One other thing we need to keep in mind. The Friday dinner starts at 7:00 pm and most people are going to want to be back in time for that. The way the route stands we have almost 400 miles to go which doesn't leave much time for socializing. Gonna have to save it for after the ride.Map source has this at 9 hours and 10 minutes. Add about 1 hour for lunch and another hour for breaks and we get back at 7:10 pm if we leave at 8:00 am. Doesn't leave much time for fooling around. Its a shame to because we will be going through some of the most scenic areas of the country.
+2
Which is exactly why I initially suggested an early starting time and wanted to get through South Lake Tahoe early. Still, you make a point that can't be overlooked. I did something like this last June (leading a Monitor to Ebbetts to Carson Passes loop from Topaz after lunch for some folks that had to be back to the Hilton for a Blackbird meet banquet (I didn't go up to Reno -- jumped off in Gardnerville). We got started too late and spent way too much time socializing with the whole group at lunch in Topaz. (These guys wanted to see and ride this loop, while others ventured over Sonora to stop and come back the same way. So, the ride back over Carson Pass was a bit spirited.) So, what are the assumptions made in the time estimate from the GPS and how do we fix any problems with these time constraints??
I see only a few alternatives: (1) modify route, (2) start earlier, (3) cut down stopping and/or lunch times, or (4) TC's Friday eating arrangements:
(1) Outside of taking Mount Rose, the east shore of Tahoe and Luther Pass out of the ride and heading straight down 395 to Sonora Pass (or to 88 to Markleeville and over Monitor first), little can be changed to make a significant difference and keep the heart of the ride intact. The route tweaks off the Hwy 88 to 395 return route maybe add 5 minutes, and that would probably just be the result of wicking it up to 90+ mph on the straights on 88 and 395 (which can also be done on Jack's Valley Road and old Hwy 395, though I'm NOT advocating doing that). I think refueling in Topaz may save time, even though we're adding about 5 miles to the trip, since the stop itself is likely to be shorter and more efficient.
(2) Leaving earlier is an option, but the presently contemplated 8 am departure time sounds like it'd work without generating too many stragglers that can't get up and have breakfast (or get S.O. to the line) by then.
(3) Minimizing stopping time, especially early in the ride, makes a lot of sense to me. I'm not wild about taking pictures of all the bikes together if it delays departure time, or if it turns a 10 minute restroom and snack break into a half hour (a problem especially for women on this ride is that there are not a lot of convenient places where there are "facilities", and we do need to address that issue still -- so far, we have only the Topaz refueling stop and Sonora area lunch and refueling stops to fit that bill). Pics probably need to be taken around the ride and stops, not necessarily be the reason for stops, delays, etc. I don't like it when a leader takes off without having everyone in the group ready. If I'm leading a group, I want to make sure that all riders have their helmets fastened, gloves on, ear appliances in place and are ready before I pull out (better than having a distracted rider -- BTDT), so please get geared up and ready to go without delay when we announce that we're going to be leaving. Lunch -- no way around the pragmatics you suggest, Steve. A get together of the whole group is going to take longer. A sit down inside an air conditioned restaurant is going to take longer. Each group independently stopping at a burger joint's window is going to be the least time consuming alternative. If any of this makes us late getting back, I'd rather keep it safe and get back a little late than lead 30 bikes up 395 at 100 mph, or feel that I am expected to do that. You're on your own if that's what you want to do, but watch out for the NHP on 395, especially through the Washoe Valley area -- you'll see all the irate residents' signs along the road.
(4) TC's suggestion of Pizza and no Friday banquet would work for me, too, but we'd still have the matter of riders who want to do the ride AND make the banquet.
So . . .
Somebody else can make these decisions. When I first proposed this and the Saturday Hwy 49 route months ago (last fall?), long before it was lost to the hack attack, I was simply sketching out the rides I intended to take if I could get even one other rider interested in coming along. It's not news that I don't like riding in too large groups or parades (I insisted on 8 or fewer riders if I was going to lead a group here), even though I enjoy the camaraderie of other riders and sharing good roads and scenery with others who get it. I'll do my best to help make it work, but that is within these constraints: I
AM going to ride this route on Friday, even if it's with one or two other riders leaving earlier than everyone else as forerunners, rabbits or whatever. With all the GPSes programmed with this full route or some variation, a lead rider who knows the route isn't necessary, and even then, there are plenty of folks who have ridden these roads.
What we need more than anything else, now that we are looking at maybe 30+ riders, is someone to act as travel/tour guide and to program restaurant stops, maybe including making reservations. Right now, I have too much on my plate to be able to do that even if I wanted to. So, who is making the decisions and wants to take the tour guide role?
