East Bay Allez! CX

We Rode Bikes, Got Dirty, and Had a Party

2011-04-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for coming out on Saturday to the Rally Cat and helping to raise money for Spokeland! Together, we raised $300 to help the fledgling bicycle cooperative build out their new space located in North Oakland. Keep posted to their website for information on the shop grand opening.

Huge thanks to the event sponsors - All Hail the Black Market, Box Dog Bikes, Chuey Brand, De La Paz Coffee, and MashSF - for donating prizes to the top finishers. And of course, a very special thank you to all the folks that came through on Saturday to work checkpoints, cook food, and help clean up after the event. We couldn't have made it happen with you! Check out the links below for some photos of the event:

plattyjo's flickr
Bici Girl's flickr

78 people registered for the event this year, 74 finished, and the rest were all accounted for. And in case you were wondering, check out some of the top finishers below:

Men
1. Scott K.
2. Dustin W.
3. Ricardo M.
4. Murphy M.
5. Blake V.K.
6. Kea H.
7. Sasha M.
8. Christon D.
9. Sam B.
10. Fred C. (singlespeed)
11. James J.
12. Jonathan W.
13. Chas C.
14. Kevin L.
15. Tom R.
16. Thomas H.
17. Bryan C.
18. Adam S. (singlespeed)
19. Max H. (singlespeed)
20. Eric T.

Women
1. Romany M.
2. Katie S.
3. Sam B.
4/5/6/7. Jenny O./Leah P./Bridget M./Alia S.
8. Amanda L. (singlespeed)
9. Ulrika
10. Arena and May

King/Queen of the Mountain
Walton B. and Leah P.!

Thanks again everyone! See you next year (if not sooner)!

Get Ready to Get Rad

2011-04-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

At last, the Rally Cat is finally only two days away and we couldn't be in better shape. As a reminder to folks, registration will open at 11.30am at the Mosswood Park Amphitheater. $10 signs you up for the ride, gets you a map of the route, food and refreshments at the end of the ride, and includes a donation to Spokeland. The ride will start promptly at 12.30pm. I expect the speediest among you to finish the ride in close to 2.5 hours, with the rest trickling in for the next couple hours. The after party will be held at the starting location in Mosswood Park.

This year's course is roughly 10 miles longer than the previous course and includes a similar amount of climbing. The course will include the usual mix of city riding, semi-rural roads, fire roads and "singletrack". Of course, all trails included on the map are bike legal. The East Bay is very hilly, and this ride is no exception. There will be steep hill climbs, bumpy downhill dirt descents, dirt climbs and whatever else I can throw at you. Choose a bike that you will have fun on and will get you through the course safely. A cross bike would do the trick, but so would a nice hardtail with skinny tires. Hell, even a road bike with fatty tires will suffice, although not my recommendation.

Things to look out for include crazy Berkeley/Oakland motorists and motorcyclists on the roads and hikers, dog walkers and park rangers on the trails. *Be safe and considerate when passing anyone on trails. Anyone caught acting like an asshole will be automatically DQ'd.*

What to bring?
Layers, water, and tools - including a spare tube, patch kit, mini-pump and multi-tool. If you want to bring a bag with a change of clothes, there will be a bag check at registration. Maybe a snack or two.

What are the prize categories?
While we hope people turn out for the ride with the intent to have fun and support Spokeland, there will be small prizes from our generous sponsors for the "top" finishers. Categories will include geared and singlespeed classes for both men and women. And as is tradition, we'll have a klunker class and of course, the lanterne rouge (DFL)*.

I've got a few tricks up my sleeve this year, so expect some changes from previous Rally Cats. I guess that's all you need to know. Ride safe and see you on Saturday!

* Categories subject to last minute additions according to the whims of the organizer and amount of drink consumed.

Location! Location! Location! - Mosswood Park Amphitheater

2011-04-12T18:12:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for being so patient with me on announcing the start/finish location for this year's Rally Cat. After two years of hosting the event at beautiful Lake Temescal, I've decided to move it down the hill to friendly Mosswood Park, which is located at the corner of Broadway and West MacArthur Boulevard in North Oakland. Look for us down in the amphitheater at the southeast corner of the park next to the tennis courts.

