San Benito Boogie - January 5th

WÜleurs,

We are looking to kick off the new year with a San Benito ride on Saturday, January 5th. This is truly a unique boogie that traverses the Gabilan Range twice. We are going to run it as a loop this year beginning and ending in San Juan Bautista via Old Stage Rd, the Airline Highway, La Gloria Grade & Cienega Rd. It is a touch under 90 miles with only 4000’ of climbing. Bring plenty of extra calories on this remote boogie for the WÜleursagwagen. We will do our usual lunch stop at Cal Fire Bear Valley Helitack Station (no joy-rides this year on Copter 406). As you can see from the ride profile, this is a relatively flat ride- we will keep the group together in the flats and regroup at the summit of La Gloria. Please feel free to pass this along to other folks who might enjoy a silky winter boogie with friends.

Boogie Details:

www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/160999308

When: Saturday, January 5th

Time: 8:00 am (roll out at 8:30)

Location: meet at the Windmill Market parking lot in San Juan Bautista (45 min drive from SC)

Dinner: lots of choices for those who want to stay and eat in SJB or Palapas?

RSVP: for ride & dinner reservation headcount

Cost: 2 bucks a head for the WÜleruwagen gas fund

Rain: Medium to heavy rain will cancel, look for a confirmation email morning of the 5th

Carpooling:greatly encouraged...

To get you in the mood here is the 2012 version by Caletti Cycles

Delgado & Chechu - gravel is not a crime

Well it looks like those SW Cobble Classic invitations we have been sending out to the old guard have finally been paying off with Perico training on the gravel with Chechu...

Steel WÜl Holiday - Grindelwald, Switzerland

Merry Christmas to the Hess Family, and all the Steel Wülers
Greetings from Grindelwald, Switzerland
This is the view from our hotel room balcony. Take away the snow and add 15 degrees C. to the temp. and you have some of the best riding in the World. Come on over!
Happy New Year!
Peter and Jan Johnson


We received this fun email this morning from Peter and Jan Johnson. Anyone else doing a unique holiday?

Rain Dance Boogie via Tunitas Bike Hut - Yummy!

Peter Johnson leading us out of Cardinalville

down west La Honda 

up Tunitas Creek

The Bike Hut calorie fest / donation stop

For the record:

The last time I rode up Old La Honda was during the heyday of the noon ride and my teammate Mike Murray was crushing guys half his weight including Jose Luis Vanegas and Jose Robles of Columbia who would come out on the ride to test their pinner legs on San Mateo's finest back boogie. I was stoked to finish in the group with Patrick Heany, Trent Klasna, Dean Myer, Craig Schommer and Jimmy Robinson. Word on the street is that Mike used to drag a small car tire up Old La Honda to increase power. If I remember correctly, his time was sub 14:30 - STRAVA that on a 21 pound Merlin with Mavic 8 speed and 3 cross wheels in plastic shoes. They certainly don't make them like Mike Murray anymore or Eric Heiden - La Honda record holder...

Click to hear it from "the horse's mouth"

Eric Heiden Old La Honda Record 14:10 

► 0:26► 0:26

La Honda Road

Max. grade: 15% (18% inside switchbacks)

Main climb: Avg. grade: 7.3% (elev. gain/dist) 
Length: 3.35 miles (5.39 km) 
Elev. gain: 1290 feet (393 m) 

Come ride with us...

Saturday, December 15 - 9:15AM rollout

Location: Start/End at Cantor Art Museum at Stanford University

About 75 miles, 5300' climbing

Rain cancels

Route Map and info: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/156240473?

Jake and I have put together a Steel Wul ride for the other side of the hill. We love riding the back roads with friends and hope to have some riders from the Peninsula join us for a ride. As usual, our route includes a little dirt. If it rains a bunch before and it's too muddy, we'll use a paved alternate. All our welcome. We aim to keep the bunch together, Gentleman's pace with regroups at the tops of the climbs. Maybe lunch at the Musuem Cafe after the ride?

Hope to see you there for a great ride!

Cheers,

John Caletti

Steelhead WÜleur - Andrew Carroll

that thing was like half that size in real life, come on...

more smoke and mirrors...

AC and I drove up to Lewiston last week searching for Steelhead on the Trinity and he landed this healthy Rainbow instead. We were very proud of the fact that we did not hook each other in the face considering we are complete neophytes to fly fishing. Our only hope now is that maybe Paul Willerton or Greg LeMond see this post and offer us a lesson or two. I think a Steel WÜl road trip involving some fly fishing is in order. Maybe Caletti could design us an adventure bike that had a place to stash a fly rod. 

LeMond

 Willerton

For the record: 

The last time I saw Willerton was when I met him at his house in Seabright for a training ride and when I arrived, I found him on the front lawn in his Subaru Montgomery kit practicing his fly casting. 

Taillight Express by John Caletti

Thank you WÜleurs for another memorable day in the saddle and gathering at the fire pit.