My new motto:

"I suck even without a wheel"

I think it would make a fine T-shirt.

Since I'm still quite intimidated by the sounds of these WI-Mountains, I'll say B.
I'd prefer to say 'A' but I have no idea what level of riding the difference would be settled by.
I'll do Bull Valley a few times to have a better idea.
I also have a heavy ungainly bike to bring as of now.

OK, we are officially going to need a training run at Bull Valley this weekend. I implore PSI or someone else who knows the route for just a quick meet, greet, and go. Saturday or Sunday? I'll be in town after all (and not happy about it ... my family will be in Atlanta). Poker game anyone on Friday or Saturday? :)

I was thinking baout getting out there this weekend. I am traveling for business Thursday and Friday, but Friday night I will have an idea. I am leaning towards Saturday morning.

This early in the season it's every man or woman for themselves, but it would be fun to meet up and regroup every now and then.

i prefer more of Cy's approach to this ride.

i will train in the flat lands of will county. maybe i do some repeats in my driveway? otherwise it's cornfields and headwinds for me. :)

if i were to go this would be my route. out and back as many times as you can. i parked in town at the big ice rink / sports complex then road over to cherry valley. i highly recommend hitting cherry value as it has two arse kicking rollers.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/71411

later.

i prefer more of Cy's approach to this ride.

i will train in the flat lands of will county. maybe i do some repeats in my driveway? otherwise it's cornfields and headwinds for me. :)

if i were to go this would be my route. out and back as many times as you can. i parked in town at the big ice rink / sports complex then road over to cherry valley. i highly recommend hitting cherry value as it has two arse kicking rollers.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/71411

later.
I checked out your route on the link. It's pink! How hard can it be?;)

i prefer more of Cy's approach to this ride.

i will train in the flat lands of will county. maybe i do some repeats in my driveway? otherwise it's cornfields and headwinds for me. :)

if i were to go this would be my route. out and back as many times as you can. i parked in town at the big ice rink / sports complex then road over to cherry valley. i highly recommend hitting cherry value as it has two arse kicking rollers.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/71411

later.

I'm telling you man it's the same route I do. I propose the following:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/il/bull-valley/919241902

It ends up being 4 of my loops with 2 legs of Cherry Valley extension. The culmulative climbing number on this site is wrong, but look at the elevation profile and you might have an idea what we're talking about.

I got clearance for Saturday morning from the boss.

hmmm....might need to put on the compact.....:p

I checked out your route on the link. It's pink! How hard can it be?;)

i love pink. my rain bike is pink. you got a problem with that? :p

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1092/1226429549_0a509044d4.jpg

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I'm telling you man it's the same route I do. I propose the following:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/il/bull-valley/919241902

It ends up being 4 of my loops with 2 legs of Cherry Valley extension. The culmulative climbing number on this site is wrong, but look at the elevation profile and you might have an idea what we're talking about.

I got clearance for Saturday morning from the boss.

hmmm....might need to put on the compact.....:p

i have only been out on the ride twice this season. not sure the legs are ready for the valley. however,.........:D

later.

i love pink. my rain bike is pink. you got a problem with that? :p

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1092/1226429549_0a509044d4.jpg


5 spoke aeros, spoiler in the rear to help putting the power down, one tube design to keep drag to a minimum, no brakes whatsoever on this bike! A true time trial monster!

I'm telling you man it's the same route I do. I propose the following:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/il/bull-valley/919241902

It ends up being 4 of my loops with 2 legs of Cherry Valley extension. The culmulative climbing number on this site is wrong, but look at the elevation profile and you might have an idea what we're talking about.

I got clearance for Saturday morning from the boss.

hmmm....might need to put on the compact.....:p

What time were you thinking of heading up there? I am up for a ride.

Early for me means something different than what most would assume, but maybe 7-8 in the morning? That will allow us to be back at a decent hour.

That works for me.

Originally Posted by aham23 View Post
i love pink. my rain bike is pink. you got a problem with that?


5 spoke aeros, spoiler in the rear to help putting the power down, one tube design to keep drag to a minimum, no brakes whatsoever on this bike! A true time trial monster!

Plus a bell to give warning as he flys by.

Early for me means something different than what most would assume, but maybe 7-8 in the morning? That will allow us to be back at a decent hour.

Where's the meetup spot exactly? If I can kick this chest cold, I may meet up with you all. It might be my first ride of the year, so it would be great on an out-and-'back so I can wave when you all pass going the other way...

Early for me means something different than what most would assume, but maybe 7-8 in the morning? That will allow us to be back at a decent hour.
I am coming down FR after work, so I might be able to wave at you all as I do a loop through Bull Valley from Woodstock. Weather? Do I need some real warm clothes or no? Wind forecast?

hey this looks like fun. i live in chicago, am an avid cyclist, and may join you all for this:D

hey this looks like fun. i live in chicago, am an avid cyclist, and may join you all for this:D

Good group of people (those I've met, anyway). With an "A" and "B" group riding, there's something for everybody. We can even do an "A" and "B" group for beer drinking afterward. I know I've kept up my training year round with beer repeats. Lift a beer up, drink it down. Repeat.:D I think there was someone else on here talking about driving up from chicago.

Good group of people (those I've met, anyway). With an "A" and "B" group riding, there's something for everybody. We can even do an "A" and "B" group for beer drinking afterward. I know I've kept up my training year round with beer repeats. Lift a beer up, drink it down. Repeat.:D I think there was someone else on here talking about driving up from chicago.

I'll be joining the Bs for beer. Unless there's karaoke. Then it becomes a performance enhancing drug.

