spingineer

To me, it never gets easier ... but that your body is able to adapt better and handle it better ... but I don't ever think it gets easier, especially when you are such a slow slug like myself.

genejockey 

What he's trying to say is that training doesn't make you suffer less, but you can suffer longer.

What was it G. Gordon Liddy said about holding his hand in the candle flame? "The trick is not that it doesn't hurt. The trick is not MINDING that it hurts."

'nother

From slow slugs to lithe wispy climbers, Lemond was right: "it never gets easier, you just go faster". I've never ridden Montebello, or any hill really* and thought, "wow, that was easy".

*I did think Highway 9 was "easy" once when I rode with my wife...but only the effort was easy; it was really difficult to go that slow for so long

Red Rider

Hey, give us a holler next time you come up; we know a couple ways around the hills (Peaceful Glen/English Hills and Steiger Hill Roads). We'd be happy to show you more hills, if you'd prefer.

rydaddy

I finally took on Mix Canyon Road. This climb is just as advertised....

(https://daviswiki.org/Bicycle_Rides#h...3fdc87dac6b9da) <= Click the "MIX" link

It was brutal and I was short on water. I also forgot my gloves which resulted in slippery hoods from all the sweat. I started in Davis and hit Cantelow first which turns out to be a joke in comparison. I was worried about the water situation so I "took it easy" which I soon found to be impossible. I heard about how steep the grades were and that you cannot restart once you stop. Luckily for me I found a few "flat" spots and caught my breath (and dried the sweat from my hands...)

After about 5 breaks I made the last push to the gate, where the road turns to gravel. Since I was riding on my trusty Gatorskins I continued up the gravel road, which was barely a climb considering the 20% grades I just experienced. I passed a house at the summit continued on to enjoy the view. Moments later I almost had a heart attack as a dog was aggressively barking and nipping at my feet! I yelled (more of a scream ) and kicked and finally the dog turned around and went back home. I had to pass him on my way out but I was ready for him – I watched as I passed the house and sure enough he came charging once I was about 100 feet past. This time I jumped off my bike and charged at him…. That did the trick!

The descent was fun but I used extreme caution. It is so steep that you have to be on the brakes almost at all times for the first 1.5 miles. A cautious coast the rest of the way and it was all over. I pedaled 10 miles to Lake Solano for more water and a treat then headed home. It was a 70 mile solo ride and I am just hoping that was enough to prepare me for the Auburn Century on the 15th.

Mix Canyon is no joke! Tougher than Diablo by far – which was my previous “toughest” climb.

sj_roadie

Good job on Mix Canyon! Word on the street is that's one of the toughest climbs in the area.

Wanted to bring my ride back up cuz I forgot to mention that I passed a car on the hwy 9 decent... The car was parking it in the turns so I passed him on the outside... Hwy 9 is a blast to decend, I basically went down it with a "what brakes?" approach... woohooo!

minivandriveby

I did a 49.4 mile loop from suburbia through the farms, hickville Galt, more farms and back to suburbia. I got chased by dogs 2x on the same road (one was funny: at least 15 pomerranians and chihuahas coming at me. one was scary: 2 pitbull-mix maneaters that I thankfully outran) . Bonked out majorly on the last 10 miles and struggled home. Did not plan to ride that far and only prepared for a 25-mile ride. Hallucinating without drugs is cool! Napped for 3 hours after consuming about 3000 calories. It was a good day. Longest ride (by far) since getting back on the bike 3 months ago. I feel great today minus the brain cells lost yesterday...

silentben

Ah the post-ride feast, one my favorite reasons for cycling

I did an easy 30 miles up Canada Road for Bike Sunday and then continuing up the Sawyer Camp trail with the same route back. Once I got home I ate a big turkey sandwich, tortilla chips, can of coke, and bowl of ice cream before showering and then taking a quick nap.

Red Rider

Wow! You rock! I'll do 3 Cantelow repeaters before I'll tackle Mix...you da man!

Gee3

Cool! I'll let you know next time!! Although I'm fine with the hills I've hit there already! hehe!

But seriously... I don't mind trying maybe a couple hills (who hopes I don't eat my words...) as long as you don't mind someone slow like me and as long as they aren't as steep as Cantelow going up from the West(?) side (aka wrong side) of the mountain. I had to walk most of the way up that side! Doh! But please make them near the front of the ride or else I'll need a SAG van to pick my sagging butt up!

