Pete's Magic Marin ride 4/13 report

[cccorlew]

I'll let Pete tell stories, but here's some art...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2295/2412826222_fc73fe74ae.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2049/2412823000_c63b2c6ceb.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2182/2411993217_055f14062b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2348/2411988595_dc35aaf8fc.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2015/2411987131_ffd2bf23fc_b.jpg

[cccorlew]

http://curtis.corlew.com/hosting/marin_ride.png

http://curtis.corlew.com/hosting/marin_ride2.png

[mtnwalker]

That 24.9% grade is scary looking. :eek:

[Siu Blue Wind]

http://curtis.corlew.com/hosting/marin_ride.png

http://curtis.corlew.com/hosting/marin_ride2.png

:eek: *Siu passes out*

[x136]

That 24.9% grade is scary looking. :eek:No freaking kidding. Did you guys get off the bikes and scale a sheer rock face?

[cccorlew]

I tried to figure out that amazing climb. I think it's a GPS hiccup. I think I'd have remembered something like that. Either that or I'm much more amazing than even I had convinced myself I am....

[PrincessZippy]

What a nice day you guys had! Great photos too, everytime I go by that bridge I wish I had taken a picture of it.

But I think there's a bug in the Garmin data. I have to say I just cannot picture where on Sir Francis Drake there is a section that is 24 % for even a little bit. I was just out there last Sunday doing a 200k. That would have been about mile 95 and I'm sure my legs would have noticed 24%. That's steeper than the end of Diablo! My perception was that the climb preceding that, out of Olema while shorter was steeper.

Veronica

PS Nice jersey Ron!

[uspspro]

We need more pics. ;)

[spingineer]

PS Nice jersey Ron!

Thanks V. Now, you gotta ask yourself, what's the triple crown doing in the back of the pack all the time. :p

[cccorlew]

BLOG SHILL:
Actual ride story at
http://ccorlew.blogspot.com

[alainp]

BLOG SHILL:
Actual ride story at
http://ccorlew.blogspot.com

"Her handlebars had rotated suddenly when she hit a pot hole, tossing her forward "

:eek: Sorry to hear and hope she's doing okay.

According to Blastradius, these things [crashes] "come in threes". Prior to this weekend, there was spingineer, ahpook, and taxi777. Thus far, uspspro had a near mishap with actual rider-vehicle contact, Tricia and the deathly pothole, ... and the third.... uh oh :o.

[cccorlew]

:eek: Sorry to hear and hope she's doing okay.

According to Blastradius, these things [crashes] "come in threes". Prior to this weekend, there was spingineer, ahpook, and taxi777. Thus far, uspspro had a near mishap with actual rider-vehicle contact, Tricia and the deathly pothole, ... and the third.... uh oh :o.


She's fine, she didn't loose control, or go down. Just rattled.
Mark one up for fine bike handling skills and good coordination!

[Bostic]

I was running late to meet up at the starting point of downtown so I joined the group at the Golden Gate Bridge. The weather did not seem as hot as the Saturday for the first part of the ride. I was testing the theory of base layer and staying cool so I had on a short sleeve Craft under my REI basic Jersey. I would be missing the arm & knee warmers later in the afternoon.

Pete has a rather twisted way of taking direct routes. Load up a map of Center Blvd and Sir Francis Drake in San Anselmo. I think we rode on every one of those squiggles leading up to Bolinas & Sir Francis Drake. A quick stop at 7-11 to fill up and then the first significant climb under the heat up Sir Francis Drake. I kept a comfortable pace up the hill making sure to not push it too early. A nice breeze on the flats leading over to the right turn on Nicasio Valley Road.

Ascending this hill Marco was up front and I heard the sound of gears grinding behind me. A rider on a nice old school steel bike was tearing up in a 39xsomething. I upped the pace a bit but made sure to stay just at the low of zone 5. Marco said they got in pace line and took off. I did the entire section to Nicasio by myself since they had floored it way ahead of me.

After a quick break we took off on the stretch to Point Reyes Station. Marco led the way for a while then I did for a bit then out of nowhere Pete is jumping the gun right before a short incline. Turns out that was right at the turn with the intersection of HW1.

We had a nice lunch in Point Reyes station and relaxed in the shade. Another quick fill up of water and we're back on the road. The hill up Five Brooks (?) was not as bad for me as I thought considering it was just after lunch. I caught up to Marco and we charged down Sir Francis Drake which qualifies as the worst road traffic and pot hole wise. We missed a turn and got a bit down the road and had to wait for Pete to find us and get on the smooth trail to the right. We caught back up with Ron, Curtis and Tricia and continued down the road of doom. I was riding second to last when I heard Tricia behind me yell something. She must have hit one of the many potholes which caused the bars to lower and her cell phone to drop on the road. After a few minutes of accelerated heart beats and Pete cranking the stem allen bolts we proceeded on the way back to San Anselmo.

