Southern California - Gran Fondo Little Italy/ San Diego

http://www.granfondosandiego.com/

Anyone here doing the Gran Fondo Century San Diego this weekend? Looks like a great time and is always a good idea to support anyone willing to bring a ride to SD.

Anyone care to take a guess on the numbers that they will draw?

$$$

A little expensive for the effort of riding 100 miles, especially when there are 2 of us.

We are doing it on our tandem. It's going to be fun,:) we love the route:thumb:

$100 a head includes jerseys for all (1st Annual, hopefully) and plenty of schwag and support, not bad really. I have bought jerseys alone that have cost more than that. Good to support and welcome seeing it come to town and we all hope it grows.

but a waste of money if you don't want/need the extra jersey or if you think it's ugly like 99.9% of ride jerseys. it would be nice to have the option to not buy the jersey instead of forcing you to do so.

$100 a head includes jerseys for all (1st Annual, hopefully) and plenty of schwag and support, not bad really. I have bought jerseys alone that have cost more than that. Good to support and welcome seeing it come to town and we all hope it grows.

I like the option of buying the jersey or not. Again, especially for two. As for support, give me some peanut butter and bread, water and I'm good. Oh, maybe some M & Ms (they had those at Tour de PS, mmmmm :thumb:)

I would have registered if the jersey was an option. I have enough ugly jerseys.

oh what the hell...I have not collected enough ugly jerseys yet...

my guess is 400 riders...not a great route IMHO...and $100....no way

Just got back from registration and a nice conversation with Ernesto. They think 800 riders, not a bad first time event in SD. Will see how they pull it off.

Eh, the jersey isn't that horrible. I've seen worse. Much, much worse. Oh well. I'll make a full report Sunday evening. If any of you are there, I'll be on my grey Viner.

Isn't the Bulldog bicycle race happening at Pendelton this weekend? I think a few might be going to that. At least I thought it was on the 28th.

Eh, the jersey isn't that horrible. I've seen worse. Much, much worse. Oh well. I'll make a full report Sunday evening. If any of you are there, I'll be on my grey Viner.

You're right. I should have gone to the website and loked at it before I replied. It's got good colors and Gran Fondo has a euro sound. As long as it doesn't translate to Great Bowel Movement.

The ugliest ride jersey I've seen to date was an orange one for the City of Angels Fun Ride. There's nothing fun about cycling. They should have had the words death somewhere along with a picture of the grim reaper or the LA riots or something.

I'll be on a black Cervelo Soloist and wearing a Tri Club San Diego jersey. And close by a cute blonde friend riding a gold Specialized tri bike...

Well that painful!!! High in Alpine was 89 degrees, but it must have been at least 5 degrees hotter out on Honey Springs. People scattered by the side of the road, trying to find shade, puking, etc. Then they ran out of water at the aid station at the top!! As we near the Alpine aid station, we get passed by the B&L truck filled with bikes and riders crashed in the back of the bed. I went through 6 bottles of my Carbopro/Vitalyte mix, several bottles of accelerade, and drank 32 oz of Powerbar Recovery afterwards (had NO appetite for the post-ride food!), and still had lost 4 lbs by the time I got home. Tried to eat and drink last night, but still down 3.5 lbs this morning.

I was shepherding a friend that had only been back on the bike after 3 weeks of being sick, and triathlete friend of hers that was doing her first century. And along the way I we picked up a Bikram Yoga instructor I used to take classes from, who was also doing her first century. So it was a relaxed pace, took time at the aid stations to rehydrate, etc.

I liked the ride through the Olympic Training Center (got to do a lap of their private criterium circuit!), and the section out in east coounty, despite the heat. Did NOT like the route in and out of Little Italy (Harbor Drive down to National City SUCKS!).

Interesting century, I saw alot of out-town-peeps (La Grange, etc). The actual start was kinda cool. I was in the first wave and we were lead out by a bunch of Ferraris thru Harbor. Ernesto Colnago himself dropped the flag to start the century ride. They also had this gorgeous italian lady on the podium talking about some other sister ride in Proseco, Italy. I couldn't understand a word she said as I staring right at her attributes.

I agree with MarkG, the ride thru downtown up to the Olympic training center sucked big time. What I also found funny was that at the OTC, a photographer wanted you to step off your bike and on the medal platform to take a photo - CHEESSY. Besides, which of the three of us would be relegated to the lower steps - NOT FREAKIN I. Anyhoot, I bypassed that gig and headed straight for the 1st checkpoint.

My 'puter registered temps in high 90's, plus, we had a headwind the entire time. Out in the backcountry prior to Alpine, I thought my tires were melting, they felt that soft out there. My feet and ass were burnin bigtime - what I wouldn't give to shove some ice down there! At all of the checkpoints, they had water, so I must have been a bit ahead of Mark's group. However, they only had ice at the last two checkpoints. The course really had one major climb - honey springs road I think with the rest of the course just rolling.

Overall, about 6k of climbing at 97miles - yeah.. not even a century. The post ride meal consisted of penne and raviolli pasta with either meat or mariana sauce and bread and water. Water stations consisted of the usual fare - pretzels, bananas, oranges, pastry, accelerade, water. At the top of Alpine, the water station was actually pouring small shots of beer - yeah, that'll make it alright. I also saw a bunch of peeps getting sagged. Can't blame them though - it was hot and the consistent headwind did not make things easier - it definitely was not the day to be out there on your own. Can't say I would do this again unless they change the venue somewhere else maybe the Grand Fondo Julian or something.

