Chrome Molly

Agree completely. I'm just out to have a fun weekend and get a "bit of punishment" in also. Looking at the map, I can easily see myself doing a 100k instead of the 150, and looking at the map and profiles the 50k is a heck of a workout in itself. Supported rest stops and getting to meet everyone from the forum who shows is icing on the cake.

At any rate, I'm happy to have something meaningful to "train for" instead of my usual summer slacking. This just happens to land at the beginning of a week off that I would otherwise spend with my in-laws in a cabin up north. I'm sure you all will be good company by comparison.

RobbieTunes

I can't match that, but I'll be on this:

RobbieTunes

It's coming together....

Night before:
Dinner is being arranged for us, locally, with pasta and local Cornish pasty, plus the fixings.
It's going to be just for us and who we bring, at a local fire department, in a nice meeting room.
The price will be far cheaper than a restaurant, and proceeds go to the fire dept. Basically, all we can eat.

SAG:
Just for us, I'm working on it.
Since C&V bikes may have special needs, you can bring your own stuff and I'll get someone to haul it around.
Otherwise, there's the normal SAG, I think. Cell phones make this so much easier. Any special tools, etc are no problem. I'm bringing my tools, but if you bring your own, label the bag, etc. We are all wrenches.

Photos:
I've found a photographer for free. She'll take group shots Fri night, Sat am and pm if needed, and at the first rest stop in Mineral Point, I believe. She is looking for strategic places on the route, and has help. She'll probably email the photos or put them on a CD and send to me.

Post-ride:
Tony's Tap, it is, and I'm buying the 1st round of whatever....he's got good food, too.

Showers:
For those without lodging who will need a shower before driving home, let me know, I'll arrange something.

Lodging:
On your own, but special needs, let me know. Not sure how much I can impose on folks, but my parents live there, as does my sister (who's doing most of the cooking). I also have a niece in town and a cousin in Dodgeville...

Any other ideas/needs, let me know. No hookers.

Anyone interested in doing this, PM me. I'm going to need a head count. I'm trying to make it as easy as possible to go there and do this, both logistically and financially, for any of us C&V folks. Bear fans are more then welcome, and we'd love to have a big Chicago bunch, as well as Iowans and those Viking faithful....feel free to bring friends who may not be on C&V. It's Wisconsin, everybody's welcome and everything's funny.

Fresh curds are available on Fridays!

RobbieTunes

BUMP: Belmont, Wisconsin has a new hotel/convention center. Not far at all from Dodgeville or Mineral Point, if lodging starts to get sticky.

iab

I just received my 18/21/24 freewheel for climbing.

Except it is a 14/16/18.



Can anyone help? I'll pay strongly.

RobbieTunes

BUMP: (have to, not many chances to "host" a ride in my hometown)

I've got one bedroom available, queen sized bed, garage for bike parking, transportation to/from event(s).
I'm staying at the same place the night before/after. Chance to get a good night's sleep and get cleaned up afterwards, and vittles.

RobbieTunes

I've communicated with Tony's wife, and they have a group eating from 12:30 to 2:00, but nothing major. I told her since we'd be riding different distances at different times, it may just be best if we all know to show up, and if we need space, we'll work it out then.

So, recap to date:

Friday, August 10:
Early check-in, if possible at 3 Lands End, Dodgeville, and people get rooms, etc.

Dinner in Mineral Point, tentatively the volunteer fire dept, home-cooked carbs.
Get acquainted in a relaxed atmosphere. There should be lots of bikes around.

Last minute bike-checkups if anyone wants, good time to lube the chain.
Also good to get a fresh set of eyes on your bike, in case you missed something.
Emergency repairs and drop off anything you want on our SAG vehicle.
Coordinate who's doing what and where to meet the next day.

Arrange car pools, if needed.

Saturday, August 11:
Arrive at 3 Lands End, get ready to roll off. Coordinate with each other if needed.
Last-minute drop-offs for the SAG,..... ** photo op! **
Arrange another rest stop for us if needed...Plenty of room in the SAG for a cooler, snacks.

Ride like the mature individuals we purport to be. Have fun and see some cool stuff.
Take some pictures, see the sights, and enjoy the ride with folks you only see on line...

Afterwards, head to Mineral Point, a whopping 7 minutes away, to Tony's Tap.
Recover, Replenish, and lie about the ride.... maybe some more photos!
Elect a scribe to exaggerate our heroic exploits to BF C&V.