Registration will open at 11:30 am Saturday morning. Ride will start at 12:30 pm sharp. Keep posted for another blog update this week with more event details. See y'all this weekend!

I think I slept for 12 hours

2011-03-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone that came out yesterday for the Plan B(eastly) ride to put in several hours on the bike in the cold, driving rain. It was great to see old friends and make some new ones while braving the elements. I hope everyone got home safely, warmed up, and are now recovering from a challenging day riding around the East Bay. Extra special thanks to Murphy for handling registration and coordinating the after party. There was something extra sweet about being handed a shot of Jameson to warm up with when we got back to the warehouse from the ride. Thanks Murph! Also, a big thanks to Sheila Moon for hosting the after party and to Clif Bar for coming through with energy food to sustain us throughout the ride.

Yesterday's ride made me even more excited about the Rally Cat next month. Hope to see everyone out there on the 16th!

Plan B(eastly)

2011-03-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

To make up for postponing the Rally Cat a few days before the event and to give us something to do this weekend, we thought we could throw together another "fun" ride for this Saturday. After consulting with my esteemed advisor, Murphy Mack, we bring you "Plan B(eastly)" - featuring some of the best East Bay road riding. Check the details below.

What: Rainy road ride. Expect 40 or so miles and a fair amount of climbing. Nothing too crazy. Bring $5 for a map and jersey pocketful of Clif products. $10 for beer and BBQ for the afterparty.

Where: Start and finish at Sheila Moon World Headquarters in beautiful Emeryville, CA - 5900 Hollis Street (located at the back of the building near Doyle Street and 61st Street).

When: 10 am!

What to bring: A road bike, or a CX bike with slicks. Rain gear. Water. Tubes, patch kit and a pump or CO2. Maybe a dry change of clothes for the finish.

What to expect: Good times. Excellent road riding. Beer and food at the finish.

We hope to see you out there on Saturday. If not, we'll most definitely see you at the April 16 Rally Cat!

Rally Cat Postponed to April 16

2011-03-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

I hate to do it, but this storm blowing through the Bay Area has really put a damper on planning for the Rally Cat this year. So we've decided to push the date back on the event to Saturday, April 16 @ 12pm to let the trails dry out, figure out some other logistics, and maybe pick up some more sponsors. Sincere apologies to the folks that have requested time off from work or arranged day care for kids in order to attend the Rally Cat. To make up for it, we've got something else a bit more pavement oriented (did I just say that?!) brewing for folks to do this Saturday - ride details forthcoming. Otherwise, keep posted here for more info on the April event!

Another Update on Sponsors and Some Event Details

2011-03-06T20:25:00.001-08:00

Recovering from that other mixed-terrain "fun" ride across the bay has allowed me to spend some time pulling in other sponsors for the Rally Cat. Good news! From the looks of things, Box Dog Bikes will be back for a third year as a sponsor of the Rally Cat. These folks have been solid supporters since the beginning and consistently turn out for the event. Thanks BDB! And just to make things extra special, All Hail the Black Market and MASH SF will be coming through with a few prizes for riders. Big thanks to the kind folks behind these fine establishments for supporting the Rally Cat.

In other news, the route is coming together quite nicely. In addition to covering some familiar territory, we'll be exploring some new roads in the East Bay. Expect a slightly longer route than previous years, some tough climbs and fun dirt sections. And for those that keep asking, please take note of what the Rally Cat will not be...

I'm still working out the exact start location, but I will tell you that it'll be easily accessible by BART and have plenty of street parking. Check back here next week for updates!

Giving Back

2011-03-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

For the first time, proceeds from the Rally Cat will go to support a local organization doing cool work in our community. This year, a portion of your $10 event donation will go to benefit Spokeland, a recently formed bike cooperative in Oakland.

"Spokeland is a non-profit, community-driven bicycle cooperative that aims to reach out locally and foster Oakland unity. We support the use of bicycles as an alternate means of transportation as well as a healthy recreational activity.

