I'll get this thread started because I am probably the first to get home. Not that I rode the ride very fast I just live much closer than most. Anyway the weather was great not too cold at the start and it wasn't blazing hot in the afternoon. I brought my camera but only managed to take about 9 pictures. It was very nice meeting the other BF'ers at the start.
All in all it was a nice ride and according to my garmin my time was 6:22 total time which is right about the time I was aiming for.
Edit: Now that I have beer in me I'll flesh it out.
I woke up about 3:45 this morning because I'm so used to getting up for work and I work on weekends usually. By the time I showered and packed up the car I realized that I skipped breakfast so I made a PB&J and hit the road. This caught up to me about 70 miles in or so after the gel and caffeine buzz wore off. I tried to choke down some Clif Bars at the stops but it wasn't working. The only thing that helped was the can of Pepsi I had at "The Place" in Ventucopa. I think the whole not eating well on rides stems from still being in the mindset of weight loss that I started in 2004 when I was 310 pounds and continues to the present day. Anyway I started at around 9 AM and felt great all the way up to Apache Saddle. The descent was fantastic with the exception of some stray rocks on the road. Once we hit Cuyama Valley it was very boring. Just flat and barren and reminds me why I don't ride in the desert much. The boredom continued as we turned south on 33. It got a little more interesting as the slight grade turned into rollers for a few miles until the turnoff onto Lockwood Valley Road. The climb toward Heartbreak started innocently enough just never really knew when you were at the top and it was quite steep for the last couple miles. I thought ,like Brandy, that the climbing was done for the day but was proved wrong so very wrong. At this point I was feeling the lack of calories so I just started looking at the road and counted down the miles and the elevation. I think it was another 1500 feet of climbing in that last 24 miles. Which didn't correspond to my expectation of reaching Heartbreak and coasting down to Lebec with much rejoicing. Anyway I made it without totally bonking but not finishing as strong as I hoped.
So the lesson is I need more than 1 can of Pepsi, 3 servings of Hammer gel, one of those bite size Clif bars, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich next year.
The big ugly guy with the stupid expression is me near the top of Heartbreak
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/6081/heartbreakhundred200700rr2.jpg
VanceMac
05-26-07, 06:17 PM
It was HOT!
Entropy906
05-26-07, 06:19 PM
It was HOT!
Not for this desert lab rat
VanceMac
05-26-07, 06:22 PM
But otherwise, the ride was great. It was nice meeting you Entropy... and you've built up that pedalforce into a sweet ride. Great to see everyone... GP, Jon, George, Brandy, Caligurl, SirLance, and Phil. Even Vertical Bob and Stan were their ever-present selves. Jon managed to plow through the course, despite 2 weeks of illness. And, of course, thanks to Wild Bill for the words of encouragement at cp3.
Mr. Beanz
05-26-07, 06:48 PM
Nice report. I almost feel like I was there!:D
Brandy
05-26-07, 07:03 PM
It was HOT!
Hey...you stole my line! :p
Brandy
05-26-07, 07:15 PM
Okay...my initial thoughts. For me, this was the most challenging/difficult event out of the three. I think this is for several reasons...
~It's supposed to be the easiest, so I wasn't as worried about this one.
~I wasn't familiar with the course like I was with Mulholland and Breathless.
~It was mother****ing hot out there, and I'm a delicate flower that wilts when the thermometer tips past 74 degrees.
~I have a habit of glancing at elevation profiles and not really studying them. I either need to quit looking altogether, or pay better attention. In my head, Heartbreak was the end of the climbing...duh. Surprise! :p
I alternately felt horrible and wonderful on the ride, but the heat truly did me in. If you remember my Butterfield report, I had issues there too...something I need to work on. I think that there was one point on Heartbreak when it was sooooo hot, I was struggling to keep my pace at 4mph and I honestly thought I wouldn't make it to the top. Luckily I was less than a mile away at that point and was able to pulll myself together, somehow. <~~~just remembered! I heard George's voice behind me. Tony had told me he wasn't far behind so I was expecting him. I could hear him talking to someone back there, but I refused to turn around and look to see how close he was. Once he reached me and then passed me, I knew I could make it. :)
More thoughts...I definitely did not drink enough...I didn't stop to use the restroom once! I know, bad me...but warm/hot Sustained Energy tastes/feels likes vomit. THANK GOODNESS for that water stop at the bottom of Heartbreak. If it wasn't for that, I don't know that I would have made it to the rest stop. I just couldn't choke down any more of that stuff. I dumped 1.5 bottles of it on the side of the road and filled up with ice water...both to drink and pour on my head!
