CANCELED: To be rescheduled.

According to the meteorologist, this ride is 100% likely not to happen due to rain. But for the eventuality of him being wrong (stranger things have happened!) I am doing Soledad hill repeats tomorrow morning as follows:

Dept: Pacific Beach TBA @ 0730, tomorrow Saturday.
Ride: Route / 25miles dist. / 3.5K' elev (equiv. 4-5 full Soledad climbs).
Time: 3 hrs (?)
Requirement: The ride is challenging and requires some combination of 1) conditioning, 2) low gears and 3) a desire for self-punishment.

If interested, you need to text me in the morning (anytime after 0600AM - my phone number in my profile) to find out 1) if the ride is on and 2) if so, to be given location of the TBA meeting spot in Pacific Beach.

Again - rain, or probability of rain during the duration of the ride, cancels.

The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition is starting a ride to the Bayshore Bikeway ribbon cutting ceremony on March 24 at 9:30 in the morning from the The Village Coffee & Wine Bar at 631 Ninth in downtown SD (near Market.) Ride with the group or on your own, but hope to see you in Chula Vista (Bay Blvd. and J St.) at 11:00 for the ceremony.

Not yet, but that's a great idea! I might enlist Penny for some help since she is so active down there as well.

SPark Walkabout is tonight. Alchemy, Hamilton's, and Grant's are collaborating on a barbque.

If all goes well at tomorrow's Masters State Championship Individual Time Trial on Fiesta Island, I may have time to stop by the Omni Hotel for the San Diego Bike Summit. If you go, expect a couple of "blueshirts" to show up around noon. We may be able to provide a unique perspective on the growing trend of advocacy by those involved in the competitive aspect of the sport.

I'm not the most computer literate and trying to figure out this forum thing. Is there a way to get emails or alerts or better follow threads then having to come back and check all the time or is that how it's done. Would love to follow events more and get in on some rides. Sorry I missed out on the San Clemente ride last week.

Still a ways off, but not too soon to reserve the date on your calendar for the next Tour de Fat benefiting the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition: September 29, 2012. New Belgium has published the full schedule here.

Bike Games Day... fb-event page --> http://www.facebook.com/events/331358943573599/

mini bike races! huffy toss! footdown! alleycat race! skid contest! tortillas! special guests from machete bike coop all the way down in mexico! more details on the way... location: Hollywood Park. time: 12pm - 3pm

sounds fun! anyone else here going? maybe we could meet up & ride in together.... anyone down to do the alley cat with me?

Some of us are meeting at the fountain for a group ride to the event at 10:30.

This is may be of interest to some here. I plan on checking it out .



Are you interested in making your community more bicycle-friendly?

If so, please join us for a Pedestrian/Bicycle Advisory Committee for District 2.

Tuesday, April 10
6:30pm
OB Rec Center

District 2 includes Downtown, Little Italy, Bankers Hill, Mission Hills, Old Town, Point Loma, Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Mt. Soledad, and soon Bay Park Area.

Please come collaborate with others and help create a safer and healthier community for all.

For more information contact:
Nicole Burgess at nicole23@cox.net

SOB wants to host an Alleycat race

An Alley Cat race is an informal bicycle race. Alley Cats race coming to West Oceanside June 2012. Dates, details and prize list is work in progress and if you have prior Alley Cat experience and you want to share your knowledge and time we will make it worth your time. SOB, southobike@gmail.com

Saturday, April21. Rich is hosting a ride to Cabrillo Monument/Lighthouse on the Urban BS site. It's National Parks Week, so it's a freebie!

The ride will begin at EmpireHouse in Hillcrest, a leisurely pace shall ensue. RSVP and details at:
http://www.meetup.com/Urban-Bike-and-Social-Club/events/60191762/

Kathy:Are you all coming to EarthFair? click to volunteer We still need people to help with the bike parking, and SD EarthWorks is looking for a ton of volunteers. Hope to see many of you biking there!

Will the Coaster be running that day?

http://www.gonctd.com/schedules/coaster

Nope.



(sorry, this always burns me)

Kathy:Guess I'm confused - the Coaster runs on Sundays. Not commuter schedule, but four trains back and forth over the day. You could come for a few hours... :face-devil-grin:

What do you know. I didn't see the Sunday trains on that page until I refreshed it.

Never Mind :face-devil-grin:

I'll be chief referee at this one and probably the rest of the series, depending on whether or not a Los Angeles Cat. A official needs points to upgrade to National Commissaire and bumps me to starter.

Riders must complete a local track safety course before they may race in this series. Riders who complete such a course are eligible for upgrade to Cat. 4, but are then no longer eligible to buy a one day license and must buy an annual license. A rider who has completed the track safety course but has not yet upgraded to Cat. 4 is a Cat. 5 by default and is eligible to buy a one day license sold at registration for $10. Women who have completed the course begin as Cat. 4 and may buy a one day license until they upgrade to Cat. 3.

Here's how the upgrade process works on the track. According to USAC Rule 1D3(a), "Track upgrades...are made through the local associations (in this case SCNCA [Southern California and Nevada Cycling Association]) and regional coordinators (in this case Greg Aden [Huntington Beach]). All track upgrades are processed using the following criteria:

Cat. 5 to 4 - Complete a velodrome (safety) class or 4 race days.
Cat. 4 to 3 - 5 race days and 20 points.
Cat. 3 to 2 - 5 race days and 25 points.
Cat. 2 to 1 - 5 race days and 30 points.

