Southern California - Camino Real Double Century

I'm considering doing this one next month.

Has anyone else done it? Any comments, pro or con?

The volunteers are wonderful.

I'm thinking about it. Would be easy for me to get to and should make a good warm up for the 400k two weeks after. I wish they would post a map of the route on the website.

Gosh, thanks! It's nice to be appreciated.
= )


The volunteers are wonderful.

Gosh, thanks! It's nice to be appreciated.
= )Where were you?

I didn't do the Camino Real Double last year, and I haven't received my assignment for this year yet.

You might recognize me from the Hemet Double (rest stops 1 & 5), the BDO (lunch), or last Saturday's Rainbow 200 (Control #2).
Or Amtrak Century (rest stop #2 at Las Pulgas and loading bikes at the end) or Ride around the Bear (stop #2 at the ski area). I'll be at the finish for the Dudley's 300.

I'm the tall, bearded fellow.


Where were you?

I've done it two years in a row. It's fairly easy for a double century. The weather is usually pretty good. There is only about 3800 feet of climbing so for about 195? miles that's not too bad. The only thing that gets me every year is by the time you get to Santiago Canyon is dark ( at least for me it is) and it's pretty cold. Just means you have to carry you warm weather gear all day or have them dropped at the Santiago Canyon rest stop.

And yes, the volunteers are wonderful. :D

I've done it two years in a row. It's fairly easy for a double century. The weather is usually pretty good. There is only about 3800 feet of climbing so for about 195? miles that's not too bad. The only thing that gets me every year is by the time you get to Santiago Canyon is dark ( at least for me it is) and it's pretty cold. Just means you have to carry you warm weather gear all day or have them dropped at the Santiago Canyon rest stop.

And yes, the volunteers are wonderful. :D
does not compute.

I've done it two years in a row. It's fairly easy for a double century. The weather is usually pretty good. There is only about 3800 feet of climbing so for about 195? miles that's not too bad. The only thing that gets me every year is by the time you get to Santiago Canyon is dark ( at least for me it is) and it's pretty cold. Just means you have to carry you warm weather gear all day or have them dropped at the Santiago Canyon rest stop.

And yes, the volunteers are wonderful. :D

It looks like they've changed the route this year. The web site says about 8500' of climbing.

Ah CBad, got you thinking about doing more doubles. It's a very doable double, you even get to ride on I-5! Most of the climbing is in the second half and it does get cold at night. There are a lot of flat sections and the weather is usally good, you should know it's your area. I've sent my registration in. PM me if you need any more info.

The volunteers are wonderful.

Yes you were great, as usual I'll be there.

It is a fairly easy double, but it does have over 8,000 feet of climbing. Night usually falls as I climb up Antonio, so Trabuco, Live Oak and Santiago Canyon in the dark.

The volunteers are terrific, and Whitecarbondude usually does both mini-checkpoints. In the past there has been hot noodle soup at the last checkpoint (Trabuco - Live Oak).

Rick / OCRR

Ah CBad, got you thinking about doing more doubles. It's a very doable double, you even get to ride on I-5! Most of the climbing is in the second half and it does get cold at night. There are a lot of flat sections and the weather is usally good, you should know it's your area. I've sent my registration in. PM me if you need any more info.

I am not a fan of riding on the freeway. I would rather take the detour through Camp Pendleton for the extra 3 miles.

Agreed. No traffic, nice scenery, and quiet.
Make sure you are carrying your photo I.D. or they won't allow you on the base.


I am not a fan of riding on the freeway. I would rather take the detour through Camp Pendleton for the extra 3 miles.

I'm officially registered for this. I am the 15 mph queen, so I'm thinking of taking the early start at 5:30.

I'm officially registered for this. I am the 15 mph queen, so I'm thinking of taking the early start at 5:30.

Cbad, glad to see you're going to ride this. I'm thinking of doing the early start.

Cbad, glad to see you're going to ride this. I'm thinking of doing the early start.

The headwinds on the coast have been strong the last couple of weeks. When I encounter anything resembling a hill or a headwind, my speed drops by 2/3. I don't think the early start 14-hour limit will be a problem for me.

I will for sure take advantage of the early start. No way I'll be able to finish in less than 14 hours, so no worries there.

There is usually a pretty large group for the early start on Planet Ultra doubles.

Hope to see you out there, Patty and Dante!

Rick / OCRR

I will for sure take advantage of the early start. No way I'll be able to finish in less than 14 hours, so no worries there.

There is usually a pretty large group for the early start on Planet Ultra doubles.

Hope to see you out there, Patty and Dante!

Rick / OCRR

See you there Rick!

I had Planet Ultra email the route to me. It looks like food will be a bit scarce - only bars and water at a couple of the stops.