Oh...and I hope none of us get ecoli or any other nastiness after riding through that water! It splashed up on one of my bottles so I moved that one to the back cage and then rinsed it as best as I could at the next stop.
VanceMac
05-26-07, 07:41 PM
Okay...my initial thoughts. For me, this was the most challenging/difficult event out of the three. I think this is for several reasons...
It was harder than I expected, as well. a) the heat, and b) I suck on the flats, and that long, boring flat section in the middle sucked the life out of me.
Entropy906
05-26-07, 07:47 PM
Nice report. I almost feel like I was there!:D
I never could tell a story very well so this is the best you get.
Brandy
05-26-07, 07:52 PM
George just got in from the double about 5 minutes ago...he didn't sound good. :( Don't know his official time, but if they left at 5:15...he was sub 14:00 and his goal was 14 hours, so YAY! He really struggled out there today...I just told him that if I had a dollar for every person that told me how horrible he looked, I could buy dinner for us. Alas, I don't...so I'm cooking. :p
Good job babe, I'm proud of you! http://www.smileypad.com/v221/Personal/Heart-Beat.gif
Mr. Beanz
05-26-07, 07:55 PM
I never could tell a story very well so this is the best you get.
Before I met Brandy, I don't think I've ever seen a climber write more than 20 words. I think they use all their energy for the hills, err mountains!:D
Brandy
05-26-07, 07:58 PM
Before I met Brandy, I don't think I've ever seen a climber write more than 20 words. I think they use all their energy for the hills, err mountains!:D
Did you just call me a climber? :o
VanceMac
05-26-07, 08:00 PM
I just told him that if I had a dollar for every person that told me how horrible he looked, I could buy dinner for us. Alas, I don't...so I'm cooking. :p
You could tell he wasn't on the Geroge A-game... but I wouldn't say he looked horrible! He turned it on at one point, where I couldn't even keep up with him in his draft. :)
scvroadie
05-26-07, 08:02 PM
In my head, Heartbreak was the end of the climbing...duh. Surprise! :p
THANK GOODNESS for that water stop at the bottom of Heartbreak. If it wasn't for that, I don't know that I would have made it to the rest stop. I just couldn't choke down any more of that stuff. I dumped 1.5 bottles of it on the side of the road and filled up with ice water...both to drink and pour on my head!
Yeah, I made that mistake two years ago. This time I knew what to expect.
What water stop at the bottom of Heartbreak, who ever was manning it left, before we got there. I asked Bill about at the top of Heartbreak and he thought the guy was still there. Try climbing Heartbreak without water.
I'll post a report later on.
Brandy
05-26-07, 08:04 PM
You could tell he wasn't on the Geroge A-game... but I wouldn't say he looked horrible! He turned it on at one point, where I couldn't even keep up with him in his draft. :)
That's what amazed me about him today...he was struggling so much that I was dropping him on climbs. :eek: That just never happens. Somehow he always pulled it together and ended up passing me eventually. He definitely had his highs and lows. Before his battery died on his phone, he was telling me that he just went out really hard with the lead group this morning and that did him in. I'm sure that the heat didn't help either.
Oh...and see, now you can tell everyone that he's not easy to draft! No one believes me...lol!
Brandy
05-26-07, 08:05 PM
Yeah, I made that mistake two years ago. This time I knew what to expect.
What water stop at the bottom of Heartbreak, who ever was manning it left, before we got there. I asked Bill about at the top of Heartbreak and he thought the guy was still there. Try climbing Heartbreak without water.
I'll post a report later on.
Oh Lee...that sucks! I know that I couldn't have made it up there on that bottle and a half of Sustained Energy. I probably would have puked it all up. :( I can't believe that they didn't keep that open for everyone.
thomson
05-26-07, 08:07 PM
It was hot indeed. The people I saw, SirLance, Cali, Brandy, Phil, all did great!! Me, I didn't have that great a ride but I did manage to finish. Oh, and George looked GREAT, what are you talking about (different perspectives) I did see Grumpy before the ride and at the end but I didn't get a chance to talk to him at the end. I assumed he did great as well. He looked a little grumpy. Just kidding, who ever gave him the grumpy name? I did get a chance to meet scvroadie at the beginning.
Mr. Beanz
05-26-07, 08:26 PM
Did you just call me a climber? :o
Uhhhh YEEEEEAH! I just left out the 'Kick ***' . Shoudla been 'Kick *** Climber'!:p
thomson
05-26-07, 08:43 PM
Uhhhh YEEEEEAH! I just left out the 'Kick ***' . Shoudla been 'Kick *** Climber'!:p
Indeed, and I can add to that. Those that slammed past me up a hill were Vireo, Brandy, Cali, and Sir Lance. Phil would have but I think I started after him. And the guys like Vance, since I don't know what he looks like, I am sure he did too.
