Uncategorized – VeloRaptors

New For 2025 – Monthly Metrics

One of the attributes of VeloRaptors is their ability to ride moderate to long distances, In fact, during one phase of VeloRaptor history, Howard Neal somehow persuaded several of members to join him in participating in the World UltraCycling Association Year-Rounder challenge, basically riding a Century a Month during a year. Lots of fun and great memories are associated with those rides.

Well, that was ten (plus) ago and several participants from that era miss the rides, but not the suffering of a century. So, now being older and maybe wiser, the club has decided to organize a VeloRaptor Metric-a-Month ride series to help us all stay in shape and as well as enjoy the VeloRaptor group dynamic.

These Metrics will generally be on Wednesdays as many of us are riding anyway. So starting in January, one Wednesday a month, riders have the option of a Metric Century, in addition to the regular Wednesday ride.

Our first Monthly Metric was January 8 and we had a fabulous turnout that included 19 riders!

We started with a large group shown below at the top of Little Pinehurst. Some riders peeled off, bu 19 stayed the course. Our next Monthly Metric will be on February 19!

VeloRaptors Helped Bike East Bay Raise $44,650.60, Thank You!.

The VeloRaptors are long time supporters of Bike East Bay and this year we mounted a campaign to raise money for Bike East Bay to use as a ‘Matching Gift’. The results of the campaign were quite successful as noted in the letter below from Rebecca Saltzman the Bike East Bay Development Director.

Jan 6, 2025

VeloRaptors: Thanks so much to members of the VeloRaptors Cycling Club of Oakland. The contributions of your members formed a matching gift $20,118.60!

I’m happy to report that in just 4 days, from December 27-31, Bike East Bay raised $24,532 online from 152 donors, exceeding our matching gift goal by more than $4,000! With the match amount, we raised a total of $44,650.60 for Bike East Bay through the VeloRaptors campaign.

The generosity of VeloRaptors members inspired so many people to give additional gifts and/or give more generously. This was the second year that members of the VeloRaptors joined together to provide a year end match for Bike East Bay, and the joint effort again was so impactful.

Your gifts and all of the funds we raised helps us mobilize by bike to build communities that are joyful, safe, and inclusive.Thanks and happy new year!

– Rebecca

Rebecca Saltzman (she/her)

Development Director

Bike East Bay

Tribute to Ed Litton – East Bay Bike Builder

VeloRaptors Can Hike Too – Sept 2

On Labor Day twenty VeloRaptors and guests took a break from biking and embarked on a 7 mile hike in Redwood Park. Thanks to Fiona D. for mapping out a fun route and leading the hike. Stay tuned for announcement of the monthly cross-training hike in October.

Twenty Two (22) Riders on Wednesday!

The Wednesday group is growing! 22 riders today. Big turnout, even though it was a little cool. Here we are at the top of Little Pinehurst, 21 plus the photographer.

Palomares Rd in Spring!

We recently took a Wednesday outlier ride on Palomares Road and sixteen riders showed up to to enjoy springtime in the East Bay Hills. We actually saw water in the creek and several areas of damage to the road, giving evidence of the recent storms.

Happy New Year!

Ride On for 2024!

Joe Shami’s Legacy – Mt Diablo Bike Turnout Project and a Bench on the La Morinda Trail!

Tragically, on April 14, 2021, Joe Shami, “The Legend of Mount Diablo”, was struck and killed by a vehicle while riding his bicycle in Lafayette, CA. In honor of Joe’s efforts, spirit, and inspiring demonstration of life fully lived there are now two wonderful remembrances of his life of cycling. The California State Parks Foundation has dedicated the Bike Turnout Project on Mt. Diablo to Joe and a bench has been placed along the Lamorinda trail near his home. In addition, Joe’s passing was also noted in a recent issue of the MIT News which reads as follows:

Although he is not with us today, Joe left a special gift in his will of $123,415.61 to California State Parks Foundation to fund additional Bike Turnouts on Mount Diablo. Read more about Joe and the Bike Turnout Project at this link https://act.calparks.org/a/biketurnout .

Here are pics of both Joe at the top of Mt. Diablo and few VeloRaptors at the bench dedicated to him.

If you find yourself on the LaMorinda trail you will find Joe’s bench near the birdhouse village as shown below.

VeloRaptors Support BORP Revolution Ride!

For several years the VeloRaptors have supported BORP, an organization which provides sports, recreation and fitness programming for children, youth and adults with physical disabililities and visual impairments. On Saturday, May 13, BORP held its 21st annual Ride, Roll and Stroll in Santa Rosa. We are proud to say that 11 VeloRaptors participated and collectively raised $23,600, smashing our goal of $15,000. The ride this year was a memorial tribute for former team member Dennis Cathey. The team, headed up by team captain Randy Mellin, had several prodigious fundraisers on it, including one of the top 5, Steven Goldenberg. Altogether the team inspired 103 contributions to BORP.

You can learn more about the BORP organization at their website:

http://www.borp.org

Marin Headlands Ride – 2019!

Nineteen VeloRaptors did the Marin Headlands ride on January 12! We met at the foot of Market St, and then rode along the Embarcadero to Fisherman’s Wharf.

We made a stop at the Dolphin Club to look at the vintage boats, and watch the hardy Dolphin members emerge from the chilly water.

Then it was on to the beautiful Marina Green with fabulous views of SF Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge

Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge is always an exhilarating experience, due to being on this fabulous structure, crossing the Golden Gate, and the speeding cyclists, rookie cyclists on electric bikes, going in both directions, as well as the bridge maintenance equipment. Once across, most of the group made the long slog up the Marin Headlands, and posed for our annual picture at the top.

Then comes the truly terrifying descent down to Ft Cronkite. The scenery is fabulous, but the road is STEEP and NARROW with several sharp CURVES.

It was then on to Sausalito where the group splintered. Several riders caught a ferry back to SF. A few others cycled back over the GG Bridge, or cycled out along the headlands for a closer look at the ocean.

Six of us (3 Steves along with Paul, Kevin and Dale) pedaled our way to Tiburon and took a ferry to SF from there.

It was a fabulous day for cycling and riding ferries on SF Bay!