I thought we should take the Baker - DV stuff into its own thread... Who's going, who's staying where, and how are we all getting back? Post your updates here and I'll try to summarize it all up here.

Cat 4:
umd
oc_rider
jpconrad
kmc91011
OC Roadie
OC Roadie's teammate

Cat 5:
WhiteCarbonDude
merckx89
VanceMac
Vireo
oc_rider's friend
OC Roadie's teammate

Cat 3:
OC Roadie's teammate

----------------------
Cars
----------------------
umd's wife (WCD's truck):
umd
WCD
two teammates
2 extra bikes?

Jp's friend:
jpconrad
VanceMac
Vireo

merckx89's friend:
merckx89
teammate
1 extra?

oc_rider's wife:
oc_rider
oc_rider's friend
1 extra?

OC Roadie's brother-in-law:
OC Roadie
OC Roadie's cat 3 teammate
OC Roadie's cat 4 teammate
OC Roadie's cat 5 teammate

I'm driving, I have a friend who's a mechanic from Incycle that's going to drive my minivan and provide support. We'll be staying at the Motel 6 in Barstow Friday night, does anyone need us to pick up any crack or meth while we're there? Or a crackhead on meth? :D



At this point I believe we're giving a ride back from Death Valley to Baker for Vireo and Vance.

Im driving out Saturday morning. Me and a teammate have a ride back and feed for the ride and probably room for one more on the way back, though it would be a tight fit.

I'll be there with two teammates and we need a ride back. So it looks like I'll have to bike back.

I'll be there with two teammates and we need a ride back. So it looks like I'll have to bike back.

Kim can drive your truck again

If anyone needs a room on Friday night, George has booked the finest luxury resort in Baker and has an extra bed.

Kim can drive your truck again

Sounds good, but you will be in the 4's. She will have to wait at the feed zone till the 5's arrive. It shouldn't be that long.

Sounds good, but you will be in the 4's. She will have to wait at the feed zone till the 5's arrive. It shouldn't be that long.

You only start 5 minutes after us... I don't think it will be a problem. And in many the 4s races I've done so far, the equivalent 5s race was actually faster. At the nevada stage race RR, the lead group of the 5s actually caught and passed us... Well, caught up and then we accelerated and then they caught us again and then the marshalls neutralized us!

You only start 5 minutes after us... I don't think it will be a problem. And in many the 4s races I've done so far, the equivalent 5s race was actually faster. At the nevada stage race RR, the lead group of the 5s actually caught and passed us... Well, caught up and then we accelerated and then they caught us again and then the marshalls neutralized us!

Steve,
Update the OP to umd's wife: umd, WCD, and two teammates. We are full. I have room for two more bikes but that's all.

As posted I'll be up there in the 4's. I have a friend who will be in the 5's race. We have a Trailblazer that my wife will be driving. If anyone needs a ride to and back or just back to the starting line, I can squeeze in 1 more.

We're probably be staying @ the Royal Hawaiian again..

As posted I'll be up there in the 4's. I have a friend who will be in the 5's race. We have a Trailblazer that my wife will be driving. If anyone needs a ride to and back or just back to the starting line, I can squeeze in 1 more.

We're probably be staying @ the Royal Hawaiian again..

cngilmore would like that spot back to the start

No problem...I just need to get in touch with who that person is so that I know who to look out for.

^^We'll do a meet and greet before the race and there will be a test later.

Cat 5:
WhiteCarbonDude
merckx89
VanceMac
Vireo? What? NO! I don't think so. He should be in the 1/2/3 category
oc_rider's friend

I guess I know who's wheel I'll be trying to suck all day. Notice I said "try" George could probably drop the entire field and then overtake the cat4's and then start picking away at the 1/2/3's.

Cat 5:
WhiteCarbonDude
merckx89
VanceMac
Vireo? What? NO! I don't think so. He should be in the 1/2/3 category
oc_rider's friend

I guess I know who's wheel I'll be trying to suck all day. Notice I said "try" George could probably drop the entire field and then overtake the cat4's and then start picking away at the 1/2/3's.

I think he's still a 5 but that's why I put a ?

I'll be there with a teammate in the 4's. We're driving out with another teammate in the 3's, and another in the 5's, so we're maxed out. Looking forward to it :)

I'll be there with a teammate in the 4's. We're driving out with another teammate in the 3's, and another in the 5's, so we're maxed out. Looking forward to it :)

You confused me for a moment, I was confusing you with oc_rider... Who's driving you guys back from the finish?

