Another wonderful ride has carried us to our bedtimes, and asleep with pleasant memories of gliding down gentle grades we go.
Tonight’s ride harkened back to days past in Bike Party lore, with a ridership count of around 600, approximately a sixth of October’s ride and a number we haven’t seen since April. Apparently the rumors that San Joseans are too weak for drippy or cool weather remain true – we’ll have to find a way around that before we manage to steal Portland’s throne as biking mecca of the West.
The highlights of our ride tonight showed off some of the things we’ve all come to love about Bike Party – the wonderful soundsystems, the mix of new and experienced riders, the many pre-rides and dedicated volunteer work to put up signs and stage a food drive, the parking garage fun, and the wonderful remark on the return trip up Almaden Expressway: “I smell ham!” (It really did smell like ham, and some riders really were excited.) In short, it was the Bike Party many of us love most – zany, personal, communal, friendly, diverse, inclusive, participatory, and unpredictable.
Post your stories and comments!
Where's Waldo?
Weather update: Forecast says dry skies for the ride! Bring canned food! Maps and Routes below updated for clarity!
START:
Hellyer Velodrome (7-8:30pm bike & roller derby races & party)
- or -
former Capital Buick/GMC (regular start)
It’s your choice! (park in Campbell, dt SJ or Capitol VTA – but NO parking in/near Hellyer Velodrome – and please drive instead of taking VTA if possible)
Just as Waldo explores a new environment with every new page, so SJ Bike Party turns the page on another exciting adventure through new territory of Southeast San Jose! This month’s ride brings:
- a food donation drive with Second Harvest Food Bank! bring non-perishable food to the start!
- new roads you’ve never seen before – some great, some sketchy
- a mix of ‘hoods from dense & urban to hilly & country open space within city limits!
- new libraries and other new city buildings
- Northern California’s only active velodrome with a race for you!
Bring a can - you know it!
Reminders
- Please review How We Ride before joining us – it’s the single most useful guide to the Bike Party experience!
- Read Get Ready to Ride for a checklist of things to remember. Bring lights and wear a helmet! This ride hits some very dark roads with occasional rough pavement – be prepared!
- Bring fenders and rain gear – we ride rain or clear – and rain seems likely.
- Help us keep the party festive – colorful costumes, bright lights, and music trailers make the night a blast! Please do try to keep noise down in residential neighborhoods, and be sure to ride sober – some more foolish riders have discovered the hard way that $400 tickets are no fun.
- Ride to the ride! Please do NOT plan to park a car at the start location or at the velodrome – there is absolutely no parking at either location. Plentiful parking near the start/finish at VTA’s Capitol Station, north & south of Capitol Expy @ Narvaez.
Hellyer Velodrome track party before November's Bike Party!
Bike Party can help you get to the velodrome races! These pre-rides will go straight to the velodrome to catch the race event and then meet up with the rest of the Bike Party when it rolls near the velodrome:
If you can’t come early to see the races at the velodrome, join us to catch the main ride:
Full Map & Directions
Main Ride: 20 miles – from the wide expanses of Capitol Expressway to winding Coyote Road to high density development streets… finishing at the starting point.
Turn by Turn Directions: Please print out 10-20 copies so you can share with others. Thanks!
Help Needed!! Can someone can check out actual signage for turn off of Blossom Hill onto Endicott/Great Oaks,etc? Please email what it says to sjbp.prerides@gmail.com Thanks!
Going Home
For those interested in riding home to downtown San Jose after the ride, here’s a map specifically for you: Capital Buick to DT SJ – SJ Rep
For everyone else, just ride the reverse of how you got there!
If you just linked directly to this page, be sure to check out the latest updates on the front page! (This page is older and lacks information)
It’s getting to be near that time once again! Our 26th ride approaches on Friday, November 20th!
Test riders and planners have been working hard to fine-tune the details, and we have some exciting developments:
Hellyer Velodrome track party before November's Bike Party!
- Get ready to go farther Southeast than we’ve gone before! Remember, cars aren’t the only things that run on Capitol Expressway! What if the “Auto Mall” were instead a “Bicycle Boulevard” or a “Pedestrian Parkway?” I’m sure we would find lots of Waldos there!
- Come out to an amazing pre-party thrown by San Jose Bicycle Club at San Jose’s Hellyer Velodrome, a unique piece of South Bay cycling history! See the flier for details – the main Bike Party ride WILL stop by this location, but AFTER the event. This means if you go to the Velodrome early, you don’t need to go to the main start. Conversely, if you go to the main start on time, you will miss the Velodrome event.
- Bring a can of food (or more!) to the ride! With unemployment and foreclosure rates at historic highs, many San Jose residents need extra help this year. Amazing Bike Party volunteers are rising to the task, organizing a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank! Volunteers will be out at the main start and probably at the pre-ride starts as well to collect much-needed non-perishable foods.
- Remember two things about getting to the ride:
1) As usual, there will be NO convenient car parking near the start location. If you’re carpooling, plan to park a mile or two away and ride to the start.
2) Do NOT plan to ride VTA Light Rail or buses to the ride start – they will undoubtedly be full to capacity and any strain on VTA’s system by Bike Partiers only pushes ordinary riders off and makes us look bad. Please join one of the pre-rides (from downtown or Campbell) or ride independently.
- Finally, as the winter season comes upon us, it’s worth reminding each other: Bike Party always rides, rainy or clear!
Get your bike tuned (be sure to see our get ready to ride page), your Waldo costume ready, and your non-perishable food packed! See you Friday!
