"History of the River Ride" a Series

The River Ride has a long and rich history.  The Saturday River Ride began in 1981 when City Bicycle Works was on "J" street, and the Tuesday (formerly the Tuesday/Thursday) River Ride began in 1976!  Interviews are taking place, and there is a push to get stories about the routes, history, and whatever information can be found to post it here.

If you know of a 70s, 80s, or 90s River Rider who has any stories, let the blog know!  It would be interesting to find out the roots of the ride, and what has taken place through the years.  Stories and interviews will be posted (hopefully) frequently as they come in.  We can just cross our fingers and hope that we get some stories from the "River Ride Hall of Fame," like Norm Alvis, Scott McKinnley, John Brady, Harvey Nitz, Eric Heiden, Kevin Metcalf, Stace Cooper, Julie Young, Dominique Anderson, Vince Gee, Paul Estabrok, Tim Imai, Greg Edwards, Michael Williams, Tad Bell, Jess Polakoff, and Chad Gerlach.  Who are we missing?

River Ride World Championships 2012

The Trailer


River Ride World Championship


The attack by Byron

Sacramento River Ride by John Elgart -1999

stolen from: http://elevengear.us
report filed April 1999, Sacramento, California

The River Ride brings out a certain type of rider, the kind that like to hunker down in the wind and hammer in the gutter six inches from a bunch of other people doing the same thing, fighting for position, fighting to get up to the rotation or to stay just out of it. And all the while you're keeping an eye out for oncoming traffic because you're as likely to be on the left side of the road as the right.


Tuesday was a classic. The Delta Breeze was whipping along at 30 mph, and as soon as we turned off the Freeport Bridge onto River Road the front of the pack was Team Sunchase: John Brady, Chris Bauman, Chucky Hutcheson, Barry Vial as well as Jolt's Russell Hanby and his teammate Tony Martinez (?). Incidentally, Brady, Bauman and Hanby took 1,2 and 3 at the windy Wente P12 crit. If you ride in Sacramento, wind is your friend.


After about 5 minutes of hammerhead action the group was down from 60 to about 10 riders: the above 6, plus yours truly, Jerry Roberts, Chris Dominguez, and Harvey Nitz. This becomes an interesting exercise in echeloning. Only about 6 guys can get real draft if the wind is coming hard from the left and the lead rider is on the centerline. The other 4 hang on for dear life, hoping to get to the next bend in the road where they can get more draft. And at the front the guys aren't just pulling, they're attacking, and often in the right gutter. In this group, taking a hard pull can be the prelude to getting dropped because sometimes there's no draft to get back into.


A 2nd echelon? There is one -- it's called the chase group about a minute back. With the strongest riders at the front and and leaving draft for one teammate, the only option for the gutterbug is to get small and hang tough.


Halfway through, at 6 miles, we jump the angled railroad track, fly through the 1 mile tailwind flat between the two underpasses at 36mph, sprint up to the levee, and then curve around following the river. Now we are echeloning from the far right of the road to the far left gutter. The first time I did this it unnerved me a little bit. All I can say is: You get used to it. Just keep an eye out for the occasional fisherman.


Another turn and we're all back in the right hand gutter. Justin Morgan appears in the group -- he'd been going the other way and had turned around. Oh, oh, I think, a strong guy with fresh legs. Soon someone, maybe Harvey, is forcing the pace along the gravel fringe, 30 mph with a side wind.


Roberts sits up, and then I pull off with Domingues and we start echeloning behind the field. The hammer is down and the field splits in two: it looks like Brady, Chuck, and Russell are away, with Barry bridging up. We stay about 10 seconds down on their chasers, who are coming apart. We fly past Bauman, then Harvey Nitz (he of the big pull). Jerry Roberts, recovered and on his time trial bars, catches us from behind. We catch Justin. The finish is coming up and I pull as hard as I can into the wind until Domingues sprints through for the line. Not too bad: we're only maybe 20 seconds behind the leaders.


That's it: a mere 13 miles of hammering, 25 minutes or so. Everybody rides slowly back through West Sacramento, most of the group catching by the time we get to the Tower Bridge. We cross the Sacramento River on Capitol Street, and the State Capitol building glows in the sunset. The wind dies down immediately, and the city at 7:30 seems languid and beautiful. Guys are joking about last week's race where Brady politely nudged John Durso out of the way with his hand to get by him in the sprint, done of course at full speed. It's a River Ride kind of thing.