But, I was really impressed today with Cali. She did well. She probably loved the heat too!!!
roadfix
05-26-07, 08:52 PM
Those that slammed past me up a hill were Vireo, Brandy, Cali, and Sir Lance.
You must have been carrying a block of ice in your carradice bag....:p :D
thomson
05-26-07, 09:00 PM
You must have been carrying a block of ice in your carradice bag....:p :D
That would have been a GREAT idea but I didn't have the Carradice. Next time, hmmmmm, I think I can make lots of friends.
oh, I forgot, I saw Karen out there too. Nice pink theme going.
Brandy
05-26-07, 09:09 PM
But, I was really impressed today with Cali. She did well. She probably loved the heat too!!!
I was just coming here to post the same thing! She cut just shy off an HOUR off of her time from last year!!! Way to go Cali!!!!!
Scootcore
05-26-07, 09:17 PM
man you shoulda seen some of the folks we had to try and nurse back to life today!!!!! great job everyone! it was scorching out there!
thomson
05-26-07, 09:23 PM
Hi Bill, great job today. Your stop gets the award for the best!! (small print, you don't get jack except the honor)
Brandy
05-26-07, 09:29 PM
man you shoulda seen some of the folks we had to try and nurse back to life today!!!!! great job everyone! it was scorching out there!
I bet, Bill...it was nice to know that I wasn't the only one out there who was hurting! Oh...and there's the other thing that I heard from everyone before this ride..."heartbreak hill isn't really bad at all"...I beg to differ! :p If not for the heat, it wouldn't have been so bad, but dayum...that climb nearly had me in tears. I had to get off once to drench myself with water and take a breather, and I thought about getting off of my bike so many other times. I was having flashbacks of climbing to the ski lifts and I seriously almost started crying about a mile from the top. <~~~yes, I'm a big baby. :p
thomson
05-26-07, 09:33 PM
I bet, Bill...it was nice to know that I wasn't the only one out there who was hurting! Oh...and there's the other thing that I heard from everyone before this ride..."heartbreak hill isn't really bad at all"...I beg to differ! :p If not for the heat, it wouldn't have been so bad, but dayum...that climb nearly had me in tears. I had to get off once to drench myself with water and take a breather, and I thought about getting off of my bike so many other times. I was having flashbacks of climbing to the ski lifts and I seriously almost started crying about a mile from the top. <~~~yes, I'm a big baby. :p
Seriously Brandy, the heat made all the difference in the world on that hill.
Happytime
05-26-07, 09:36 PM
Goodnight all. Well done everyone!
Brandy
05-26-07, 09:41 PM
How many counties were we in...was it four? I thought that was a cool aspect to this ride. I smiled everytime we entered a new one. :p
thomson
05-26-07, 09:47 PM
5, started in Los Angeles, went to Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, back to Kern and Los Angeles.
Extort
05-26-07, 10:01 PM
At the bottom of Heartbreak I ran into Kim from the OC Rebels and kept her mind occupied during that climb and the next few 'rollers' and that slowed me down, but I ended up flying down to the finish line for a total of 7:40... (8:50 - 4:30)
Here are the photos (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/__Extort/Heartbreak/) that I took...
It was great to see everyone today and I hope that I see everyone again soon!
merider1
05-26-07, 10:11 PM
Entropy - thanks for the report and starting this thread, as well as the pic.
Brandy - thank you for your report as well, and I'm sure you did great. Heartbreak (as in the hill) sucks in the heat! Congrats to you!
Cali - Congrats to you too as I know you'll check in here. Way to go! Of course, you love heat and it was probably on the cool side for you today. :p
Vance- I don't believe you suck on hills or flats, sir! Good job
Lee - sorry you ran out of water. :(
Thomson - I didn't know you were riding this one. I hope you had a satisfying ride (enough climbing? :p) and glad you survived the heat!
Phil - Thanks for the photos!!!!! :D
Oh, and forgot one last thing: :beer: CONGRATS TO ALL RIDERS!!!
