No riding this weekend. I spent Saturday checking out some potential issues with the route of next weekend's 600k and hiked 10 miles on Sunday. Fortunately neither of the potential issues is going to be a problem.
I rode my 600k solo last weekend because Amber was in Hawaii. The first loop went very well except I tried to ride the Long Beach bike path and they had it closed off right at Belmont pier so I had to backtrack. Nevertheless, I actually got back to the motel at 11:30 - about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. I had brought along three sets of shorts and jerseys so I took the time to shower and change. It felt decadent. I had a cheese pizza in the room which I had ordered the night before so I scarfed down a slice, renewed my sun block and butt cream and was out the door in 20 minutes. Even though I had just finished a century I felt almost completely refreshed.
Maybe cold cheese pizza wasn't such a great idea. By the time I got to the next control 22 miles later I had some slight nausea so I tried an old trick. I went to the Lucky Greek and ordered toast. I got two thick slices of sourdough, put a little jelly on, and down it went. The toast seems to soak up excess acid and I felt good again pretty quickly. The nausea may also have been caused by too much soda or Gatorade.
I made good time on the upper SART, aided by a powerful tailwind that had been with me all the way from the coast. It stayed with me on the climbing through Redlands and Yuciapa, diminishing slightly. I rode to the usual control on Beaumont Ave and, for once, left before sunset.
Oak Valley Parkway is closed and there's no safe way through for cyclists so I had to climb back up Beaumont Ave (no bike lane and lot's of debris on that side) and then make an awkward left turn on Brookside. There's no way I wanted my riders to have to do that so they'll be taking a shortcut on Oak View and making the miles up in the first loop.
From Beaumont to the next control in Riverside is almost all downhill. I made excellent time although it was a bit scary riding into the setting sun. I put both my bright tail lights into flash mode, hopefully that helped. I had a slight headwind for the first 10 miles, then as the sun set it died down. Ruth and Kevin signed my brevet card for me at their home in Riverside but I made a noob mistake there by not eating. I thought I could just have an energy bar because I wasn't very hungry.
The energy bar did nothing for me except make me feel bloated. It took me three hours to cover the next 35 miles. I was bonking but totally incapable of eating anything. I have a trick for that too - milk. At the Corona control I ate at the In-n-Out burger and ordered two milks and animal fries even though I wasn't at all hungry. Once I was half way through the first milk my appetite came back and I pigged the fries and milk down.
Ten minutes later I felt like a bull-moose and flew along the lower SART at 18mph - almost crashing into the fence across the bike path that forces us to use the detour. Thank goodness for good lights. Even with the poor time from Riverside to Corona I got to the end of the second loop at 12:30 - still 30 minutes ahead of schedule. I showered and changed and ate a smaller slice of pizza and went to sleep.
I set the alarm for 8am but woke up just before 7am so I jumped on the bike and headed towards Dana Point. I didn't make great time but still got there an hour ahead of schedule and ate at the Jack in the Box. There was a local loony there trying to sell pebbles and small bits of driftwood. I would have taken a look at her "treasures" but I had a lot more riding to do.
Nothing much happened between Dana Point and Oceanside. I had a slight headwind but it was no big deal. I ate at Angelo's because I love it so much when I'm hungry. I don't remember what I ate, but it had lot's of calories. I filled my water bottles with a 50/50 mix of coke and water.
Headed back north through Camp Pendleton I remember thinking the tailwind was stronger than I expected given the mild headwind on the way south. By the time I got to the San Onofre campground the tailwind was very strong and I made great time to the control at San Clemente. Flying downhill on PCH through San Clemente I almost t-boned an idiot making a left turn in front of me. That would have sucked at 30mph.
After I headed inland at Dana Point I lost some of my tailwind and slowed down a bit on the way to Lake Forest. I ordered coffee and a sandwich at a coffee shop there and the next thing I remember is turning into the parking lot at the end of the ride. I have absolutely no recollection of the last 30 miles. Scary.
As I drove home from the ride, a work colleague drove next to me on the 91 freeway and I never saw him. I must have been more tired than I realized. Very scary.
I finished with three hours to spare which was two hours ahead of schedule. I got 45 minutes less sleep than the last time I completed this ride and didn't get lost in Camp Pendleton which also helped. The weather was perfect (70-75 most of the time with a high of 80). I had so much tailwind it was almost embarrassing.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
2015 Orange Triple Loop 600k Staff Ride
I rode the 2015 Orange Triple Loop 600k staff ride on the 21st/22nd of March.
