Southern California - Long Beach New Years day ride

Anyone do this ride? What's the pace like? I assume it gets broken up at some point, are there medium to slower groups that do the whole route? I saw that it is mostly flat, but I saw somewhere that they go through santiago canyon as well. I should be able to make it through but after that many miles, I'm not sure how my legs will hold up trying to get back to LB.

I haven't heard about this ride. More info please?

i did this ride last year. we met up with the main group in seal beach. when we jumped on we were doing 24 mph from the go. it also has a lot of sketchy riders. guys who arent used to pack riding or riding at that tempo. you really have to stay in the front with the stronger riders with bike handling skills. it is a beautiful ride and the weather will be awesome.

if you get dropped there will be a lot of sub packs to jump on with. just remember to cover that front wheel or a fred riding a hybrid is going to take you out.

have fun.

I haven't heard about this ride. More info please?http://www.tourofcalifornia.org/2009/01/orange-county-new-years-day-ride.html

Hi,

Time for my annual rant about this ride. :p I've done it three times but I have not done it in at least five years.

GP's map is good. It is stupid fast until you get south of Corona Del Mar. Then it gets really stupid fast on the rollers into Laguna Beach.

We also make a lot of friends on New Year's Day because the riders take up all southbound lanes of PCH at times and the group of 300-500 riders blow through most of the stop lights. (Though it would probably be worse to try to get people to stop at the lights.)

From experience and second-hand accounts there is at least one crash every year, typically in the rollers going into Laguna Beach, but sometimes on the flats getting into Newport Beach.

BTW, if you have even a modicum of fitness, it is pretty easy to sit in until you get south of Corona Del Mar.

Went pretty much as Cleave describes. Crazy fast, 30-32 mph up front and at 28 you were barely in the main pack. Saw one crash past El Moro. I turned around at Cliff Dr. in Laguna ( lost visual contact w. front group at this point). Ambulance at the crash scene as I headed back.. tho the guy was sitting up and talking.

Big fun. For a non-racer it was kinda cool to get a taste (briefly!) of what fast riding in a big peloton is like.

Spent the first 30 minutes trying to get my nuts out of my throat, and scarier than any race I've done. Dicey as hell from HB until after Crstal Cove, by then it was a little more strung out and easier to keep position up front. The hills were mellow this year, flatted on Irvine Blvd by Alton and chased with a small group.

I did the ride today also, I was really surprised that there was essentially no warm up, they started hammering right off the bat. I learned my lesson last week at simi and made sure I was hydrated and eating. I kept up with the pack up until right before entering seal beach towards the end of the ride where I got dropped when I couldn't get back into the pace line. All in all a good ride. I do agree with the above though, the etiquette was pretty bad as they took up all the lanes despite everyone yelling car back at them. The peleton was amazing though, had to have been at least 600 if not more riders cruising down the highway. I could tell the bystanders were impressed.