Simi Ride
12-24-09 | 09:28 PM
#1
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From: Santa Barbara, CA
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Simi Ride
Anyone familar with this ride? I've ridden most of the route at various times but never actually done the ride. I've seen referene to "seven minute hill" on Mulholland but not sure exactly where it is.
12-24-09 | 11:15 PM
#2
Simi Ride is great. Lots of descriptions around, but here is a recent one that went out from someone in my club:
Seven minute hill is an offshoot from Mulholland (Dry Canyon Cold Creek Rd) here. As you can tell by the name, it is short... and not very steep. But it's at the very end of a hard ride, and most people are going all out.
There are 3 routes on the full on Simi Route. Typically its only full on in December. So you will have to check with the riders when you arrive as to what the deal is.
Survivable: Short. This is where the riders turn LEFT after having gone along Los Angeles (The Start of the Ride goes flat and straight on Los Angeles for the first 30 minutes or so).
Tough: Norwegian. You dont turn Left on Los Angeles and go straight up the first climb called Norwegian. This immediately puts you in the redzone and off the back grappling to stay connected. Now you get to try and recover as the ride continues on at a blistering pace.
Impossible: Easy Street. Turn Right instead of Left at the end of Los Angeles. This typically only starts later on in the season usually towards the end of December. The hard core riders (Thurlow Rogers et company) and the Pro riders will go this route. It adds rollers climbs and a pace that makes your normal road race seem like a walk in the park.
Here's my thought as a solid Cat 4 racer who can climb better than average but not like the "Climbers" Go Short for your first few rides. Once you feel up to it go Norwegian and maybe on that extra special day your feeling gutsy go Easy Street. Keep in mind if you get dropped your gone on Easy street.
Its doable on the short version but you will be working very hard. It is essentially a road race.
A few tips: The group stops at a park about mid way in the ride. Dont mess around. Go straight to the Bathroom, get water and eat up. Then wait for the group to roll out. You dont want to be chasing the group as they leave the park.
For the mileage. It is about 65 miles going short. Going Norwegian only adds a few miles. All routes regroup at the Park pit stop. You start at 8 and your done by about 11:00 am.
Park at the McDonalds at Valley Circle off ramp of 101 and ride over to the start. You need to be rolling at 7:30 a,m sharp. There is a group that does this so hook up with them.
When the ride is over and you are totally wasted the last thing you want to do is ride the 8 junk miles of rollers back to the start of the ride. The finish is only about 2 miles of all downhill to the place where you parked at Valley Circle
Have fun its the best training ride out there.
Survivable: Short. This is where the riders turn LEFT after having gone along Los Angeles (The Start of the Ride goes flat and straight on Los Angeles for the first 30 minutes or so).
Tough: Norwegian. You dont turn Left on Los Angeles and go straight up the first climb called Norwegian. This immediately puts you in the redzone and off the back grappling to stay connected. Now you get to try and recover as the ride continues on at a blistering pace.
Impossible: Easy Street. Turn Right instead of Left at the end of Los Angeles. This typically only starts later on in the season usually towards the end of December. The hard core riders (Thurlow Rogers et company) and the Pro riders will go this route. It adds rollers climbs and a pace that makes your normal road race seem like a walk in the park.
Here's my thought as a solid Cat 4 racer who can climb better than average but not like the "Climbers" Go Short for your first few rides. Once you feel up to it go Norwegian and maybe on that extra special day your feeling gutsy go Easy Street. Keep in mind if you get dropped your gone on Easy street.
Its doable on the short version but you will be working very hard. It is essentially a road race.
A few tips: The group stops at a park about mid way in the ride. Dont mess around. Go straight to the Bathroom, get water and eat up. Then wait for the group to roll out. You dont want to be chasing the group as they leave the park.
For the mileage. It is about 65 miles going short. Going Norwegian only adds a few miles. All routes regroup at the Park pit stop. You start at 8 and your done by about 11:00 am.
Park at the McDonalds at Valley Circle off ramp of 101 and ride over to the start. You need to be rolling at 7:30 a,m sharp. There is a group that does this so hook up with them.
When the ride is over and you are totally wasted the last thing you want to do is ride the 8 junk miles of rollers back to the start of the ride. The finish is only about 2 miles of all downhill to the place where you parked at Valley Circle
Have fun its the best training ride out there.
12-25-09 | 09:08 AM
#4
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From: Eastern Tennessee.
Bikes: 2012 MotorHouse road bike. No. You can't get one.
Seven minute hill is an offshoot from Mulholland (Dry Canyon Cold Creek Rd) here. As you can tell by the name, it is short... and not very steep. But it's at the very end of a hard ride, and most people are going all out.
12-25-09 | 11:23 AM
#5
Over the hill
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Bikes: Pinarello Nytro, Momentum Transend
^ I enjoy it so much, it's called 14 minute hill to me 
umd, I don't know anything about the rides in your area, but the Simi ride is one of the more challenging ones. I find it harder to keep up than the Montrose or Donut rides, mostly because they just don't seem to slow down on the climbs like I do.
umd, I don't know anything about the rides in your area, but the Simi ride is one of the more challenging ones. I find it harder to keep up than the Montrose or Donut rides, mostly because they just don't seem to slow down on the climbs like I do.
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12-25-09 | 01:29 PM
#6
Has coddling tendencies.
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Topanga Canyon
Bikes: 2008 Blue RC8 w/ '09 Rival
I don't know exactly where the clock officially begins on that ascent, but for the record, last weekend I did it in 11 minutes, at a medium pace. I went up Mulholland though, and I think I started timing at the intersection of Dry Canyon.
12-25-09 | 03:08 PM
#7
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He also told me that the intensity is similar to our Sunday ride, but lasts for longer.
I imagine the group would not be very large at that point...
