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Subject: BADD Ride Report Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999 22:24:34 EDT From: D4er@aol.com

Freaks-

Marin county was under-represented, in this group of strong riders, with about 0% of the riders coming over the bridge to do my epic East Bay ride. So here is what you missed:

1999 BADD Ride (Briones to Antioch Dirt Death Ride) Report

"Welcome to the 4th Annual BADD ride. This is not one of my favorite rides", were my opening remarks to the 19 riders who gathered at Lafayette BART for the start of this BTC sponsored ride to Pittsburg. I was certain that a group that large could not possibly stay together for an all day epic ride, and that was confirmed in the first few miles, which included a very steep climb up to Mariposa fireroad in Briones. The only women on the ride, Stacy and a friend, went back to Lafayette, and Roger and Mark were off the back. We quickly lost all that elevation as we went down Lafayette Ridge fireroad to Pleasant Hill road, and then we climbed through Acalanes Ridge Recreation Area to the paved bike path of Canal Trail in Walnut Creek. The only mechanical that I was aware of, a flat tire, happened on this pavement.

Shell Ridge was as ugly as I remembered it, desolate and sandy, but it took us to Mt. Diablo and the big climb up Wall Point to Rock City. Yes the ride was getting in gear, and the vertical starting to add up. One of the riders setting the pace in the front, started to get cramps, and the pace of the front group seemed to moderate. My pace was steady and slow, with some riders behind, and many in front. The standard route of the BADD ride is Mitchel Canyon, but at my suggestion, with agreement from many, most of the group added the extra climbing to go up to Devil's Elbow, and the steep and deep descent down Prospector's Gap. The BADD ride became the BADDer ride.

Lunch was at the Clayton store, where the riders who did Mitchell Canyon, and the Devil's Elbow people regrouped. We had now been riding about 5 hrs, with about 6,000' of elevation, and some fatigue was evident. A group that had lunch first, took off on the climb to Black Diamond Mines, and about 15 minutes later the second group departed. This first climb from Clayton, goes to the high point in the Park, and then a long swooping descent down to the center of park, where a mine is open for visitors. I had planned on stopping, and making a quick visit to the underground exhibit, but I was ready to get this thing over with, get off my bike, and get to BART.

We joined up with the first group and did the last climb of the day, up Stewardville to the climb up Ridge fireroad. We had great views to the East, with the Central Valley spread out before us. We had climbed all the mountains available. Our work here was done. Unfortunately, after the quick trip by Contra Loma Reservoir, on the 8 miles of paved bike path, Delta DeAnza Trail, to Pittsburg BART, we had steady headwinds of 30 mph. I could tell how tired some in the group were, when they started asking pedestrians for directions, doubting me when I said the path goes to BART.

The most mentally challenging part of the day was figuring out the ticket machines, and getting a ticket that got us back to Lafayette. If you failed this the only choice would be to cycle back to the cars, adding another 50 miles and possibly a new tradional ride, call the Two BADD ride. With that as motivation we all passed this test, and got on the No Showering car of the next train. At dinner that night, Joe Ibis, the only person besides my self who has done all 4 of these rides, suggested that this traditional ride be "retired". Yes, it is ugly. Yes, at the end of the ride you are 50 miles from your car. Yeah, it is hard and long. But, I think the BADD ride should live. My opinion expressed at the beginning, "This is not one of my favorite ridea", is still true, however next year I hope to be able to ride this again. It's a tradition.

Stats: 53 miles, 8,200' of climbing (yikes), 8.5 hours Riders who completed entire ride: Joe Ibis (4th time), Steve De Alba (2nd time), Peter Donohue, Fred Stanke, Steve Parker, Insane Wayne Johnson, Dave Wolden, Phil Kaake, Paul Nideringhaus, Danny Forer (4th time), Michael 'Franco' Kelley (2nd time) Other riders who did some, maybe most, of the ride: Masoud Quzen, Mark Chandler, Roger Dunn, Christian S., Stacy Robbins, Stacy's friend, Dave Warren, Scott Parks Geek Talk: 6 Ti bikes (2 Ibis Mojos, 2 Ibis Bow Ties, 1 Moots, 1 Diamond Back); 1 30lb downhill bike, a dual suspension Intense, who Paul rode and was near, or at, the front of every climb; 1 retro bike, a Bridgestone MB-5, with a retail value of 1/10 of the above bikes, that Steve rode to a strong finish with the group, proving, once again, it is the motor, not the machine that counts.

Danny Forer, 6/13/99