Southern California - SoCal Grand Tour Ride

The Los Angeles Wheelmen are sponsoring their annual endurance ride, The Grand Tour, on June 27th. The ride offers several distance options including:

Double Metric 125miles
Double Century 200 miles
Triple Century 300 miles
Quad Century 400 miles

Each distance option has a 24 hour time limit and the ride is fully supported. In addition to the actual ride, there are a series of weekly training rides over the next 12 weeks in the SoCal area. All the details can be found at: http://lawheelmen.org/

This is a great way to step into distance riding beyond a century ride. The double century even offers a lowland option that has less climbing for people new to that distance. Consider giving the ride a try!

I am planning on doing the double century. Are any other SoCal riders going to do this ride?

I am planning on doing the double century. Are any other SoCal riders going to do this ride?

Cbad, which one are you doing the lowland or highland? I'm doing the highland triple again.

Yes, I've done it for the last five years, and I'll be on the Highland Double again in 2009. Great ride, wouldn't miss it!

Rick / OCRR

Cbad, which one are you doing the lowland or highland? I'm doing the highland triple again.

I am planning on the highland route. I heard it has a better tailwind at the end. :p

I am planning on the highland route. I heard it has a better tailwind at the end. :p

Both courses start there return at the same point, Rincon Point, and follow the same exact course back to Malibu.

The lowland double looks pretty good as a first timer. I might be in if I can figure in arrangements to get up there and back, etc.

The lowland double looks pretty good as a first timer. I might be in if I can figure in arrangements to get up there and back, etc.

The lowland is a great first timer. The ride date is one of the longest days of the year, most sunshine. The LA Wheelmen do a wonderful job of putting on this ride.

The lowland double looks pretty good as a first timer. I might be in if I can figure in arrangements to get up there and back, etc.

Let me know if you want to carpool.

I've done the highland double for the last two years. I'll probably do it again this year.

I cant believe some people can do 400 miles in one day... Even the highland double looks hard.

I cant believe some people can do 400 miles in one day... Even the highland double looks hard.

Seriously impossible.

I cant believe some people can do 400 miles in one day... Even the highland double looks hard.

John, you know you want to do the double with me...

I missed last year but did the highland double the year before. I might do it again this year.

John, you know you want to do the double with me...

Manhattan Beach is the next day. Thats a good race for me, the hill is just enough to wear everyone down.

Damn, if only it were on a free weekend. There is almost nothing going on in July, 2 weeks later would have been prime.

I cant believe some people can do 400 miles in one day... Even the highland double looks hard.

Agreed. That's serious doo doo there. Under ACP rules, 27 hours is the max time limit for a 400K, but 400 miles is over 600k. It's doable, but not easy.

I couldn't find it on the site. What is the approx. elev. gain on the Double Metric?

I missed last year but did the highland double the year before. I might do it again this year.

Fixed George?

I cant believe some people can do 400 miles in one day... Even the highland double looks hard.

You have to average 16.66 mph with stops to finish under the 24 hr. limit.

I can't do the 300 or 400 mile version because it goes within a mile of my house... twice.

I can't do the 300 or 400 mile version because it goes within a mile of my house... twice.

yeah, i was looking at that. I would be too tempted to bail out.

I couldn't find it on the site. What is the approx. elev. gain on the Double Metric?

The elevation gain on the double metric is 7,900' and all route details are at:
http://lawheelmen.org/gtroutes.htm

It might be less work to do the lowland Double Century :D

The elevation gain on the double metric is 7,900' and all route details are at:
http://lawheelmen.org/gtroutes.htm It might be less work to do the lowland Double Century :D

Yes Billy,

It's less work, but a whole lot less fun too. More traffic, less scenery. Tried it, didn't like it, will always do the Highland!

Rick / OCRR

The elevation gain on the double metric is 7,900' and all route details are at:
http://lawheelmen.org/gtroutes.htm
Thanks BP.


It's less work, but a whole lot less fun too. More traffic, less scenery

That's what I was thinking too.

I can't do the 300 or 400 mile version because it goes within a mile of my house... twice.

So what you're saying is we are going to have a well stocked rest stop at your house. :lol:

So what you're saying is we are going to have a well stocked rest stop at your house. :lol:

Well stocked you say? Thats like beer and steak sandwiches right.

Yes Billy,

It's less work, but a whole lot less fun too. More traffic, less scenery. Tried it, didn't like it, will always do the Highland!

Rick / OCRR

I agree, the lowland scenery is blah....

One alternative is you can do the lowland route to Ojai and then take the highland route the rest of the way. That eliminates the boring out and back to Rincon on PCH the lowlanders take after Ojai. :D

Well stocked you say? Thats like beer and steak sandwiches right.

We need to start the list early so umd can make sure he has everything available for us. :rolleyes:

Funny guys... I'll be riding the double

Funny guys... I'll be riding the double

Soooo......Have the house stocked and leave the key under the mat. Simple, right guys. :thumb:

I agree, the lowland scenery is blah....

