Alpine Challenge (http://www.alpinechallenge.com/)
Alpine
April
rate using this format, please! (please use the RATE threads just to rate the ride and not to discuss them.... if you want to discuss them... start a new thread, please)
1 = Dismal, will never ride again and wouldn't recommend it!
2 = Not so great, but others seemed to enjoy the ride
3 = So-so, with minor improvements I'd do it again
4 = Darn good ride, I'd do it again and recommend it
5 = Outstanding on every level that matters to me! I'd suggest you do it next year for sure!
Please include the following:
Name of Ride:
Location:
When:
Type: (century, double, double-metric, metric)
Number of Riders: (Approximate)
Organizer: (name of bike club/organization)
Rating: (please use the 1-5 scale)
Comments on SAG support and Rest Stops: (what food was provided, SAG support presence etc.)
Comments on the route: (constructive thoughts, ideas, favorite aspects, etc.)
A listing of ALL the RATE THE rides can be found here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=262798)!
OC Roadie
01-22-07, 02:19 PM
Name of Ride: Alpine Challenge
Location: Alpine CA, (East San Diego County)
When:Late April
Type: Organized hilly Metric through Alpine and surrounding area
Number of Riders: I would guess about 300 the year I did it.
Rating: 4 (would've been a 5 with better rest stops and support)
Comments on SAG support and Rest Stops: I remember the rest stops being "bare bones", they had the necessities, but not much more. I didn't see any mechanical support the whole ride (not even a pump at any rest stops). I don't remember seeing roving sag support, but it might have been there. The after ride lunch and festivities were great.
Comments on the route: I did this ride in Arpil 2005, as a final prep for Breathless Agony. The route is spectacular, mostly on lightly traveled roads. A couple of lengthy climbs, make for pretty good challenge. The 73 mile ride has a climbing ration of 100' per mile. It's short enough that you can go pretty hard on the climbs, without the fear of fading too badly at the end.
Mo'Phat
01-22-07, 03:14 PM
Name of Ride: Alpine Challenge
Location: Alpine CA, (East San Diego County)
When:Late April - I did the 2006 Full 72 mile "Pine Valley" challenge
Type: What OC Roadie said
Number of Riders: Give or take 250 for the metric and 72 miler
Comments on SAG support and Rest Stops: This was my first (and so far, only) organized ride with jersey numbers, SAG stops, finish line festival, etc. The SAG stops must have improved since 2005, cause I thought they were great. All sorts of food, drink, supplements, port-o-pottys, etc. Don't know if there was mechanical assistance, roving or stationary, as I didn't require it. There was a guy in a truck that SAGged the entire time...he probably wasn't the only one. The SAG stop in Pine Valley was weak...just a guy and a folding table, but I'd say there were very few that actually did the Pine Valley loop. Some of the SAG spacing was unusual. I could have sworn there were two stops that were about 4 miles from each other.
Comments on the route: The route was great. Near 0 traffic the whole time on roads that were bike-friendly. Plenty of variety, with decent flat, fun downhills and long, steady uphills. There were few ass-kicker sections, and those were very short. Weather was perfect. The Pine Valley loop was a mistake. Not because it was too hard, but because I was in a group which included very recreational riders who were struggling. Doing the Pine Valley loop merely extended an already long day, and we rolled into the end as some of the very last people. That said, I'm already signed up for the metric next year.
JimmyNH
02-25-07, 09:42 PM
Name of Ride: Alpine Challenge
Location: Alpine CA, (East San Diego County)
When:Late April - I've done the metric century 4 times
Type: What OC Roadie said
Number of Riders: Around 300 for the metric and 72 miler
Comments on SAG support and Rest Stops: The organizers have improved the rest stops a lot since my first ride in 2002. Now they are sponsored by Hammer Nutrition so in addition to the bananas and peanut butter sandwiches, we could get Hammer Gel and Heed last year. The rest stops are well located (sorry Mo'phat, I haven't seen SAG stops 4 miles apart). One is in the bottom of the big climb, one in the middle and one at the top. All I had to carry were 2 small (20 oz) water bottles and a couple of gels (just in case). Great party at the end with some good local beer.
Comments on the route: The ride is a mass start. Very little traffic and very few lights and stop signs. The intersections are marshalled by police and volunteers. The route goes either up or down - there are a couple of miles of flat (cumulatively) :D . Some short (0.3 - 0.5 miles) but steep sections (12-13%) on the big hill. I haven't done the 73-miler and I'm not planning to (way too hard for my taste). The only reason I'm giving it 4 is because it is not timed.
Mo'Phat
02-26-07, 07:39 AM
The rest stops are well located (sorry Mo'phat, I haven't seen SAG stops 4 miles apart). One is in the bottom of the big climb, one in the middle and one at the top.
14.1 Left (South) onto Harbison Canyon Rd.
18.7 Left (East) onto Dehesa Rd.
19.4 SAG Stop - Dehesa Volunteer Fire Dept.
23.4 SAG Stop - Top of Dehesa Rd.
23.6 Right (East) onto Japatul Rd.
30.7 Becomes Japatul Valley Rd. at Lyons Valley Rd.
Maybe the route changed for last year. :)
JimmyNH
02-26-07, 08:32 AM
Maybe the route changed for last year. :)
Maybe it did. Or the 4 miles between the SAG stops looked like 10 miles to me :o . Whatever, my point is that an average rider like me can make it from one SAG stop the the other without having to carry extra water or food. And that matters, given that there is a stratch of about 30 uphill miles where there is nothing - no water, no shops, no gas stations.
heresy
02-26-07, 09:30 AM
Thanks guys. I signed up for the Pine Valley ride this year.
Rick@OCRR
02-26-07, 09:45 AM
Uh, Jimmy,
You are not "an average rider!"
You are a great climber. I have had you ride away from me too many times on Palomar, The Bear, GMR and lesser climbs (including Alpine Challenge), so I know.
You do have your "100 KM Limit" but aside from that . . . you are way above average!
Plus, all the girls (esp. caligurl) love your accent! You can't lose!
Best Regs,
Rick / OCRR
PS: You are well below average on helmet use, however!
caligurl
02-26-07, 09:54 AM
hey guys.... can we keep this thread to strictly the RATING of the ride, please? you can open a new thread to discuss it! http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/88.gif