If some people have checked out of rooms, but need showers before heading home, let me know...

Collect the stuff you left with the SAG vehicle. Anything valuable left behind, I'll sell it back-cheap.

Realize that time is just too short, and plan for another one, taking an extra day off....!

treebound 

With 43 days, 21 hours, 41 minutes, and some odd swconds as I'm thumb-typing this, I am officially declaring myself out.
Maybe next year.
Too many obstacles this year.

And just to kick myself in the rump I am going to risk termination and print out the course maps here at work and then post them on the walls in my basement and garage next to where the bicycles are parked.

I do look forward to the ride reports and to hearing how everyone's gearing choices work out.

ps, if any of you will be using a live feed through a smart phone app (mapmyride, endomondo, strava, others) it might be fun to follow along via the web, sort of a virtual ride-along. And it might just be the kick in the hiney that I need to do this next year.

RobbieTunes

We'll miss you, but keep you in mind, as well. If it goes like I hope, it will be there again...

gomango is right. My biggest regret from NAHBS is not being able to spend more time with people.
Perhaps doing the 100k and then having time to meet and shoot the breeze with folks is better than riding all day and regretting the opportunities missed. With a 6:30 am start, I'm may shoot for being at Tony's by 2 pm........

The 200K start is at 6:30, the 150K at 7:00, the 100K and 50K at 7:30am.
I'm thinking of simply starting at 6:30 am and then going as far and as long as reasonable time allows, then enjoying seeing folks and actually talking a bit. Any ideas or thoughts on that?

iab

I'm planning on a 6:00 start. What are they going to do, ban me from public roads? Being a curmudgeon sometimes has its advantages.

I figure I may be at Tonys by 4. I've got nothing to do for the rest of the night. Other than softly cry.

svtmike

I've ridden Arcadia's Brute and the Kickapoo Kicker, and will also be riding the Dairyland Dare (collectively known as the Wisconsin Triple Crown). All three rides are organized by the same folks.

You're going to want to pick up your packet and pin on your number so that you can get SAG support and partake at the rest stops, so you might not quite make a 6:00 AM start. For the first two rides, packet/number/ankle bracelet timing chip pickup wasn't open early enough to get a 1 hour jump on the first official start group.

RobbieTunes

Great info. Is there packet pickup the night before?

We'll find you, if need be.

svtmike

No, it's only the morning of the ride.

RobbieTunes

Still bumping...... I've invited svtmike to Tony's with his friends.
Six guys from Chicago. I'll have to give them directions home "the back way."

Here's one reason WHY I'm going to drive 1200 miles to ride hills.....

I'm actually saddling up now to do about 25....at least it's a high pressure system.
I-440 actually buckled in Raleigh.

bibliobob

Sheesh. 106? You're making me feel like a lazy bastage. I did 20 miles this morning, but will make up for it with beer and wine tonight....

RobbieTunes

I did 30, hunting for hills to climb, and spent every climb out of the saddle, which I never do.
Just trying to train a bit. Running an 11-21 cassette so I can at least imitate the same feeling, eh?
It didn't feel hot; I didn't even finish my 2nd bottle...

But... I stopped a block away to talk to a guy I sold a bike to, and the sweat arrived,
seeming from nowhere. The wind just kept it away from my consciousness, I guess.
Holy cow, it was hot. Added a Mike's Extra Hard Cranberry Lemonade (8%).
Killer buzz.

Just added 6 guys to the Dairyland Dare group. All from the City of Broad Shoulders.
They had plans in Mad City, switched them to Mineral Point, all because of us.
At least one is a ride veteran, and can fill us in on stuff.

iab

Now, there will be prizes awarded at the end of the ride.

I emailed Stew about getting some the Dairyland Dare posters. He agreed to send some and I am going to frame them (I don't know how many at this time). And in the spirit of L'Eroica, I will be awarding the framed posters to the most heroic riders among ourselves. You must be present at Tony's to receive this most prestigious award.

scotjonscot

I'm considering a drive down to the area (from Mpls) to spend a day riding parts of the course just to get an idea of the pain I'll be in come event day. Maybe spend the night in a tent. Looking forward to August!

bibliobob

I'm an inch away from signing up.... Probably either the 100 or 150k.

conspiratemus1

>-------------< Here's 3 cm. Keep the change.

There. That was easy! My work here is done.....

RobbieTunes

Bumping again...trying to lure more folks.....

The early start allows us to spin up the hills and simply take our sweet-a,..er, time.