We are focused on providing a safe and fun workspace for people of all ages, ethnicities, and cultures, genders, sexual orientations, and skill levels.

We offer bicycle safety and maintenance education in a sustainable environment that helps to build knowledge, empowerment, and self- reliance for members of our community."

Keep up the good work, folks!

Things Are Starting to Come Together...

2011-03-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

De La Paz Coffee and Chuey Brand are both back as event sponsors for a third year in a row. These folks are always down to support the Bay Area bike scene. Be sure to check them out. And check back here for updates on start location!

Yep, looks like we're on again

2011-01-27T19:23:00.000-08:00

~~March 19~~ April 16. New route. Old friends. Same deal. Keep posted for more details.

News Coverage

2010-03-14T10:32:00.001-07:00

We've got some news coverage collecting so here's a list that we'll update with 2010 coverage!

March 10, 2010: Oakland North - "East Bay allez"

Sheila Moon Team coverage

Thank you!!! And a few results...

2010-03-07T12:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks again to everyone who came out last Saturday to ride around some of the best roads and trails that the East Bay has to offer. 86 riders signed up this year! And special thanks to the sponsors, checkpoint workers and others that came through and made the second East Bay Alley CX event a success. Check out the links below for some photos of the event:

Plattyjo's Flickr
HotMark's Flickr
J. Suzuki's Flickr

We're already thinking about our next event (maybe this summer???). Stay tuned. For now, check out some of the top finishers from the ride:

Men (completed all checkpoints)
1. Johnsten
2. Matthias (singlespeed)
3. Kea (singlespeed)
4. Krishna
5. Dayton
6. Fred
7. Thomas H.
8. Blake
9. Bobo Clown (Austin)
10. Peter D.

Women (completed all checkpoints, first place tie determined by mean round of rock/paper/scissors)
1/2. Kathleen
1/2. Kelly C.
3. Celeste
4. Carol (singlespeed)
5. Kelly B

King/Queen of the Mountain (ie. Tunnel Road)
Walton and Kathleen

Klunker
1. Carol (old singlespeed Peugeot road bike with slicks)
2. Justin ('88 Rock Combo)

Pump up the tyres. And get ready for a muddy good time.

2010-03-02T19:54:00.000-08:00

Things are coming together for Saturday.

As a reminder, registration will open at 11:30 at the northwestern corner of Lake Temescal. $5 signs you up for the ride, gets you a map of the route, and food and refreshments at the end of the ride.

The ride will promptly being at 12.30 sharp. The speediest riders will probably complete the course in a little over 2 hours. The after party will be held at the starting location in Lake Temescal.

The course is approximately 25 miles and roughly 50/50 road and dirt. All dirt trails are "legal" and allow cyclists. However, on some trails riders will be sharing space with hikers and dogs. Please be considerate when passing. As mentioned below, the East Bay is very hilly, and this ride is no exception. There will be steep paved climbs, downhill dirt descents, gradual dirt climbs and other conditions. Choose a bike that you will have fun on and will get you through the course safely. Keep in mind that we've had a bit of rain the last two days. Conditions will likely be muddy.

What to bring?
Layers, water, and tools - including a spare tube, patch kit, mini-pump and multi-tool. If you want to bring a bag with a change of clothes, there will be a bag check at registration. Maybe a snack or two.

What are the prize categories?
While we hope people turn out for the ride with the intent to have fun, there will be prizes for top finishers. Categories will include: 1st Overall (male and female), 1st Fixed/Singlespeed, 1st Klunker (loosely defined) and Lanterne Rouge (DFL). Depending on how things play out, other categories may be added last minute. Anyone that jeopardizes the health and safety of other riders will be DQ'd.

I guess that's all you need to know. Ride safe and we'll see you Saturday!!

Support Your Local Businesses!

2010-02-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

We just wanted to give folks a heads up on the sponsors coming through this year to support the event. Local favorites and previous event sponsors Box Dog Bikes, Chuey Brand, and De La Paz Coffee, as well as new sponsors Boozely's Pickles, Mountain Hardwear, and 'Stache Bags are all pitching in to make the event even better than last year. Thank you sponsors!