We stopped at the coffee shop on the corner of Bolinas Road. It was getting late in the afternoon and too late to begin a journey up Mt. Tam so it would have to wait for another day. Pete and I split two big oreo looking things. I chomped mine at the same time, motor mouth. The trip back to Camino Alto was smooth and then Marco and I tore up it. First time for me climbing north to south and I pushed again up to about the low zone 5 for me. I'm still getting a feel for the slightly different gearing on the triple so it's a bit weird to look down and see the chain on a different cog than I am used to.

The ride along the bicycle path had a nice breeze which was portending the future. Bridgeway and 2nd street in Sausalito were not bad but after the short climb and right turn the wind droped the hamer and hit with full force. I was out of the saddle a lot of the way up trying to keep Marco in site and ignore the will of the wind to topple the bike over. The final turn before the short section to the tunnel was about as bad as I have faced over the years. A few upshifts on the rear and I was in full blowout mode to get to the tunnel. I used the momentum from the slight downhill to ease up the short incline to the top of the parking lot where Marco and I waited. By this time the fog had kicked in and I was getting cold. Once the group reassembled I mentioned I would be turning right at the bridge to head back to the Richmond district. Brrr across the span of the bridge and through the Presidio. At 25th and Lake the Sun peeked out and I warmed up the last few blocks back home. Just a bit over 80 miles for me. Thanks again Pete, Marco, Ron, Tricia, & Curtis.

[taxi777]

Really late with this one, real busy today.

April 13th 2008

I’m late posting on this ride and Saturday’s ride. I feel like I’ve been running down a 40% grade and trying to keep my feet in front of me. Sunday morning was no different, even with a later start than I like I was still behind schedule. I knew we we’re planning on doing a lot of climbing so I grabbed Cathy’s camera last thing instead of my trusty old Canon. Her camera died on me in Nicasio. I think the new ones overheat easy. It worked fine when I got home. So I only had pictures from start to Nicasio, unfortunately just when things we’re getting good.
I jammed down California street, got all the green lights…(I’m lying). I was hitting 40 by the flats at Montgomery. Everyone was waiting at the Ferry building. I’m the closest but the latest. Too much time standing in the closet doorway trying to find an intimidating kit that would take the wind out of Marco and Ramon’s sails, then maybe the rest of us would have a chance! : ( I immediately got that skull cap buzz on the top of my head and a little bit of the butterflies in the gut. I’ve been getting that a lot lately with the BF rides. It reminds me of back in my old band in front of the big crowds when I’d hit that first chord over the buzzing beehive of concert goers. I’m really beginning to enjoy this second wind In the middle of a bitter midlife crisis! I really feel like I’m spending time with family on these rides. I really gives me a buzz. Always an epic to remember.
We kicked ass going through town to the bridge. I think Curtis and Tricia had a little trepidation in the beginning traversing the city at a high rate of speed. I didn’t give them to much time to think about it though. Marco was as usual chomping at the bit. We we’re in the same state of mind at the front talking about him getting tagged by and SUV yesterday. How he tried to be cool but the Male turkey in the SUV couldn’t keep his trap shut and was fluffing up his feathers. Some dudes are just idiots. We talked about how we both had a bad case of Tandem lust. I can’t wait to get one! Maybe next year. Marco might have secured one as of this post?...
At the Golden Gate we regrouped. Ramon’s bike is really stealth looking and I took some picts of his cool looking Campy triple. Break over and we headed to the entrance.
So we whipped across the bridge and down into Sausalito. Pacelined behind a really strong pro rider from a Cliffshot team with a baby carrier on the back. The kid was conked out. Nothing like being born into biking. With a quick stop at Mike’s Bikes so I could get tubes, and then 1 nature break, and over Corte Madera grade. The weather was absolutely the best! I decided to take the scenic (magic) route through San Anselmo. Everyone was trying to figure out how I could take so many turns and not get lost? I’ll never tell, but it as to do with the luck of the Irish, Keebler elves, and all those alien voices in my head. We blasted through Fairfax (getting hot) 7/ll stop and pumped up White’s hill, round 600ft climbing. I think Tricia is an excellent hill climber BTW. She’s got that clockwork cadence and hummingbird look and style. Ron was doing awesome and making a great comeback, wrist and all. I held back a bit to save myself for Tam. My plan was to save my energy for the last seven sisters and turn Marco and Ramon into a couple of whimpering sissys!! We shed some extra arm warmers and what not. It was a nice cool descent into Nicasio. I was cow chasing and the mischievous cows up on the ridge kept playing games with me…(California cows) Pesky like penguins… (BTW Ron I like your new avatar). As soon as I’d line up my shot they would run away! One of them actually flipped me the bird : (………. Kicked butt to Pt. Reyes. Great paceline. I snuck up on Marco on the last climb before the turnoff but he heard me and split, I valiantly stayed on his wheel till the last 50 yards… Big improvement… watchit dude… I’m getting my 1987 legs back… chipin away, chipin away : ()