We all know the Detour Demons are hard at work this year. Greg had to deal with a horde of them on the recent Solana Beach 400k and I had to deal with the same ones plus several more. Curiously, the end result may actually be an improvement. When life hands you lemons...
Before I start with the route changes, let me give you the good news that I have negotiated a 15% group discount for anyone booking a room at the Motel 6. If you book your room directly with the motel at (714) 634-2441 or through group services (800) 544-4866 and mention reservation #1004B00065 for PCH RANDOS you can save about $40 over the three nights. If you have already booked your room you can still get the discount if you call either of the two numbers with your reservation number. Please use this block reservation if you are arriving on Friday night. If enough people use it, we can get the same discount next year.
More good news. The Pavilions at the control #2 (mile 22) is now open 24 hours. You can ride as fast as you want - they will be open when you get there.
I have moved control #3 because I needed extra miles to compensate for a change in loop 2. This has the advantage of removing that awkward turn onto San Gabriel Parkway and the busy traffic on it. You will now continue a little further on the San Gabriel bike path to Peck Rd and then use a Shell station which also contains a Subway. There is a 10 yard section of dirt between the bike path and Peck Rd. Use the sidewalk to return to the bike path when you exit the control.
At mile 47, instead of the awkward turn onto San Gabriel Parkway you can go straight across Rosemead Blvd onto a semi-paved trail that takes you straight to the Rio Hondo bikepath where you pickup the old route. It's very rideable, even for 'bents and tandems. This is the same trail I mentioned on the 300k. You can still ride on San Gabriel Parkway if you really want to.
The Long Beach beach path is almost finished but as of the 21st it did not extend to Belmont Pier so we will be using the same detour that the Solana Beach 400k used. You will use Shoreline to go to 1st st which is bike friendly. If they have completed the beach path by the 4th I will try to let you know. Basically you're free to use whichever route through this section you are most comfortable with. Control #4 is more open now that we are approaching from a different direction. There are several good options including an Arco, 76, Mobil, 7-11, and Round Table Pizza. After the control you will use Livingston and 2nd to get back onto the old route.
I was preparing to take a photo of the Rio Hondo trail when I heard hoof beats and saw a horse galloping on a trail just above me. Hard to believe we're in L.A. County, isn't it?
Most of us are familiar with the detour on Riverdale Ave between Tustin and Lakeview. It's 1.2 miles long and adds almost no mileage. Much as I hate being diverted off my bike path, this detour is very respectful of the needs of cyclists. You will have this detour at the end of the loop also.
The Chevron which used to be control #6 has disappeared. It is now a dirt lot. You can use the Arco across the road or the In-n-Out or Lucky Greek on the far side of the 91 freeway. I like the Lucky Greek. You can get fries or toast and soda and be on your way in 15 minutes. However, for this year only, I will also allow any business at the top of Green River hill around mile 18 of the loop. This option leaves a long gap to control #7 so be warned. I'm sure something will have replaced the Chevron by next year's 600k.
As you leave control #6 you will see that Auto Center Drive is closed. Turn Right on Pomona and then Left on Maple. Then turn Left on Smith to return to the old route. This detour shortens the route slightly and adds a few feet of climbing. It's actually quite nice.
At the top of the ride in Beaumont we have another detour that shortens the route. The east end of Oak Valley parkway is closed to cyclists. Looking at the road work I can see why. You will turn from Brookside onto Oak View and enjoy a lovely descent to Oak Valley Parkway where you will turn Right again and ride to the Chevron (control #8) or one of the small businesses in the strip mall there. This control is easier to get to than the old control and is open 24 hours for the more speed challenged of us.
About mile 123 of this loop, I dealt with some road work on Grand in Corona. It's short but unpleasant. Please be sure to be careful here and have all your lights blazing.
We all know the Detour Demons are hard at work this year. Greg had to deal with a horde of them on the recent Solana Beach 400k and I had to deal with the same ones plus several more. Curiously, the end result may actually be an improvement. When life hands you lemons...
Before I start with the route changes, let me give you the good news that I have negotiated a 15% group discount for anyone booking a room at the Motel 6. If you book your room directly with the motel at (714) 634-2441 or through group services (800) 544-4866 and mention reservation #1004B00065 for PCH RANDOS you can save about $40 over the three nights. If you have already booked your room you can still get the discount if you call either of the two numbers with your reservation number. Please use this block reservation if you are arriving on Friday night. If enough people use it, we can get the same discount next year.
