Rough Riding with Rivendell's Grant Petersen

Above: Chris Kostman, left, with Grant Petersen

On August 10, 2009, after spending several days in Marin County to prepare for the July 23-25, 2010 Rough Riders Rally, I joined the legendary Grant Petersen of Rivendell Bicycles for a ride on and around Mt. Diablo in Walnut Creek, CA. I rode one of Rivendell's newest models, the Bombadil. Grant rode one, too, though his was a prototype. Of course, we went "Rivendell style" with "street clothes" and Keen sandal shoes: no bike clothes, no bike shoes, not even attached to the pedals. It all worked perfectly and comfortably! Really, it was just a wonderful ride in a spectacular setting. I'd argue that part of Rivendell's success can be attributed to their location next to this fantastic mountain and its hundreds of miles of trails, fire roads, and even paved roads.

I've known Grant since I interviewed him for an article for California Bicyclist in 1992 and have respected and admired him ever since. It was an honor and a pleasure that Grant - as head of marketing, bike design, etc at Bridgestone Cycle USA - sponsored me in 1992-1994. There were just four of us on Team Bridgestone. When Grant started Rivendell Bicycles in 1994, the least I could do was to sign on as one of his first members and customers. It's been fun and enlightening to keep track of Grant and his cohorts' efforts there in Walnut Creek for the past 15 years. Everything they do comes from the heart, and from their experience out there in the real world of multi-surface cycling.

In our Flickr gallery are some photos of various bikes at Rivendell, followed by shots from our ride together on and around Mt. Diablo (this page just has a few of the highlights). Grant insisted on shooting several shots of me at one of his favorite photogenic spots along the trail. He then honored me by adding one of the shots of me to the rotation of images which display on the http://www.rivbike.com website, so you can see that here as the final image of this collection (or on the Rivendell website).

Above: Photo of Chris Kostman by Grant Petersen

About the bike I rode, I have to say it was one of the very most amazing rides of my life. I'm still stunned at how beautifully it handled everything we threw at it, especially the winding and often steep single-track. I have ridden drop bars off-road plenty, but generally on road bikes in a traditional roadie position. This was my first time with the drop bars high and close (short stem, that is) and it handled perfectly while feeling extremely comfortable. My hands naturally gripped the brake hoods and the balance was absolutely superb. I had absolute control, but hardly needed any; the bike just knew what to do; very little input from me was needed. Practically auto-pilot, you might say! if I were in the market for a "mountain bike," this is the ONLY bike I would even consider; it's that good and that much of a winner. It has no competitors as far as I know. Kudos to Grant and his colleagues for this amazing design. More on the bike below. Meanwhile, be sure to peruse the rest of this blog here at http://www.XO-1.org for more about this type of cycling! Also be sure to join us for the Rough Riders Rally in Marin County in 2010!

According to the Rivendell website, "The BOMBADIL is a stout-tubed mountain bike for rough riding and heavy loads. It's not Dutch-heavy, but by contemporary standards of expensive, fine bicycles, it's out there on the edge. The tubes are about extra strong, reinforced, and there's a second top tube to create a small strong triangle even on bigger frames. It's a MOUNTAIN bike, and not a frilly-techy one for gram counters who race in their minds but not in the world. It's not for racing, period. It is a modern mountain bike in the spirit of a 1983 model. Maybe '84."

Links:
Flickr gallery of all the images of this ride: Click
July 23-25, 2010 Rough Riders Rally: Click
Rivendell Bicycles: Click
Racing on Team Bridgestone at the 24 Hours of Canaan: Click
My 1992 interview with Grant Petersen: Click

Rough Riders Rally Reconnaissance

Since shortly after publishing "Mountain Bikes: Who Needs Them?" in the February, 1993 issue of Bicycle Guide - when the "love letters" starting pouring in - I've dreamed of hosting a rally to celebrate the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos and lifestyle. Now that dream is really beginning to take shape, as you will see from our beautiful logo above and the fantastic photos on this page and on our website. Read on, check out the photos, and mark your calendar to join us next year!

