Northern California - livestrong modesto, ca

anyone riding it, or have ridden it before? what's the route like??

Well... it'll be flat!

I was thinking of doing the 25 mile route (or possibly the 50 mile, but I worry about my slowness). However, I don't know the roads (never go east of McHenry as I assume this ride does) and would be riding alone (meaning not bringing a friend, not that my friends who ride can keep up with me now that I ride a road bike). I keep waiting for them to post a route map, but haven't seen one yet. Perhaps an e-mail to the event coordinator will produce some more information. Not that I've done that yet, I was just thinking about it.

I'm also putting off registering because I'm waiting to see how weather is and there is a possibility I might be visiting a friend this month, just don't know what weekend yet.

If you find out any info, please share!

yeah, i'll let you know if i find any more information. I was planning on doing the 50 mile. you from modesto? do any rides around escalon or woodward resevoir?

I live in the Modesto area. Never ridden out there out in either area. Not familiar with Woodward Reservoir, although I've heard there is good bird watching, nothing about cycling. Is there a place to ride out there that is reasonably safe?

Can you post a link for said ride? I haven't been able to find it. Thanks!

yeah, i'll let you know if i find any more information. I was planning on doing the 50 mile. you from modesto? do any rides around escalon or woodward resevoir?

VMC and I are up in Copper and used to do the Knights Ferry Loop quite often (goes by Woodward Reservoir). If you ride up here, maybe we could ride together sometime?

http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1746852&assetId=dbe3e937-5cae-4990-9480-97f0f618a2e6.

VMC and I are up in Copper and used to do the Knights Ferry Loop quite often (goes by Woodward Reservoir). If you ride up here, maybe we could ride together sometime?

sounds like a good idea.

I did it last year and it is a great ride. There are some good rollers and it is well supported. The food and beer at the end are great. I will be there again.

I did it last year and it is a great ride. There are some good rollers and it is well supported. The food and beer at the end are great. I will be there again.

Where about does it go? I'm considering the 25 or 50 mile route. I'm just concerned about the time it'll take me to finish 50 miles. What would be the time range for that?

Where about does it go? I'm considering the 25 or 50 mile route. I'm just concerned about the time it'll take me to finish 50 miles. What would be the time range for that?

I guess it would depend on your speed. If you ride around 16-18mph maybe 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the 50. It is very flat for the most part.

I guess it would depend on your speed. If you ride around 16-18mph maybe 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the 50. It is very flat for the most part.

Doh! I guess knowing it's flat I could have just taken my average mph and divided 50 by it... or doubled the time it takes me to do 25 miles. I'm slow, between 14-15 mph I think. A little bit faster each week and a heck of a lot faster than when I was riding a mountain bike. However, still slower than the average road cyclist (I rarely pass people). Not entirely sure of my average since I don't have a computer. I just know the time it takes me to complete a 25 mile route from door to door (including stopping at lights, stop signs, and carrying my bike up and down my stairs).

I just know the time it takes me to complete a 25 mile route from door to door (including stopping at lights, stop signs, and carrying my bike up and down my stairs).

Awesome, I thought I was the only blissfully ignorant one :)

I'd probably be out over 5 hours for the fifty miler. Slow cruising at this point.

Hopefully I will be ready for this one... Out with ankle injury. Im hoping I can do the 50miler by then.

Any word on the actual routes for this ride? I'm still considering it. However, I have so much to do and I'm short on money (desperately need clothes). I want to be sure I'm going to enjoy myself.

Also, the site says that each ride leaves 1 hour apart. The 25 miler really doesn't start until 9:00 am? Why such a huge difference in start times?

Any word on the actual routes for this ride? I'm still considering it. However, I have so much to do and I'm short on money (desperately need clothes). I want to be sure I'm going to enjoy myself.

Also, the site says that each ride leaves 1 hour apart. The 25 miler really doesn't start until 9:00 am? Why such a huge difference in start times?

I do not think it would be a big deal to start earlier for the 25 miler.

