The RAC This Week (Jan. 27th)

Dear Parents,

RAC co-founder Mike Fickel's memorial service will be held on 

• Saturday, February 7th, at 2 pm. 

• St. Bart's Episcopal Church 

• 16275 Pomerado Rd, Poway, CA 92064. 

• All are invited.

• Please wear your RAC t-shirt, if you have one. 

• The Feb 7th ride has been cancelled

From Joel, volunteer, jersey designer and coordinator 

“February 1st, this coming Sunday, is the last day to order RAC Jerseys.

If you're interested in purchasing a RAC jersey, shirt, or jacket, the store is open. Get your order in by February 1st.

Ordering a jersey, shirt, or jacket is a fun way to show your support for The RAC, but it is absolutely not required. 10% of sales are given back and help fund The RAC.

Cycling clothing tends to run tight, so if you're unsure of your size, order up.

Let me know if you have any questions.”

https://teamstore.agile-sportswear.com/store/ride-across-california/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcjZnR016cjVsN1lURDlUc3NydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7mWbtcjkBXzmDS69BdAWFgug0fz-eQuzEUtgjBUveGW4d2sPvnnb09YuT8ew_aem_0R80gfXNE_AW9M3ZGyMZIg

From Dr Bob, Bike Mechanic 

“ Calvin Jones from Park Tool recently announced his retirement.  Calvin produced a huge number of videos from Park Tool showing DIY bike mechanics the basics of repair.  Here are are a few of my favorites.”

A Bicycle DIY Icon

Our Next Ride 

Saturday, Jan 31 at 7:30 am. (No, this is not a typo) 
The Five Cities Ride

Harbor Island Park. 1875 Harbor Island. SD 92101 

•  is one of our most scenic rides. 

• We will see 

• five cities

• the longest-running business in San Diego County (from 1871) 

• 100+ year old railroad tracks ( to Coronado’s tent city)  

• a brand new park with bathrooms that have doors

• $$$ yachts

• a new hotel, the largest one the West Coast 

• a military base 

• factories

• mansions 

• bad roads on Harbor Drive

• the Coronado bridge from below 

• Flow and Floyd (wild flamingos (not guaranteed)) 

• Please arrive by 7:15 am. 

This ride includes a ferry ride from Coronado to San Diego 

Ferry tickets cost $ 9 per person. Bikes are included . 

Please purchase ferry tickets: 

Buy Ferry Tickets online 

• or with your credit card at the dockside ticket machine (which doesn’t always work) 

• They do not accept cash anymore. Sorry for the misinformation last week 

• The Broadway Pier ferry leaves every hour on the half hour. 

• We don’t all have to catch the same ferry. 

The bike path and the ferry landings get busy. Pedestrians have the right of way. 

Thank you for reading 

Christiane

_________________________

About the cancelled Feb 7 ride

Our Facebook page 

Hotel Accomodations in Wynola 

The Escondido Hill Rides 

The Ride Across California calendar. 

Power Pedal 

RAC requirements 

RAC rules 

The RAC This Week (Jan. 21st)

Dear Parents. 

RAC co-founder Mike Fickel's memorial service will be held on 

• Saturday, February 7th, at 2 pm. 

• St. Bart's Episcopal Church 

• 16275 Pomerado Rd, Poway, CA 92064. 

• All are invited.

• Please wear your RAC t-shirt, if you have one. 

From Julie, attendance volunteer  

Because the memorial service for RAC Co-Founder Mike Fickel conflicts with one of our scheduled Escondido Hill Rides, we have cancelled the EHR previously scheduled for February 7 and replaced it with a new EHR  Sunday, Feb 15. Two EHRs are required for RAC participation. As you know, we do not reschedule EHRs for rainouts, so everyone should already have at least three EHRs on their calendar. We also understand that some families plan their schedules far in advance, and thus this reschedule may cause hardship for a few of you. We therefore ask that if you think your family might have difficulty completing two Escondido Hill Rides with the revised schedule, you contact us NOW, so that we can arrange an equivalent alternative. If we do not hear from you before February 7, and you do not complete two Escondido Hill Rides, you will not be able to ride the RAC. 