We rolled into lunch and I was really happy to run into a very good friend of mine Deyon, on a ride with a bunch of friends. We’re both doing the ALC ride and I’m totally looking forward to it. I introduced my good friend to my good friends! I like good friends, sure makes life easier.
The sandwich Nazi was working at the Grocery store, what a PR**k! A very angry gentleman, at least today. He got my sandwich wrong, but I was afraid to say anything so I just went with it. It was still good though. I ate the whole thing. We got the kettle chips (fourcheese) and I had to strategically place them far enough from Curtis so I could get a few down before they disappeared. Little did I know that Tricia would turn into my arch nemesis in my battle for the salt at the bottom of the bag. (obviously her Achilles heel… to be used at a later date). We had a nice lunch and some entertaining conversation. I could do this everyday I swear. We headed to the restrooms but found they had been stolen! We warmed up along Hwy 1. At Olema I dropped back and told Tricia to take over and pace us over the Sir Francis Drake Hill. Ramon and Marco disappeared like demons into the netherworld. Can we get those guys signed and make some money? I really enjoyed our four man team of Trish, Curtis, Ron and I. I think we sync pretty well. Maybe we need team jerseys? “ Chips” “ a little bit crispy but pretty dam good for old salts… Marco and Ramon over shot the turn off so Mom and Dad took the kid the right way and I chased down the twins over that crappy lunar surface of a highway. We caught up with the gang at the gate entrance. We had to ride a couple of miles over pot holed roads with a huge amount of traffic. I was in the front of the pack and I heard someone chirp a loud dangerous sounding whistle. I got those skull caps again but not in a good way! I immediately sensed danger and turned around and headed back. As I came around a curve I saw a bike down and thought I would puke. With all the crashes lately I’m a nervous wreck. Trish really hit a bad pot hole and her bar snapped down but she was able to keep it under control! Thank God! Curtis was beside himself freaked out about it. I was more worried about him. I got my wrench out but was having trouble cause my hands we’re shaking so bad. Phew… close one. We climbed then a nice run to Fairfax for Coffee and whoopee pies! It was getting late and Ramon and Marco decided to bail on Tam. Which probably was a good call, cause it got really windy and cold. The bridge was really windy. Curtis got some nice shots of the fog. Marco and Ramon had split so I took the rest of us through a wild ala bike messenger route to my place for guacamole and chips. Curtis played my SG’s some assorted guitars. I led everyone back to the Bart and climbed the California hill as penance for having forsaken Mt. Tam, away of appeasing the gods of the hills. What a weekend! I wish I could ride everyday with he BF folks and never have to work again… like a rolling surfer guy “Endless Summer” Thanks you guys I really enjoyed my weekend with my friends : )… till next time… Keep ridin!

Pete
Picts as ASAP
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Compositecopy.jpg
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Composite2copy.jpg

[Siu Blue Wind]

All I can say is....DAAANG!! :eek:

And that I'm glad Tricia is okay *whew*

[subframe]

That looks amazing, and I'm glad to hear everyone is okay!

Any chance of a bikely or similar map for that route (or even something similar), I'd love to try it out soon!

Thanks

[cccorlew]

That looks amazing, and I'm glad to hear everyone is okay!

Any chance of a bikely or similar map for that route (or even something similar), I'd love to try it out soon!

Thanks

Here's the ride in several format from my garmin., Let me know if you do anything with them, like upload to bikley

http://curtis.corlew.com/hostin/13-Apr-08 10_02_marin_garmin.tcx
Garmin training center Data

http://curtis.corlew.com/hostin/13-Apr-08 10_02_marin.kml
Google earth format

http://curtis.corlew.com/hostin/13-Apr-08 10_02_marin.gpx
GPS Exchange format

Perhaps one of these is uploadable to Bikley, or your garmin.

Let me know what works

[taxi777]

That looks amazing, and I'm glad to hear everyone is okay!

