@VeloCult, it was great! I'll try to get some photos up today. It was just four of us: SSO and her Caboose (husband, not rear-end), Phil, and myself. We went down 30th/Fern to Market, rode east up and down some fun hills, through wonderful wide bike lanes (that occasionally turned into "bike gutters"), through freeway interchanges with bike lanes in the middle, and finally to our destination, Market Creek Plaza. Except for the parking lot and the Food4Less, it was pretty much deserted. We wandered around, went hiking in the dry creek, which I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to do, and then came back and had ice cream when the Coldstone opened at 11am. We rode back the same route (I rang my bell and waved when we passed the shop--anyone hear me?) and disbanded. One thing about the small groups, it's easy to stay together. Oh, and we did see the Black Sabbath Motorcycle Club. It looked pretty bitchin'.

Edit: Okay, photos are up.

It was really fun. I learned that I can hike in sandals, even on pebbles littered with broken beer bottles.

@T.K - that may be a tough weekend to find a spare bike since Bike the Bay is that Sunday. The bikes won't be so lonesome on that day! If you're staying by the convention center, you'll get a good view of all the people leaving the Seaport Village/Embarcadero park and heading up the Coronado Bridge.

Ummm, how tall are you? I got a hybrid sitting in my shed right now.

Welcome back Sigurd!!

Cast coming off soon, so hopefully will be able to join you all as soon as I learn to use my hand again.

Bev:Welcome back Sigurd!!Cast coming off soon, so hopefully will be able to join you all as soon as I learn to use my hand again.

Thanks, Bev! I have been reading about the injury to your arm, but I must have missed if it was bike-related or not - I have been hoping that you didn't crash off your bike, or worse, got hit!

thom:I think we should just ride somewhere to have coffee and listen to Sigurd's stories from his trip!

That would be fine with me!

Should be back on a bike by Sept. Cast off next Monday, but won't have any control of my hand. Must train new transplanted tendon of his new job.

No awful bike wreck story (not even a good horse wreck like last time). Just tossing around stuff that was too heavy (wheelchair) and *ping* snap it went.

Have a wonderful ride. I'm jealous!

I see. I also see that you're looking for a road bike geometry. i only got a hybrid

cool, whisper me your number? you can pick it up tommorow, saturday

Thanks to all for joining the ride today - here' s the GPS breadcrumb trail.

Next Sunday (8/30), several of the Townie Ride regulars, including I, will be cycling the Bike The Bay ride. If somebody here who is not doing Bike The Bay will step up to lead next week's Townie Ride, please post here so that others know if the ride is happening (or not).

Great ride! Definitely got turned around in Kensington, I would probably still be there wandering around if I was by myself.

FYI, I'll be at Velo Cult next Sunday at 9:00am like usual for anyone who isn't riding Bike the Bay. I have no plan or specific destination, and if no one shows up, that's cool. If you do plan on coming and have a destination in mind, post it here and we'll do it!

.

I can't read your web page. It like its encrypted or something, and I don't have the secret decoder ring!

Google can translate ... sort of

... Spat only a few cyclists and any interesting bikes ...

I'm sure they weren't spitting on anyone in the bike lane. I just think Google is out to make Swedes sound bad. Boooo, Google. smh

kppearl:Hey everybody,

If you haven't had a chance to ride to Point Loma for our signature Bikes N Brunch, you have two times left. The remaining dates for this season are September 6th and October 4th from 10-2 PM and hang by the pool and play ping pong and board games till 5PM. $10 gets you an entree and endless mimosas. Sound good? Hope to see some of you there.

Cheers,
Kimberly
kparker@thepearlsd.com

Bringing the Bikes N Brunch idea over to this thread for this week's Downtownie ride. I'm not sure if I'll make it out this Sunday. If I can't make it for this week's ride, I'd definitely be down for the October brunch.

That would be an interesting ride back to Golden Hill ... all mimosa-ed up! Hahahaha

OK - I have a plan: We'll do the Townie Rde to the Pearl, and leave VC at 09:00 as usual. Here's the twist: Optionally, riders who live downtown (or other flatlanders), or just want to drive there (or just don't want to climb back up) will join the main group at an agreed upon spot somewhere near the Convention Center.

From there, the ride is nice and flat, some of it Bay-front - we can follow the bikepath south of Harbor Drive for most of the way.

So the schedule could look something like:

09:00 Depart VC
09:45 Depart Convention Center

On the return leg, the above will be reversed: Bike to the Convention Center to drop off any riders finishing here, and then back to VC.

For this plan to work, we will need a volunteer leader to take us from VC to Convention Center in both direction, as I am a flatlander myself and may just ride from my house to the CC to hook up with the rest of you there.

Any volunteer leaders? What do you think about the plan?

Protorio:But its a long haul back to the shop. Not sure if I can make it...

The climb back to the shop, or the event?

In order to facilitate planning, please post if you think you will be doing the ride to Pearl, and if you intend to start at the shop or at the Conv. Centre.

Dep. VC: 09:00
Dep. Convention Centre: 09:45

I still need a somebody to lead the peloton from VC to CC - any takers?

I propose this the meeting point for Convention Center riders.

crash:Jan & I (Lee) will meet downtown / Convention Center @ 9:45

Sounds good!

So this ride is on!

For now - and unless somebody else offers to lead from the shop - I will be at VC at 09:00. We will be riding down 30th and across to 25th, then west on Island to the Conv. Ctr., where we pick up Jan, Lee, Bryan, and others at this meeting point (end of Kettner) for departure no later than 09:45.

From there, we'll just go Harbor Drive (most of it on bike trail) all the way to the Pearl. Return leg will be more or less the same!

I'll be in LA - hopefully we can do the Pearl again in October.

Thanks to all for joining the ride today, it was nice seeing you all and to meet all the new faces today!

Distances: R/T shop: 20.0 miles. R/T Convention Center: 12.2 miles.

Here's the GPS trackmap: The ride is the reddish lines - the blueish lines are my transport rides out and back, so please ignore them.

Velo Cult:Tomorrow is Sunday all over again. Let's ride!

I won't be able to ride tomorrow.

I'm casting my vote for Adams Avenue Fair this week. I'll actually ride anywhere, just food for thought!

how was the ride to the fair? i just got back into town and looking forward to riding next sunday.

im with you on that Thom. The SouthPark Walkabout is my favorite because it lacks all the goofy vendors.

Hooo-ya.