Loop 1
I have moved control #3 because I needed extra miles to compensate for a change in loop 2. This has the advantage of removing that awkward turn onto San Gabriel Parkway and the busy traffic on it. You will now continue a little further on the San Gabriel bike path to Peck Rd and then use a Shell station which also contains a Subway. There is a 10 yard section of dirt between the bike path and Peck Rd. Use the sidewalk to return to the bike path when you exit the control.
At mile 47, instead of the awkward turn onto San Gabriel Parkway you can go straight across Rosemead Blvd onto a semi-paved trail that takes you straight to the Rio Hondo bikepath where you pickup the old route. It's very rideable, even for 'bents and tandems. This is the same trail I mentioned on the 300k. You can still ride on San Gabriel Parkway if you really want to.
The Long Beach beach path is almost finished but as of the 21st it did not extend to Belmont Pier so we will be using the same detour that the Solana Beach 400k used. You will use Shoreline to go to 1st st which is bike friendly. If they have completed the beach path by the 4th I will try to let you know. Basically you're free to use whichever route through this section you are most comfortable with. Control #4 is more open now that we are approaching from a different direction. There are several good options including an Arco, 76, Mobil, 7-11, and Round Table Pizza. After the control you will use Livingston and 2nd to get back onto the old route.
I was preparing to take a photo of the Rio Hondo trail when I heard hoof beats and saw a horse galloping on a trail just above me. Hard to believe we're in L.A. County, isn't it?
Loop 2
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7224487Most of us are familiar with the detour on Riverdale Ave between Tustin and Lakeview. It's 1.2 miles long and adds almost no mileage. Much as I hate being diverted off my bike path, this detour is very respectful of the needs of cyclists. You will have this detour at the end of the loop also.
The Chevron which used to be control #6 has disappeared. It is now a dirt lot. You can use the Arco across the road or the In-n-Out or Lucky Greek on the far side of the 91 freeway. I like the Lucky Greek. You can get fries or toast and soda and be on your way in 15 minutes. However, for this year only, I will also allow any business at the top of Green River hill around mile 18 of the loop. This option leaves a long gap to control #7 so be warned. I'm sure something will have replaced the Chevron by next year's 600k.
As you leave control #6 you will see that Auto Center Drive is closed. Turn Right on Pomona and then Left on Maple. Then turn Left on Smith to return to the old route. This detour shortens the route slightly and adds a few feet of climbing. It's actually quite nice.
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| Walnut is a tough climb but the view from the top is nice once the dizziness passes |
At the top of the ride in Beaumont we have another detour that shortens the route. The east end of Oak Valley parkway is closed to cyclists. Looking at the road work I can see why. You will turn from Brookside onto Oak View and enjoy a lovely descent to Oak Valley Parkway where you will turn Right again and ride to the Chevron (control #8) or one of the small businesses in the strip mall there. This control is easier to get to than the old control and is open 24 hours for the more speed challenged of us.
About mile 123 of this loop, I dealt with some road work on Grand in Corona. It's short but unpleasant. Please be sure to be careful here and have all your lights blazing.
Loop 3
Most of Newport Beach is a construction zone, it seems. Even though they've closed the bike lane on PCH, they've created a new one for us which was really nice of them.
Some riders have had problems with the Dana Point control #12 in the past and I see Dana Point has reconfigured one of their intersections so I've decided to simplify the route through Dana Point and make it an open control. You no longer need to turn on Golden Lantern - just follow Del Prado all the way to Dana Point Harbor Drive and turn right there. You can use any business in Dana Point as the control. There are several convenient 24 hour business near the bottom of Del Prado. This change shortens the route very slightly and simplifies it.
As you probably know, Interstate 5 is closed to cyclists at this time and cyclists are allowed to pass through Camp Pendleton. You must have photo ID to pass through the camp. If you cannot get through the camp for some reason there is a shuttle service available. If you need to use the shuttle service you must inform me so we can make arrangements for you to make up the miles. Using Camp Pendleton adds about 3 miles total. Consequently I can make Oceanside an open control (#13). This will be convenient for the straight-through riders because they can use the Mobil or Chevron gas stations on Harbor at the north end of Oceanside. You are free to use any business in Oceanside. This change cuts out an unpleasant stretch of North Coast Hwy.
