Q&A about the new Team Alameda Ride Calendar

Q. I just want to look at the ride calendar. Do I have to do anything different?

A.  Just click the Calendar menu link on the Team Alameda website the same as before.  If you had a bookmark or favorite for the old calendar, you'll need to update that to the new calendar URL.

Q.  Why are events on the new calendar different colors?

A.  Team Alameda rides are  blue . Events organized by other organizations are  ochre .

Q.  I want to get the ride calendar on my phone (or Outlook, or whatever). How do I do that?

A.  There are detailed instructions for the most common phones and calendar software HERE

Q. I want to get an email when new rides get posted. How do I do that?

A.  Go to the new calendar and click the menu icon near the top, right corner of the page (). Then select Notifications. Enter your email address, select what you want to be notified about and how often, then press Save.

Q. Can anybody make changes on the ride calendar?

A.  The Calendar link from the Team Alameda website gives you a view of the calendar that cannot be modified.

If you plan to lead a ride and want to post it to the calendar, or you want to edit a ride that you are already scheduled to lead, see the next question.

Q. I want to post a ride on the new calendar. How do I get access to make changes?

A.  Each ride leader will be given a unique, personalized link to the calendar page.  Your editing privileges are encoded in this link. When you use your personal access link (instead of the public link that is on the Team Alameda website) to go to the calendar, you will be able to create new events in the calendar and you will be able to edit any event you created when using the same access link.

During the transition period from the old calendar to the new, the Team Alameda calendar coordinators will be emailing personal access links to everyone who has led a ride recently or who is scheduled to lead a ride soon.

If you want to post a ride and haven't yet received your link, or if you want to post your first-ever ride, contact the calendar coordinators (Rens and Steve) and ask them for your link.

When you have received your personal access link we suggest that you save it as a bookmark or favorite in your browser so that you don't lose it.

Q. I want to make changes to a ride somebody else posted. Can I do that?

A.  No. You can only change events that were created through your own access link. Others can't change your rides either (except the calendar coordinators).
   
If you are taking over a ride from someone else, we suggest that they delete their ride and that you re-post it with your own access link. Otherwise, if an event that someone else posted must be modified contact the calendar coordinators.

Q. OK, I have my posting link. What are the steps to post a ride?

A. 

1. Use your personal access link to go to the calendar.
2. Click on the date of your ride and a pop-up will appear where you can enter:
   • Title: A very short description of the ride (e.g. "Three Bears" or "Redwood Loop"). This is what will appear on the main calendar page. You do NOT need to put your name in the title; put it in the Who field instead.
   • When: Un-check the "all day" box and enter your starting time. Please use the standard start time described on the Team Alameda home page unless you have a good reason to start at a different time.
   • Calendar: "Team Alameda Ride Calendar" should be pre-selected. Double-check that it is.
   • Who: Your name. This will appear in parentheses after the title on the main calendar page. We recommend entering just your first name, first name and last initial or TA nickname. (Remember that the calendar is visible to the entire internet and will be indexed by Google and other search engines.)
   • Where: Your meeting place to start the ride. Kaiser unless you're doing an away ride.
   • More: Click the "More" button and enter the details of your ride description.
     
     Please include a TA ride rating ( hilliness / pace / mileage ) in your description.
     
     Please also paste in the standard definition of the TA ride-rating system below your description:
     
     TEAM ALAMEDA ride ratings, in this order = HILLINESS / PACE / MILEAGE
     
     Hilliness Group / Grades Description / Example
     1: 0-2 % Essentially flat/ All Alameda, Marina rides
     2: 2-6 % A Few Low Hills/ Montclair Peets, Domingo Peets rides
     3: 6-8 % Moderately Hilly/ Tunnel, Skyline, Redwood, Butters Canyon
     4: 6-12 % Very Hilly / Three Bears, Pinehurst, Snake Rd., Claremont
     5: 12+ % Extremely Hilly / Marin, Vollmer, Hiller, Thorndale, Ascot, Donald Dr.
     
     Pace Group / Average Miles per Hour, Ride Description (varies, depends on leader)
     A: 14-16 Fast pace, for strong experienced riders, maybe one stop.
     B: 12-14 Steady pace, most century riders are this pace.
     C: 10-12 Steady pace, fewer stops, for experienced and new riders.
     
3. Press Save and your ride is posted.  Please be sure to double-check it in the calendar to make sure it appears at the right date and time.

Once you have rides in the calendar, it will be easier to copy one of your earlier rides than to create a new one from scratch.  Right-click on your earlier ride, click Copy To, and select the date for the new ride.  Then click on the new ride entry (on the new date) to edit the title and description.