12-26-09 | 05:54 PM
#8
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From: Santa Barbara, CA
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I started with a warmup up the Santa Susana Pass with some random riders that were passing by my car as I got ready. I didn't know how long it would take to get there or exactly when they left so I got there early and watched the group get larger and larger. About 8:35 there were some announcements. I guess they don't do the "Easy Street" route until next week. Ride was pretty hard but not too bad, I guess they really up the intensity in January. There were well over 150 people. Dare I guess 200?
I just got gapped by the leaders over the top of the Norwegian grade but caught back on, except for my coach and only a few others who had rode away from everyone else. The problem was that I was just too far back at the start of Moorpark road and with the ride taking up the whole lane had a very hard time getting around people. Eventually people started blowing up and I dodged my way through them and hopped up group by group until I caught the chase group as they crested. That took 5 minutes at 330W, the last 2 at 385W. Fun times.
Crusing down Olsen and Lynn was a rolling regroup "in the spirit of Christmas." One guy right in front of me got a flat and successfully navigated his way out of the pack without incident. A few minutes late, another guy right in front of me hit a bump of some kind and nearly lost control, but managed to save it. I had to brake lightly to avoid ramming him as he cut across me with one foot off of the pedal. Were were near the front. Shouts from the peanut gallery behind ensued.
By the time we crossed the freeway the group had swelled back to massive proportions, but still a much smaller group that at the beginning. I guess the people who did the easy route were still ahead of us, or maybe somewhere else entirely. It was a nice brisk cruise over the rollers on Lynn. I didn't have to try to hard every time the road pointed up to end up near the front again. I knew we were approaching Potrero and I didn't want to get caught behind everyone like on Norwegian. A fairly large group (the majority I would say) turned early onto Wendy but I proceeded with the long route to Reino road and the real start of Potrero.
As we approached Potrero, Sid (5 time Australian National Mountain Bike Champion) hopped the median to get a jump on everyone and the pace was brutal from the start as everyone accelerated to match him. About halfway up I was still with the lead group (well, the chase group I guess because remember there were still a few off the front) but felt I was about to blow, so I backed off and "let" them go. A few moments to recover, a few guys caught up with me from behind... I paced off them for a little bit then took off after the group ahead of me. That group had blown apart now, and also we were mixed in with the riders who turned on Wendy, so there were people all over the road. Just like on Norwegian, I'm dodging people, shooting through gaps, and leapfrogging groups. The climb took 8 minutes exactly, 293W. When I crested I was near a few others, including the guy that I had shadowed earlier, and after the descent, a handful of us got into a rotation and chased down the leaders. We picked up a few others and dodged slower riders along the way through Hidden Valley. Approaching Lake Sherwood, a few people turned right to go throught he lakefront and the rest of our fairly small group stayed on Potrero for one final climb before the regroup. I found myself off the front by accident, but decided to run with it and see if I could stay away. After about 50 seconds at 480W it was clear I was still well ahead (and I don't think anyone was chasing) so I shut it down and cruised the rest of the way to Westlake Blvd. Catching and passing more of the short-route riders along the way.
The regroup at Triunfo Park was a zoo. A bazillion (literally!) riders and bikes all over the palce. A few minutes rest, a refill of my bottle, and some chit-chat, and we were on our way. 8 minutes. Aaron had assured me that the ride out to Kanan was to be fairly mellow and it was, but that also meant that all the squirelly riders were mixed in. There were these 3 kids that kept bumping into each other and swerving all over the place that were driving me nuts. Then one of them cleared his nose without looking on the guy next to me. As much as I tried they kept ending up near me. Blerg.
I think they went straight when we hit Kanan because I never saw them again. Also the pace picked up on Cornell so it was easier to move back towards the front and stay there. Unfortunately, when we turned left onto Mulholland, the rider in front of me dropped his chain and lost momentum (slight uphill) and I nicked him and went down. Gently, not hurt, but the handful of seconds it took to get going again I went from the front third to the back. Now I have to work my way back up. The front is accelerating and strung out, but the back is a jumbled mess. More dodging and passing, some scooting by around corners on descents, but the longer it took me to get through everyone the further ahead the front was getting. Another climb came up and sorted things out a bit, allowing me to get close to the main group. My peak 5s, 10s, and 20s were in there. But the front was still out of reach. They were jamming. Great, I'm never going to catch them.
Oh yeah, a light. At Las Virgenes. They had to stop which was just enough to close the final gap. Yay!
Once back on after the light, the pace was more of a cruise. I guess that was the calm before the storm that was approaching, "seven minute hill." I was a little worn out from the chase and didn't really feel like killing myself to stay with the animals at the front so I didn't even try to keep their pace. I just settled into a steady sustainable effort and cruised up. I'm not sure where the "hill" is measured from, but the actual climb took me just a hair over 7 minutes, 255W. Maybe a tiny bit more if it includes the near flat part at the crest. I caught oodles of people on the way up, but some guys had clearly been there for a while.
5 Minute regroup, then cruised down Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga. Realized I should have stayed on Mulholland to get to Topanga Canyon Blvd and had to backtrack on Mulholland Drive. The rest was an uneventful urban dash 7 miles across the valley to my car near the base of the Santa Susana Pass.
I just got gapped by the leaders over the top of the Norwegian grade but caught back on, except for my coach and only a few others who had rode away from everyone else. The problem was that I was just too far back at the start of Moorpark road and with the ride taking up the whole lane had a very hard time getting around people. Eventually people started blowing up and I dodged my way through them and hopped up group by group until I caught the chase group as they crested. That took 5 minutes at 330W, the last 2 at 385W. Fun times.
Crusing down Olsen and Lynn was a rolling regroup "in the spirit of Christmas." One guy right in front of me got a flat and successfully navigated his way out of the pack without incident. A few minutes late, another guy right in front of me hit a bump of some kind and nearly lost control, but managed to save it. I had to brake lightly to avoid ramming him as he cut across me with one foot off of the pedal. Were were near the front. Shouts from the peanut gallery behind ensued.
