Polar Bear Ride Feb 2013

February 16, 2013
Polar Bear Ride (PBR)

Today's Ride will be through some Northern California farm roads.  The roads are very flat and mostly straight.  The lunch destination is the Wool Growers Basque Restaurant in Los Banos, CA.

We are meeting up in two places today.  The Jack in the Box on Hwy 4 just east of I-5 in Stockton and the McDonalds on Tracy Blvd in Tracy.

Phil T and Josh C

Tom P shows up just at KSU

We ride just a short bit on Hwy 4 then turn onto Roberts Island Road and ride through Upper Roberts Island and Union Island into Tracy.

VSP, Phil T and Josh C

Dave R is the only one to hook up with the Ride in Tracy.  Cranky emailed in as being sick.

Dave, Phil, Tom and Josh

Just before KSU my thermometer reads 59° F.  My display shows either odo, trip, time or temp - BUT with only one window it is a PITA to cycle through.  So I usually display my trip meter.

We take a few round about farm roads and about an hour later take our rest break in Newman.

We jump onto Hwy 33 and travel south through Gustine where we veer off onto more farm roads.
And well ahead of schedule we get to the Wool Growers at 12:40 PM.

None of this group has ever been to the Wool Growers before.

I missed taking photos of the soup and salad as I was digging in.

Tom annihilating his lamb chops.

Phil has the tri-tip

Now Tom has already finished his lamb chops and has now turned his attention to the lamb stew.

Here's Dave's ice cream with chocolate syrup.  Nicole has remembered to bring us the chocolate syrup.

As we are finishing up - lo and behold an old f#rt VROCer shows up.  Cranky has shot over Pacheco Pass and the quick route from San Jose to Los Banos.

Cranky ops for the soup and salad meal

Cranky has the soup, salad, beans and ice cream.

We hung out and BSed and kept Cranky company during his lunch.

Dave and Phil gearing up to head back.

Josh and Cranky still telling stories.

Josh decides to head back to Stockton via I-5 and Cranky will retrace his route through Pacheco Pass back to San Jose.

The rest of us will head over to Hwy 165 which will take us to Hwy 99 at Turlock.  I lead the four of us remaining folks to Hwy 165 which runs north south through Los Banos.  At Turlock I will peel off and get some gasoline as the others head back to Ripon,  Orangevale and Citrus Heights.

~end
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