Event: World Wide Ride of Silence - May 16th, 7pm

Coming up next week, May 16th. Check for a ride in your area here: World Wide Ride of Silence. The world wide Ride of Silence is to honor bicyclists killed by motorists, promote sharing the road, and provide awareness of bicycling safety.   In the Sacramento area the local ride is being organized by the Meetup group The Hammering Wheels Bike Club.

Ride Report: Lake Natoma

(More photos after the jump)

Here are some photographs taken on rides through the State Park trails at Lake Natoma.  This is a composite of several rides, as this is one of the most accessible riding areas for me due to it's proximity to my place of employment.  I have spent many an afternoon riding away the cares and stresses of work on the dirt trails and paved paths that run around the lake.

Lake Natoma is part of the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, with the lake itself managed by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation.  The lake is formed by Nimbus Dam, which holds a storage of 8760 acre-ft at 125 ft above sea level on the American River.  The dam was constructed to control the flow of releases from Folsom Dam upstream.  It stores the releases and re-regulates them to provide a steady flow downstream.  It also generates electricity via two 6,750 kilowatt generators, and diverts water as needed into the Folsom South Canal.

Ride Report/Travel Report: The Sea Otter Classic (Laguna Seca) to Cannery Row, Monterey California

(More photos after the jump)

This is not just a ride report, but a bit of a travel report about staying in Cannery Row as well.

I had enjoyed my Friday at The Sea Otter Classic, being held at Laguna Seca Raceway outside of Monterey California.  Now it was time to go home.  That meant a jaunt to the sea riding down South Boundary Road, then a nice ride through Monterey to Cannery Row.

Travel Report: Sea Otter Classic

(More photos after the jump)

I had the chance to go to the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey California this last weekend.  My wife had a client to visit in the area so I took the day off from work and we made a weekend trip of it.

The Sea Otter Classic has been run in the springtime since 1990 at Laguna Seca Raceway and the lands of Fort Ord outside of Monterey California.  It has grown into a destination for cyclists and fans of cycling from the world over.  Not only does it have mountain bike racing of every flavor, there are also road racing events, freestyle and jump competitions, several different types of exhibition events, a huge expo populated by the latest and greatest from all the bicycle manufacturers, component, clothing, and accessory companies, and little mom-and-pop businesses hawking everything from sunscreen to bicycle washing devices.  If you can think it up, it is probably at The Sea Otter Classic.  Over the years this event has become the place where the manufacturers pull out their new offerings and show them to the public.