Egan 2024.07 - Top Performers

Can you believe that we’re already a quarter of the way through our Egan season? Good thing we checked off some neighborhood climbs last night to prepare us for the upcoming longer days and longer rides through the summer.

Approaching the summer also means that attendance will continue to grow so we ask everyone to be extra thoughtful about riding safely and predictably. As a reminder, aero bars are not permitted so please remove them before the start of the ride.

Getting into the fun stuff: shoutout to Christophe Testi for another glamorous photoshoot! You can find the latest photos here and leave a review here. As a reminder, the AV Photo Contest will be running through July 4.

Continuing in both of their leaderboard domination, Jen Tavé was rider of the day and women’s GC leader with 8 PRs, 5 top 10s and 3 (!) QOMs while top GC honors for the men went to Matthew.

Results: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/results/egan-2024-07

Photo Credit: Christophe Testi

Note: If you’re wondering how to show up in the results, here’s how it works:

• Upload your ride that evening (the results are tabulated early Wednesday mornings)

• In your privacy controls, make sure that everyone can see your activities (if you’re worried about privacy, Strava has other settings such as restricting your profile page to followers and map start/end point visibility)

• You have to complete all segments to show up in the GC

How to find us on the interweb:

Eganslack: https://eganrideclub.slack.com
Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/eganride

Egan 2024.07 - Olive My Favorites

Eganeers! As the days get longer we’ll soon have enough daylight to venture further afield. That means it’s time to check off some of the Loyola and Los Altos Hills climbs that we’ve been neglecting. In contrast to Jerome’s relentless route last week, this week has a mix of long and short segments.

To keep the groups well-spaced, please note the following roll times:

A group: roll 6:05

B group: roll 6:08

Leader: The Egan Collective (Akin, Jerome, Matt, Mike, Robin and Tanner)

Route: Olive My Favorites, 19.69 mi, 2653 ft, 9 segments

Segments:

1. Dianne Drive Climb: 35s / 42s

2. O'Keefe summitage: 38s / 1:02

3. Altamont - Stop Sign to Crest: 3:57 / 5:09

4. Rhus Ridge: 2:06 / 2:36

5. Tepa-Summit Wood: 2:01 / 2:48

6. Camino Hermosa (Egan Official) to Magdalena: 1:42 / 2:16

7. Blandor to end of Olive Tree: 2:51 / 3:48

8. Dawson Dr.: 1:39 / 2:27

9. Hilltop Drive KOM: 1:04 / 1:33

Ride Safety:

For ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Egan Ride meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot every Tuesday at 6:00pm and leaves at 6:05. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly covered socks on the Egan Ride, and riders are discouraged from riding Egan if they wear conservative socks.

Eganslack: https://eganrideclub.slack.com
Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/eganride

Egan 2024.06 - Top Performers

Last Tuesday's Egan Ride was quite a celestial adventure! The fearless riders took on the challenge across 13 segments, with Dirk leading the charge after returning from celestial retirement. Utilizing every sun ray available, the riders conquered the gravitational problem, although the B group had to skip Saddle Stirrup due to timing constraints (this is why Saddle Stirrup is excluded from the ride results). And congratulations to Christophe Testi for winning the 3 body contest!

Results: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/results/egan-2024-06

Jen Tavé was rider of the day with 12 PRs, 9 top 10s and a QOM on Dezahara. For the men, top GC honors went to Matthew.

Top 10 for Saddle Stirrup:

1 - Jack Lund: 1:55
2 - Matthew .: 1:57
3 - Yann .: 1:58
4 - Soren Holm: 2:01
5 - Tanner DeVoe: 2:06
6 - Jen Tavé: 2:07
6 - Nick Fletcher: 2:07
6 - John Janetzko: 2:07
8 - Anthony Riley: 2:08
9 - Spencer Seay: 2:10
10 - Adam Bhavnani: 2:17

Note: If you’re wondering how to show up in the results, here’s how it works:

• Upload your ride that evening (the results are tabulated early Wednesday mornings)

• In your privacy controls, make sure that everyone can see your activities (if you’re worried about privacy, Strava has other settings such as restricting your profile page to followers and map start/end point visibility)

• You have to complete all segments to show up in the GC

How to find us on the interweb:

Eganslack: https://eganrideclub.slack.com
Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/eganride

The Egan’s 3 Body Problem by Christophe Testi

Egan 2024.06 - The Egan’s 3 Body Problem

Egan riders! Get ready to tackle the Egan's 3 Body Problem route on Tuesday's hill climbing! This route will test your mettle for 32km of ups, downs, and enough elevation gain to make your legs question their life choices.