Over the weekend of August 8 & 9, 2009, I traveled to Marin County to further preparations for the July 23-25, 2010 Rough Riders Rally. As a result, we've finalized the main ride route, made plans with our host bike shop, and much more. Plus we now have over 200 photos to whet your appetite for what will be a truly exciting, memorable, and fun international gathering of Rough Riders. YOU are invited!

Yours truly at West Point Inn, on Railroad Grade, above Mill Valley and the Bay Area. Photo by Ed Levinson.

The Rally is our new annual mixed-surface (road/trail/etc) cycling festival based in Marin County which celebrates the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos. There will be a Friday afternoon ride, followed by a BBQ at Tam Bikes in Mill Valley. Saturday will be the big day: a six hour ride in spectacular terrain. Later that afternoon the bikes will be assembled for a bike show. (To enter a bike in the show, it must have been ridden on the full route, including the photograph. No "for looking only; not for riding" bikes may be shown.) It will be a fantastic evening. Sunday morning we'll ride Railroad Grade to the summit of Mt. Tam, then return to Mill Valley for a social hour or two at The Depot, before we depart town. It promises to be a very fun weekend in an absolutely spectacular cycling paradise. Mark your calendar! (Mountain bikes are welcome, too!)

Click here for a preview slideshow and a very rough route sheet of the Saturday route for the 2010 Rough Riders Rally. The route is approximately 345 miles with approximately 5000' of elevation gain and features single track, double track, fire road, gravel road, abandoned paved road, and newly paved road. Some consider this "mountain bike territory," but this route is 99% rideable by an accomplished Rough Rider on a road bike with 32mm cyclocross tyres (or on a cyclocross bike), and perhaps 90-95% rideable on a road bike with 28mm road tyres.

Special thanks to my long-time friend and local guide, Ed Levinson, a Furnace Creek 508 veteran who owned and operated a bike shop in Mill Valley for over ten years. (Our host shop for the Rally will be Mt. Tam Bikes at 357 Miller Avenue, as pictured in the slideshow.)

This region offers truly superb cycling, with fantastic views of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, the Marin Headlands, Mt. Tamalpais ("Mt. Tam"), Tiburon, Mill Valley, the Bay Bridge, a bit of the Golden Gate Bridge, and dramatic, rugged Northern California coastline. Honestly, this is cycling paradise, a region unparalleled for its beauty, diversity of scenery and riding surfaces, and its cycling-friendly trail signage and local population!

Above: Ed Levinson, with Mt. Tam behind, on Bobcat Trail in the Marin Headlands.

View the entire slideshow on our website. Every image you will see was taken on the route of the Rough Riders Rally Saturday ride. The riding is truly that fantastic!

Join us July 23-25, 2010 for the first ever Rough Riders Rally! Mark your calendar and stay tuned for further details!

Rough Riders at Mt. Shasta

An annual AdventureCORPS tradition at Mt. Shasta - the magical, mystical mountain which stands serenely near the top of California - continued when 15 riders converged for CORPScamp Shasta on July 29 through August 2, 2009. This glacier-laden volcanic peak provided the backdrop for superb cycling in a gorgeous, alpine region with dramatic lakes, rivers, forests, and memorable climbs. The camp concluded with participation in the Shasta Summit Century, an epic and challenging event!

Each day began with the Ron Jones Dynamic Warm Up and featured a wonderful ride in a spectactular setting with little to no traffic. Each afternoon featured a yoga class for cyclists, including those with no yoga background (most of the group), and was designed to help each camper unwind, accelerate recovery for the next day's adventure, minimize the chance of injury, and rejuvenate and restore energy balance. Two wonderful meals catered by Chris & Dena's Deli were hosted outdoors at the beautiful Strawberry Valley Inn and provided more opportunities to socialize, enjoy great food, and win raffle prizes.

One CORPScamp rider was John Marino, the godfather of ultracycling who essentially created the sport of ultracycling as we know it, and also created the Great American Bike Race, Race Across America, and Furnace Creek 508. Now 60, John still rides at the same weight as he did 30 years ago. The first evening of the camp we watched "Psychling," the documentary film about his 1980 Guinness Book transcontinental cycling record, then on Friday we watched the ABC coverage of the 1982 Great American Bike Race, both evenings providing entertaining insights into the past, present, and future of long-distance cycling and the man who brought the sport to life.

