Celebrate thy Nerd-om!

Help make this month’s “Revenge of the Nerds” ride memorable by wearing a costume to support the theme.

FACTOIDS:

• Start: Civic Center Parking Lot                           [ 79 W Hedding St, SJ ]
• End: The “Corona of Palms”                                 [ Downtown SJ ]
• Wheels hit street at 8:00pm.

CHARTS:

• MAP
• Printable Directions

See below for additional details.

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Its cold outside, so so cold so we are having a scarf ride!! This is an easy “costume,” and you have NO excuses not to dress up.  We want to see that scarf fly like a flag!

Because of the season, we are pushing the ride up slightly earlier.  Wheel’s will hit the street at 8 PM.  That means, get there early!!!

Sneak peek of route and starting location:

• The ride will start and end in downtown SJ.  As always, the exact starting location and route will be announced a day or two before the ride-perhaps earlier!
• The route will include a nice tour of lots of lights throughout the town (tentatively dt SJ, Willow Glen, Rose Garden, Campbell and more…)

Getting There:

• If you must use VTA, get there early.  Light Rail fills up quickly.  Take Light Rail early to downtown San Jose for dinner.
• If you need to park, park using the downtown SJ parking map, the orange lots are the cheapest. Or park at Tamien CalTrain and ride in; it’s only about two miles.
• If you are taking a train, the San Jose Diridon Station is the closest, but Tamien CalTrain Station has free parking – station list and map
• Ride your bicycle to the starting point! We will be announcing pre-ride meet ups with the route.

Other Important things to remember:

• We are having a can food drive.  Bring a can, bring ten!! Help out those who need it this season
• We are starting early-don’t forget it!!
• If your bicycle/clothing is ill prepared for the cold wet winter weather?  Winterize it.  Join us for a great time at our Winter Wonderland holiday party two nights before Bike Party and get an extra SJBP discount that night only!
• Refresh yourself and your friends of the “how we ride” and bicycle laws.

Wear your scarfs this month!

Test Rides are a way that we prepare the SJBP route & train volunteers for the main ride. We need many more volunteers & we need these tasks (listed below) performed for both the Test Rides and the main ride. Your help is appreciated.  For those that get up  early on a Saturday, or want to catch a ride en route this ride’s for you… next Saturday, Dec. 12th, 10:00am-1:45pm

1. help market via FB, SJBP page,etc
2. send out info on FB (direct messages only)
3. print out guest list (2 per ride)
4. make & format documents – “Turn by Turn Directions”
5. create route & site captain sheets on google docs
6. recruit friends to join the test rides – or volunteer
7. lead a test route, ensure pace is good, regroups brief

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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:

• Campbell to Hellyer Velodrome @ 5:45pm, led by Jeff – meet at Campbell Community Center parking lot:  TxT Directions
  Campbell Comm Ctr to Hellyer Velodrome Map 5:45pm
• Downtown San José to Hellyer Velodrome @ 6pm, led by Sarah – meet at San Jose Repertory Theater: TxT Directions
  DT SJ – SJ Rep to Hellyer Velodrome Map – 6:00pm

If you can’t come early to see the races at the velodrome, join us to catch the main ride:

• North San José/Santa Clara to Main Start @ 6:30pm, led by Ian:
  Rivermark on Montague Expy (@Peets Coffee) to Capitol Buick Map – 6:30pm
• Campbell to Main Start @ – 6:45pm, led by Bob – meet at Campbell Community Center parking lot: TxT Directions
  Campbell Comm Ctr to Capitol Buick Map – 6:45pm
  (Note: Say “hi” to those on “Art Walk” in dt Campbell)
• Downtown San José to Main Start @ 7pm, led by Ryan- – meet at San Jose Repertory Theater: TxT Directions
  DT SJ – SJ Rep to Capitol Buick Map – 7:00pm

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!

We seek your assistance to make this Friday’s ride the best one yet!

Lights - Your bikes need lights and taillights more than ever! If you are a bike store, from Highland to Walts to Sports Basement… let us know what discounts you may have available for SJ Bike Party attendees. We’ll post here.