Cat 5:
WhiteCarbonDude
merckx89
VanceMac
Vireo? What? NO! I don't think so. He should be in the 1/2/3 category
oc_rider's friend

I guess I know who's wheel I'll be trying to suck all day. Notice I said "try" George could probably drop the entire field and then overtake the cat4's and then start picking away at the 1/2/3's.


just make sure you take your turn in the wind....

and yes I am a lowly 5.

just make sure you take your turn in the wind....

and yes I am a lowly 5.

I'll be in the wind just as soon as you drop me:o

You confused me for a moment, I was confusing you with oc_rider... Who's driving you guys back from the finish?

That had me confused for a second too. My brother-in-law is coming along to drive and feed us.

I'm still up in the air on this one.

Online registration closes tomorrow at midnight though, so I'd best make up my mind soon.

What's still open as far as ride-share/room-share arrangements?

Anyone need to carpool from the inland empire area?

According to their website, Pro 1,2,3 and Cat V still are open, so I guess Cat IV is a full field then...

According to their website, Pro 1,2,3 and Cat V still are open, so I guess Cat IV is a full field then...

For future reference, how does CBR handle no-shows -- will they let people register the morning of, based on people who don't show?

If anyone needs a room on Friday night, George has booked the finest luxury resort in Baker and has an extra bed.

Brandy,

Is the room still available? And when is George leaving to go to Baker?

My friend would like the room if it's still available.

Thanks!

For future reference, how does CBR handle no-shows -- will they let people register the morning of, based on people who don't show?

I believe they have a standby list. Try calling Chris Lotts.

BTW..that's a long way to travel without a guaranteed spot to race..

cngilmore is out

Looking at the profile, this is much less climbing than I thought. Sure that spike looks ominous, but what's the total gain for the ride, 3000 ft?

http://www.pbase.com/cleavel/image/88048311/original.jpg

Its not a huge amount of climbing, but the false flat for 30 miles wears thin...

Its not a huge amount of climbing, but the false flat for 30 miles wears thin...

Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. There are so few RR, I'll take what I can get. :)

I had 3000 feet (http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/4327191)

...but the false flat for 30 miles wears thin...

The winds didn't help the situation, either.

The winds didn't help the situation, either.

True dat. But I knew the elevation profile would stay the same... I don't know what the wind will be like, although I've heard its usually a headwind out that way.

True dat. But I knew the elevation profile would stay the same... I don't know what the wind will be like, although I've heard its usually a headwind out that way.

Right now, the weather report is calling for wind from the SW (18mph), which would be sweet. Of course, we all know how precise those reports are a few days out. Nice and warm, too.

Its not a huge amount of climbing, but the false flat for 30 miles wears thin...

I don't know why I was under the impression that it was mostly downhill after the climb???

True dat. But I knew the elevation profile would stay the same... I don't know what the wind will be like, although I've heard its usually a headwind out that way.

ummmmm.....Noob here. Will we be able to keep an eye on breakaways? Can we see them or do the different Cats get all confusing to keep track of?

ummmmm.....Noob here. Will we be able to keep an eye on breakaways? Can we see them or do the different Cats get all confusing to keep track of?

It wasn't a problem when we did it, I think we only had a Pro 1/2/3 group, plus the 4/5 group.

I don't know why I was under the impression that it was mostly downhill after the climb???

Its mostly downhill to the climb. Then its about 7 miles downhill and 30 more uphill, with a little rise and a downhill finish.

ummmmm.....Noob here. Will we be able to keep an eye on breakaways? Can we see them or do the different Cats get all confusing to keep track of?

The race will likely stay pretty much together to the climb. I would be surprised if a break could get much traction in the first 30 miles. The road for the last 30 miles is pretty straight and relatively flat (i.e. false flat), so you will be able to see pretty far up the road. My group was able to see another group in the distance that gave us the motivation to chase and reel them in. Unfortunately there was another group in front of them. As far as keeping track of which race people are in, I'm sure it will get confusing. We were picking up people from the masters race ahead of us, and since you guys will have two races ahead of you, I'm sure you will find plenty of 4s that popped off the back, strung out along the road.

I believe they have a standby list. Try calling Chris Lotts.

BTW..that's a long way to travel without a guaranteed spot to race..

Yeah, too far for me to travel on a gamble.

Guess if you put off your decision until the last minute, it gets made for you.

Have fun everyone, and stay safe.

I'll be there with two teammates and we need a ride back. So it looks like I'll have to bike back.

Are they the same two as last year? are you all in cat 5?