By the time we crossed the freeway the group had swelled back to massive proportions, but still a much smaller group that at the beginning. I guess the people who did the easy route were still ahead of us, or maybe somewhere else entirely. It was a nice brisk cruise over the rollers on Lynn. I didn't have to try to hard every time the road pointed up to end up near the front again. I knew we were approaching Potrero and I didn't want to get caught behind everyone like on Norwegian. A fairly large group (the majority I would say) turned early onto Wendy but I proceeded with the long route to Reino road and the real start of Potrero.
As we approached Potrero, Sid (5 time Australian National Mountain Bike Champion) hopped the median to get a jump on everyone and the pace was brutal from the start as everyone accelerated to match him. About halfway up I was still with the lead group (well, the chase group I guess because remember there were still a few off the front) but felt I was about to blow, so I backed off and "let" them go. A few moments to recover, a few guys caught up with me from behind... I paced off them for a little bit then took off after the group ahead of me. That group had blown apart now, and also we were mixed in with the riders who turned on Wendy, so there were people all over the road. Just like on Norwegian, I'm dodging people, shooting through gaps, and leapfrogging groups. The climb took 8 minutes exactly, 293W. When I crested I was near a few others, including the guy that I had shadowed earlier, and after the descent, a handful of us got into a rotation and chased down the leaders. We picked up a few others and dodged slower riders along the way through Hidden Valley. Approaching Lake Sherwood, a few people turned right to go throught he lakefront and the rest of our fairly small group stayed on Potrero for one final climb before the regroup. I found myself off the front by accident, but decided to run with it and see if I could stay away. After about 50 seconds at 480W it was clear I was still well ahead (and I don't think anyone was chasing) so I shut it down and cruised the rest of the way to Westlake Blvd. Catching and passing more of the short-route riders along the way.
The regroup at Triunfo Park was a zoo. A bazillion (literally!) riders and bikes all over the palce. A few minutes rest, a refill of my bottle, and some chit-chat, and we were on our way. 8 minutes. Aaron had assured me that the ride out to Kanan was to be fairly mellow and it was, but that also meant that all the squirelly riders were mixed in. There were these 3 kids that kept bumping into each other and swerving all over the place that were driving me nuts. Then one of them cleared his nose without looking on the guy next to me. As much as I tried they kept ending up near me. Blerg.
I think they went straight when we hit Kanan because I never saw them again. Also the pace picked up on Cornell so it was easier to move back towards the front and stay there. Unfortunately, when we turned left onto Mulholland, the rider in front of me dropped his chain and lost momentum (slight uphill) and I nicked him and went down. Gently, not hurt, but the handful of seconds it took to get going again I went from the front third to the back. Now I have to work my way back up. The front is accelerating and strung out, but the back is a jumbled mess. More dodging and passing, some scooting by around corners on descents, but the longer it took me to get through everyone the further ahead the front was getting. Another climb came up and sorted things out a bit, allowing me to get close to the main group. My peak 5s, 10s, and 20s were in there. But the front was still out of reach. They were jamming. Great, I'm never going to catch them.
Oh yeah, a light. At Las Virgenes. They had to stop which was just enough to close the final gap. Yay!
Once back on after the light, the pace was more of a cruise. I guess that was the calm before the storm that was approaching, "seven minute hill." I was a little worn out from the chase and didn't really feel like killing myself to stay with the animals at the front so I didn't even try to keep their pace. I just settled into a steady sustainable effort and cruised up. I'm not sure where the "hill" is measured from, but the actual climb took me just a hair over 7 minutes, 255W. Maybe a tiny bit more if it includes the near flat part at the crest. I caught oodles of people on the way up, but some guys had clearly been there for a while.
5 Minute regroup, then cruised down Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga. Realized I should have stayed on Mulholland to get to Topanga Canyon Blvd and had to backtrack on Mulholland Drive. The rest was an uneventful urban dash 7 miles across the valley to my car near the base of the Santa Susana Pass.
Code:
Group: Duration: 2:22:56 (2:33:47) Work: 1450 kJ TSS: 182.8 (intensity factor 0.877) Norm Power: 237 VI: 1.4 Distance: 50.017 mi Elevation Gain: 4449 ft Elevation Loss: 4015 ft Grade: 0.2 % (434 ft) Min Max Avg Power: 0 724 170 watts Cadence: 19 131 85 rpm Speed: 0 46.1 20.9 mph Pace 1:18 0:00 2:52 min/mi Altitude: 531 1461 870 ft Crank Torque: 0 765 168 lb-in Entire workout (166 watts): Duration: 3:19:03 (4:00:07) Work: 1981 kJ TSS: 235.7 (intensity factor 0.844) Norm Power: 228 VI: 1.37 Distance: 67.887 mi Elevation Gain: 6047 ft Elevation Loss: 6016 ft Grade: 0.0 % (31 ft) Min Max Avg Power: 0 724 166 watts Cadence: 19 131 85 rpm Speed: 0 46.1 20.3 mph Pace 1:18 0:00 2:57 min/mi Altitude: 531 1561 915 ft Crank Torque: 0 951 166 lb-in
Last edited by umd; 12-26-09 at 06:06 PM. Reason: Data
12-26-09 | 06:13 PM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: conejo valley
Bikes: Trek 1.1
I started with a warmup up the Santa Susana Pass with some random riders that were passing by my car as I got ready. I didn't know how long it would take to get there or exactly when they left so I got there early and watched the group get larger and larger. About 8:35 there were some announcements. I guess they don't do the "Easy Street" route until next week. Ride was pretty hard but not too bad, I guess they really up the intensity in January. There were well over 150 people. Dare I guess 200?
I just got gapped by the leaders over the top of the Norwegian grade but caught back on, except for my coach and only a few others who had rode away from everyone else. The problem was that I was just too far back at the start of Moorpark road and with the ride taking up the whole lane had a very hard time getting around people. Eventually people started blowing up and I dodged my way through them and hopped up group by group until I caught the chase group as they crested. That took 5 minutes at 330W, the last 2 at 385W. Fun times.
