Southern California - Mulholland Challenge

So who's doing it this year?

I'm in!

in.

Out!

I haven't seen you in ages, what have you been up to?

Very cool, this looks like something to look forward for next year. It'll be an interesting way to spend my birthday.

I'm in...

Ben, when are you starting? We should ride together.

I haven't seen you in ages, what have you been up to?

I know man, it's been a while. Baker to Death Valley RR I think was the last time. I have been taking some time off the bike getting fat.

Ben, when are you starting? We should ride together.

Sure. I'm thinking 7:30am - does this work for you?

Based on a training ride I did this weekend, I'm thinking I'll probably average 17mph for the 116 mile route which probably means about 7hrs including stops. This may be a little aggressive because my route had a little less climbing, but I'm thinking 7:00-7:20. With you, maybe I can eke out an extra 1mph.

I did 17mph last year. Same climbing, less flat. It should be doable. I was mostly by myself. That was moving not total time, but I only stopped long enough to get stickers.

Do they record your time or are the times self-reported?

They record your time. You have to stop at all the stops and get stickers. Some of the stops take a while to get through, unfortunately. Last year I was ahead of pretty much everyone by the time I got through the Yerba Buena stop, so it was easier after that.

I am going to try and time when the leading group is hitting a few select incline locations and shoot some video. If I do this by bike I'll stick with Old Topanga and Stunt, the first and last real challenge. If I decide to go nuts, I'll drive my car and shoot Rock Store and Decker as well. This is just for fun and to post a clip online.

I'll be driving SAG for the Mullholland Double, which happens on the same day and partly the same place(s), so I may see some of you out there!

Rick / OCRR

I'm in.
Caution on Deer Creek. Along with the usual hazards there's rain-washed gravel on the road in certain spots this year, which isn't visible until you're almost right on it.
Road surface on Yerba Buena is narlier than ever, which, of course, is part of the "Challenge".
Temperatures forecasted to peak in the low 60's with cloud cover most of the day. Perfect. One of three weather forecasts I check forecasts light rain. Call it denial, but I refuse to believe it.

Ready?

http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/ready-set-go.jpg

Set.

http://hssn-media.advance.net/ohiohssports.com/news/7c0c7acbab4112585ebdfbdc4e3e4785/jonathan-bobak.jpg

Set.See you in the morning. Ian and I will be doing the early start.

Looks like Ben and I will be starting at 7:30. see you guys on the road.

I plan to be along the route shooting video on some climbs.

I'm going to head up now and try to beat the traffic. Hope I see all you guys tomorrow.

OK, now I'm leaving. Almost forgot the bike.

Weather forecast for Malibu looks great tomorrow. 56F at 9am, 61F at 12pm, 63F at 3pm. Mostly cloudy. 7mph winds.

Weather forecast for Malibu looks great tomorrow. 56F at 9am, 61F at 12pm, 63F at 3pm. Mostly cloudy. 7mph winds.

When I did it in 2007, it called for similar forecast (a bit warmer actually), but I froze my tail off the first hour out of Agoura. Just fyi.

Yeah, you start by descending Malibu Canyon and it was stinging cold when I've done it, including last year.

See you in the morning. Ian and I will be doing the early start.

:thumb:


Yeah, you start by descending Malibu Canyon and it was stinging cold when I've done it, including last year.

Yes, painfully cold!

Go!

http://larrybettencourt.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/speedracer11.jpg

Steve and I finished in about 7hr14min for the 116 mile, 12.5k ft course and we were the 4th and 5th finishers (I think). Steve's riding time was 7hr1min and I was 7hr5min (thanks again Steve for waiting for me). Weather was great: it was in the mid 60s and cloudy for most of the ride with very little wind. We went out a little too fast (thanks to me) and the climbing at the end of the race was tough for me. We saw KiddSisko twice and I can't wait to see his videos (one was Old Topanga and the other was Decker). I was very impressed with the event - the sticker stops were easy, the course was very good (with the exception of the Yerba Buena descent which was awful) and the organization was very good too.

Thanks for the ride Ben, that was fun.