One alternative is you can do the lowland route to Ojai and then take the highland route the rest of the way. That eliminates the boring out and back to Rincon on PCH the lowlanders take after Ojai. :D

My personal goal here is the 200 mile distance. I've only done that one other time so I am willing to sacrifice the scenery on this one. I am discussing the courses with some friends and will decide between the high and low routes based on the group.

Just in case anyone is interested. The Wheelmen started training rides for the Grand Tour. Last week. This week is the canyon lakes training ride up near Magic Mountain. 64 miles - 4800 ft. of climbing. I'm going to use some for my bear training. http://lawheelmen.org/

At first I thought you guys were talking about the double metric. Then I had to reread the thread. I'm impressed that you guys can do 200 miles of riding in a day. :eek: Mentally it's hard for me. I gripe about 50 miles. I'm such a wimp.

Soooo......Have the house stocked and leave the key under the mat. Simple, right guys. :thumb:

and some extra towels in the bath room. I may want to shower, twice. :)

Registration for the ride has opened up and details are at:
http://lawheelmen.org/

I'm signed up for the highland triple and can't wait to get to the rest stop at Steve's house.

Don't count on it :notamused:

My personal goal here is the 200 mile distance. I've only done that one other time so I am willing to sacrifice the scenery on this one. I am discussing the courses with some friends and will decide between the high and low routes based on the group.

See that's about where I am right now. I'm not so picky about the scenery at this point. I want to do my first double this year, and sometimes boring is fun. But that's a good point about hopping on the highland route after Ojai. It depends on how I'm feeling, although I've been know to take on a bit more than I can just for the suffering.

The highland is what like 9,000 feet over 200 miles? That's practically flat! The only climb of any consequence is Potrero.

The highland is what like 9,000 feet over 200 miles? That's practically flat! The only climb of any consequence is Potrero.

One man's molehill is another man's mountain :D I guess I'll see how I feel when I get there but for me 200 miles is 200 miles!

True enough. Malibu is rolling, and even though it's on the ocean you do about 1,000 feet by the time you hit Oxnard. Oxnard is dead flat, so you don't do so much as a speed bump until you hit Potrero. Potrero is a *****, not very long but steep. Very steep. Both times I've done it I've seen people walking up it. It's kind of rolling all through Thousand Oaks and Moorpark and then a bit of a climb out Moorpark to the top of Grimes Canyon and then a fun twisty descent. It's a bit of a climb out of Santa Paula, not too steep but on the longish side. Out of Ojai is the climb up Casitas Pass which isn't very long or steep but it will probably be hot by then. Carpinteria to Malibu through Ventura and Oxnard is flat again and then you get the rollers back to the finish.

On the doubles, how far do they normally space the rest stops at? I'm just curious on what I should plan for, how much water to carry.

IIRC the stops were ~30-40 miles apart on the grand tour. The first stop is in Port Hueneme, the second is in Moorpark about 80 miles in. The lunch stop is in Ojai I think around 110, a stop in carp around 140, hit the hueneme stop again with like 35 miles to go.

But that's a good point about hopping on the highland route after Ojai.

You won't miss any lowland checkpoints by doing this. In fact, the next checkpoint after Ojai is Rincon for both lowland and highland.
But I'm not sure if you'll end up with less or more than 200 miles by doing this. Casitas Pass is the only climb after Ojai and coming down 150 out to Rincon is a blast. Cup-O-Noodles at Rincon too. :D

If you register for the lowland, will they let you change and do the highland?

If you register for the lowland, will they let you change and do the highland?

Yes they will. When you check in just let them know.

True enough. Malibu is rolling, and even though it's on the ocean you do about 1,000 feet by the time you hit Oxnard. Oxnard is dead flat, so you don't do so much as a speed bump until you hit Potrero. Potrero is a *****, not very long but steep. Very steep. Both times I've done it I've seen people walking up it. It's kind of rolling all through Thousand Oaks and Moorpark and then a bit of a climb out Moorpark to the top of Grimes Canyon and then a fun twisty descent. It's a bit of a climb out of Santa Paula, not too steep but on the longish side. Out of Ojai is the climb up Casitas Pass which isn't very long or steep but it will probably be hot by then. Carpinteria to Malibu through Ventura and Oxnard is flat again and then you get the rollers back to the finish.

Those rollers can be a real pain in the @$$ on the way back after the triple.

Those rollers can be a real pain in the @$$ on the way back after the triple.

Yeah, I cramped pretty bad coming back on the double...had to get off and stop for a minute on the climb out of Zuma.

If you want to change your route at the start, that's fine. But if you mean getting to Ojai on the Lowland and switching to the Highland around Lake Casitas ... not so fine. That takes a little off the distance and will leave you short of 200. Our previous Chair used to lurk up there, trying to catch somebody short-cutting the route. (But he volunteered for the 300 mile loop this year, so he'll never know.)

M.J., the Registrar

I had a hunch it would be short of 200 mi by taking the highland route after Ojai.

On second thought, bad idea...

I'm signed up for the highland triple and can't wait to get to the rest stop at Steve's house.

This one?

http://www.co.carver.mn.us/departments/LWS/images/faucet.jpg

:p