Inspired by the mind-boggling complexity of the 3 body problem, this route will have you feeling like you're navigating a cosmic dance of gravitational forces, with chaotic and stable areas challenging your cycling skills. Remember, just like those poor celestial bodies, hydration is key! Nobody wants to end up feeling like a dried-up yoga mat by the end of the ride.

For those who haven't indulged in the mind-bending saga of "The Three-Body Problem" series, do yourself a favor and check it out on Netflix or pick up the books. You'll thank us later for the cosmic inspiration!

In the spirit of intergalactic exploration (or at least neighborhood exploration), we challenge you to spice up your Strava profiles and IG post with themes inspired by the 3 body problem. Let's see who can come up with the most out-of-this-world script and profile picture! The winners will be featured on the Performance Report.

To keep the groups well-spaced, please note the following roll times:

A group: roll 6:05

B group: roll 6:08

Women’s group: roll 6:10

Leader: The Egan Collective (Akin, Jerome, Matt, Mike, Robin and Tanner)

Route: 19.72 mi, 2792 ft, 13 segments

https://route-viewer.vercel.app/route?r=3214389475801830890&s=12244647,20659253,913443,29199832,628286,10535308,1673922,35588358,2083915,994786,4594985,3010957,491203

Segments:

1. Madonna Way (the climb): https://www.strava.com/segments/12244647 - (41s / 56s)

2. Quinhill from University (Egan Official): https://www.strava.com/segments/20659253 - (33s / 48s)

3. Border Hill: https://www.strava.com/segments/913443 - (1:12 / 1:32)

4. Wildcrest to 2nd White Gate (Egan Official): https://www.strava.com/segments/29199832 - (48s / 1:16)

5. Alta Tierra: https://www.strava.com/segments/628286 - (33s / 45s)

6. La Barranca Rd last steep part: https://www.strava.com/segments/10535308 - (22s / 28s)

7. Dezahara Way: https://www.strava.com/segments/1673922 - (47s/ 1:17)

8. Almaden Court: https://www.strava.com/segments/35588358 - (53s / 1:06)

9. Altamont_Circle_KOM: https://www.strava.com/segments/2083915 - (1:14 / 1:40)

10. A little bit Country: https://www.strava.com/segments/994786 - (52s / 1:10)

11. Stirrup/Saddle to Moon: https://www.strava.com/segments/4594985 - (1:31 / 1:50)

12. Horseshoe Ct: https://www.strava.com/segments/3010957 - (31s/ 48s)

13. La Cresta: https://www.strava.com/segments/491203 - (2:56 / 3:39)

Ride Safety:

For ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Egan Ride meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot every Tuesday at 6:00pm and leaves at 6:05. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly covered socks on the Egan Ride, and riders are discouraged from riding Egan if they wear conservative socks.

Eganslack: https://eganrideclub.slack.com
Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/eganride

Egan 2024.05 - Safety is our top priority

Last Tuesday night's Egan was a blast! With a fantastic group of hill climbers, perfect weather, and an exciting climbing route, it was an unforgettable experience. However, amidst all the fun, safety remains our top priority during our weekly climbs. Our leaders are dedicated to ensuring a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone. It's crucial to follow their instructions at all times, both during climbs and descents:

• Do not pass ride leaders while descending.

• Familiarize yourself with the route and segments beforehand.

• Do not cross the double yellow line.

• Do not block the road. Move to the far right if sandbagging a segment. Additionally, refrain from blocking the lane for faster riders and pass while keeping to the right.

• Bring lights, just in case the ride ends after sunset and you need to ride in the dark.

• Check your bike brakes, tires and groupset. If your bike is not fully operational and ready to handle the demanding hill climb sprints, please keep it in your garage.

It’s everyone’s responsibility to make safety a top priority while we continue to enjoy our climbs together!

Jen Tavé was rider of the day with 7 PRs, 6 top 10s, and a QOM on Conception! She also took the top spot in the women’s GC, ending Rachel Hwang’s 4-week winning streak! For the men, Matthew took top honors.

