mountaindave 

It never hurts to add a story to your registration. Cino is about (suffering in) style - so make it count. Tell them you are bringing a '49 Hercules Kestrel!!!

Ed.

38 hours from here to Helena, MT. So, we get a few crazy people, rent a van, $800 for gas, we're good.

My Torpado, near perfect bike. 47/22, what could be better

etherhuffer 

As others have noted, Logan Pass is a must do! Its higher than Mont Ventoux on Tour De France route. The road restrictions are relaxed after Labor Day BUT......the window from Labor Day to snow is very narrow. It snowed up top two days before Cino when I did it. But it has to be one of the best things I have ever done. The beauty is astounding. The ride down is a rush you won't find elsewhere.

etherhuffer 

Logan Pass

etherhuffer 

One more

northbend 

Oh yea! (but make sure you keep heading west a few more hours to Kalispell)

pastorbobnlnh 

Hmmmmmm----- Dave's comment made me think, what about riding to Cino from New England? that would put everyone else to shame. Especially if we did so with old fashioned shelter halfs, rode 27" wheels, and ate from a Dutch Oven every night. Now that would be suffering.

Actually, I need to retire before I can even contemplate joining in on all this fun. Being off for a week in early September as a pastor means you have some sort of catastrophic illness or a death in the immediate family.

I tried to convince Mrs. PB to let me retire in 3.5 years. Didn't quite work. We've reached a compromise: If I can make on average $400 per month servicing freewheels, selling parts, etc., over a 6 month period, she'll let me hang up the robe in 4.5 years. (Psssst--- don't tell her but I did about $200 in the past week.)

So, if my calendaring is correct, I hope to send in my application in the spring of 2019. Can I apply a few years in advance?

gomango

This will be a retirement gift to myself after I hang up the dry erase boards and markers.

I've been a middle school math teacher for the last twenty years and I think I've got five solid years left in the tank.

After that, there will be plenty of time for these trips.

rhm

Well, Ed, you should know that Photogravity owns a Sprinter; so renting a van may not be necessary if we can find a central-ish location to meet. Then we just have to talk him out of visiting his aunts and we're golden. Peer pressure ftw!

As for the Hercules Kestrel, I haven't seen it in the flesh, but suspect it's not quite right for this ride. No worries, though, I'm sure he has other options. If I do it, I'm pretty sure I'll ride my Fothergill. It's old, but I like the way it rides.

photogravity

So you thing that'll be getter than letting them know I'm bringing a 1950 Norman Rapide? I've not had any really great stories of suffering while riding, so I'm not sure it'll help. I don't know if it's because I don't ride enough or my definition of suffering is far different than most folks.

rccardr 

I could be up for a long distance road trip, and don't live that far from photogravity. And I have a Frejus...
and Cino is on the bucket list...
and I'm retired...

-holiday76

i registered too late last year (When i was living in California). Hopefully this year (err, 2015) I can make it, though coming from Pennsylvania or where ever the hell I'm living by then will take a little longer.

photogravity

With one row of seats in place, a driver, co-driver and three passengers will fit in the van. That still leaves tons of space for bicycles and other junk. Heck, I had 6 bicycles in the van just this past weekend and could have put in more if I had it better organized. Alas, the current plan is that my wife and I will be heading west to see relatives so taking a crew of guys for a ride probably won't work.


Facelift 2 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr

photogravity

Sweet! I've driven over Logan a couple times, but pedaling it would be quite the experience. I need to start into my training for this NOW. Fortunately, we have some gravel roads with steep grades near where I live that I can use for practice.

This year as we were passing near Glacier in October, we were thinking about taking the Going To The Sun road, but a large portion of it was closed for road maintenance and we didn't have time to do an out and back. Seems there was about 30 miles on the west end of the park still open. I thought for sure it would have been closed for snow, so when the notice said it was for road maintenance I was surprised.

Ed.

I'm lazy. I know the zip code for Helena (Daughter lives there), and even if I could spell Kalispell that laziness thing kicks in. 59601 is much quicker to type than 'Kalispell, MT' Besides, how much further could it be after driving 40ish hours.

Anyway, there's always next year.

Ed.

Our Daughter says there are two seasons in Montana: Winter and Road Construction.











(There's more, but you get the idea.)

A few years ago we were out at the end of June and GttS Road was still under 30' of snow.

etherhuffer 

Your daughter is 100% correct! That said, you can chase up the Going to the Sun on your bike before the pass opens for the season. The trouble there is that it has not opened til July some years. You can never be sure, but you could get in a great ride going part way. From Avalanche Creek its 16 miles up. But man, what a ride down it is! Especially if you ignore the speed limit and get to look at car grilles on the left or a rock wall on the right(and pedestrians in between) zipping by at a high rate.

northbend 

This is a thread bump to remind those of you who would like to participate in the 2015 Cino that Registration is now open!

etherhuffer 

You riding again? I am NOT! But I may volunteer to ride a motorcycle sag wagon along the course. Two years was plenty for my on that route! Doing Crater Lake and Mackenzie Pass instead.

northbend 

Of course I am!

Crater Lake and McKenzie are great choices too..

etherhuffer 

Glutton for punishment!

whatwolf

I am giving this serious thought. What is up with this hill on day 2? Length/avg grade would be helpful

nesteel 

My payment checked cleared the bank this week. Hope that's a good sign Northbend, is there a suggested "tune up" ride a person could do on Friday if they arrived in the area early enough? Been a long while since I spun up any significant grades.

mountaindave 

@nesteel, see northbend and etherhuffer's posts further up the page - Going to the Sun is a fantastic ride. All road repair is done on the west side this year IIRC. If anybody is considering riding it soon, this spring is the time to do it - they will have it cleared of snow a within a week or so (weather permitting), but it still won't open to cars until June.

Cino's second day's hill is just over 5 miles of serious, continuous climbing at just under 6% average grade. The added challenge is the gravel/rock road and it is south-facing which gets hot in the sun (if it isn't pouring rain).

Everyone's welcome to carbo-load again at my place the night before (liquid carbs are good).

northbend 

I agree with mtn dave's comments that the climb on the second day is challenging because of the road surface and the heat. You can't make comparisons with the same type of length and gradient on pavement. It's a challenge but not stupid hard. Everyone eventually makes it to the top.

@whatwolf, you've been riding similar terrain on your CX bike (dirt, rocks, gravel) so you're good. You have an excuse to put together a vintage bike again and hopefully you n Greg will join us.

@nesteel, If you aren't used to long climbs, I'd wait until AFTER Cino then ride Logan Pass if you felt up to it if you aren't accustomed to extended climbing. It would be a shame to tucker yourself out on Friday on Logan then burn out early riding the Cino on Saturday because you have no legs left. Just a suggestion from a 58 year old guys perspective..