Points: National Championships and Cat. A,B, or C track day will be 7,5,3,2,1 for each event (points are awarded to the top five riders).

For all other events upgrade points are 5,3,2,1 and are based on omnium points at the end of the meet (points are awarded to the four riders who have accumulated the most points in each race in the case of a traditional omnium, or in the case of an international omnium, to the four riders who have accumulated the fewest points [like golf scoring]).

(b) Additional considerations:

1. Ten person field minimum for categories 3-5 and 20 person field minimum for upgrade to Cat. 1.
2. 50% of upgrade points and number of days raced carry over to the next year. Points do not carry over into the next category.
3. When upgrading to Cat. 1, points earned must from more than one velodrome.
4. A race day is defined as one full day of racing (the upgrade races here count as a full day). A race day can include a number of events, such as a kilo or other time trial or a sprint tourney, but only counts as one race day.
5. Women and Juniors earn one point for every five race days when upgrading from Cat. 4 through 2.

USAC Rule 2o. Omnium.
2o1. An omnium is a set of races in which riders compete for points in each event. Final placings are determined by total points in all events at the end of the meet.

2o2. In case of tie on total points, the tie will be broken in favor of the rider who has:
(a) The most first place finishes or, if still tied, the most second place finishes, etc., or if still tied;
(b) The highest placing in the last race, or in the race nearest the last race of the omnium in which at least one of the tied riders placed.

Additional information is available on the USA Cycling website. The rulebook can be downloaded as a PDF.

http://www.usacycling.org/

I hope this has been elucidating and not too confusing!

Pam's Monday evening level I course is exactly what you need to qualify to race as a Cat. 5 on a one day license. If you completed it, you're good to go!

Some tracks don't require completion of the class to race as a 'C' or 'D' in unsanctioned training races. A track might not even offer a safety course, so the rule about racing in four race days as an equivalent to taking such a course is so that riders at such tracks can still upgrade to Cat. 4. Our track requires the class even to race in unsanctioned training races (Tuesdays and some Fridays).

Unless you can push through a Cat. 4 upgrade by Saturday (unlikely), you'll be racing with the Cat. 5s.

Yes. It shortens the program and encourages adequate field sizes.

ITU World Triathlon is coming to San Diego Mission Beaches next weekend. Note road closures on May 11 and 12.

Anybody available for a Wednesday ride or want to plan something for this Wednesday? (09 May)

Hey guys, there's a worldwide event happening on Sunday May 13 to get more females involved in cycling called Cyclo Femme. I'm hosting my own ride, starting at San Diego State University campus. You can find more information about this local ride here. You don't have to be a female to participate--but if you are a guy, motivate your sisters, daughters, mothers, wives, girlfriends, or other females in your life to come with you! It will be a very laid-back and slow-paced ride since there will be participants of all-ages and different experience levels present. If you want a more challenging ride after, we can make that happen after we make the loop back to SDSU.

Any questions you may have can be directed to me at sarieses@gmail.com

VeloCafé:Anybody available for a Wednesday ride or want to plan something for this Wednesday? (09 May)

I am riding this Wednesday.

Anybody else?

Kettner Nights... an art wark on the other side of the park. 6-9 tonight. Call if you want to meat up. On my way now!

Where can I find a list of pit stops for this Friday's Bike to Work Day?

Any pit stops along Coastal from Carlsbad to Sorrento Valley?

I may just commute to the Carlsbad Coaster and stop by at the Pine st and PCH area

I'm riding the "Ride of Silence" in Carlsbad today.

Anyone else coming?

Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/317420531657481/340046362728231/

https://www.facebook.com/events/395707273785952/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Citizens advocate for a bike-friendly San Diego

SAN DIEGO, CA (May 4, 2012)- Local citizens are organizing a “Ride to Vote” to advocate for a bike friendly San Diego. With the primary election approaching, we hope to use this opportunity to advocate for safer bicycling facilities in our city.

The ride will begin at the fountain at Balboa Park on Wednesday May 23, 2012 at 5pm and will travel 11 miles. This is a bike ride for all ages and no one will be left behind. Event organizers are hoping to make this one of the largest bicycle events of the year.

Advocates for a bike-friendly San Diego are strongly supporting Nathan Fletcher’s campaign because he has embraced a bike plan that will implement true change to make San Diego a bike-friendly destination. Mr. Fletcher’s 12- point bike plan can be viewed at bikesd.org.

To bike-friendly San Diego advocates, this ride is not just a vote for Mr. Fletcher. This is a vote for safer streets, better quality of life, healthier people, clean air, and a more sustainable city.

Our message Wednesday, May 23, 2012 will be clear: any politician, regardless of political party, who actively & genuinely embraces a vision of a people-friendly San Diego, people who share this vision will embrace them back.

The benefits are bicycling are well documented. Bike advocates have long known that a community embracement of bicycling can change our city and our world for the better. We will organize and ride to promote a healthier, safer, and more peaceful city and world.

Around 5:45pm the ride will stop by the San Diego Central Library on E Street so participants can pick up voter registration cards.

This bike ride will be free, fun, safe, peaceful, and legal.

###
Contact:
Timur Ender
Endert@tjsl.edu
919-219-4976

The route can be found here: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5441663

Video:

This shows what is possible: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3398722.ece

"We Bike & We Vote!"