sweetnsourbkr
04-21-08, 08:19 PM
Before I get to the ride report, I should mention Saturday's extra-terrestrial experience.
If you've been to Laguna Seca, you know it's kind of a mudpit when it's wet, and a dustbowl when it's dry. Well, on Saturday it was definitely the latter. Some of the highlights:
High winds all day created lasting dust storms that covered everyone, and I mean everyone in dust. There was no hiding from this Martian landscape-like event. The winds picked up anything on the ground, including bikes, tents, and sometimes even yours truly, and knocked them to the ground handily without a second thought. Try to imagine 10,000$ bikes getting knocked to the ground, as fresh carbon gives a resounding crack!! as it hits the floor. Toothjarring to say the least.
The dust storms created hazards for the road race, as a cloud of dust swept across the track (by the start/finish line, where we were standing) and covered the riders. Oftentimes they would disappear in a cloud, and reappear with a great loss of speed. However, I'm surprised there were no crashes involved during the time we were observing.
The wind picked up a very large (maybe about 40 foot tall) blow up slide and toppled it over, flipped it a couple of times, and caused it to crash into the fence next to the track. I thought it would have jumped the fence had the wind given it a little bit of a nudge to get it over. This happened during the road race, and yes, it covered the track in dust. Later that day we learned that there were kids inside. I'm sure they had the time of their lives.
If you've always wondered what the surface of Mars looks like on a good day, come by Laguna Seca.
On to the ride report for Sunday.
I now know we underestimated this beast from the start. Initially, I was going to do this solo, on my 585. I was meeting with a couple of friends from Canada who come down once a year for this event, and ride with them. However, after Lisa asked if she could ride with me, how could I refuse??? In any case, it turned out to be a bigger deal than I had given myself to believe.
It was a chilly morning, temps in the low 30s. We started 7am sharp .... and flatted out on mile 2. Our friends left with the main group, and it was a good thing, because it was going to take around a half-hour to fix this beeatch of a flat. Anyway, after 2 tubes and a very good mechanic helping us, we were underway. However, losing the main group became a larger loss to me as the ride progressed. The anticipated coastal tailwind was nowhere in sight as we began the ride, and did not appear until just before we turned back west towards the mountains, during which it became a headwind. Great timing.
The ride advertises 7000+ feet of climbing. No joke. The second rest area was out of bread (a key ingredient before a long ride segment). On the climb to the summit of Cahoon Pass, I bonked. I tried eating the energy bars that we brought with us, but it did not relieve the aching feeling on my legs, tired from the hammering from earlier on the flats (no paceline means ... well, you know ... more on this later). By the time I got to the Cahoon summit, I threw in the towel. Despite there being plenty of good food at the top, PB&J and even my favorite Red Vines (Lisa learned that I'm addicted to Red Vines today), I couldn't get my legs back, and I think part of the blame goes to the cold and wind. Can you picture yourself being Lisa and hearing my whinning through the whole climb!!??? Good grief ... at least the 'Whine' Country Century there is at least reason to whine all you want. Lisa was also complaining of a stiff right knee--another reason for me to call in the SAG van to pick us up.
Not. :(
The lady said she couldn't fit our tandem in the van. Well, that settled that. This is mile 66.
Lisa said we need to go. By now we're the last ones on the course. We dressed up as warmly as possible, for I knew the DH would be torture. A fast, freezing, and steep descent later, reaching 42 mph at one point into a headwind, we passed around 10 people before we arrived in Carmel Valley Village and the Laureles Lodge, the last rest stop before the true climb of the day, the Laureles Grade.
We asked again if we could be driven to the finish. I felt better now than I did on the Cahoon climb, but not enough to tackle another 1200 feet at 10%+. Imagine the length of Tunnel Rd but with the steepness of upper Pinehurst, plus heavy traffic. This is mile 85. We were graciously picked up by a gentleman from Spokane who was volunteering for the event. We handily placed the tandem in the van and drove up the Laureles Grade.
Wow.
I commend those who refused sag support and worked that hill after 85 miles. It is truly an achievement to be proud of. End of the day, only 8 people were sagged to the finish, including us.
We learned a great deal from this ride. One of those is that we are truly leisure, recreational riders who have no time management skills of any kind. At least, when it comes to a cut-off time (2pm @ mile 85, we got there at 300pm). When we got back, it was 415pm, and the vendors had already packed up most of their stuff and we didn't even get a free dinner from the ride. :( I am also humbled by those who made the time cut-off and were able to make it back all 94 miles (this is not a true century, but may be tougher than the WCC double metric). We also learned that we need to really eat during the ride, and I mean during. If we stop and we eat, it's time wasted. It was almost like a race, to me. Not very enjoyable if you try to beat the cut-off time. Maybe that's why I try not to do organized rides like these.
We also learned the value of pacelining. Without the energy-saving opportunity to paceline a large group, we were left to fend for ourselves during the first 50 miles. Had we been a part of a large pack, I think we could have saved at least 30 minutes on the Cahoon Pass because I would have been fresh and ready. The Cahoon Pass is 11 miles (I think) of very scenic, farmed countryside, and the wildflowers were blooming bright purple and yellow everywhere. Beauty that we may have missed had we attempted to beat the cut-off time. I won't know, at least until next year when we attempt it again. Even the cows looked great!
http://teamalameda.com/forums/uploads/1207971159/gallery_26_53_99111.jpg
Pics coming soon!
