I know we already have a thread going, but instead of highjacking that thread; I decided to start my own. I am interesting in getting a list of people who are riding in this event (either Mitchell or Marion). I have been on this board for about 6 months & yet to meet anyone from it, so my goal next week is to touch base with at least one member!

So are you riding & what do you think you will be wearing & what does your bike look like?

Thanks.

I'll be doing Mitchell. Staying at the Marriott the night before. Not sure which bike I'll ride. I don't like the idea of my nice carbon bike taking the truck back down to Marion so I may ride my Indy Fab Ti. What I wear will depend on the weather that day. I've done this ride enough to have used everything from knee and arm warmers, vest and shoe covers to a simple shorts and jersey.

Mitchell - Mariott as well Sun nite, wife along for support and cheering me on at the top. Plan to ride black GURU Ti-Carbonio. Probably wear my "Black Dog" jersey, or perhaps should wear my "50+" Bike forum jersey! Lots of comments on that one when I wore it for the Howard's Gap traing ride:50:

I''ll be there - staying at the Radisson in Spartanburg Sunday and Monday. Riding the Giant, and will either wear my Open Eye Cafe or Army Strong jersey. Google Maps shows it's about 5 miles from the hotel to the ride start - is there enough parking to drive over there? What time do I need to arrive to have a reasonable chance at getting a parking spot? (or should I park the night before, and take a taxi from the hotel to the ride start?)

i'm doing Marion this year. first time. staying at the Marriott. fuji team rc w/red pr2's.

what will i wear? dunno yet...maybe the white laser shorts & pink hammer jersery or a twin six jersey.

I guess I should have said, I am planning on doing the ride also. I just got my number from someone who was not going to be able to do it. I not sure exactly how I am going to ride it. I have a good friend / riding buddy whose this ride has been his big goal for a year. I don't think he is in as good of shape as me, so I may take my time & ride with him; however, I don't know if I will ever be in as good shape as I am now, so may want to ride hard. May be a gametime decision.

I am driving up that morning (I only live about 30 minutes from Spartanburg) I was going to wear my Meals on Wheels Jersey (it's my favorite) but then looking at the photos of my last couple rides, it is the only jersey I seem to wear. So I think I'm going wear my Discovery jersey, which makes me look like a poser & probably 60 other riders but it has deep pockets and fits well. I am riding a Black Trek with Yellow Wheels. I am excited for this ride; didn't realize there were going to be over 2500 riders. It is going to be a HUGE ride.

I guess I should have said, I am planning on doing the ride also. I just got my number from someone who was not going to be able to do it. I not sure exactly how I am going to ride it. I have a good friend / riding buddy whose this ride has been his big goal for a year. I don't think he is in as good of shape as me, so I may take my time & ride with him; however, I don't know if I will ever be in as good shape as I am now, so may want to ride hard. May be a gametime decision.

I am driving up the morning (I only live about 30 minutes from Spartanburg) I was going to wear my Meals on Wheels Jersey (it's my favorite) but then looking at the photos of my last couple rides, it is the only jersey I seem to where. So I think I'm going wear my Discovery jersey, which makes me look like a poser & probably 60 other riders but it has deep pockets and fits well. I am riding a Black Trek with Yellow Wheels. I am excited for this ride; didn't realize there were going to be over 2500 riders. It is going to be a HUGE ride.

I can tell you from experience that it is very difficult not to ride hard, at least at the start. There is just something about the whole start that gets the blood flowing. I mean they even countdown to the start on the big info marquee. The sound of all those riders clipping in at once is amazing. The downside of all this is the first 20 miles are pretty sketchy. Be careful. From your previous posts it sounds like you are a strong rider. Maybe the safest place for you is at the front.

I'll be there in my usual Kostritzer jersey with the celeste green Bianchi. Driving down from Charlotte that morning.

This will be my third time trying to conquer this ride. The first time I bonked out on the parkway and had to quit. Last year I had a bad crash about a month before the ride and ended up with a third degree shoulder separation. I rode anyway, but since my training schedule had gotten all screwed up, I was feeling very weak and in pain and had to quit at Marion. I hope that this year I can make up for all that.

I can tell you from experience that it is very difficult not to ride hard, at least at the start. There is just something about the whole start that gets the blood flowing. I mean they even countdown to the start on the big info marquee. The sound of all those riders clipping in at once is amazing. The downside of all this is the first 20 miles are pretty sketchy. Be careful. From your previous posts it sounds like you are a strong rider. Maybe the safest place for you is at the front.

