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One-Day Ride from San Jose to
the Great Western Bicycle Rally in Paso Robles
Following the Coastal Route
Friday, May 21, 2010

Important - There is a fee for this ride. Read and study all of these pages. There will be a test for all first-timers to see if they understand how this "leaf frog" system is supposed to work.

For the first time since 1997, this ride is returning to the Coastal Route. This ride starts in San Jose, then caravans to Carmel to begin the actual riding, for a total of 128 miles and 9420 feet of climbing. Many vehicles will be along for SAG support. There will be room to carry everybody's camping equipment. Arrangements will be made for getting everybody back to San Jose.

The riders will be split into 2 groups (A & B), based on their pace level and also on having enough people spread evenly to cover all the driving. Each group will drive every other section. The SAGs do not stay with the riders, but drive ahead to the next SAG stop. Each group tries to keep to its own schedule, which has been made up with the objective of getting everybody to Paso Robles at the same time, while letting each group ride at their own pace and ride their desired number of miles. At every 2nd SAG stop both groups will be together. The estimated finish time for everybody is 5:05 PM. 


Group A, LM pace, 60 miles, 3990 ft 
Group B, M  pace, 68 miles, 5430 ft
Camping will be at the ACTC section in the Paso Robles fairgrounds, and you should already have made your own reservations for GWBR. If you haven't, don't worry, because they do accept late registrations ($10 late fee). We plan to ride Saturday, Sunday, and Monday morning.

There is a $21 fee ($24 after May 19), payable in advance and non-refundable after May 18. This money will be split among the SAG owners for gas, and for bottled water, plus some assorted snacks.

  • Meet :
    • at Don's house (4637 Holycon Circle, off of Branham, near Snell)
    • at 6:15 AM. We try to be all packed and ready to leave by 7:00 AM
  • Bring :
    • bike, shoes, helmet, gloves, waterbottles, repair kit, pump.
    • tent, sleeping bag, clothes for the weekend, swimsuit, towel
  • Provided :
    • an ice chest with ice and sodas, with room to put some stuff.
    • food for the trip down - fruit, cookies, PBJ sandwich makings
    • water for everybody, in one-gallon containers.
    • room for each person's tent, sleeping bag, clothes.
    • floor pump, some assorted tools.
    • Route sheet and schedule for each rider and vehicle.
    • space in the SAGs for your return at the end of GWBR.
Any more questions, or to get your name on the list, contact Don at bikemaster@att.net or call (408)386-1638.

Self-Test for "Leaf Frog" Riding.

  • 1) (T, F) The SAGs do not stay with the riders, but drive ahead to the next SAG stop.
  • 2) (T, F) Each group needs to stay together, and tries to keep to its own schedule,
  • 3) (T, F) Each group rides their own pace and rides their desired number of miles.
  • 4) (T, F) There are elephant seals to be seen at one of the SAG stops.
    Answers: 1)T, 2)T, 3)T, 4)T