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| Bike path north of Camp Pendleton, looking north. |
Feedback
Some of these route changes might be worth keeping. I'm looking for feedback, both positive and negative on these changes. Also, for reading the entire blog entry you get to tell me what pizza toppings you want at the end of the ride. Please email me and I'll try to accommodate everyone.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Running a Brevet in a changing world
Finally! After being sick for two weeks I get a decent weekend of riding. On Saturday I rode a nice easy 30 on the upper SART and ran into Jerry Cowden so got caught up on some of the latest news. Then at the Phoenician restaurant I ran into Lou who loves this place too. We had lunch together and had a great time. Such nice people - now I remember why I liked being a member of the RWBTC.
On Sunday Amber and I rode from Anaheim Amtrak to Oceanside Amtrak and the ride was special for two reasons. Firstly I have just got the ride registered as a permanent populair #2666. Secondly this was Amber's first ride on her new Lynskey Ti touring bike from Adrenaline Bikes in Orange County. She loves it - it's smooth and fits great. The only problem she had was in her hands so I told her to the the bars double taped.
On the drive down I noticed that one of the controls for my upcoming 600k brevet no longer exists. A perfectly good Chevron gas station has been ripped out, leaving a dirt lot. Fortunately I can make it an open control and there are other options, although this was the best option. As brevet owners we are used to CalTrans closing roads to cyclists and Parks and Recreation closing bike paths.
On a recent 400k, Greg Jones had to deal with closures to PCH north of Malibu, a closed bike path in Long Beach, and a closure to Interstate 5. There are many things an RBA can do to reduce the impact of these problems.
The key to road closures is to research ahead of time - a staff ride will help, together with the CalTrans website and the local knowledge of cyclists. I've had a couple of riders pre-ride my 600k already and they have provided invaluable information. You also need to be capable of routing riders around last minute obstructions. If a rider calls to tell you that a road is blocked, say by an accident, could you guide them around from ride HQ?
As for a disappearing control, I always try to use controls that have a backup. Ideally every control would be an open control. Even turnaround controls can be open. For example "Anything in this shopping center" or "Anything on Carpenteria Ave after Neptune St".
The key here is that the ride owner has to constantly monitor the state of the route, which is a lot of work for a 600k. It's always better to tell the riders the bad news, than to have them discover it during the ride.
On Sunday Amber and I rode from Anaheim Amtrak to Oceanside Amtrak and the ride was special for two reasons. Firstly I have just got the ride registered as a permanent populair #2666. Secondly this was Amber's first ride on her new Lynskey Ti touring bike from Adrenaline Bikes in Orange County. She loves it - it's smooth and fits great. The only problem she had was in her hands so I told her to the the bars double taped.
 |
| Amber and her new Lynskey |
On the drive down I noticed that one of the controls for my upcoming 600k brevet no longer exists. A perfectly good Chevron gas station has been ripped out, leaving a dirt lot. Fortunately I can make it an open control and there are other options, although this was the best option. As brevet owners we are used to CalTrans closing roads to cyclists and Parks and Recreation closing bike paths.
On a recent 400k, Greg Jones had to deal with closures to PCH north of Malibu, a closed bike path in Long Beach, and a closure to Interstate 5. There are many things an RBA can do to reduce the impact of these problems.
The key to road closures is to research ahead of time - a staff ride will help, together with the CalTrans website and the local knowledge of cyclists. I've had a couple of riders pre-ride my 600k already and they have provided invaluable information. You also need to be capable of routing riders around last minute obstructions. If a rider calls to tell you that a road is blocked, say by an accident, could you guide them around from ride HQ?
As for a disappearing control, I always try to use controls that have a backup. Ideally every control would be an open control. Even turnaround controls can be open. For example "Anything in this shopping center" or "Anything on Carpenteria Ave after Neptune St".
The key here is that the ride owner has to constantly monitor the state of the route, which is a lot of work for a 600k. It's always better to tell the riders the bad news, than to have them discover it during the ride.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Long Beach bike path
Amber and I went for a lovely ride from the top of the San Gabriel bike path in Duarte to Long Beach and back - 81 miles, 1100' climbing, very windy. It was threatening rain all day but we only got rained on while waiting for empanadas under an umbrella. Very lucky.
We checked the Long Beach bike path but it's still closed. I'm sure it'll be wonderful when it's done but it sure would be nice to see an estimate of when it'll be open again. For now, riding on Ocean is downright dangerous. We're going to have to do that for the upcoming 400k and probably even my 600k in April.
I watched "Stop at Nothing" on Netflix while working out last night. It's a good overview of the whole Lance Armstrong doping scandal. The problem when you're that hyperagressive towards critics is that when you finally come up against someone who can take you down, the defeat will crush you. I still don't believe he understands the harm he has done. He's still an alpha-dick.
