Yesterday I did the Silicon Valley Ride for the first time. I arranged to carpool with Tom Martin, who also lives in Oakland. What I didn't tell Tom is that I hadn't yet thrown a leg over the bike I planned to bring, (1981 Moser) that it needed pedals, a chain, tires glued, adjustment for fit and who knows what adjustment for drivetrain and brakes. Heh. Sunday morning I threw a chain and pedals on it, found a pair of clincher wheels that would suffice, kissed the kids and wife goodbye, loaded up and got to his house only half an hour late.
Tom brought a very unique Benotto track bike with swept upright bars and streamers to the ride. We drove towards the 10:00 meeting place at about 10:15, anxiously looking for vintage riders on vintage bikes, wearing vintage jerseys and talking about vintage lightweight bicycle things, but not politics. Neither of us had been to the ride before, nor did we know Los Altos, or when exactly we'd find the right cross-street. We saw plenty of vintage riders on new bikes, and started making plans for catching a theoretical group of riders, reckoning they'd probably go... left, towards the hills. Assuming we'd find the route they'd taken, we'd overtake them on some quiet country road, go a little up the road, run out of the truck like Starsky and Hutch and do cyclocross starts as the peloton whirred past us.
Maybe it was the coffee, or the still vivid memories of the Tour de France peloton thundering around the Champs Elysees earlier that morning. We were relieved to see a street sign for "Main" and soon, a parking lot populated by the muted wooly colors we'd been expecting. Whew! Waving, we pulled into a lot populated by maybe twelve or so friendly riders. This was definitely the place: centerpull brakes, pinstripes and a relaxed and enthusiastic group of riders. And there were some folks I recognized like Jan and Peter Johnson and Bob Freitas, and many faces to me. Felix had us all provide a brief introduction, and soon we were riding. Peter and Jan led the way.
I will admit right now that I am a rabbit.
The pace was very relaxed. We had a gentle promenade. I rolled near the front out of habit, afraid that soon the pace would be picking up. (It's instinct, but you can see the kind of group rides I'm used to.) I kept expecting that sky-blue and white jersey on the front to go all Coppi on me. I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't know where I was going either, yet I kept finding myself at the front. Yeah, one of those guys! Sorry for stringing things out, folks. Luckily Brad Stockwell on his nifty Gitane felt like going a little quicker, _and_ he knew where we were going. That's a plus.
Someone called Bob Freitas' cellphone, said he was running late and so Bob had us pull into a park-and-ride lot, where the mystery caller (Bob didn't catch the name) would meet us with a friend. It turned out to be Peter Chu on a Pinarello and his new-to-riding friend. We sat around, joked, got to know each other a bit better while we waited for the riders. After a while, Peter Chu arrived on his Pinarello, with his friend. (Didn't get a chance to meet his friend or see his bike and sadly, never saw Peter or his friend again that day.)
At that point we had:
Felix Chiu Bianchi Specialissima Peter Johnson Bianchi Specialissima Jan Johnson Peter Johnson Bob Freitas Eisentraut Mark Leright Eisentraut Tom Martin Bennoto Greg Davis San Rensho tandem (captain) Lora Lutz San Rensho tandem (stoker) Greg Lutz Bob Jackson Paul Williams Rossin Tom Rawson Richard Moon Mark St. Martin Paramount Brad Stockwell Gitane Peter Chu Pinarello (Peter's friend) ? Morgan Fletcher Moser
We rolled out onto some very beautiful roads. I can't tell you what roads we were on, but soon we were in Woodside. I was riding "piano" when this streak of color tore past me on the left. Jan had taken the Woodside city limits sign at a speed like Petacchi in the Ciclamino.
We stopped at a nice little market in Woodside for water, then rolled a bit further on and had lunch at a nice cafe - the Plantation Cafe? Everyone was relaxed and friendly. A beautiful Hetchins was leaning against a post, and the rider - Reg Stocking - announced he'd joined us the easy way, by bike and train. Soon after, another couple joined us: Sarah and Dave Clementson, riding a Waterford and Gitane respectively. I can't tell you about all conversations, but topics ranged far and wide. Except, not as wide as politics. Paul told us the cool story behind his retro NCNCA district champion's jersey. (Cindy Olivarri's!) After a lazy lunch we rolled off at a lazy pace, except for a rather high-speed sequence involving Greg and Lora on the 3 Rensho tandem. Greg signalled a right, some made it and some didn't! The rubber band of riders expanded then contracted, we regrouped and were once more gruppo compatto. More idiots (Yo!) went off the front who didn't know where they were going, but Peter finally reined us in and got us on the right road. Soon after, Peter and Jan pulled off for home, and in the conversational blink of an eye we were back at the parking lot.
Folks hung out, chit-chatted, gossipped about Lance and the tour, talked about bikes and said goodbyes. Tom Martin transacted with Bob Freitas for a nice old purple Jack Taylor tandem frame, which went into the back of my truck with the swaying, clashing Bennoto and Moser. Eh, more patina. (Sorry, Tom.) Here are some pics from Bob's camera, of the post-ride group:
http://www.birfield.com/
(Click twice to see a full-size image.)
After a parts run to San Jose (for my other hobby) we were back on the road to Oakland.
I'd like to do an East Bay vintage ride. I know there's plenty of us in Oakland, Walnut Creek. We've got a nice, mellow route in Berkeley/Oakland - Montclair - Skyline - Grizzly Peak - Euclid - lunch back on the flats. Let's do it!
Morgan "Is this the bell lap?" Fletcher Oakland, CA