Bob (and the rest of us) would like to remind everyone to bring two tubes per bike. 

If you do not have extra tubes for your bike, and if you have flat tire, you (and your child) 

1. might have to walk back to your car. 

2. or might have to sit on the side of the road for ? hours until your partner can pick you up. 

Both scenarios are unpleasant, as you might have guessed. 

The Escondido Hill Rides are coming up 

Every riding member of your family must complete two Escondido Hill Rides with us. 

We offer six. 

• Sunday. 8 Feb 

• Saturday. 14 Feb 

• Sunday. 15 Feb (new) 

• Saturday 28 Feb 

• Saturday, 14 Mar

• Sunday, 22 Mar 

Please plan on attending at least three: February and March rides are often rained out. 

We do not reschedule rained out rides. 

Special recognition is given to those who attend all  EHRides. 

Please read Julie’s comment re. Feb 7th. 

Our Next Ride 

Sunday, Jan 25 at 7:30 am. (No, this is not a typo) 

The Five Cities Ride 

Harbor Island Park. 1875 Harbor Island. SD 92101 

•  is one of our most scenic rides. 

• We will see 

• five cities

• the longest-running business in San Diego County 

• 100+ year old railroad tracks ( to Coronado’s tent city)  

• new park 

• $$$ yachts

• new hotel

• a military base 

• factories

• mansions 

• bad roads on Harbor Drive

• the Coronado bridge from below 

• Flow and Floyd (wild flamingos (not guaranteed)) 

• Please arrive at 7:15 am. 

This ride includes a ferry ride from Coronado to San Diego 

Ferry tickets cost $ 9 per person. Bikes are included . 

Purchasing ferry tickets: 

• Buy Ferry Tickets online 

• or with your credit card at the dockside ticket machine (which doesn’t always work) 

• or with exact cash on the ferry. 

• The ferry leaves every hour on the half hour. 

• We don’t all have to catch the same ferry. 

The bike path and the ferry landings get busy. Pedestrians have the right of way. 

Thank you for reading 

Christiane

_________________________

Our Facebook page 

Hotel Accomodations in Wynola 

The Ride Across California calendar. 

Power Pedal 

RAC requirements 

RAC rules 

The RAC This Week (12/25/25)

DEAR PARENTS 

OUR NEXT RIDE 

Sunday, December 28 at 9am. 

Upper YMCA parking lot. Salmon River Road. SD 92129 

9 am.  Please arrive by 8:45 am. 

Sorrento Slopes 

Mile 2.8. Capricorn Way in Mira Mesa is a busy neighborhood street with an astounding number of stop signs. 

• We stop at stop signs. 

• Individually. 

• Foot down. 

• We take turns. Car. Cyclist. Car. Cyclist. 

• Do not follow your child without coming to a complete stop first. 

• Do not waive motorists through. 

• Do not allow motorists to wave you through. 

• YOU ARE A CAR. 

Mile 8 is the beginning of a beautiful downhill. 

Stay in front of your child. 

Do not get ahead of him/her. 

Mile 11.3. Sometimes we tell you to make a u turn and a right turn in order to avoid a bad left turn. Mill 11.3 is just that time. 

Mile 12.8 is the bike path. And we know the bike path.

Thanks for reading. See you on Sunday. Happy Holidays. Stay dry 

Christiane

_________________________

Our Facebook page 

The Ride Across California calendar. 

Power Pedal 

RAC requirements 

RAC rules 

The RAC This Week (Nov. 18th)

DEAR PARENTS 

________________________

Training Ride Cancellations 

• We occasionally need to cancel training rides due to weather conditions.

• We do not reschedule or make up canceled rides, nor do we adjust the starting time by a short interval (e.g., an hour).

• Why not? Short notice changes for our large group make child care arrangements and general planning difficult. 

• We suggest scheduling at least two rides with us each month just in case one ride is canceled. 

______________________

Why Training Ride Attendance is Crucial

We understand that mandatory attendance for our training rides can be inconvenient. However, this policy is directly linked to the safety and success of the RAC. Here is the back story: 

• The Early Days (Pre-2015): The RAC, then called  "Bike Club," began with focused training led by Deer Canyon Elementary's 5th-grade teacher Dennis Bueker and principal Mike Fickel. After Dennis retired, training rides were voluntary; training had only two mandatory, challenging rides in March.