Crusing down Olsen and Lynn was a rolling regroup "in the spirit of Christmas." One guy right in front of me got a flat and successfully navigated his way out of the pack without incident. A few minutes late, another guy right in front of me hit a bump of some kind and nearly lost control, but managed to save it. I had to brake lightly to avoid ramming him as he cut across me with one foot off of the pedal. Were were near the front. Shouts from the peanut gallery behind ensued.
By the time we crossed the freeway the group had swelled back to massive proportions, but still a much smaller group that at the beginning. I guess the people who did the easy route were still ahead of us, or maybe somewhere else entirely. It was a nice brisk cruise over the rollers on Lynn. I didn't have to try to hard every time the road pointed up to end up near the front again. I knew we were approaching Potrero and I didn't want to get caught behind everyone like on Norwegian. A fairly large group (the majority I would say) turned early onto Wendy but I proceeded with the long route to Reino road and the real start of Potrero.
As we approached Potrero, Sid (5 time Australian National Mountain Bike Champion) hopped the median to get a jump on everyone and the pace was brutal from the start as everyone accelerated to match him. About halfway up I was still with the lead group (well, the chase group I guess because remember there were still a few off the front) but felt I was about to blow, so I backed off and "let" them go. A few moments to recover, a few guys caught up with me from behind... I paced off them for a little bit then took off after the group ahead of me. That group had blown apart now, and also we were mixed in with the riders who turned on Wendy, so there were people all over the road. Just like on Norwegian, I'm dodging people, shooting through gaps, and leapfrogging groups. The climb took 8 minutes exactly, 293W. When I crested I was near a few others, including the guy that I had shadowed earlier, and after the descent, a handful of us got into a rotation and chased down the leaders. We picked up a few others and dodged slower riders along the way through Hidden Valley. Approaching Lake Sherwood, a few people turned right to go throught he lakefront and the rest of our fairly small group stayed on Potrero for one final climb before the regroup. I found myself off the front by accident, but decided to run with it and see if I could stay away. After about 50 seconds at 480W it was clear I was still well ahead (and I don't think anyone was chasing) so I shut it down and cruised the rest of the way to Westlake Blvd. Catching and passing more of the short-route riders along the way.
The regroup at Triunfo Park was a zoo. A bazillion (literally!) riders and bikes all over the palce. A few minutes rest, a refill of my bottle, and some chit-chat, and we were on our way. 8 minutes. Aaron had assured me that the ride out to Kanan was to be fairly mellow and it was, but that also meant that all the squirelly riders were mixed in. There were these 3 kids that kept bumping into each other and swerving all over the place that were driving me nuts. Then one of them cleared his nose without looking on the guy next to me. As much as I tried they kept ending up near me. Blerg.
I think they went straight when we hit Kanan because I never saw them again. Also the pace picked up on Cornell so it was easier to move back towards the front and stay there. Unfortunately, when we turned left onto Mulholland, the rider in front of me dropped his chain and lost momentum (slight uphill) and I nicked him and went down. Gently, not hurt, but the handful of seconds it took to get going again I went from the front third to the back. Now I have to work my way back up. The front is accelerating and strung out, but the back is a jumbled mess. More dodging and passing, some scooting by around corners on descents, but the longer it took me to get through everyone the further ahead the front was getting. Another climb came up and sorted things out a bit, allowing me to get close to the main group. My peak 5s, 10s, and 20s were in there. But the front was still out of reach. They were jamming. Great, I'm never going to catch them.
Oh yeah, a light. At Las Virgenes. They had to stop which was just enough to close the final gap. Yay!
Once back on after the light, the pace was more of a cruise. I guess that was the calm before the storm that was approaching, "seven minute hill." I was a little worn out from the chase and didn't really feel like killing myself to stay with the animals at the front so I didn't even try to keep their pace. I just settled into a steady sustainable effort and cruised up. I'm not sure where the "hill" is measured from, but the actual climb took me just a hair over 7 minutes, 255W. Maybe a tiny bit more if it includes the near flat part at the crest. I caught oodles of people on the way up, but some guys had clearly been there for a while.
5 Minute regroup, then cruised down Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga. Realized I should have stayed on Mulholland to get to Topanga Canyon Blvd and had to backtrack on Mulholland Drive. The rest was an uneventful urban dash 7 miles across the valley to my car near the base of the Santa Susana Pass.
I just got gapped by the leaders over the top of the Norwegian grade but caught back on, except for my coach and only a few others who had rode away from everyone else. The problem was that I was just too far back at the start of Moorpark road and with the ride taking up the whole lane had a very hard time getting around people. Eventually people started blowing up and I dodged my way through them and hopped up group by group until I caught the chase group as they crested. That took 5 minutes at 330W, the last 2 at 385W. Fun times.
Crusing down Olsen and Lynn was a rolling regroup "in the spirit of Christmas." One guy right in front of me got a flat and successfully navigated his way out of the pack without incident. A few minutes late, another guy right in front of me hit a bump of some kind and nearly lost control, but managed to save it. I had to brake lightly to avoid ramming him as he cut across me with one foot off of the pedal. Were were near the front. Shouts from the peanut gallery behind ensued.
By the time we crossed the freeway the group had swelled back to massive proportions, but still a much smaller group that at the beginning. I guess the people who did the easy route were still ahead of us, or maybe somewhere else entirely. It was a nice brisk cruise over the rollers on Lynn. I didn't have to try to hard every time the road pointed up to end up near the front again. I knew we were approaching Potrero and I didn't want to get caught behind everyone like on Norwegian. A fairly large group (the majority I would say) turned early onto Wendy but I proceeded with the long route to Reino road and the real start of Potrero.
