Northern California - So who's doing Death Ride this year?

After two years of Triple Bypass as the ridiculously difficult ride of the season, I decided to try Death Ride this year. I'm scared of that elevation profile....

I am for the second year in a row. I have to kick my training up a notch though.

2nd in a row for me too. That Triple Bypass looks fun. Based on distance/climbing, the DR has a little more climbing, but not at those crazy altitudes! As long as you know what you're up against and train accordingly, you'll be fine. :thumb:

Is this ride actually possible for mere mortals? Who is the slowest oldest fattest rider who lived through it?

Is this ride actually possible for mere mortals? Who is the slowest oldest fattest rider who lived through it?

Definitely, yes! I have seen some out of shape (well round is a shape too) riders complete the ride last year. It's more in the mind than anything else. If you start very early, before the official start of 5:30, you have a good change to complete the ride. The grades are not very steep.

I think the Davis Double you completed last year in torrid conditions might have been as tough.

As age is concerned, I sat at the after ride dinner next to a 62 yo man who completed the 5 passes on his second try. His first try goal in 2007 was only 3 passes I think.

Is this ride actually possible for mere mortals? Who is the slowest oldest fattest rider who lived through it? Heh, I was figuring this year I would have that honor, but situations beyond my control (er, gravity) intervened. :p

Eh, perhaps next year :)

I'm in (first time) but I'm SOOO slow on climbs. I figure I'll leave at the earliest possible moment but even then it'll be a stretch to make the last pass cut-off. How rigid are they about the cut-offs and time limits?

Kevin

Is this ride actually possible for mere mortals? Who is the slowest oldest fattest rider who lived through it?

Ooooh, pick me pick me! I did it in a bit more than 14 hours last year. It was my second attempt - the first ended with a cracked frame, a busted up derailleur and a broken chain:( I'll be doing it again this year, hoping to knock a couple of hours off of my time.

JB

Definitely, yes! I have seen some out of shape (well round is a shape too) riders complete the ride last year. It's more in the mind than anything else. If you start very early, before the official start of 5:30, you have a good change to complete the ride. The grades are not very steep.

I think the Davis Double you completed last year in torrid conditions might have been as tough.

As age is concerned, I sat at the after ride dinner next to a 62 yo man who completed the 5 passes on his second try. His first try goal in 2007 was only 3 passes I think.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

Since the event is not timed, you can definitely leave earlier than the official start. I started at 4 (am) last year, took my time with the first climb and got to the top at 6, just as they were starting to put the stickers on the number tags (that's how they keep track of how many passes you've climbed). Given that there won't be anyone there to sticker you before 6, 4 is probably the earliest most would want to get rolling - stronger riders leave with the main pack at 5:30 and start catching us old fat slow guys going up the backside of Monitor.

JB

Is this ride actually possible for mere mortals? Who is the slowest oldest fattest rider who lived through it?

The only thing holding you back is the ride being sold out. Otherwise, you could do this in 09. Tickets can still be found on CL. Such a fun ride... before, during, and especially after. It's the "Woodstock of Endurance Cycling" so I hear. ;)

Fun, it is. A zoo, it is as well. Some rest stops are so crowded, it's amazing. Arriving at the 2nd one at the bottom of Monitor back side you really have to slow down for the last 500 yards, there are so many riders arriving and leaving on the same small road that speeds over than 10 mph are very hazardous. If you leave early you can avoid the zoo though.

I don't know of any other ride where you have 2 mountain passes just for bikes, no cars allowed. Monitor is really where you have fun and can bump for personal best for maximum speed to new heights.

It's a fun ride. I'll be doing it for the 7th time. When I haven't been selected in the lottery I have not had a problem finding a ticket on craigslist. You shouldn't have to pay more than the original price. The going price for ticket resale starts off high and then gets lower as the event approaches.

I have ridden the passes at other times, and it's actually safer and more pleasant then. There's just too many riders on the DR and on Monitor and especially on Ebbetts they aren't being very safe... on Monitor too many riders are trying to "win" the ride on the first descent and taking chances, and on Ebbets tired riders will pull over on the wrong side of the road without looking for descending riders. It's not super dangerous but you need to keep your wits about you (and please don't pull off to the left when ascending Ebbets).

