Southern California - Stagecoach, Jan 12th 2008

71/50*F (H/L) and sunny. Looks like it'll be good... I hope. :D

So who it doing this thang?

I count:

Indolent58
Shnuddy and Hubby
nygirl777
DaveSANYYZ
GrumpyPig
jpconrad(???)

Miss anyone?

Nope, I'm staying local.

Wuss

I figured I can suck just as well locally.

I'm on the fence. it's a long drive.

Nope. You said you were in. That's it, you're in.

Nope. You said you were in. That's it, you're in.I have no recollection of saying I was in.

I'm in.

Read and weep.

These computer things are beyond me.

I'm back from Stagecoach! :D

Didn't bring a camera, so no pics. Sorry.

And I met my goal too! Yeah!!! This is my first ride since my Xmas/NY vacation. Up until the first two rest stops, my mind was filled with doom and gloom thoughts of whether I should just ride the shorter version since I was only able to manage a max speed of 11 mph. :o Fortunately, my motivation to beat my horrible record last year pushed me on, and around mile 50 my mojo came back; and with the net downhill on the return trip I was flying (to me).

Total time: <8h30m
Ride time: 7h05m, avg spd 14.1 mph
Distance: 100.22 miles, 4432 ft

I only get to meet Dan near the 50 miles mark. Sorry, Dan for not riding with you. I also bumped into Shnuddy and her hubby (is he the one in front of you at the time)? I only got to wave since I was rolling downhill at the time.

So in summary, I beat my personal stagecoach record of 10hr+. Never mind the temperature is way warmer than last year's. The new time is nothing to brag about, but I met my goal. Only got two minor cramps this time. :)

I'm back from Stagecoach! :D

Didn't bring a camera, so no pics. Sorry.

And I met my goal too! Yeah!!! This is my first ride since my Xmas/NY vacation. Up until the first two rest stops, my mind was filled with doom and gloom thoughts of whether I should just ride the shorter version since I was only able to manage a max speed of 11 mph. :o Fortunately, my motivation to beat my horrible record last year pushed me on, and around mile 50 my mojo came back; and with the net downhill on the return trip I was flying (to me).

Total time: <8h30m
Ride time: 7h05m, avg spd 14.1 mph
Distance: 100.22 miles, 4432 ft

I only get to meet Dan near the 50 miles mark. Sorry, Dan for not riding with you. I also bumped into Shnuddy and her hubby (is he the one in front of you at the time)? I only got to wave since I was rolling downhill at the time.

So in summary, I beat my personal stagecoach record of 10hr+. Never mind the temperature is way warmer than last year's. The new time is nothing to brag about, but I met my goal. Only got two minor cramps this time. :)

Great job Dave....way to go!!!

I'm back too. Glad to hear that Shnuddy and her worse half made it but I'm sorry that I missed them both. I was looking for you.

As for the Century overall, this was much nicer than last year and not just because the weather was perfect. Shadow Tours seems to have gotten the message and had cue sheets this year, and they eliminated the silly back and forth loops after the Shelter Valley lunch stops. The route simply took a 150 yard jog on to Hwy 78 then continued North until the 50 mile mark. There were Sheriffs cars and Century staff at the intersection to warn cyclist and cars of the mixed traffic (a little overkill IMO but certainly not a bad thing). The ride now starts at the new Ocotillo Community Park which is a better venue by far.

As for my ride - this would be another example of Indolent's Stupid Human Tricks, except it worked out OK. After getting back from Turkey my asthma flared back up, evidently because I never really kicked my earlier sinus infection. So this last week I kept getting worse and worse, hoping that I would get better in time for the Stagecoach. No dice. So last night I was in Urgent Care to get dosed up on long-course Cipro and Prednisone to treat what it now bronchitus, sinusitus and asthma. My measured peak air flow was that of a sedentary 75-year old man. I was instructed that I should get plenty of rest.

I am nothing if not stubborn. I figured that the prednisone should kick my lungs up a few notches and I should be good to go for the Stagecoach. So I set my alarm for 5AM, got up and determined that my peak air flow had improved to that of a 65-year old sedentary man. Good enough.

