Monday, September 16, 2013

Itinerary & Details - Ride Week!

A few pieces of information that will likely be of interest to those on the ride follows. Please email me if you are attending and haven't received an email from me this week so I can add you for any details in the next few days.

Please note this year's route is different than last year's.  We are going with a more direct route (shorter) and different scenery.  The biggest downside to this option is we'll be riding on Highway 67 for a good portion of the ride.  It has a large shoulder and is really pretty, but will probably result in more miles with higher speed traffic.
  • Updated itinerary follows, map is here.
    • 6:30 AM - I'll be at Dog Beach in Ocean Beach welcoming everyone
    • 7 AM - Ride begins!
    • 12:30 PM - Lunch break, potentially in Ramona
    • 5:30 PM - Arrive in Julian.  Cabin address is 2112 Whispering Pines Drive, Julian, CA 92036
      •  (Google Maps estimates 7 hours, 32 minutes for the 65 mile ride.  Adding an hour for lunch and two additional hours for cushion puts us around 5:30 PM but may be a bit later than this - we really want to arrive by nightfall and this should be plenty of cushion.)
    • 7:30 PM - After a bit of rest and showering up head to Bailey BBQ (2307 Main St  Julian, CA 92036) for dinner.  Great food and in-house brewery.  Fun will be had!
    • 8 AM (Next Day) - Gather up things and head back down the mountain toward Ocean Beach
    • 2 PM - Estimated arrival time in San Diego / Ocean Beach.  As we approach OB we'll probably split off for our various homes instead of taking it all the way to the ocean.  The way down is much, much, much easier.


  • Support vehicle 
    • We'll have a 2003 Ford Focus station wagon as our support vehicle.  Inside will be water, snacks, bike repair gear (pump, some tire tubes, etc.).  We'll also have ratchet straps for putting bikes on the top if necessary and some righteous tunes.  If you have a tent, bag, or other items you can put them in the car at the start instead of carrying them but please pack light so there's room for all.
  • Gear 
    • Saturday is looking like a high of 77 in North Park, temps will rise as we head inland so be prepared and bring water with you. Some other items that you will probably want (and I'll have most of these in the support vehicle as well):
    • Water bottle 
    • Suncreen 
    • Bike repair kit (tubes, pump, etc.) 
    • Lights for bicycle! 
    • Helmet 
    • Cash - for snacks, drinks, lunch, etc. 
    • Phone (with charger) 
    • Tent - everyone is welcome to stay at the cabin I've rented but we won't have room inside for everyone
Please share with anyone that might be interested and I'm looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!

If you can take photos or videos along the ride I would appreciate it so I can post them after the event and use for promoting next year's ride. Also, tweets (hashtag: #RiverRide), facebook posts, emails, and other ways of spreading the word about this awesome event would be great!

Email me if you want to join in the fun and looking forward to a great time. Of course, you can show up on the day of the event but I'd appreciate a heads up in advance.

Excited for a great ride and see you soon!

- John Anderson
john.patrick.anderson@gmail.com
619-727-7867

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Registration Now Open - Please Sign-Up Using this Link

I decided to do an event registration on Brown Paper Tickets which is now open.  If you're planning to attend the ride please register at the link below - if you have more than one person in your party just select the correct amount before checking out.  There is no cost to register, I mostly wanted to have a site where everyone can register and have heard good things about this service provider.

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/451581

Thanks and see you on September 21st!


Monday, August 19, 2013

Updated Event Information - Including Lodging!

We're about one month out from the 2nd Annual Ride for the River Park on September 21 and 22 - I hope you're getting excited.  Please spread the word and invite friends, family, strangers, and visitors to join us for a great time.  I've been working on getting things squared away and wanted to share some news.