Sat (http://www.weather.com/outlook/driving/interstate/wxdetail/USCA0061?dayNum=3) Mar 1
http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/34.gif?12122006Mostly Sunny 81°/46°
10% chance of rain
Wind From the Southwesthttp://image.weather.com/web/blank.gif 18mph

As far as keeping track of which race people are in, I'm sure it will get confusing. We were picking up people from the masters race ahead of us, and since you guys will have two races ahead of you, I'm sure you will find plenty of 4s that popped off the back, strung out along the road.

Steve is correct. I had the bird's eye view from the follow car and was helping riders from both groups, so I was going back and forth a lot.

The main groups stayed together until the climb and everything broke apart. At the feed zone cresting the hill, riders were going over singly or in pairs, and a lot of them were using the subsequent descent to draft off RVs (illegal, I know) and find other riders to work with.

Once everyone hit the false flat, the successful people found groups to ride in. Anyone caught out by themselves in the winds for long got toasted. Riders who started earlier than the 4s were dropping back and trying to latch onto small groups. Some groups managed to find a good number of riders willing to share the workload (in John's group, there were some noticeable hangers-on).

Groups were mostly visible to each other, yet there were huge gaps between some and I saw more than a few riders who were lost in this no-man's land (too far to catch up, too far to drop back). Like I said... toast.

According to the van's spedometer, much of the final 20 miles or so were done at around 15mph. And to the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever.

Sat (http://www.weather.com/outlook/driving/interstate/wxdetail/USCA0061?dayNum=3) Mar 1
http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/31/34.gif?12122006Mostly Sunny 81°/46°
10% chance of rain
Wind From the Southwesthttp://image.weather.com/web/blank.gif 18mph

wouldn't that be a tailwind?

wouldn't that be a tailwind?

Depends on how much is south and how much is west. I believe last year it was predominantly from the west, so it was a brutal head/cross. If it is truly exactly from the southwest, it would be mostly cross by slightly tail.

Steve is correct. I had the bird's eye view from the follow car and was helping riders from both groups, so I was going back and forth a lot.

The main groups stayed together until the climb and everything broke apart. At the feed zone cresting the hill, riders were going over singly or in pairs, and a lot of them were using the subsequent descent to draft off RVs (illegal, I know) and find other riders to work with.

Once everyone hit the false flat, the successful people found groups to ride in. Anyone caught out by themselves in the winds for long got toasted. Riders who started earlier than the 4s were dropping back and trying to latch onto small groups. Some groups managed to find a good number of riders willing to share the workload (in John's group, there were some of noticeable hangers-on).

Groups were mostly visible to each other, yet there were huge gaps between some and I saw more than a few riders who were lost in this no-man's land (too far to catch up, too far to drop back). Like I said... toast.

According to the van's spedometer, much of the final 20 miles or so were done at around 15mph. And to the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever.

Yes, according to my data, we were killing ourselves to go 15-17mph

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/chart/get.mb?xy.domain=totalDistance&xy.ranges=speed&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=4327191&xy.plotForegroundOpacity=0.75&xy.autoFit=true&xy.width=800&xy.height=400

The RVs took up the whole freakin' road. It was either draft off them or off-road it in the dirt. What I found happening was hang behind one until there was enough room to the side, then hammer past. I lost a lot of time doing this, until another rider much more fearless than myself shot up the side of one while I was waiting. I grabbed his wheel and we worked together to catch the next group ahead of us.

wouldn't that be a tailwind?

Don't believe it, if it actually happens that would be great, but we're also tracking a little westerly on the route and I think the mountain ranges also effect it, particularly around Shoshone.

Anyone caught out by themselves in the winds for long got toasted.

::raises hand:: My friend and I were trying to catch Steve's group up ahead, we were closing the gap but once we got around Shoshone the headwinds were too much. People that dropped off the front groups were too fried to work with the two of us so we remained a duet till John's group caught us.

I ended up drafting a bit of an RV or two, but it's cause we were catching them. On the descent, the small group I was with at that point said we were riding between 35-40 (my Garmin was dead that day so I had to ask others for the info).

::raises hand:: My friend and I were trying to catch Steve's group up ahead, we were closing the gap but once we got around Shoshone the headwinds were too much. People that dropped off the front groups were too fried to work with the two of us so we remained a duet till John's group caught us.

The guys I was with were, like me, well-equipped to deal with winds. Climbs, not so much...

Are they the same two as last year? are you all in cat 5?

One guy did it with me last year Brad Sisko, the other is Doug Patterson the (508) Polar Bear. I'm hoping that Doug will pull us through the wind, he's an animal. I'm the Sprinter, Brad will be my Domestique, and Doug will be my lead out man.;)

Yes we are all in Cat 5.

in John's group, there were some noticeable hangers-on

Is that what everyone keeps referring to as "tactics"? :rolleyes: