2012 Rigid Ride

Yesterday was the 6th or 7th Annual Rigid Ride, on some of my favorite roads.  Lots of single-lane paths with very tight twists and turns, up and down the hills and alternating views of Redwood Trees, the Ocean, the SF Bay and some wildlife.  These challenging roads are just perfect for me and a preWWII machine, but maybe not quite as fun on a later machine that is geared for higher speed cruising.  We started and finished at the old Alpine Inn roadhouse, a bar and card room dating from 1852.  Up and over Old La Honda Road (yay!) with only one or two cars along the route, but 50 bicycles sharing the new asphalt with us.  Bypassing Alice’s Restaurant, we zoomed down the beautifully paved and banked curves of 84 down to the San Gregorio General Store for coffee.  Then south on the rough old stagecoach road to a view of the Pigeon Point lighthouse.  Sadly we passed a few emergency vehicles that were attempting to find some missing sailors whose boat had flipped in the strong surf.  Through another redwood grove or two up Alpine Road and eventually back for some mediocre burgers and cold beer. 

I was too busy doing my organizing duties to take many photos, but Atticus snapped a few from the seat of the sidecar.  See you there next time?

 

Paul d’Orleans snaps a tintype photo of Bill Huth and his swell 1940 Sport Scout.  Conrad Leach in the background won the long-distance award, coming all the way from London, England.

Randomness was for sale inside the San Gregorio store. Not shown:  the new issue of Adbusters, two guys who were playing guitar, the spotted pig, excellent coffee, a neat yo-yo demonstration, and political and anti-political slogans on stickers, shirts, books, and the bathroom walls.

 

Kim’s 1930 Velocette KSS, with the fish fence behind.

 

This guy has seen better days.  I think he was left over from last year or the year before.

 

Paul riding a neat little Triumph twin

 

Mark’s 1947 AJS 500.