Another special guest who also rode the entire camp was Jeannie Ennis, a competitor in the very first Badwater Ultramarathon in 1987. She was inducted into the Badwater Hall of Fame in 2005. She has been a cyclist for many years, riding cross-country from WA to ME as well as from Canada to Mexico on the Continental Divide. Now 62, this living legend of ultra sport has not slowed down and is still pursuing health and fitness and new aspirations and goals. She, and Marino, were a delight to ride with and learn from.

Another legend of ultra sports who was on hand for the duration of the event was local resident Scott Weber, who drove the support vehicle and tended to the riders, dispensing Hammer Nutrition products, water, fruit, and copious, priceless wisdom each day. Scott is a 13-time Badwater Ultramarathon finisher, has been a highly sought out running coach since 1988, and - in his previous life as a cyclist - was a cycling cast member of the cycling film "American Flyers" in 1986!

It was truly a pleasure to ride on and around Mt. Shasta for five days, to get to know a really wonderful group of adventure-athletes, and to socialize in a very special place. To all the riders, and our super supporter Scott Weber, we say "thank you" for supporting this event!

For two slideshows of all the action and adventure, click here.

We hope to see even more Rough Riders there next year!

Above: Jeff Martin and Jo Carmichael ascend Mumbo Summit

Above: Chris Kostman descends Mumbo Summit in his "no-handed tuck" pose he invented during the 1987 Race Across America. (Photo by Jo Carmichael)

Boulder Creek Semi-Epic Ride on July 5, 2009: Ride Report, Images, and Video

After first riding different parts of this route over the past year (see the videos here on YT) we invited others to join us for a Rough Riders Semi-Epic Ride on July 5, 2009. Eleven riders enjoyed a fantastic day of cycling in the first real hot weather of 2009: It hit about 100 at some points. The route featured "the greatest hits" of the Mt. Laguna back country: Viejas Grade, Boulder Creek, Lake Cuyamaca, Descanso, and Wildwood Glen Ln (AKA "Mad Max Road") with a start/finish in Alpine, CA. Total distance: 58 miles with over 8,000' of elevation gain. This route can best be ridden by an accomplished rough rider on a bike with 32mm or wider tyres. This is really a phenomenal ride and we highly recommend it!

Above: Viejas Grade

Above: Descanso store

Above: Boulder Creek

Above: Peter Bridge at the bottom of Boulder Creek

Above: Boulder Creek at the very bottom. Not much water in July!

Above: Catching some shade on the ascent out of Boulder Creek

Above: Working our way up and out of Boulder Creek

Above: Rookie Rough Rider Eric Larson with his Moots YBB CX

Above: After a refresh/refuel at Lake Cuyamaca

Here's a link to the video slideshow.
Turn up your speakers: enjoy the music & pix!