OK PSI, Saturday or Sunday, 6 or 7?

weather looked better for Saturday morning. 7 or 8 am. It looks like it will be pretty cold inthe morning :eek:.

CyLowe - meet at the church or at my house and hitch a ride.

I'm traveling, but I can check back in later.

I'll be at work Sat AM, enjoy it though!

Wife picked up a saturday shift, so I'm not available Saturday. Have fun tho..

I'll have to throw my bike in the car and hope to get a Turkey on saturday.

OK PSI, How about Saturday, 8AM. Now where exactly?

OK PSI, How about Saturday, 8AM. Now where exactly?

Zoom in on Psimet's map where the "P" is in Ridgefield. There is a church on West (or Market) with a parking lot that is a good base for this ride. http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/il/bull-valley/919241902

If you take Illinois 14 through Crystal Lake, go past the light at 176. The next real road is Ridgefield Road. Take a right and it will take you right into Ridgefield. Take a left at Market and a block or so later you'll be at the church. Parking lot is off to the right side.

If you end up back at Illinois 14, you've gone to far. :)


I'm hoping to make this ride, but it's going to be a gameday decision. Chest colds suck. :(

hey dudes, on the linked route i highly suggest (for maxium suffering) you take Bull Valley out to Fleming. if you dont you miss a fun little climb / decent between that stretch. later.

hey dudes, on the linked route i highly suggest (for maxium suffering) you take Bull Valley out to Fleming. if you dont you miss a fun little climb / decent between that stretch. later.

I hear you. IIRC, it's not as steep, but it goes on longer if you go all the way up Fleming to Country Club. A nice way to work on sustained pace.

OK PSI, How about Saturday, 8AM. Now where exactly?


8AM works for me.

OK, Saturday, 8AM, starting at the Church in Ridgefield. I'll be there. Let the suffering begin.

OK, Saturday, 8AM, starting at the Church in Ridgefield. I'll be there. Let the suffering begin.

It began last night when I happened to be in my old college town and charged with entertaining someone who had never been there before.

That coupled with 3am closing times and interviewing I had to do at 8am has already led to some serious suffering. i can only hope I can get home, get my cold gear washed and get some sleep so that I am not totally worthless tomorrow. If I am worthless I only ask that you guys let me draft off you up to the area and back to the cars. I am OK with suffering on the hills alone :(

OK iab, I am usually late to the party but this is a new low for me. I keep subscribing to your threads for this ride, but I missed this one till now. Clearly I am the only one who can't work the interwebs. If you're creating new threads for this so you can drop me, it just worked for 5 days. :p

But now I have the goods and unless you secretly (i.e., just start a new thread) change the meeting time and place, I will be there and will aim to keep up with the A group.

I'll have no choice but to ride C&V, and maybe (in your Cinelli's honor?) I'll even ride with no under-saddle bag, just a spare tubular behind the saddle.

Feel free to reply, and maybe I'll spot it within 5 days this time! :rolleyes:

All right, this is pretty brutal ... 19F ????

WIth my family gone I can go in the afternoon. Is everyone still going this morning?

I'm out. Was up all night coughing up a lung and would rather not aggravate the situation.

To anyone braving it: Bundle up!

I can't go in the afternoon, but definitely thinking about calling myself off....brutal week. I need the rest.

Hold on.

Looks like it will be 30 at the start and warm up to close to 40.

Still...I honestly don't think I want to do it :(. Someone give me a reason not to go.

OK...sorry guys. I'm out. I don't have Rowdy's cell phone otherwise I'd let him know. Hopefully he checks this in time, or knows the route.

Next time. Now back to thiking about beer in April....

OK, who's up for going out this afternoon?

I plan to be there around 2 or 3.

Well, contrary to the negative vibes around here, I've decided to go riding. As soon as I get out of the shower.

Just not with you guys.

Nothing personal, you're just too far away.

Ah HA! You slipped recursive. One of the keys to your awesomeness is apparently showering before you ride. So noted!

I feel faster already.

I made it out there. I only managed to squeeze out 24 miles before my legs started to scream enough.

I was there too. I have to say I did not like this ride. Road conditions are often poor, and downright dangerous in some places. There are minimal to no shoulders and traffic was heavier than I expected, especially when it sometimes consists of horse trailers, boats, etc. with limited visibility (tight corners, hills, etc.).

The hills were good for a workout but I will not be riding there. I actually broke a cf bottle cage on a downhill on Bull Valley Road where I was going about 30 on a downhill and hit a large series of potholes I couldn't avoid (or hop). I actually had to ride near the center of the road on one steep uphill in order to get rear wheel traction as there was gravel over 3/4 of my lane.

I cannot recommend this ride with present road conditions.

i rode some back roads here around wauconda today and i have to assume that most roads in rural areas are pretty beat up right now (and probably will continue to be for awhile). i found myself riding in the middle of the lane as well on a few roads.

The only road I didn't like was Bull Valley. Trying to climb it with the pothole patches was hard. I couldn't ride in a straight line and stay close to the shoulder.

In. "A" group.

In front of "A" group.

Fixed.

I'll expect to be in New Glarus, in the B group.

I'd be interested in joining a practice ride sometime. My work schedule rules out Saturdays, and I would have to find a way out to the suburbs- and I think I'm slow.

Erick

I know I'm slow, so come on out to the burbs and be yet another BF'er who makes me feel bad about myself :D

Kimber ... don't count me out on the back end just yet. ;)

Fixed.

Fixed gear?? :eek:

Ok, with the rain washing the roads off, and temps rising into the 40's, I think I can get the bike out a start getting the legs in shape. Hopefully spin class has helped and we still have a few weeks.

I did buy some spotted cow this weekend to warm up the after ride muscles :D