2007 Lancaster Covered Bridge Metric...who's going?

[Grasschopper]

Ok gang Aug 19th is the date...who is going this year? Looking forward to see all of the usual suspects.

http://www.lancasterbikeclub.org/cbm.php

Ride start update...the plan is to meet between the registration tents and the trail to the portapotties between 7:35 and 8:00 and then wheels down between 8:00 and 8:15.

Please keep in mind that the lines for the potapots is REALLY LONG so go before you get there...also keep in mind that there are like 3000 riders each year for this thing so your not going to just roll right up at 8:15, park and show up...once you exit 30 there is a line from there to the parking lots...it takes like 20 min (guessing here) once you get off the highway to get out of your car...then you have to put your bike together yada yada yada. Leave yourself some time.

Edited the start time.

[StupidlyBrave]

While not a "usual suspect", I was there in 2005 and enjoyed it thoroughly. I couldn't make it last year due to previous commitments.

This year, I made sure the commitments happened on different weekends :-)

[edit] registered

[maalea]

I couldn't make last year, was there in '05 but I missed the meet up. I am going to try and move some things around to get back there this year.

[RacerMike]

I plan on going again this year and I think I can convince the wife to go too. She'll just be getting back into shape so she can hang with her dad this year and I can (hopefully) ride with the BF group.

[TrekDen]

I coming to represent the S. Western corner of the Commonwealth. 2nd annual, and I hope for many more returns.

Denny

[chipcom]

Beware, we'll be there. :eek:

[jyossarian]

How's the rolling hills and terrain on this thing?

[Air]

I believe there's two threads on this - one in Foo and another here someplace as a BF ride.

It's on my calendar - sounds awesome!

[RacerMike]

Here (http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/chart/get.mb?xy.domain=totalDistance&xy.ranges=elevation&xy.histogram=false&xy.legendVisible=false&xy.primaryRangeAxisVisible=true&xy.secondaryRangeAxisVisible=true&xy.rangeTitlesVisible=true&xy.domainAxisVisible=true&xy.plotForegroundOpacity=0.75&episodePk.pkValue=1237178&xy.plotForegroundOpacity=0.75&xy.autoFit=true&xy.width=1000&xy.height=450) is the elevation profile for the ride from last year.

[Air]

Whoa...little steeper than I imagined. Booyah!

[MTBLover]

It does sound awesome, and a can't miss. What's the pace on this?

[MTBLover]

Whoa...little steeper than I imagined. Booyah!

Yeah, but at least it's a decline for the last half :p

[Air]

Found those threads!

NE thread bouncing to the (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=263141)

Foo Thread (http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=263104)

[TrekDen]

How's the rolling hills and terrain on this thing?
The average gradient for this ride is 2% overall. Most rail-trails are rated at the same percentage. I'm not saying this is as flat as a rail-trail. Most rail-trails you would climb a steady 2% grade for miles on end, or vice-versa descend it. On this ride, just imagine yourself going up, and down like your on a rollercoaster on nice country roads. There's a couple not too steep climbs right around the lunchstop. After that it's back on the rollercoaster for the remainder of the ride.

[TrekDen]

It does sound awesome, and a can't miss. What's the pace on this?
If your going to be with the BF group, consider the pace as recreational / friendly. This isn't treated as a race, it's more of a meet-n-greet.

[MTBLover]

If your going to be with the BF group, consider the pace as recreational / friendly. This isn't treated as a race, it's more of a meet-n-greet.

Sounds great- I'll plan on it. Thanks!

[chipcom]

Whoa...little steeper than I imagined. Booyah!

Heck, that don't look bad at all. You gotta look at the miles vs the elevation gain which is only a couple of hundred feet. My commute is worse than that.

[Air]

I always seem to translate the elevation to building. 100 feet - that's a 10 story building :)

I guess the bridges here are 300 feet in a little less than a mile give or take. I forget as soon as you leave New York it gets hilly.

Not daunted - just initially subtly surprised :)

Really looking forward to meeting a bunch of ya!

[Little Darwin]

I plan to meet at the rest stops soon enough to actually take a short break... and continue after the lunch stop!

Last year I was able to keep up after each rest stop until gravity became my enemy with the first tiny climb... I hope to do a little better this year.

[chipcom]

I plan to meet at the rest stops soon enough to actually take a short break... and continue after the lunch stop!

Last year I was able to keep up after each rest stop until gravity became my enemy with the first tiny climb... I hope to do a little better this year.

Stick with me, pal. I'll have you laughing so hard you won't even notice them hills. Unless I am grouchy that day...in which case just watching me might have you laughing too hard to ride at all!

[Air]

Me too, me too!!!