The women's group had 11 riders! Tell your friends, let's see if we can get even more turnout next time.

Results: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/results/egan-2024-05

Egan Ride 2024.05 — Let’s get Moody

For the fifth episode of Egan, we will revisit a few familiar hills and then move on to some Egan classics - we’ll tackle the unrelenting steepness of Moody for the first time this year, followed by some steep segments off Page Mill.

Robin will lead a women’s group this week with secret intel on all the segments and a very chill pace in between. If you can make it up Moody twice without stopping and are comfortable riding with others, you can keep up with this group! Please bring lights and a layer for the ride home as we will finish around sunset.

To keep the groups well-spaced, please note the following roll times:

A group: roll 6:05

B group: roll 6:08

Women’s group: roll 6:10

Leader: The Egan Collective (Akin, Jerome, Matt, Mike, Robin and Tanner)

Route: 20.41 mi, 2513 ft
https://route-viewer.vercel.app/route?r=3212489442704606084&s=21706104%2C7116984%2C610570%2C1445586%2C21036783%2C6445920%2C11109958%2C1727466%2C2306300

Segments:

1. De Bell (Egan official): https://www.strava.com/segments/21706104 - (31s / 41s)

2. Conception from Viscaino: https://www.strava.com/segments/7116984 - (1:30 / 2:01)

3. Elena to Natoma: https://www.strava.com/segments/610570 - (1:31 / 2:00)

4. Foothill Ln: https://www.strava.com/segments/1445586 (34s / 45s)

5. Taaffe from Dezahara (Egan official): https://www.strava.com/segments/21036783 (55s / 1:07)

6. Moody - New “official”: https://www.strava.com/segments/6445920 (2:21 / 3:11)

7. Story Hill Ln: https://www.strava.com/segments/11109958 (39s / 59s)

8. Alexis to Country Club: https://www.strava.com/segments/1727466 (1:46 / 2:16)

9. Alexis final kicker: https://www.strava.com/segments/2306300 (55s / 1:25)

Ride Safety:

For ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Egan Ride meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot every Tuesday at 6:00pm and leaves at 6:05. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly covered socks on the Egan Ride, and riders are discouraged from riding Egan if they wear conservative socks.

Eganslack: https://eganrideclub.slack.com
Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/eganride

Egan 2024.04 - Top Performers

Simon says more heat and sweet pizza. Simon says I want Mora Egan. What Simon says, we oblige and Egan riders were out in force this week nearing triple digits again! With Tanner out again Group A was left in the hands of Mike and Jerome, a great opportunity to beat the blue jerseys up the hill! Balance in the two groups improved and we’ll continue to focus on balancing the groups the rest of the season.

Results: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/results/egan-2024-04

Rachel Hwang was rider of the day with PRs on all 9 segments, 5 top 10s and 3 QOMs (Hilltop Dr, Camino Hermosa and Oxford Dr)! And for the 4th week in a row she took top GC honors…can anyone stop her winning streak? For the men, top GC honors went to Matthew . Steven Wu had KOMs on Mora Glen Dr and Highlands Circle.

Thanks again to Christophe Testi and Hannon Ayer for snapping photos along the ride.

Note: If you’re wondering how to show up in the results, here’s how it works:

• Upload your ride that evening (the results are tabulated early Wednesday mornings)

• In your privacy controls, make sure that everyone can see your activities (if you’re worried about privacy, Strava has other settings such as restricting your profile page to followers and map start/end point visibility)

• You have to complete all segments to show up in the GC

How to find us on the interweb:

Eganslack: https://eganrideclub.slack.com
Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/eganride

Egan Ride 2024.04 — Mora Trail

For the 4th episode of Egan, we climb the hills of southern Los Altos Hills and end on the epic slopes of Mora in Rancho San Antonio park.

We continue to have record #s in attendance as well as a significant imbalance in the size of the two ride groups. We will be encouraging more of you and your friends to ride in the lead group. I have a feeling all the riders in the lead group could use more recovery time between segments so let’s help them out by packing the ride!