If you've been to Laguna Seca, you know it's kind of a mudpit when it's wet, and a dustbowl when it's dry. Well, on Saturday it was definitely the latter. Some of the highlights:
High winds all day created lasting dust storms that covered everyone, and I mean everyone in dust. There was no hiding from this Martian landscape-like event. The winds picked up anything on the ground, including bikes, tents, and sometimes even yours truly, and knocked them to the ground handily without a second thought. Try to imagine 10,000$ bikes getting knocked to the ground, as fresh carbon gives a resounding crack!! as it hits the floor. Toothjarring to say the least.
The dust storms created hazards for the road race, as a cloud of dust swept across the track (by the start/finish line, where we were standing) and covered the riders. Oftentimes they would disappear in a cloud, and reappear with a great loss of speed. However, I'm surprised there were no crashes involved during the time we were observing.
The wind picked up a very large (maybe about 40 foot tall) blow up slide and toppled it over, flipped it a couple of times, and caused it to crash into the fence next to the track. I thought it would have jumped the fence had the wind given it a little bit of a nudge to get it over. This happened during the road race, and yes, it covered the track in dust. Later that day we learned that there were kids inside. I'm sure they had the time of their lives.
If you've always wondered what the surface of Mars looks like on a good day, come by Laguna Seca.
On to the ride report for Sunday.
I now know we underestimated this beast from the start. Initially, I was going to do this solo, on my 585. I was meeting with a couple of friends from Canada who come down once a year for this event, and ride with them. However, after Lisa asked if she could ride with me, how could I refuse??? In any case, it turned out to be a bigger deal than I had given myself to believe.
It was a chilly morning, temps in the low 30s. We started 7am sharp .... and flatted out on mile 2. Our friends left with the main group, and it was a good thing, because it was going to take around a half-hour to fix this beeatch of a flat. Anyway, after 2 tubes and a very good mechanic helping us, we were underway. However, losing the main group became a larger loss to me as the ride progressed. The anticipated coastal tailwind was nowhere in sight as we began the ride, and did not appear until just before we turned back west towards the mountains, during which it became a headwind. Great timing.
The ride advertises 7000+ feet of climbing. No joke. The second rest area was out of bread (a key ingredient before a long ride segment). On the climb to the summit of Cahoon Pass, I bonked. I tried eating the energy bars that we brought with us, but it did not relieve the aching feeling on my legs, tired from the hammering from earlier on the flats (no paceline means ... well, you know ... more on this later). By the time I got to the Cahoon summit, I threw in the towel. Despite there being plenty of good food at the top, PB&J and even my favorite Red Vines (Lisa learned that I'm addicted to Red Vines today), I couldn't get my legs back, and I think part of the blame goes to the cold and wind. Can you picture yourself being Lisa and hearing my whinning through the whole climb!!??? Good grief ... at least the 'Whine' Country Century there is at least reason to whine all you want. Lisa was also complaining of a stiff right knee--another reason for me to call in the SAG van to pick us up.
Not. :(
The lady said she couldn't fit our tandem in the van. Well, that settled that. This is mile 66.
Lisa said we need to go. By now we're the last ones on the course. We dressed up as warmly as possible, for I knew the DH would be torture. A fast, freezing, and steep descent later, reaching 42 mph at one point into a headwind, we passed around 10 people before we arrived in Carmel Valley Village and the Laureles Lodge, the last rest stop before the true climb of the day, the Laureles Grade.
We asked again if we could be driven to the finish. I felt better now than I did on the Cahoon climb, but not enough to tackle another 1200 feet at 10%+. Imagine the length of Tunnel Rd but with the steepness of upper Pinehurst, plus heavy traffic. This is mile 85. We were graciously picked up by a gentleman from Spokane who was volunteering for the event. We handily placed the tandem in the van and drove up the Laureles Grade.
Wow.
I commend those who refused sag support and worked that hill after 85 miles. It is truly an achievement to be proud of. End of the day, only 8 people were sagged to the finish, including us.
We learned a great deal from this ride. One of those is that we are truly leisure, recreational riders who have no time management skills of any kind. At least, when it comes to a cut-off time (2pm @ mile 85, we got there at 300pm). When we got back, it was 415pm, and the vendors had already packed up most of their stuff and we didn't even get a free dinner from the ride. :( I am also humbled by those who made the time cut-off and were able to make it back all 94 miles (this is not a true century, but may be tougher than the WCC double metric). We also learned that we need to really eat during the ride, and I mean during. If we stop and we eat, it's time wasted. It was almost like a race, to me. Not very enjoyable if you try to beat the cut-off time. Maybe that's why I try not to do organized rides like these.
We also learned the value of pacelining. Without the energy-saving opportunity to paceline a large group, we were left to fend for ourselves during the first 50 miles. Had we been a part of a large pack, I think we could have saved at least 30 minutes on the Cahoon Pass because I would have been fresh and ready. The Cahoon Pass is 11 miles (I think) of very scenic, farmed countryside, and the wildflowers were blooming bright purple and yellow everywhere. Beauty that we may have missed had we attempted to beat the cut-off time. I won't know, at least until next year when we attempt it again. Even the cows looked great!
http://teamalameda.com/forums/uploads/1207971159/gallery_26_53_99111.jpg
Pics coming soon!