During the ride I was very careful to moderate my effort to avoid any anaerobic air sucking maneuvers, which meant using the granny on the first and last climbs of the day. It worked in that riding didn't make me any worse - it was certainly less fun than normal but better than not going. Weirdly my overall time wasn't as bad as I was expecting. 7:01 hours riding time 14-something mph/average. So all in all it worked out OK. My mother will still be mad at me for doing it.

Good job Dave, Indolent and Shnuddy!

Sorry I missed it.

I'm back too, finally. Report later, too tired now. Saw Dave, didn't see Dan. Hubby had a multitude of issues today, starting with a broken chain and a bad fall. We had to wait a while, but got the chain fixed and continued, but...I finished, hubby did not. Long day. Full report and a few pictures to come. :)

I hope Dan and the Shnuddy Hubby feel better.

Good job Dave!

First of all, I'd like to say that this was a very well run event. Larry & Jim and all their crew did a great job. There was plenty of food, water, volunteers, road markings, SAG vehicles. There was even an ambulance that passed along a message from my husband (more on that later). If you like desert beauty, there was plenty of that--basically an out and back ride, with very little civilization, not too much traffic. The road was in good shape and the couple potholes out there were well marked. And the weather was fantastic!

Originally, Alan (the hubby) and I had planned to get started right at 7:15, the earliest time. But with the cold morning and the long drive, we decided around 8 would be just fine. Of course, with my husband, that means we got started about 8:30. :p

Basically, the first 50 miles are pretty much uphill--long gradual climbs that slow you down some, but don't hurt too much. Nice, actually, letting you look forward to the gradual descent on the way home. There was a long, fairly steep descent at about mile 13, but it was hard to enjoy it to much, know that it would come back at you at mile 87! :eek:

We were rolling along, fairly slowly, but steadily until Box Canyon, which at mile 38 was the 3rd rest stop. We stopped for just a few minutes, knowing that the lunch stop was at mile 42. Coming out of the stop, there was a bit of a climb. We were about halfway up, Alan right in front of me when I heard a loud crack and watched him fall down flat! I stopped, put my bike to the side and went to help him up. He had landed hard on his knee, had a big gouge in the knee and a lot of scrapes everywhere else. His chain had broken, while he was pushing hard in the climb--no way to save himself. We got him up and off the road (a bad place to fall, no shoulder or bike lane! :eek:) Fortunately, a SAG vehicle drove by at that moment, although we were only about a quarter mile from the rest stop, he diverted traffic for us until Alan was ready to coast back.

After some waiting (he was working on another bike) the mechanic replaced the chain. After about an hour, we were off again. It was 12:45. Briefly contemplated turning around and taking our 75 miles, but decided to head on.

We blew right through the lunch stop, trying to make up some time, even knowing that it closed at 1:15 and we would miss out. We finally got to the turn around at about 1:30. At that point we had been out 5 hours, with 3:44 ride time. We knew we'd have to push it to get back before dark and we weren't prepared to ride in the dark (it was only a century after all! :D)

We took off, finally enjoying that gradual descent. Did have a headwind though (my only complaint--I'd been promised a tailwind!).

I needed to stop at the 75 mile rest stop, not even knowing it was still open, but figuring the porta-potties would still be in place :). It was open for business though, so we stopped for a few minutes. One of the other riders (we weren't the last, but close by that time) came up to me and said "Boy your husband has bad Karma today--first the chain and the fall and now his tire just blew! The bike was just sitting there and the tire blew! So tire changed (his last tube, having tried earlier to earn good Karma by giving a tube to a needy rider) So we head out again. Now we're going to have to push to make it by 5. I was worried about the light, but also worried about the cold. I'd dropped my arm and leg warmers at the first stop, and it was starting to get chilly.

