Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - I'm tempted.....

...to register for this club ride:

http://phillybikeclub.org/newbcp/events/nycride2009/odell.htm

I don't know if I'm biting off more than I can chew in tackling it.

Since they have A,B, and C class rides and different mileage I would say go for it. You rode from Pittsburgh to DC...twice, I would think you could do it pretty easily. Just pick the class and mileage that you would feel comfortable with.

How does one ride from the Art Museum to New Hope and not get run over by cars?

Since they have A,B, and C class rides and different mileage I would say go for it. You rode from Pittsburgh to DC...twice, I would think you could do it pretty easily. Just pick the class and mileage that you would feel comfortable with.

How does one ride from the Art Museum to New Hope and not get run over by cars?

Carefully, very carefully. :-)

I rode from Pittsburgh to DC three times, but that was on a trail, not in traffic, and most days my mileage didn't equal the lengths offered by the Peter Odell Ride.

You will never know if you don't try, But if you honestly feel it would be beyond your current fitness level, let discretion be the better part of valor.

Not that I've ever been very good at taking my own advice..................

That looks like a lot of fun, kind of expensive though. But you get transportation back from NYC so I guess it would balance out. Point to point rides have always been more entertaining to me than loops/out and back.

Sounds like this ride would be fun, Neil. I might sign up for it myself except that it's Labor Day weekend and other plans interfere.

Since they have A,B, and C class rides and different mileage I would say go for it. You rode from Pittsburgh to DC...twice, I would think you could do it pretty easily. Just pick the class and mileage that you would feel comfortable with.

How does one ride from the Art Museum to New Hope and not get run over by cars?

Good question! It'd be worth the 65 bucks just to find out :)



**Note - this ride is actually in the BCP ride library** They go through Wissahickon, to Germantown & Stenton, winding through Montgomery and Bucks including Huntingdon Ave, Davisville Rd, Sugan Rd.

Sounds like this ride would be fun, Neil. I might sign up for it myself except that it's Labor Day weekend and other plans interfere.


Good question! It'd be worth the 65 bucks just to find out :)



**Note - this ride is actually in the BCP ride library** They go through Wissahickon, to Germantown & Stenton, winding through Montgomery and Bucks including Huntingdon Ave, Davisville Rd, Sugan Rd.

Yes, that's the 125 mile option. 90 miles is New Hope. 75 and 50 start somewhere in New Jersey. If I ride, it will be the 50 mile or 75 - the 90 is too much for me at the moment.

Yes, that's the 125 mile option. 90 miles is New Hope. 75 and 50 start somewhere in New Jersey. If I ride, it will be the 50 mile or 75 - the 90 is too much for me at the moment.

Yep...getting from the Art Museum to New Hope without getting run over is part of the 125 mile route.

There's a thread going in the LD forum regarding preparedness for 300k and longer brevets, and general concensus is:
You know you're ready for one when you finish one.


You don't need to haul all your touring gear for a double metric, so you'll be rolling lighter. Plus, try using my method of getting through the ride: Don't use your computer to track total miles. If you do, the temptation is there to look at 5 or 10 miles and go "Geez, still 115 miles to go!"
For the 400k I just finished, I was resetting my computer at every turn marker and only tracking the mileage per each leg of the route. That way it's only 1.7 miles to the next turn, or for the long highway stretches, 17 - 30 miles per leg. You're never seeing that you've only gone 20 of 125 miles, or that there's still 80 miles left.

I'd ask myself three questions and go ahead if your are confident about the answers;

1) Will my bike allow me to finish in comfort, or is the bike too uncomfortable or in any way not ready for a long ride?

2) Do I have a solid base of fitness? The best base is riding about 80% of the event distance once a week for several weeks before the event. YMMV.

3) Do I have a good plan concerning hydration and nutrition? You should eat & drink enough every hour. You will need to know what easy-to-carry foods & drinks will keep you strong for the duration of the event. These supplies can be supplemented at SAG stations or convenience stores.