Leader: The Egan Collective (Akin, Jerome, Matt, Mike, Robin and Tanner)

https://route-viewer.vercel.app/route?r=3209259977651448040&s=650301,34950486,631065,21192549,2903975,1105588,6664213,711223,617901

Segments:

1. Quinhill Quinnhill (Stagi to Cuesta): https://www.strava.com/segments/650301  - (28s / 40s)

2. Hilltop Drive KOM: https://www.strava.com/segments/34950486  - (1:04 / 1:34)

3. Dawson Road Wall: https://www.strava.com/segments/631065 - (45s / 1:09)

4. Camino Hermosa (Egan Official) to Magdalena: https://www.strava.com/segments/21192549 - (1:42 / 2:21)

5. Mora Glen Drive climb maximus: https://www.strava.com/segments/2903975 - (58s / 1:09)

6. Oxford Dr (West): https://www.strava.com/segments/1105588 - (15s / 25s)

7. Sierra Ventura: https://www.strava.com/segments/6664213 - (55s / 1:12)

8. Highlands Circle (east): https://www.strava.com/segments/711223 - (43s / 59s)

9. Mora: Trail of Tribulation: https://www.strava.com/segments/617901 - (1:58 / 2:38)

Ride Safety:

For ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Egan Ride meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot every Tuesday at 6:00pm and leaves at 6:05. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly covered socks on the Egan Ride, and riders are discouraged from riding Egan if they wear conservative socks.

Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/eganride

Egan 2024.03 - Top Performers

Another Egan in the books! This week we had another huge turnout with estimates of 110 riders split between two groups. Of those, 80 riders landed on the result leader-boards! There are reports of many sandbaggers in the B group, some more conspicuous than others. You and your friends should consider riding in the A group next time. There’s some extra benefits to riding A such as mentorship from AVRT for riders interested in the world of racing.

This week we also have a few reminders to ensure a safe and fun ride for all! First and foremost is safety, particularly staying in our lane of travel whether there is a center line or not. Riders being passed should stay to the right to make way for a rider hunting that one segment, that ticket to the leader-boards. On the other hand, passing riders should ride predictably and stay on the right-hand side of the road, even if blocked (hey, free excuses). As you pass, keep in mind that there are many levels of bike handling ability within the bunch.

To help with this, next week we will be dividing the group evenly before leaving, so expect some shuffling and possibly some light heckling.

Results: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/results/egan-2024-03

Rachel Hwang was rider of the day with PR’s on all 8 segments (with 7 top 10s!) while also finishing at the top of the women’s GC! Men’s top GC honors went to Matthew . who also PR’ed on all segments!

Note: If you’re wondering how to show up in the results, here’s how it works:

• Upload your ride that evening (the results are tabulated early Wednesday mornings)

• In your privacy controls, make sure that everyone can see your activities (if you’re worried about privacy, Strava has other settings such as restricting your profile page to followers and map start/end point visibility)

• You have to complete all segments to show up in the GC

How to find us on the interweb:

Eganslack: https://eganrideclub.slack.com
Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/eganride

Egan 2024.03- Double the View

Welcome to Egan 2024.03!

This week we will be visiting a view worth seeing twice, Vista Hill in Foothills Park! This is a classic early season route from our very own Jerome, so you might say that it is double the view, double the déjà vu.

With the days growing longer so do the routes and this week is no exception - we have 8 segments this week (one more than last) and a bit more elevation. Since we are ending further from the start than previous weeks, we also doubly recommend lights and layers for the way home.

Leaders:  The Egan Collective (Akin, Jerome, Matt, Mike, and Robin)

Route:  Route 2024.03

Segments: 

1. De Bell (Egan official): https://www.strava.com/segments/21706104 - (31s / 42s)

2. Half Esperanza -- counterclockwise: https://www.strava.com/segments/12945g031 - (33s / 48s)

3. Ascenscion + Anacapa: https://www.strava.com/segments/658065 - (2:23 / 2:59)

4. La Barranca Rd: https://www.strava.com/segments/610571 - (25s / 31s)

5. Black Mtn Rd.: https://www.strava.com/segments/638963 - (1:32 / 1:56)

6. Via Ventana and Briones climb: https://www.strava.com/segments/11886743 - (1:46 / 2:25)

7. Boronda View Sprint: https://www.strava.com/segments/4312996 - (46s / 1:01)

8. Foothills Park Vista Point (Egan Official): https://www.strava.com/segments/20963377 - (2:11 / 2:59)

Egan 2024.02 - Top Performers

The second Egan of the year was popular, with over 100 riders crowding the prosperous streets and cul-de-sacs of Los Altos Hills. We don’t really have an exact count because some folks prefer to keep their Strava activities private, some might have skipped segments, and some might have had GPS drift errors…but according to results 87 people made it onto the leaderboards by completing all segments!