I was riding in front of Alan, expecting him to pass me at any moment. Nope. I look back, see him back a couple hundred feet, continue on. About a mile later, I look back--no Alan. I start to slow, wondering whether to turn around when the roving ambulance pulls up. He tells me Alan had another flat, had decided to can it and for me to go on. I did, feeling really strong for the last 20 miles. Even the hill at mile 87 couldn't faze me. I was just riding hard, enjoying that downhill. I made it back just as the sun was setting, about 5 pm. My Garmin died about a half mile from the finish, giving me 100.7 miles in 6:44. I had completed the 2nd half in 3 hours! (riding time, that is :o)

This was also my 12th century in 12 months--I missed out on the CAM challenge because I got a late start--so my CAM was now complete.

The only BFer I saw was DaveSANYYZ, as he was heading home and we were still on the way out. Only had time to wave.

I would definitely do this ride again. Only start earlier next time ;)

Just have a few pictures:

Lots of desert beauty
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/Shnuddy/018.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/Shnuddy/019.jpg

Alan, post accident (the first aid kit did not have tape, but someone supplied duct tape:D)
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/Shnuddy/022.jpg

The great group at the Box Canyon stop. They basically put my hubby back on the road again.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w24/Shnuddy/023.jpg

Thanks for the pics! :)

Sorry about your hubby, and Dan - as an asthmatic myself, I'm proud of you for going ahead. My PS has always encouraged me to ride the bike no matter what (but to carry my emergency inhaler). The benefits outweigh the risks in his opinion.

Sounds like, overall, it was a good ride.

Good job, Dave! :beer:

Shnuddy, glad Alan is OK and that is a spiffy bandage.

Let me be up front here. You did not include any pictures of yourself. What's with that???

I would definitely do this ride again. Only start earlier next time ;)

Glad he is ok....

We are planning on doing the april one!

Shnuddy, glad Alan is OK and that is a spiffy bandage.

Let me be up front here. You did not include any pictures of yourself. What's with that???

You know how it is when you have the camera. I always hate the ones I take of myself :( :p

You know how it is when you have the camera. I always hate the ones I take of myself :( :p

Sigh.....

Finally recovered enough to comment:D, with the history of harsh weather for this event I was ambivalent to the last moment but for those who were there we received a gift for those who weren't- oh well. This was, I thought, a well supported event, Yes the promised tailwind was a headwind over the 3rd or so but didn't seem too much.

It was my first official century, truthfully it was hard, in spite of going through two 100 oz fills of my camel back with hammer perpetuem and swallowing hammer endurolytes (sponsor provided) regularly I still had cramping going in; Cramps combined with the fact that I'm still chasing the grail of a saddle that will work for me made the ride approaching the last grade and on to the finish awfully tough.
I went in hoping to finish with a ride time around 6 and 30, with those difficulties I road a 7'10" with an overall of 7'33".

Stoked want to ride more, wish I wasn't on 4/10 schedule doing trainer sessions M-Th but but but but
Hey I see Palms Springs on the horizon, Solvang, Spg Stagecoach (any takers for that one, could weather score on the plus plus side twice?)

Have to stop looking at and rereading the KOM entries that I finally filled out and get them in the mail.

Wow, congrats on your first century! :D

Don't know if you've seen me. I rode a matte silver C'dale wearing a black with red star SoCal Bike Forums jersey. If you've seen a girl with black and pink SoCal Girls BF jersey, that would be Shnuddy.

Wow, congrats on your first century! :D

Don't know if you've seen me. I rode a matte silver C'dale wearing a black with red star SoCal Bike Forums jersey. If you've seen a girl with black and pink SoCal Girls BF jersey, that would be Shnuddy.

Thank you, Dave, you made my day. :rolleyes: :)

Finally recovered enough to comment:D, with the history of harsh weather for this event I was ambivalent to the last moment but for those who were there we received a gift for those who weren't- oh well. This was, I thought, a well supported event, Yes the promised tailwind was a headwind over the 3rd or so but didn't seem too much.

It was my first official century, truthfully it was hard, in spite of going through two 100 oz fills of my camel back with hammer perpetuem and swallowing hammer endurolytes (sponsor provided) regularly I still had cramping going in; Cramps combined with the fact that I'm still chasing the grail of a saddle that will work for me made the ride approaching the last grade and on to the finish awfully tough.
I went in hoping to finish with a ride time around 6 and 30, with those difficulties I road a 7'10" with an overall of 7'33".

