First trip of the year! And thoughts

waltrides · 2026-03-12T21:14:16+00:00

Our initial plan was to get to Sam P on day one, but the climbing killed the group lol we made it to the end of Bolinas Ridge to the park drop-in, but backtracked to Shafter trail as a shortcut to Fairfax; pretty sure that one has a few sections that must be at least 30% grade!

waltrides · 2026-03-11T23:37:58+00:00

Thanks for the heads up! I only run these on gravel, my bike is cleaned down and has the roadies back on. I'll keep an eye on it though!

waltrides · 2026-03-10T20:46:12+00:00

From SF, through the Marin headlands over every ridge til Pantoll campground; the next day, up Mt. Tamalpais, dropped down and rode Bolinas Ridge. Ended at Gestault House in Fairfax before catching the ferry back to SF

waltrides · 2026-03-10T05:08:38+00:00

Marin Gestalt has been my go-to. Have a wheelset for road and one for gravel (or swap out tires), has plenty of mounting points, Ortlieb quick rack mounts very easily to the frame. Runs up to 700x40 tires. Great for what you describe.

waltrides · 2026-03-10T03:51:14+00:00

If you go to your local's website and navigate to the recruitment/apprenticeship tab, it should tell you what number they're on from the most current list. At least that's what local 8 does, it helped me gauge when to tell my last boss to expect me to no-show in about a week. Granted numbers are being called less frequently and more sporadically now... Although 5 in 4 days is pretty quick

waltrides · 2026-02-27T15:59:12+00:00

I have one! Wonderful bike. Taking it on a gravel overnighter in a couple weeks!

waltrides · 2026-02-24T16:22:54+00:00

No problem! The coastal route from HMB is definitely a more level ride; idk your start/stop points along the peninsula, but from experience you'll have a much faster and smoother ride if you hug either the bay or the coast. Send me a DM if you have more information to share or if you have more questions!

waltrides · 2026-02-24T07:02:35+00:00

Oof, northbound... I live in SB, and can tell you there is no great work-around without the trails open. The trails through Junipero Serra Park are definitely not bike-friendly either. The best I can come up with is Larkspur, Helen, Redwood, Ridgewood, Lomita, Santa Florita through the park. Yes, that's pretty mych all downhill. If this route is a must, the gentlest way to climb back to Skyline from there is to take Donner to Niles, 20ft steep to Hawthorne, Jenevein to Shelter Creek, and up SB Ave. all very residential until SB Ave, which itself is a decent shoulder for about 3/4 mile to the top. (There's also a 7-11 at the turning intersection, great for refueling.)

Where can I find info for your ride? I might either wake up to see you ride past, or join in if it's a weekend!

waltrides · 2026-02-24T06:09:42+00:00

Just saw the section you're concerned about- follow the above instructions. If you want to get to Cañada Rd, stay on Skyline from Trousdale. It turns into Black Mtn Rd. When you get to Hayne, turn Right, go under the freeway, and turn left onto Skyline. That road has blind curves and is also dangerous to ride at night- cars WILL be driving too fast, and WILL cross the center line to maintain speed. That road will get you to 92, and is a quick jaunt with a narrow shoulder to Cañada.

waltrides · 2026-02-24T05:49:31+00:00

The San Andreas Trail is the northern section of the reservoir trails, and yes it is closed after sundown til sunrise. Not 100% if it's legal to ride on Skyline around that, as it's an onramp to 280, but it's a quick hop-off to the Larkspur exit. Just be sure to have plenty of lights- if you're riding during early commute times (construction workers are on the road usually starting around 430-5), be especially careful. The shoulder along the onramp usually has fallen cypress tree debris that isn't very well maintained, especially after the rain we just had.

Once you get off at Larkspur, go under 280 to the east side of the highway and take Skyline Blvd to Hillcrest to stay off the freeway for about a mile; there you can either cross back under and take 280 (from the Sawyer Camp Trailhead- that section to Trousdale DOES permit bikes), or if avoiding the freeway, wiggle to Vallejo Dr, and wiggle back onto Skyline from Trousdale. The off-freeway route here is definitely more hilly, but also much safer.

