Just sent in my registration for this year's GT double.
Great ride. LAW does an excellent job with food and sag.

Anybody else riding this one?

I will be, but I haven't decided on the Lowland or the Highland. Depending on whether or not I ride Solvang (and assuming I finish), I'll make a decision. If it's my third double, I'll probably go for the Lowland. If it's my forth and I'm not concerned with outcome, I'll go for the highland and climb Potrero - which I dread doing. But it's only fun if you dread it, right? :D Oh, and, yes, the LA Wheelman are the BEST! Kermit has rescued me twice and suffers my many hugs every time I see him. I can't wait to support that group's ride again. :)

I will be, but I haven't decided on the Lowland or the Highland. Depending on whether or not I ride Solvang (and assuming I finish), I'll make a decision. If it's my third double, I'll probably go for the Lowland. If it's my forth and I'm not concerned with outcome, I'll go for the highland and climb Potrero - which I dread doing. But it's only fun if you dread it, right? :D Oh, and, yes, the LA Wheelman are the BEST! Kermit has rescued me twice and suffers my many hugs every time I see him. I can't wait to support that group's ride again. :)

Good!
I'm signed for the highland.
Potrero comes early and it's short, the pain subsides pretty quickly.
Winds are less of an issue on the highland since you don't have that run straight
up the coast from Ventura road to Rincon.

Good!
I'm signed for the highland.
Potrero comes early and it's short, the pain subsides pretty quickly.
Winds are less of an issue on the highland since you don't have that run straight
up the coast from Ventura road to Rincon.

Yeah, you know it's funny, but everyone thinks the Lowland is easier (me included in that group initially), but then when you realize that on the Lowland, you technically never stop pedaling except at all of the stoplights and the awful wind to Rincon, the Highland doesn't seem so bad! But it will take me longer since climbing is involved...and...well....fill in the sandbagging comment here (although it's true and not SB!):o :D

Yeah, you know it's funny, but everyone thinks the Lowland is easier (me included in that group initially), but then when you realize that on the Lowland, you technically never stop pedaling except at all of the stoplights and the awful wind to Rincon, the Highland doesn't seem so bad! But it will take me longer since climbing is involved...and...well....fill in the sandbagging comment here (although it's true and not SB!):o :D

Just consider it saturation therapy for your cycloholicism.

I intend to be there. Not yet decided whether it will be the highland century or the lowland double. Probably depends on whether I keep procrastinating on getting decent lights.

Probably depends on whether I keep procrastinating on getting decent lights.And the award for lamest excuse not to ride goes to... :rolleyes: :D

http://www.buglebandcontest.co.uk/images/illustration/bugle_band_contest_trophy_b.jpg

And the award for lamest excuse not to ride goes to... :rolleyes: :D



:lol: He's got you there, Jason. You get those lights, mister! (you don't need a HID, you know) :D

EDIT: Oh, and do not forget, the day of the GT Double is the longest day of the year - so, the MOST sunlight!

:lol: The LBS just has to push the issue, tell me to order the lights, and get me to sign on the dotted line. Just look at LowCel; he advertised the Spinergy's (which I have way less need for) and next thing I know, I'm buying them. But with no sales pitch, I've just kept procrastinating.

:lol: He's got you there, Jason. You get those lights, mister! (you don't need a HID, you know) :D

EDIT: Oh, and do not forget, the day of the GT Double is the longest day of the year - so, the MOST sunlight!
I know... no need for a HID. I'll probably get one, though.

By the way, I assume many people will be staying around the area the night after the ride. We'll have to organize a recovery ride, aka Jason's birthday ride, for that Sunday. :)

Yes, I will be doing it again this year, but the highland route this time, now that I'm familiar with routes in that area. The support on this ride is first rate. :)

i imagine ill do it, no idea which route though.....plenty of time to decide....

I think I'll do the highland double, too.

hmmm.....i'm considering.....3 months to decide, though.

I'll be there, but I'm just doing the double metric, using it as a training ride for the DEATH RIDE.

I'll do whichever one the rest of the gang is doing.

I'll be there, but I'm just doing the double metric, using it as a training ride for the DEATH RIDE.
That ride sounds ominous enough without being in all caps! :eek:

I'm in for a double metric, not a double century.

I'm in for a double metric, not a double century.


I'll have a double also............................margarita!!

