Southeast - AOMM - Start it up!!!

OK- Today was the first day of registration. Shout out if you're in. Can use this thread to keep up as we get closer as each is inclined...

I'm in. This will be my first experience and just hope I can make it in a decent time. :)

I'm in. First timer. Will start with the 8-9hr group.

I signed up yesterday but I have found out that I am relocating for work sometime in May, so hopefully I will still be around that day.

I did this last year & figure if I could ride it in a furnace, I should be able to ride it again this year. I am not in as good of shape at this point as I was last year, but I have trouble getting on the trainer and I just don't think the once a week riding is doing it. But once the time change kicks in, I am sure that the legs will come back.

Who is planning on doing some of the training rides?

i've decided to not ride AoMM. adding up the cost...it's coming in at over $300 (reg/jersey/tshirt/buffet/bus/hotel). yea, i could take the jersey/tshirt off, but that's still $250+ and if i survive the ride, i damn well want a jersey. and, it's a logistical nightmare to get back to spartanburg w/o riding the bus...there are plenty of rides in the WNC area that i can do that are cheaper and less headache. maybe i'll do my own AoMM from the WNC area later this summer...

you guys have fun!!!

I registered today. Just hoping the temps will be cooler than last year...

I'm signed up, but already dreading the last 20+ miles.

Still Mitchell spots available today? No sellout in 5 minutes? What is going on?

Yeah, seems strange based on prior experience. I got a pass knowing I can't make it. I guess last years heat burned out many people from wanting to do the ride again. I know it did that to me. Worst day ever on a bike. I will never ride in those conditions again. Besides, the ride keeps getting more expensive.

I see the passcode is no longer required to register. Maybe the ala carte price structure and the poor economy has impacted the event. It is expensive once all the hotel, shuttle, entry etc is added up. Maybe the staggered starts has changed the perception of the ride. I know many considered this a race and used the large group to get to Marion as fast as possible.

well, i'm in for AoMM now. one of my biggest hang-ups about the ride (besides the cost) was the bus ride back to spartanburg. i didn't want to get done with the ride, sit around in marion waiting for a bus to fill up and take me to spartanburg. i just wanted to leave marion and head on home.

i'm pretty sure i've secured a spot on a chartered bus for myself & NealH plus our bikes (waiting to hear back from the guy doing this as to the cost & other details)...leaving marion on the 17th and taking us to spartanburg. this means we dont have to go back to spartanburg after the ride, but can leave from there and head home.

yowza. i've got get busy!!!

Wolfpack- Glad to see you in. Tomorrow was supposed to be the first training ride, rescheduled from the last time, when it was rained out in January. Not looking to good for tomorrow. Weather so far on the weekends has made planning training rides for Sat / Sun dicey. No more cold / snow, that's why I moved away from Chi-town...

Had nightmares for 3 weeks afterword last year - dreamt I was still riding Hwy 80 !

I see the passcode is no longer required to register. Maybe the ala carte price structure and the poor economy has impacted the event. It is expensive once all the hotel, shuttle, entry etc is added up. Maybe the staggered starts has changed the perception of the ride. I know many considered this a race and used the large group to get to Marion as fast as possible.
I rode the AoMM and completed it once before (1989, 11:45 :D), so having beaten that last year (8:40), I didn't want to invest the $$$ to do the ride again this year (a good $8-900 coming from CA).

But, for further discussion, about a month ago or so, there was a lot of talk on the e-mail list about the new starting waves and time cut-offs for entrance into the park on the BRP. The time cut-offs don't concern me: if you can't get to the BRP by 3:30pm, you're not going to be able to finish the ride before they shut down the course (6:30pm?).

But, the wave starts do concern me. I can ride all day at 23-25mph and last year had no trouble keeping up with the lead pack until we hit that construction zone. As we started up again after the delay, the front group took off, causing a split, and I missed it, ending up in the 2nd group. I got to Tom's campground in 3:30 or so and started climbing to the BRP. But, because I'm a big guy, I climb about as slow as molasses in January and had an overall finish of 8:40 at the top. :twitchy: Yeah...I know... :eek: But if I was forced to start farther back in a later wave because of my 8:40 time, I'm afraid I would be all alone getting to Marion or riding with a slower group.

Well, no concern to me this year anyway. Just my $ 0.02.

Yeah, Mark, I'm with you on that. I think that may be why there were passes available for a few days on active.com. I'm personally done with the ride but I've done it 5 times. The logistics of it are just tough and as you say it's expensive.

I guess last years heat burned out many people from wanting to do the ride again. I know it did that to me. Worst day ever on a bike. I will never ride in those conditions again.

How hot was it last year? (Yes, I know that sounds like a set up to an old Johnny Carson routine...)


I see the passcode is no longer required to register. Maybe the ala carte price structure and the poor economy has impacted the event. It is expensive once all the hotel, shuttle, entry etc is added up.

Does that mean that you no longer have to do the Marion ride (or Mt. Mitchell) in order to register the following year?

how hot? too friggin hot...i don't really remember, maybe up in the 90's??