• Safety Concerns & Dropouts: During this post Dennis period, the RAC was ‘sketchier.’  A significant percentage of participants (around 20%?) would drop out after the difficult mandatory training rides. Parent/kids weren’t trained to ride with large groups 

• The Shift (Post-2015): When training rides became mandatory, we saw an improvement. Drop-out rates fell , and riders reported being much happier on the RAC because they could enjoy it.

• The Most Important Result: Our groups became safer. 

Mandatory training ride attendance is for your benefit and the safety of all participants. Thank you for understanding. 

_______________________

Please remember the The Night Light Bike Ride  on Saturday, December 6 at 4 pm. This is one of our prettiest rides and definitely the most sparkliest. 

______________________

From Dr. Bob, Bike Mechanic

The Night Light Bike Ride is coming up December 6.  Everyone decorates their bikes with lights and it’s tons of fun.  Now seems like a good time to get lights and figure out how to mount them on your bike.  The mechanic newsletter discusses this and also, what kind of lights you should use for safety.

Bike Lights

We still have bikes if you are looking.  Contact mechanic@rideacrosscalifornia if you are interested.

There will be no mechanic’s clinic this week.  I’m busy getting ready for the El Tour de Tucson.  When we resume, we will go back to tire changing.  We will also be changing the day and time of the clinic.  I’m thinking Saturday’s at 3, but if you would like to see a different day or time, let me know. 

________________________

Question: What if two rides are cancelled in one month? 

Answer: In the unlikely event of two rainy weekends in one month,  we suspend our attendance policy for that month. 

____________________

OUR NEXT RIDE 

Saturday, November 22 

9 am. Please arrive by 8 45 am

The San Luis Rey River Trail 

Address: 401 Riverside Dr. Oceanside Harbor Lot 1. Oceanside, CA 

Please access via Carmelo Drive. Access from Riverside Drive is blocked.  

This starting point is a 30ish minute drive from PQ.

The vast majority of this ride is on a dedicated bike path. Some sections are on dirt and might be muddy. 

______________________________

The weather should be good this weekend. Yay. Thank you for reading. 

Christiane

The RAC This Week (November 11th '25)

DEAR PARENTS 

Thank you for participating in last week’s scanning practice. We appreciate your enthusiasm.

_______________________

Please remember the The Night Light Bike Ride  on Saturday, December 6 at 4 pm. 

______________________

From Dr. Bob, Bike Mechanic

This week's topic is all about frayed cables.  Those tiny cable strands hurt a lot when you get them stuck in a finger tip.  Get them taken care of, your local bike mechanic will appreciate it.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZnD9ULeorhtpCCL9crhXu-istgtGxHB99OOdFfnfU8Q/edit?usp=sharing

We still have bikes if you are looking.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11QhoUcoMiAedgVwLa8B76XTqFgvAM_mb/view?usp=sharing

In this week's mechanic's clinic, we will be discussing brakes and I will show you how to replace a brake cable.

Topic: Brakes

Time/Date: Thursday, Nov 13, 7 PM

Location: 7163 Sherbourne Lane

No need to bring anything.  RSVP mechanic@rideacrosscalifornia.com

________________________

OUR NEXT RIDE 

Sunday, November 16

The Carmel Country Hill 

• Upper YMCA Parking Lot. Salmon River Drive. SD 92129 

• Please arrive by 8:45 am. We start promptly at 9 am. 

______________________________

We are looking forward to seeing you this weekend. Thanks for reading. 

Christiane

_________________________

Facebook page 

Ride Across California calendar. 

Power Pedal and Safety Stop 

RAC requirements 

RAC rules 

The Night Light Bike Ride  

The RAC Jersey Store

The RAC This Week (Nov. 4th)

Dear Parents

Congratulations to 

Haiden S and Sarah W 

for attending all four RAC rides in October. 

From Dr. Bob, Bike Mechanic

Navigation. Available Bikes. Mechanic's Clinic

Looking ahead to the RAC. Optional Hotel accommodations on Friday, April 10 

• On Friday, April 10, we spend the night in Wynola where the nights are often cold. 