Stoked want to ride more, wish I wasn't on 4/10 schedule doing trainer sessions M-Th but but but but
Hey I see Palms Springs on the horizon, Solvang, Spg Stagecoach (any takers for that one, could weather score on the plus plus side twice?)



Have to stop looking at and rereading the KOM entries that I finally filled out and get them in the mail.



Congrats on the 1st century...thats a toughie for a first...
I will be at PS, Solvang and Spring Stagecoach...you should also do Cool Breeze in August...thats onew of the best!!
Look for threads here to join up with other BF'rs on these rides!

As for saddles...I went thru a few...now on a Brooks and I am hooked...definitely worth a try!!

Wow, congrats on your first century! :D

Don't know if you've seen me. I rode a matte silver C'dale wearing a black with red star SoCal Bike Forums jersey. If you've seen a girl with black and pink SoCal Girls BF jersey, that would be Shnuddy.

Oh, Dave....do you need to send your Colnago to me so it gets ridden???

Oh, Dave....do you need to send your Colnago to me so it gets ridden???

You make a good point.

Dave?

5th ride this morning. I'm in the process of arranging for a local bike fitting, although the current setting seems to be fine now.

I also just applied the tacx assembly paste to the seatpost today. So far no more awful sounding carbon cracking/creaking noise. :)

It was my first official century, truthfully it was hard, in spite of going through two 100 oz fills of my camel back with hammer perpetuem and swallowing hammer endurolytes (sponsor provided) regularly I still had cramping going in

:beer: Congrats! You picked an ambitious ride for your first century. I would have steered you toward Cool Breeze or Palm Springs, but kudos to your brawn and great job! You won't always experience that difficult of a ride and once your fueling is tinkered with (i.e. you should keep experimenting on your longish rides to find out what else you may need - I'd suggest good old salt to counteract the cramps. I often drink a V-8 before and during rides when the organizers offer them), you'll do away with the cramping altogether.

:beer: Congrats! You picked an ambitious ride for your first century. I would have steered you toward Cool Breeze or Palm Springs, but kudos to your brawn and great job! You won't always experience that difficult of a ride and once your fueling is tinkered with (i.e. you should keep experimenting on your longish rides to find out what else you may need - I'd suggest good old salt to counteract the cramps. I often drink a V-8 before and during rides when the organizers offer them), you'll do away with the cramping altogether.

Thanks meririder and to each who have replied for your comments and suggestions. The greatest difficulty of the ride was the saddle, Anyone have experience with the Selle Flite Gel, that was another recommended. As for the cramps, I was lucky I guess I only experienced onset that forced me to ease back and they relaxed. but yeah electrolytes are key. I'm a sweathog just need to find adequate replacement level.

Added Cool Breeze to my calendar, I hadn't looked out past June, my one year mark back on my bike, the Ride around Bear. But bummer overlooked a calendar reminder and missed registration for Breathless Agony.
Anyway Friday I'm off time to go ride:D

Stagecoach pics from brightroom are ready.
http://www.brightroom.com/view_event.asp?EVENTID=30817

I need to work on my posing skills. :D

Stagecoach pics from brightroom are ready.
http://www.brightroom.com/view_event.asp?EVENTID=30817

I need to work on my posing skills. :D

I still shake my head at the pricing models used by these event photographers. I can't believe that they wouldn't make more money selling the digital images at much lower prices to a much greater number of buyers.

True. I've done 10-11 centuries last year and most of those event pics are similar. Nothing really distinguishes one location from another and to me it's not really worth $20-$30 for a not-very-unique/not-so-special picture. Just looking at the pics online will be good enough to re-live the experience.

In other words, I'm just cheap. :)

I still shake my head at the pricing models used by these event photographers. I can't believe that they wouldn't make more money selling the digital images at much lower prices to a much greater number of buyers.

I know...its unreal what they charge...I cant believe they sell much....they would sell tons if they were cheaper!