I've read Paul Kimmage, Tyler Hamilton, and David Walshs' books and it was great to see their faces in the film and hear their voices. Emma O'Reilly is amazingly hot. After hearing Lance's description of her I was expecting a wrinkled old gin-sot who pleasures sailor's for the price of a beer, but she can still turn a room-full of heads.
Solana Beach 400k this Saturday and I'm fighting off a cold :-(
We checked the Long Beach bike path but it's still closed. I'm sure it'll be wonderful when it's done but it sure would be nice to see an estimate of when it'll be open again. For now, riding on Ocean is downright dangerous. We're going to have to do that for the upcoming 400k and probably even my 600k in April.
I watched "Stop at Nothing" on Netflix while working out last night. It's a good overview of the whole Lance Armstrong doping scandal. The problem when you're that hyperagressive towards critics is that when you finally come up against someone who can take you down, the defeat will crush you. I still don't believe he understands the harm he has done. He's still an alpha-dick.
I've read Paul Kimmage, Tyler Hamilton, and David Walshs' books and it was great to see their faces in the film and hear their voices. Emma O'Reilly is amazingly hot. After hearing Lance's description of her I was expecting a wrinkled old gin-sot who pleasures sailor's for the price of a beer, but she can still turn a room-full of heads.
Solana Beach 400k this Saturday and I'm fighting off a cold :-(
Monday, February 16, 2015
Justice?
I just read with great pleasure that Lance Armstrong has lost a lawsuit to SCA for $10m. This was $7.5m that SCA did not want to pay him for winning his 5th Tour de France plus $2.5m damages awarded to him. SCA got the whole lot back. I'm sure this is not the only lawsuit Lance will lose in the coming years. Hopefully he'll be filing for bankruptcy soon. This should send a strong message to would-be cheaters currently in the sport.
Do you think professional cycling is clean? How clean is clean? I don't think it's clean enough. I'm not even sure what clean enough is. I just know I have no interest in watching professional cycling right now. I'd rather get out there and ride myself. Maybe that's for the best. Perhaps instead of cutting my Saturday ride short to watch the Tour it's better if I just ride a couple of extra hours.
I've been riding my Trek 520 touring bike a lot more lately for several reasons. First I've realized I should be replacing the Campy chain on my Serotta every three months. This is an expensive proposition but the Shimano chain on my Trek is less than half the price of the Campy so if I replace them both every six months, I'm saving some money.
Also I'm still trying to break in the Brooks B17 saddle on the Trek. I'm still a bit sore at 50 miles so I reckon I have another 500 miles to go before it's properly broken in. Lastly, the Trek is a lot more work to ride than the Serotta so I get a better workout when I ride it.
The Trek came with a rack and I had an old Nashbar rack bag which works fine. But recently I had to stop to help someone fix a flat and they had no gear so I had to get my tire lever and flat repair kit out. This is not easy with a rack bag as you can see above. I'm seriously thinking about replacing it with a Topeak quick release rack and bag. It would certainly improve access to the saddle bag.
Do you think professional cycling is clean? How clean is clean? I don't think it's clean enough. I'm not even sure what clean enough is. I just know I have no interest in watching professional cycling right now. I'd rather get out there and ride myself. Maybe that's for the best. Perhaps instead of cutting my Saturday ride short to watch the Tour it's better if I just ride a couple of extra hours.
I've been riding my Trek 520 touring bike a lot more lately for several reasons. First I've realized I should be replacing the Campy chain on my Serotta every three months. This is an expensive proposition but the Shimano chain on my Trek is less than half the price of the Campy so if I replace them both every six months, I'm saving some money.
Also I'm still trying to break in the Brooks B17 saddle on the Trek. I'm still a bit sore at 50 miles so I reckon I have another 500 miles to go before it's properly broken in. Lastly, the Trek is a lot more work to ride than the Serotta so I get a better workout when I ride it.
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| Trek 520 - Shiney! |
Monday, February 9, 2015
Inaugural Five Rivers 300k Brevet
On Saturday the 7th I hosted the first Five Rivers 300k brevet in Corona, CA. I had 48 riders register and all 48 of them started. Thanks to almost everyone doing their paperwork ahead of time, I got all the riders' paperwork done in 30 minutes and we started on time at 6am in freezing pre-dawn light. There was a big storm to the north of us but the weather people didn't think it would come south of the Ventura mountains so I didn't think it would impact the riders much.