Thanks for the information & your kinds words. But from what I understand you are the mountain goat on this regional site. I think maybe I should just suck on your rear wheel & try to hang with you a long as I can on the climb.

Thanks for the information & your kinds words. But from what I understand you are the mountain goat on this regional site. I think maybe I should just suck on your rear wheel & try to hang with you a long as I can on the climb.

Ha, don't I wish. Not this year. :( Besides, I'm riding with my friend's wife on her first Mitchell attempt while her husband tries to break 6 hours. So my pace will be dictated by whatever she can do. She's pretty fit though so I hope she doesn't have to wait on me. :o I just hope for good weather and a safe ride. After that I think I can handle the rest.

I can tell you from experience that it is very difficult not to ride hard, at least at the start. There is just something about the whole start that gets the blood flowing. I mean they even countdown to the start on the big info marquee. The sound of all those riders clipping in at once is amazing. The downside of all this is the first 20 miles are pretty sketchy. Be careful. From your previous posts it sounds like you are a strong rider. Maybe the safest place for you is at the front.

yea, i can just imagine hearing everyone clip in...it's got to be awesome and will have the adreneline flowing. remind me to get towards the back so i don't get caught up in all that fastness, ok?

I'll be there from Southern California :D (Hey, BWC & WP). You can't miss me: I'm 6'3" and about 255lbs. I ride a red Kuota Kharma. My goal is to get as close to 6 hours (or less) as possible. I completed one century in under 5 hours last November, but it had only about 3,500' of climbing so we'll see. In prep for this year, I rode the SoCal King of the Mountains challenge (3 centuries, 12,000' of climbing each) in 6 weeks.

I completed the AoMM once, in 1988, as a newb rider. I had hi-top sneakers and clips, some La Vie Claire padded shorts and a Cannondale jersey. Glad I had sneakers as I walked alot!! I attempted it again 2 years later, but only managed Marion as I pulled a back muscle on the way. But, I was near the lead group and made Marion in about 3-1/2 hours. I'd like to duplicate that start this next week. So I'll be trying to start as close to the front as possible. What time should I get there? Anybody have an idea?

I'll be staying at the Candleberry Inn B&B (http://www.candleberryinn.us/page/page/2971208.htm) just outside the Greenville Airport.

I'll be wearing this...
http://www.cyclingpros.com/images%5CBAJersey08F.jpg

or this...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2178/2546102667_aaea9274c2_o.gif

Cool Mark, but I will say that 6 hours is a very good time. The best time is usually around 5:20. So I would say to take it as it comes. It will be much more humid than you are used to in Cali and that can wear you down. Just remember that Marion is the halfway point for effort. The lead pack will do the 74 miles to Marion in about 3:20.

Try to get to the start area no later than 5:45 to get a parking place in the civic center lot.

Cool Mark, but I will say that 6 hours is a very good time. The best time is usually around 5:20. So I would say to take it as it comes. It will be much more humid than you are used to in Cali and that can wear you down. Just remember that Marion is the halfway point for effort. The lead pack will do the 74 miles to Marion in about 3:20.

Try to get to the start area no later than 5:45 to get a parking place in the civic center lot.

Thanks for the info. Getting to Marion should be no prob. It'll definitely be the climbing after that hits me :D

mkadam68 - coming from California?? Wow - that is cool. You are probably 20-25 mins from your hotel to the event although you have to park about a mile from the start. You won't have any traffic that time of day, so probably closer to 20 mins.

Marion in 3:20? That is flying. I don't plan on being in that group.

mkadam68 - coming from California?? Wow - that is cool. You are probably 20-25 mins from your hotel to the event although you have to park about a mile from the start. You won't have any traffic that time of day, so probably closer to 20 mins.

Marion in 3:20? That is flying. I don't plan on being in that group.

ha. me neither. anywhere near that group and i'll be blown up in no time short. but, if you can do it, do it. :)

repost. sorry.

Cool Mark, but I will say that 6 hours is a very good time. The best time is
Try to get to the start area no later than 5:45 to get a parking place in the civic center lot.

Thanks - that was the question I was worried about. I'd hate to be looking for a place to park with everyone already lined up for the start. (and I don't want to ride the 5 miles to and from the Radisson, either).

Okay-just got a number so it looks like I'm back in. I just need to figure out how to cram 6 months of training into 6 days since I really had not been planning to ride. I'm already dreading the last 20+ miles........what a sufferfest!!

Looks to be a warm day, too. Hopefully I can stay with the front group until the first right hand turn! Will probably be wearing a Gaston County Cyclist jersey and will be the one with very loud groans going up Hwy 80 and the two long climbs on the BRP.