For those of you who do not want to do the doubles, there is always the Grand Tour Lite in August. That's a great ride as well and takes you up Latigo - my favorite climb. :)

EDIT: Oh, and do not forget, the day of the GT Double is the longest day of the year - so, the MOST sunlight![/QUOTE]

I'll still need the lights, I just signed-up for the Highland Triple. I did it last year, I started at 4AM and finished at 2AM. I was on the bike for 20 hours and on the course for 22, it was a looooong day.:eek:

EDIT: Oh, and do not forget, the day of the GT Double is the longest day of the year - so, the MOST sunlight!

I'll still need the lights, I just signed-up for the Highland Triple. I did it last year, I started at 4AM and finished at 2AM. I was on the bike for 20 hours and on the course for 22, it was a looooong day.:eek: [/quote]

Yeah...well...that would be YOU riding that triple, honey. I don't do three ways - I'm a double only gal. :p ;) :D

Yeah...well...that would be YOU riding that triple, honey. I don't do three ways - I'm a double only gal. :p ;) :D[/QUOTE]

I'm not touching that line! :rolleyes:

Just sent in my registration for this year's GT double.
Great ride. LAW does an excellent job with food and sag.

Anybody else riding this one?

Can somebody please provide a link with information?

Can somebody please provide a link with information?

http://lawheelmen.org/

Click on Grand Tour, at the top of their page.

No Grand Tour or birthday recovery ride for me. :(

Grand Tour highland it is for me. I'll also try to coax Mary (no, not M.E., but my other friend Mary) to do highland. She said she was going to do lowland, but not sure if she knows how fanatical I've become on these doubles.

No Grand Tour or birthday recovery ride for me. :(
:( :( :( Why?

:( :( :( Why?
PGS wants me to visit sooner rather than later. (Tomorrow if possible, but sadly, that's not possible.) I can't think of a weekend I can definitely visit before then--but even my prof can't make me stay around on my birthday weekend--so I had to make a choice. Grand Tour or weekend in Boston with PGS. Something had to give. I guess I'll wimp out of doing a double century for a bit longer. And wimp out of riding my age in miles this year on my birthday.

PGS wants me to visit sooner rather than later. (Tomorrow if possible, but sadly, that's not possible.) I can't think of a weekend I can definitely visit before then--but even my prof can't make me stay around on my birthday weekend--so I had to make a choice. Grand Tour or weekend in Boston with PGS. Something had to give. I guess I'll wimp out of doing a double century for a bit longer. And wimp out of riding my age in miles this year on my birthday.
Hey, I don't blame you one bit. I hope it's a romantic weekend...or at the very least, an enjoyable one! The GT will be there next year. ;)

EDIT: Oh, and do not forget, the day of the GT Double is the longest day of the year - so, the MOST sunlight!

The longest day of the year is two days prior to this ride...

Proof (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solstice)

and that is also my birthday...

I got my friend Mary to do the highland with us ... woohoo ... plus a few other from Whittier Flyers. This is going to be a hoot!

Just signed up for the Highland. Got a little more climbing I need to do beforehand, but I've heard too many people tell how much nicer a route it is than the Lowland.

I think nicer route equates to more climbing ... at least it seems that way.

I'll be doing the double metric. It'll be my first attempt at that distance. Looking forward to the ride!

I'll be doing the double metric. It'll be my first attempt at that distance. Looking forward to the ride!

I've done both of their DM and the Lowland double century. In terms of difficulty, I thought both rides were pretty even. There's a lot more climbing involved with the DM route. The Lowland DC, on the other hand, is relatively flat and if you can endure 13+ hours in the saddle without pain, you'll be able to finish the double century. ...just a thought.....:)

What do you think, Mary? You've done both.

I've done both of their DM and the Lowland double century. In terms of difficulty, I thought both rides were pretty even. There's a lot more climbing involved with the DM route. The Lowland DC, on the other hand, is relatively flat and if you can endure 13+ hours in the saddle without pain, you'll be able to finish the double century. ...just a thought.....:)

What do you think, Mary? You've done both.

Well, George, aren't you the sweetest to think I've done both :o , but, no, I've only done the Lowland (I have only 4 doubles under my belt, not 5). I've heard from my favorite source, my friend Francis, that the Lowland IS just as hard as you don't stop pedaling and you deal much more with clipping in/out all day (and there is some climbing, btw, it is not entirely flat!). The Highland has some pretty tough climbs in the first 100 miles, but I don't think overall that the climbing is outrageous. Either way, it will take me at least 15 hours to complete. I don't ride doubles in the "stop for two minutes, now move it" style some folks do. :p :D

No, Mary...you did their Grand Tour Lite, remember???? That's their double metric... I was comparing that ride to the Lowland DC.