Best way from BART

2010-02-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

Just thought we'd give you guys a ProTip with the safest/best route from Rockridge Bart to the race start.

North on College (towards Trader Joe's/UC Berkeley).

Right onto Chabot.

Right on Golden Gate Ave (this is where you go under the freeway).

Sharp left up Golden Gate Way will get you up to Broadway.

Stay on Broadway until you see the park on your right. Second driveway to the park is probably best.

View Larger Map

upDATE: March 6, 2010

2010-01-25T16:17:00.000-08:00

We've changed the date to buy a little more time. Hope for nicer and warmer weather. More time to bake up some goodies for the afterparty, et al. We're are also working on a some more sponsors and will update you guys soon!

"there is no way in hell I'm missing it. I loved the event last year!" - the guy who puts on the amazing soil saloons thinks that Evans event is the epitome of men and women on wheels exploring the limits of hill, dell, and beerbottle.

"I highly recommend this event. Was super fun last year" - Sasha, racer from Sheila Moon's Boyfriends & Girlfriends cyclocross/MTB team; read his ride report from last years event here

Saturday, February March 6, 2010!!

2010-01-12T09:57:00.000-08:00

Start & Finish @ Lake Temescal

more details to follow. get ready to get rad.

Another Post-Ride Report

2009-02-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

Check out an excellent play-by-play report of the event from Team Sheila Moon rider Sasha Magee here! Thanks Sasha!

Post-Ride Report

2009-02-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

Thank you everyone for making the 1st ever East Bay Mixed Terrain Alley CX a success! 69 riders registered and almost everyone completed the course - with only a few technicals causing people to bail out. While the course was a little tricky, and lots of riders didn't hit all the checkpoints, most people seemed to have a good time - even if they were getting lost on the trails in Joaquin Miller Park.

Big thanks to the event sponsors - B. Spoke Tailor for coming through with some fancy knickers and arm/leg warmers for the top finishers; Box Dog Bikes for the pink Deep-V rims; Chuey Brand for cycling hats and t-shirts; De La Paz Coffee for the beans; Montano Velo for the shoes; and Missing Link for the laptop bag. Thank you sponsors!

Shout out to the checkpoint workers - Tristan, Paul, Sam and Tom - for hanging in their while riders trickled through; and Jojo, Tarak and Jason for helping out with things at the lake.

Special thanks to Murphy for hooking up the after party beverages! Thanks Murph!

I saw lots of riders taking pictures of the race and after party. Several have already made their way to the internetz. Check them out here:

Jenny Oh's Flickr
Jon Suzuki's Flickr (photos by Paul Musso)
Little Daniel's Flickr
Davin's Flickr

For folks that care, here are the final results from the event.

Top Guys (all checkpoints and stamp points):
1. Blake
2. Mike M.
3. Paolo
4. Matthias
5. Isaias
6. Grey
7. Dave V.
8. John B.
9. George T.
10. Peter K.

Top Gals:
1. Kelly C. (all checkpoints and stamp points)
2. Arena
3. May
4. Jenny
5. Wendy

Top Singlespeed/Fixed:
1. Bernard (all checkpoints and stamp points)
2. Josh T.
3. Stephen V.
4. Adam S. (fixed)
5. Jeff R.

King of the Hill (Tunnel Road):
1. Mike F.
2. Walton
3. Adam S.
4. Kea
5. Josh T.

Klunker:
Max

Lanterne Rouge (DFL):
Koshi, Dennis and Seth

Top Finishers (missed one or more checkpoints or stamp points)
1. James J.
2. Walton
3. Josh T.
4. Murphy
5. Morgan F.
6. Thomas H.
7. Adam B.
8. Stephen V.
9. Dave L.
10. Daten

With one event under my belt, look out for an even better follow-up race later this year. Stay tuned!

