Southern California - Butterfield Double - Are you an innie or an outie?

I know...no out for me. I still have the personal guarantee that I won't DNF and I was reminded of that last night during my little freak out. I'm sure it will be fine. Back to not thinking about it until the alarm goes off tomorrow morning!
Brandy, if it makes you feel any better, sweetheart, I'm completely freaked out to. I was freaked out last year before the Grand Tour, and I'm JUST as much so now. But that's a good thing! I just read in Biycling magazine an article by Chris Carmichael where he writes that we must choose challenges where there is a chance we can fail (I believe it was Jan 2007 issue - you should check it out). If we KNOW we can finish/succeed - where is the challenge? Instead, we should force ourselves to do a ride/event that we think we can succeed, but where we know we have to push ourselves out of our comfort zones to do so. So, don't think you are alone in your nervousness. By the way, I'll be in Anaheim by about 5 pm today if you would like to meet for dinner. Any other riders as well. I'm staying at the Best Western, so I was just going to walk across the street to chow down. Oh, and one last thing, B. I'll be on the route with you tomorrow. You may be at a faster pace than me, but I suspect we'll run into each other, plus, you have my cell phone #. If you need encouargement, some tough love, or to be felt up...um...I mean, a hug, I'll be there! ;) :D (and yes, my raunchy and healthy sense of humor will be with me even when I'm puking up heed and banana chunks, crawling across the finish line dragging my bike!)

This is true.
Ahh...you boys are so sweet. :love: I wish you guys would all ride it with Brandy and me! :p ;)

I know...no out for me. I still have the personal guarantee that I won't DNF and I was reminded of that last night during my little freak out. I'm sure it will be fine. Back to not thinking about it until the alarm goes off tomorrow morning!


What..you mean your not staying up all night??:D

Ahh...you boys are so sweet. :love: I wish you guys would all ride it with Brandy and me! :p ;)

If I didnt have all this family stuff this week....( cant even ride till monday boo hoo)..I would..

But that would be riding in my truck!

You all will be just FINE! I'd wish you all luck, but you won't need it. After all, it's only 14 hours on a bike. Plus, when you're done, you'll be a full 1/3 of the way to the triple crown!

Brandy, if it makes you feel any better, sweetheart, I'm completely freaked out to. I was freaked out last year before the Grand Tour, and I'm JUST as much so now. But that's a good thing!

Pace yourself, watch the time at SAG stops, keep track of your nutrition, and you will be fine. I used to freak out and not sleep well before doubles. It doesn't help that I have to sleep in a hotel.

The weather looks perfect for tomorrow.

FYI, Bobbi, the woman who was hit on the San Diego 200k Brevet, may be working the Tom's Farm SAG stop (mile 170 or so). She is easy to spot, what with the back brace and all. Say hi to her.

My accommodation plans fell through and I am staying in the guest hotel by myself. Let me know if anybody wants to share a room to reduce costs. I plan on getting to the hotel around 5:00.

(and yes, my raunchy and healthy sense of humor will be with me even when I'm puking up heed and banana chunks, crawling across the finish line dragging my bike!)

Speaking of the finish line, on the last section, when you know you are going to finish and are "smelling the barn", the feeling will be indescribable. Elation begins to describe it. Riding with others, besides being a good idea because it is dark and you are tired, will intensify the emotions.

Thanks, Ron. I just got off the phone with a friend, and he encouraged me to view the double as social and try to ride with others. I hope I haven't given the impression that I won't ride with BF peeps! :eek: Last year, I was given the advice by several double riders to not take it personally when people have to drop me or leave me due to pacing issues. And likewise, I should ride at my pace even it that means I have to leave a rider. So, I followed that on the Grand Tour and I did finish in the dark by myself, with my friends waiting for me (Glo and Alex, whom I love and have since thanked them over and over for that gesture). My wish is that Brandy, I and any other BFer will finish together. That would be wonderful. But I don't expect anyone to wait on me. I'm going to ride at a reduced speed (not too much, but under my normal century speed for sure), spin on the climbs, take minimal, succinct SAG breaks with the goal of knocking the ride out in 16 hours max. I can do that - and if I do it in sub-15, even better! :D

Oh, and too bad about the hotel, Ron! I'm locked into my room, or I would have jumped on that offer. As it is, the hotel will cost me close to $200 since I'm staying Saturday night as well. But we should ALL try to plan dinner after the double for sure! It will be late, but we'll need to eat. :D

hmmm... Ron's in a hotel room alone? And how far ahead of me is he on bikejournal? Are you a heavy sleeper, Ron?

http://www.freefans.net/forum/style_emoticons/default/evil.gif

hmmm... Ron's in a hotel room alone? And how far ahead of me is he on bikejournal? Are you a heavy sleeper, Ron?

http://www.freefans.net/forum/style_emoticons/default/evil.gif

I'll have my recumbent guarding the door. ;)

After the next few weeks (at least a double and a 400k, if not also an additional 300k and a 400k) I won't even be able to see you on bikejournal, let alone deign to talk to you on bikeforums. :D

hmmm... Ron's in a hotel room alone? And how far ahead of me is he on bikejournal? Are you a heavy sleeper, Ron?

http://www.freefans.net/forum/style_emoticons/default/evil.gif

Just because you'd plummel me over the head with your bike pump in the middle of the night to get past me on Bike Journal does not mean that I'd do any such thing. :rolleyes:

I won't even be able to see you on bikejournal, let alone deign to talk to you on bikeforums. :D
Maybe not, but you and Vireo, who will be fighting for Spot 1 (after you kill Vance who is in the lead!) can make like Lance and Mathew and become fast buds...you know, wearing matching outfits, hanging with each other at the bars, riding with each other and patting each other's behinds. Oh wait, they only do that in Football, right? :D

But we should ALL try to plan dinner after the double for sure! It will be late, but we'll need to eat. :D

I would suggest an all-you-can-eat buffet type joint.