Results: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/results/egan-2024-02

Matin Massoudi was rider of the day with PRs on all 7 segments and a top 2 finish in the GC. For the women, top GC honors went to Rachel Hwang and to Yurko M for the men.

Special thanks to Jack Lund who served refreshing popsicles after the Tepa/Summit Wood segment and Christophe Testi from Creative Shots for the new kit photoshoot pre-ride! Please leave a review on Google for Christophe to show your appreciation!

Note: If you’re wondering how to show up in the results, here’s how it works:

• Upload your ride that evening (the results are tabulated early Wednesday mornings)

• In your privacy controls, make sure that everyone can see your activities (if you’re worried about privacy, Strava has other settings such as restricting your profile page to followers and map start/end point visibility)

• You have to complete all segments to show up in the GC

How to find us on the interweb:

Eganslack: https://eganrideclub.slack.com
Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/eganride

Christophe Testi at work during the pre-ride photoshoot (photo credit Jerome Sierra)

Egan ride leaders sporting their new leader jerseys (photo credit Christophe Testi)

Chloé and her Cannondale (photo Credit Christophe Testi)

Sue Lin and her Tarmac (photo credit Christophe Testi)

Marzena Sansal and John Contreras enjoying popsicles at the top of Summit Wood (photo credit Marzena)

Surprise popsicle stop! Thank you Jack Lund! (photo credit Jon Charles)

Egan 2024.02 - 23% more climbing and a photoshoot

This is a reprise of a route created by Greg Finley back in 2022. With the same distance and segment count as last week but 23% more elevation gain, we’ll stay close to home to maximize the evening daylight.

AV photographer Christophe Testi will be doing a photoshoot before the start of the ride at 5:30pm. If you want to participate show up early and wear your Egan jersey!

Leader: The Egan Collective

Summary: 11.7 mi, 1637 ft

Route: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/route?r=3204285087146874766&s=931998,628214,676449,610570,1664991,456211,10698750

1. Deerfield Drive up: https://www.strava.com/segments/931998 - (26s / 36s)

2. Westwind (E side): https://www.strava.com/segments/628214 - (18s / 23s)

3. Viscaino Rd (East Side): https://www.strava.com/segments/676449 - (1:25 / 1:56)

4. Elena Rd to Natoma: https://www.strava.com/segments/610570 - (1:31 / 2:00)

5. Edgerton from the bottom: https://www.strava.com/segments/1664991 - (1:25 / 1:51)

6. Tepa-Summit Wood: https://www.strava.com/segments/456211 - (2:01 / 2:48)

7. Oak Park Ct - Cir Full Climb: https://www.strava.com/segments/10698750 - (48s / 1:01)

Ride Safety:

For ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Egan Ride used to meet at the Jr. High School, but now meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot every Tuesday at 6:00pm and leaves at 6:05. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly covered socks on the Egan Ride, and riders are discouraged from riding Egan if they wear conservative socks.

Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/eganride

The Climbing Ride,March 17th - St. Paddy’s Sufferin’

You’re gonna earn every ounce of that green beer.

If you are not an Alto Velo member you will need to fill out your yearly waiver at https://www.bikereg.com/alto-velo-guest-waiver

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "If you are going up hill, keep going".

Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1974596

49 Miles, 5190 ft.

Climbs of note: Jefferson, Edgewood, Canada College, Raymundo, Patrol, Summit Springs, Hayfields, Wayside, Alpine/Joaquin.

Ride Safety:

Riders must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19.

For additional ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Climbing Ride meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot on semi-random Sundays at 09:10 and leaves at 09:15. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Rides are 40-60 miles with 5000-7000 feet of climbing. The emphasis is on little-traveled hills with grades of ten to twenty percent. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly colored socks, and discouraged from vomiting in people’s driveways.

