Cycletron Groups and Rides.

Group Rides
You do not have to ride in one of the organized groups to be a Cycletron. Many members ride on their own and never ride with one of the groups. However, riding in a group is an excellent way to stay motivated and improve your fitness. Currently there are two (2) main groups that meet and ride on a daily basis. The "11:30" group, the "11:40" group. How these groups evolved is quite another story. Daily mileage is between 20-25 miles. Both groups meet outside the East Gate entrance of LLNL in the parking lot near the ramp to the Visitor's Center.

The 11:30 Group -

Weekday	Ride	Distance (miles)	Terrain & Elevation(ft)	Duration
Monday	Patterson Pass	22.7	Hilly 1650	~1 hr 20 min
Tuesday	Carneal Loop	25.0	Flat 660	~1 hr 20 min
Wednesday	Tesla	14.7 or 18.2	Moderately Hilly, 1090 or 1830	~ 1 hr or 1 hr 20 min
Thursday	Del Valle	20.7	Flat and One Climb 1480	~ 1 hr
Friday	Reverse Carneal Loop	25.0	Flat 660	~ 1 hr 20 min

The actual meeting time is closer to 11:25 and the group usually departs by 11:30. The daily ride is determined by the day of the week. The only exception may be on the Tuesday after a Monday Holiday (which then becomes a "virtual" Monday). The unofficial group leader of the 11:30 group is Darrel Lager. The ride pace is not considered beginner as it is often quite brisk. The nice part about these rides is that there is always a "regrouping" point where the pack waits a reasonable amount of time for those who have not been able to keep up with the pace. The 11:30 group is affectionately called the "B" team by the "Noon" group. This is a good place to work on pack riding skills, speed, and endurance. The size of the group ranges from 10 to 25 riders.

The 11:40 (aka "noon") Group

Weekday	Ride	Distance (miles)	Terrain & Elevation(ft)	Duration
Monday	Patterson Pass	22.7	Hilly 1650	~1 hr 10 min
Tuesday	Carneal Loop	25.0	Flat 660	~1 hr 10 min
Wednesday	Tesla	14.7 or 18.2	Moderately Hilly, 1090 or 1830	~ 1 hr
Thursday	Patterson Pass	22.7	Hilly 1650	~1 hr 10 min
Friday	Reverse Carneal Loop	25.0	Flat 660	~ 1 hr 10 min

The "Noon" group is the "A" team of the Cycletrons. These rides are often very fast. Wednesdays, and Fridays are supposed to be "rest days", but often turn out to be quite spirited. Tuesdays and Thursdays are "hard days" and the pack lets there be no doubt. Some of the members of the Valley Spokesmen Racing Team use this ride for training. Sometimes, riders come from out of town to ride in the infamous Noon ride. Stan Terusaki, is the unofficial ride leader, mainly because he is one of the more charming members of the groups. Riders start gathering at 11:25 am and the ride departs at 11:30 (Please don't ask why they are called the noon group or 11:40 when they start at 11:30:-). This ride is not recommended for beginners. The pace is fast and excellent pack riding skills are a must. The size of the group ranges f rom 10 to 20 riders.

The Noonloops Century

Every year, in the Fall, Darrel Lager or Bill Durham will announce a day for the Noonloops Century. This is a day where we ride all the Cycletron daily routes in a single day. If you complete every loop, the total distance will be be just a little over 100 miles. This is not a race although some riders have been known to treat it as a time trial. Disclaimer: some employees will take a vacation day to participate in this ride.

The Art Wong Time Trial Series

So named because Art is the only one who is willing to coordinate these "rides". A few times during the year, Art will conduct time trials on the Tuesday route or the 11:30 Thursday route. Teams and individuals are encouraged to participate.