Ride Update and Details

2009-02-05T23:56:00.000-08:00

Le Championnat de France Cross Cyclo-pédestre, 04 Mar 1923 (Image taken from Le Miroir Des Sports, 08 Mar 1923, blackbirdsf.org)

Everything is coming together for Saturday. As a reminder, registration will open at 11:30 at the northwestern corner of Lake Temescal (see location on the flyer). $5 signs you up for the ride, gets you a map of the route, and food and refreshments at the end of the ride.

The ride will promptly being at 12.30 sharp. The speediest riders will probably complete the course in 2.5 hours. The after party will be held at the starting location in Lake Temescal.

The course is approximately 35 to 40 miles and roughly 50/50 road and dirt. All dirt trails are "legal" and allow cyclists. However, on some trails riders will be sharing space with hikers and dogs. Please be considerate when passing. As mentioned below, the East Bay is very hilly, and this ride is no exception. There will be steep paved climbs, long downhill dirt descents, gradual dirt climbs and other conditions. Choose a bike that you will have fun on and will get you through the course safely. Keep in mind that the East Bay has had a bit of rain the last two days. Conditions will be muddy.

What to bring?
Layers, water, and tools - including a spare tube, patch kit, mini-pump and multi-tool. If you want to bring a bag with a change of clothes, there will be a bag check at registration.

What are the prize categories?
While I hope people turn out for the ride with the intent to have fun, there will be prizes for top finishers. Categories will include: 1st Overall (male and female), 1st Fixed/Singlespeed, 1st Klunker (loosely defined) and Lanterne Rouge (DFL). Depending on how things play out, other categories may be added last minute. Anyone that jeopardizes the health and safety of other riders will be DQ'd.

I guess that's all you need to know. Ride safe and I'll see you tomorrow!

Conditions Are Perfect

2009-02-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

Here's the forecast for the end of the week through Saturday. I don't think I could ask for better conditions. Of course, you should never have complete faith in weather forecasts.

Get ready for mud.

Thank You Sponsors!

2009-01-27T22:09:00.000-08:00

Give it up for Chuey Brand, Montano Velo, Box Dog Bikes, B. Spoke Tailor (formerly JoyRider Clothing), De La Paz Coffee and Missing Link for coming through with prizes for the event! Thanks for your continued support of Bay Area cycling!

Ride Update

2009-01-27T10:03:00.000-08:00

The ride will start and finish at Lake Temescal in Oakland.

View Larger Map

Registration will open at 11:30 and take place at the northwestern corner of the lake. $5 will sign you up for the ride, get you a map of the route, and get you food and refreshments at the end. Ride will begin at 12:30 sharp. I expect the first riders to complete the route in about 2.5 to 3 hours.

If you plan to take BART, disembark at Rockridge Station and make your way over to Broadway via Chabot Road or Keith Avenue. Ride up the hill to the lake and turn right into the parking lot. We'll be set up somewhere on the lawn directly in front of you.

If you plan to head over in a car, park on Broadway if you want to save yourself some money.

Will I need to carry a bag for the ride?
No. However, if you want to bring a bag with a change of clothes or whatever else, we will have a bag check at registration.

Will I need a lock for the ride?
No. Unless you plan to leave your bike locked to a tree in the middle of the forest.

Well, if I don't need a bag and I don't need a lock, what do I need to bring?

A Bike - The route is about 50/50 road and dirt, so bring whatever bike you think is best suited for the conditions. Just keep in mind that the East Bay is very hilly and some of the trails may be muddy. Unless your Adam (128), I strongly discourage riding a fixed gear without a front brake.

Layers - Depending on the weather, bring enough clothing to stay warm and dry throughout the race.

Water - Since the ride will take place in several regional and local parks with water fountains, water will be readily available. However, I recommend that you carry at least one water bottle to get through some of the drier sections.

Tools - While the route will never take you too far from civilization, I strongly encourage riders to bring at least a spare inner tube, patch kit, multi-tool and pump.

Ride safe! I look forward to seeing you on the 7th!

East Bay Hills Mixed Terrain Alley CX - Saturday 2.7.09 - High Noon

2009-01-26T22:15:00.000-08:00

30 to 50 miles of roads and trails in the Oakland and Berkeley hills.
Get ready for it.