[RoadToNowhere]

Ok gang Aug 19th is the date...who is going this year? Looking forward to see all of the usual suspects.

http://www.lancasterbikeclub.org/cbm.php

You know I'll be there - I have to, since I still have last year's BF sign :)

I am really looking forward to seeing you guys again . . . grasschopper, oh ye of fabulous calves, glad you got the ball rolling! And SB, we can carpool - this is a great bunch to ride with. We had a blast both years we rode together. No doubt it'll be a hoot to meet more of you guys!

The ride is just as TrekDen described . . . rollers all the way. The corn is high at that point, too, so if it's at all windy, there will be stretches that you'll be riding in what feels a little like a wind tunnel.

Now we have to round up the rest of the "usual suspects" - and add some new faces to the mix. Fun stuff!

Beth

[RoadToNowhere]

Last year's route is posted on Routeslip; it comes up at about 2600 total feet of climbing over 62 miles.

Beth

[SpongeDad]

It does sound awesome, and a can't miss. What's the pace on this?

Pretty variable, with a lot of effort to meet up at the rest stops and enjoy lunch together.

There will inevitably be one or two spots where we crank it until the oxygen debt kicks in (about 1/2 mile for me), but it's not some hammerfest that drops people all over the place.

It's a nice ride to get to know folks on BF.

[RoadToNowhere]

Pretty variable, with a lot of effort to meet up at the rest stops and enjoy lunch together.

There will inevitably be one or two spots where we crank it until the oxygen debt kicks in (about 1/2 mile for me), but it's not some hammerfest that drops people all over the place.

It's a nice ride to get to know folks on BF.

Just checked my info from last year. . . I finished with a 16 avg over 64 miles. Through the course of the day I think I had the chance to ride and chat with just about everyone in our BF group, which was the best part of the ride :)

Beth

[derath]

I am so torn. The ride this year is on the same day as the Cheat Mountain Challenge. I have had my sights set on that ride.

105 mile ride with 10k feet of climbing all by myself

vs.

Metric century with the BF.Net gang AND a chance to meet Chipcom.

Man gonna be a tough call. Perfect day to wear my BF.Net full kit even.

Here is my ride data from last year

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/1237178

Beth, I think routeslip is underestimating the elevation a little.

Overall though I would classify it as mostly rollers.

Last year the pace was pretty nice. There was one spot after lunch where the group kicked it up to a 20+MPH paceline. I held on for about 5 minutes after which I got spit out the back like a bad habit.

-D

[ridethecliche]

Hm.
I wonder if I can convince my parents to let me go out and ride that.
It'd be so awesome to do that as a first metric!
Only like an hour or two from home. AHHH!!!

[RoadToNowhere]

Dang, gotta get me one of them Garmin thingys . . .

Anyway, Derath - I didn't check the specificity of the route posted on Routeslip, so I'm sure your data is far more accurate. And . . . how could you possibly pass up the opportunity to ride with all the BF folks again?? I mean really, who wants to do 10k feet of climbing all alone when you can have such charming riding companions? ;)

And you can blame/thank Psuaero for that post-lunch push. He was havin' a little fun turning the screws, I think.

I too am looking forward to meeting Chipcom, and finishing the ride with Little Darwin (who, as many may remember, was the designated hero of the day last year!

Anyone hear from Paul and Jess? Dex? Rich (Cycle17)?

Beth

[SpongeDad]

And, of course, riding in the farm country of Central Pennsylvania is just great.

[superdex]

Anyone hear from Paul and Jess? Dex? Rich (Cycle17)?

Beth

:( I'm out. Sorry guys and gals, I won't be making it that far east this year...

[RoadToNowhere]

:( I'm out. Sorry guys and gals, I won't be making it that far east this year...

Dex!!!! Say it isn't so?:cry:

I will miss you. . . . sniff sniff . . .

Beth

[RacerMike]

:( I'm out. Sorry guys and gals, I won't be making it that far east this year...

hrmpfff, you're not so super :p

[robbiedob]

c'mon superdex. I'm going to be making it out to your state the least you can do is rid for 65 miles thn fly back home!

[Grasschopper]

Beth - did you get the hubby on a bike yet? Also where are people staying this year...we didn't really like that place last year and are thinking of something closer to the start and a little nicer...I figure I need to make reservations now.

[RoadToNowhere]

Beth - did you get the hubby on a bike yet? Also where are people staying this year...we didn't really like that place last year and are thinking of something closer to the start and a little nicer...I figure I need to make reservations now.

He's not there yet, GC . . . but soon, very soon . . .

He went into the LBS last weekend to get me a gift card for Mother's Day and 'fessed up to petting a few bikes and doing a quick stand-over fit on a Cannondale and a Trek. So his toes are in the water . . .

