Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Rick@OCRR
10-10-10, 05:30 PM
Yesterday was the Bass Lake Double Century, ridden with 50+ forumite Dante as well as couple of NorCal fortumites who are less mature (well, younger anyway). Fortunately we had perfect weather; cool but not cold at the start, warm but not hot during the day.
Dante at the beginning of the first big climb. Note that he is still smiling at this point! Actually, he smiles a lot. (Click to enlarge smaller photos)
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http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee179/bikephoto1/FirstLakeonBLD2010.jpg This photo was taken after 73 miles of mostly flat riding, with Dante and I sharing pulls with Ron (who gets photo credits) and Donald (a young, light climber!). This photo was taken at the top of the first big climb, as we waited for Dante to catch up.
That's Donald on the left, me on the right, heading up to the first big climb where I am actually able to keep up with Donald since I am working as much as possible and he is taking it easy! He dropped me on the next big climb!
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Below:
Here we are at lunch at mile 108, photo again by Ron. I'm on the left, Dante in the middle and Donald Lee on the right. Excellent lunch by the Fresno Bike club. Note that the climb to dread (Bass Lake Powerhouse Climb) is pretty much right after lunch.
Also note Dante and I are wearing our Gold Thousand Mile Club jerseys (earned by riding 5 or more doubles in a season, plus working at least one double). Donald is wearing his bikeforums.net Northern CA jersey.
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The view of Bass Lake in the afternoon. After the Powerhouse climb we rode a huge loop around the lake (39 miles) before descending Powerhouse. There were still 30 or more riders still climbing Powerhouse as I made my descent.
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Thanks to Ron Ng (yes, I spelled his name correctly!) for the excellent photos.
Overall, this was my best Bass Lake time yet (fastest anyway) and I got to see lots of beautiful scenery that I've never been able to enjoy before since it's been dark by the time I've gotten to it!
It was still light when I rolled into the final checkpoint (staffed by F.A.C.T or Fillipino American Cycling Team), always a lot of festive (noisy!) good cheer from the Fillipino riders and friends. I departed in the dusk, turning on my lights shortly thereafter.
I finished at 7:24 and enjoyed the wonderful dinner provided by the Fresno club. With 11,546 feet of climbing in 202 miles, this was a fun double and not nearly as difficult as the prev. reported White Mountain double.
2010 Double Season Summary:
And thus my 2010 double century season comes to a close. Seven doubles for this year after my miserable DNF at Camino Real due to a pinched nerve in my back.
After Camino Real I worked the Solvang Spring Double, still in a lot of pain from my back, then worked the Mulholland Double where I happened to see Saralie (a chiropractor and long distance rider) and set up an appointment for her to treat my back.
Saralie is wonderful and after two adjustments I rode the Hemet double (1.)with dramatically reduced pain. By the Davis Double Saralie had me pain free!
The Davis Double (2.) was next, long drive up and back car-pooling with Linda Adams and Keith Christensen. A bit on the warm side, as is usual with Davis, but no problems, no pain, and a fun ride overall.
Eastern Sierra out of Bishop, CA (3.) was followed Davis, ridden with my friend David Slaton (also 60+) on another perfect day, albeit with three passes over 8,000 feet of elevation. Still, only 10,100 feet total elevation gain.
After Eastern Sierra it was Grand Tour (4. Malibu to Ojai and back) where I was lucky enough to ride with the Very Famous Isabelle Drake, then later draft a super- fast tandem from Port Hueneme into the finish in Malibu.
Number 5. was the infamous White Mountain, which really put me to the test, followed by the Knoxville Double one (short) week later. Good recovery put me in fine form for Knoxville (6), thankfully no problems there either. I actually did the Knoxville workers double, then worked the event. Here I am serving chili at Checkpoint #6 (6:30 PM until midnight). That's my friend Teresa Beck on the right, some unknown (to me) rider enjoying his chili in the background.
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So Bass Lake was number 7. for the year, and leaves me with 49 CA doubles total, or just one more needed to get into the CA Triple Crown Hall of Fame next year. That one will be Camino Real 2011, the same one that killed my season (or tried to) this year.
