RobbieTunes

No worries; I was being kind of light-hearted, anyway. I know the roads, expect to climb like the fat old guy I am, whoop it up down the hills, enjoy the scenery and take some pictures. It's all about the fun. We'll miss you, but there's always next year, and Monroe is just a skip away. Still some of the best cheese in the world down your way.

When bibliobob and I swing around Monroe as we cross over from Beloit to Darlington, we'll honk. If I remember right, there's a hill in Gratiot that can put a whuppin' on anyone.

That's high school wrestling country there, and that goes for the boys, too.

Folks, the DD site now has almost all the necessary info on it. I'll post any time changes on the meals, since the event has now decided to do packet pickup the night before (hey, sleep in until 5!). Sounds like 6:45 would be a good time to start, but I'll ask our hostess/cook. I plan to pick up my packet, drive back to MP, and then ride my bike to the fire station, so I'm open-ended there.

elguicho 

Ok, I finally paid the registration so I'm all set up. I'll be leaving from the city of Chicago on Friday early afternoon, around 1 if someone needs a ride or just wants a traveling companion.

bibliobob

Excellent news. Look forward to meeting you.

conspiratemus1

I'll be riding my Mariposa randonée bike, sort of a hunter green with those minimal-coverage Salmon fenders. Built 1994 but has straight-level top tube and Suntour Superbe friction shifting setup, so counts as "keeper of the flame" if not authentic C&V. I'm dying to see your bike in action, iab, particularly to see if your derailler is represented in the collection of Mike Barry, builder of my Mariposa. But if you're strong enough to ride those gears in that terrain, I'll be lucky to glimpse you receding into the distance ahead of me somewhere around km 15! But hey, you never know....

Counting down the "sleeps" now is like waiting for Santa Claus to come. Can hardly wait!

conspiratemus1

I'm warning yuh....If you don't stop supplying those wonderful Wisconsin stories, I'm gonna get myself a Green Card and come move there. Then you'll be sorry!

smontanaro 

I realized this evening I could probably use a ride. While I'm in Wisconsin my better half will be in South Haven, MI at the blueberry festival.

Skip (in Evanston)

iab

Knock wood, but the weather is looking good.

iab

Looks like I'll be in Mineral Point at about 4. Anyone up for a beer at the Brew Pub before check-in?

RobbieTunes

Sounds good. I haven't ridden in a month, but I practiced drinking last night.

Murphy's Law is alive and well here.
I need this trip.

If I have to walk the hills, I'll smile all the way up.

iab

I did 90km with hill repeats in Bull Valley this morning. I am fully confident I can do the 100km, about 80% on the 150 and at best 50/50 on the 200.

Carbo loading the night before seems like a smart choice.

RobbieTunes

OK, folks, I'll try to send you all a small chart via PM's, as I'm not one to broadcast cell numbers.
Make what changes you can and PM me back.

Here's where we're at, under a week to go:
17 riders in our cluster-flagration, 11 on C&V but at this point, we're just folks, anyway, not bikes.

Friday night schedule:
Check in with me on Friday if you're staying with me.... please. My mom needs the heads-up. (I sound like a teenager)
If you get to town early, and I mean by 3 pm or so, you may want to drive part of the course or get curds at Hook's.

Packet Pickup at Land's End 6-8 pm, with ID or give yours to whomever picks it up for you. Probably a good idea.

Dinner at the Mineral Point Volunteer Fire Dept starting at 6:45 until. Latecomers can have a plate made by PM to me.
Photos, SAG item drop-off. Meet the volunteers. Exchange relevant information.

Saturday schedule:
4:30 am or "around then" - wake-up at my house, as 6 riders need to get ready....
I figure those who have their packets and are rolling off around 7 am can be last in line...

Not sure if the showers at Land's End are available pre-race....doubt it..BUT
Plan to take your post-ride shower at Land's End, if possible. Simplifies things.

5:00 am to 6:00 am, check in, mingle, photos, get ready to rumble at 3 Land's End-Dodgeville.
6:00 am to 7:30 am - roll off. iab leaves at 6 am, and I'll probably ride a bit and pester him some...

Ride, check in, have fun. We have our SAG, the event SAG, and each other.
It looks like we have 6 for the 100K, 2 hopefuls for the 150K, and 7 for the 200K (iab and svtmike's group).
Feel free to change during the ride. The main tactical decision seems to be at the 100/150K turnoff..