If you are concerned about making it, you might want to try one of the training camps. Having ridden the climbs before will make them seem much less daunting. The "Near Death Experience" is put on by Arnie Baker, who was one of Floyd Landis's coaches. It's supposed to be pretty good. Arnie also has a book about doing these kinds of rides, it's on his web site. There is also Undiscovered Country Tours' "Kiss of Death" which is less training oriented but a little fancier (but not over the top, mostly its nicer food). It takes you over the same passes plus some others. Terry the owner of UDC is a fast rider on these kind of endurance climbing events and is willing to share information or hammer along with you. I've done that trip a couple times. I think that doing either of those camps/trips also gets you DR tickets. I wrote about my Kiss of Death trip here: http://ericm.lne.com/blog/?p=58

I have a spreadsheet that you can use to estimate your riding and elapsed time given your climbing rate. PM me your email address and I'll send you a copy.

Terry is a BF Forum member (terrymorse), he used to be very active on the forum. I met him once at the Sierra Century, his forum nickname is the 'climbing fool'. He is a great and fast climber.
I remember reading his reports from the Climb to Kaiser, the Everest Challenge, and other climbs such as the Grizzly Century in North Fork. His account of the Grizzly was so nice that I signed up to the next one (that was in 2005), my first very hilly century.

I'm all registered. This will be my first Death Ride. Honestly I'm more concerned about the logistics of the massive number of cyclists, getting there, where to spend the night(s), etc. than I am of the ride itself.

I'm in on DR also for the first time. Looking forward to it. I need to start booking the motels etc. though by now, I bet. Anyone with good suggestions on where to stay the night before? Also, good to stay two nights or just one?

Anyone with good suggestions on where to stay the night before? Also, good to stay two nights or just one?

I booked a room in Minden, NV about a month before the ride. Most places close to Turtle Rock park are booked well in advance. Minden is a easy 20-25 minute drive to the start. The other option is to camp on the side of the road. Lots of people were doing this last year. I'm considering it this year. We stayed Friday night and drove home after the post-ride dinner. Many people make a weekend out of it.

Minden is a easy 20-25 minute drive to the start.

How is traffic overall at 4:30-5:30am with people driving in to the start of the ride? How is parking? I'm sure they've got things figured out after having the event for so many years now but still, it seems like there's the potential for it to be a real zoo.

Well, I guess I had the novice luck last year. I had scanned all available campsites for reservation, all were booked well in advance. I was with a friend, we left with no reservation and were planning to camp along the road. By before I wanted to check some places I noticed on the map.
We found a fantastic place to put our tents. It was cheap, close to the start, with all necessities (WC, hot showers), a nice view, and quiet.
I won't put the place name on-line as I want to get the same place this year but we could try to have a BF group camp. I cannot guarantee there will be space but from last year experience it should be fine. There's no way to reverse in advance so the first person in the group who arrives locks enough camp sites for the group. It's possible to have 2 or 3 tents per site.
Other DR participants were at the same site, most were regulars, they knew the place and had some small groups settings with nice food and drinks. Most of us stayed 2 nights.

I'm staying at Motel 6 in So Lake Tahoe. It's about a 40 minute drive over Luther Pass. Last year it was not terrible and there is parking all along the road by TRP. Where you park helps determine how long that last hill climb is.

I've stayed in both South Lake Tahoe and Minden; both are about a 30 minute drive away. I started pretty early, but at 3:30 - 4 traffic just was not an issue!

JB

This will be my first DR attempt--naturally I'm a bit nervous but excited at the same time. Just hoping to finish all 5 passes.

I certainly didn't get the jump on campsite reservations so I'm trying to figure out where we're going to stay. Hotel/motel or camping, either on works for us. How well does camping alongside the road work (with the exception of no showers)?

So, if a mere mortal did want to do this ride for no good reason, is it possible to still get a ticket? Where would one look?

The DR website links to an active.com forum where some people sell tickets form time to time. Otherwise I would search craigslist or perhaps BF

So, if a mere mortal did want to do this ride for no good reason, is it possible to still get a ticket? Where would one look?

As mentioned the DR website has a forum where some entries are sold but you better be on it all the time and be quick to get one.
The best is to check Craigslist especially in the last 2 weeks of June. Tickets are even sold a couple of days before the event, I think Ramon got his about a week before last year. Most tickets are sold at face value but I have seen some discounted as much as 50%.

I scoured over Craig's list constantly throughout the day to find a reg for sale that was close by in Mountain View.

I think Jonathan posted a .pdf link somewhere last year regarding all the rest stops and the very bare minimum to get through the ride. I have the file tucked away somewhere and will try to find it.


Last years death ride post.

144 av hr
179 max
6381 kcal burned
121.5 miles
12.7 mph av speed
48 mph max
71 av cadence
123 max cadence
9:33:15 ride time

It's a lot, but the miles and ride time are humourous after completing a double century.