Michael

3) Do I have a good plan concerning hydration and nutrition? You should eat & drink enough every hour. You will need to know what easy-to-carry foods & drinks will keep you strong for the duration of the event. These supplies can be supplemented at SAG stations or convenience stores.

Michael

For rides of 200k (125mi) and up, my nutritional plan is "shovel in whatever crap I can turn into energy". It's amazing what kind of stuff you (maybe not you, but me and some of my friends) end up eating on long rides. Yes, there's the usual bananas, Clif Bars, gels. Then you start getting the slightly odd for an exercise food: Tater chips, beef jerky, salami sandwich. And finally the outright "how the hell do you eat that and still ride?": Microwave bean/cheese burritos from 7-11. Chocolate Ensure and Starbucks Doubleshot mixed together in a waterbottle. McD's sausage/egg/cheese muffin and hash browns. Accelerade and 5-Hour Energy.
Slow and steady pace, and keep stoking the furnace.

Sounds like this ride would be fun, Neil. I might sign up for it myself except that it's Labor Day weekend and other plans interfere.


Good question! It'd be worth the 65 bucks just to find out :)



**Note - this ride is actually in the BCP ride library** They go through Wissahickon, to Germantown & Stenton, winding through Montgomery and Bucks including Huntingdon Ave, Davisville Rd, Sugan Rd.

I would not feel comfortable riding on Stenton Ave or Davisville Roads. Yikes! I don't like busy roads because I don't trust people in cars. I would opt for starting at the Staples(50 miles) in New Hope. Riding over the Brooklyn Bridge sounds pretty cool.

I would not feel comfortable riding on Stenton Ave or Davisville Roads. Yikes! I don't like busy roads because I don't trust people in cars. I would opt for starting at the Staples(50 miles) in New Hope. Riding over the Brooklyn Bridge sounds pretty cool.

New Hope is the 90 mile option.

I've checked the cue sheets for the 90 mile 2007 ride, and a map of the route on Map My Ride, and the elevation looks reasonable. 2100 feet of climbing over 90 miles isn't bad at all.

The 90 mile course is tempting, but I've not done a ride of such a length since 2007. My longest rides this year have been 60 mile days in June, hauling a trailer. Longest ride recently was 35 miles this past weekend. So the 50 mile course, starting in Lyons, NJ, appears the best choice. I'd love to do the 75, but I think it will be too much for me and my new saddle.

My fear is I'm going to arrive late in NYC and miss the bus. :)

For rides of 200k (125mi) and up, my nutritional plan is "shovel in whatever crap I can turn into energy". It's amazing what kind of stuff you (maybe not you, but me and some of my friends) end up eating on long rides. Yes, there's the usual bananas, Clif Bars, gels. Then you start getting the slightly odd for an exercise food: Tater chips, beef jerky, salami sandwich. And finally the outright "how the hell do you eat that and still ride?": Microwave bean/cheese burritos from 7-11. Chocolate Ensure and Starbucks Doubleshot mixed together in a waterbottle. McD's sausage/egg/cheese muffin and hash browns. Accelerade and 5-Hour Energy.
Slow and steady pace, and keep stoking the furnace.

Since I don't race, even on a short ride I fuel with 'normal' food. I lost ten pounds on tour in June despite shoveling anything and everything down my gullet - subs, trail mix, sno-cones, bananas, tea and soda and lemonade, breakfast sandwiches...... It's amazing what you can burn riding 40 miles a day pulling a trailer at 11 MPH.

I think you could do any of the options you listed (90-75-50). But the real question is what is your purpose in doing the ride. Is it to push yourself to the limit, or is it to enjoy a ride in the country at a pace that you feel comfortable with and that would not have you stressed all day about meeting a deadline.

Answer those questions and I know your pick an option that has you enjoying the day.