The Monthly-Metric has been revived for 2026, but the January version wound up a little short! It was cool and foggy at the start in Orinda, and conditions didn’t really change as we cycled to Lafayette then over Reliz Valley Rd to Martinez. Moreover, there has been utility work on Reliz Valley Rd and the usual smooth and speedy descent, was instead a bumpy search for smooth pavement. Reaching Martinez, we warmed up with coffee and pastries at States Coffee. The planned route continued along the Carquinez Scenic Byway where the cold (45 deg) and fog persisted. Since we are an adaptable and resourceful group, we contemplated a alternative return route. Turns out that one of us (Gary) had never biked over the Bears, so we opted to head for Pig Farm hill and the Bears (Bear Creek Road). This turned out to be and excellent decision, as this route was fog free, the hills were green and the temperature was a balmy 54 degrees and climbing!
We ended up with 39 miles and and 3100 ft of ascent, so we have a bit to make up of future metrics!
We observed two very large pigs on Pig Farm hill. At first glance I really thought that the black and white one was a cow, but then its bigger partner appeared for the photo op.
A few of us stopped at the top of PAPA bear to honor Gary, resplendent in his VeloRaptor jacket, on his maiden trip over the Bears.
Returning to Orinda, a few of us enjoyed a great lunch at Cafe Teatro and recounted our adventures!
Our Wednesday ride filled the table at SiSi’s cafe in Moraga. 15 VeloRaptors stopped for coffee, and enjoyed the cool December sunshine before heading back to Oakland over the East Bay hills.
Saturday (Nov 1) : To paraphrase the “We ARE traffic” motto of Critical Mass: We ARE Yoly’s clientele, especially when we take almost all the chairs.
This past Sunday (10/26) 13 riders ignored the fog and mist and enjoyed great comradery riding in the East Bay hills. Most of the group did the Wildcat/El Toyonal descent to Orinda and then enjoyed coffee, pastry and lively conversation at Si Si’s in Moraga, before climbing back over Pinehurst.
If you are unfamiliar with the El Toyonal option for avoiding the closure on Wildcat Canyon, the graphic below shows the El Toyonal route from Wildcat to Orinda highlighted in blue.
On Sunday – Sept 29, VeloRaptors and Bike East Bay celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the Bay Bridge Trail by riding the trail out to Yerba Buena Island, then riding back and continuing on north to Richmond. Over 60 riders representing the wide demographics of the Bay Area came to mark the occassion.
Amanda Carson from Bike East Bay was the primary organizer, and Steve Blair from the VeloRaptors led the motley group over the route. Amanda gave a HUGE shout out to Corey, Jan, Steve, Walden, Dani and Robert for helping out with the ride! These rides would not be possible without the help of volunteers, so thank you so much for your support!
Also, Gavin from MTC (Metropolitan Transit Commission) for shared information on future plans for the Bay Bridge East Span Path. Implementation of the plan over the next few years will make it possible to bike from Oakland to San Francisco!
VeloRaptors were out in force in September, roaming the various parts of the East Bay!
Work to rebuild the washout on Wildcat Canyon has definitely started and the road really is CLOSED!
Photo taken from San Pablo Dam Rd. courtesy of David K.
Trip report – Canadian Rockies
On Saturday May 17, Twelve VeloRaptors participated in the BORP Revolution Ride, taking in the beautiful scenery of Marin County along a 40 mile loop that started and ended at the Mill Valley Community Center, and included a climb up the Marin Headlands as well as a loop around Tiburon.
While these riders pedaled their way around Marin, many other VeloRaptors actively supported the BORP campaign and in all we raised over $20,000.
This year we rode in honor of Steve Goldenberg, an avid BORP supporter for many years and who passed away way too soon in January of this year.
Here are a few pics of the VeloRaptors at the ride taken by the official ride photographer, Scot Goodman at Scot Goodman Photography.
On Sunday, May 12 the VeloRaptors again participated in the BORP Revolution ride in Santa Rosa, making this the 18th straight year of participation and fund raising.
BORP provides recreation and competition opportunities for disabled children and adults, including adaptive bicycling, wheelchair basketball, and soccer, etc. VeloRaptor participation started in 2006 when the board of the VeloRaptors learned that thieves had stolen specially adapted bikes and trikes from the BORP facility.
Since then, VeloRaptors have participated in every Revolution ride and this year the club’s fundraising total was the third highest amongst the participating teams. We raised nearly $21,000 through 83 contributions. This included funds raised by our Annual Bike Wash event on May 4 hosted by Pauline Fox, as well as registrations from 5 riders, and pledges made to individual riders. Moreover, Steve Goldenberg was the second highest individual fund raiser for the Revolution. Overall, our contribution to the Revolution ride formed a significant portion of the total amount ($240,000) raised by the event.
Riders this year were L-R, Steve Goldenberg, Steve Blair, Pauline Fox, Paul Lettieri, Fred Morse.
The letter below illustrates the appreciation the BORP organization has for the VeloRaptors.
May 29, 2024
Dear (VeloRaptor):
Thank you so much for being part of this year’s Revolution Ride Roll and Stroll. We raised $80,000 more than last year! A huge factor was some stellar fundraising from teams, with two teams, Special Need for Speed and the VeloRaptors leading the way.
Although Special Need for Speed currently holds the lead at $26,459.19, that was with 28 members. In terms of per team member fundraising, the VeloRaptors soared! You all are true champions raising $20,718.72 through 83 donations, which combined with the team’s registration fees, brought in $20,918.72 in support of BORP.
The REV is our most important fundraiser of the year, supporting 20+ weekly programs across 10 adaptive sports and rec activities. Your fundraising keeps BORP going strong.
Once the pledges and sponsorships are fulfilled, we will have raised more than $240,000 — more the 20% over our goal. That makes a huge difference as we plan for our next fiscal year.
We hope you had a great time and are looking forward to next year. Stay tuned for an announcement about the date and location.
On behalf of the entire BORP community, thank you for all you have done to make the 22nd Annual Revolution Ride, Roll & Stroll a huge success!
In community,
Emily Seelenfreud
Executive Director
BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation
3075 Adeline st., Suite 200
Berkeley, CA 94703
BORP (BAY AREA OUTREACH & RECREATION PROGRAM) • 3075 ADELINE STREET, SUITE 200 • BERKELEY, CA 94703
Tel: (510) 849-4663 Fax: (510) 849-4616 • Web: www.borp.org Email: info@borp.org Twitter: @borp.org