  1. Lodging - I've rented a cabin so we'll be able to shower up after the ride up to Julian. The cabin is located at 2112 Whispering Pines Driver, Julian, CA 92036, about one mile from historic downtown Julian.  The cottage isn't huge but has beds for six and is on a 5 acre property so we can also park vehicles and / or tents next to the cottage to accommodate everyone.  For photos and details see the listing here.
  2. Event day rough itinerary
    1. 6:30 AM - I'll be at Dog Beach in Ocean Beach welcoming everyone
    2. 7 AM - Ride begins!
    3. 12:30 PM - Lunch break.  I'm thinking at the Barona Casino since they have a food court and we could also use the restrooms, etc.  Definitely open to suggestions.
    4. 5:30 PM - Arrive in Julian. (Google Maps estimates 7 hours, 21 minutes for the 60.1 mile ride.  Adding an hour for lunch and two additional hours for cushion puts us around 5:30 PM but may be a bit later than this - really want to arrive by nightfall.)
    5. 7:30 PM - After a bit of rest and showering up head to Bailey BBQ for dinner.  Great food and in-house brewery.  Fun will be had!
    6. 8 AM (Next Day) - Gather up things and head back down the mountain toward Ocean Beach
    7. 2 PM - Estimated arrival time in San Diego / Ocean Beach.  We can all bike back to the ocean or split off for our various homes and we get back into town.  The way down is much, much, much easier.
Below are some of the details for the ride and photos from last year's ride.




The 2nd annual Ride for the River Park will take place September 21 and 22, 2013.  This event is to raise awareness for the San Diego River and The San Diego River Park Foundation (SDRPF) (the premier organization working for conservation and improvements throughout the San Diego River watershed).

Time & Date

We'll leave Dog Beach in Ocean Beach at 7 AM on Saturday, September 21, 2013 headed for Julian.  The way out is almost entirely uphill but will be a fun time.  Here's a link to Google Maps for the route details.

Support

There will be a VW Westphalia camper-van accompanying riders as a support vehicle.  We'll have a motorized air pump, some snacks and drinks, and the vehicle itself for riders needing assistance or a pick up.

Price

All riders are responsible for their own food and drink.  This ride is not sponsored by nor affiliated with SDRPF.  However, the ride is intended to raise awareness for this organization and if you would like to make a donation it would be greatly appreciated and help to ensure San Diego County has great natural resources in the future.  Donations can be made online here.

If You'd Like to Attend

Let me know and invite others to join as well.  You can let me know via the following methods:

  • Facebook Event
  • Email - ridefortheriverpark@gmail.com (or john.patrick.anderson@gmail.com)
Here are some more photos of last year's event.  Awesome time and this year is sure to be as well.  Hope to see you there!











Thursday, April 25, 2013

2013 Ride for the River Park - September 21 + 22, 2013 (2nd Annual)

The 2nd annual Ride for the River Park will take place September 21 and 22, 2013.  This event is to raise awareness for the San Diego River and The San Diego River Park Foundation (SDRPF) (the premier organization working for conservation and improvements throughout the San Diego River watershed).

Last's year ride took us east to Alpine and beyond, then north to Julian.  This year we're changing to a slightly more direct route (but equally or more scenic and certainly challenging).

Time & Date

We'll leave Dog Beach in Ocean Beach at 7 AM on Saturday, September 21, 2013 headed for Julian.  The way out is almost entirely uphill but will be a fun time.  Here's a link to Google Maps and below is a visual of the tentative route.  Please show up around 6:30 AM to ensure a timely departure and enough time to comfortably complete the ride by dusk.


Support

There will be a VW Westphalia camper-van accompanying riders as a support vehicle.  We'll have a motorized air pump, some snacks and drinks, and the vehicle itself for riders needing assistance or a pick up.    We'll plan to stop around or a bit after the halfway point for a long lunch break and will have rest breaks throughout the ride as well.  The end point is the Bailey BBQ (2307 Main Street, Julian, CA 92036) for awesome food and beer to celebrate a great ride.

Accommodations

The ride is scheduled to be just after full moon for an enhanced camping experience.  The designated camping spot is William Heise County Park, 4.7 miles from dinner at the Bailey BBQ.  Reservations can be made online and the preferred spot is Area 2 North (South is also close by if North is not available).  There are also numerous hotels in and around Julian if you prefer more plush lodging.

Price

All riders are responsible for their own food, drink, and accommodations.  This ride is not sponsored by nor affiliated with SDRPF.  However, the ride is intended to raise awareness for this organization and if you would like to make a donation it would be greatly appreciated and help to ensure San Diego County has great natural resources in the future.  Donations can be made online here.

If You'd Like to Attend

Let me know and invite others to join as well.  You can let me know via the following methods:

For additional motivation, here's some photos of last year's event.  Awesome time and this year is sure to be as well.  See you on the road.