11:00 am to 4:00 pm or so.... Finish. Shower. Head to Tony's.

Noon - until post-ride at Tony's.

Sunday schedule:
9:00 am I should be leaving for Chicago with bibliobob.

I'll add more info and cell #'s as I get them, likely on Friday night...

svtmike

Robbie,

My group will be doing 100k, 150k max. We have another metric to ride back home on Sunday morning. You can count on 4 of us for dinner on Friday night.

Mike

RobbieTunes

Got it, Mike, and thanks.

We've also just added Barrettcv from this forum, another Chicagoan.
Looks like the Cub fans may rule the day.

Also looks like the vast majority will be doing the 100K, which makes sense.
My experience in these is that most of us are more hopeful than sensible.

I'll very likely curtail my hopes to common sense, do the 100K, and spend more time yakking it up...

So, we've got 18 coming, 16 up for the 100K, 1 of which may do the 150k, and then 2 for the 200k.
I'd love to be able to finish, then get tabs on the 200K progress from the cat-herder, and be there to greet...

bibliobob

Very cool. I got 50 flat miles in yesterday (hotter than hades), and a 20 mile leg stretch in today with Barrettscv, as he recovered from his 50 miler....

Just found a broken spoke on the rear of the Medici. I don't have the proper fw remover, so will have to deal with that this week so that I can switch to a better fw. I added the 24t small ring, a new chain, and switched to clipless pedals.

Robbie, will we be driving or riding from your folks place to the start? Just wondering how to deal with lugging clothes for the post-ride shower....

RobbieTunes

Driving, my friend. You do NOT want to ride that road at 5:00 am.
All the good farm girls are just going home, some still with a buzz on...
And if you're wearing a Bears T-shirt, they'll run over you on purpose.

I'll have my clothes in there, too. One of us will get the key, the other will get the lock remote...
I'm not even sure what car I'm bringing, as mine got hit, R side doors are phooey.
I hope to have the rental by then, but either way, we'll be fine.

Folks, if you share a ride with someone, just check in with Laura, and she'll tell you how far away the other person is, etc. The start/finish may have facilities for that. Or, you can keep spares/keys/etc on a SAG vehicle.

The decision now is whether to bring the tarantula out of retirement, since NAHBS 2011, or wear normal kit. I just want to be visible to EMS in the ditch, in the event that occurs....



Looks like Robbietunes is hosting the Magnificent Seven
Svtmike is bringing the Chicago Seven.
gomango and Chrome Molly make up the pair from Lake Woebegone.
buldogge will have to represent the Show Me state, conpsiratemus1 our neighbor to the North.
and iab, who started this entire conflagration, will have to forgive us if we embarass him upon his late arrival.
What a motley crew.

RobbieTunes

We'll take you. Bring the Molson recipe, some spare hockey sticks, and all the old Gordon Lightfoot, Rush and Triumph LP's that never made it here.....

scotjonscot

I had hoped to get down there before the 11th to drive/ride the route, but that aint gonna happen. I will be leaving here(Minneapolis) Fri. morning, should get in around 1:00 or so in the afternoon. Time enough to drive the route and maybe climb a hill or two.

conspiratemus1

I wonder if any of the Chicago contingent could render an opinion about the likely traffic situation going around Chicago, coming west on I-94 from MI then I-294 (Tri-State Tollway?) to skirt the Metro area. I would be trying to arrive in the Chicago area after 10 a.m. on Friday. I do have a reservation on the ferry across Lake Michigan as Plan A 'cos it'll break up the drive. The distance is about the same either way; the additional time is resting on the boat which is actually a plus. But if you all say Don't be a wimp, the traffic in the Chicago burbs isn't all that bad, I might just grit my teeth and drive it instead. (We have wicked awful traffic in Toronto that corrodes the spirit and darkens the soul...)

PM if you like.

iab

During daylight hours, the only acceptable time to drive in Chicago is 9am-noon. All else sux from 5am to 8pm.

elguicho 

Is there a list of bikes attending? I was thinking about riding the new (to me) cinelli but in the spirit of vintage riding I'll ride the paramount. The paramount is not as fast as the cinelli but I'm only doing 100km and I'm hoping to simply enjoy the ride.