Plus it'd be fun to meet new people to ride with since I don't know many cyclists in the Fairfield/Vacaville area where my bro-in-laws live.

Thanks!
Gary

rydaddy

Haha... thanks! I'm still feeling the pain today.

bigbossman 

Since I had to miss Sesamecrunch's HMB ride today, I wanted to get a ride in on my side of the bay. I hooked up with a friend, and we started from my house in San Ramon. We headed east, and kind of made the route up as we went along.

From San Ramon, we went out to Livermore, headed south and then west, and passed through Pleasanton and Sunol on our way back towards home. Totals were 51+ miles and about 2500' of climbing.

Not as good as riding on the beach, but a good day.

qpliu

Beautiful day for riding today. Warm and sunny, but not too warm for the climbs. Went on the club ride up Eureka Canyon, then headed off solo down Bear Creek Rd through Boulder Creek, up Jamison Creek in under a half hour for the first time since breaking my leg, then down Empire Grade with a tailwind kicking in while going by UCSC.

damnpoor

https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/09-15-07

I love the country farm roads. Today I saw a dead possum, deer, hawk, lizard, and a few other small birds or rodents I couldn't identify. Yummy.

'nother

Saturday p.m.: Put some real CX tires back onto my 'cross bike and hit some trails at Fremont Older. Ran into what I thought was another CXer; may have actually been but he was on a true roadie, slicks and all. Wow!

Sunday a.m.: doing as much of the Montebello 10K as I can!

SteveE

The B-Ride went from Los Altos, south on Foothill, Mt. Eden, Pierce, up Hwy 9 to Saratoga Gap. Headed south on Skyline to Los Gatos via Bear Creek, Summit, Old Santa Cruz Hwy, Aldercroft Heights, Alma Bridge, down the Lexington Dam Trail. Then back to Los Altos via Quito, Cox, "tour de Cupertino", Foothill back to Los Altos. Ended up with about 75 miles and 5K ft of climbing after adding in my ride to and from Los Altos from my place.

spingineer

Did Auburn Century. 111 miles and over 12,000 feet climbing. Beautiful ride ... definitely worth a look.

rsvmiller1

I was extremely sore today and thought about not riding but I didn't want to waste my day off.... so I went to Water Dog Lake.... climbed, took the John-something trail.... crashed on a steep decent

Luckily today, I wore shin/knee guards and gloves which I usually don't. I rode a bit further then went home.... still sore

ifox

Portola Valley
ahhh, it feels sooo good to get back on the bike

scottmorrison99

Winters loop on Saturday,(again...sigh), with the club. Faster because racing season is over and the racers showed up. Had a personal best, and was still dropped by the leaders.

senatorw

Century my very first ever. Tour de Organics all around Sevastopol, Occidential, Gurenville, Healdsburg and back. I'm tired.

7rider

Went up Pagemill and the new 12-27 that replaced the 12-25 (53-39 up front) and the cool, overcast weather made the steepest parts a bit more bearable. I'm just wondering if they'll ever fix up Pagemill past Alpine road. Came down 84 and saw more bikes than I've ever seen parked around Buck's and the other stores at that intersection. What a zoo.

Smooooth

We took the tandem on a team social ride in Napa area: Pope Valley road, Ink Grade, Silverado trail - About 65 miles and 2700 ft. Very beautiful day, weather was perfect and most of the ride is on very lightly driven roads. We hammered pretty hard at times. The team got together for lunch after. Good stuff.

Some Pics:

https://web.mac.com/gordonreese/iWeb/...PNapaRide.html

Red Rider

Welcome to the club.

We're trying to avoid the club rides for that very reason. Thursday night was a hammerfest (again...sigh) because no one of intermediate ability showed up.

Send Chris or me a PM of your availability and we'll see what we can put together. Not every ride has to be the fastest one you ever do.

BigSean

Saturday I did a ride with LGBRC club, up OLH down WOLH, 84 to West Alpine and down Page Mill. Fast pace had my legs screaming. Sunday the club met up again for a mt bike adventure. Another great ride. I hadnt been on the dirt in over 8 months and even longer since I had ridden the single speed. Needless to say I suffered alot.