Cameras - Bring your cameras. Follow whatever instructions are given at Hellyer Velodrome regarding flash. Still pics and video during the ride and regroup is great if you can do it safely.

Signs - We need construction signs and barricades to help with key turns! We’ll affix our SJBP signs to these! If you have any (or can ask a coworker or friend) please email sjbp.prerides@gmail.com as soon as possible. If you can help distribute these Thursday evening/Friday even better!

Music - Trailers, rear racks or handlebars are all good! We need many more! If you have built a setup, share your secrets. Lightweight music setups for 20-30 riders to hear are most welcome. You don’t have to have a 200-300W trailer system!  Remember: Please turn down the music in residential areas and crank UP in remote areas.

Action - At Hellyer velodrome is exciting and all of us riding together up Hellyer Rd is too. The steep Hellyer climb has been taken out of this ride for safety considerations,etc. A cancer survivor called the ride “exhilarating!”

Please post questions for all of these items to sjbp.prerides@gmail.com

First time?  Need a refresher? Check How We Ride!

We have something a little different this month, so don’t get scared!  We are starting the ride from 3 different locations.  (Yay, close to your house!!!)  The ride will then converge and everyone will ride together.  Many neighborhoods and many types of riders make up San Jose Bike Party, but together we ride as ONE COMMUNITY!

Find the Best Starting Location for You!

Where do you live?

1. Downtown SJ – join a pre-ride to a meetup point (@ Cesar Chavez park, 7pm)
2. East/Alum Rock Leg Start (@ McKee & Capitol, 8pm)
3. South/Oak Hill Cemetery Leg Start (@ Tully/Curtner & Monterey, 8pm)
4. West/Campbell Leg Start (@ Winchester & Campbell, 8pm)

(The route links are posted in each starting points descriptions.  Regroups are indicated by water on each map. Each route ends exactly where it started)

Tune your radio to KSCU 103.3 FM during the ride!

That’s right, one of our very own volunteers, Kipp (also the promoter of the Tuesday Bike Nights at Campbell Sonoma Chicken Coop) will be broadcasting on-air LIVE during the Bike Party!  Tune in to KSCU, at 103.3 FM, and program your phones to call in:  408-554-KSCU (554-5728).

1.  Downtown SJ Pre-ride Start

Meet at 7:00pm at Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park.  This ride will leave at 7:05. Be there on time!!

Pre-rides from downtown will ride to the South/Oak Hill Cemetery leg start (about 3 miles), East/Alum Rock Leg Start (about 4 miles), OR to the West/Campbell leg start (about 7 miles).

If you arrive late to Cesar Chavez park, just ride down Market to 1st St which becomes Monterey Rd – you can turn Right [corrected] into the Plant Shopping Center just before Curtner/Tully, which is the Southeast/Fairgrounds leg start.

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2.  East/Alum Rock Start

From many neightborhoods...one community!

Meet at 8:00pm at the Mervyn’s Parking lot at Capitol and McKee.

Route Map for East/Alum Rock leg start – This is the MapMyRide link for the entire route, starting at this leg’s start, joining with the rest of the ride, to the finish in downtown, and back home to the leg start.

Print your route here:  3-column PDF route directions! (print 2-sided)

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3.  South/Oak Hill Cemetery Start

Meet at 8:00pm at The Plant shopping center at Monterey and Curtner/Tully.

Route Map for South/Oak Hill Cemetery leg start- This is the MapMyRide link for the entire route, starting at this leg’s start, joining with the rest of the ride, to the finish in downtown, and back home to the leg start.

Print your route here:  3-column PDF route directions! (print 2-sided)

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4.  West/Campbell Leg Start

Meet at 8:00pm at Campbell Community Center at Winchester & Campbell.

Route Map for West/Campbell leg start- This is the MapMyRide link for the entire route, starting at this leg’s start, joining with the rest of the ride, to the finish in downtown, and back home to the leg start.

Print your route here:  3-column PDF route directions! (print 2-sided)

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