Northern California - Marin Century(s) reports?

Hi Ron (spingineer),

I was on the Mt. Tam double too, but I finished at 10:08 PM so 17:10 with the 5 AM start. Nothing on the SoCal bikeforums about the Mt.Tam ride, so I'm just visiting the NoCal forum at the moment. I rode with a couple other SoCal (and Rebel Riders), Tom Parkes (this was his 100th double) and Dr. Jerry Brown.

No problems on the ride, no flat tires and my 34t x 27t Shimano compact was actually low enough for Coleman road. Very inspirational reading all the racers names on the pavement! My legs felt totally "done" by the Coleman checkpoint, but thankfully the strength returned by the time I hit the Valley checkpoint for the 2nd time.

I kept myself fueled with Sustained Energy and Cliff Gel, plus the occasional Red Bull, all mixing about in my Camelback :). Overall a great ride, excellent (and varied) weather, great support and checkpoint staff!

Yes, it was a long drive up there and back to SoCal, but totally worth it! Also, this was the most difficult double (and longest time on the road) I've ever ridden :eek:.

Now looking at either Bass Lake or Fall Solvang . . .

Rick / OCRR

Wow, 17:10 ... I don't think I would have made it in time through the checkpoints if I did the ride. I've heard nothing but great reports from this ... but too bad I was such an idiot, and missed getting the registration in on time.

Glad you had a great time. Now you know how the driving is for me when I go down to SoCal. Now that you've done Mt. Tam, maybe you'll set your sights on Devil Mountain's Double? :D

I've been riding centuries since Mar. '06, and this was our 7th on the tandem (7 for '07?). It was challenging and fun and gorgeous and well-supported. You couldn't have picked a better metric century for your inaugural ride. And if you pursue endurance rides, this *will* get easier. The body will follow where the mind leads.

Congrats :beer: and keep up the good work!Hi Red,

Did you get my PM regarding your club?

Chris

Hi Red,

Did you get my PM regarding your club?

Chris

I did, thank you. I should have addressed that earlier; I'm sorry. Thanks for that; hope to see you on the road.

Glad you had a great time. Now you know how the driving is for me when I go down to SoCal. Now that you've done Mt. Tam, maybe you'll set your sights on Devil Mountain's Double? :D

Hi Ron,
Thankfully I car-pooled w/Dr. Jerry so that made the drive a bit easier :). Still, yes, a long time in the car.
Re: Setting my Sights; for this year anyway, either Fall Solvang or Bass Lake. Wish they weren't on consecutive weekends! Most likely Fall Solvang since I have a Planet Ultra worker-credit to pay for it.

I do need one more double this year to keep my string of Thousand-Mile Club years going. Medical issues kept me off of Butterfield and Spring Solvang, then I was in WI/MN during Davis, so missed that. So this year it's been Hemet, Eastern Sierra, Grand Tour, Mt. Tam . . . with (as I said before) Mt. Tam being the most difficult double I've ever attempted (and/or finished).

Maybe I'll see you out there on Fall Solvang :).

Rick / OCRR

I do need one more double this year to keep my string of Thousand-Mile Club years going. Medical issues kept me off of Butterfield and Spring Solvang, then I was in WI/MN during Davis, so missed that. So this year it's been Hemet, Eastern Sierra, Grand Tour, Mt. Tam . . . with (as I said before) Mt. Tam being the most difficult double I've ever attempted (and/or finished).

Maybe I'll see you out there on Fall Solvang :).

Rick / OCRR

Cool ... I'm trying to get my strength back again. I did something to my knee at Giro, and not sure what it was. I'm still not climbing well, so trying to get the strength back. Will you be at Cool Breeze? I'm doing the double metric there.

I'm signing up for Knoxville, but I'm not sure if my legs will be ready for it. Otherwise, I might meet you at Fall Solvang, and you'll zip past me. :)

Will you be at Cool Breeze? I'm doing the double metric there.

I'm signing up for Knoxville, but I'm not sure if my legs will be ready for it. Otherwise, I might meet you at Fall Solvang, and you'll zip past me. :)

No Cool Breeze for me this year! My wife and I will be touring in Oregon during the Cool Breeze. Lots of climbing every day on the OR Tour though, so that should be fun (and help with my climbing skills).