I waited around for 40 minutes after they had left in case any non-registered riders showed up late (with our group that never happens) and then jumped onto my touring bike to put another 80 miles onto its Brooks saddle. I grabbed breakfast at the Lucky Greek and then continued down to Huntington Beach and up to the jack-in-the-box at Sunset beach before turning around. The beach was foggy so my new RUSA wool jersey felt great.
On the way back I came across a rider who had flatted and had no tools. Apparently it was a new bike so he hadn't bought a pump and flat repair kit yet. Who wheels a bike out of the store without that stuff already? My tube was too big for his tire so we had to fix the flat which was tricky as it was quite a large hole and the tube wouldn't hold any air. In the end I got him going again, but not before making him promise to get the stuff he needed.
By the time I got back to the motel at 2pm the sun was out and I had a touch of sun burn. Seriously, in February? I had a nice nap.
Amber arrived just after 5pm to help me handle finishers if a rider called me out to be picked up. She had just come off a 12 hour shift and only had 4 hours sleep so we went over to Goodfellas restaurant and had coffee and ate. Then we got more coffee at the Arco - we were in for a long night.
The first rider back was Willie in the yellow submarine. He had completed the 188 mile ride in a total of 11:29 with an overall speed of 16.3 mph - and that's with a damaged derailleur! Three more riders came in at under 12 hours including Shai on a fixie. That's a combination of strength and masochism rarely found outside medieval flagellants. That's four riders who completed an R60 (where you complete a brevet in 60% if the allocated time). It's not a race, so you don't get a prize or anything, but it is a major achievement.
Most of the riders started coming in an hour or two later so Amber ordered pizza and breadsticks which was apparently exactly what people wanted, even those arriving once it had got cold. As we started to run out we ordered two more.
I thought everyone would complete the ride by midnight, but a few people had trouble navigating parts of the route, especially when it's dark and they're tired. Craig got in about one o'clock looking very strong. Unfortunately Pete and Charlie didn't make the cut off time, but they did complete the route under their own steam and in good spirits.
Feedback was favorable and I got some valuable tips on improving the cue sheet next year. It was unfortunate that Long Beach had ripped up the beach path even more since the staff ride two weeks prior so the cue sheet had some bad directions. La Copa Empanadas was universally praised by all the riders who ate there. I can't wait to go back.
I'll be running this route again next year.
Stacey posted some photographs here.
I waited around for 40 minutes after they had left in case any non-registered riders showed up late (with our group that never happens) and then jumped onto my touring bike to put another 80 miles onto its Brooks saddle. I grabbed breakfast at the Lucky Greek and then continued down to Huntington Beach and up to the jack-in-the-box at Sunset beach before turning around. The beach was foggy so my new RUSA wool jersey felt great.
On the way back I came across a rider who had flatted and had no tools. Apparently it was a new bike so he hadn't bought a pump and flat repair kit yet. Who wheels a bike out of the store without that stuff already? My tube was too big for his tire so we had to fix the flat which was tricky as it was quite a large hole and the tube wouldn't hold any air. In the end I got him going again, but not before making him promise to get the stuff he needed.
By the time I got back to the motel at 2pm the sun was out and I had a touch of sun burn. Seriously, in February? I had a nice nap.
Amber arrived just after 5pm to help me handle finishers if a rider called me out to be picked up. She had just come off a 12 hour shift and only had 4 hours sleep so we went over to Goodfellas restaurant and had coffee and ate. Then we got more coffee at the Arco - we were in for a long night.
The first rider back was Willie in the yellow submarine. He had completed the 188 mile ride in a total of 11:29 with an overall speed of 16.3 mph - and that's with a damaged derailleur! Three more riders came in at under 12 hours including Shai on a fixie. That's a combination of strength and masochism rarely found outside medieval flagellants. That's four riders who completed an R60 (where you complete a brevet in 60% if the allocated time). It's not a race, so you don't get a prize or anything, but it is a major achievement.
Most of the riders started coming in an hour or two later so Amber ordered pizza and breadsticks which was apparently exactly what people wanted, even those arriving once it had got cold. As we started to run out we ordered two more.
I thought everyone would complete the ride by midnight, but a few people had trouble navigating parts of the route, especially when it's dark and they're tired. Craig got in about one o'clock looking very strong. Unfortunately Pete and Charlie didn't make the cut off time, but they did complete the route under their own steam and in good spirits.