Just registered for the DM. I think this is the ride Jason told me I should be able to finish, but I got a little mixed up and registered for Cool Breeze DM instead. Well, I guess I'll be doing both. :p

Either way, it will take me at least 15 hours to complete. I don't ride doubles in the "stop for two minutes, now move it" style some folks do. :p :D
+1 ... after Davis, I started to think, the double is your effort to try to earn the $75 you paid. With that frame of mind, the longer you stay out on the course, the more bang for your buck you'll get ... :D ... heck, in Davis, we started at 5 am, and finished 11 pm ... that's getting your money's worth!!!

No, Mary...you did their Grand Tour Lite, remember???? That's their double metric... I was comparing that ride to the Lowland DC.
Oh, you're right. :o Sorry, I'm really tired today and distracted. I need an oreo. :p

Just registered for the DM. I think this is the ride Jason told me I should be able to finish, but I got a little mixed up and registered for Cool Breeze DM instead. Well, I guess I'll be doing both. :p

Dave,

I have done them both, they are both great rides. Not to difficult. The Grand Tour DM is about 6500 ft of climbing and you usually have to deal with a pretty strong headwind coming back across the coastal plain. Cool Breeze DM has about 8000 ft of climbing. Both are well supported, and both are about equal in effort. Fighting the headwinds on the Grand Tour, is comparable to the effort of the additional 1500 ft of climbing in the Cool Breeze DM.

Bumping.

Has anyone stayed at one of the hotels nearby? After some googling and reading some reviews, and being a cheap *******, I'm a little tempted to stay there the night before at Hilton Garden Inn Calabasas (~$120 per night), then drive back to SD afterwards. Google shows a driving time of 21 mins from the hotel to the start/finish line; but through some mountain looking regions that worries me due to my lack of driving skills.

This is pretty far from the coastal start, where hotels are either really expensive ($300+ and no availability) or really sucky ($100 but very bad reviews).

Thanks!

Bumping.

Has anyone stayed at one of the hotels nearby? After some googling and reading some reviews, and being a cheap *******, I'm a little tempted to stay there the night before at Hilton Garden Inn Calabasas (~$120 per night), then drive back to SD afterwards. Google shows a driving time of 21 mins from the hotel to the start/finish line; but through some mountain looking regions that worries me due to my lack of driving skills.

This is pretty far from the coastal start, where hotels are either really expensive ($300+ and no availability) or really sucky ($100 but very bad reviews).

Thanks!

Dave, the "mountain looking region" is Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon which is not too bad. It does have some tight turns and a tunnel but if driven at speed limit it is not dangerous, IMHO.

I registered last night for the 200 low land; this will be my first 200. People tell me that I will be ok and that I am doing fine, but so far the longest distance I ever did was 117 so 200 it like twice that.
And, the earliest time I walk up for a ride so far was 6:15AM, for this one I probably will need to cut it to 3:30AM :eek:

I'll be riding the Grand Tour Highland again, starting at 4:30 AM and hoping to finish before sunset. That plan has worked for me the prev. 3 years, so should be good to go again. In the past, there has been a group ADO start at 4:30 AM, and I just joined in to that. This year, without Dave Evans to do the count-down, . . . not sure which ADO's will be there. Have to check with Lynn . . .

Motel-wise Jackie and I always stay at the Good-Nite Inn in Calabassas. Reasonable price and not too far from the start/finish.

Route wise: I rode the Lowland the first time I tried the Grand tour, and thought it was okay. The next year I rode the Highland and WOW . . . much, much better. The only "killer" climb is Protrero (19% at worst), and that doesn't last but maybe 2 miles. Even if you have to walk Protrero (which I did, the first time), the Highland will be a much more enjoyable experience on all levels.

Organization wise, L.A.W. volunteers and Kermit (Head Honcho) do a great job! Good food at all the rest stops, well marked course, friendly folks in on-the-road SAG vehicles; it's all good.

Rick / OCRR

I'm still in for the Highland.

I am in for this ride.....the double metric :)

I'm still in for the Highland.
+1 but I haven't registered yet.

+1 but I haven't registered yet.

Well then go register!