Alameda Runners – Get After It!

If you’re a cyclist in Alameda seeking a group of riders to explore the East Bay with, I’d recommend looking into Team Alameda.

The cycling club has organized rides every Saturday and Sunday, though members do get together during the week for additional rides.  (If you’re a newer rider, please be advised you won’t be dropped, especially if you  ride with the correct group on Saturday morning.)

Some of the riders sign up for organized rides and cycling races, but it’s not a requirement.  Occasional long rides leave the East Bay, and most of the riders carpool with one another.

A Team Alameda FAQ page for newer cyclists can be found here.  You can reach the membership page here ($25 per year membership for cyclists).  Family members in the same household are able to become TA members for free.

Team members also get discounts at several local bike stores and restaurants in Alameda.

I was a member of Team Alameda a couple of years ago, but didn’t renew my membership as my miles in the saddle diminished.  I enjoyed every Team Alameda ride I went on, as it’s nice to have someone to chat with while riding, learn new routes to ride, and have other riders to help in case you have a serious or minor mechanical problem.

In case you missed the news recently, the Benicia Town Race will not be held this June as previously scheduled.  The event was approved by the city council, but event organizers wouldn’t have been able to adhere to mandatory changes.

“It would take a Herculean effort,” race promoter Peter Van Slyke told the Vallejo Times-Herald.  “I don’t want to shortchange the event, or our sponsors.”

Here are some of the changes (courtesy of Vallejo Times-Herald):

This year, organizers had agreed to hire track monitors and professional setup crews to provide a more professional look and help with controlled crossings.

Changes were also made to address merchants’ concerns. Organizers agreed to switch the race date from Saturday to Sunday and hold the event at least two weeks before Fourth of July weekend.

I’m always disappointed when I hear local cycling events are canceled for reasons that could have been avoided.

Benecia could host another bike race in 2011 if Van Slyke and other organizers are still interested.  I think it’s really going to be up to the Benecia cycling community step up and jump through the hoops to put this thing on.

The City of Alameda had a bike criterium race a couple of years ago on part of Park Street — I was told it didn’t take place again because some business owners saw it as a bit of a nuisance.  To be fair, the race was held early on a cold, rainy, windy Alameda winter morning (before anyone was out of the house).  I’m going to have a future blog post about this in the next week or two, so stay tuned.