Ain't it grand? My family "gets" me . . . on a side note, they skipped the flowers and candy for Mother's day and got me "A Sunday In Hell" on DVD (Paris-Roubaix 1976 documentary), and 12 hours of TDF 2003 - + a gift card at the bike shop. Cool.

Back on topic . . . check the list of accomodations on the website, and I'll see what I can do to check the places out.

Beth

[USAZorro]

Some of the out-of-towners were going to do some sort of meet-up on Saturday, later in the afternoon. The thought was to get in a shorter "social ride", and possibly have dinner (nothing fancy) afterwards. This was all informally arranged in Foo, but there's no reason to exclude anyone who might be interested. The details would come later.

[Little Darwin]

A similar get together happened last year for some of us. It was a short ride, followed by dinner...

It was a fun way to touch base before the ride.

[cydewaze]

I think we'll probably be there, but probably not with the "A" group unless by some miracle we get a lot of make-up riding in.

[JugglerDave]

Are there like 3 threads for this ride already?

This year will be my 3rd in a row with the bikeforums gang. I hope to break my record in ice-cream eating from last year, which was zero! Yes, they ran out of ice cream. The previous year I juggled 3 ice cream dixie cups, but only ate 2. I think it was the "Double Churned" brand :-)

For those concerned about steepness, don't worry. There is one long gradual uphill going west after the second rest stop. There's one "fairly big hill" and then "shorter but steep" hill before lunch. But despite being told of the "really big hill before lunch" it was pretty short and not really a challenge.

The biggest challenge is the 20 mile stretch without water between lunch and the next rest stop. 2005 was very hot and I was doing very badly in that stretch. Last year was better.

2005 was 270 riding minutes over 6 1/2 hours. 2006 was 265 riding minutes over 5 or 5 1/2 (?) hours. Same speed, just way shorter lunch and breaks. This was for the "casual B group" or whatever we were.

[SpongeDad]

hrmpfff, you're not so super :p


From now on its "MediocreDex" or "FairtomiddlingDex"

[HigherGround]

He's not there yet, GC . . . but soon, very soon . . .

He went into the LBS last weekend to get me a gift card for Mother's Day and 'fessed up to petting a few bikes and doing a quick stand-over fit on a Cannondale and a Trek. So his toes are in the water . . .

Ain't it grand? My family "gets" me . . . on a side note, they skipped the flowers and candy for Mother's day and got me "A Sunday In Hell" on DVD (Paris-Roubaix 1976 documentary), and 12 hours of TDF 2003 - + a gift card at the bike shop. Cool.

Back on topic . . . check the list of accomodations on the website, and I'll see what I can do to check the places out.

Beth

Awesome! :beer:

Back on topic, I'll be there too with my pasty bright white legs. Bring your sunglasses everyone!

[cydewaze]

Back on topic, I'll be there too with my pasty bright white legs. Bring your sunglasses everyone!
I remember those! :roflmao:

[RoadToNowhere]

I remember those! :roflmao:

Me too! In fact, I might have a photo somewhere . . . . ;)

Paul, hope you and Mrs. Cydewaze can make it!

Beth

[baj32161]

Well after not being off on weekends since I joined BF I am finally in a position where I have weekends off (promotion). Now all I have to is see if I can hook up with someone who is going as I do not have a car. If I can meet someone in Philly or South Jersey that would be very cool. I have been looking forward to meeting all of you for so long.

Cheers,

Brian

[HigherGround]

Me too! In fact, I might have a photo somewhere . . . . ;)

Paul, hope you and Mrs. Cydewaze can make it!

Beth

Here's a perfect image of them:









(You may need to increase your monitor's brightness to get a true representation.)

[bruin11]

Beth, I think routeslip is underestimating the elevation a little.


-D

The MotionBased site overstates elevation gain considerably. I normally just use the elevation directly from the unit or from training center. I think it is more accurate then the MotionBased figure.

[superdex]

From now on its "MediocreDex" or "FairtomiddlingDex"

I'm doing Hotter-n-Hell instead. Count for anything? anything? is this thing on?

[chipcom]

Hotter-n-Hell is for wussy

[cydewaze]

I'm doing Hotter-n-Hell instead. Count for anything? anything? is this thing on?
Hey, at least I won't have to haul that extra bike this time. :p

[RoadToNowhere]

Hey, at least I won't have to haul that extra bike this time. :p

Oh, but I'm still so sad!!! Dex, you nnnneeeeeeeeeed to come out and play again!

See, look how happy we all were. . . remember? You'd miss all this, you know - no "hotter-n-hell" blah blah could be half so much fun. Hope there's no glare near the left side of the image. . . Higherground thought he was hiding those "pasty bright white legs" by standing in the back row, but a little glow may have escaped. . . :D

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s69/btfitz90/IMGP0017-1.jpg

beth