Passion Spring News #5

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Today's Topics:

1. Sea Otter Prediction: Sunburn
2. Night Owl shop hours with Wednesday Rides
3. Waterdog Trail Construction Late Start NOON Saturday 4/19
4. Giant Bikes on Sale at Passion NOW
5. ROMP Swap Meet Sunday 4/27
6. Reminder: Road Trips!! planning pizza party Thurs 4/24
7. Save the Date: Ales & Trails Saturday 6/28



1. Sea Otter Prediction: Sunburn

We subscribe to a cool weather email through the Weather Underground. Set your zipcode and get daily weather reports delivered to your inbox for $5 a year.

This year we offer the following Sea Otter "How to dress" suggestions for spectators: Bring your fleece jacket, a windbreaker, your lip balm, a hat, a hairband for your ponytail, and sunscreen. Waders should not be required.

To get the straight scoop on the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, click here: http://www.seaotterclassic.com.


2. Night Owl shop hours with Wednesday Rides 4/16

Below this you will find the usual Wednesday Ride details, but FIRST we wanted to let you know that even if you don't join the ride, the shop is basically open until really late. Like, 9:30 or 10:00pm! So if you want to shop, or drop off or pick up a repair, we will be here LATE on Wednesday nights, although there's a strong possibility there will be a frothy cold pint o' beverage on the counter. Yes, you can have one too. Please bear with us if you have to go into the lounge to find the help. Yes, you can have some chips too.

The Early Ride at the intersection of Elevator and Chaparral Trails in Waterdog Park

Sunset is at 7:42pm this Wednesday 4/16/08. Days are getting longer, and maybe even warmer. The trails are in SWEET condition right now, so come on down and enjoy the twisty narrow singletrack that makes Waterdog famous. All rides start from the shop: Passion Trail Bikes, 415 Old County Road, Belmont, CA 94002 650-620-9798

The EARLY ride group will go out at at 5:45 PM. This ride might consist of people who have been doing a lot of riding this winter and have some juice in their legs. Note this is not a "fast" ride, but our leader is feeling frisky. Regroups will occur, but maybe only at critical intersections. Expect to cover most of the trails in Waterdog, some maybe even twice.

The REGULAR ride group will go out at 6:00 PM. The ride leader will enforce a social pace through trickery or other devious methods. Certain riders from last week now know what this means. We're pretty sure they had a nice ride after we watched them ride off the front from a regroup point before the group arrived. As you can gather, the regular ride is a good group for people who enjoy talking while climbing and perhaps enjoying a moment at the top to take in the views before getting grins on the descents. Expect several loops of the sweet singletrack that defines Waterdog Park. Frequent regroups and maybe even a sweep rider will help keep the pace manageable for all. Either that or we will ditch the hotshots.

The FBG or Fat Bottomed Girl ride will go out at 6:05 PM. The FBG will have Reba the shop dog on the leash in the lead and will pedal off slowly with or without other riders. Our resident FBG enjoys taking out unfit, unsure, unskilled, or uncompetitive mountain bikers to experience a taste of Waterdog Park singletrack. The FBG ride takes just as long as the other rides but goes half as far, maybe only doing a single short loop. It might even do a loop on the flat paved Bay Trail. It usually involves looking at wildflowers, birds and other silly things like that as an excuse to stop and regroup as often as possible.

If you are habitually late or can't sneak out of work on time, you can try to form a STRAGGLERS ride group that goes out at 6:15 PM. We don't promise a group or a leader for the stragglers; you're kinda on your own for this.

Please bring a blinky light for the back of your bike, and maybe even a white light for the front. We will be returning on paved roads at dusk and you want to be seen by drivers and Belmont's fine Police officers who look out for our health and welfare.

Speaking of which, all Passion Trail Bike rides will obey all traffic laws, stopping at stop signs and red lights; and all park rules, yielding to other trial users and riding as courteously, safely and predictably as possible.

All groups will meet back here at Passion Trail Bikes shortly before dark (about 8:15pm) for the usual story telling & beverage enjoyment. Patty will have stuff for the BBQ along with some carb laden side dish, chips and fatty snacks and EANABS to pair up with the Devil's Canyon Full Boar Scotch Ale. This week we still have a keg of Hefewiezen for you wheat beer lovers, and an assortment of bottled and canned-with-widget brews. We will hang out until 10pm or later, so come on down, even if you can't make the ride! Passion Parties are better with YOU in the mix!

Visit our website for directions to the shop, etc. www.PassionTrailBikes.com


3. Waterdog Trail Construction Late Start NOON Saturday 4/19

Calling all volunteers who like to sleep in! We are starting work at NOON, this Saturday, April 19th. We will continue construction work on the new Lake Loop at Waterdog. We need some experienced volunteers to help with this crew. One project involves moving some rocks on the new Lake Loop Trail. This will involve assembling a rock sling and toting the 200 lb boulders about 150 feet to the location of a retaining wall further up the trail. Another project involves completeing a rock retaining wall started on the last project, and we also have a small bridge to install further up the trail.

