Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Whine and Dine Today

SHANNON/KENNEDY AND HALF HICKS, OTHER HALF HICKS OPTIONAL

Both LM and M rides share this route. This ride is mostly in the shade, so the heat should not be as much of a factor. 3LM or M, (5 and 6 M optional), a good ride with a very hard M option! Note the route sheet lists the climb to the top of Hicks. But this days ride turns around at the switchback where the hard climb starts with the rest of Hicks as an option. If you want to do the option be prepared for a harder, longer and a challenging ride. We may not be there for the option. LM riders are discouraged from doing all of Hicks. M riders also have the option to not do all Hicks. so plan to do it with a buddy! Bring water and ride safe.

PDF version of route sheet is here

LOST WATER BOTTLE

This is from Barry Burr:
Do you know if anyone picked up an absent-mindedly forgotten waterbottle left on the table at the burrito place two wednesday night ago?  It is tall, 27oz., mustard yellow, from Sun Bike Shop.  Not majorly important but would like to recover it if possible.  Or if its appropriate use of your list, could you send a request out?
thanks,
Barry

RRR WHINE AND DINE WINE PICK UP

Some folks are coming by my house after dinner to pick up the wine that has been living there in air conditioned comfort since the Russian River Rally.

As always riders in this evenings ride are invited to join us for food and liquid refreshments. Bringing a bottle of wine or some beer to share after the ride is encouraged.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Foothill College teacher dies from Skyline crash

Foothill College teacher dies from Skyline crash
Confusion leads to delayed reporting

by David Boyce
Almanac Staff

Foothill College teacher Tom Colby Maddox, 65, of Portola Valley died of apparent head injuries July 15 three days after he was hit by a car while bicycling on Skyline Boulevard.

Maddox and longtime friend and fellow Foothill teacher Tom Strand of Los Altos, were biking in Woodside just north of Highway 84.

Police reports on the accident were delayed due to California Highway Patrol officers from the Redwood City office being at a service for an officer who recently died.

Maddox died at Stanford Hospital.

Reports from the CHP and San Mateo County Sheriff's Office differ in key respects, including the color, make and model of the vehicle that struck Maddox, the date of the accident and the extent of Maddox's injuries.

Strand said the accident happened between 11 and 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, on Skyline about a half mile north of Highway 84.

The two men were traveling south on the two-lane road in a section with a steep bank but no shoulder or bike lane, Strand said. They were just emerging from a series of S turns on a slight downhill grade and moving at the "speed of traffic," about 30 miles per hour, he said.

Strand said he was about 50 yards ahead of Maddox when he "heard a crash, like somebody dropping a tray full of dishes." He turned back to find Maddox splayed in the road, his helmet still on and two cars pulled over.

The vehicle that hit Maddox was a blue Subaru Forester driven by Redwood City resident Beverly Oaks, 81, CHP Officer Steve Perea said.

Stacy Binns, a resident of San Mateo who was driving about two car lengths behind Oaks, said Maddox was occupying about a third of the lane when the Subaru "sped up a bit and went to pass (him) on a curve with a double-yellow line." The Subaru "shot back in before she passed Tom, and she sideswiped him," Binns said.

"I don't think he knew she was coming," she said. There was no traffic coming from the other direction, she said.

"It was a horrible, horrible accident. It just didn't make any sense. It shouldn't have happened. I think about him every day. It's heart-rending."

Binns said she sent her daughter to find a resident with a land line to call 911 after attempts to use a cell phone failed due to poor reception.

Oaks and Binns waited at the scene for the CHP to arrive, Binns said.

Strand said an ambulance came after about 30 minutes and medics drove the unconscious Maddox to Stanford Hospital. Plans to use a helicopter fell through because the nearest one was too far away, Strand said he was told.

Damage to Maddox's helmet indicated an impact just behind his left ear, Strand said, adding that he was told by a physician at Stanford that Maddox died from head injuries.

