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Is anyone doing the Sequoia Century this year? I think this is the best century on the SF peninsula. The ride starts in Palo Alto and heads out to Pescadero and down the coast to Santa Cruz, then returns via Mountain Charlie and the Summit. Price is only $35, which is $10-15 less than most local centuries.
Check it out: http://www.westernwheelers.org/main/sequoia/index.htm
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I'm signed up for this. I did this in 2006, but it looks like they've changed the route quite a bit since then. It will be my first time doing most of these roads. It says it's 9000 feet of climbing overall -- how steep do the steepest climbs get? Or to put it another way, how miserable am I going to be?
I should be in for this too
Doing it as a warmup for the Mt. Tam Double. Did it back in 2005 when I could ride to the start from Sunnyvale. Going to have to drive this time, since the 45 miles each way from the current abode is a bit much. This was one of my favorite events of all time, even though they were mostly familiar roads. Looks like they may have found a way to avoid the one bad section of traffic on the old route.
I'm signed up for this. I did this in 2006, but it looks like they've changed the route quite a bit since then. It will be my first time doing most of these roads. It says it's 9000 feet of climbing overall -- how steep do the steepest climbs get? Or to put it another way, how miserable am I going to be?
The hills aren't that bad. On the long route, most of the elevation gain comes from 2 long climbs: Page Mill Road and Mountain Charlie Road. Both climbs have inconsistent grades with long moderate sections (< 8%) and a few short steep sections (> 10%) mixed in.
The 100K route goes up West Alpine Road instead of Mountain Charlie. West Alpine is a much easier climb - about 6 miles long and I don't think it ever gets steeper than 7 or 8%.
If it's similar to the setup they had last year, be sure to grab extra water at the rest stop before heading up Mt. Charlie. The "secret" soda stop was pretty far from the previous water stop, and a lot of folks I saw were out of water and pretty hurtin' by the top of Mt. Charlie.
I'll probably be in. Training for the death ride so if I can't make myself do this I'm in serious trouble :)
I'll probably be in. Training for the death ride so if I can't make myself do this I'm in serious trouble :)
This will definitely get your climbing legs prepped up.
This will definitely get your climbing legs prepped up.
Felt great yesterday. I could have killed a century. Though obviously the Sequoia will be more climbing. Starting before 10:30 and not taking leisurely breaks every few miles should make it a cinch though ;)
Hey! I'll be passing you guys on the way to L.A. so give me a shout...If you can pick me out of 3,000,000 riders :)
Pete
Hey! I'll be passing you guys on the way to L.A. so give me a shout...If you can pick me out of 3,000,000 riders :)
Pete
Who's going to be passing who? I saw those AIDS folks during last year's Sequoia Century. There was a very noticeable difference in technique and speed between the century riders and the AIDS riders.
Hmmm, I've got the kids that weekend....maybe I can get some friends to have them sleepover Saturday night. I do need to figure out how to get a good, long ride in that weekend. Besides, I don't think Pete's managed to take my picture on the peninsula yet!
JB
Hmmm, I've got the kids that weekend....maybe I can get some friends to have them sleepover Saturday night. I do need to figure out how to get a good, long ride in that weekend. Besides, I don't think Pete's managed to take my picture on the peninsula yet!
JB
Well you better be riding in quick mode, cause I'll be riding as fast as possible to stay ahead of the Cluster****!!!!!!!:crash::cry::fight::love::roflmao::eek:
Well you better be riding in quick mode, cause I'll be riding as fast as possible to stay ahead of the Cluster****!!!!!!!:crash::cry::fight::love::roflmao::eek:
LOL - we started at the Sports Basement at 8:00 am, which seemed to put us right in the middle of the cluster on Saturday! We spent the entire ride out to Nicasio calling out "passing on your left", chatting with 600 of your closest friends and basically riding in a much larger group than we expected to.
The rate of speed of the average ALC rider may not be very fast, but they seem to be mostly well schooled in basic etiquette - they stayed right, were predictable and called out if they were getting ready to do something like stop. One of them got mad at a few of us for trackstanding at a stop sign while waiting for a car to go by ("Come to a complete stop!" - I guess we were supposed to put a foot down), but otherwise it wasn't as bad an experience as I would have expected. Just a lot slower than we expected.
JB
I'm in the same boat! I'm going to sign up.
EDIT: I meant to quote reidconti, about getting ready for the death ride. Apparently I suck at the intarweb.
Just signed up. Bring on the ironman distance! I live in Santa Clara so assuming I can get to bed early enough I'll just bring my headlamp and ride the ~12-15mi each way to and from.
I'll probably be in. Training for the death ride so if I can't make myself do this I'm in serious trouble :)
+1
Trying to figure out if I should do this or the Giro on the tandem. Maybe the Grio, since the climbing is less???
On the other hand, Ruth will not be able to keep up as well for this hard of a ride.
Maybe tandem Sequoia and singles for Giro??
Have fun everyone. This looks like the route I took in Feb. Best ride of my life so far.