As we approached Potrero, Sid (5 time Australian National Mountain Bike Champion) hopped the median to get a jump on everyone and the pace was brutal from the start as everyone accelerated to match him. About halfway up I was still with the lead group (well, the chase group I guess because remember there were still a few off the front) but felt I was about to blow, so I backed off and "let" them go. A few moments to recover, a few guys caught up with me from behind... I paced off them for a little bit then took off after the group ahead of me. That group had blown apart now, and also we were mixed in with the riders who turned on Wendy, so there were people all over the road. Just like on Norwegian, I'm dodging people, shooting through gaps, and leapfrogging groups. The climb took 8 minutes exactly, 293W. When I crested I was near a few others, including the guy that I had shadowed earlier, and after the descent, a handful of us got into a rotation and chased down the leaders. We picked up a few others and dodged slower riders along the way through Hidden Valley. Approaching Lake Sherwood, a few people turned right to go throught he lakefront and the rest of our fairly small group stayed on Potrero for one final climb before the regroup. I found myself off the front by accident, but decided to run with it and see if I could stay away. After about 50 seconds at 480W it was clear I was still well ahead (and I don't think anyone was chasing) so I shut it down and cruised the rest of the way to Westlake Blvd. Catching and passing more of the short-route riders along the way.
The regroup at Triunfo Park was a zoo. A bazillion (literally!) riders and bikes all over the palce. A few minutes rest, a refill of my bottle, and some chit-chat, and we were on our way. 8 minutes. Aaron had assured me that the ride out to Kanan was to be fairly mellow and it was, but that also meant that all the squirelly riders were mixed in. There were these 3 kids that kept bumping into each other and swerving all over the place that were driving me nuts. Then one of them cleared his nose without looking on the guy next to me. As much as I tried they kept ending up near me. Blerg.
I think they went straight when we hit Kanan because I never saw them again. Also the pace picked up on Cornell so it was easier to move back towards the front and stay there. Unfortunately, when we turned left onto Mulholland, the rider in front of me dropped his chain and lost momentum (slight uphill) and I nicked him and went down. Gently, not hurt, but the handful of seconds it took to get going again I went from the front third to the back. Now I have to work my way back up. The front is accelerating and strung out, but the back is a jumbled mess. More dodging and passing, some scooting by around corners on descents, but the longer it took me to get through everyone the further ahead the front was getting. Another climb came up and sorted things out a bit, allowing me to get close to the main group. My peak 5s, 10s, and 20s were in there. But the front was still out of reach. They were jamming. Great, I'm never going to catch them.
Oh yeah, a light. At Las Virgenes. They had to stop which was just enough to close the final gap. Yay!
Once back on after the light, the pace was more of a cruise. I guess that was the calm before the storm that was approaching, "seven minute hill." I was a little worn out from the chase and didn't really feel like killing myself to stay with the animals at the front so I didn't even try to keep their pace. I just settled into a steady sustainable effort and cruised up. I'm not sure where the "hill" is measured from, but the actual climb took me just a hair over 7 minutes, 255W. Maybe a tiny bit more if it includes the near flat part at the crest. I caught oodles of people on the way up, but some guys had clearly been there for a while.
5 Minute regroup, then cruised down Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga. Realized I should have stayed on Mulholland to get to Topanga Canyon Blvd and had to backtrack on Mulholland Drive. The rest was an uneventful urban dash 7 miles across the valley to my car near the base of the Santa Susana Pass.
Code:
Group: Duration: 2:22:56 (2:33:47) Work: 1450 kJ TSS: 182.8 (intensity factor 0.877) Norm Power: 237 VI: 1.4 Distance: 50.017 mi Elevation Gain: 4449 ft Elevation Loss: 4015 ft Grade: 0.2 % (434 ft) Min Max Avg Power: 0 724 170 watts Cadence: 19 131 85 rpm Speed: 0 46.1 20.9 mph Pace 1:18 0:00 2:52 min/mi Altitude: 531 1461 870 ft Crank Torque: 0 765 168 lb-in Entire workout (166 watts): Duration: 3:19:03 (4:00:07) Work: 1981 kJ TSS: 235.7 (intensity factor 0.844) Norm Power: 228 VI: 1.37 Distance: 67.887 mi Elevation Gain: 6047 ft Elevation Loss: 6016 ft Grade: 0.0 % (31 ft) Min Max Avg Power: 0 724 166 watts Cadence: 19 131 85 rpm Speed: 0 46.1 20.3 mph Pace 1:18 0:00 2:57 min/mi Altitude: 531 1561 915 ft Crank Torque: 0 951 166 lb-in
i'd seriously die trying to ride that much haha
i went out today myself only for an hour and a half
if your familiar with TO, i started at the TO library and up janss rd.
then i approached Erbes Rd. and turned right and went down to Hillcrest where i turned left.
took Hillcrest all the way to Westlake blvd. where i turned left and took Westlake Blvd. all the way down to Avenida De Los Arboles.
turned left onto Arboles and went until i approached Erbes Rd. again where i turned left and took that unitl Janss rd again and arrived at my car.
im a failure and deleted my odo reading by accident so i didnt get to see how long it was
so ill do it tomorrow again and seei was tired at the end haha i need to do it more! but this sounds so weak compared to ur ride! good job!
12-26-09 | 06:24 PM
#10
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Joined: Aug 2006
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Likes: 2
That's an awesome report, umd. Sounds like you're right there in the mix - I'd expect no less. Bummer about the fall but good that you didn't get taken out. Nice wattage.
I only have my TT bike in Socal so I'm always stuck in the back group (haven't done the Simi ride though) of group rides here and end up having to pull my way solo to the front pack IF I can get there, which is often a nogo for me on the shorter hammerfests. I'll join the Simi ride soon, likely in Jan when I start to get serious about bike training again.
I only have my TT bike in Socal so I'm always stuck in the back group (haven't done the Simi ride though) of group rides here and end up having to pull my way solo to the front pack IF I can get there, which is often a nogo for me on the shorter hammerfests. I'll join the Simi ride soon, likely in Jan when I start to get serious about bike training again.
12-26-09 | 06:37 PM
#11
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From: Santa Barbara, CA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT
Chris, I'm familiar with that area and those roads. Sounds like a nice ride.