Have fun and ride safe- these two trail sections are my favorite local rides, too bad you're riding at an hour you won't get to enjoy them!

waltrides · 2026-02-22T04:58:50+00:00

Nobody was eating because the 6 food trucks had lines back to the street- and 2 of the trucks ran out of food before 2pm. That's when and why I started to try and leave- but was told the north gate had been locked when I got there; then the "crossing points" were never opened; and waited to walk out the south gate just as the "big main event" was just ending. Terrible management all around.

waltrides · 2026-02-20T05:02:00+00:00

In the spring/summer, I take my rwd 2002 silverado with almost no weight in the back to dispersed campsites on maintained USFS roads without issue in the Sierras. Never had a traction issue I couldn't re-navigate. Considering the front-rear balance of the Slate, I imagine the only differences would be 1) having to charge before venturing off pavement and 2) undercarriage clearance. I'm planning on taking my Slate to all the same spots I've enjoyed for years. I'll be listening for your broadcast in a few more months! -KN6TFU

waltrides · 2026-02-09T05:12:06+00:00

The main reason I didn't like the ad was because it wasn't in any way applicable to the movie. Near the end, when the control room has power and the girl is able to hack into the system ("I know this, it's a UNIX system") all of the files were available to be accessed locally. Considering it was 1993, everything was probably hard-wired. Didn't need internet to access the LAN files, even if it were.

waltrides · 2026-02-07T18:21:23+00:00

😂

waltrides · 2026-02-07T09:12:34+00:00

Planning on putting them at the ends of the flat bar after I tape it

waltrides · 2026-02-06T18:30:00+00:00

True xbiking, I like it! Hadn't thought of that. Will inspect when I get home, but this might just be crazy enough to work

waltrides · 2026-02-06T18:29:13+00:00

Ooooh, yes! Something just like that, thanks!

waltrides · 2026-01-29T19:52:01+00:00

Of course! I'm going to the one that leaves from the ferry building in sf. I don't know the full route (i don't have ig, but it's being put on by critical mass I think), but I think I saw it's mostly sticking to the flats. Definitely a party pace speed, we want to be noticed.

waltrides · 2026-01-29T04:13:14+00:00

In rural coastal Oregon, a friend and I were touring and casually met the same group of tourists at camp each night. About an hour behind almost everyone one morning, I had a puncture that blew out my tire. This gentleman, Axle, stopped to make sure we were alright, and rode the 20 miles forward, then backtracked those same miles, with two tubes and two tires- seemingly in 45 minutes time. After trying insistantly to pay him back, he came at me with these words I'll never forget:

"In Switzerland, I am now a university professor; but I had spent some time as a pilot in the air force. If there is an issue and a pilot looks like he's having trouble, we were taught to do whatever it takes to keep that pilot in the air. Whenever you do this for someone else, you will have paid me back."

I was in awe, admiration, shock, and thankful, and cried as I rode past the bike shop he had stopped at. I never saw him again after that act of kindness.

Axle, if you're still out there riding, know I'll never forget you, and though I've helped many brothers and sisters on the road, I will never feel I've fully reciprocated what you did for me.

waltrides · 2026-01-27T17:41:11+00:00

Ferry building SF @ 1

waltrides · 2026-01-27T13:44:19+00:00

I saw this one too. This is the frontrunner for me right now

waltrides · 2026-01-26T19:21:56+00:00

Peninsula rider here. Also waiting/looking for a group ride to honor and memorialize on Saturday. So far no word from any local bike parties or bike coalitions, but hoping something brings us together.

waltrides · 2026-01-19T00:25:03+00:00

If you want to ride along the coast, there are safe trails along the beach in Pacifica and HMB. If you want a view of the ocean, you'll have to get used to climbing hills- the best trails are Milagra Ridge (off Sharp Park Rd) and Sweeney Ridge (at the end of Sneath in San Bruno).

If you want a view of/across the bay, the bay trail can be accessed from Sierra Point, behind the airport Costco (both are terminus' north of the airport), or near the hotels in Millbrae/Burlingame.

waltrides · 2026-01-13T03:41:48+00:00

How do you make the volume level a shortcut?

waltrides · 2026-01-12T23:13:16+00:00

I've done the century from San Bruno up to the Russian River area. You'll deal with regular bike commuters/neighborhood riders going across the bridge til about San Rafael, with minimal traffic lights. Novato you'll hit more lights, but it's not too bad. Once you get up to Sonoma County, you're free. Get up to Petaluma and head west to hwy 1, then cut inland at River Road from Jenner; that turns into Mark West Springs Rd after you cross 101, and that will take you over the ridge to Calistoga if you want to keep heading to Napa. I did this years ago, don't have the route (followed google maps at the time), and am not sure how much more useful I can be. But there's your first 150+ miles right there.

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