It's a lot, but the miles and ride time are humourous after completing a double century.

Agreed :lol:

I think Jonathan posted a .pdf link somewhere last year regarding all the rest stops and the very bare minimum to get through the ride. I have the file tucked away somewhere and will try to find it.




That was from Arnie Baker - here's the link. (http://www.arniebakercycling.com/pubs/Free/ACE%20Training%205th%20Ed%20Appendix%20E.pdf) I ended up taking 14 hours for the ride, but it was a bit different than his schedule. I was well ahead of schedule most of the day, at least in part because I spent minimal time in the rest stops, and skipped the long lines at lunch altogether (I had some food in a cooler in my car at Turtle Rock). However, I gave back the time savings huddling under a tent at Pickets, trying to wait out the hail storm, and then again at the summit of Carson, where we hung out waiting for the last of our TnT teammates to roll in. I also gave myself flexibility by starting early, so I finished a little after 6 instead of after 7:30. My on the bike avg. speed was more than 11mph, so I still managed to waste more than 2 hours in rest stops (more than half that was at Pickets and Carson).

JB

edit: one thing I figured out my first year is that his 1600 ft/hr climbing rate translates into a 2 hour summit of Mt. Diablo, going about 5mph up the mountain. Doing that once obviously isn't very hard - it's keeping that climbing rate up for the 3rd, 4th and 5th passes that can get hard for beginning riders. Once I was able to do 3 Mt. D repeats at a climbing rate faster than that, I got a lot more comfortable with the idea that I could really finish this ride.

I'm in! This will be my 4th DR in 4 years.

Curtis, you can definitely get a registration. We see lots of them coming and going on the Velo Girls email group (as well as on various other forums). I also have a client with a registration who probably won't be riding the event.

Terry Morse is a genetic freak. Okay, he's my boss -- I work as a tour host for Undiscovered Country Tours -- so I can say that. But at 5'11" and 135 pounds, I don't think there's anything he can't climb (and climb F-A-S-T). He's also a pretty awesome descender. His Kiss of Death weekend is fabulous!

Velo Girls Coaching is also running a co-ed altitude camp June 19th - 21st. SAG, camping, meals, etc. Registration should be open next week.

Lorri

Hey all - this is my first year doing this as well but my first time leaving any ride well before dawn. For those of you that leave at 5:30 and earlier what are you doing for lighting? Thanks!

You need front and rear lights as required by the rules of the road. They have a control barrage at Markleeville and they won't allow you past that point without lights if it's dark.
If you leave at 5:30 you probably won't need them but anytime earlier they are a must.
I left at 5:10 last year and only needed the lights for the first 30 minutes. You are not alone on the road and this one is in good shape so no need for a powerful light.

I have a spot for this year. This will be my third time. However, our primary focus is on the Seattle to Portland (STP). If it doesn't rain, STP takes priority. If not, the fallback is the DR. If we go to Seattle, my slot will be available.

First year doing the DR for me. Haven't planned anything other then registering, maybe I should look into it. All my time is/was planning my other trip overseas.

Terry Morse is a genetic freak...[A]t 5'11" and 135 pounds, I don't think there's anything he can't climb (and climb F-A-S-T). He's also a pretty awesome descender.


I rode once in a group led by Terry in one of his Western Wheeler's Midweek Mountain Madness. He's one frightening fast climber. He also chased down anyone that passed him on the flats on Foothill Exwy. I could only hang on for the first 30 minutes once we hit Hwy 9, and I then limped home afterwards. I want another chance! :o

I believe Terry's skill is not solely because of his weight. There's some serious power-to-weight ratio at work there.

Guess I'll be leaving later than earlier. The no drop off of stuff is going to be a major downer.

Guess I'll be leaving later than earlier. The no drop off of stuff is going to be a major downer.

Sorry for the noob DR question but what is this about?

At previous DR you had the option to leave whatever you wanted to rid yourself off (lights, batteries, wind breaker, warmers) into a plastic bag with your bib number on. This could be done at the top of Monitor or at the Topaz rest stop at the bottom of Monitor's back side.
All the bags were then carried by car/truck to the start/end at Turtle Rock.

It was very convenient except when the hail storm arrived and many of us regretted leaving the wind breakers behind.

At previous DR you had the option to leave whatever you wanted to rid yourself off (lights, batteries, wind breaker, warmers) into a plastic bag with your bib number on. This could be done at the top of Monitor or at the Topaz rest stop at the bottom of Monitor's back side.
All the bags were then carried by car/truck to the start/end at Turtle Rock.