Egan 2024.01 - Top Performers

We have liftoff! Starting things off on the right pedal, we had 98 riders racking up 280 PRs. What a crowd! Not wanting Chloe to miss out on the suffering fun, the B-group kindly waited before launching off. Dirk humbled the A-group by showing what it means to leave it all on the road.

In his Egan debut, Matthew took the rider of the day with PRs on all 7 segments. Rachel Huang claimed the women’s GC while Jack Liu - thanks to his backpack full of helium - took the men’s GC.

Results: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/results/egan-2024-01

Note: If you’re wondering how to show up in the results, here’s how it works:

• Join the Egan club on Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/

• Upload your ride that evening (the results are tabulated early Wednesday mornings)

• In your privacy controls, make sure that everyone can see your activities (if you’re worried about privacy, Strava has other settings such as restricting your profile page to followers and map start/end point visibility)

• You have to complete all segments to show up in the GC

Photo Credit: Simon Parton

Photo Credit: Hannon Ayer

Egan 2024.01 - Prepare for Launch!

That wonderful time of year has come at last: EGAN SEASON IS HERE! Last year the rain stymied the launch for several weeks so this year in true Dirk fashion keep your middle fingers raised to the clouds and we’ll see what happens. We are tentatively targeting this coming Tuesday, March 12 at 6:00pm for the official launch of the 2024 Egan Season. As usual, we’ll see how the weather develops as we get closer to Tuesday and will cancel the ride if the conditions deteriorate.

After the ride we’ll all meet at State of Mind in Los Altos for a post-ride social. The first round of pizza is on Alto Velo!

Leader: The Egan Collective

Route: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/route?r=2874856572963175602&s=4243560,610571,21036783,10534914,3687553,686220,863594

Segments:

1. La Paloma from Westwind: https://www.strava.com/segments/4243560 - (57s / 1:05)

2. La Barranca Rd: https://www.strava.com/segments/610571 - (25s / 31s)

3. Taaffe from Dezahara (Egan Official): https://www.strava.com/segments/21036783 - (55s / 1:07)

4. Stonebrook from Priscilla: https://www.strava.com/segments/10534914 - (49s / 59s)

5. Dirk's super short hill sprint: https://www.strava.com/segments/3687553 - (14s / 17s)

6. Quinnhill from Summerhill: https://www.strava.com/segments/686220 - (33s / 40s)

7. Madonna Way: https://www.strava.com/segments/863594 - (44s / 58s)

Ride Safety:

For ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Egan Ride used to meet at the Jr. High School, but now meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot every Tuesday at 6:00pm and leaves at 6:05. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly covered socks on the Egan Ride, and riders are discouraged from riding Egan if they wear conservative socks.

Egansite: https://altovelo.org/egan
Egangram: www.instagram.com/eganrideclub
Strava: https://www.strava.com/eganride

The Climbing Ride,February 25 - The Bohlman and the On Orbit

The time has come,' the Ride Leader said,
      To ride up many things.
With shoes — and cleats — and sealant leaks —
      With cups — and KOMs.
Ask why my legs are boiling hot —
      And whether Bohlman is worse than On Orbit.'

But wait a bit,' the Riders cried,
      Before we have our climb;
For some of us are out of breath,
      And all of us are fat!'

If you are not an Alto Velo member you will need to fill out your yearly waiver at https://www.bikereg.com/alto-velo-guest-waiver

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "If you are going up hill, keep going".

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36897978

40 Miles, 5151 ft.

Climbs of note: Eden, Pierce, Bohlman/Norton/Kittridge/Quickert, Wildcat Ridge, On Orbit, Apollo Heights, Bohlman, Canyon View, Stoneridge/Bank Mill/Hayfields/Lumbertown, Back side of Eden.

Ride Safety:

Riders must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19.

For additional ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Climbing Ride meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot alternate Sundays at 09:10 and leaves at 09:15. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Rides are 40-60 miles with 5000-7000 feet of climbing. The emphasis is on little-traveled hills with grades of ten to twenty percent. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly colored socks, and discouraged from vomiting in people’s driveways.

The Climbing Ride, January 28 - Questionable Decisions in the North

The weatherman says it’s going to be a beautiful day. My legs say otherwise; between illness and winter doldrums I’m way out of shape. This week is your chance to say “I beat Dirk up all the hills”. Come on out and watch me whine, complain, and suffer through the rich neighborhoods of San Carlos, Belmont and San Mateo.