The CHP and the Sheriff's Office split duties in patrolling Skyline, a state highway, with the CHP handling traffic and the Sheriff's Office handling general law enforcement.

Deputies from the Sheriff's Office arrived in minutes, Lt. Ken Jones said. Firefighters and medics responded quickly as well, Capt. Rob Lindner of the Woodside Fire Protection District reported.

But on July 12 the Redwood City CHP office of the CHP was on reduced duty to commemorate an officer who had recently died, with patrol duties being covered by the San Francisco and San Jose offices.

The nearest available CHP officer was about 30 miles away and took nearly an hour to get to the scene, Officer Perea of the San Jose office reported.

By the time the CHP officer arrived the scene had been cleared, Perea said.

"I was surprised about how little (the officers) asked me," Binns said. "It was a deadly accident."

The CHP initially reported that Oaks was driving a white Toyota and that the accident occurred on July 15.

The Sheriff's Office report had Oaks in a charcoal minivan, leaving the scene of the accident and driving over Maddox. The report also stated that his injuries indicated "some bleeding (but) nothing serious."

An obituary on Maddox is at www.paloaltoonline.com

Monday, July 24, 2006

Memories of Grete

Grete and George on Mountain

We have been thinking a lot about Grete and George
Sue and I have been thinking a lot about the memorial service we went to yesterday. Grete's death was so tragic and sad and it has been very hard on her family and friends, us included. It was so touching to see the turnout and the support of so many of her family and friends, despite the extreme heat. Neither Sue nor I will ever forget it. The loving nature of Grete was remembered in so many ways by so many people. George spoke about their love, some of the favorite times he and his wife shared and about how they met. She is missed by so many of us who loved her.

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RRR Whine and Dine Adventure

Camera Phone post: Cyclists at winery
Our whine-and-dine ride on Saturday the 22nd started with 11 of us riding to Occidental from the campground at Casini Ranch. From there about six of us went to Freestone to visit Wildflour Bread, a great bakery there, while the remainder of us had second breakfast at Howard's Station in Occidental. We then rejoined on Graton Road as we descended into Sebastapol.

It got hot, I mean really hot! When we got to Pellegrini Winery they were very welcoming. We had liberal wine pourings and personal tour of the place. We had a great time and bought a lot of wine (to pick up later.) The ride back was an ordeal, with temps well into the triple digits. Despite the heat everybody seemed to have a great time.

Friday, July 21, 2006

RRR Whine and Dine Option

This is the route sheet for the 2006 Whine and Dine Option at the Russian River Rally.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Grete Johnson Remembered

Grete Riders at top of Kennedy

Whine and Dine Remembrance Ride for Grete Johnson
In 1975 Grete graduated from Los Gatos High School. Yesterday, just over 31 years later, a group of her friends gathered just down the street from that school for a bicycle ride in her memory. Before the ride all who were there who knew Grete shared memories about what a nice person she was. A friend and fellow cyclist who knew Grete from Toastmasters rode with us. We rode together as one group. We stopped at the top of Kennedy for a group photo. There were so many of us that folks on the side of the road stopped to watch us go by. After the ride we went to Una Mas to see more people there who did not go on the ride. We had a line out the door of the restaurant and out into the parking lot, somebody noted, "this is the largest number of people we had ever had here." There was easily 55 people attending between the ride and the dinner.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

About today's ride for Grete

If it is convenient, and you want to, I suggest riders who are in ACTC consider wearing a club jersey to the special Grete remembrance Whine and Dine ACTC ride that starts today at 6pm at Summit Bikes, at 111 E. Main Street in Los Gatos, CA. Non-riders are welcome to show up around seven or later to Una Mas. More information is in previous posts.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Wednesday's ride dedicated to Grete

Whine and Dine Friends:
We would like to dedicate Wednesday's Whine and Dine rides to Grete Johnson who died last week. Grete was a Whine and Dine rider, long term member of ACTC and a friend to many of us. In her memory we would like to combine all the rides together and to ride together as one group. The route will be an easy one and a link to it is provided below. This is not to be confused with the official ACTC memorial ride which will likely occur in September. After the ride we will come together at the usual place for fellowship, friendship, support and to share good memories of our friend and fellow whine and diner.