The best part about this ride however is that mavic support vehicle. Both my tires got cut due to my inattention and the support guys not put on two spare wheels (campy) but also replaced both tires and tubes at the aid station - very cool.

Wow...I didn't realize that it was that hot here this weekend. We were in Death Valley doing the double century and the temps were PERFECT!

Huh. I had a wonderful time. Yes it was very challenging. The most climbing I've ever done in one go. The weather wasn't perfect. Great ride though. Sure some of the roads sucked in places. I did have to stop once on the climb, but oh well. I think they did great for being the first time for this ride. At least the course was well marked out. What I don't quite get (and this goes for many of the rides I've done) is why the tri girls are so annoying. They yammer on, gossip, and complain about the ride. Just shut up and enjoy the ride for once. Or maybe I just seem to get stuck in groups with the annoying ones. Anyways, I had a good time.

What I don't quite get (and this goes for many of the rides I've done) is why the tri girls are so annoying. They yammer on, gossip, and complain about the ride. Just shut up and enjoy the ride for once. Or maybe I just seem to get stuck in groups with the annoying ones. Anyways, I had a good time.

That's what your iPod is for! ;)

What I don't quite get (and this goes for many of the rides I've done) is why the tri girls are so annoying. They yammer on, gossip, and complain about the ride. Just shut up and enjoy the ride for once. Or maybe I just seem to get stuck in groups with the annoying ones. Anyways, I had a good time.

Funny thing, I was behind a bunch of tri girls leading into one of the smaller climbs near the end of the ride and the first said back to others, "The first one is not too bad but the second is barfy." Interesting nonetheless.

I have met many more "tri girls" than any other women that ride road bikes. Fact is that triathlon is probably the biggest feeder for women coming into the sport than anything else right now. Oh, and you are out on a run with them, they are the same way. I just view it as the "inflight entertainment" :-)

Edit: Brandy, I won't ride with an ipod anymore! There were way too many cars and crotch rockets passing at high speed on Otay Lakes Rd and out on Lyons Valley Rd, however I could hear them coming from a long way off and adjust accordingly. I can't when I have headphones going. I used to run with one, but I don't anymore for the same reason. You really need ALL your senses out there anymore to stay safe.

Mark...I won't get into the great iPod debate. :innocent: I almost always have one on, except when we're on the tandem. My theory is that if they're going that fast and there's no shoulder like on those roads...what kind of adjustments can I make if I hear them coming?

It was advertised as a challenging route and I think everyone would agree that is was. Yeah there were people walking and puking on the side of the road but can you really blame the event organizer for that? Plenty of food and drink when I went through (I finished at 2:15). Was nice to finish and sit at a street side pub watching people straggle in for the next 2-3 hours. Stella Artois rehydrates the body rather nicely...

Mark...I won't get into the great iPod debate. :innocent: I almost always have one on, except when we're on the tandem. My theory is that if they're going that fast and there's no shoulder like on those roads...what kind of adjustments can I make if I hear them coming?

Brandy, no worries! It really is a personal preference (though i do think it's something that you need sufficient riding experience to do). If I had the music going, I probably would have missed the pleasant sound of the stream running beside the road along Honey Springs Rd. However it would also have blocked out the sounds of the people puking their guts out by the side of the road!! :D

I almost always have one on, except when we're on the tandem.
That's when I'd be sure to wear one and maybe bring a backup.

That's when I'd be sure to wear one and maybe bring a backup.

Stoker has a positional advantage over the tandem pilot. Even if the pilot could manage to completely tune out the stoker, it's nothing that a quick slap upside the head wouldn't fix!!! :lol:

I did the ride and i enjoyed it, it was well supported and they did a good job at trying to make it fun for most. You cant please everyone as we see in the comments above. You cant blame them for the weather or for the conditioning of the riders. I saw a lot of people taking off to fast, sprinting from stop like to stop light in the beginning running stop signs and acting as if it was a race. by the time they hit the big climb they had burned to many matches. I took it easy for the most part and was back by 1:30 and still had energy to pull a group of riders in at the end. I thought they did a great job for the first time out and a lot better than a lot of rides i have done.

The ride was on March 1st. I did the ride.

I paid for the jersey.

I have not yet received the jersey!!!

Is there anyone else that has not received their jersey yet? I emailed the US organizer several times and have not heard back from him in over a month. What is going on?

They sent out a blanket email about a month ago. The jerseys had been ordered, but the maker screwed up/screwed them pretty bad and now they are trying to deal with that mess and find a new company to get them done and mailed out. Or so they say.

Maybe next year.

Maybe next year.You need a new bike.

You need a new bike.

Maybe next year.

*bump*

Anyone get their jersey yet? I figure if it's taking this long, they should just forget it and give everyone free entry next year. Either that or everyone will be receiving two jerseys. Least they could do. :(

*bump*

Anyone get their jersey yet? I figure if it's taking this long, they should just forget it and give everyone free entry next year. Either that or everyone will be receiving two jerseys. Least they could do. :(

Maybe next year.

yes but this year (2010) paolo bettini will be present. no word as to whether
his entire kit will consist of gold/rainbow colors though...