Route Sheet:
The 58 mile loop starts and finishes at the relatively new Starbux located at 2963 Alpine Blvd in Alpine, CA 91901 (along the I-8 corridor in eastern San Diego County). (Start location and mapping here.)
0.0 Start at Starbux in Alpine and head east on Alpine Blvd. (El. 2080')
1.1 Cross over I-8 at West Willows Rd.
1.3 Continue east on the opposite (north) side of the freeway.
2.1 Veer left shortly thereafter on Viejas Grade Rd. into the Indian Reservation.
4.7 Road turns to gravel - head uphill into Rough Rider heaven!
8.6 Summit Viejas Grade (still gravel).
9.0 Pavement resumes: Continue straight and downhill to Descanso.
11.2 Left on Oak Grove Drive (at Perkins Store in Descanso: GET WATER!)
12.8 Right on Boulder Creek (but first check out the llamas on the left at the turn).
16.6 Pass Sherilton Valley Road (Need to investigate this road. Looks interesting.)
16.9 Pass Dubois Truck Trail on left (Need to also research this dirt road). (El. 2780')
17.9 Pavement ends! (El. 3340')
23.6 Bottom of the canyon. Careful for water running across the road. (El. 2500'; 2:30 elapsed time)
24.0 Pass Ranchita Margarita: watch for ostriches.
24.5 This is the very bottom of Boulder Creek Canyon, during 1/3 mile of pavement.
25.7 Pass two truck trails on the left at a hairpin. (Need to research them, too!) (El. 2780')
29.5 Tiny church and a cemetery on the right, within the Inaja Reservation.
29.8 Mile Marker 17. (El. 3630'; 3:40 elapsed time)
30.8 Pavement resumes: Right (uphill) on Engineers Road at Pine Hills Fire Station (where you can get water if you need it).
34.7 Summit.
36.0 Right on SR 79 (Stop Sign, T-Int.): Go around Lake Cuyamaca.
36.6 Lake Cuyamaca Store on left; Food and drinks for sale. Bathroom down and around in back. (El. 4410'; 4:50 elapsed time)
39.0 Pass the Paso Picacho State Park on right; begin descent.
44.3 Pass East Mesa Fire Road on left (Must research this dirt road!) (El. 3770')
45.0 Pass Oakzanita Springs / 1000 Trails on left. Bathroom and store.
47.7 Pass Viejas Blvd on right (or you take it and get to the same place after passing the Perkins Store in Descanso); fruit stand.
47.9 Right to continue on SR 79 (Stop Sign, T-Int.). (El. 3390')
49.3 Pass Riverside Drive (our outbound route earlier). (El. 3210')
49.8 About a mile before hitting the I-8, turn right on Wildwood Glen Ln (AKA "Mad Max Road").
50.8 About a mile later, there is a gate across the road and then the pavement starts to disappear: keep going to the end!
52.1 Hike down onto I-8 and continue west on I-8 (this is a bike-legal shoulder).
53.5 Take first offramp, then left over the freeway, then right on Alpine Blvd, continuing west back to Alpine.
56.8 Cross West Willows Rd. (the way we headed out this morning); continue straight west.
58.0 Finish at Alpine Starbux. (El. 2080'; 6:20 elapsed time)

Riders and Bikes:

Brad Zlotnick on his 1989 Miyata Elevation 5000 mountain bike (fully rigid)
Peter Bridge on his Redline CX bike
Dustin Sharp on his ti Black Sheep with Rohloff hub
Chris Kostman on his 1984 Holdsworth road bike with Ritchey 32mm cross tyres
Elizabeth on his 1974 Williams road bike converted to 650B wheels
John Byrne on his GT I-Drive with 6" of travel, front and rear mountain bike (dual suspension)
Bob Hartman on his Fuso by Dave Moulton
John Corkill on his Aegis carbon CX bike
Lawrence Cayton on his Lemond CX bike
Mark Tolivar on his 1972 Albert Eisentraut
Eric Larson on his ti Moots YBB XC bike

Thanks for your enthusiasm, everyone, and thanks especially to all the Rough Riders who rode today! We look forward to seeing you "out there" soon! (Stay tuned for the announcement of another Semi-Epic Rough Ride in the near future!)

New Logos, New Adventures

We are very excited to share the Rough Riders Rally logo with you here! This is an important step for us as we don't like to really move forward, publicly and officially, with a new event or endeavour until we have the logo ready. Well, the logo is done and the official RR Rally page is online here, so we hope you will mark your calendar for July 23-25, 2010 and plan to participate!

We've also revised the original Rough Riders logo: it has an updated Spanish Bayonet, the distinctive yucca plant which is featured on the logo and which we encounter so frequently here in Southern California on our cycling adventures. The original RR logo's Spanish Bayonet never quite "worked" for us; the new one is much more accurate. It will take a little while to get this new logo online everywhere we use it. If you're got the RR logo on your site or blog, thank you; please contact us to get the updated version to use (or just grab it from here, with or without the URL at the bottom)!

Finally, also here is a first look at the new Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic logo, which you will note incorporates the Spanish Bayonet, since they are to be found all over the Mount Laguna region and the route for this event. Although this event takes place entirely on paved roads, it is EPIC and it will be held in one of our favorite rough riding areas! Please also mark your calendars for April 17, 2010 for this exciting new event in southern San Diego County! More info about the MLBC.
All of these works of art were created by Bill Oetinger, a life-long endurance cyclist, charter member of the Rough Riders, and one of the main driving forces behind the legendary Terrible Two Double Century in Sonoma County. Thanks, Bill! Here is Bill's website; he's also an excellent bike tour organizer and purveyor of bike touring routes.