Feedback was favorable and I got some valuable tips on improving the cue sheet next year. It was unfortunate that Long Beach had ripped up the beach path even more since the staff ride two weeks prior so the cue sheet had some bad directions. La Copa Empanadas was universally praised by all the riders who ate there. I can't wait to go back.
I'll be running this route again next year.
Stacey posted some photographs here.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Five Rivers 300k staff ride
Amber and I rode the Five Rivers 300k brevet staff ride yesterday.
The Motel 6 that is the official start of the ride is a typical Motel 6 - cheap and no frills. There's a Best Western across the road that is $30 more per night and a little nicer. It also has the advantage of being right next to the Goodfellas restaurant which is a great place to eat.
We started the ride at 6am heading down the SART at the end of a Santa Ana wind event which meant it was warm and windy. The detour between Lakeview and Tustin is still in place so I will be updating the map and cuesheet to include it. Even though we had a tailwind on the way to the beach, it was so strong it was quite disconcerting at times. We covered almost 22 miles in the first hour and, if we had not had a mechanical problem, we would have arrived at the first control before it opened. Oddly we still had a tailwind even after turning right to head up Atlanta.
We continued along Atlanta and eventually got to PCH. I elected to ride the beach path but it was choked with early morning joggers so PCH might have been the better option especially as it would have allowed us to take advantage of the continuing tailwind.
We turned right again to head inland along the San Gabriel trail and miraculously we still had a tail wind for the next ten miles. It must have been the onshore flow overcoming the Santa Ana wind. However soon after we encountered a headwind that was to stay with us for much of the rest of the ride.
At mile 65 we went under San Gabriel Parkway where the bike path tilts up to 30% for 10 feet or so before a tight right-hand turn onto the San Gabriel bike lane. We pushed our bikes to avoid trying to merge into traffic while wobbling at low speed. This turn is particularly dangerous on long wheelbase bicycles. The climb up over Santa Fe dam was as hard as usual but the view from the top is lovely.
The top end of the San Gabriel bike path was very pretty but it got very hot in Duarte. I tried to buy sunblock at the 7-11 control but they don't stock it. Can you believe that? Not the greatest control, but it looks more sanitary than the pizza place next door. We headed back down the San Gabriel bike path and somehow we still had a headwind. I think the Santa Ana was dying and being replaced with the prevailing winds.
Around mile 95 there is a tricky turn onto San Gabriel Blvd. It looks like there's a partially paved path on the other side of Rosemead Blvd that runs alongside San Gabriel Blvd which would avoid this, but it involves a little light off-roading. I might give that a try sometime.
The bulk of the Rio Hondo and Los Angeles bike trails don't have much scenery but made up for it with plenty of headwind. As we approached Long Beach we saw heavy, ominous clouds. A storm was moving in and messing the winds up again. There's normally only a headwind for the last 10 miles but we had headwind for 40 miles.
We ate at La Copa Empanadas in Shoreline Village - it was amazing. We pigged out on Empanadas, guava pastries, and rum balls washed down with soda. It's a tiny shack and they don't do printed receipts but they will email them which works fine if you can show it to me on your smart phone. We spent way too long here but it was worth it.
The next section of the ride is supposed to follow the beach path but it's all ripped up right now so I'm going to reroute along Ocean Blvd. I will alter the map and cue sheet to reflect this. There's no bike lane most of the way, but it's the only option we have. If they've fixed the beach path by the time you ride you are welcome to use it.
Heading back down the coast I jumped onto the beach trail again but this time it was clogged with evening joggers. Is there any time when there aren't throngs of joggers? Oh, yes - we had a headwind down the coast thanks to the incoming storm but at least it was cooler.
The San Diego creek trail is one of my favorites. The sun was setting as we got to the top of Back Bay so we stopped to take photos. Now an offshore flow was developing which meant more headwind for us. At least there weren't many joggers. As we got to the Crossroads shopping center and ate at the Flame Broiler the wind finally died down and we enjoyed our rice bowls under a calm, partially overcast sky.
The next ten miles need some attention. It's easy if you've ridden it before but without GPS you need to pay close attention to the cue sheet. Once you're on Pioneer Road it becomes simple again. The bike path skips some lights but all in all I think the road and bike path are about the same speed. Soon enough we turned off of Lakeview onto the SART. I've always enjoyed the SART at night and we made good time and finished the ride under perfect conditions. Green River hill is not any easier with 180 miles in your legs.
My target ride time was 15 hours but we actually managed 14:09 feeling very strong. I spent at least 80% of the ride in my big chain ring. This is definitely a big chain ring ride.
