Oakland Yellowjackets Bicycling Club

Hello everyone,

Tomorrow’s ride is Arlington Loop. The forecast is for a much cooler weather than today: 62 degrees and sunny for the 8:00 AM start at the Lake. It may in the upper 70s in Moraga by late morning.

All Riders gather at the Lake Merritt Children’s Fairyland parking lot at 8:00 AM. Please be on time to greet new riders, organize into groups, and discuss the route prior to our departure at 8:20 AM.

All Riders proceed north via 27th Street, Telegraph Av., 29th Street, Martin Luther King Way, 45th Street, Market, and Sacramento Street through Berkeley. At Hopkins Street, Light Riders turn left to continue to El Sobrante via Key Route and the I-80 bikeway.

All others turn right toward Marin Circle via Monterey Avenue, then the climb and descent on Arlington Avenue.

All riders regroup at the Jack-in-the-Box on San Pablo Dam Road at Appian Way and proceed along San Pablo Dam Road. Light Riders end at Orinda BART while all others continue to Moraga for a stop at the gas station before climbing Pinehurst and returning to the Lake.

Download the Arlington Route sheets.

Notes:

1. This route includes descents on residential streets, notably Arlington Avenue in East Richmond Heights and Trestle Glen Road in Oakland. Please be cautious on these descents as there are many intersections and driveways, and people driving motor vehicles tend to behave unpredictably.
2. The Humane/Intermediate Advanced/Advanced route goes right at Yuba Avenue. Yuba Avenue comes one block after crossing the pedestrian bridge after the Arlington descent. On Yuba, you climb a steep hill, turn right on Alpine Road, continue climbing, then go left on Hillcrest Road and climb a little more, then descend and meet San Pablo Dam Road near the Pedaler Bike Shop. From there, it’s just a couple of blocks to the Jack-in-the-Box. If you are used to missing this turn and just continuing on to Amador (next to I-80 ), well, you have been missing a good climb and a more scenic route.

Next week’s ride (May 11th) is Mines Road (BART/AWAY). Details of the entire season can be found in 2013 ride calendar.

Ride safely,

Dan

Hello everyone,

Tomorrow’s ride is Point Pinole.

Riding weather will be about perfect—near 60 degrees and sunny for the 8:00 AM start at the Lake, rising to around 70 degrees by early afternoon.

Start time is 8:00 AM. Please be on time to greet new riders, socialize, and form into groups before we roll at 8:20 AM.

All Riders start from the Lake Merritt Fairyland parking lot and ride to the Jack-in-the-Box at San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way in El Sobrante. Light riders then return to the Lake on the same route. All others continue to Point Pinole Regional Park for a rest stop at the end of the pier and then continue through North Richmond, Point Richmond, and via the Bay Trail to return to the Lake.

Download the Point Pinole Route sheets.

Notes:

1. The Light route sheet shows the old rest stop and turn around at the ECG Gas Station. The stop is now at the Jack-in-the-Box on the other (south) side of San Pablo Dam Road.
2. Longtime Humane/Intermediate/Advanced (HIA) riders should note that, after leaving Point Pinole Regional Park, the route does not return to Richmond Parkway. Follow the safer and more scenic route by continuing straight along Giant Road to Parr Boulevard.
3. The HIA route sheet shows a left from Parr Boulevard on to 3rd Street at Mile 26.3. 3rd Street has been renamed Fred Jackson Way.
4. The HIA route sheet shows a right on to Gertrude Avenue at Mile 27.4. Instead continue straight on Fred Jackson Way a few blocks further to Castro Street. Turn right on Castro Street and continue to the end of the cul-de-sac, then follow the painted bike path under the overpass. At the next intersection (Hensley) cross Castro Street—this may require hitting the pedestrian crossing button—then rejoin the route sheet by continuing along Castro Street into Point Richmond.

Next week’s ride (April 27) is Lake Chabot. Details of the entire season can be found in 2013 ride calendar.

Ride safely,

Dan

Hi everybody,

Tomorrow's ride is Calaveras. The forecast is iffy: There's a 40% chance of rain. Temperatures will be in the mid-50s for the 9am start at the Lake, and will be in the low-to-mid 60s in Sunol. In the morning, you may want to look out the window and check the forecast before deciding whether to ride.

All Riders gather at the Lake Merritt Children's Fairyland Parking Lot at 9:00 AM for a 9:20 AM departure. We all head out Bellevue Avenue to Grand Avenue.

Route Sheet Break Down

Light Riders and Humane Riders will take a right on El Embarcadero and another right on Lakeshore.

The Light Riders turn left on East 18th Street and then go left again to ascend Park Boulevard toward the Mormon Temple as they begin the "Zoo Ride – Light" route.

Humane Riders turn left on East 15th Street then right on 5th Avenue to follow our route through Alameda and down Doolittle Drive toward Castro Valley.

Advanced and Advanced Intermediate Riders continue up Grand Avenue and go right on Wildwood to ascend to the Mormon Temple, then take the Butters Canyon route to reach Skyline Boulevard, then descend Redwood Road and continue to Castro Valley.

The Humane and Advanced/Advanced Intermediate routes join in Castro Valley. From there, riders go over Dublin Grade, then south on Foothill Boulevard through Pleasanton. After a stop in Sunol, the route travels Calaveras Road all the way to Milpitas, then turns north to reach Fremont BART.

Route sheets are in the usual places.

There is no route scheduled for Saturday a week from now (April 6). We'll either announce one or there will be a decide-and-ride beginning at 9 am at the Lake.

The 2013 Season Kick-Off Ride is April 13.

Ride safely,

Dan

Hi everybody,

Tomorrow’s ride is Norris Canyon/San Ramon. Expect a sunny 50 degrees for our start, with temperatures rising to the upper 60s to low 70s during our ride.

All Riders gather at the Lake Merritt Children’s Fairyland parking lot at 9:00 AM for an 9:20 AM departure.

The route for Humane Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate, and Advanced Riders takes us north on Telegraph Avenue all the way to the UC Campus; then climbs Spruce Street to reach Wildcat Canyon Road. Some mild climbing through woodsy Orinda culminates in a long descent down Happy Valley Road to Lafayette. After some miles on residential arterials through Lafayette and Walnut Creek, we pick up Danville Boulevard, stop at Danville Peet’s, then continue south on San Ramon Valley Boulevard to Norris Canyon Road. The route crosses Castro Valley, and goes around Lake Chabot. In San Leandro, we turn north on Bancroft Avenue to get back to Oakland.

The route sheet is on this site.

Light Riders (if any) will depart from the Lake on a route to be decided.

Next week’s off-season ride (March 30) is Calaveras (LAKE). There will be an off-season ride April 6 (route to be decided). The Oakland Yellowjackets 2013 Season begins with the Kick-Off Ride and picnic on April 13.

Ride safely,

Dan