Check out the Trailwork video of our hearty volunteers last weekend digging some rocks out of the trail!

If you can come, PLEASE sign up at trailworkers.com and ALSO email Patty at patty@passiontrailbikes.com.

As usual, we will stop at the shop after trailwork for a little rehydration. So come join in on the fun!


4. Giant Bikes on Sale at Passion NOW

Giant Blowout sale!
We have a handful of ’07 Giants lounging around the shop that we would rather see on the trail. Are you looking to get onto a Trance, Reign or Reign X? Now is the time. How about a Womens specific trail bike? We have you covered. Come in and grab one of these bikes at 20% off. Sale prices are limited to stock on hand.

Trance 2 Small: Orig. $1,775.00 Now $1,420.00
Trance 1 Medium: Orig. $2,300.00 Now $1,840.00
Trance 0 Large: Orig. $3,600.00 Now $2,880.00
Trance W (Women’s Specific) Small: Orig. $2,300.00 Now $1,840.00
Reign 0 Medium: Orig. $3,000.00 Now $2,400.00
Reign X1 Medium: Orig. $2,600.00 Now $2,080.00

Give Daniel at Passion Trail Bikes a call at 650-620-9798 with any questions you might have and to schedule a test ride and fitting.


5. ROMP Swap Meet Sunday 4/27

Each year ROMP hosts a swap meet. The swap meet is a fund-raiser for ROMP and a place where cyclists can purchase road and mountain bike parts, tools, frames, complete bikes, clothing and accessories. Per-person admission charge is minimal (about $2). The meet is held behind the Cupertino Bike Shop, 10493 S. De Anza Blvd. (two blocks south of Stevens Creek Blvd.). Call 408-255-2217 for prices on swap spaces. Volunteers are needed from 7.00am to 4.00pm. Contact Linda at swap@romp.org if you are able to volunteer for this event. Volunteers get in free and get lots of love too. If you volunteer, you'll get to hang out with Charles, who has been helping out every year since about 1996. So jump on the volunteer bandwagon and make it a swap meet party!

Donations of items for ROMP to sell at the Swap Meet are also welcome. Now's a good time to clear out your garage and help ROMP. Contact Linda at swap@romp.org if you just want to clear out your garage the easy way and have any donations to give to ROMP for sale at the Swap Meet.

You can have your own swap meet table by contacting Cupertino Bikes 408 255-2217 or www.cupertinobikes.com. ROMP makes their money on the # of swap meet tables sold, so you help them while making some dough yourself. What a deal!

ROMP T-shirt circa 1985, now selling for $??


6. Reminder: Road Trips!! planning pizza party Thurs 4/24

Last year we had a great time with a small group that gathered to plan some summer road trips. This year we'd like to welcome anyone who would like to coordinate with like-minded folks to hook up for some road trips to distant riding destinations. We can also plan some multi-sport trips including hiking, rafting, kids and campsites, or fly fishing for example.

Group road trips are a great way for people to meet and develop lasting friendships and memories you will treasure for a lifetime. We encourage you to come to the Passion Pizza Party with ideas and your personal calendar in hand. Also, bring pictures or movies on CD or DVD (we will have the projector and laptop going so we can do slide shows), maps and guidebooks, magazine articles, or whatever resources you can find.

Our role will not be to plan or manage your road trips, but to help you obtain the info, connections, and resources needed to have a great time. We will have a few handouts and checklists you can use to help your planning process.

Desination ideas include but aren't limited to: Moab, Utah; Whistler, British Columbia; Oakridge, Oregon; Lake Tahoe, California; Mendocino, California; Kernville, California; Downieville, California; Durango, Colorado; Crested Butte, Colorado; and MORE.

Somewhere in Oregon, Road Trip 2004

Please RSVP for this event by emailing Patty at patty@passiontrailbikes.com. RSVPs are required by 2pm 4/24 so we have the right amount of pizza, silly!


7. Save the Date: Ales & Trails Marin Saturday 6/28

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The fifth annual Ales & Trails is a fundraiser for the International Mountain Bicycling Association's California efforts and initiatives. Enjoy guided rides and clinics for all levels of riders. A skills progression course, bike demos and tune-ups, silent auction, fantastic BBQ and endless Beer, live music, pro rider skills demo, hefty swag bags for all attendees, and much, much more. Don't miss it! Passion Trail Bikes will be there sponsoring the registration booth, throwing down some swag for the silent auction, and enjoying the great vibe.
Visit http://www.AlesandTrails.net for more information.

Happy Trails, the PTB crew
Charles, Patty, Berry, John, Bret, Sterling, Daryl, Daniel, Peter, Reba and Buster

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