Northern California - Low-Key Hillclimbs Week 2 - Old La Honda

Anyone going to do this? Perhaps we could have a Team NorCal BF? I'm going to try to make this one, and possibly do some more riding after it's finished.

http://lowkey.djconnel.com/2009/week2/

oh hell yeah.

sounds good... hmmm tandem or solos???

I would like to do this and be part of the team. And I would want to ride some more afterwards. I've never done one of the Low Key Climbs, intending to but it just hasn't worked out.

We could have a pretty good team, maybe even take it. But that may require Marco solo. Marco Solo. And some of the other gladiators... I hope to see everyone out there.

I would like to do this and be part of the team. And I would want to ride some more afterwards. I've never done one of the Low Key Climbs, intending to but it just hasn't worked out.

We could have a pretty good team, maybe even take it. But that may require Marco solo. Marco Solo. And some of the other gladiators... I hope to see everyone out there.

Hmmm, I wonder if we could bribe PizzaMan to join our "team"......:innocent:

I'd love to join you guys, and I need to ride OLH another time, but kids soccer duty calls. Besides, I suspect you need someone a little more gladiatorial to make up the numbers.

I will be there to finally get a time for OLH.

I'd love to ride for Bike Forums, but lask week when I decided to ride for Western Wheelers I was told I couldn't change teams during the series, so I'll be a Western Wheeler for the remainder of the series.

I'm glad that electro-hybrid 'bent did not get 1st place again last week ;)

To the dismay of NY Chris ;) we are probably going to do this on the tandem, and then ride afterward.

Maybe for the route something like this:
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=86755
or
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=86754 (adds lower Tunitas+Lobitos loop)

I will be there, last weekends mt diablo fail has motivated me to start owning the hills again.

His batteries overheated about 1/3 of the way up and he had to stop to let them cool off. The second time he passed me he was pedalling.

Hmmm, I wonder if we could bribe PizzaMan to join our "team"......:innocent:

I guess the reason I thought we could "win" was, for one powpow and uspspro's ability, but also that the Western Wheelers won the first round. But then upon reading your point above, I realized, damn they had Pizza Man.

To the dismay of NY Chris ;) we are probably going to do this on the tandem, and then ride afterward.

Maybe for the route something like this:
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=86755
or
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=86754 (adds lower Tunitas+Lobitos loop)

No problem. I don't even know any of my times up the climbs. Plus it will be good to see Ruth. I look forward to riding with you the OLH climb.

I guess the reason I thought we could "win" was, for one powpow and uspspro's ability, but also that the Western Wheelers won the first round. But then upon reading your point above, I realized, damn they had Pizza Man.

Haha thanks Chris, but I am just a run of the mill rider when it comes to the Low Keys. Usually around the median time, or slightly faster (depending on the climb). The fast people come out to these and it's a lot of fun!

It is a new tradition for Ruth & I to do the Mt. Hamilton one on Thanksgiving morning, to provide us with justification for pigging out that day :lol:

As far as the team... we can still do good since they take the top 3 scores. Many times, teams only have 1 or 2 riders on a given week, so their combined score is lower than a team with 3+. Given that we have at least 3 riders every week, we could fare very well.

So how does this work? You show up register, then everyone takes off around 10:10?

UD

So how does this work? You show up register, then everyone takes off around 10:10?

UD

This page gives an overview:

http://lowkey.djconnel.com/2009/

For this particular ride, this is the plan:

We'll meet at the Windy Hill parking area off Portola Valley Road. There may be some parking at the lot, but we recommend parking elsewhere, for example in Woodside, then riding to the registration area. From Windy Hill, we'll send small groups to the base of Old La Honda, from which we'll start groups of 10 or less to avoid impacting local traffic. Registration opens at 9:15am, closing at 10am. Please don't go to Old La Honda directly; we want groups to all start at Windy Hill. Faster riders will start in earlier groups, more endurance-oriented riders in later groups.

