Northern California - 1st BF NorCal Diablo KOM Challenge

Eight o'clock? Eight frickin' o'clock? What was I thinking?

Yeah, I'm still up for being the (ahem) rabbit for this foolishness. The biggest, slowest, ugliest rabbit any of you ever saw, but you all get what you pay for . . . .

Anyone who doesn't catch me on the way up gets a serious razzing from me at the top. :p


Ooooooooh, this is a really dumb idea . . . .

Don't worry Rich, as second off, I plan to be there to cheer you out of the gate. Our only hope at holding off the rest of the crowd is a giant windstorm sweeping the svelte climbers off the mountain, while our clydesdale-like physiques anchor us to the road!

This party's over people.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2648/3750280107_2480ec82b1.jpg

Eight o'clock? Eight frickin' o'clock? What was I thinking?

Yeah, I'm still up for being the (ahem) rabbit for this foolishness. The biggest, slowest, ugliest rabbit any of you ever saw, but you all get what you pay for . . . .

Anyone who doesn't catch me on the way up gets a serious razzing from me at the top. :p


Ooooooooh, this is a really dumb idea . . . .


Don't worry Rich, as second off, I plan to be there to cheer you out of the gate. Our only hope at holding off the rest of the crowd is a giant windstorm sweeping the svelte climbers off the mountain, while our clydesdale-like physiques anchor us to the road!

Two silver linings to an early start:

1) You won't be the earliest idiot there - I'll be there before 8

2) With a nice long time allowance to make the summit, you'll have time to stop at the Ranger station, enjoy a nice cup of tea, perhaps some breakfast and still make it to the summit for the photo op showing you climbing the wall ahead of uspspro, Ygduf and rydaddy - what's not to like about that?

I wonder how come Pete/Taxi isn't in on this. I didn't see him decline

. . . .

2) With a nice long time allowance to make the summit, you'll have time to stop at the Ranger station, enjoy a nice cup of tea, perhaps some breakfast and still make it to the summit for the photo op showing you climbing the wall ahead of uspspro, Ygduf and rydaddy - what's not to like about that?

There are more unfounded assumptions in that sentence that you can shake a stick at. I think the following is more accurate: "With nowhere near enough time to reach the summit, I'll still have to stop at the entry gate, the ranger station at the Junsction, Juniper, Devil's Elbow, and about 10 or 12 other random places, have some lukewarm Cytomax, perhaps re-experience breakfast, and maybe, with any luck, drag my carcass up to the summit before the rest of the crew has made it to the Junction - on the way back down. At least there won't be any photos of me to add to my humiliation."

Oh, God, what was I thinking?


See you at Athenian before 8:00, Beaker. As for the rest of you, please don't laugh too hard at me as you blow my doors in. Except for you, MarkoPolo. I have it coming from you.

i think the following is more accurate: "with nowhere near enough time to reach the summit, i'll still have to stop at the entry gate, the ranger station at the junsction, juniper, devil's elbow, and about 10 or 12 other random places, have some lukewarm cytomax, perhaps re-experience breakfast, and maybe, with any luck, drag my carcass up to the summit before the rest of the crew has made it to the junction - on the way back down. At least there won't be any photos of me to add to my humiliation."

oh, god, what was i thinking?



+1

I wonder how come Pete/Taxi isn't in on this. I didn't see him decline

I'd already been in touch with Pete - can't make it Saturday, but I'll try to fill in for him with soothing motivational words on the summit wall.

At least there won't be any photos of me to add to my humiliation."

As for the rest of you, please don't laugh too hard at me as you blow my doors in. Except for you, MarkoPolo. I have it coming from you.

Note to self... have camera in hand when passing bikingshearer...:innocent:

My 15 year old brother will be joining us for the ride. Not sure his ride time, 100 minutes? his name is benson, he'll be riding a 1983 metallic pink bianchi.

THe more the merrier - added @ 100mins, 8:50am start time. Pink bianchi sounds like it should be easy to spot.

BUMP - any word from Midland or Red_Leaf24....?

My 15 year old brother will be joining us for the ride. Not sure his ride time, 100 minutes? his name is benson, he'll be riding a 1983 metallic pink bianchi.


I believe Bianchi's name for that color is "Electric Rose".