Trying to figure out if I should do this or the Giro on the tandem. Maybe the Grio, since the climbing is less???
On the other hand, Ruth will not be able to keep up as well for this hard of a ride.
Maybe tandem Sequoia and singles for Giro??
As strong as you are, I still wouldn't recommend tandem for the Sequoia. It's a tough ride. Giro would be much friendlier to the tandem.
As strong as you are, I still wouldn't recommend tandem for the Sequoia. It's a tough ride. Giro would be much friendlier to the tandem.
Sequoia wouldn't be friendly to Ruth on her single.
I'll make it ;)
My new wheels, drivetrain with Ergo levers, and over all just more dialed in will help big time.
Riding a tandem up Mountain Charlie will be hard work if both riders aren't in decent shape.
The Sequoia 100K is a somewhat easier route. West Alpine is about the same difficulty as Tunitas Creek, though Alpine can be sunnier and warmer.
What's the grade for mt charlie? I like hard work, as long as is still doable.
We got the tandem up OLH in 32 flat on our first ride.
I am pretty stuborn, so I will probably do it.
Ruth and I going to take the tandem out next week and do a a big ride as a test. We are going to do this:
Crystal springs -> canada -> Mtn home -> up OLH -> down 84 -> pescadero creek -> stage all the way -> hwy 1 -> up tunitas -> down kings and back.
We are going to figure out IP v OOP by sequoia. By testing it out on OLH a few times.
If anyone has the stats on charlie that would be great.
Mt. Charlie is like a stair-step ascent. I kind of like it, because you climb a little, and you get a little relief, then you climb a little more. There are parts that go as high as 18%.
Here's a motionbased trail. http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/4520731
Mountain Charlie is not steep for long distances. I rode it once with a senior citizen couple on their tandem and they did fine. They did have a triple and they were in pretty good shape and both were on the lightweight side, but they definitely were not racer wannabees.
I may sign up for this. Not sure which distance to do, because I'm planning on doing Giro di Peninsula at the end of the month. That being the case, I may opt for the metric, and do the full century at Giro.
I rode it once with a senior citizen couple on their tandem and they did fine. They did have a triple and they were in pretty good shape and both were on the lightweight side, but they definitely were not racer wannabees.
Ah cool.
I think we will be OK.
I registered for the 112 mile ride.
Registered Ruth and I for the 112 mile on the Tandem.
"Sequoia. It's a tough ride" ........ "Riding a tandem up Mountain Charlie will be hard work"
Isn't that the point ;)
I just registered for the 112 miles.
I'm in for the 112. Good lord, I must not be able to learn from my mistakes. :)
C'mon Henry... Peer pressure ;)
Peer pressure +2 ... oh, maybe I should sign up.
Peer pressure +2 ... oh, maybe I should sign up.
Peer pressure (x2) +1 :wtf:
c'mon. I'm a n00b and with the ride from home and back I'm gonna make it a metric double.. come out and play.
come out and play.
http://www.marconelweb.it/thewarriors1979/images/rogues_img/rogues03.jpg
come out and play.
http://www.stomptokyo.com/img-m2/childs-play-2aa.jpg
I'll have to see if I can get out of a Church obligation. :eek:
I am signed up for the 112 miler. May try and ride to and from the start which will add about 10 miles.
I'll have to see if I can get out of a Church obligation. :eek:
Is it going to be a game time decision?
We'd love to do this but will be racing in the tandem category at the Dunlop Time Trial in Davis.
So many rides, so little time.
I live in Santa Clara so assuming I can get to bed early enough I'll just bring my headlamp and ride the ~12-15mi each way to and from.
reidconti, what route are you taking from Santa Clara to the start? I'm going to ride to the start from Cupertino -- maybe we could meet up at Homestead and ride to the VA together. We could compare Death Ride training notes on the way.
the trail (whichever one it is that runs north across Agnew near Great America) north past 237, then west, under 101 at Ellis, north on Middlefield, then.. who knows.
I'm down if you are :) Not sure what time I'm starting. Hopefully be at the start line not too far after 6.
Just registered for 112 miler ... I'm gonna die!
BTW, tomorrow, May 27, is the last day for online registration.
Blastradius, hint hint, nudge nudge, know what I mean, know what I mean?
the trail (whichever one it is that runs north across Agnew near Great America) north past 237, then west, under 101 at Ellis, north on Middlefield, then.. who knows.
I'm down if you are :) Not sure what time I'm starting. Hopefully be at the start line not too far after 6.
Ah, you're much farther north than I am, so I guess our routes to the VA won't intersect. Maybe we'll run into each other on the course, then. I'll be the tired-looking guy on this Cannondale:
Tentative BF roster:
johnny99
ConstantRider
uspspro (tandem with Ruth)
DG_Going_Uphill
reidconti
Owner
gpelpel
Bostic
platypus
FYI I am doing it tandem with Ruth
Fixed ... which also means I'll only see you at the start of the ride.
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