The promise of rain couldn’t keep Bike Party from happening last night. Approximately 1,200 riders were counted right after the Winchester Movie Domes.  What could have been a down pour in spots, turned out to be a fantastic ride!  Honestly, the weather couldn’t have turned out nicer.  Many thanks for all the volunteers who posted up on corners and worked many hours behind the scenes to pull off this ride.  And yes fellow riders, we love that you made it out this month!

Highlights included the high energy levels that everyone brought as we rolled past neighborhoods and all over this town.  Music trailers and more systems on individual bikes kept the vibe going.  The Mary Street foot bridge remains an amazing image in my mind.  Seeing a taco truck at the rest stops was truly a bike party first.  And when the occasional spill happened, people stopped to help their fellow riders get back on the bicycle, simply amazing.   We truly hope that Bike Party is able to foster a sense of positive behavior as we hit the streets, meet new people, make friends, and continue to explore the community we are all part of.

Share your reflections here in the comments – if we see any recurring themes, we’ll add to this post.

Please post & share photo/media links!

Wow, what a night!  1,000 riders, by two separate counts, in two separate places, even!  So many good thoughts and good times…this really is what it is all about.

Major props go to the many, many volunteers that make the rides flow – many people who go unnamed, who help in all those little ways that are really so hugely important:  all of you who helped remind someone to stay on the route; all of you who reminded someone to check their behavior; all of you who helped make rest stops “work” by making sure we all moved in deep to make room and helped get us moving again when it was time; all of you who towed music trailers, couches, and sidecars; all of you who thanked the cops; really just ALL of us, for being so positive and wonderful, showing this valley how to really roll.

A special shout-out to both Santa Clara County Sheriffs and De Anza-Foothill Community College Police, who together blocked off traffic (corked) for us at one of the nastiest intersections – Stevens Creek and Stelling, then Stevens Creek and De Anza.  That was wonderful – thank you, thank you, thank you!

I remember saying at our 1-year anniversary in October:  we happily reached 200 riders in a year, and hoped to see 1,000 riders in 5 years.  That vision has come to pass over 3 years early, and it’s awe-inspiring.  Remember to keep it positive, keep it creative, keep it hopeful – we will turn this valley into a Bike City yet!

As usual, please share your (polite & appropriate) relections on this ride in the comments below!  Stories, thoughts, reactions, links to pictures or videos, tales of encounters from the ride are all welcome!

Here’s the latest, most updated route for this Friday’s Troll Ride!  We’ll update this post if last-minute changes happen in the next day or so.

May 15th Troll Ride on Map My Ride

This route takes on a tour of Cupertino to the brand-new $15M Mary Ave bridge – and a WAY cool photo op for the photographers on the Stelling Ave overpass – only a half-mile away from our crossing of the lit-up Mary bridge.

Update, 5/15:

I know it’s last-minute, but here are the directions for the route tonight!  Learn them early so you can help keep our ride on-route!

May 2009 Route Sheets

Directions
R on Bascom Ave (watch the traffic!)
3 Lefts!  on Whitethorne, Spruance, Pamlar
R on Bascom Ave
R on Hamilton Ave

3mi – REGROUP #1:  Parking lot by Del Taco
R on San Tomas Aquino Rd
R on Marilla Ave
L on Williams Rd

6mi – REGROUP #2:  Longs Drugs Parking lot
L on Moorpark/Bollinger Rd (cross De Anza)

R on Kim St
L on McClellan Rd
R into De Anza College – go towards observatory

9 mi – REGROUP #3:  De Anza Observatory Lot
through campus, out to Mary Ave

cross Stevens Creek, to Mary Ave bridge!
R on Homestead Rd
R on Stelling Rd – take a picture of the bridge!
L on Stevens Creek Blvd – No turns!

12mi – REGROUP #4:  old Mervyn’s Lot

16mi – REGROUP #5:  Circuit City parking lot
R on Santana Row
R on Olsen Dr

18mi – END at Century 21/22/23 parking lot!

Get your troll on as we journey to the brand new Mary Ave bridge.

This is a long ride (near 20 miles) so be ready for a longer night!  The route is below.

To download and print the flier: www.deltaactivity.com/Troll_Ride_3up.pdf