• You have the option to book a hotel room or Airbnb in Wynola or nearby Julian. 

• You always have the option to camp in Wynola or sleep inside the MP room of our overnight stay, the Spencer Valley School. 

Our Next Ride 

Saturday, November 8 at 9 am. 

The 56 Bike Path 

13339 Salmon River Rd. San Diego, CA 92129 

• Please arrive by 8:45 a.m. We start promptly at 9 a.m. 

Have a great week 

Christiane 

_______________________

Facebook page 

Ride Across California calendar. 

Power Pedal and Safety Stop 

RAC requirements 

RAC rules 

The Night Light Bike Ride  

The RAC Jersey Store

The RAC This Week (Oct. 28th)

Dear Parents

Another beautiful picture. Thank you, Lei. Thank you for coming. The neighbors were happy to see us. 

1. Friendly Reminders 

1. Please observe your kids next time they stop. If they fall over sideways, they need to work on Safety Stop. 

2. Please bring two tubes per bike. You will have a flat tire eventually. 

3. Sometimes, when a child is struggling, we assign a Youth Support rider to ride with that child. This arrangement often makes things easier, for both child and parents. Please let me know in advance if you would like to take advantage of this service. Please do not ask Youth Support to ride with your child because he/she is faster than you are.  

4. Please come to our RAC fundraiser on October 30 at the Kebab Shop in CM. 

2. FROM DR.BOB, BIKE MECHANIC

The topic for this week’s newsletter is bicycle saddles, a very important but often overlooked piece of biking equipment.  

Bike Saddles

docs.google.com

We still have some good bikes available if you are looking.

RAC Adoption Sheets.pdf

drive.google.com

The mechanic clinic this week is chain maintenance, how to clean them and how to replace them.

Topic: Chain maintenance

Time/Day: Thursday, October 30, 7:00 PM

Location: 7163 Sherbourne Lane, 92129

3. Q&A 

Question: My child is busy but I am not. Can I come by myself? 

Answer: Absolutely. Lots of parents are doing that. 

Questions: Who tracks our miles? 

Answer: You are. Our ridewithgps link displays miles in the upper left hand corner. 

Count every mile you ride, with or without out. We will ask for your total miles in February . 

4. OUR NEXT RIDE 

Sunday, November 2 

Coastal Fun 

• 12791 Sorrento Valley Rd, San Diego, CA 92121

• Please arrive by 8:45 a.m. at the very latest.We start promptly at 9 a.m. 

• Parking is limited. Consider parking near Caminito Pointe Del Mar. Please arrive extra early. 

• This ride takes us along the coast and on a beautiful newish bike path in Cardiff. 

Have a great week. Thank you for reading. Happy Halloween for those who celebrate  

Christiane 

P.S. Daylight Savings ends on Sunday 

_______________________

Facebook page 

Ride Across California calendar. 

Power Pedal and Safety Stop 

RAC requirements 

RAC rules 

The Night Light Bike Ride  

The RAC Jersey Store 

The RAC This Week (Oct. 21st)

Dear Parents

A special welcome to the families who got off the waitlist. 

Please keep practicing Power Pedal and Safety Stop.

From Dr. Bob. Bike Mechanic 

This week, we cover the topic of rear view mirrors and how to see behind you.  Take a look.  They may be dorky, but they can save your life.

Rear view mirrors.pdf

drive.google.com

We still have several bikes for sale / adoption

RAC Adoption Sheets.pdf

drive.google.com

We are going back to the start of series and changing the day and time for the mechanic’s clinic.  If you missed the last time, we did tire changing, now’s your chance.  Please RSVP mechanic@rideacrosscalifornia.com if you plan to attend.

Topic: Tire changing

Date/time: Thursday, October 23, 7:00 PM.

Location: 7163 Sherbourne Lane

There is space in the queue for bike service.  Make sure you get your bike a thorough cleaning a service soon if you haven’t done it in the last year.  It will make your training rides more enjoyable.  Contact mechanic@rideacrosscalifornia.com to schedule.  Prices are as low as we can make them.

Please come to our RAC fundraiser on October 30 at the Kebab Shop in CM. 