Cleave
05-26-07, 10:13 PM
Hi All,
Sounds like a great time. ;) I had a nice cool ride on the coast this morning. :D
Seriously, congratulations to all who finished, especially to those who earned the KOM jersey. Mulholland was enough for me. :o
Shnuddy
05-26-07, 10:19 PM
Great job all who finished! Brandy--love reading all your reports-you have a way with words. ;)
merider1
05-26-07, 10:20 PM
Great job all who finished! Brandy--love reading all your reports-you have a way with words. ;)
Yeah...I loved her description of herself as a delicate flower that wilts...that made me laugh aloud. :p ;) :D
Grumpy Pig
05-26-07, 10:29 PM
At the bottom of Heartbreak I ran into Kim from the OC Rebels and kept her mind occupied during that climb and the next few 'rollers' and that slowed me down, but I ended up flying down to the finish line for a total of 7:40... (8:50 - 4:30)
Here are the photos (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/__Extort/Heartbreak/) that I took...
It was great to see everyone today and I hope that I see everyone again soon!In my picture, it looks like I have large breasts. I think it's kind of flattering.
roadfix
05-26-07, 10:34 PM
Cali...you made ovo very proud of you today. :)
Grumpy Pig
05-27-07, 07:57 AM
Great seeing everyone again and meeting some other members too. Always pays to wear that Bikeforums jersey.
The heat bothered me but what hurt me on Heartbreak Hill was the cramps. I started cramping in the flat section just before the hill, stopped for a few and then did the climb without locking up.
The guy at the water stop at the bottom didn't just jump ship; he ran out right before I passed him and must have packed it in.
I was beat at the end and then got caught up in traffic on the SB 5. Stopped at McDonald's in San Clemente for dinner and finally got home around 9.
I didn't take many pictures but the link is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpypig/sets/72157600272171400/
Sir-Lanceimnot
05-27-07, 08:42 AM
I'll get this thread started because I am probably the first to get home. Not that I rode the ride very fast I just live much closer than most.
Bull Sh...Well you get the idea. We started together and you finished way before me. Now granted I am not the fastest one out there but I do OK.
It was nice to meet you and you did a great job.
VanceMac
05-27-07, 08:45 AM
Bull Sh...Well you get the idea. We started together and you finished way before me. Now granted I am not the fastest one out there but I do OK.
You were pretty damn fast in that middle section. The three guys I was with couldn't even keep up with you solo.
Sir-Lanceimnot
05-27-07, 08:59 AM
At the bottom of Heartbreak I ran into Kim from the OC Rebels and kept her mind occupied during that climb and the next few 'rollers' and that slowed me down, but I ended up flying down to the finish line for a total of 7:40... (8:50 - 4:30)
Here are the photos (http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/__Extort/Heartbreak/) that I took...
It was great to see everyone today and I hope that I see everyone again soon!
For someone who has not been riding you did great! I took off at the start thinking you were on my wheel then I felt good so I just kept going. Well it is obvious that I did not feel that good because at the top of check point #1 you pulled in right behind me!
I think you need to take more time off and I need to train more!
Sir-Lanceimnot
05-27-07, 09:05 AM
You were pretty damn fast in that middle section. The three guys I was with couldn't even keep up with you solo.
That is where I do well.Still getting used to trusting myself on the descents again. I was just reading the posts and saw where you said how you hated that section.
I was telling Cali that you passed me on the climb then I passed you through that section only to have you pass me after checkpoint #2. You did great! I need to work more on my climbing.:D
blue_nose
05-27-07, 09:56 AM
My ride report:
- I enjoyed starting at 9am instead of the usual start at the break of dawn. I drove up the night before with a couple of people from work and we crashed in a host hotel, which was pretty good.
- Besides the heat, the hardest part of this ride was having to climb right out of the gate. I started at 9 and did the first half the climb with Extort and Maddmike. My legs felt really stiff and I couldn’t seem to get them going. After the first few miles I tried to wind things up to get them going.
- Towards the end of the first long descent I got stung by a bee. At first, I though that I had been shot in the gut, as it hurt like a mother. Made the rest of the ride a bit uncomfortable and I have a pretty big welt.
- I joined up with GrumpPig in the long flat-ish section towards the second rest stop. I pulled for the first part and then got tucked in behind Frank and he motored all the way to the rest stop.
- As other have stated the last section of Heartbreak hill was fricken hot. I agree with Brandy, warm Sustained Energy tastes like puke. I think some ice in the bottles would have helped keep me cool. I crawled up the last climb and felt like I was going to fall over from going so slow.
- Everyone at the last rest stop looked like they were suffering. I saw a few people actually walking their bikes up the last section of the hill or pulled over under a tree to try and cool down. Viero looked pretty rough at the rest stop and I am glad to hear he was able to finish.
- The climbs after the final rest stop were punishing, but I tried to focus on the final 10 miles which were all downhill.