No Knoxville for me either due to a conflict with the Interbike Show (we're taking down the booth while Knoxville is going on). I tried to get out of booth-take-down duties, but couldn't talk my boss into it :mad:. Actually, I talked to Scott Halverson at Mt.Tam (he's one of the Quacks that puts on the Knoxville and Devil Mountian doubles), and he said Knoxville shouldn't have been on that day, except for a schedule conflict at Pena Adobe Park (Knoxville Start/Finish). So it goes.

So, hopefully, see you in Solvang!

Rick / OCRR

Ride report:
http://pub23.bravenet.com/forum/1970022224/show/658860

Pics:
http://www.spincyclz.com/sitebuilder/images/IMG_2656-150x112.jpg
http://www.spincyclz.com/sitebuilder/images/IMG_2652-112x150.jpg
http://www.spincyclz.com/images/IMG_2668.JPG

Well, last Saturday I did my first ever century on a CF. A couple years ago I rode quite a bit, and did several centuries on a Force 5XP training up for my first double (210mi) that I rode on my wife's Classic Stratus. But a century on a CF raised some concerns about whether I was ready (only ridden maybe 2-300mi this year), and if a riding a more upright Zenetik would leave me hankering for my speedy V3-GT recumbent. Happy to report that taking Petra 2.0 was a good decision. #1 there was 6,250' of climbing over the 105 mile course, and I needed any advantage afforded by the Crank Forward geometry to take on the hills.

Got geared up and rolling at 6am, knowing that an early start would pay big dividends once the afternoon temps would start to heat up. The Marin Century started in San Rafael at the Valencitos school, with a sell out crowd of 2800 riders. There were 60mi, 94mi (7600'), 100mi 6200', 120mi, and 200mi 16k' route options, and the traditional 100mi route appealed most, as I knew these back roads from years of Sunday morning motorcycle rides. Years ago I used to motor by these crazy cyclist, and now here I was dawning the garb and joining their sweaty ranks...with a huge smile on my face and lots of anticipation.

The goal for the day was to "embrace the pace" and not worry about the lean roadie pace-lines, but just crank away, enjoy the scenery, power up the climbs, keeping a sustainable pace throughout the ride. The first climb up Lucas Valley road put my compact gearing setup to the test (50/34T 170mm crank, paired with XT 11-34 rear cassette, so 1-to-1 gearing in the lowest setting). Spinning at a higher cadence was not an option as my legs did not have that kind of strength, but a smooth rhythmic pedal stroke almost like individual leg presses motored me up the 8% grade w/o too much drama. Relieved that the gearing was sufficient, I picked up the pace and descended into the redwoods trees boarding the roadway as you approach Nacasio.

On the straight stretch of roadway out past the Nacasio Reservoir I caught up again with Janet, and nice school teacher enjoying that last few weeks of her summer vacation on this ride, and we cruised through the dense fog with our glasses off. I glanced to the right and saw what had to be a Thomas Kinkaid worthy image, 3 deer grazing in a small meadow at the side of the road way with perimeter of cat-tails, and the morning sun warming a pathway through the fog behind them on the hillside. Every instinct told me to stop and grab my dead weight camera and put it to use, but I was enjoying the pace, and just kept motoring. Told myself that's why I was out here, to see images like that, and have the desire to come back for more.

We cruised up the second climb and then coasted down the flats past the cheese factory to our first rest stop, and the fog started receding. Down Hicks Valley Road, and Marshall Petaluma road we rode up another long burner that kept going and going, and I was determined not to dismount and save my legs. Here the fog worked as a motivator as it hide the view more then 30' ahead, so mentally that's as far as I had to go :) The next section took us right along Hwy 1 up to Tomales, right near the waters edge. The road was perfectly smooth, with twisting roll-coaster hills, that allowed sessions of sprinting and coasting, as you gazed over the small inlets and clam beds just off the shore. Beyond Tomales was another morning surprise a, twisty steep climb, with a wet road way from the moisture dripping off the eucalyptus trees. This was the toughest climb yet, and everyone's pace dropped, as they locked into position and hammered up the grade. Equally rewarding was the 40+mph descent on the backside that lead us into the next rest stop 50 miles into the Valley Ford area. The sun had burned off all the fog, and the winds started to kick up, so it was bittersweet knowing a tailwind would push us back home into warm temps on some of the tougher climbs ahead. Petra 2.0 received several comments along the way, mostly positive, as I scanned in my eye-glass mirror to see passing roadies admiring the size of the thin yet supportive seat. Only one guy mentioned that how "those comfort bikes suck on real rides" and it only motivated me to ride a little harder (though already worn) to hang on his tail and make him work a bit.

