Bill Bliss Story #3

Here is a link to Bill Bliss's story about his trip down Hwy I-5 in 1997.
-Donny

Bill Bliss Story #2

My first memory of Bill Bliss was back in 1991. He was leading a ride down to GWBR, so I decided to come along. This was my first time, so Bill showed me the route. Bill had been riding this route for many years, going south of Hollister on Hwy 25 on some very isolated roads. Bill showed me all of the places to stop for water and food. We ate breakfast at Jerry's in Hollister, and Bill would always tip with a $2 bill, saying it was more special that way. I've used this same route every year since then, leading a group or riders down to the Rally. But it was going along with Bill that first time that made this route possible.

-Donny

Bill Bliss Story #1

I have one story about Bill that shows what a really tough guy he was.  Way back in '83/'84, when we worked together at Lockheed, he fell on his commute to work since it was SNOWING!  He got up, continued on the trip and got to work.  He had broken his pelvis. I sensed something on the other side of my cubicle wall and got up to see why it was moving. It was Bill, hanging onto it for support. He was having a very hard time walking!   Eventually, his boss got him to agree to go to the doctor and they wheeled him out of the building on an office chair.  He was told not to cycle for 6 weeks, but I think he was back on his bike before then.
~ Sandy Vaurs

Editorial: Thoughts from the saddle

Bicycle riding can be many things. It can be very social where you ride for hours laughing and talking with your friends. It can also be very solitary and an opportunity to spend a lot of time with yourself and your thoughts. Maybe that is why partly I love it so much, I get a lot out of both these activities. Cycling has been something I have been thinking so much about since the death of Bill Bliss and with the death last August 4th of ACTC club member James Mills on a club ride. Is it worth it? Yes, I think despite the lurking danger, the threat of sudden death around the next bend, I think it is. But never forget to be careful out there.

Picture of Bill Bliss

Bill Bliss Remembered

Bill Bliss Obituary

Here is a link to the obituary published in the June 28, 2005 San Jose Mercury News.

The end of the ride

Susie met me in San Francisco at the end of my Sierra to the Sea bicycle ride. She was visibly happy to see me and proud of my ride. I can't think of anything more wonderful to see than her smiling face.


Sadly we just learned yesterday of the death of Bill Bliss, another member of our bicycle club, while riding his bike. That is the second death of a member of our club while riding a bike in the last year. Bicycle riding in traffic is a clearly dangerous activity.

Back from the journey

I have returned from my bike tour!
Sierra to the Sea 2005 was a great bike tour. It was a bit cooler than past years and that was to the better. I had some great ride and saw many old friends and made new ones. I just returned yesterday so I have not yet processed a lot of the memories. On the last day many of the riders talked about their journeys. It impressed me that the experiences everybody shared were so different that at times they could have been talking about different trips. I guess life, and bicycle tours, is like that.

Kenneth has moved to his new home
Today I helped youngest son Ken move his bed and some of his belongings to his new place. Tonight is his first night in his own place. For me, for the first time since 1976, the nest is empty.

I am going off the grids

I will be a short turn drop out
For the next nine days I will be off the Internet grid and off the power grid. I will be on a bicycle touring the middle of California. If you want more information I will be on the Sierra to the Sea. I am really looking forward to the adventure and will blog about it after I return.

Blog full disclosure statement
Every now and then I like to post a link to each of my six blogs. This link gives a more honest view of my Internet identity than does reading one or two of the blogs alone.

Final Version of July BBB Posted

The final version of the July newsletter is posted [ download here, 1 MB PDF ]. It is done! It has the new calendar. No more edits will be allowed. The newsletter is finished and has gone to press!
~Steve

The Whine and Dine ride

Yesterday was the longest after work Whine and Dine ride for me this year. Next week I will be gone, then the days start getting shorter. It was a great ride!

Second alpha version on July 2005 BBB posted!

The second "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the newsletter is posted [ download here ]. It is the first 14 pages and may have missing content! It has the new calendar and the ride schedule. No edits have been applied to the ride schedule. More will be posted as it becomes available. The newsletter will be finished and will go to press tomorrow!
~Steve

First alpha of July 2005 BBB Posted

The first "alpha version [ definition here ]" of the newsletter is posted here. It is just the first page and may have missing content! More will be posted as it becomes available.
~Steve

July Newletter Queue Link

Contributors to the BBB are urged to check the queue to confirm the status of their contributions. The queue for the July issue is here:
http://homepage.mac.com/s_sloan/bbb/200507/

Tour the Coast of Pacific Northwest

For information only: Join members ACTC for a tour of the Pacific Coast, from Portland to San Francisco, August 1st to 14th.  We'll take Amtrak to the start in Portland, ride to Astoria and then south along the Oregon and California coast and finish up by crossing the Golden Gate.  It will be a self contained tour with camping along the way, and dining in local restaurants.  We'll average 50 to 60 miles a day, with stops for sightseeing and photography along the way.  The Oregon Coast is some of the most dramatic shoreline in the US.
Cost is limited to just your own expenses for food, any camping fees and the Amtrak ticket to Portland. 
For more information, contact:
Scott Brown
408-238-3848
svbrown1@mindspring.com

Whine and Dine Options

Whine and Dine Warriors:
Speaking only for the mellow ride! It looks like rain, the forecast is rain. But, so far, no rain. Here is the options as I see them:

• Wet pavement at start of ride - Cancels Ride!
• Threatening skies but dry pavement - We do an abbreviated "Bullwinkle Ride"
  
• No rain, clear skies - We go to Sanborn (Our first six of 2005)

Also don't forget the almost whine and dine "After Work Dirty Ride" mountain bike rides that Richard Holtermann is leading on Thursdays. If you like to do it in the dirt whine and dine style, these are great rides.

Happy Trails:
~Steve

It's whine and dine time and the riding is easy!

We had fantastic riding weather today. It was about as good as it gets! It was a warm evening too. It was perfect for sitting outside and enjoying good friends, good food and good wine! This is indeed as good as it gets.