Agarose (what's your name?), I saw a few TT bikes at the very end. I think we passed them and they joined in.
Agarose (what's your name?), I saw a few TT bikes at the very end. I think we passed them and they joined in.
12-26-09 | 06:49 PM
#12
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Joined: Aug 2006
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Wasn't me - I'm up in Norcal hurting on some 18% grades up here. Some fast roadies out here too - the AltoVelo cycling group dropped me cold last time I was up here. I'm sure you know that most of the folks on TT bikes in Socal are slow - because they're triathletes, and triguys tend to suck on the bike. I'm a triguy, and even I'm horrified at how slow most of them are considering how much money they spend on their bikes and gear.
12-26-09 | 06:52 PM
#13
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Joined: Nov 2009
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From: conejo valley
Bikes: Trek 1.1
it was a nice ride nothing compared to yours though!
i would like to try the simi route soon. seems tough but im always up for trying new things
thanks for detailed report of it! i like to see what others think of routes before i try it out.
i would like to try the simi route soon. seems tough but im always up for trying new things
thanks for detailed report of it! i like to see what others think of routes before i try it out.
12-26-09 | 06:55 PM
#14
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From: Santa Barbara, CA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT
I know some fast tri guys. Plenty fast. I didn't mean that I thought they were you, just saying that there were some "on the ride", albeit at the end.
12-26-09 | 06:56 PM
#15
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There are several easier options, I'm sure you could hook up on the easier part at the start, take the easy route to the regroup and then the cruise part out to Kanan. It seems that there was an easy group that continued past Kanan but I don't know where they went. You can also just do the route yourself not as part of the group.
12-26-09 | 07:58 PM
#16
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From: conejo valley
Bikes: Trek 1.1
There are several easier options, I'm sure you could hook up on the easier part at the start, take the easy route to the regroup and then the cruise part out to Kanan. It seems that there was an easy group that continued past Kanan but I don't know where they went. You can also just do the route yourself not as part of the group.
for long rides i like to ride with people, just in case an emergency happens someone will be there to help ( i hope!) i have been eying the simi route for a while now but still hesitate to start because i dont want to go it alone.
12-26-09 | 09:21 PM
#17
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Topanga Canyon
Bikes: 2008 Blue RC8 w/ '09 Rival
Great report umd! That large a group with so many squirrelly people jockeying for position gives me the willies.
I did a loop today that included 7 minute hill. With more effort than last week's 11 minute casual pace, I went up Dry Canyon, stop sign to stop sign at just over 9 minutes. I ended up beating my PB time for that route by 30 seconds. I still suck though.
I did a loop today that included 7 minute hill. With more effort than last week's 11 minute casual pace, I went up Dry Canyon, stop sign to stop sign at just over 9 minutes. I ended up beating my PB time for that route by 30 seconds. I still suck though.
12-26-09 | 09:22 PM
#18
Has coddling tendencies.
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Topanga Canyon
Bikes: 2008 Blue RC8 w/ '09 Rival
There are several easier options, I'm sure you could hook up on the easier part at the start, take the easy route to the regroup and then the cruise part out to Kanan. It seems that there was an easy group that continued past Kanan but I don't know where they went. You can also just do the route yourself not as part of the group.
12-26-09 | 11:09 PM
#20
It's ALL base...
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Los Angeles
12-26-09 | 11:16 PM
#21
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From: Santa Barbara, CA
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Kidd, I'll try to post a map later, but you can google for "simi ride" and on the first page their should be a mapmyride of the general route. It wasn't exactly what I did, but was close.
Also, regarding 7 min hill, that time was from the start of the ramp up (there was a dip at the start) to where it was maybe about 1% or so, where I had basically stopped pedaling. Stop to stop was probably closer to 8 min. I would call that a "medium" effort. A hard effort like on Norwegian or Potrero would have taken at least a minute off I'm sure.
DScott, I read about your Potrero adventure in the other thread. The part of potrero that you did is much steep but the speed we were going made up for the difference! Also of note, from the top of Potrero to Westlake Blvd, I averaged 27mph...
Also, regarding 7 min hill, that time was from the start of the ramp up (there was a dip at the start) to where it was maybe about 1% or so, where I had basically stopped pedaling. Stop to stop was probably closer to 8 min. I would call that a "medium" effort. A hard effort like on Norwegian or Potrero would have taken at least a minute off I'm sure.
DScott, I read about your Potrero adventure in the other thread. The part of potrero that you did is much steep but the speed we were going made up for the difference! Also of note, from the top of Potrero to Westlake Blvd, I averaged 27mph...
12-27-09 | 01:33 AM
#22
Has coddling tendencies.
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,360
Likes: 59
From: Topanga Canyon
Bikes: 2008 Blue RC8 w/ '09 Rival
Kidd, I'll try to post a map later, but you can google for "simi ride" and on the first page their should be a mapmyride of the general route. It wasn't exactly what I did, but was close.
Also, regarding 7 min hill, that time was from the start of the ramp up (there was a dip at the start) to where it was maybe about 1% or so, where I had basically stopped pedaling. Stop to stop was probably closer to 8 min. I would call that a "medium" effort. A hard effort like on Norwegian or Potrero would have taken at least a minute off I'm sure.
DScott, I read about your Potrero adventure in the other thread. The part of potrero that you did is much steep but the speed we were going made up for the difference! Also of note, from the top of Potrero to Westlake Blvd, I averaged 27mph...
Also, regarding 7 min hill, that time was from the start of the ramp up (there was a dip at the start) to where it was maybe about 1% or so, where I had basically stopped pedaling. Stop to stop was probably closer to 8 min. I would call that a "medium" effort. A hard effort like on Norwegian or Potrero would have taken at least a minute off I'm sure.
DScott, I read about your Potrero adventure in the other thread. The part of potrero that you did is much steep but the speed we were going made up for the difference! Also of note, from the top of Potrero to Westlake Blvd, I averaged 27mph...
