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12-05-08, 07:20 PM
A 50 Mile out and 50 mile back unsupported Century that featured Sierra Rd.
I began in south Walnut Creek at 7:30 AM when it was 38 degrees out.
I get pretty stupid sometimes but Brain Dead Macho cycling is a calling I guess.
Did I mention I had never climbed Sierra before?
First I went down to Sunol and up Calaveras to Felter Rd. I saw the cutest little fuzzy-woolly goats you ever saw near the summit of Felter. I wanted to hug them, but then I remembered they would smell like goats.
Continued up Felter and then descended Sierra. Wow, that was an intense descent,especially knowing I had to climb it all again on the way home.
The intersection of Sierra Rd and N. Capitol is 50 mi.from the car so that was my turn around.
Stopped for lunch at Sunny Day Donuts, I'll bet that is cyclist hang out. Great place to carbo load for Sierra, nice folks too and it is right at the base of Sierra Rd.
Thank goodness I was able to call Pete from the donut shop for some Sierra Rd tips.
His suggestion to switch back was the key to me surviving the climb.
Lunch was good. 4 donuts, a banana and a cup of coffee.
Descending Felter back towards Calaveras I was shredding today, really in the zone. I was cornering like the bike was on rails. I caught a cyclist named Darrel, that I had seen up the road with my kamikaze descending and chatted him up for a while before I just had to let it out again and pull away from him.
Barreling along at 45 mph I came around a gentle bend in the road and I had to thread the needle between two wild turkeys, huge ones, that were taking up my lane. If I had tried to radically change my line I might have gone down, so I just split them. One took flight right as I shot by, fortunately in the direction away from me, not right into my wheel.
For organized Centuries like Foxy's, Solvang etc. I can turn in a 6 or 6 1/2 hour time.
Unsupported, and pulling the whole way with no help from a friendly wheel is different kettle of fish.
7000 ft of climbing slowed me a bit too, that's for sure.
Pete called me with 12 miles to go to check on me. That gave me a boost I needed right then.
It sure is nice to have friends. BikeForums people are the best.
Total Time: 9 hours :eek:
Time on bike: 7:48
Avg Speed: 12.8
Max Speed: 45.5 (right as I shot through the turkeys :twitchy:)
Bikely Route (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Sierra-Rd-Out-n-Back-Century)
I began in south Walnut Creek at 7:30 AM when it was 38 degrees out.
I get pretty stupid sometimes but Brain Dead Macho cycling is a calling I guess.
Did I mention I had never climbed Sierra before?
First I went down to Sunol and up Calaveras to Felter Rd. I saw the cutest little fuzzy-woolly goats you ever saw near the summit of Felter. I wanted to hug them, but then I remembered they would smell like goats.
Continued up Felter and then descended Sierra. Wow, that was an intense descent,especially knowing I had to climb it all again on the way home.
The intersection of Sierra Rd and N. Capitol is 50 mi.from the car so that was my turn around.
Stopped for lunch at Sunny Day Donuts, I'll bet that is cyclist hang out. Great place to carbo load for Sierra, nice folks too and it is right at the base of Sierra Rd.
Thank goodness I was able to call Pete from the donut shop for some Sierra Rd tips.
His suggestion to switch back was the key to me surviving the climb.
Lunch was good. 4 donuts, a banana and a cup of coffee.
Descending Felter back towards Calaveras I was shredding today, really in the zone. I was cornering like the bike was on rails. I caught a cyclist named Darrel, that I had seen up the road with my kamikaze descending and chatted him up for a while before I just had to let it out again and pull away from him.
Barreling along at 45 mph I came around a gentle bend in the road and I had to thread the needle between two wild turkeys, huge ones, that were taking up my lane. If I had tried to radically change my line I might have gone down, so I just split them. One took flight right as I shot by, fortunately in the direction away from me, not right into my wheel.
For organized Centuries like Foxy's, Solvang etc. I can turn in a 6 or 6 1/2 hour time.
Unsupported, and pulling the whole way with no help from a friendly wheel is different kettle of fish.
7000 ft of climbing slowed me a bit too, that's for sure.
Pete called me with 12 miles to go to check on me. That gave me a boost I needed right then.
It sure is nice to have friends. BikeForums people are the best.
Total Time: 9 hours :eek:
Time on bike: 7:48
Avg Speed: 12.8
Max Speed: 45.5 (right as I shot through the turkeys :twitchy:)
Bikely Route (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Sierra-Rd-Out-n-Back-Century)