Hi Fixer,

FYI (and I know they're not all-you-can-eat) there's an In-N-Out and a Marie Callendars within easy walking distance of the start/finish hotel for Butterfield. Last year Jackie and I had our pre-double dinner at Marie Callendars, then after we'd both finished the double, Jackie wanted burgers and fries (and a Choc. Shake!) from In-N-Out.

Since I'd finished a few hours before she did, and while she was taking a shower, I got to walk over to In-N-Out to buy our dinner. As soon as I walked in, I saw Lynn Katano and lots of other Butterfield riders all munching their way through various burgers and fries!

Not sure what that says about the nutrition habits of (some) double riders, including myself, so I will let you draw your own conclusions! No one was wearing an In-N-Out jersey, so I don't thinkit was a sponsor thing.

Best Regs,
Rick / OCRR

PS: I know David Wu rode the Grand Tour highland double on a fixie, but I'm not sure if anyone's ridden the Butterfield with one . . .

Have a great ride. :)

Everybody have a great ride today! Maybe I'll catch you in San Clemente!

enjoy the ride, all youse doublers.

Tailwinds, Brandy & ME ! :)

Hey M.E....I rang you cell late this morning to see how far you were into the ride but then realized you may be in the middle of a climb or something and didn't want to be bothered so I hung up. Sorry about that...:p

Surely they're done by now.

Surely they're done by now.

Quite possible......with the tailwinds and pleasant temps. :D

Quite possible......with the tailwinds and pleasant temps. :D

Maybe they tossed in a second loop for the heck of it?

Maybe they tossed in a second loop for the heck of it?Perhaps they're on their third loop.....

Quite possible......with the tailwinds and pleasant temps. :D

Tailwinds? Uh uh...try headwinds for the first 100. :p

Tailwinds? Uh uh...try headwinds for the first 100. :p

Urr.....yeah, that's what I meant....headwinds. :D

Did I mention that it was hot? Reeeeeeeeeeeeally hot?

Did I mention that it was hot? Reeeeeeeeeeeeally hot?Hurry up with the ride reports already....

Hurry up with the ride reports already....

I finished. ;)

I finished. ;)

Don't be so modest, it's not like you. :p

Don't be so modest, it's not like you. :p

Okay...I made decent time. :p

I had planned to meet the BF riders before the start at 5:30, but when Jackie and I arrived (a little after 5:00 AM), Deb (from Planet Ultra) immediately set us out to mark the course. So, unfortunately I wasn't there for the start, and didn't meet any BF riders.

I did see scvroadie manning the lunch stop, and was happy to see Ron Smith Jr. there too! He was riding very well, and fast, to be there at that time.

When Deb drove into the lunch checkpoint, she decided to have Jackie and me continue to mark the course to the next checkpoint (the middle school), plus take everyone's lights (which she had in her van) to the middle school. Which we did.

Then we drove backwards on the course and saw Chuck Bramwell (the CA Triple Crown guy) at the San Onofre checkpoint as well as several OC Rebels (Jim Deal, Tom Parkes, John Long, Anny Beck, Wick and Cathe Waltmire), plus Karin Huber from the ADO Gang.

Following that stop we drove forward on the course and eventually made it all the way to Tom's Farms (last checkpoint) and had a good visit with Bobbi Fisher; still in a brace and recovering from being hit from behind by a pickup truck on the 200K brevet a month ago.

At Tom's Farms we also spoke with Kermit Ganier (who organizes the Grand Tour Double/Triple/Quad) and Cathy Wagner, there awaiting the arrival of her honey (Jim Deal).

Sorry I didn't get to meet any more BF riders, but Deb had other plans for us!

Best Regs,
Rick / OCRR

I did see scvroadie manning the lunch stop, and was happy to see Ron Smith Jr. there too! He was riding very well, and fast, to be there at that time.


I was wondering where you were Rick, I was looking for you all day. We must have just missed you at the lunch stop because Ron was there when we came in.

Hi Brandy,

You must have arrived just after we took off, since Ron was still at the lunch stop when we departed to continue our course marking. Ron is a great guy, so hopefully you got to talk and ride with him for awhile.

Hope you liked all the white arrows!

Best Regs,
Rick / OCRR

Hi Brandy,

You must have arrived just after we took off, since Ron was still at the lunch stop when we departed to continue our course marking. Ron is a great guy, so hopefully you got to talk and ride with him for awhile.

Hope you liked all the white arrows!

Best Regs,
Rick / OCRR

I could have sworn we were all there at the same time.

I could have sworn we were all there at the same time.

I guess we could have been...I think that we were there for 20 minutes and you obviously took off before us because you were ahead of George and myself on Circle R. Who knows...I was kind of in a daze and just wanted to cool down again and though I didn't feel much like eating, I ate the sandwich and threw back a couple of V8's.

Hi Ron,

Maybe we were all there at the same time, but if so I missed meeting Brandy! It took us awhile to load the lights out of Debbie's van and into the Subaru, and then we took off right after that, so maybe Brandy was there and we just didn't see her?

So Ron, its sounds like Butterfield was a good social event for you! Great photo of you (by M.E.) through the In-N-Out drive-up window!

Best Regs,
Rick / OCRR