I'm going to try and make it to this one. I always like OLH and haven't been up there in a little while so it should be fun :)

I will be there to finally get a time for OLH.

I'd love to ride for Bike Forums, but lask week when I decided to ride for Western Wheelers I was told I couldn't change teams during the series, so I'll be a Western Wheeler for the remainder of the series.

By the way, I was the guy taking pictures in front of Ridge on Montebello, about 1/2 mile from the top. When you came up solo, I was like, is he part of the race? There's no one behind him. Nice job kicking everyone's butt, you had a pretty big gap on the rest of the field.

http://www.illumixstudios.com/photos/671920185_nFimh-S.jpg
http://www.illumixstudios.com/photos/671916528_YXS6t-S.jpg

Imagine how he would have done if he put on the front tubular and taken off the second bottle cage LOL.

Henry, you up for OLH on Saturday?

Sucks I think We will be taking all our gear up OLH.

Will only have 2 bottles or less full though, as we can fill up at Skylonda for the post LK ride.

For this particular ride, this is the plan:
...
Faster riders will start in earlier groups, more endurance-oriented riders in later groups.

:love: Gotta love that. Not "slow pokes" nor "snails" in later groups, but "endurance-oriented". Classy!

:love: Gotta love that. Not "slow pokes" nor "snails" in later groups, but "endurance-oriented". Classy!

They don't want the "real" climbers to get an unfair advantage by drafting off of us ... :roflmao2:

So how is it determined who is the "fast rider" and who is "endurance". If anyone wants to do team BF and then do a short ride afterward, going up then down Kings, I think I'll do it. I am going to be riding out there anyway.

UD

So how is it determined who is the "fast rider" and who is "endurance". If anyone wants to do team BF and then do a short ride afterward, going up then down Kings, I think I'll do it. I am going to be riding out there anyway.

UD
I'm guessing they just put you in a group based on your approximate climbing speed.

The whole "team" aspect is more for fun than anything else, but we should try to get as many riders as possible. Fast or endurance, the more the merrier.

I'm game for a shortish ride after OLH.

I posted this ride up...
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=86755

61 miles including OLH hill climb

Imagine how he would have done if he put on the front tubular and taken off the second bottle cage LOL.

Well, it is "Low Key" afterall. :innocent:

jinws, thanks for the pics!

Yes, I am a little curious about the fast climbers v. endurance oriented. But since it is a low key event, I guess there is no need to worry.

Also, I am a Western Wheeler Club member so I have to pick a team, especially since you can't change.

I'm guessing they just put you in a group based on your approximate climbing speed.

The whole "team" aspect is more for fun than anything else, but we should try to get as many riders as possible. Fast or endurance, the more the merrier.

I'm game for a shortish ride after OLH.

Problem is I never timed myself on any of the climbs. I'll just say I am really really fast, and can beat a kid on a bike with training wheels. lol

UD

I posted this ride up...
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=86755

61 miles including OLH hill climb

I don't really want to do a century that day, but does look like a fun loop.

UD

Is that a state champ jersey?


By the way, I was the guy taking pictures in front of Ridge on Montebello, about 1/2 mile from the top. When you came up solo, I was like, is he part of the race? There's no one behind him. Nice job kicking everyone's butt, you had a pretty big gap on the rest of the field.

http://www.illumixstudios.com/photos/671920185_nFimh-S.jpg
http://www.illumixstudios.com/photos/671916528_YXS6t-S.jpg

So are we going as "NorCal BF" or "Team BikeForums" or whatever ???

So are we going as "NorCal BF" or "Team BikeForums" or whatever ???

How about Bike Forbes (http://lowkey.djconnel.com/2008/week9/results.html) (see #108 ;))

Henry, you up for OLH on Saturday?

I'd love to but my son is really looking forward to seeing the Parade of Ships and the Blue Angels for Fleet Week. If I can convince him to go on Sunday instead I'll try to make it.

I went up OLH last Thursday (only second time this year and only time I've timed it) and did 23:37. Kinda sucky but I think I could do better if I switch to my 11/26 cassette, maybe.

