bigbadwullf

WOW! Not much more to say.
I grew up in the area, so I know the terrain.....or thought I did. Basically here's the premise for the ride: Find the steepest roads and make people ride a bike on them. It's that simple.
I am a person that is up to challenges(if you know what the Blackwater 100 is, then you know what I mean). But this ride kinda takes the fun out of the beautiful terrain. If I were putting the ride together, I'd find the best scenery and take the ride through there. There are much better roads for scenery in the area. But if you've never been there you would never think that way.
The ride was hard, very hard. I had fun doing it. Will I do it again? I don't know.
I think they need about a 40-mile scenic ride.
25 is too short. 62 miles and beyond is too long(for me).
Back to my 10-30 mile rides.

My thanks to the volunteers. They were awesome. Organization was beyond good. Almost a little anal

oilman_15106

I posted this on your other pre ride post:

Hope your Gran Fondo ride went much better than mine. Not a total failure but not my best day on the bike for sure. Got serious cramps at mile 38. The Hammer Nutrition guy jumped out of a support car and gave me some stuff that really helped reduce the cramping. Got back in the hunt but the the cramps returned several times during the ride. Small comfort that many were experiencing cramping during the ride.

The infamous hill "Killer Miller" got me and many others that had to do the same I had to relent to the cramps and walk the bike up about 1/4th of the hill. This is something I have not done for years.

Anyway got to the split point and dropped down from the double metric ride and finished the century(real slow). Cramping would not go away no matter how much fluids and electrolytes I got in my system. Sans the cramps I feel like I could have done much better. SW Pa being my home base, I have gained a new respect for the "hills" of Western Maryland. We have many climbs that are just as steep but they are much longer. All the rides at this event are very tough. My computer showed 102 miles and 12,250 of elevation gain. On the first 60 miles there are only 2 directions you ride, either up or down a big hill. Very few flat runs.

The ride was well organized and the aid stations well stocked, scenery is great when you are not in oxygen debt. Post ride meal was also good. Going to try again next year with some more serious hill work before the ride. My wife got a chuckle when I got home. She commented that "you guys consider yourselves the kings of hill climbing and this ride did you in!"

A 50+ comment, I looked around at the start of the double metric and thought. Oh boy I look like the oldest rider here. Lots of young hammer heads out to prove a point I guess. The mass start was more like a 25 mile race than an endurance thing.
Also, some of the young riders in this group were real d&*ks. I have worn a Livestrong yellow wrist band for years, with good reason. Lance's foundation helped my son's fiance financially with her cancer battle. Lugging up the first hill and some A$$H0&* says "FU Lance" to me. Too many HED wheels in the double. If I do it again the century will be my ride and start in the back.

BluesDawg

Congrats on surviving. Some rides are intended to be scenic, others to be as challenging as possible. Are there other rides in the area that might appeal more to someone wanting to enjoy the scenery?

bigbadwullf

Everly Road did me in. I was fine until then. Cramped up a bit and had to stop on the hill, but they went away. I dumped out BEFORE the second stop where Bear Creek is very close to 219. I knew I wouldn't make it to the second stop. I only did 32.5 miles. Good for someone that lives in flat land now. Next year I think I will just get with my friends that live there and do a fun ride. I did a 17-mile ride with my buddy the next day and that was much more enjoyable(basically from Glendale Rd, past the State Park and the back way to the Wisp(Mosser Rd) and then down the lake Rd and back down 219 to Glendale road again.
It's a long way between stop one(too short to there) and stop two(too far between stops)
Doing 100 miles of that is quite awesome. Way to go!!
The Metric ride was full of very nice people. We joked back and forth th whole time. Sorry you ran into some dicks.

bigbadwullf

Blues Dog: Just getting on the bike anywhere there is very scenic. Very pretty area.

bigbadwullf

Oilman: What gearing did you use? I wound up with 34/30. White Rock got my attention rather quickly

stapfam

Two ways to do a ride- and I prefer the scenic mode. Did a ride a few weeks ago and it was 54 miles and took me 5 hours. An organised metric and I can do it in 4 hours and that is on a hilly route. Still have time to view the scenery- but the hills are just as enjoyable.

But I am currently riding with a few newbies. They did the 54 miler and I stayed with them for about 35 miles. One was not in good shape and I stayed back with him and made him view the scenery instead of attempting to stay with the others. But at 35 miles they all were shot. I told them to just turn the pedals and walk the hills while me and another rider got our ride in. The others did not get in far behind us and they did walk the hill at the end.

They all enjoyed their ride and I did eventually (When I left them)

Well done on what you managed but even better in that you realised when you had had enough. It is no fun after it starts hurting. But a bit more practice- possible better gearing and I wouldn't mind betting you will be back next year. Doing a ride that you can achieve and at a pace you enjoy.

oilman_15106

Compact front 50/36 and 12/27 rear. Which has gotten me up most every hill. I tried to fit an 11/28 on the back pre ride but it did not shift properly. Also the bearings went out on my light weight wheels and had to go with another set. No excuse but it did not help.

To highlight how much testosterone was flowing at the start of the ride, some young buck went up the first steep hill out of Wisp in the big ring on front.


My comments in the survey "This is the hardest single day ride I have ever done"

bigbadwullf

My "cheap" Tiagra rear deraileur accepted the 30 with no problems. I was kinda shocked. It shifted perfectly. Now if the engine could have spun it going up the steep grades it would have been better.

Gonna see what I can do to make more miles next year. I think my first post was a little negative about the ride, but that was just my beat up body speaking. I am so impressed to see how some people ride those hills with such little effort.

oilman_15106

Long cage or short cage rear? IF I go back next year I am seriously thinking about setting up a bike with a front triple and a mt. bike rear cassette. I could give a flip what the hammer heads think.

You are also so right about your body being beat. It was all I could do to take the grandkids and dog on a short trail walk yesterday. The good thing about doing this ride is your next hard ride will look like a cakewalk.

bigbadwullf

I rode 17 miles the next day without a problem. I stopped at the right time. Little/no soreness. Got lucky.

Regular, stock cage. Thought we would need a mtb cage but did not.
One of my buddies rode a 34/25 and did fine. But he's used to the hills and quite the rider.

stapfam

I may be a bit fitter than you but I do most of my riding locally with 50/34 and 12/27. That gearing is just a bit too tall with my current fitness so I have been using the bike with the triple fitted and 50/39/30 and 12/25 just allows a slightly lower gear for when the compact starts to hurt.

But even I have to admit that hills require training. Take it you have a few where you live so find say an 8% for a mile and do repeats. First time and you may struggle to do two. When you get to 4 repeats- find the 10 % hill and work your way up on milage and severity. It may still hurt when you get to the 15% for 2 miles- but good training for those 30mph headwinds that you are going to get sometime this year.

oilman_15106

stapfam: the street in front of my house is a 12% grade. So that is what I have to face every time I return from a ride.

bigbadwullf

Yup. Hills here are few and far between. I had a training hill that was about 4 miles long but not very steep. I have a few very short, steep hills.

Old Morgantown Rd was a killer for me because of it's length and then Everly Rd did me in.
Quote from one of my riding buddies: "I can't believe you allowed yourself to suffer that long".

stapfam

Don't come back- Find another house to stay at for the night.

Just face it- by the time you get home you are nicely warmed up- the heart rate will be comfortable and you will be in your "Zone". How much better can it be to finish a ride on a High 5 % would be better but make the best of what you have got.