The ride starts Wednesday, at 6pm at Summit Bikes (408) 339-9142, at 111 E. Main Street in Los Gatos, CA. After the ride we will go to Burritos at the usual place, Una Mas, also in Los Gatos.

PDF of route sheet here

Grete Johnson passed away on Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Grete on a ride

All are welcome to join in a memorial service at 7:00 pm on Sunday, July 23, as detailed below.

A memorial ride will be held later, and will be listed in the Black and Blue Bottom.

When:
Sunday, July 23, 2006

Time:
7:00 pm

Where:
Los Gatos United Methodist Church
111 Church Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
phone - 408-354-4730

Directions:
http://www.lgumc.org/contact.htm

Additional:
Following the service there will be an opportunity to continue sharing in the patio area. Please bring finger food to share.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to:
Alzheimer's Association
Northern California & Northern Nevada
2065 W. El Camino Real, Suite C
ountain View, CA 94040
Web: http://www.alznorcal.org/donations/donations.asp 

The VMC Foundation - TurningWheels for Kids
2400 Moorpark Ave Suite 309
San Jose, CA 95128 
Web: http://www.turningwheelsforkids.org/ds/

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Just last May

Grete at GWBR

Whine and Dine: Last Wednesday's M Ride

Cyclists at Sanborn

Cyclists at Sanborn
Last Wednesday evening we had a very pleasant ride up to the youth hostle outside of Saratoga. Steve Carney, Peter White, Colin Johnson, Brian Abbott, Deb Lefferts, Candy Elezy, and Chuck Shultz rode with Jeff and I.

Whine and Dine Warriors

Please read this in its entirety!
In years past we had a separate mail list for the whine and dine rides that was not part of the ACTC mail list. This worked well for several reasons:

  • Not all whine and diners were ACTC members
  • Not all whine and dine events (like private parties) were ACTC events
  • Not all whine and dine communications were deemed appropriate for the ACTC E-list (like info about whine and dine non-cycling social events or riders)

This year I got lazy and just started sending notices to the ACTC E-list while copying it to a few non-members. This has become more cumbersome than just maintaining a separate list and has run into some problems. So, I have decided to go back to the old way of doing things. I am sending this notice out to the 2005 list as well as the E-list (so some folks will get it twice.)

If you would like to be on the whine and dine 2006 list please send me an E-mail and let me know you want to be added. If you do not want to be on the list, but still want to get whine and dine information, you may do so at this blog. Note: this blog is not, and these E-mails are not, an official ACTC communication. This is on my own account and is "off the reservation."

I plan to post everything I send to the Whine and Dine list to this blog. So you can get the info here without even being on any mail list!

If you want to be on the whine and dine 2006 email list send me that email to s_sloan@mac.com and say "Sign Me Up!"
~Steve

Friday, July 14, 2006

Great local cyclist

Bob McDermand

Bob McDermand is a local cyclist, a good friend and a uber rider. Recently Bob retired and so what is he doing to celebrate his retirement? He is riding across the US, and back again! His story is here.

In 2001 I wrote a story on Bob for Cycle California when he turned 60. That story is here.

Friends through many miles

Grete Johnson, 2003

Our bike club is like a family. When we ride together we talk and talk and talk. After the rides we socialize and talk more. Those of us who have been in the club for years share many miles together. We have been through many hills and many valleys together. We look out for each other. When we have problems we wait for and we help each other. That is what families do. There are folks in the club who are closer to me than some of my siblings. These folks, they are my family.

One Tough Cookie a story and great memories by Grete Johnson.

Thursday, July 13, 2006