Any chance of a bikely or similar map for that route (or even something similar), I'd love to try it out soon!

Thanks

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/123920

[BlastRadius]

Thanks for the report Pete. I wish I could get in more rides. <sigh>

[RelevantCycling]

I rode Marin as well on Saturday though a little further north, starting from Lucas Valley and heading to Monte Rio and back. 115.5 miles, 6:45 riding time and 7:27 total time. The nice thing about the Lucas Valley start is that you are "out" right away. In fact, thinking about it I believe that in 155.5 miles there was...not one stoplight! Can that be right? Wow...

[subframe]

Thanks Pete!

RelevantCycling - 155mi with no stoplights sounds like a dream, wow.

[sweetnsourbkr]

Pete, if only you had as many different bikes as you have jerseys. :rolleyes:

[RelevantCycling]

Thanks Pete!

RelevantCycling - 155mi with no stoplights sounds like a dream, wow.

Ouch typo! That was 115.5! 155 miles in under 7 hours would be Cat 2 at least!

[spingineer]

Here's my ride report.

I decided to take Bart to Embarcadero (it's across the street from the Ferry building, where the ride starts). I was a bit nervous on riding close to 100 miles, especially with my wrist not being 100%. I figure I would see how I feel at every rest stop.

The first thing I realized was I felt every bump shoot up my wrist, and my poor wrist was taking every shock. I had to grin and bear it. This meant I was not as aggressive as I normally am, as I did not want to put more than enough force on my wrist than I had to.

When we crossed GG bridge, we had to go over several plates in the road, and every time we rolled over it, I was really feeling it. I was so tempted to just cross the bridge and call it a day, but I was on a mission today. When we got to Mike's Bikes, it was a welcome relief, and time to rest my wrist, and take some Ibuprofen.

As we did our first climb, I was taking it easy, but pushing a slower cadence than normal. Again, this was cautionary, so that I didn't put too much stress on my wrist. Then, we got the downhill. This was dicey, as the downhill had quite a few potholes and rough pavement. I was really wincing here, and when we get to the bottom, and breathed a sigh of relief. When I had the chance to, I would take my left wrist off the handlebar, but that was pretty risky, especially if I hit a bump, and only steer with one hand. Every now and then, I gritted my teeth, and held my breath tightly.

Because I didn't want to stand up, I was grinding it from the saddle. I guess that also meant I was pushing a big gear, like Jan Ullrich ... beast of a man! I did feel it later on in the ride, as we were at the coffee shop at the end ... this is the first ride in two weeks!

On our way back, Pete invited us to his shack for some guacamole. So Pete led us on a messenger route through the city. We had already gone 70+ miles, and we were all getting tired. Oh, did I tell you that Pete lives in the SF alps? Trish kept hearing Pete say it's not much further. I was alright, but I can tell Trish was spent.

So we finally got to Pete's house, and boy, he lives on a hill. We stopped for about 15-20 minutes for some chips and guacamole, but we definitely had to catch Bart before it got dark. It was also getting cold. We rolled down California down to Bart, but man, the downhill grade was steep! It had to be around 30%, and it was straight! It's one thing to have a steep downhill, but normally they are switchbacks. This was just straight, and riding the brakes, all the way down.

So I'm asian, and my hands are normally brownish ... after the downhill, they were white white white ... and my poor wrist ... dang. But I have to say, I am glad I did this. This helped me get my handlebar grip back, and it gives me more confidence now for my next ride.

83.68 miles, 4333 feet climbing

I didn't take too many pictures, but I'll post what I have.

[spingineer]

Pete showing fashion sense
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w112/spingineer/fe3eb8d2.jpg

Standard female bento box issue
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w112/spingineer/4cce62af.jpg

Climbing Camino Alto (I think ...)
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w112/spingineer/9110625d.jpg

Nicasio
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w112/spingineer/ea6b5b03.jpg

[x136]

I was so tempted to just cross the bridge and call it a dayHey, that's about what I did! Though it was partly because I was feeling fairly worn, and partly because I had no idea where to go from that point.

83.68 miles, 4333 feet climbing...and that's with a trashed wrist, ladies and gentlemen! I guess there's a reason he's completely ripped. ;)

[cccorlew]

I got 3918 climbing, but it did feel more like 4333....

[taxi777]

This was just straight, and riding the brakes, all the way down.
.
The trick is don't brake... just time the lights. I rode back up that after I dropped you guys off BTW, my legs we're numb from the weekend so, I didn't feel nuttin! Good job Ron, You hung in like a real Troopa!