Elguicho= 1960 paramount p-12

RobbieTunes

So much can go wrong on the high-speed demolition derby known as Chicago expressway traffic, the Ferry may be much better for your nerves. I take the Skyway, then the expressway, because I love the danger...sort of.

People staying with me need to let me know ETA's in Mineral Point or the area.
If you get there too early, my mom or sister may put you to work.
I'm at rpcr@embarqmail.com

Now, if you get there really early in the day, I'd check out the way to Land's End in the daylight. At 5 am, things can look a little different.

You can also drive around Mineral Point. I'd check out two things in Mineral Point: the first rest stop at the bottom of Antoine St (you will need your brakes), and then drive up Spruce and then TL down Commerce to see what kind of run you'll have at High St's initial climb. Notice that if you can keep speed down Commerce, you can use it on High St, but that's a wicked intersection if the cars don't stop for you by the cheese factory. Then, go back down High St, TR at the bottom, and go see where Tony's Tap is.

The park at the first rest stop is a really nice place to chill. The pool there is a depression-era WPA project. The entire park used to be a lake. It was drained for the project.

OK, a list of bikes, intended....a really nice mix, so far.

elguicho 1960 Paramount P-12
RobbieTunes 1985 Cinelli Equipe Centurion
scotjonscot 1989 Panasonic DX4000
Chrome Molly 1985 Trek 760
E_Merlin 1983 Trek 630
bibliobob '79ish Medici Gran Turismo
iab something old

Easily the most C&V I've seen in a long time on a group ride.

I have an updated spreadsheet, if you PM me with your email, or send me one, I can send it directly.
I had some of the stops mixed up....I will update it as I go along.

It looks so easy on paper. Hah!

scotjonscot

If the forecast holds,(that's a big if this far out) weather should be very nice- mostly sunny with a high around 80 and 5mph wind. About 60 when we start.

gomango

Good job on the 50!

Did a little riding in La Jolla last week and found out I wasn't so red hot after all.

Long three mile climbs at 5-10% was tough stuff, but still loved every minute of it.

I rode two different bikes, both almost new. Both with 12-25s.

A Tarmac and a CAAD10.

I really liked the CAAD10.

Tires stunk on the Tarmac.

Today I was planning on a century. Did the 52 mile front half, bailing on a hill but otherwise was fine.

Halfway into the return, I destroyed a rear wheel. Not enough shoulder on the road and an RV sucked me in so I yanked off the shoulder.

Hit some loose stuff and the tire blew. Rim hit a rock and folded like an accordion.

Mrs. Gomango was called to pick me up, but I have to figure out another wheel for the rear tomorrow.

If all else fails, we play L' Eroica and bring the old Zullo this weekend.

If the gearing on that doesn't kill me, nothing will.

E_merlin

+1 I will probably be right there with you. Perhaps I can draft behind you walking up the hill?

I will be in a 1983 Trek 630 with factory gearing.... unless I chicken out and bring the C&V inspired LHT complete with bailout gearing...

I am really looking forward to this.

E_merlin

Hi all, I had a free moment and I decided to venture out to Mineral Point survey the course. I hope you enjoy the pictures and it gives you a sense for what the territory is like. I have labeled (as best as I can remember) the photos that correspond to the leg they are on. Below are my shots of the first 50K.

For routing they have spray painted some cool logos with arrows indicating the turns, I think they did them today-
\

Here is obligatory photo of the start from the Lands End building lane.


From there you head into Dodgeville and head left out of town. The first climb is nasty (by my book), but before that is a strange stone structure that I found interesting. I am not really sure what it is - anyone have a guess?


Now onto McGraw Road


End of a very pretty climb on Sunny Ridge Road - kinda of a neat photo


From there it is a a bit of a grind into mineral point... and to the rest stop at Soldiers Park.


Next on to County QQ


Mill Creek Rd.


Next up is Survey Road which is a bit a grind before winding up back at Lands End. Sorry no pictures. I will try to get some photos of the next 50 if I have time.

I am struggling with whether or not to try the 150... you kinda have to commit on the back half around mile 58.... I am afraid if I try it I will not make it. The last 50K of the 150K looks nasty.

Also how does everyone handle lunch?

I will end with a one more shot of the logo

Cheers - see you guys Friday!