I rode from Carlsbad up to Dana Point on Sunday. There are a couple of areas on the San Onofre bike path with a bit of dried mud, especially under the freeway bridge near the scenic lookout. There was about 2 inches of dried mud and the Pendleton tanks had gone over it and made ridges and the resulting bumps will jar the fillings in your teeth. Other than that, the road was pretty good.

I was kind of wondering about that start time. I mean, if you start at 6:15, you actually have 16 something hours to finish. I plan to take a very minimal time at the sags, so as to allow myself a comfy margin of error. I have a feeling this route will be like a more urban version of the Grand Tour highland route. If that's the case, 14 hours is doable.

I'm staying at the hotel. Does anyone know if the restaurant next door is any good?

Cbadrider and robertkat, say hi when your at the "mini stops" since we've never met it's nice to put a face with an avatar. I'll be working the mini stop at Dana point after you drop down from PCH and I'll be at the end of the bike trail in Oceanside.

Cbadrider and robertkat, say hi when your at the "mini stops" since we've never met it's nice to put a face with an avatar.

Hi Jon, I'll say "Hi!" to you too, even though I already know you. I met Robert Kat on the San Diego poseur ride and met Cbadrider on the Grand Tour double.

Should be a fun (if rather soggy) double!

Rick / OCRR

What type of rain gear will you all be taking? I've been sick for a month, so if it is pouring in the morning I'm going to bow out.
Good luck to all, Bone

Best of success to all of you who are riding.
I'll be driving SAG, so I hope I won't get to meet any of you!

The forecast is for thunderstorms ending by 10 am. If it's really pouring at 5:30 I'm going to have to bow out. My cycling skills aren't enough to get me through 4 hours of pouring rain.

Hmm. Ya, I figure if it's raining I'll get wet. Something about the no refund policy says I'm doing this regardless. I'll bring a change of clothes maybe.

If you want to drop off a bag of extra clothes at my house, I'll bring them to the 88 mile stop.

Looks like we'll be starting in the rain and riding in the rain until noon (approx.). All kinds of fun. At least there are no challenging descents in the first 100 miles.

I may have to stop for warm coffee at the Starbucks in San Clemente though.

After the rain stops, it should be cool but not cold for the rest of the day, then back into the 40's for the finish / Santiago Canyon.

Rick / OCRR

It won't be the first time for this double to be soggy, it should be fun.

My fate has just been sealed. I got put on an emergency project at work and have to stay late tonight. That in combination with the rain means I'm out for this ride.

I'm going to try for Hemet next month.

Good luck to all of the riders tomorrow!

My fate has just been sealed. I got put on an emergency project at work and have to stay late tonight. That in combination with the rain means I'm out for this ride.

I'm going to try for Hemet next month.

Good luck to all of the riders tomorrow!

Sorry to hear that, we'll miss you. Hemet's in April.

Sorry to hear that, we mss you. Hemet's in April.


I am planning on Hemet and the Grand Tour in June. I really want to do the Triple Crown, so now I have to find a third ride to do.

I am planning on Hemet and the Grand Tour in June. I really want to do the Triple Crown, so now I have to find a third ride to do.

Solvang Spring Double March 27 is a good one.

I am planning on Hemet and the Grand Tour in June. I really want to do the Triple Crown, so now I have to find a third ride to do.

Oooh, I forgot about Hemet. I'll be doing the Laguna Classic that day. You missed out. It was wet for the first few hours but lots of fun. Trabuco and Santiago Canyons in the dark made the ride worth it.

I was doing fine for the first 2/3 of the double, but started to suffer just before San Onofre on the way back. I was a tad dizzy getting off the bike at the checkpoint, but nothing serious (I thought).

I must have looked bad though, cause Linda Adams assigned my friend Andrew to stay with me. Through San Clemete and San Jaun Cap my back pain started to get really bad. Plus, I was having trouble keeping the bike pointed straight (wanted to go to the right).

Eventually, on one climb, I inadvertantly crashed into the curb and fell over. Nothing hurt, thankfully, but I was having serious balance and control issues, plus my lower back pain had become horrible/worse.

Back on the bike, I was having to push hard on the left side of the handlebar to keep the bike going straight. Somehow made it to the top of Antonio, then crashed again . . . into the right curb.

At that point, about 4 mi. from the last checkpoint, I DNF'd. It would have been crazy/dangerous to try to keep going. My wife (Jackie) gave me a ride back to the hotel to make my DNF official (w/Lynn Katano), but even there, my body kept hitting the walls on the right of the hallway.

I couldn't even walk straight! Back in the hotel room, I looked in the full-length mirror and my whole body was leaning to the right (no political jokes here!). Worse, I could not straighten it out.

