Great Lakes - July 12-Lake Country Classic, Oconomowoc, WI

Bay View Bicycle Club presents the
Lake Country Classic
Saturday, July 12, 2008
First Congregational United Church of Christ
815 S. Concord Road
Oconomowoc (map)
Ride: 15, 25, 45, 65, or 100! miles

I did this ride last year. It's well-organized with a relatively flat route (to the best of my recollection). Anyone else going? I'm in for the 100 this year, did 65 last year. Passes through a bit of the Kettle Moraine and Jefferson, Walworth and Waukesha counties.

http://www.bayviewbikeclub.org/classic.htm

I'm planning on doing the 100 as well. For some reason I've never done this ride before. Glad to hear you liked it. Most rides organized by bike clubs seem to be well run.

I rode the 100 on Sunday (a ?perk? of being a Bay View Bike Club member). I'd never ridden the 100, just the metric. I can tell you this much....it is a beautiful route on really low traffic roads. Well, (standard disclaimer) except for getting in and out the cities and a short connector on HWY106. There was some last minute reroutes due to flooding--e.g., the nice road between Upper and Lower Genesee Lake is underwater and now part of the combined Genesee Lake, but the road surfaces weren't bad.

The route is very pretty. And, surprisingly, a little hillier than I expected. OK, still pretty flat for a century and pretty flat for riding through the Kettle Moraine, but, save yourself some leg. I'd ridden the 65 several times and it rolls in at a whopping 28 feet/mile of elevation. Really flat. The century has 36 feet/mile--not that much more, but, be warned, the ride starts flat (26 feet/mile in the first 30 miles) and gets progressively hillier. So, don't be fooled during the early sections. There are never any "killer hills" (aka too long and steep)--just rollers. But, the rolliest section is between miles 60-75 at 53 feet/mile. But most of that section would have been in the metric so if you've ridden that, you've seen the worst.

May the winds be gentler for you on Saturday and the temperature a little cooler. It is a nice route and should be a lot of fun with company and homemade cookies at the rest stops. Enjoy!

Hey, Thorn, thanks for the info. Last year I managed to hook up with a rider who was just going my speed and it was perfect. Hope to have similar luck this year, as I had a great time last year. I'll be sure to try not trash my legs in preparation for those last miles. I've only done one century before (Cream City) and it went great; hope this one does too.

Sounds like a great ride but I'll miss it between a family reunion and rehabbing a sprained ankle. Darn!

Hey Wiswell...since you road Cream City, does the century have to climb that big hill out by Alpine Valley or does the century bypass it? After doing the metric at Cream City, I've chickened out on the century and done Door County instead--I can finish a century, but I'm not strong enough (yet) to do a century with big hills.

BTW, we rode the Kenosha-Racine Cycle Club's century in May ( http://www.krbikeclub.com/ ). If you get to the point where you're thinking about an early season century, it is a great route. A big 3-leafed clover route that comes back to the same rest stop. If you're cooked at 70 miles, you're back at your car; if you're not, you go out and do the last 30 miles. Oh, and a nice route....but the 3rd leaf of the clover did that Alpine Valley hill -- but we made it.

Hope you find a good riding partner Saturday.

I'll have to dig out my cue sheet and take a look. I don't remember any big climbs, though, but I am a terrible judge of that. Perhaps one of the BFNIC boys who were there can chime in. Psimet? CyLowe? Are you referring to Bowers Rd? That was not part of the Cream City century (I did, however, climb that last month and it wasn't horrible).

JBMadtown - Cream City...Cream City...Cream City...You'll have plenty of time to heal up by August 24. Yes it's a bit of a haul to the start, but it's fun.

Thorn, are you working a stop?

Yep...Bowers Road. The first time I did that on the metric I struggled and grumbled. In May at mile 80 it wasn't so bad--probably flattened out with all the weight of snow last winter :rolleyes:

I've been told I'm working the first rest stop. They're still calling it Genesee Lake rest stop, but it has been moved early. I think you'll see it at about 15 miles. I suspect I won't be seeing a lot of century riders--many will skip a 15 mile rest stop and you have to ride out of your way to see me at mile 96-ish at the end. So I guess I'll be supporting the century in spirit. Trying to keep the winds still and the temperature at a please 70-something.

And jbmadtown if you can't make Cream City, I've been told the Spring City people people put on a great ride in September....or, maybe you'll get to do them both! The joy of riding....there's always another great ride waiting for you.

JBMadtown - Cream City...Cream City...Cream City...You'll have plenty of time to heal up by August 24. Yes it's a bit of a haul to the start, but it's fun.


I've got cream city penciled in, though Wirldpeas and I may decide to get out of town that weekend. Not sure I'll need to do the MS150, DLD (you're signing up, right!?:D), Cream City and the Wright Stuff Century. Maybe I'll to Cream City instead of Wright Stuff this year (though that is a great ride).

Is there "day of" registration at Cream City? It may be a last minute decision. Hoping to get on the bike later this week!

I've done the Cream City century option both fo the last 2 years. I really don't remember any specifically hard climb, but I do remember that it had more "climbing" than I was used to and commented on that fact 2 years ago.

Last year it didn't seem nearly as bad. I am sure this year it will seem like nothing.

2 years ago kenal0 had a Garmin on the ride and did make a comment about some huge grade% it was reading on one climb.

I'll check for my cue sheets at home. I save them all.

And jbmadtown if you can't make Cream City, I've been told the Spring City people people put on a great ride in September....or, maybe you'll get to do them both! The joy of riding....there's always another great ride waiting for you.

JB - Cream City is out of town, right, so there you go (and yes, it does have day of reg.)! The BFNIC'ers cross the Cheddar curtain for that one, I've read. DLD - not. By the way, have you ever been up that steep hill at Enchanted Valley Rd? I hit that for the first time last week. Granny gear plus standing. That's a rarity for me.

Spring City does a great job with Pedal the Kettle (September 21, JB). I've only done the metric - it's a moderately hilly ride at that level - and cruel at the end with two big climbs to the finish.

Anyway, back to this ride - Thorn, you're right, I probably won't stop at mile 15, but you never know. If it's windy and hot, I'll probably stop.

Granny gear plus standing. That's a rarity for me.

How the heck do you think I do the HHH and DLD?!

Oohhhh, Pedal the Kettle... perhaps I could combine that one with a camping trip:D. Kettle Morraine South, right? Yes I have enjoyed the Enchanted Valley climb a few times. I discovered it solo and some of the BBC rides go up it as well. I hope you turned around and went down it! I'll try to sell wirldpeas on letting me do Cream City- maybe she'll even consider a shorter route (in between the triathlons and half marathons she's doing these days).

*Edit* Sorry for the thread hijack- enjoy the ride this weekend!