SS1000 Ride from SFO

#21
FAILED ATTEMPT #1

I started today morning from sunnyvale at 4AM. The ride started fine though it was dark but as soon i was about to reach sacramento, i saw heavy fog and mist. it reached almost 0 visibility and i had to reduce my speed to 30Mph. I had anticipated cold and was wearing enough liners inside to combat it but the cold weather was becoming un-bearable. I stopped at a gas station for a coffee and noticed that my hands were slightly turning blue! I got very scared. I took some rest at the gas station and headed back home

My bike doesn't have heated grips. Any suggestions for the riding gloves to help in such situation?
 

Roadglider

Premier Member
#22
FAILED ATTEMPT #1

I started today morning from sunnyvale at 4AM. The ride started fine though it was dark but as soon i was about to reach sacramento, i saw heavy fog and mist. it reached almost 0 visibility and i had to reduce my speed to 30Mph. I had anticipated cold and was wearing enough liners inside to combat it but the cold weather was becoming un-bearable. I stopped at a gas station for a coffee and noticed that my hands were slightly turning blue! I got very scared. I took some rest at the gas station and headed back home

My bike doesn't have heated grips. Any suggestions for the riding gloves to help in such situation?
Naufal,

I do not have any suggestions for heated grips or gloves, as I use the gauntlet type Harley Davidson gloves with liners to keep warm.

I just wanted to give you a different perspective from your subject title. It was not a FAILED Attempt, it was just Attempt #1. You successfully attempted to complete an IBA ride. You chose your safety over the dangerous situation of continuing the ride. Knowing when not to ride is just as important as knowing when and where to ride. As disappointing as it is, you will be able to attempt #2 in the future.

Another perspective, is did you have any lessons learned? Did you forget anything? Did you think of anything that would have made the ride easier, or more efficient at your stops?

I have completed three rides since Dec including a BBG (1500m in 24hr). I have learned something each time I rode, to make the next one better than the last.

Good luck on Attempt #2! Ride Safe, Ride Long and Ride Always.
 
#23
FAILED ATTEMPT #1

I started today morning from sunnyvale at 4AM. The ride started fine though it was dark but as soon i was about to reach sacramento, i saw heavy fog and mist. it reached almost 0 visibility and i had to reduce my speed to 30Mph. I had anticipated cold and was wearing enough liners inside to combat it but the cold weather was becoming un-bearable. I stopped at a gas station for a coffee and noticed that my hands were slightly turning blue! I got very scared. I took some rest at the gas station and headed back home

My bike doesn't have heated grips. Any suggestions for the riding gloves to help in such situation?

I agree with everything stated by Roadglider. As for heated gear - You can always pick-up some inexpensive heated gear at a local Cycle Gear shop or keep it low-budget and wear a pair of silk glove liners with handwarmers between the glove liner and outer-glove.
 

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#25
So, being an amateur weather prognosticator, the most difficult thing to understand - and accept - is that there *will* be weather as part of an IBA ride. :) You can read all of the technical forecast discussions, but at the end of the day, only you know how to understand how weather is going to be - not so much for the first hour or two but twelve, fifteen, eighteen hours later.

Hands being cold is one thing - wet and cold is an entirely different matter. Roadglider is barking up the right tree, however...

Besides the cold hands, was everything else working okay? You were only on the ride for a couple hours at the most, so there may not be adequate time in the saddle to know what's the next weak link in your gear situation.

Think of this as you just went on a ride, it really wasn't an attempt. ;)

Regroup and repeat.
 

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#27
For the one-off ride, here's another (inexpensive) solution that might work...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_warmer

Here's another thought. Bay area weather can suck, but can also be great most times of year. Perhaps a 0400 departure isn't practical - from the weather perspective - and maybe you should move up departure until closer to daybreak. There's also a ton of weather apps / radar apps for iOS and Android. Pick one or two of them and really start comparative checks for accuracy - for 'now' and hours from 'now'.

I note that region-wide, weather is going to really suck for a few days. As I mentioned earlier, see if you have a bit of time to find other gear-related issues to resolve prior to another 'official' attempt. Short rides close to home should give you time to really sort out those issues *before* you're 600+ (or even <100) miles into a ride.

Luck to ya!
 
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#29
Woohoo, can finally comment! (First was waiting to have my acct confirmed, then a weird browser issue).

That loop looks interesting, would be worried about Death Valley. Is there cell service (and gas stations) out there?

Btw, Naufal I live close-by if you're looking for a riding partner for this ss1000 loop, I'd be down (but I understand if you're looking to go solo as well!).
 

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#30
Cell service in the park? Only one small area (Furnace Creek), otherwise - nope - nothing there!

There is a fuel stop on your route (Stovepipe Wells) - but see your thread; you'll probably want that extra container.

There will also be some chunks along some of the Nevada portion that will be cell-less (depends on your carrier - VZW seems to be the top dog in the region)
 
#31
Good to know. I switched from T-mobile to Verizon two years ago because I always lost signal in the mountains.

Would a Garmin GPS stand-alone have signal out in those parts?
 
#33
Rock and roll. If I leave SJ at 3AM what time would you suspect I'd hit Death Valley (I dont think the temps will be too high until June, at which point it really becomes DEATH valley).
 

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#34
I don't know your route details specifically, so can't tell you when you'd hit DVNP.

Here's the forecast for the next week. June temps?? Probably 15 - 20 degrees hotter.

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DelB

Premier Member
#35
As to the cell phone service in Nevada. Most phones will show bars throughout Nevada, but as soon as you try to use your phone it will show no service. So good luck with that. True GPS, such as Garmin, will work throughout Nevada. GPS on a phone will not.
 
#36
wow. 101 degrees in april. @_@

I have a GPS receiver module that my phone links to..it seems to work pretty well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E65TNYE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

welp, we see shall see.

I'll hold-off on this route, as it's really Naufal's, i'd feel crappy doing it first. Going to figure out another route, perhaps in CA. . . It's a shame the PCH 1 is still gone b/c that landslide. . . PCH south for ~500 miles then take the i5 north for ~500 miles would be a great trip.

although, in my limited experience around SF/SF-penisula, PCH is pretty slow in some parts.
 

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#37
As to the cell phone service in Nevada. Most phones will show bars throughout Nevada, but as soon as you try to use your phone it will show no service. So good luck with that. True GPS, such as Garmin, will work throughout Nevada. GPS on a phone will not.
Well...a GPS receiver in a phone is just like the GPS receiver in a stand-alone unit.

The difference is the map data will not be sufficient unless you've downloaded the data into the phone, so the GPS can use that when the cell service drops out.

I have done that successfully in Nevada once.
 

rebelmark

Premier Member
IBA Member
#38
Well I am stealing this route and doing it this month. I originally had an in state SS1000 planned, but it required skirting the top part of LA, which would be fine on a Saturday; however, an atmospheric river stopped that attempt last week, and with the rest of the month booked, I am going to use a vacation day and do this route on a Friday. I figure I can get on I-5 and make awesome time down to Death Valley, leaving at 2am. by the time i'm in unfamiliar territory, it will be light, and then up Nevada and over I-80 to home. Should be a good ride!