Took a shower, slept 7 hours, woke up and my body was straight again. I will be going to see a doctor, yes. I did have a cold the week before, so it might be an inner ear / balance thing. Or, worse yet, it could have been a minor stroke (scary thought!).

So, a lovely Camino Real double for most of it, but very painful at the end. Hope to be recovered completely by the Solvang Double!

Rick / OCRR

OMG Rick!!!!!:eek: I almost called you when I got done, but I figured you were asleep or at dinner. I visited with Lynn, but she didn't say a thing about this. I hope everything is ok, keep us in the loop. I rode most of the way back with Foster Nagaoka and Linda Bott, tandem team, Justine Watson, Kerin Huber and friend and Frank Sison on his fixie. It wasn't my best double I had been sick the weekend before. Hope to see you at Solvang.

Hi Dante,

Yes, it was a tough one for me after San Onofre, but I think I did the right thing since it was obviously (to me) dangerous to continue. I'll let you know what the doctor has to say!

Good to hear you finished, and you had some quality riding companions! Frank is amazing on the fixed gear bike!

Rick / OCRR

I rode with a guy on a SS, maybe it was fixed, for a bit that morning and saw him again at the lunch stop. I'd love to do it fixed but with such a long day on the bike and some nice leisurely descents, I need some coasting ability. Sorry to hear about your troubles Rick. I myself had thoughts of DNF'ing in San Clemente. My mood was suffering from fighting the wind and a pair of very irritating riders that latched on to me as they were having trouble following the cue sheet. I think it may have been John's goofiness at the check point that cheered me up and got me going again.

Rick - Healing vibes out to you. Definitely hope everything checks out ok!

DanteB - It was a lot of fun riding with your group throughout the day! It was getting a little lonely out there in Santiago Canyon, what a welcome relief to see you guys roll pass me. It was just what I needed to pick me up towards the finish. Legs were so sore today! Felt like I did a few thousand reps on the squat machine!

RobertKat - Try it fixed! You would be amazed at what you can do when you don't have a choice!

Overall a good day though I had some doubts with the mean downpour in the morning!

Frank

RobertKat - Try it fixed! You would be amazed at what you can do when you don't have a choice!

Oh I am, trust me. I have done many a century and 200k on my FG. I'm pretty sure I'm going to hurt myself with my un-clipped descending technique one of these days.

The first double of the season, February of course the weather will be iffy and it was. When I looked at the Weather Channel it said it was going to rain until around 6am, starting at 5:30 that should be about a ½ hr. or so. I didn’t put my fenders or raincoat on because it wasn’t raining when I went outside, mistake. As soon as we started it started raining and it rain for about 1 ½. The rain made the painted lines in the streets a little slippery and of course I got wet but it wasn’t cold.

By the time we hit the coast it had stopped raining, the sun was coming out and it was warming up. The next few hours were spent pedaling down the coast with various riders, stopping at the mini stop and visiting with Jon. The first rest stop was run by John Long and was well stocked with goodies. I sampled them and then dropped off some of my clothes. After we left the stop we had to ride under I-5 in the mud and water, oh so much fun. After the mud its a few miles then you get to ride on I-5 for 7 miles to Oceanside. Once off I-5 it’s onto the bike path heading east towards lunch.

At lunch I visited with Lori working the stop, had a Subway sandwich, took a few minutes rest and visited with other riders. 200 yards after leaving lunch you make a left turn and start climbing, nice long hill, a full stomach, but having ridden this ride before I knew not to eat too much because of the climb. I caught up with Justine checking her directions and then Frank on his fixie and we started riding together. At a stop sign Foster and Linda on their tandem caught us and there were five of us riding together.

We were on the bike path back into Oceanside into a pretty stiff headwind when we found the much needed mini stop with Jon from the morning mini stop. Now it’s back on I-5 heading north to only go through the mud filled underpass again. At the rest stop we put on our lights and warm clothing for the evening’s ride to the finish. We picked up a couple more riders after the rest stop, Kerin and her friend. The ride is back loaded with most of the big hills at the end. On the way up one of the roads Linda said we were stopping at Burger King for a break and a restroom, little did I know it was also for a burger and a coke, what a treat. A few miles later there was a rest stop that we stopped long enough to get our card signed then hit the road.

A few climbs and then we were dropping down to Irvine and the finish. Done, it wasn’t the fastest double I’ve done but I had a great time visiting with the rest stop workers, thank you for being there, and the riders I rode with.

You riders were, and are, a real inspiration to me.
Today I rode several of the same roads that I drove the other night (PCH, DoHo/CaminoCap, Margurite, Crown Valley, Antonio, Santiago, etc.) and believe me, I thought of y'all and your tenacity!
Thanks for the great day.