So, based on this first experience, are you interested in doing it again?
12-27-09 | 10:06 AM
#23
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From: West Hills, CA
Bikes: Scott CR 1
umd, nice report, I felt as if I were part of the ride. I'm not up to that, yet. I'm familiar with the roads from numerous classic car events so I can appreciate the effort. Love the Santa Monica mountain roads!
12-28-09 | 06:34 PM
#24
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From: Santa Barbara, CA
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Kidd, yes I will be doing it all January except the 30th, there is a race. I recommend you try it, but start with the easy route unless you want to ride the whole way yourself...
12-29-09 | 02:54 PM
#25
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Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Pasadena
I started with a warmup up the Santa Susana Pass with some random riders that were passing by my car as I got ready. I didn't know how long it would take to get there or exactly when they left so I got there early and watched the group get larger and larger. About 8:35 there were some announcements. I guess they don't do the "Easy Street" route until next week. Ride was pretty hard but not too bad, I guess they really up the intensity in January. There were well over 150 people. Dare I guess 200?
I just got gapped by the leaders over the top of the Norwegian grade but caught back on, except for my coach and only a few others who had rode away from everyone else. The problem was that I was just too far back at the start of Moorpark road and with the ride taking up the whole lane had a very hard time getting around people. Eventually people started blowing up and I dodged my way through them and hopped up group by group until I caught the chase group as they crested. That took 5 minutes at 330W, the last 2 at 385W. Fun times.
Crusing down Olsen and Lynn was a rolling regroup "in the spirit of Christmas." One guy right in front of me got a flat and successfully navigated his way out of the pack without incident. A few minutes late, another guy right in front of me hit a bump of some kind and nearly lost control, but managed to save it. I had to brake lightly to avoid ramming him as he cut across me with one foot off of the pedal. Were were near the front. Shouts from the peanut gallery behind ensued.
By the time we crossed the freeway the group had swelled back to massive proportions, but still a much smaller group that at the beginning. I guess the people who did the easy route were still ahead of us, or maybe somewhere else entirely. It was a nice brisk cruise over the rollers on Lynn. I didn't have to try to hard every time the road pointed up to end up near the front again. I knew we were approaching Potrero and I didn't want to get caught behind everyone like on Norwegian. A fairly large group (the majority I would say) turned early onto Wendy but I proceeded with the long route to Reino road and the real start of Potrero.
As we approached Potrero, Sid (5 time Australian National Mountain Bike Champion) hopped the median to get a jump on everyone and the pace was brutal from the start as everyone accelerated to match him. About halfway up I was still with the lead group (well, the chase group I guess because remember there were still a few off the front) but felt I was about to blow, so I backed off and "let" them go. A few moments to recover, a few guys caught up with me from behind... I paced off them for a little bit then took off after the group ahead of me. That group had blown apart now, and also we were mixed in with the riders who turned on Wendy, so there were people all over the road. Just like on Norwegian, I'm dodging people, shooting through gaps, and leapfrogging groups. The climb took 8 minutes exactly, 293W. When I crested I was near a few others, including the guy that I had shadowed earlier, and after the descent, a handful of us got into a rotation and chased down the leaders. We picked up a few others and dodged slower riders along the way through Hidden Valley. Approaching Lake Sherwood, a few people turned right to go throught he lakefront and the rest of our fairly small group stayed on Potrero for one final climb before the regroup. I found myself off the front by accident, but decided to run with it and see if I could stay away. After about 50 seconds at 480W it was clear I was still well ahead (and I don't think anyone was chasing) so I shut it down and cruised the rest of the way to Westlake Blvd. Catching and passing more of the short-route riders along the way.
The regroup at Triunfo Park was a zoo. A bazillion (literally!) riders and bikes all over the palce. A few minutes rest, a refill of my bottle, and some chit-chat, and we were on our way. 8 minutes. Aaron had assured me that the ride out to Kanan was to be fairly mellow and it was, but that also meant that all the squirelly riders were mixed in. There were these 3 kids that kept bumping into each other and swerving all over the place that were driving me nuts. Then one of them cleared his nose without looking on the guy next to me. As much as I tried they kept ending up near me. Blerg.
I think they went straight when we hit Kanan because I never saw them again. Also the pace picked up on Cornell so it was easier to move back towards the front and stay there. Unfortunately, when we turned left onto Mulholland, the rider in front of me dropped his chain and lost momentum (slight uphill) and I nicked him and went down. Gently, not hurt, but the handful of seconds it took to get going again I went from the front third to the back. Now I have to work my way back up. The front is accelerating and strung out, but the back is a jumbled mess. More dodging and passing, some scooting by around corners on descents, but the longer it took me to get through everyone the further ahead the front was getting. Another climb came up and sorted things out a bit, allowing me to get close to the main group. My peak 5s, 10s, and 20s were in there. But the front was still out of reach. They were jamming. Great, I'm never going to catch them.
Oh yeah, a light. At Las Virgenes. They had to stop which was just enough to close the final gap. Yay!
Once back on after the light, the pace was more of a cruise. I guess that was the calm before the storm that was approaching, "seven minute hill." I was a little worn out from the chase and didn't really feel like killing myself to stay with the animals at the front so I didn't even try to keep their pace. I just settled into a steady sustainable effort and cruised up. I'm not sure where the "hill" is measured from, but the actual climb took me just a hair over 7 minutes, 255W. Maybe a tiny bit more if it includes the near flat part at the crest. I caught oodles of people on the way up, but some guys had clearly been there for a while.
5 Minute regroup, then cruised down Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga. Realized I should have stayed on Mulholland to get to Topanga Canyon Blvd and had to backtrack on Mulholland Drive. The rest was an uneventful urban dash 7 miles across the valley to my car near the base of the Santa Susana Pass.
