VROC - Norcal Get Together at Rick's house 08 21 11 Lil' Doc and Manjo in town

My route today:   Trip to Ricks   Click on this link and it will take you to a full Google Map, and you can look around....

Don VSP blog  

Sherms blog

A blog of my favorite ride, another good crank

Pics are from top to bottom, click on a pic twice to see it full size, text for a pic is under the pic.

Every now and then some outta towner's arrive and Rick Jest throws a get together at his place in Saratoga, Ca.  Lil' Doc and Manjo were here and Rick was up for it!  Thank you VERY much!!    Weather was perfect as was the entire day.

As it's just a 25 mile RT for me, and over a good hill, I opted for my cranky machine.  It's been about 3 years since the last time...

  

About 1 mile from my house is my favorite bike trail and starts at a perculation pond where our ground water gets recharged.  Just terrible the trails I have to ride on!  GBG  Look at that freeway right in the middle!

I stopped to take my T shirt off and up rides my buddy Bob!  He rides so slow he needs a trike to stay up on the steep hill he rides.  Hicks Rd over Mt Umunhum.  You could see the peak on the left of my first pic.

Bob is 81 and has 2 plastic knees and had his chest cracked for a bypass, he learned his lesson!  Eat right and exercise!  He was on a troop ship to Korea when the armistice was signed.

I wanted to stop for a pic and he kept on going, ....  We chatted a bit and I went ahead, he was running a tad slow...

Beginningof Hicks Rd... crazy bikers ahead...  lots of folks ride it, me too every now and then.

Take a right on Shannon to Kennedy...

Nice little twisty road...

Nice scoot road... I waited for the pic....

Beginning of Kennedy, it starts right UP!!!   More to follow...

Nice hairpin turn up ahead....

This is where I was, bit of a climb.....  I have a 22 front gear and 34 rear for power... The distance from there to here is about 3 blocks...

Almost at the top, nice group of Eucalyptus trees....

If you look close at the tan spot over the edge of the road, you can see some folks walking...

And there they are.  This trail goes up about 2500' in 4 miles of fire road, gravel...

I've done it a few times and there is always a story involved.... very steep...

Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve, nice country, plan on a day trip!

And I'm headed over the hill down into this country...

Get down into town...

And lo and behold, it's now a scenic route?!!!!  GBG  Thought it all was!

They do have some nice homes here....

And Rick's is one very nice home!  And what is this?????!!!!!   I had to crank over hill and Dale, arrive exactly at 1300 and I'm the first one here?????????!!!!!!!!!  GBG

Gorgeous pool...

First rate cooking area...

As I was the first one there, Rick and I were watching the Giants go thru their normal painful example of playing baseball, stomping all over them selves...  

We hear a scoot go by, and I'll go out on a limb here..  I don't think Rick hears many of them!  Jumped up with my camera.....

So far, it's 100%, I overshot the driveway and so did Lil' Doc... 

Settling in....

Still 100%, Jim and Cat S arriving...

Don VSP broke the chain, and arrived at the right place, had a smoke and took some pics of Jim and Cat arriving...

The LA contingent arriving...

Cat, Jim, Rick and VSP saying a howdy!

Lil' Doc had brought some flowers for Rick's family and his wife Colleen was preparing them, they smelled great!

Jim and Cat were thirsty and Rick took them out to his garage were he had a reffer.  Great garage!  Lots of tools and room!!!

Sherm and his BIL Richard from Santa Rosa arriving. 

Howard S (NIte Lite), wife Linda and son Brian also made it.

Sorry for the pics, still getting used to camera...  Lil' Doc, Jim, Cat Linda and Howard..

Lil' Doc, Brian, Cat, Colleen....

Colleen and Rick listening to Sherm, IIrc.

And here is Sherm and BIL Richard, BTW  Richard is 75 and running a wing,   Keep on riding!

Manjo finally made it!  He had to do something and was late...  Shaking hands with Howard.

Manjo, Lil' Doc, Brian and Cat, Howard is in back and he's "going in"!! 

And there goes the Great White!!  He and Brian both enjoyed the pool, along with Rick's family.

Sherm and Richard were about to head out as I was, had some crankin' to do!  Thought I'd take a pic of the "bikes"!!!  GBG

Another shot from the top of Kennedy, the upper house, is where the trail starts really climbing up...  it goes real close....

Well, look what happened by time I got home!   Tripped to 82K on the cranky odometer!!!   Heck, it's starting to add up!!! '15.... 100K... God Willing...

Great day!  Nice to meet new old friends!  Typical VROC gathering, just fun!  Great to see Sherm before he heads south... I sense a ride coming up in the distant future....

Thanks again Rick!!!  

And BTW, you said I didn't want to know how the Giants were doing...  THEY WON!!!!!!!!!!!   Holy Farglesnot!!!!!!!!!! Miracles can happen!!!  Play it Tiny!!!!!