At least where I'm staying I can just ride my bike over to the start......or might just jump in when the group comes screaming by. But then I'd miss the smell of the Krispy Kreme doughnuts and the clocks winding down. Choices, choices.

I hope everyone has a safe ride.

Bittersweet and I are hoping for 4:00:00 to Marion we will be riding this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/bhmmrtn/Bicycles/Cannondale/IMG_7554.jpg.
In Marion I will be switching to this bike and hope to complete the last stretch in 4:30:00.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/bhmmrtn/Bicycles/Pedal%20Force/SG1S1735.jpg
We are staying at the Hampton Inn just 6 miles from the start.

Bittersweet and I are hoping for 4:00:00 to Marion we will be riding this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/bhmmrtn/Bicycles/Cannondale/IMG_7554.jpg.


I now know who I will be drafting on the way to Marion. :p

Unfortunately the course gets more hilly the closer to Marion and a tandem isn't the best to draft in those conditions. But until then... :love: :)

I now know who I will be drafting on the way to Marion. :p

Unfortunately the course gets more hilly the closer to Marion and a tandem isn't the best to draft in those conditions. But until then... :love: :)

We know and have been working on the hills a lot. I also told Bittersweet that she had to do all the work after Bill's Hill. Since her ride stops in Marion so far she is ok with that. We expect a steady pace to the first rest stop, warming up, not too fast. This will actually be the hardest leg for us, with so many other riders and adrenalin pumping it is just too easy to go out too fast. After the first rest stop we will "kick it up a notch" and try to maintain a good pace to Bill's Hill. That is where I will finally find out if Bittersweet is willing to suffer. I have always told her that epic rides are not about the miles or the speed, but how well you manage the pain!

Our tandem looks a bit different than the picture. We managed to strip nearly five pounds of weight off the bike with some judicious upgrades, faster wheels, lighter brakes, etc. We tweaked saddle position over the spring and added aero bars so I can rest on the straighter sections. I hope we have not set too ambitious a goal for ourselves

I realize Bill's Hill is small in comparison to what is coming up at the end of the ride; but is it a pretty good little climb? Will you see pacelines start being broken up by it?

There's guy who put up a blog of his AoMM ride - he says that Bill's Hill starts out flat than goes right to 7%, and that most of it is 9-12%........it's also a mile long climb, so I bet that it starts to really spread out as soon as the climb starts.....(except for that front pack, of course, which I won't see after 6:30AM).

AoMM Journal (http://pacersguy.livejournal.com/1271.html)

Here are pics of the Bill's Hill climb:

http://pics.livejournal.com/pacersguy/pic/00008bsq/s320x240

http://pics.livejournal.com/pacersguy/pic/000097sf/s320x240

On the BRP climb, he said it was 10-12 miles of "unrelenting" climbing, of nothing less than 6%, with some climbs over 13%.

http://pics.livejournal.com/pacersguy/pic/0000c8r2/s320x240

I realize Bill's Hill is small in comparison to what is coming up at the end of the ride; but is it a pretty good little climb? Will you see pacelines start being broken up by it?

From what I am told, because I haven't been there to see it, Bill's Hill is the first point where the main pack splits. Some may get back on the descent others dropped for good. There is also an earlier hill right before the second sag that can break things up too.

For me, the climb up to the second sag stop splits everyone. Most stop there having skipped the first stop. If you're doing ok at this point and have enough fluids/food to get to the top of Bill's less than 4 miles more down the road, there is a sag there that is never crowded.

Oh, Bill's is about 1 mile long and has a grade that hits 8-9% for a bit.

There's guy who put up a blog of his AoMM ride - he says that Bill's Hill starts out flat than goes right to 7%, and that most of it is 9-12%........it's also a mile long climb, so I bet that it starts to really spread out as soon as the climb starts.....(except for that front pack, of course, which I won't see after 6:30AM).

AoMM Journal (http://pacersguy.livejournal.com/1271.html)

Here are pics of the Bill's Hill climb:

http://pics.livejournal.com/pacersguy/pic/00008bsq/s320x240

http://pics.livejournal.com/pacersguy/pic/000097sf/s320x240

On the BRP climb, he said it was 10-12 miles of "unrelenting" climbing, of nothing less than 6%, with some climbs over 13%.

http://pics.livejournal.com/pacersguy/pic/0000c8r2/s320x240

The crux of the NC 80 climb is about 5 miles long. The steepest parts are in the switchbacks so try to stay out of the inside of the turn where it is steepest.

The BRP is a steady 6-7% grade. The hardest section for me is the 2 miles on the start of the Mitchell Rd where it climbs at a steady 8-9%. By then you have about 100 miles in your legs.

