Mid-Week Rides: First ride of the year

7 January 2009

Marc writes:

There were 9 for breakfast for the first ride of the new year, including three first time mid-week riders, Don, Jerry, and Ben. Alas, Ben’s ride with the group was the shortest as he experienced total electrical failure on his KLR as we pulled away after breakfast. Major WWWobble stayed with him as he tried to start his bike and offered to help pull seat, tank, etc. to see what could be seen, but Ben seemed to want to call for help.

I admire his foresight. If you’re going to break down where better than in front of a restaurant where you can stay warm, sipping coffee, waiting for the help to arrive. First time rider Jerry also had minor electrical problems: sometimes his bike doesn’t want to start. After the third no start requiring a push from some of the riders he decided to keep the bike running until he got home. It was his good luck that there were no long stops planned after his last failure-to-start episode.

The map below (javascript required to view map) shows the route, a loop that took the group from Novato to Dillon Beach, Bodega Bay, then north along the Sonoma Coast until turning inland toward Guerneville.
Above Guerneville we took Sweetwater Springs than headed south on Westside, heading home through Sebastopol and picking up 101 at Petaluma.

It was a good way to start the mid-week riding season, albeit a little brisk. The dry, 60 degree temps under blue sky that the forecast called for didn’t quite match the damp, 50 degree temps under gray sky weather we had for much of the ride. I think most of us still had a good time. Sorry Ben. Please try again next ride, OK? I promise that I’ll make sure the start times on the web page match the start times sent out in email to minimize starting confusion, too.