My current plan:
5:00 am or so, get there and find all the miscreants who say they're coming.
6:00 am, bid iab "good journey: as the 200k and 300k folks take off.
6:30 am, roll off with the 100k/150k folks.
11:00-12:00, hopefully, finish the 100k.
--depending on my obligations, throw myself into a support role--
OR
12:00 or so, start off on the next 50k
2:30-3:00, hopefully, finish the 150k
3:30 or so, ride back from Dodgeville to Mineral Point (7 miles)
4:00-4:30, finish the 100 miles.
5:00 - be at Tony's Tap, and probably not the first one....

All of that is subject to change, and I really hope the times are a bit quicker.
Some of the hills will be 6mph, I know. But going down could be 30mph, and I like that average.

Today, going out for 45, the 5K this morning wasn't too bad...

Saturday 105°

buldogge

I finally signed up tonight (just got back to internet access after a couple days at the North Rim of the GC).

I'm traveling with the family out west, and without a bike...so...no "training" for me right now.

I did hike to Roaring Springs and back on the Kaibab Trail yesterday though...hitting the Zion Narrows for some more cross-training tomorrow!

RobbieTunes

Another RT bump.....

Apparently in:
buldogge-from the Show Me state
gomango-Lake Woebogone's rep
Chrome Molly-Another 'sotan
iab-this train wreck conductor-Windy City
RobbieTunes-from NC, not the host, but I've seen one on TV
bibliobob is 99%-another Chicagoan
conspiratemus1-coming down from Canada
E_Merlin-from our own Mad City, Bezerkley of the midwest
scotjonscot-and I think he's going to recon the event.

...let me check my notes for more...

I think these folks are either in or thinking strongly in that vein:
elguicho (I'd love to see that Cinelli) from Chicago
bikamper was definitely interested
JohnDThompson has been invited down from the Lawrence University area
photogravity-from Wisconsin's feeder state to the south
smontanaro-lurking
Pars-lurking
Chicago Al-It would be nice to see another Centurion!

Another group of 6 from Chicago has done the 1st two Triple Crown legs, the Arcadia Brute and the Kickapoo Kicker, and will likely be around. They ride modern bikes, and are from Chicago, so I'll see if I can get a Green Bay Packer cake made just for them....svtmike and his cohorts. Which makes me think this has gotten to the Road Forum.

and any more, whom I've lost from my notes...apologies.

For those who are hesitant because of the terrain: don't be. Think of the fun and the chance to meet folks you only see on line. That's 2/3 of the reason I'm coming. The other is the food, and maybe a freckled redhead named Patty who used to be one of the two serious roadies in the area, the other being Jack, whom I think has gone recumbent. I just want to tell them they were right all along.

You can ride 50K in a relaxed mode, then clean up well before checkout time, in a casual manner, and make it to Tony's or simply catch others of us proving we're human on the course. Even 100K in 6-7 hours is nice and relaxed, plenty of breaks, with an early enough start to not kill the entire day.

I wonder if I can get a lobbyists license for this..?

RobbieTunes

Fences make it too hard to "borrow" your neighbor's lawn mower, so we didn't have them to whitewash. As Boy Scouts, we did burn some grassland, nearly derail a train. In fact, quite near the ride route in both cases. I do know where a lot of the caves are, and the trout (Grady). Perhaps, on the ride, I can show you where the man with the webbed feet was murdered, two places where I totaled Chevrolets, the only place in town a Sunbeam Tiger ever parked, the best place to learn tennis, the oldest Protestant church in the territories, iab's Red Rooster, and where a man from Chicago paid me $25 to oil his car door hinges (an actual AAA service call). I can show you where an outlaw motorcycle club "borrowed" a friend's car for some hill-climbing, and then gave it back, undamaged (do not crash their parties), and where I caught a cousin with a cane pole and a nightcrawler. We had to walk about a mile to a gas station to get the hook out. I trailed him with the pole and line, because we never thought to cut the line. He got even by stealing my girlfriend in high school.

scotjonscot

So my small chainring is 42t and my biggest cog is 26t. I'm wondering if that'll be ok. I do have a hill with a 28% grade nearby, I suppose I need to run up and down a few times to see how it goes. I can climb it with my single speed (70.5 gear inches) but it about kills me.(it's not very high but very steep) If the 42/26 isn't low enough I've seen some 53/39 Shimano 600 cranksets on the ebay for 50 bucks or so.