I wish I had the legs to make the journey up Mitchell. My stamina/strength suffers with long distances and, I don't have a lot of LD training under my belt - especially with significant climbing. Maybe next year I will try Mitchell but, this year Marion will most likely where I get off the bus....or get on it and head back to Spartanburg.

I wish I had the legs to make the journey up Mitchell. My stamina/strength suffers with long distances and, I don't have a lot of LD training under my belt - especially with significant climbing. Maybe next year I will try Mitchell but, this year Marion will most likely where I get off the bus....or get on it and head back to Spartanburg.

Do you still have your Mitchell number? If so, I would really think about it this year. You're riding well from what I've seen.

I now know who I will be drafting on the way to Marion. :p

Unfortunately the course gets more hilly the closer to Marion and a tandem isn't the best to draft in those conditions. But until then... :love: :)


me too!!!

BIKEWNC is correct. There are a couple of nice grunts before Marion. The climb before the second rest stop (40 miles) and Bill's Hill (about 45 miles) are generally the two I recall. There is also a steady grade at about 60 miles that can get a few folks as well. However there is a really nice rolling section where it really helps to get in a paceline from the back of Bill's Hill to the 60+ mile mark.

Last year the front group was large enough to where it spread out on the short climbs mentioned above but regrouped just about all the way to Marion. I never would have thought I could have stayed with the front group but managed to stay until about 65 miles where I had to drop out as I was completely out of fluids.

I did the BRP climb from the top of 80 to the top of Mitchell a month ago. The climbs are about 3 miles, followed by a 2 mile descent and then a 2.5 mile climb. I hate the 2.5 mile climb. While not terribly steep, it just seems to go on and on and is probably a little steeper than the previous climb.

Once you get onto the road up Mitchell, just grind it out until you get to the gate at about 2.5 miles. It's not a bad climb on fresh legs, but with about 100 miles in the saddle it just feels like 15% but it is only around 8-9%. Then it flattens out a little with one little kicker just before the parking lot.

I've never had the guts to try to stay with the lead pack all the way to Marion because I knew what it would take to do so. Then I would be stuck with facing the climb on shattered legs.

Do you still have your Mitchell number? If so, I would really think about it this year. You're riding well from what I've seen.

After 60 or 70 miles, my rides seem to start leaning towards survival instead of enjoyment. I have the Mitchell ticket but, remain concerned with the distance and elevation gain. At this moment I am sticking with the Marion plan....though I've been known to change my mind on occasion.



I did the BRP climb from the top of 80 to the top of Mitchell a month ago. The climbs are about 3 miles, followed by a 2 mile descent and then a 2.5 mile climb. I hate the 2.5 mile climb. While not terribly steep, it just seems to go on and on and is probably a little steeper than the previous climb.

Once you get onto the road up Mitchell, just grind it out until you get to the gate at about 2.5 miles. It's not a bad climb on fresh legs, but with about 100 miles in the saddle it just feels like 15% but it is only around 8-9%. Then it flattens out a little with one little kicker just before the parking lot.

I was going to ride the 80 to Mitchell route myself a couple months ago but, the weather pre-emptied my plans. I did manage to ride up Mitchell though, in cold, windy and rainy conditions. It was tough.

Just checked the Accuweather forecast for Monday ----- For Spartanburg, it looks like AM temps will be in the 60's, with high's in the mid-high 80's. Same for Marion. High temp's may be up to 93, according to Intellicast.com. Start hydrating early.......

Just checked the Accuweather forecast for Monday ----- For Spartanburg, it looks like AM temps will be in the 60's, with high's in the mid-high 80's. Same for Marion. High temp's may be up to 93, according to Intellicast.com. Start hydrating early.......

The good news is once past the campground and up on the BRP, the temps and humidity is a lot less than down in Marion. Most folks will probably be by the campground while the temps are still in the 70's. Just be prepared for the humidity to hit you in the face after you've finished when you come back down off the top of Mitchell to the Campground.........But you are exactly right-hydrate regularly along the way and with some electrolytes. Really bad incident several years ago with a female that drank just water-and way, way too much of it.

On the 31st when I did the Marion to Mitchell ride, it was pretty warm at the start. I got to the parkway and it was a lot cooler, but by the time I got to Mitchell it was actually cold! The wind was pretty strong up there too. At least this year it looks like no rain at the start. That seemed to be the trend for a while.

On the 31st when I did the Marion to Mitchell ride, it was pretty warm at the start. I got to the parkway and it was a lot cooler, but by the time I got to Mitchell it was actually cold! The wind was pretty strong up there too. At least this year it looks like no rain at the start. That seemed to be the trend for a while.