If you are not an Alto Velo member you will need to fill out your yearly waiver at https://www.bikereg.com/alto-velo-guest-waiver

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "If you are going up hill, keep going".

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18933192

59 Miles, 5200 ft.

Climbs of note: Crestview, Alameda De Las Pulgas from Ralston, W. Hillsdale, De Anza, Ascension, Woodridge/Black Mountain, Hayne/Robinwood/Denise, Ralston, Polhemus.

Ride Safety:

Riders must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19.

For additional ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Climbing Ride meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot alternate Sundays at 09:10 and leaves at 09:15. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Rides are 40-60 miles with 5000-7000 feet of climbing. The emphasis is on little-traveled hills with grades of ten to twenty percent. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly colored socks, and discouraged from vomiting in people’s driveways.

The Climbing Ride, January 7 - Return of Bad Life Choices

We’re halfway between the end of Egan and the start of Egan, and I’m sure you’re jonesing for some horrible steep climbs. Well it’s your lucky week, because The Climbing Ride is back! It’s like an Egan, but twice as high and twice as long and maybe steeper. Good clean fun for your legs.

If you are not an Alto Velo member you will need to fill out your yearly waiver at https://www.bikereg.com/alto-velo-guest-waiver

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "If you are going up hill, keep going".

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1857342

44 Miles, 4600 ft.

Climbs of note: Voss, Montebello/Peacock, Mt. Eden, Old Oak, Pike, Sarahills, Peach Hill, Lancaster/Matilija, Comer, Prospect/Rolling Hills.

Ride Safety:

Riders must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19.

For additional ride safety rules, please visit https://www.altovelo.org/riding-etiquette

What: The Climbing Ride meets at the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce parking lot alternate Sundays at 09:10 and leaves at 09:15. We regroup and recover after every climb; if you can do OLH in under 25 minutes you should have no problem keeping up.

Where: Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. 321 University Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022

How: Remember, pace yourself appropriately, there's lots of hills to climb! Pay attention to traffic and don't hog the road. Rides are 40-60 miles with 5000-7000 feet of climbing. The emphasis is on little-traveled hills with grades of ten to twenty percent. Riders are encouraged to wear garishly colored socks, and discouraged from vomiting in people’s driveways.

Important message from the Egan Leadership

Dear Egan Rider,

Wishing you a joyous holiday season with your friends and family! This marks a crucial period for Egan & Alto Velo. It's vital to renew your AV membership by December 18th for several reasons:

• Gain eligibility to vote for the AV Board of Directors, including our two current Egan leaders.

• Advocate for AV/Egan initiatives benefiting the entire club, such as clinics.

• Support the promotion of more women's rides and diverse group activities, expanding access to the cycling community.

Egan, as AV's outreach program, embraces openness and inclusivity:

• Egan rides are open to all, no AV membership required.

• The Egan jersey touts a clean, mininmalist design inflused with flare of French fashion!

• Wearing the Egan jersey doesn't necessitate AV membership.

Our simple request:

• CLICK HERE to join AV by December 18th

• AV membership costs vary to accommodate all financial abilities.

• Exercise your right to vote.

Details on Egan members running for the board will be revealed soon.

As a token of appreciation, Egan riders renewing AV membership by 12/18 enjoy an EARLY ordering window for the stylish new Egan kit.

Thank you for being part of our vibrant cycling community.

Best regards,

The Egan Leadership Team

2023 Egan Bonus & Banquet Recap

The 2023 Egan season officially came to a close with a banquet at SoM (State of Mind) in Los Altos. Beforehand, a small group rode the infamous and beloved “5 ways to the 4 corners” that is always guaranteed to induce hunger and a need for liquid refreshment afterwards.

Unofficial results: https://route-viewer.vercel.app/results/egan-2023-bonus

While we can’t wait until the 2024 Egan season begins (on March 12, 2024), we’re considering doing more “unofficial” Egan rides to tide us over the next 6 months. Stay tuned for future ride announcements.

Egan leaders Mike, Jerome, Akin and Matt (not pictured: Robin and Tanner)
Photo credit: Cristophe Testi

Photo credit: Cristophe Testi

Photo credit: Cristophe Testi

Photo credit: Cristophe Testi

Photo credit: Stephan Ummels