Steve and I finished in about 7hr14min for the 116 mile, 12.5k ft course and we were the 4th and 5th finishers (I think). Steve's riding time was 7hr1min and I was 7hr5min (thanks again Steve for waiting for me). Weather was great: it was in the mid 60s and cloudy for most of the ride with very little wind. We went out a little too fast (thanks to me) and the climbing at the end of the race was tough for me. We saw KiddSisko twice and I can't wait to see his videos (one was Old Topanga and the other was Decker). I was very impressed with the event - the sticker stops were easy, the course was very good (with the exception of the Yerba Buena descent which was awful) and the organization was very good too.

Congrats on the strong finish, even though it wasn't a race! I missed the two of you on Stunt. I got there around the 17th person to reach that checkpoint. I figured, "no way would they be in the top 17." Wrong.

That SOB umd ran me over with his bike. Video to follow.

Kidd, I was 3rd up Stunt. The guy that was first or second is a pro that rides for BMC and started half an hour after us. I'm still not sure where he passed us.

Several people apparently did some extra distance because they were confused by having to go a different direction through the Mulholland/Las Virgenes intersection the second time through. I actually saw the arrows hadn't been updated when we went through it the second time, but I knew we were going to Stunt, so I new we were staying on Mulholland not heading back to the coast.

Edit: I don't know if you got my message, but if you could upload the video to Vimeo instead of YouTube, we can link it to my account so my page will show videos of me. It's free to use as long as you don't need to upload more than a gig a week.

Kidd, I was 3rd up Stunt. The guy that was first or second is a pro that rides for BMC and started half an hour after us. I'm still not sure where he passed us.

Edit: I don't know if you got my message, but if you could upload the video to Vimeo instead of YouTube, we can link it to my account so my page will show videos of me. It's free to use as long as you don't need to upload more than a gig a week.

3rd, huh? That's awesome! Where did you pick up so many places? Last I saw you on Decker, you and Ben were in the top 40. Maybe even 30. Didn't stop except for stickers at checkpoints? Ate while riding?

OK re vimeo.

3rd, huh? That's awesome! Where did you pick up so many places? Last I saw you on Decker, you and Ben were in the top 40. Maybe even 30. Didn't stop except for stickers at checkpoints? Ate while riding?

At the Deer Creek stop they said maybe 20 people had been through already. We only made a quick stop at the top of Decker, and did pass a handful of people that were stopped there. We skipped the Strauss ranch stop, there may have been pepople there, and I know that some people incorrectly made the turn onto Las Virgenes instead of continuing to Mulholland on Stunt. But I didn't stop much; I only had about 15 minutes of stopped time, and about 5 was waiting for Ben.


OK re vimeo.

Thanks

Not accusing bmc of cheating but seems very weird that we didn't see him go past us

Nah, I'm sure there were plenty of times he could have gotten past without us noticing. Deer Creek, Decker, Rock Store, etc.

Oh yeah, data from the ride
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/29624837

I was driving in that area today with car club group and saw numerous riders. Prior to the drive all participants were alerted that there might be more than the normal number of riders and to be extra cautious and allow at least a three foot cushion between the car and the bikes.
It was a pleasure seeing all of the riders. I'm a bit envious as my conditioning isn't at that level as yet.

For us mortals, it was a rough day. I hate my bike right now.

I rode up every freakin' hill, I didn't quit, and I didn't throw up.

I did say hi to Mike on Topanga. That was cool! Didn't see anybody else, probably because I was the caboose on this train.

See you in the morning. Ian and I will be doing the early start.


I was driving in that area today with car club group and saw numerous riders. Prior to the drive all participants were alerted that there might be more than the normal number of riders and to be extra cautious and allow at least a three foot cushion between the car and the bikes.
It was a pleasure seeing all of the riders. I'm a bit envious as my conditioning isn't at that level as yet.

dude, were you driving that red convertible? is that a sunbeam, or something more British? I think I saw you out there today!

I saw a bunch of old British cars at the stop at the bottom of Decker when Ben and I started the climb.

For us mortals, it was a rough day. I hate my bike right now.

I rode up every freakin' hill, I didn't quit, and I didn't throw up.