Don't count on it. :rolleyes:

Don't count on it. :rolleyes:

I did my last long ride on Saturday, climbing to the to top of Mt. Weather (The peak is only about 1900 feet, but hey, it's the best I've got in this area. It's still got several sections in double digits, and one part that hits 20%).... Anyway - it was already hot and sunny when I started out at 8AM, and I was glad when it started to cloud over...but just after I got to the peak and turned around, we got hit with a BIG thunderstorm, with lots of wind, and rain so heavy, I couldn't see. The one saving grace of being on Mt. Weather, is that the Homeland Security site has a small overpass over the main road near the entrance...so I was able to hide under that while I wrung out my helmet liner, gloves, socks and jersey. I didn't do the shorts for obvious reasons.....;)

So, if it rains, at least I'm used to it by now.

I'm trying to remember a AOMM the last several years when it didn't rain. Was it 2 years ago it was lightning around the start line???

I'm trying to remember a AOMM the last several years when it didn't rain. Was it 2 years ago it was lightning around the start line???

Yes, that was unnerving. Last year we were awaken at 3am by some strong T-storms that lasted until just before the start. We did start on wet roads and had a brief light shower on the way to Marion. This year, it looks to be very hot like it was in 2004. Many riders suffered from cramps that day.

anyone have a garmin tcx file for AoM they can send me?

I pulled this info from my Garmin from last year if it is any help. It is the amount of climbing in each 5 mile segment. I had adjusted the actual readings (column in the middle) down slightly to marry up with some other data I had. I think it is pretty close.

Miles Elevation gained per segment


5 336 324
10 196 189
15 309 298
20 154 148
25 192 185
30 210 202
35 301 290
40 462 445
45 312 301
50 623 601
55 386 372
60 385 371
65 453 437
70 284 274
75 352 339 4955 Climbing to Marion
80 365 352
85 1171 1129
90 1446 1394
95 948 914
100 1512 1457
102 600 578 6042 Climbing from Marion to Mitchell
10997 10600

adjustment factor= 0.963899245

cool. i don't really need a file, but just like to have the route in there.

so, around 4900' climbing up to Marion. not too bad i guess.

How is it? Hot?

How is it? Hot?

God, it was brutal. The start wasn't bad, but once the sun got over the trees (about 10AM or so), it was nasty all day. Bill's Hill wasn't as hard as I expected, but the climb up NC-80 was killer, and I was cramping all the way up until the Blue Ridge Parkway downhill.

The first finishing time was around 5:40 (I was in around 10:30, so figure out where I was in the pack). It would have been even faster had we not been held up for 15 minutes or so - they held up the entire ride because they were paving the road on the route.

hot. friggen brutal. report later.

The story was probably the hot, hot temps. As we were coming back down I've never seen as many riders huddled in any shade they could find along the BRP. Plus there was just no breeze to speak of at all. I used most of my water externally-squirting my jersey and neck. Last year I stopped 4 minutes total. This year it was at least 17 mins-not counting the 15 mins for the road paving.

Hwy 80 wasn't that bad temperature wise as it was mostly in the shade when I came through-but it was still pretty warm. But the BRP and Hwy 128 in the Park was mostly in the sun. I think the temps broke a little the last 2 miles to the top but they were replaced by flying bugs. I was covered with the little suckers and even had them in my teeth. I've seen those little critters up there before but nothing like that. I wiped them off with a damp white towel and the towel turned green.

I think I came in around 7:20 ish including the 15 minutes we stopped for the road paving. Other than the first time I ever did it, this one felt like the hardest one I've done. I cramped from about mile 40 to the end. My ride time was around 30 mins longer than last year with the bulk of that being the time from Marion to the top.

Other than cramping my feet got really, really hot towards the end. I even stopped for a couple minutes just 2 miles from the end as the soles of my feet were so hot.

I sure wish folks would get bottle cages that keep their bottles on their bikes. I must have dodged a dozen water bottles the first 20 miles. There's just nowhere to manuever when you're already 4 wide in a lane and the water bottles are moving around more unpredictably than a squirrel darting around the road.

Just saw one crash-very early in the ride when the group was very large and I think someone's chain dropped .......and 2-3 others ran into him. I think everyone was able to continue riding though.

There were lots of broken spokes-kept the mechanic at Bill's Hill really busy. My brother broke his rear derailleur cable-tied it off and limped along on the early climbs in his 12 gear.

My hats off to anyone who finished AOMM today. It was definitely one for the books.