I just got gapped by the leaders over the top of the Norwegian grade but caught back on, except for my coach and only a few others who had rode away from everyone else. The problem was that I was just too far back at the start of Moorpark road and with the ride taking up the whole lane had a very hard time getting around people. Eventually people started blowing up and I dodged my way through them and hopped up group by group until I caught the chase group as they crested. That took 5 minutes at 330W, the last 2 at 385W. Fun times.
Crusing down Olsen and Lynn was a rolling regroup "in the spirit of Christmas." One guy right in front of me got a flat and successfully navigated his way out of the pack without incident. A few minutes late, another guy right in front of me hit a bump of some kind and nearly lost control, but managed to save it. I had to brake lightly to avoid ramming him as he cut across me with one foot off of the pedal. Were were near the front. Shouts from the peanut gallery behind ensued.
By the time we crossed the freeway the group had swelled back to massive proportions, but still a much smaller group that at the beginning. I guess the people who did the easy route were still ahead of us, or maybe somewhere else entirely. It was a nice brisk cruise over the rollers on Lynn. I didn't have to try to hard every time the road pointed up to end up near the front again. I knew we were approaching Potrero and I didn't want to get caught behind everyone like on Norwegian. A fairly large group (the majority I would say) turned early onto Wendy but I proceeded with the long route to Reino road and the real start of Potrero.
As we approached Potrero, Sid (5 time Australian National Mountain Bike Champion) hopped the median to get a jump on everyone and the pace was brutal from the start as everyone accelerated to match him. About halfway up I was still with the lead group (well, the chase group I guess because remember there were still a few off the front) but felt I was about to blow, so I backed off and "let" them go. A few moments to recover, a few guys caught up with me from behind... I paced off them for a little bit then took off after the group ahead of me. That group had blown apart now, and also we were mixed in with the riders who turned on Wendy, so there were people all over the road. Just like on Norwegian, I'm dodging people, shooting through gaps, and leapfrogging groups. The climb took 8 minutes exactly, 293W. When I crested I was near a few others, including the guy that I had shadowed earlier, and after the descent, a handful of us got into a rotation and chased down the leaders. We picked up a few others and dodged slower riders along the way through Hidden Valley. Approaching Lake Sherwood, a few people turned right to go throught he lakefront and the rest of our fairly small group stayed on Potrero for one final climb before the regroup. I found myself off the front by accident, but decided to run with it and see if I could stay away. After about 50 seconds at 480W it was clear I was still well ahead (and I don't think anyone was chasing) so I shut it down and cruised the rest of the way to Westlake Blvd. Catching and passing more of the short-route riders along the way.
The regroup at Triunfo Park was a zoo. A bazillion (literally!) riders and bikes all over the palce. A few minutes rest, a refill of my bottle, and some chit-chat, and we were on our way. 8 minutes. Aaron had assured me that the ride out to Kanan was to be fairly mellow and it was, but that also meant that all the squirelly riders were mixed in. There were these 3 kids that kept bumping into each other and swerving all over the place that were driving me nuts. Then one of them cleared his nose without looking on the guy next to me. As much as I tried they kept ending up near me. Blerg.
I think they went straight when we hit Kanan because I never saw them again. Also the pace picked up on Cornell so it was easier to move back towards the front and stay there. Unfortunately, when we turned left onto Mulholland, the rider in front of me dropped his chain and lost momentum (slight uphill) and I nicked him and went down. Gently, not hurt, but the handful of seconds it took to get going again I went from the front third to the back. Now I have to work my way back up. The front is accelerating and strung out, but the back is a jumbled mess. More dodging and passing, some scooting by around corners on descents, but the longer it took me to get through everyone the further ahead the front was getting. Another climb came up and sorted things out a bit, allowing me to get close to the main group. My peak 5s, 10s, and 20s were in there. But the front was still out of reach. They were jamming. Great, I'm never going to catch them.
Oh yeah, a light. At Las Virgenes. They had to stop which was just enough to close the final gap. Yay!
Once back on after the light, the pace was more of a cruise. I guess that was the calm before the storm that was approaching, "seven minute hill." I was a little worn out from the chase and didn't really feel like killing myself to stay with the animals at the front so I didn't even try to keep their pace. I just settled into a steady sustainable effort and cruised up. I'm not sure where the "hill" is measured from, but the actual climb took me just a hair over 7 minutes, 255W. Maybe a tiny bit more if it includes the near flat part at the crest. I caught oodles of people on the way up, but some guys had clearly been there for a while.
5 Minute regroup, then cruised down Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga. Realized I should have stayed on Mulholland to get to Topanga Canyon Blvd and had to backtrack on Mulholland Drive. The rest was an uneventful urban dash 7 miles across the valley to my car near the base of the Santa Susana Pass.
Code:
Group:
Duration: 2:22:56 (2:33:47)
Work: 1450 kJ
TSS: 182.8 (intensity factor 0.877)
Norm Power: 237
VI: 1.4
Distance: 50.017 mi
Elevation Gain: 4449 ft
Elevation Loss: 4015 ft
Grade: 0.2 % (434 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 724 170 watts
Cadence: 19 131 85 rpm
Speed: 0 46.1 20.9 mph
Pace 1:18 0:00 2:52 min/mi
Altitude: 531 1461 870 ft
Crank Torque: 0 765 168 lb-in
Entire workout (166 watts):
Duration: 3:19:03 (4:00:07)
Work: 1981 kJ
TSS: 235.7 (intensity factor 0.844)
Norm Power: 228
VI: 1.37
Distance: 67.887 mi
Elevation Gain: 6047 ft
Elevation Loss: 6016 ft
Grade: 0.0 % (31 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 724 166 watts
Cadence: 19 131 85 rpm
Speed: 0 46.1 20.3 mph
Pace 1:18 0:00 2:57 min/mi
Altitude: 531 1561 915 ft
Crank Torque: 0 951 166 lb-in
heres my powertap data:
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/BR4M...26WTLBPIAGVH5U
Last edited by danahs; 12-29-09 at 03:01 PM.