Pacific Northwest - SiR Mountain (un)Populaire

September 7th. Anyone riding it?

That's the same day as the High Pass Challenge. I am signed up to do the HPC but am thinking about chickening out -- I have had two minor off-the-bike injuries to my left foot and have not done as much riding the past four weeks as I would have liked. Am going to see how things feel this weekend before deciding.

In other words, if I don't do the HPC, I might do the SIR ride. The longest I've done since I hurt my ankle is about 70 miles, so the SIR ride might be OK.

yeah i hate that the High Pass Challenge is on the same day!! i'm signed up for the HPC, but i might sell the ticket to do the mtn populaire instead, given the lore around it, and the fact that it's local. The HPC was a great ride, definitely worth doing at least once.

not sure if this is the exact route, but i found this route called the "issaquah alps 100k" on veloroutes: http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=9029 (it looks to be the route: cougar mtn, tolt hill, etc)

Spokefest In Spokane Is That Weekend Also, May Be Out Of Action Tho. Waiting For The Doc To Call :(

given the lore around it, and the fact that it's local. The HPC was a great ride, definitely worth doing at least once.


- what is the lore around it?

- and, how would you compare the difficulty of the HPC to the Tour de Blast?

- what is the lore around it?

http://rusa64.blogspot.com/2007/09/mountain-populaire.html

It's the shortest of the SiR rides, but might just be the most difficult one based on terrain.

what is the lore around it?

of all the SiR rides, i hear the most about this one (mostly from non-sir riders). even though it's probably one of the "easier" rides SiR does, and definitely not the most "spectacular;" i'm guessing this is because it's a more doable ride than most of their brevets.


and, how would you compare the difficulty of the HPC to the Tour de Blast?

i thought the HPC was somewhat harder than the TdB, but only because there is more sustained climbing (~35 miles of up to get to windy ridge), and it seemed steeper too. then again i was in better form for the TdB, so it's kind of hard to compare. but the HPC is certainly a notch up i think. that said, if you can do the TdB and live, you can certainly finish the HPC!

yeah i hate that the High Pass Challenge is on the same day!! i'm signed up for the HPC, but i might sell the ticket to do the mtn populaire instead, given the lore around it, and the fact that it's local. The HPC was a great ride, definitely worth doing at least once.

not sure if this is the exact route, but i found this route called the "issaquah alps 100k" on veloroutes: http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=9029 (it looks to be the route: cougar mtn, tolt hill, etc)

The part around issaquah looks right. I think we came up tolt rather than fall city-issaquah, but I could be wrong.

The populaire is going to be different in character than the HPC (I'm assuming it's similar to RAMROD in type). The mountain rides aren't terribly steep, but they are long (you might spend 90 minutes on a single climb) and can be hot and windy.

The populaire climbs aren't that long - if you're in reasonable shape, the zoo is a 20 minute (ish) climb (they don't do the full zoo, only the bottom 2/3rds) - but they're steeper. A *lot* steeper. And you hit the last climb after riding the 70 miles.

If you've done 7 hills or 11 hills, the populaire is considerably harder. I think it's harder than the Summits of bothel as well.

But, the price is right (it's free).

The part around issaquah looks right. I think we came up tolt rather than fall city-issaquah, but I could be wrong.

The populaire is going to be different in character than the HPC (I'm assuming it's similar to RAMROD in type). The mountain rides aren't terribly steep, but they are long (you might spend 90 minutes on a single climb) and can be hot and windy.

The populaire climbs aren't that long - if you're in reasonable shape, the zoo is a 20 minute (ish) climb (they don't do the full zoo, only the bottom 2/3rds) - but they're steeper. A *lot* steeper. And you hit the last climb after riding the 70 miles.

If you've done 7 hills or 11 hills, the populaire is considerably harder. I think it's harder than the Summits of bothel as well.

But, the price is right (it's free).

Summits of Bothell was a tough ride, and I'm going to re-ride the route from my place again this weekend to get myself prepared for the Mtn. Pop.
I've also been doing a commute home which incorporates 3/4 of Woodinville Duvall hill (from just below 175th up to the top) 128th from Avondale to 202, 116th from 202 back to Avondale, 104th from Avondale back to 202 again (the steep side of Education Hill) and then either Novelty Hill or the steep side of Union Hill Rd to the top of Redmond Ridge.
I'm either going to be really ready, or my legs are going to fall off. :p

this looks to be the official route for this year: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Issaquah-Alps-100K-2008-Version

i'll be there after all - if you see a bearded guy on a pacer, that will be me. it's gonna be a great ride.

Sux, but I won't be riding this weekend. I ate something bad yesterday, and I've been sick all day. Throwing up, etc. I'll be lucky to be back in shape to ride the 11 miles to work on Monday.

Hey I'll be there. Grey beard on a Litespeed.

Sux, but I won't be riding this weekend. I ate something bad yesterday, and I've been sick all day. Throwing up, etc. I'll be lucky to be back in shape to ride the 11 miles to work on Monday.

damn, talk about bad timing!! sorry to hear that clifton.

i almost missed the ride myself; left the house at about 7:30, later than expected, and when i was about .5 miles from the start i saw the peloton of riders coming the other way (down newport)..
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/2838294400_df58320535.jpg?v=0

so i just turned around and join the pack. here we are starting the cougar climb:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2279/2838294416_602623b353.jpg?v=0


here was tolt hill, towards the end of the ride:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3087/2838357054_970fa05a77.jpg?v=0

we (me & one other rider, jack) finished at about 1:30, 5 hours total. i was definitely tired at the end, but the (new) pacer worked out well!!

here was the finish at the brewery:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2838357066_046535407f.jpg?v=0

What equipment are you guys set up with for this ride? Triples and 10 speeds what gearing? I gots to know.

i was running a compact (50x34) crankset, with a 12-27 in the back.

and i definitely used the 34x27 a lot, although it's really slow since the gear-inches are so low at that point, but at least it's easy.

What equipment are you guys set up with for this ride? Triples and 10 speeds what gearing? I gots to know.

Had I not been ill all weekend, I'd have been there with a compact double (34/46) and a 9spd 11-32 cassette.