Our next ride 

Saturday, October 25 

The 4SRanch Loop 

Please arrive by 8:45 a.m. We start promptly at 9 a.m. 

12560 Senda Panacea, San Diego, 92129. (That’s my house) Please park in the neighborhood. 

Thank you for reading. 

Christiane 

___________________________________

Our Facebook page 

Where to buy Jerseys — The RAC

The Night Light Bike Ride Dec 6 at 4 pm 

The Ride Across California calendar. 

Power Pedal 

RAC requirements 

RAC rules 

The RAC This Week (Oct. 14th)

Dear Parents

Our healthy looking group (+ volunteer Phil) at the UCSD Sun God. Picture by Lei. More on Facebook.

Please practice Power Pedal and Safety Stop.

• Riders NEED to be off the saddle for Power Pedal and Safety Stop. 

• Picture it. The light turns yellow. Someone yells “Stop.” 

• Your child stops, on the saddle, loses her balance and keels over into traffic. 

• PP/SS have to become second nature. We will ask everyone to demonstrate on Sunday.

What is an LPI? 

Leading Pedestrian Interval. 

• The pedestrian light turns green a few seconds before the vehicles receive their green light. 

• This setup allows pedestrians to step into the road before the cars move. 

• It’s a fantastic improvement because it makes pedestrians more visible.  

As of recently, cyclists are allowed to make use of LPIs. 

RAC riders do NOT use LPIs. We wait until the main light turns green.

• Why?
  5th graders should never have to ask themselves “Is this a red light I can cross?”

Their focus needs to be on power pedal and motorists, not ambiguous traffic signals. 

And we are plenty visible. 

Please stop at ALL stop signs and red lights, even the annoying ones. 

• Even though there is no street going off to the right, we stop anyway. 

• We want to be predictable for our kids. 

Looking ahead. Please prepare now.  

Saturday, December 6 at 4 pm 

The Night Light Bike Ride 

• A flat ride around Mission Bay in the dark. 

• We decorate our bikes with lights

• Any light works. Battery-operated ones work best. 

• Hot chocolate will be served upon completion. 

• This one is tons of fun and we look so pretty. 

Please come to our RAC fundraiser on October 30 at the Kebab Shop in CM. 

If you would like to buy a RAC jersey/jacket/t-shirt, the RAC store is open now. 

Jerseys — The RAC. They are not mandatory, but a lot of fun. They run small. Buy one size up 


From Dr. Bob, Bike Mechanic 

We’re still seeing many tires out there with low pressure.  You should be inflating your tires to the proper pressure before EVERY ride.  You can make your life a whole lot easier by buying a good bike pump.  In this week’s newsletter, we tell you more than you want to know about bike pumps.  Read to end, there’s a bonus cat!

Bicycle Pumps.pdf

drive.google.com

We still have some good options for bikes available.  This week, we have added a Fuji Nevada Comp, a Trek Marlin 5, and a Trek Verve 3.  Check them out.

RAC Adoption Sheets.pdf

drive.google.com

Last week's mechanic clinic on shifting was a big success.  Participants got to watch Bob (accidentally) destroy his shift cable.  This week we will have the last class in the series before cycling back to tires.  This time, we will be covering brakes, brakes and more brakes.  All kinds of brakes, hydraulic, mechanical disc, and linear pull rim brakes.

Date: Sunday, October 19

Time: 3:00 PM

Location: 7163 Sherbourne Lane, 92129

1. Our next ride 

Sunday, October 19 at 9 am 

The Road to Riches 

Mesa Verde Middle School | 8375 Entreken Way | SD 92129

Please arrive by 8:45 am.  

• Mile 5.1 begins a steep, ½ mile-long uphill on a dirt road. 

• Most of us don’t have the gears or tires for this kind of terrain.

• Feel free to walk up the hill. I know I will.

• No need to single file as you walk up the hill. 🙂

Mile 5.6 - 6.1 is on gravel. 

• Mile 6.8: Welcome to Hootersville, Del Mar Mesa’s very own farm 

• Goats Lenny and Squiggy are friendly and love carrots and apples. 

• Please bring carrots and apples. 