The Motel 6 that is the official start of the ride is a typical Motel 6 - cheap and no frills. There's a Best Western across the road that is $30 more per night and a little nicer. It also has the advantage of being right next to the Goodfellas restaurant which is a great place to eat.
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| SART looking south at dawn |
We started the ride at 6am heading down the SART at the end of a Santa Ana wind event which meant it was warm and windy. The detour between Lakeview and Tustin is still in place so I will be updating the map and cuesheet to include it. Even though we had a tailwind on the way to the beach, it was so strong it was quite disconcerting at times. We covered almost 22 miles in the first hour and, if we had not had a mechanical problem, we would have arrived at the first control before it opened. Oddly we still had a tailwind even after turning right to head up Atlanta.
We continued along Atlanta and eventually got to PCH. I elected to ride the beach path but it was choked with early morning joggers so PCH might have been the better option especially as it would have allowed us to take advantage of the continuing tailwind.
We turned right again to head inland along the San Gabriel trail and miraculously we still had a tail wind for the next ten miles. It must have been the onshore flow overcoming the Santa Ana wind. However soon after we encountered a headwind that was to stay with us for much of the rest of the ride.
At mile 65 we went under San Gabriel Parkway where the bike path tilts up to 30% for 10 feet or so before a tight right-hand turn onto the San Gabriel bike lane. We pushed our bikes to avoid trying to merge into traffic while wobbling at low speed. This turn is particularly dangerous on long wheelbase bicycles. The climb up over Santa Fe dam was as hard as usual but the view from the top is lovely.
 |
| Looking north from the top of the Santa Fe dam |
The top end of the San Gabriel bike path was very pretty but it got very hot in Duarte. I tried to buy sunblock at the 7-11 control but they don't stock it. Can you believe that? Not the greatest control, but it looks more sanitary than the pizza place next door. We headed back down the San Gabriel bike path and somehow we still had a headwind. I think the Santa Ana was dying and being replaced with the prevailing winds.
 |
| Avoid tricky turns with a little light off-roading |
Around mile 95 there is a tricky turn onto San Gabriel Blvd. It looks like there's a partially paved path on the other side of Rosemead Blvd that runs alongside San Gabriel Blvd which would avoid this, but it involves a little light off-roading. I might give that a try sometime.
The bulk of the Rio Hondo and Los Angeles bike trails don't have much scenery but made up for it with plenty of headwind. As we approached Long Beach we saw heavy, ominous clouds. A storm was moving in and messing the winds up again. There's normally only a headwind for the last 10 miles but we had headwind for 40 miles.
 |
| La Copa Empanadas at Shoreline Village |
We ate at La Copa Empanadas in Shoreline Village - it was amazing. We pigged out on Empanadas, guava pastries, and rum balls washed down with soda. It's a tiny shack and they don't do printed receipts but they will email them which works fine if you can show it to me on your smart phone. We spent way too long here but it was worth it.
The next section of the ride is supposed to follow the beach path but it's all ripped up right now so I'm going to reroute along Ocean Blvd. I will alter the map and cue sheet to reflect this. There's no bike lane most of the way, but it's the only option we have. If they've fixed the beach path by the time you ride you are welcome to use it.
Heading back down the coast I jumped onto the beach trail again but this time it was clogged with evening joggers. Is there any time when there aren't throngs of joggers? Oh, yes - we had a headwind down the coast thanks to the incoming storm but at least it was cooler.
 |
| Looking over Back Bay from the San Diego creek trail |
The San Diego creek trail is one of my favorites. The sun was setting as we got to the top of Back Bay so we stopped to take photos. Now an offshore flow was developing which meant more headwind for us. At least there weren't many joggers. As we got to the Crossroads shopping center and ate at the Flame Broiler the wind finally died down and we enjoyed our rice bowls under a calm, partially overcast sky.
The next ten miles need some attention. It's easy if you've ridden it before but without GPS you need to pay close attention to the cue sheet. Once you're on Pioneer Road it becomes simple again. The bike path skips some lights but all in all I think the road and bike path are about the same speed. Soon enough we turned off of Lakeview onto the SART. I've always enjoyed the SART at night and we made good time and finished the ride under perfect conditions. Green River hill is not any easier with 180 miles in your legs.
My target ride time was 15 hours but we actually managed 14:09 feeling very strong. I spent at least 80% of the ride in my big chain ring. This is definitely a big chain ring ride.
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