I did say hi to Mike on Topanga. That was cool! Didn't see anybody else, probably because I was the caboose on this train.I looked for you. I lost Ian's phone # and didn't find him until the turn from PCH to Topanga about 10 miles into the ride, standing on the corner.

I did a few extra miles when I made a right onto Las Virgenes. The guy I was riding with stopped but I saw the arrow and said, "turn right". We went a couple of miles until we pulled over and looked at the route slips.

I was well hydrated and stopped in a very sketchy neighborhood north of LAX on my way home. It's hard to look tough in Birkenstocks and black socks.

For us mortals, it was a rough day. I hate my bike right now.

I rode up every freakin' hill, I didn't quit, and I didn't throw up.

I did say hi to Mike on Topanga. That was cool! Didn't see anybody else, probably because I was the caboose on this train.

You were hardly the caboose when I saw you! I didn't stay long on Topanga, but did take quite a bit of footage along Decker and Stunt. After the first wave of 100 or so riders up Decker, the accumulated suffering began to show on faces. Then as I drove down Decker to PCH, the pain on their faces became magnified with each passing cyclist. Stunt was the same. As I drove down Stunt past the remaining 100 or so stragglers, they looked like death warmed over, and even death itself.

I got some good reactions on tape from quit a few people who understood this is all just entertainment. I even got a "I'm riding for God." I hope to find the time to edit some of the highlights.

As cyclists approached at a distance, it was difficult to make out faces, even looking through a viewfinder with zoom lens. I had no trouble making out umd on both Old Topanga and Decker because I heard him talking well before he approached me. On Decker especially because sound travels well through that canyon. Dude likes to talk while riding.

I was well hydrated and stopped in a very sketchy neighborhood north of LAX on my way home. It's hard to look tough in Birkenstocks and black socks.

Is that a fancy way of saying you had to pee?


As cyclists approached at a distance, it was difficult to make out faces, even looking through a viewfinder with zoom lens. I had no trouble making out umd on both Old Topanga and Decker because I heard him talking well before he approached me. On Decker especially because sound travels well through that canyon. Dude likes to talk while riding.

:D

See you in the morning. Ian and I will be doing the early start.


I looked for you. I lost Ian's phone # and didn't find him until the turn from PCH to Topanga about 10 miles into the ride, standing on the corner.

I did a few extra miles when I made a right onto Las Virgenes. The guy I was riding with stopped but I saw the arrow and said, "turn right". We went a couple of miles until we pulled over and looked at the route slips.

I meant to go right at 6:30, but for some reason, it took forever to get ready, so I left at 6:45. Lots of stuff to put on, but I wasn't cold though! I looked for you guys, too, but the timing was just not right. I missed starting with my friends, and rode with absolutely NOBODY today- which was probably just right since my pace was very, very internally driven. I couldn't have stayed with anyone today.

And this was NOT a day I would have wanted to do any extra miles. :twitchy:

After the fire station stop at the top of Decker, I saw some guys heading down Encinal toward PCH (instead of turning left). It was too late and I couldn't warn them... THAT was gonna hurt!

See you in the morning. Ian and I will be doing the early start.


You were hardly the caboose when I saw you! I didn't stay long on Topanga, but did take quite a bit of footage along Decker and Stunt. After the first wave of 100 or so riders up Decker, the accumulated suffering began to show on faces. Then as I drove down Decker to PCH, the pain on their faces became magnified with each passing cyclist. Stunt was the same. As I drove down Stunt past the remaining 100 or so stragglers, they looked like death warmed over, and even death itself.

I got some good reactions on tape from quit a few people who understood this is all just entertainment. I even got a "I'm riding for God." I hope to find the time to edit some of the highlights.

You probably saw me coming down Decker or Stunt. It was grueling.

What am I saying? You have to do this ride next year! :D

When Ben and I were riding back to las virgenes from cold canyon after stunt , we saw tons of riders going the other way. It looked like a death march. Did any of you guys see us at all?

Steve,

Come to think of it, I might have seen you going up the the Snake (Mulholland past Rock Store) early in the day- Platinum team gear with vest/jersey open and flapping in the breeze? I thought there were a couple Platinum guys out there today...