Rick / OCRR
173431Our photographer, Ron Ng with camera in hand!
Dante at the beginning of the first big climb. Note that he is still smiling at this point! Actually, he smiles a lot. (Click to enlarge smaller photos)
173205
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee179/bikephoto1/FirstLakeonBLD2010.jpg This photo was taken after 73 miles of mostly flat riding, with Dante and I sharing pulls with Ron (who gets photo credits) and Donald (a young, light climber!). This photo was taken at the top of the first big climb, as we waited for Dante to catch up.
That's Donald on the left, me on the right, heading up to the first big climb where I am actually able to keep up with Donald since I am working as much as possible and he is taking it easy! He dropped me on the next big climb!
173206
Below:
Here we are at lunch at mile 108, photo again by Ron. I'm on the left, Dante in the middle and Donald Lee on the right. Excellent lunch by the Fresno Bike club. Note that the climb to dread (Bass Lake Powerhouse Climb) is pretty much right after lunch.
Also note Dante and I are wearing our Gold Thousand Mile Club jerseys (earned by riding 5 or more doubles in a season, plus working at least one double). Donald is wearing his bikeforums.net Northern CA jersey.
173207
The view of Bass Lake in the afternoon. After the Powerhouse climb we rode a huge loop around the lake (39 miles) before descending Powerhouse. There were still 30 or more riders still climbing Powerhouse as I made my descent.
173208
Thanks to Ron Ng (yes, I spelled his name correctly!) for the excellent photos.
Overall, this was my best Bass Lake time yet (fastest anyway) and I got to see lots of beautiful scenery that I've never been able to enjoy before since it's been dark by the time I've gotten to it!
It was still light when I rolled into the final checkpoint (staffed by F.A.C.T or Fillipino American Cycling Team), always a lot of festive (noisy!) good cheer from the Fillipino riders and friends. I departed in the dusk, turning on my lights shortly thereafter.
I finished at 7:24 and enjoyed the wonderful dinner provided by the Fresno club. With 11,546 feet of climbing in 202 miles, this was a fun double and not nearly as difficult as the prev. reported White Mountain double.
2010 Double Season Summary:
And thus my 2010 double century season comes to a close. Seven doubles for this year after my miserable DNF at Camino Real due to a pinched nerve in my back.
After Camino Real I worked the Solvang Spring Double, still in a lot of pain from my back, then worked the Mulholland Double where I happened to see Saralie (a chiropractor and long distance rider) and set up an appointment for her to treat my back.
Saralie is wonderful and after two adjustments I rode the Hemet double (1.)with dramatically reduced pain. By the Davis Double Saralie had me pain free!
The Davis Double (2.) was next, long drive up and back car-pooling with Linda Adams and Keith Christensen. A bit on the warm side, as is usual with Davis, but no problems, no pain, and a fun ride overall.
Eastern Sierra out of Bishop, CA (3.) was followed Davis, ridden with my friend David Slaton (also 60+) on another perfect day, albeit with three passes over 8,000 feet of elevation. Still, only 10,100 feet total elevation gain.
After Eastern Sierra it was Grand Tour (4. Malibu to Ojai and back) where I was lucky enough to ride with the Very Famous Isabelle Drake, then later draft a super- fast tandem from Port Hueneme into the finish in Malibu.
Number 5. was the infamous White Mountain, which really put me to the test, followed by the Knoxville Double one (short) week later. Good recovery put me in fine form for Knoxville (6), thankfully no problems there either. I actually did the Knoxville workers double, then worked the event. Here I am serving chili at Checkpoint #6 (6:30 PM until midnight). That's my friend Teresa Beck on the right, some unknown (to me) rider enjoying his chili in the background.
173228
So Bass Lake was number 7. for the year, and leaves me with 49 CA doubles total, or just one more needed to get into the CA Triple Crown Hall of Fame next year. That one will be Camino Real 2011, the same one that killed my season (or tried to) this year.
Rick / OCRR
173431Our photographer, Ron Ng with camera in hand!