How hot was it last year? (Yes, I know that sounds like a set up to an old Johnny Carson routine...)



Does that mean that you no longer have to do the Marion ride (or Mt. Mitchell) in order to register the following year?

It was 102º in Spartanburg, 99º in Marion, 80º+ on top of Mitchell. I will never ride in that again. I just can't do it.

Technically you do have to ride the Marion ride but there are ways around it. Join the Freewheelers for one. This year is unusual because the Mitchell passes were still available for a couple days on active.com where in the past they sold out in a few minutes.

Thanks for the information.

I rode Mt. Mitchell in 1997, before they had the Marion requirement. I rode the Marion event in 2006, but I didn't receive the e-mail and password for registering for Mt. Mitchell in 2007. I'm debating about doing the Marion ride this year, with the goal of doing Mt. Mitchell again next year - I guess I didn't learn the first time! :p

My experience in '97 was just the opposite of what people had last year. It was rather cold at the start. I forget if it was a record low... I may just be exaggerating with time. "It was up hill both ways, in the snow, blah blah blah..."

It was 102º in Spartanburg, 99º in Marion, 80º+ on top of Mitchell. I will never ride in that again. I just can't do it.

Technically you do have to ride the Marion ride but there are ways around it. Join the Freewheelers for one. This year is unusual because the Mitchell passes were still available for a couple days on active.com where in the past they sold out in a few minutes.

Boy! Is that all it was? Top o' Mitchell wasn't bad, but riding the Parkway--wowee it was hot. We were swerving across the roadway just so we could ride in any shade we found.

How hot was it last year?
Does this answer the question???

:lol:

Well, it looks like there's a good chance that I'll be there for the Marion ride this year. If you happen to see a guy with the whitest legs around, riding a Litespeed Classic with a yellow saddle and handlebar tape, feel free to say hi! :thumb:

OK, we're a week out. Anyone interested in getting together Sunday for non-alcoholic drink(s), dinner, etc. ? Or just letting us know to say hello if we see each other? IDENTIFY YOURSELVES:D. Here, Black Guru Carbonio-Ti, either 50+ Bike Forums jersey or Black Dog Café jersey, white helmet

ok...i'm stayin at the Marriott...gonna partake of the buffet that evening. PM for cell phone #

riding a black with red/white accents Fuji Team RC. red tape on left/white on right. will be wearing either the Vanderkitten kit or Think Racing kit, red/black helmet.

*edit* my number is 1140.

I am in for year 3 of AoMM. Last year was tough with the heat! I think i am ready!!!
I felt GREAT at the Tour de Cashiers!!!!

Also I will be in a orange and black Ski Country Sports of Asheville NC jersey.
Red Giant TCR C2 bike. Number 909.

The weather forecast a few days ago was for sunny and a high in the low 80's... now they're calling for rain and a high in the mid 60's to low 70's (depending on whether you're looking at Spartanburg or Marion). DOH!

yes, i have been watching the forecast. not looking good at this time, but it's still 6 days out....oh well, i've been getting practice in riding in the rain. :rolleyes:

The weather is looking better!!!!!!! Great !!!!!
RP

The good news - not too hot & no rain. The not so good news - looks like no warmer than 60deg anytime during the ride and NE winds 10-12mph. Dress right, & see y'all in less than 24 hrs!

well, i can deal with the cooler temps better than heat any day. see ya & good luck!!

i'll probably start a new thread for my ride report, but till then....powertap says i did the ride in 8:11hr/103.5mi and garmin has 11000' +/- climbing.

Well done.

Anyone have trouble getting their bike after the ride??

I was lucky. I only had to wait 30 minutes once I got back to Spartanburg.

I waited in Marion only to find out it was on a supply bus to Spartanburg. Got my bike at 11pm

Yeah i Heard bike retrieval fell apart and was quite the boondoggle

Oh Thanks to all for the kind words, high fives and generally friendliness to my family on side of Bill's Hill with the bells and air horn and messages on the road, y'all made their day especially the RIDERS climbing the hill and taking their pictures!

i'll probably start a new thread for my ride report, but till then....powertap says i did the ride in 8:11hr/103.5mi and garmin has 11000' +/- climbing.

Terrific! Very well done for the first time-or anytime for that matter. I spotted you just shy of the entrance to Mitchell as we were headed back down the mountain. You could not have picked a better day weather wise.

getting my bike back was awful...it finally got to Marion around 8pm and when it came off the truck, i took it and was going to leave...but, they told me i couldn't take it without it getting checked off the manifest...oh boy...i don't know if i'll ride it again next year or not based on the trouble getting my bike. you'd think after 34 AoMM's they would have this better figured out...

anyways, it was a great ride and i'll do a ride report tomorrow....

Beautiful weather; Volunteers, org, and planning as good if not better than last year.

"perfect storm" of a snafu with the bike shuttle from the top caused a good bit of frustration; I'd expect that to be fixed if I attempt next year.