BTW, For those who'd like to try it, the River Ride leaves from the Bicycle Business on Freeport (south of downtown about 2 miles) in Sacramento at 6pm sharp and rides at a leisurely pace to the Freeport Bridge before it springs to life.

John Elgart

Cue Sheet for Saturday River Ride - "A" Group

10:00 am behind City Bicycle Works 2419 K St.

Warm Up
Head South out alley
Right on 24th st
Left on "C" st
Right on American River Bicycle Trail
Continue over path bridge 
Left through gravel parking lot before 1st hard left sweeper
Continue on Northgate Blvd
Left on Arden Garden Conector
Becomes Garden Hwy
Continue on Garden Hwy

Fast Part of Ride Begins under I-80 Bridge
Continue down Garden Hwy
Sprint is the County Line

Return

Continue back down Garden Hwy

Left on Powerline rd

Right on Bayou rd

Bayou becomes El Centro rd

Right on Del Paso rd.

Left on Powerline Road

Left on Garden Hwy

Left on San Juan Rd

Sprint line .7 Miles from Garden Hwy on San Juan

Warm Down

Continue on San Juan rd

Right on El Centro rd

Left on W. El Camino Ave

Right on Orchard Lane

Left on Garden Hwy

Right on Natomas Park Drive and through Discovery Park

Cross Jibboom St Bridge (Big/Green)

Head out of Discovery Park

Turn Right on Jibboom st

Left on "I" st Bridge

"I" st Bridge becomes "J" st

Continue on "J" st

Right on 24th st

Left in 1st alley

Bike shop will be on your left

Here is the route from a rider's Strava ride:
http://app.strava.com/activities/43762198

Cue Sheet for Tuesday/ Thursday River Ride - "B" Ride

5:45 pm Vics Parking Lot 5820 South Land Park Dr.

Warm up

Right on S Land Park Dr

Left onto Golden Oak Way

Left onto Branwood Way

Right onto Alma Vista Way

Left onto Pocket Rd

Right onto Freeport Blvd

Right onto Freeport Bridge

Turn right onto S River Rd

Fast Part of Ride Begins after the road drop under the railroad tracks                      

Turn right under bridge

Continue on S River Road
Turn left onto Linden Rd

Sprint LINE after field .4 miles from turn off River Road

Right onto Jefferson Blvd

Right onto 15th St

Left onto S River Rd

Right onto Ballpark Dr

Left onto 3rd St

Right onto Tower Bridge Gateway

Return

Continue on Capital Mall Ave

Right on 9th St

Left on N St

Right on 19th st

19th turns into Freeport Blvd

Head South on Freeport Blvd
Right onto 13th Ave
Left on S Land Park Dr

The Tuesday B ride is a beginner oriented ride with a small chainring rule until the road drops under the railroad tracks, with a pace of 21-22 until that point. Speeds increases after the road drops, and once back up on the levee, gloves off until finish for attacking and faster pace. First half of the ride has a goal of developing group riding skills including smooth pacelining and rotations and increasing comfort in a pack.

Here is the route from a riders Map my Ride:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/188388302

Cue Sheet for Monday/Wednesday River Ride - "B" Group

5:30 pm parking lot behind 2525 Natomas Park Dr.

This ride is an out and back.  

Exit Parking lot and head East (straight)

Continue on Natomas Park Dr

Right on Garden Hwy

Right on Powerline

Right on West Elkhorn

Left on Metro Air Parkway

Left on Elverta

Sprint #1 to top of hill as Elverta approaches Garden Hwy.

Regroup

Head back same route
Return down Elverta
Right on Metro Air Parkway
Right on West Elkhorn
Left on Powerline
Left on Garden Hwy

Sprint #2 to Sacramento City limit sign on Garden Hwy

Warm Down
Continue on Garden Hwy
Left on Natomas Park Dr.
Parking lot will be directly ahead

1st River Ride Tomorrow - BRING LIGHTS FOR THE RIDE HOME.

Tuesday River Ride tomorrow....

BRING LIGHTS FOR THE RIDE HOME! It will be dark after we cross the capital bridge.

There is an excellent bike shop (the Bicycle Business) across the street from the start, so there is no reason to noT have lights.

Make sure your friends know to..
BRING LIGHTS FOR THE RIDE HOME.

Share this with anyone who may be going. Thank you!