I think I wanna give this a try myself. Gotta scrounge up the fee though.

nvm I have to work.

anyone here doing the 50?

Any word on the actual routes for this ride? I'm still considering it. However, I have so much to do and I'm short on money (desperately need clothes). I want to be sure I'm going to enjoy myself.

Also, the site says that each ride leaves 1 hour apart. The 25 miler really doesn't start until 9:00 am? Why such a huge difference in start times?

Most of the time it's to get the people that ride at the "usual" speed for the distances back to the start after the post ride meal starts. Ride the 25 miler starting at 7:00 AM and you might be eating a packet of Gu for your meal.

Most of the time it's to get the people that ride at the "usual" speed for the distances back to the start after the post ride meal starts. Ride the 25 miler starting at 7:00 AM and you might be eating a packet of Gu for your meal.

You're probably right. I guess they want people returning at about the same time. I probably won't stick around for the festivities anyhow since I'll be by myself and feel like a loser stuck in an awkard social situation.

I finally e-mailed and asked my questions. Was told that the 25 miler really starts at 9:00. He also told me to be there by 8:15. (I was concerned that they'd want all riders there at like 6:30 or something crazy, in which case I would go, check in, then come back home!)

Sounds like a dumb question, but one ride I did this summer said they staggered the starts. When we arrived at the start, everyone had left. We were a half hour early!

Didn't get an answer on the route.

everyone ready!!!!!!!

I just officially registered. I guess I'm leaning toward doing the ride!

Rode a little over 10 miles today though and my back was hurting again. Haven't had back pain when riding since before Levi's GranFondo. I hope I'll be okay.

Now... off to double check tire pressure and make sure my bag is packed. So glad I live close. This will be my first charity ride that doesn't involve a 1.5 hour drive or more. Takes off a lot of pressure and anxiety about arriving on time.

Done! And home... showered even.

According to my computer: 24.62 miles, average 14.2 mph, max 26.2 mph, 1:44:04. This includes me walking my bike back to my car before I read the stats (or removed the computer), which was dumb. I guess you can take a minute off the time and about 0.01 or 0.02 miles off the distance. This seemed to be pretty accurate compared to what I believe my normal average to be. I've only ridden with the computer 3 times now, so it's hard to say.

Route was pretty easy. We were paced out to the country by the Modesto Police so we wouldn't have to wait at stop lights. While it was slow, it was pretty cool to not have to stop. However, the slow pace was making me twitchy and nervous because the guy in front of me wasn't holding a line. Some manageable rollers at about 8 miles in and out to the rest stop and the same ones on the way back. My first thought when I saw them was WTF? Then I remembered to HTFU and was fine. Totally not used to hills since my normal 25 mile route basically has none. When I saw these from a distance they looked like they went on forever. Regardless, I hit them as hard as I could when going downhill and would make it up most of them with only some effort and didn't have to use the granny gear at all, which I know I shouldn't have to since these were not real hills anyhow. I even dropped a couple of people on the hills and since this never happens it was an ego boost.

Anyhow, seemed to be a pretty nice ride. People were friendly and I saw quite a few SAG vehicles out, which is nice. I hope I never need them, but I like that they are there if I ever do need support. The course wasn't difficult, but the roads weren't in the best shape. Stanislaus County cobbles as I like to call them, you know, when the road is in such bad shape that it looks like a dried up lake bed, with potholes for added discomfort. I prefered the gravel bike path during Levi's GranFondo to poorly paved roads. At least with the gravel I wasn't bouncing all over the place.

May do this ride against next year.

Oh yeah, and no back pain! I lowered my seat a little bit right before the ride having remembered that I raised it about a week ago before the pain came back. I think I may have found the perfect seat height for me.

Sounds like you had a great ride. I did the 75 mile route that turned into close to 80(the group I was with missed some arrows) and some of the roads were real bad. The food and beer at the end was my favorite. I finished a little over 4 hours and averaged between 20-21 mph.