I believe Bianchi's name for that color is "Electric Rose".
you are correct, but looking at the tint of this pink, its not like the electric rose i have seen in the past.

"With nowhere near enough time to reach the summit, I'll still have to stop at the entry gate, the ranger station at the Junsction, Juniper, Devil's Elbow, and about 10 or 12 other random places, have some lukewarm Cytomax, perhaps re-experience breakfast, and maybe, with any luck, drag my carcass up to the summit before the rest of the crew has made it to the Junction - on the way back down. At least there won't be any photos of me to add to my humiliation."This all sounds so horribly familiar.

Usually I end up wondering why I didn't bring a picnic basket and a sleeping mat so I could stop at a few of the camping areas near the top for a snack and a nap.

Ben, I think you're referring to how we'll run this? I'll bring two stopwatches and timing sheets. The first will stay at the bottom and we'll use this to track everyone's start times and note when they leave. Since I'm running this solo, I'll plan to leave this at the bottom and hopefully our fastest climber will bring it up with them.

Meanwhile, I'll get a jump on my own slot and get up to the summit early with a second sheet and synchronized watch to clock everyone in, record the time, take pics etc.etc

At least that's plan A....

Yes this is what I was referring to. Earlier I had missed the part about you getting a jump on your official starting time. It all makes sense now :) I guess you'll miss the mass finish but I guess there will still be some rabbits to chase :D

This looks like such a great event. It has all the markings of a signature BF event! Hope you all have a great time tomorrow!

Kudos to Beaker for organizing this. I hope to be able to join another time.

Good luck everyone. I expect to hear about lots of PRs!

Looking forward to meeting everyone in the morning - quick request to try to show up earlier than your slot - that time right around 9am looks pretty packed so hopefully everyone will be parked up and ready to roll.

Weather looks like it won't be too hot, in fact I'm half expecting to be starting the climb through mist - weather.com and weather underground suggest ~60F at 8-9am tomorrow rising to 71-74F by 11. I've been watching cloud cover/fog coming over the Oakland/Berkeley hills for the last hour or so.

Good luck everyone. I expect to hear about lots of PRs!

Haha, well here is the great thing: I am 100% guaranteed to get a PR! I know, I rock.

I vote Sierra Road for the next edition! :)

9:18... 9:18...

How am I only starting 12 minutes in front of Eric, and 7! in front of Ben and Marco?

When all 3 of you pass me before the junction I will be judging your honesty as harshly as possible. ;)

Good morning and see you all there.

Cheers!

Just getting some oatmeal down before the start.


9:18... 9:18...

How am I only starting 12 minutes in front of Eric, and 7! in front of Ben and Marco?

When all 3 of you pass me before the junction I will be judging your honesty as harshly as possible. ;)

This is the kind of thing that appeals to me - the only real "race" here is against yourself - i.e. the time you put down for your climb, everything is else is just mind games ;). Second half of Summit road should be when it gets really interesting.

Just getting some oatmeal down before the start.



This is the kind of thing that appeals to me - the only real "race" here is against yourself - i.e. the time you put down for your climb, everything is else is just mind games ;). Second half of Summit road should be when it gets really interesting.

I'm also powering down some oatmeal!

And, yes. The real fun is in doing as well as you can. That's why I like my Montebello PR attempts. The challenge is for me, but with so many BF people on the hill ahead of me I hope to get that "chase" feeling going for much of the way, which will help me push.

I didn't match my PR ... instead I only got in 95 minutes, 3 minutes slower than my PR. Of course, there was that little spill in the parking lot I had. I think I need to do it again when my knee is not banged up.

Oh, and the last 100 meters ... I was sprinting up there, reaching deep down in the belly of my gut to get that extra umph

Honestly Ron, every time I've been up Diablo with you, I'm always impressed with your sprint finishes - you're 3 for 3 up the summit wall when I've been there. I just try to stay upright....

The post ride thread can be found here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=566437)

Oh, and the last 100 meters ... I was sprinting up there, reaching deep down in the belly of my gut to get that extra umphDamn, I'll say you were. You were flying.

Honestly Ron, every time I've been up Diablo with you, I'm always impressed with your sprint finishes - you're 3 for 3 up the summit wall when I've been there. I just try to stay upright....

I just wanted to get it over with!