Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - I Got Another Clyde (Jed19) up the Mountain (GMR 10/23)

So this was a special event, Jed19 on GMR for the first time. Wow, what, 2 years trying to talk Lucas (Jed19) up and finally ha ha! As so many others, kept away by the forum myth that GMR was the unthinkable. But today he found out just how nice this ride can be! Yes, a good ride, takes some effort but no, you don't need those 20tooth chain rings and 34 cogs.

My standing plan taking up GMR news is to stop after a couple of miles to stretch the legs. Then again at 4 miles. Not because you really need it but a newb finds these stops a pleasant treat to the legs. I must say Lucas made the ride look somewhat easy. Yes, sweat, some huffing and puffing but he did very well. As he said, the ride is the toughest climb he's done but he made it. He can't fool me, he had some extra gas in the tank. I know this because on the last stretch, he lifted the pace and really worked hard. Nice hard effort on the last stretch, that means something!

We did the early start, 7 am which made it very nice! Not hot and not cold but much appreciated by Gina who had a much more wonderful day on GMR compared to the last 2 weeks and hot 11 am start times. She worked too but made it with a smile!

On the way up, a rider flying by said, "Mr. Beanz". He told me his real name but didn't seem to get a forum name from him. We had a short brief chat then he blasted off up the mountain. Maybe he was just being forum name shy. Either way, I won't post his name but his pic came out great (orange jersey).

At the end of the ride Genaro rolls up. We saw sooo many riders on the road that I wasn't sure if it was him or not. Took me a few seconds but yeah, that's Genaro. Nice tough ride for the guy, Fontana to Baldy Rd (via Euclid, the hard way), Baldy Village then back down and across.

Well, just a beautiful day on GMR. We beat the heat, I guess that has something to do with it! Congrats to Lucas (Jed19) on a job very well done!

Gina picked the song and more pics in the blog.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIi3kIW1xvU

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tT8Eg9VQBic/TqTfqjt9uAI/AAAAAAAACbQ/V8i-uZ0WJ58/s1600/102311a.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B2euWNw8llk/TqTfre7MrsI/AAAAAAAACcA/QmTQf1BWva4/s1600/102311e.jpg

7 am, are you guys nuts, believe or not I set my alarm clock to sneak up there. Turned it off after first buzz plus I am having a knee problem, might have to lighten up on hills a little.
Gina picked a great song!

7 am, are you guys nuts, believe or not I set my alarm clock to sneak up there. Turned it off after first buzz plus I am having a knee problem, might have to lighten up on hills a little.

Yeah, lighten up! When I train for a climbing century, I don't do more than 2 days of climbing. If I feel the slightest tightening of the knees, I back off any climbing for a week. I rarely do more than 1 or 2 climbing days per week.

My own online medical sleuthing revealed iliotibial band on right knee, icing while I write this. Could be all the hills climbed this month, to much to fast or the fitter pushed my seat back to much, pain happened shortly after the fitting. Will have him check it out this week.

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Ouch!

So, can you get me up GMR, Mr. Beanz? At this point you need a real challenge!

So, can you get me up GMR, Mr. Beanz? At this point you need a real challenge!


If you listen to me with an open mind, yeah! :thumb:

I had one guy fight me, I'd say slow down, pace yourself, let's stop here for a short stretch.

His responses were, no, I have to keep up and no, I am not tired. Almost insulted that I was making the suggestions but on his first time up, you need to do these things.

In the end, he failed.


Biggest thing on the is ride is "don't pay attention to what the others are doing" we get there when we get there, even if we stop 10 times and take 2 hours.

Make it, then the next time you worry about speed and stops etc. But in your head, you know you have made it and will make it. :thumb:

The next time we tried it, he listened and he made it. ;)

Believe me Neil, you would not be a challenge if you listen to me and believe me, you would be quite motivated by the roadies shouting out motivation to you on the climbs! You will not believe the amount of shouts Gina still gets while going up, being the slowest and looking like she might not make it. The shouts help a ton. Even I get shouts when riding up with Gina.:thumb:

Believe me, there are the "I'm a bad ass rider" type of roadies on the forums then there are the "I know I ride and don't need to dis you" type of roadies that actually do these rides.

If you saw my post last week with this guy Jason, he's great! I've known him from the forums since 04. He's on GMR all the time. Super fast climber but always says hi, slows his pace for a quick hello even though he's one of the best out there. No attitude, no I'm better than you, no you don't know squat attitude. Guy is fast and trains hard, no gadgets, no power meters, just riding. Check out this Everest Challenge results (2 day race with nearly 30,000 ft of climbing. Some of the forum members met him on the ride and know what he can do! But yet, no attitude at all.



These are the guys that are models and encouragers up in the mountains. :thumb:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uxou7ZurK4M/TpEWBTC_IuI/AAAAAAAACQQ/hRB85UW8pBs/s1600/100811D.jpg

Neil, you come out to Ca. and do GMR, I'll come down and ride with you and Beanz. I know you can do it as long as you pace yourself and don't take off like a rabbit. ;) Especially if Beanz brings his pom poms and cheer skirt! ;)

Especially if Beanz brings his pom poms and cheer skirt! ;)

My best weapon!:D

Neil, you come out to Ca. and do GMR, I'll come down and ride with you and Beanz. I know you can do it as long as you pace yourself and don't take off like a rabbit. ;) Especially if Beanz brings his pom poms and cheer skirt! ;)

The mental image of Beanz in a skirt of any kind will probably deter me from entering California.

The mental image of Beanz in a skirt of any kind will probably deter me from entering California.



Mental image? Don't bet your money that I wouldn't post a picture!:D