After the 2nd break I was feeling strong, and then, the biggest, steepest hill of the ride appeared, and I didn't hesitate to dismount and walk at a fast clip to the top, only being slightly out-paced my the faster riders. My knee's are far more valuable then my pride, and with 45 miles still to go, it was a good choice to make. I was cruising along with a guy in a Pete's Coffee jersey, who was contemplating the California Triple Crown (3 double centuries in a given amount of time), since the Marin Double was a qualifying event. He wasn't ready for this event, but we had a good chat, and got into chatting about endurance riding and RAAM (Race Across America), and I mentioned my friend Jim Kern. It was no less then a few minutes later that Jim came rolling by, out for a leisurely 100mi stroll, just stretching his legs out...unbelievable. Moments later, Phil Platt who just finished up RAAM on Team Bacchetta rolled by on a Ti-Aero giving the thumbs up as he hunted for the next pace-line.

The lunch break was well deserved, at a nice park in downtown Petaluma, amazing spread of food, foccacia, fruits...even those UFO peaches, and lots quality snacks to keep us fueled for the remainder of the ride. Heading out, it was apparent that we'd all need that extra energy, as the full sun-shine was determined to tap our endurance on the grades ahead. At this point, my passing statement changed from "ya gotta start somewhere" (referring to the comfy ergo'ed Zenetik), to "on 3rd base heading for home." Pssss...got a quick flat which surprised me, because the Schwable Marathons hauled though all kinds of road debris on my weekly commute a few days prior. Good timing though, because the flat was in the middle of a long hot climb, and the shady break and a chance to shake out my legs was surely required. I tilted the nose of the adjustable seat down 5-10° or so more, and although it felt like more pressure was being applied to my wrists, it took the edge off my "sit bones" that had been complaining on occasion. With this new position, I could also hunch over quite effectively into the head/cross winds and make up some time towards our last rest stop. On most descents I'd stand on the pedals and let things recirculate, looking kind of like one of those crazy motorcycle stunt riders for the first 300'. What I noticed is that I kept being passed by many of the same people who apparently made good time, but stayed off the saddle for too long at the rest stops, where I was feeling only minor fatigue. I would quickly top off with Gatorade, pound some cashews and PB&J's and keep rolling, while lots of worn riders looked like the just returned from the line. Approaching the final climb up the backside of Lucas Valley, I slowed down to enjoy the aroma-therapy once again as we glided through the tall redwoods. I past an "Athena" (the female counterpart to a Clydesdale like myself), and told her...just one more turn and one last little climb and it's a straight shot home on the flats, and she was mightily relieved.

Arrived at the Start/Finish feeling amazingly fresh, with only minor butt soreness, and no regrets about riding Petra 2.0. I was quite relieved to be out of the heat, and looking forward to a cold shower, an nibble and power nap. I usually can't eat much after these rides, partly because the rest stops are so well stocked, and who wants to load the calories back on after such an effort. Final time was about 8hrs 30mins with a 12mph average. Looking forward to the next event on the 19th, the Tour of Napa Valley

Looking forward to the next event on the 25th, the Tour of Napa Valley

Nice report, Stradavarius, and nice MUSA seersucker! I want to get one of those eventually. Some of their shorts too.

But double-check your calendar. The Tour of Napa Valley is on August 19.

Thanks CR, editing the Napa date on my report.

Yes, the MUSA seersuckers are the best. I've ridden them in 30-100° with just another layer underneath in total comfort. Keeping the surface temperature of your skin under control away from the extremes is a sure way to reduce fatigue/cancer/road-rash/discomfort. Took awhile to figure this out, and I plan to keep this pratice up. It is the most versatile riding gear setup, and you can walk around "in public" and still look quite civilized:D

I came down from Seattle for the event. (Well, also for work: I work at Autodesk.)

I did the Marin Century ride. It was very difficult, but it's been my first year doing any sort of serious rides, and I hope to come back next year for either the double metric of Mount Tam century.

I put my report on my blog: http://genman.vox.com/library/post/marin-century.html