- Recovered and hadpthe post ride meal with quite a few BF riders: CaliGirl, Sir-Lanceimnot, Brandy, WhiteCarbonDude, Jslopez.
- I like the fact that PlanetUltra has the Subway sandwhiches at the finish. Much appreciated and needed!
- The drive back to SD after the ride was brutal. I am convinced LA is just one big traffic jam.
Here is my MB activity for the ride. I had a total time of 6’11”. I started out with a goal of breaking 6 hours. The last section of Heartbreak hill cost me quite a lot of time. I think if it was not so hot I could have dropped a few minutes:
Congrats to all that finished this difficult ride and extra congrats to all those that finished all three legs of the KOMs.
clutchy
05-27-07, 12:13 PM
i was sick, felt awful most of the ride. started @ 8:35 finished sometime after 5:00... i spent atleast 20-30 minutes @ each stop trying to recover and it just didn't work. After heartbreak i was cursing the course for the next 20 miles b/c we just kept climbing... the grade wasn't bad but i didn't have anything left. :(
The only person i saw was stewart, and i think he was doing the double...
Entropy906
05-27-07, 12:22 PM
I almost forgot to congratulate all the finishers of this ride and the KOM series so congrats. And was anybody else annoyed by all the LOUD motorcycle traffic?
clutchy
05-27-07, 12:28 PM
I almost forgot to congratulate all the finishers of this ride and the KOM series so congrats. And was anybody else annoyed by all the LOUD motorcycle traffic?
i ride a motorcycle and i have purposely NOT put a pipe on my bike to keep it quiet. It's loud enough already...
my favorite part is when they harley's come up next next to you and then stomp on it riding away...it's just so funny...:mad:
big john
05-27-07, 12:45 PM
I saw SFVBC president Keith today and he not only finished first in the double, he did a sub 6 hour century in the middle of it to finish first in the KOM series. I'll try to get him to write a report, his reports always put you right there.
hocuz
05-27-07, 12:46 PM
Congrats to everyone that finihsed this ride, as well as the KOM series.
I am another that felt like this ride took the most out of me out of the three. Ride wise, I think this is definately the easiest of the three but the heat just drained everything out of me. And climbing right from the start without a warm-up didn't help me either.
And I want to say thanks to Ian and GrumpyPig for waiting for me at the stops. They would have definately cut their time.
Congrats again to all.
vertical bob
05-27-07, 01:29 PM
Congratulations to all the KOM finishers, that is quite an accomplishment. I really enjoyed the ride yesterday, it just didn't seem that hot. We stopped at Ozuna and tanked up with water and I think that made a difference for me. The guy at the rest stop on Heartbreak was out of water when I went by and that left a lot of people in trouble. Not good planning by P.U. It was great to see so many friends out there. Keith came by early with a few others hammering the double then all day I was seeing people that I knew, fun. I wonder if the guy whose spoke was pulling through his rim finished the double, the guy was nuts, had the same ICE frame as me, I must be nuts too. :)
Vireo
05-27-07, 01:42 PM
Congratulations to all the KOM finishers, that is quite an accomplishment. I really enjoyed the ride yesterday, it just didn't seem that hot. We stopped at Ozuna and tanked up with water and I think that made a difference for me. The guy at the rest stop on Heartbreak was out of water when I went by and that left a lot of people in trouble. Not good planning by P.U. It was great to see so many friends out there. Keith came by early with a few others hammering the double then all day I was seeing people that I knew, fun. I wonder if the guy whose spoke was pulling through his rim finished the double, the guy was nuts, had the same ICE frame as me, I must be nuts too. :)
I think the guy you are talking is Bruce Taylor. When we left Palmdale I noticed his rear wheel was out of true. I meant to say something but the paceline was moving too fast to point something out like that to him. I know Bruce, he would not have stopped to check on it. Additionally, since I know Bruce I'm sure he found a way to finish the double yesterday.
Vireo
05-27-07, 01:48 PM
i was sick, felt awful most of the ride. started @ 8:35 finished sometime after 5:00... i spent atleast 20-30 minutes @ each stop trying to recover and it just didn't work. After heartbreak i was cursing the course for the next 20 miles b/c we just kept climbing... the grade wasn't bad but i didn't have anything left. :(
The only person i saw was stewart, and i think he was doing the double...
so that's your story....heat? So as I see it Brandy beat you 3 out of 3 KOM events.
Actually, don't feel bad she was dropping me all day yesterday. I felt like ***** but even when I recovered I would see her in the distance and I couldn't close the gap. It would take an awful lot of effort and I would fade again. She is riding really well and I am so proud of her. I think her time was 7:15.