It was very convenient except when the hail storm arrived and many of us regretted leaving the wind breakers behind.

Thanks...and this is no longer? Meaning you have to ride with what you brung or find someone on the road? No official drop points anywhere?

It was very convenient except when the hail storm arrived and many of us regretted leaving the wind breakers behind.

+1 Who would have thought it'd go from 85 degrees to a hailstorm in about 15 minutes? When the thunderstorm blew in, I figured I'd get wet but still be warm, but that was pretty miserable. Arm warmers and a vest at a minimum will be with me on all rides in the sierras from now on!

JB

Thanks...and this is no longer? Meaning you have to ride with what you brung or find someone on the road? No official drop points anywhere?

Correct no event organized drop points.

Your options are either your car parked at Turtle Rock so you can lighten up before the last pass, Carson, but it is always where the storms usually happen, or you can leave a car parked at the bottom of Monitor (front side) and leave your stuff there before climbing pass #3, Ebbetts. This would mean starting the ride from there or having somebody else drive you to Turtle Rock. Obviously you will have to do that before the road is closed to traffic.

Thanks much for the heads up.

+1 Who would have thought it'd go from 85 degrees to a hailstorm in about 15 minutes? When the thunderstorm blew in, I figured I'd get wet but still be warm, but that was pretty miserable. Arm warmers and a vest at a minimum will be with me on all rides in the sierras from now on!

JB

Yeah, at the Woodford's water stop a girl was hosing us down with cold water. 1 hour later mother nature was doing the same. :lol:

Lesson learned.

Dang - it's tough reading this from the sidelines, but I don't think I'm going to be up for it this year.

I think that 2010 will be my DR year....

Dang - it's tough reading this from the sidelines, but I don't think I'm going to be up for it this year.

I think that 2010 will be my DR year....

Come on, Richard! If I did it you can do it. You crave to do it, GO FOR IT!

I'm doing it. In 2007 I cramped up and then bonked after only 4 passes. I had mismanaged my fluids/electrolytes. I made adjustments, and in 2008 I made it on page 15 of 91 photo pages (http://westworldimages.com/cgi-bin/searchresults.cgi)at Carson Pass. Tips I've learned:


Bring a light, so you can start early.
The dinner they put on the night before isn't worth it.
Arrive early enough to register the night before. In the morning you'll have your number on, and you can just go.
Study and follow the precepts in Hammer's The Endurance Athlete's Guide To Success (http://www.hammernutrition.com/downloads/fuelinghandbook.pdf) and you won't go too wrong.
I stayed maximally hydrated the days prior to the ride. The drive was a lot slower, because I had to pull over so often. It helped. With all that hydration, and what with sleeping in the car, this product (http://www.biorelief.com/disposable-receptacles/travel-john.html) was helpful.
Hydration/electrolytes are a big deal. Bring your own 'lyte powder/tablets, so you needn't rely on what they happen to have, and so you aren't experimenting with new things.
For example, I like Nuun, you can pop them in your water bottle, so you can just add water. It is slower if you have to get in the line for scooping powder.
Bring a plastic bag of a weird color, so you can find your vest and arm warmer at the end in the big pile.
Find climbs nearby that have similar profile to the Death Ride climbs, so as to gain familiarity.
Having a minivan (or SUV or station wagon) is great, because you can sleep comfortably in the car after arriving the evening before. In the morning emerge and ride.
Coming back from Ebbetts there is a long flat section. Keep a lookout for fast pacelines to latch onto. The best is a fast tandem.
Park your car on the main road, and have stuff ready in it (e.g cooled water bottles, electrolytes, some protein, rain gear) for the Carson Pass. Make your car a deluxe rest stop.
Do the Climb to Kaiser (http://www.fresnocycling.com/kaiser/) on June 28th, and you'll be in great shape for the Death Ride. In fact, you'll never tire of telling everyone how much tougher Kaiser is than the so-called "Death Ride".

