix or explain repairs. In the tradition of the national Fix-It Clinic movement, the purpose is to instruct and guide the owner rather than make a repair for them. There are opportunities for SOBs to participate by discussing bicycling, the SOBs and bike repair with people. I plan to be there and hope a few other SOBs will join me. Please contact shirleyknarr@gmail.com if you are interested in participating.
Movie review
SOB members will remember a little over two years ago rides that routed riders along Bonanza Creek Road watched for several weeks the construction of a giant Old World gate, cowboys herding large work horses while dressed in orange costumes of another century, hundreds of cars for crew and actors parked along the road for miles, and then within days of the end of shooting, the space was quickly returned to it normal prairie hills.
Well, now, the movie has finally been released and will be here soon. And you guessed it. Respected critics aim arrows and scimitars at it. But we know the scenery to be beautiful and one is entranced with just what the movie looks like that we so often in its production stages.
Here’s the review from the LA Times:
Review: Christopher Plummer and good intentions cannot save ‘Cliffs of Freedom’
“Cliffs of Freedom” is a bit rocky, but takes its leap in earnest.
“Cliffs,” directed and co-written by Van Ling, is a low-budget, nationalistic, historical epic set during the 19th century Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish occupiers are depicted as sadistic monsters, save one: the sensitive and handsome Colonel Tariq (Jan Uddin). Due largely to his Greek mentor/tutor (Christopher Plummer), Tariq recognizes the Greeks’ humanity and advocates for a less brutal hand in ruling them. Meanwhile, Anna Christina (Tania Raymonde), whom Tariq saved as a young girl, has grown into a beautiful and strong-willed woman. After a tragedy, she becomes a freedom fighter, then a symbolic hero of the revolution. She and Tariq find themselves drawn to each other from opposite sides of the war.
The game production does its best with limited resources, thanks, in part, to an impressive supporting cast. Apart from Plummer, it boasts the likes of Patti Lupone, Kevin Corrigan, and Billy Zane in the — shall we say — Billy Zane role: the smarmy, traitorous Greek collaborator with an eye for Anna Christina; one half-expects him to declare, “I make my own luck!”
The dialogue is often stiff, the action and plotting unlikely, making the romance hard to swallow. The appealing Uddin and Raymonde do generate enough chemistry in their fleeting time together to keep the proposition afloat. However, the climactic moment, though heavily telegraphed, will leave many scratching their heads.
————-
‘Cliffs of Freedom’
Rated: R, for bloody violence
Running time: 2 hours, 16 minutes
Submitted by Bill Pollock
Five feet to pass hearing today
HB 192, having passed the House, has its first Senate hearing today in the Corporations and Transportation Committee at 2 pm in Room 311 of the Roundhouse. Come out and support it if you can.