I went up OLH last Thursday (only second time this year and only time I've timed it) and did 23:37. Kinda sucky but I think I could do better if I switch to my 11/26 cassette, maybe.

Huh? I'd be ecstatic if I can do 23 ... my best time, that I could recall, is 29 minutes.

Is that a state champ jersey?

Yes, 40+ road race.

Yes, 40+ road race.

Awesome. Congrats!

Sigh, I forgot I'd signed up to do a charity gig that day -- school bike safety at Noddin Elementary (which banned kids from biking to school last year).

Def hitting Tunitas, Montebello and Hamilton.

So are we going as "NorCal BF" or "Team BikeForums" or whatever ???

Maybe we keep it simple with "Bikeforums.net"...??

my buddy will be taking pictures there, make sure you smile ;)

I have sat class this weekend. =(

I woke up with a sore throat this morning. Not feeling great right now. Hmmmmm....

I woke up with a sore throat this morning. Not feeling great right now. Hmmmmm....

Ugh. Feeling crappy. I'm out. Have fun.

booo :( was hoping to ride with you today Adam. Next time... Im headed up now by way of Foothill-Arastradero-Alpine

It was a great turnout. The sun peeped out, just as we were ready to start ... that was great! :thumb:

They had it set up so they would bring up 10 riders at a time, separated by a couple minutes, or something like that. I like how they arranged it in terms of how fast riders could finish the climb. The first group that went were those that could do a 16 minute climb ... :eek: This was so that no one would be out there all alone, and the "endurance" riders were the last to start. I think that described me ... so I waited to start last ... or at least in the last group. Coincidentally, that meant I started with a bunch of women :thumb:

I'm not sure if this is the most popular LKHC, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Marco and Ruth were going to do this, but they had last minute mechanical problems ... that's too bad. A bunch of the low key organizers were really looking forward to seeing the tandem. There was also a unicycle that went up the hill.

http://spingineer.smugmug.com/photos/676292459_D3sjD-L.jpg
http://spingineer.smugmug.com/photos/676292579_YdDw4-L.jpg

The youngest participant was a 5 year old, riding a buggy attached to her mom's mountain bike. That's just great!

http://spingineer.smugmug.com/photos/676292359_xksmo-L.jpg

Here we are waiting to be released onto the course.

http://spingineer.smugmug.com/photos/676292525_y5F5g-L.jpg

When I finally got onto the course, I was in my big chainring. After realizing this, I figured I'd just ride in the big chainring, and see how long I could stand with that big gear. I think I lasted about 1 mile, before I had to shift down to my middle chainring, then finally go to my granny near the top. And the result??? surprisingly, I got my personal best ... 25:08. I totally was not expecting this at all. I would have been happy with just 30 minutes, but this is just amazing. I'm a happy guy. :)

Congratulations Ron - you seem to becoming quite the climber, almost 20% faster than your 30mninute target. I understand that the winning time was pretty stupendous....

edit: PS - how were the locals about this? It looks like a crazy number of people riding today.

When I finally got onto the course, I was in my big chainring. After realizing this, I figured I'd just ride in the big chainring, and see how long I could stand with that big gear. I think I lasted about 1 mile, before I had to shift down to my middle chainring, then finally go to my granny near the top. And the result??? surprisingly, I got my personal best ... 25:08. I totally was not expecting this at all. I would have been happy with just 30 minutes, but this is just amazing. I'm a happy guy. :)

Nice Ron!!! :beer:

Thanks for the ride report too. :thumb:

Ron,

Nice report & congrats on beating your goal time! Good to see you out there today.

Great job Ron. Afraid of the big ring you do not have to be young padawan.

Also, congrats to Pizza Man for his first time OLH showing. Amazing!

Great Job Ron!!!! :thumb:

Ron,

Nice report & congrats on beating your goal time! Good to see you out there today.

Thanks Chris. BTW, what was your time?