• The owners kindly ask that we don’t overfeed their goats. 

Thank you for reading. Have a good week. See you soon 

Christiane 

___________________________________

Our Facebook page 

The Ride Across California calendar. 

Power Pedal 

RAC requirements 

RAC rules 

The RAC This Week (Oct. 7th)

Dear Parents

Thank you for coming to the Gonzales Canyon Ride. It was gorgeous. Thank you, Lei, for the pic. Thank

you, parents, for participating in our parking lot passing drill.

Riding Hills

Our inclines are getting steeper and longer. You have noticed. This coming Saturday we are meeting our first real hill. Please help yourselves and your kids:

Don’t stand up.

Standing up helps for a few seconds. But your legs burn out fast .

Then you collapse. And stop. And block the riders behind you. Now everyone has to stop. And you now have to start on an uphill. And now you are frustrated. We don’t want that.

The Winning Strategy: Shift and Stay Seated.

Shift into a lower gear (low numbers) before you get to the hill. Don’t wait too long

Stay in your seat

Try to make it to the top without stopping.

Ride Slowly and Steadily. (Fast and Furious burn out your legs)

Stay in a low gear and “hamster pedal” .

You might be in your lowest gears all the way up the hill.

If your legs are still burning, slow down.

Slow and Steady is a lot more efficient than Fast and Furious

For more details on shifting , read Dr. Bob.

A Note on Walking up a Hill

We don’t. Ever. (Unless we are injured) It doesn’t teach the skills we need. Our longest

RAC hill is 6 miles long. Just saying.

Scanning and passing

● Yes, we obsess over it.

● Starting now, you may pass any time you consider it safe to do so (unless we specifically identify a road section as a no-passing zone)

● Scan before you pass—every time. Even if you wear a helmet mirror, scan anyway. By doing so, you signal to the person behind you that you are about to make your move.

● Remind other parents to scan and to pass safely.

● Remind your kids to scan.

● Leave spaces so people can pass safely and merge into the single file line.

● Leave at your speed: Don't be the first to leave if you know you are a little slower or the last to leave when you typically ride in the middle of the pack.

From Dr. Bob.

This week, Dr. Bob tries to demystify the topic of shifting.

On the topic of bikes, some of the fifth graders are on 24” bikes which are too small for them. Usually, we find that a fifth grader over 4’6” can fit on a 26” bike as long as they can safely straddle the top tube. If your fifth grader is taller than 4’6” and they are on a 24” bike, consider finding them a bigger bike. They will go a lot faster due to the geometry of the larger frame and crank. That being said, we have several riders who are too small for a 26” bike, but are looking to move up from 20” bikes. If you would like to sell your 24” bike because you are moving your ifth grader up to a 26”, let me know. We can add your bike to the adoption sheets weekly post as a “for sale” item. This week's class on chain cleaning, lubricating and derailleur adjustment ended up taking to long so we amended it to just chain cleaning and lubrication. Great fun was had by all and chains are looking a lot better. Next week’s class (Sunday, October 12, 3PM) will therefore cover derailleur / shifter adjustments. As always, RSVP mechanic@rideacrosscalifornia.com if you are interested. No need to bring your bike this time. We will provide a couple of bikes to practice on so you won’t screw up your own derailleurs.

Our next ride

Saturday, October 11

The UCSD Art Loop

Sorrento Valley Park and Ride. 12791 Sorrento Valley Rd. SD 92121

If the parking lot is full, please park on Pointe Del Mar Way

Please arrive by 8:45 a.m. We start promptly at 9 a.m.

● We climb Torrey Pines via the outside route.

25/26 The RAC this Week. cs

○ Even though there is a double bike path, we single file.

○ Please encourage your child to “hamster.”

○ Stay in your saddle. Use low gears.

○ The goal is to reach the top without having to stop.

○ If you must stop, please move to the right so others can pass you.

● On the UCSD campus, we

■ regroup at the Sun God and take a picture. It’s tradition.

■ ride through the Talking Trees (though they are usually quiet on weekends)

■ pass The Fallen Star

■ and pedal past the Bear.

■ Click on the links. These art installations are fun to visit (on another day)

Thank you for reading. Wishing you a lovely week.

Christiane