Bring a light, so you can start early. Yes, yes, and yes!
The dinner they put on the night before isn't worth it. I agree but it's convenient.
Arrive early enough to register the night before. In the morning you'll have your number on, and you can just go. +1
Study and follow the precepts in Hammer's The Endurance Athlete's Guide To Success (http://www.hammernutrition.com/downloads/fuelinghandbook.pdf) and you won't go too wrong. Thanks for the advice, I have to improve on this.
I stayed maximally hydrated the days prior to the ride. The drive was a lot slower, because I had to pull over so often. It helped. With all that hydration, and what with sleeping in the car, this product (http://www.biorelief.com/disposable-receptacles/travel-john.html) was helpful. +1 Good advice regarding hydration. Not sure about that contraption. :eek:
Hydration/electrolytes are a big deal. Bring your own 'lyte powder/tablets, so you needn't rely on what they happen to have, and so you aren't experimenting with new things. +1
For example, I like Nuun, you can pop them in your water bottle, so you can just add water. It is slower if you have to get in the line for scooping powder. +1, it helped me recover from cramps at the end of climb #2.
Bring a plastic bag of a weird color, so you can find your vest and arm warmer at the end in the big pile. No drop bag this year! :(
Find climbs nearby that have similar profile to the Death Ride climbs, so as to gain familiarity. +1 Mt. Diablo is very similar to all the DR climbs.
Having a minivan (or SUV or station wagon) is great, because you can sleep comfortably in the car after arriving the evening before. In the morning emerge and ride. Not sure about sleeping in the car, doesn't work for me. Not that I slept well in the tent (too much excitement) but nothing beats lying down in a quiet place. We, all BF Norcal, have to get together, I will bring you to a place that has quiet, beauty, hot showers, and is close to the start.
Coming back from Ebbetts there is a long flat section. Keep a lookout for fast pacelines to latch onto. The best is a fast tandem. +1. I could keep up with a group until Markleevile, it helped.
Park your car on the main road, and have stuff ready in it (e.g cooled water bottles, electrolytes, some protein, rain gear) for the Carson Pass. Make your car a deluxe rest stop. Big +1. The thing that annoyed me the most at the rest stops was the lack of cool water, the available water was way too warm for me. I skipped the official lunch stop and headed to my car that had plenty of good stuff waiting in a cooler. Priceless!
Do the Climb to Kaiser (http://www.fresnocycling.com/kaiser/) on June 28th, and you'll be in great shape for the Death Ride. In fact, you'll never tire of telling everyone how much tougher Kaiser is than the so-called "Death Ride". OK, that's for another year.

3rd time in as many years.

It's a fun event, for sure.

The no drop certainly sux!

My suggestion would be to email the Executive Director & Executive Assistant (http://www.deathride.com/contact.html) and ask them to reinstate this policy. Maybe if enough people do this, they might think twice about it.

BR

Come on, Richard! If I did it you can do it. You crave to do it, GO FOR IT!

Gah!

I just don't think I'll be able to put the training in that I'd want. When I go for it, I want to enjoy the Death Ride, rather than just finish it. I think I've got a few too many weekend commitments coming up to be able to do it right this year.

I'll just fantasize about the riding time I'll be able to get when the Beaklets are older and want to get me out of their way as much as possible.

Good stuff there, Ritterview. I can't say it any better. The cooler stashed at the car on the way to Carson is huge. We had some cold Starbucks frappuccinos and some comfy chairs. Mmmm, caffeine.

Beaker, you can do it... this year. :innocent:

one thing I figured out my first year is that his 1600 ft/hr climbing rate translates into a 2 hour summit of Mt. Diablo, going about 5mph up the mountain. Doing that once obviously isn't very hard - it's keeping that climbing rate up for the 3rd, 4th and 5th passes that can get hard for beginning riders. Once I was able to do 3 Mt. D repeats at a climbing rate faster than that, I got a lot more comfortable with the idea that I could really finish this ride.

Where do you start the repeat for the Mt. Diablo climb repeats? How would Mt. Hamilton compare as a good training hill?

We had some cold Starbucks frappuccinos and some comfy chairs. Mmmm, caffeine.

Oh, yeah, a folding chair. I didn't bring one last year, and envied those that did.

According to the Hammer guide, you should not eat for three hours before an event. That way, you'll not have food digestion competing with muscle blood flow as you head up Monitor Pass. You should, however, glycogen load prior. So, I had some muesli (http://www.bobsredmill.com/product.php?productid=3605&cat=0&page=1) ready to go in a 7-11 mug (http://www.skevi.com/images/0090540%5B1%5D.jpg) in my cooler, and had that right before going to sleep.

This no bag drop off is going to be a problem. If the Death Ride organizers aren't going to do it, they need accommodate private parties that will. For example, some Team in Training or other group will have someone come by the 395 rest stop to pick up bags of their members. If such support is to be allowed, BF should be such a group, we just need find a loving, caring non-cycling supporter of a BF member to swing by 395 and pick up our bags. These could then be brought back to the awaiting car at the start, and so be available (e.g. rain jackets) before heading up Carson Pass.

Hmmm... where to have the BF bag drop off?

http://www.geocities.com/danmerrick/deathride2003/2003dr3.jpg