balsingh

Who is planning on doing it, Sunday, April 15th? Just got an email last night with more info and I am getting quite excited to see what the route is.

https://www.facebook.com/SPYBWR
https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/2012/...-serious-post/

Safe riding,
Bal

calamarichris

I heard it was an invitation-only ride and they were trying keep it on the DL. (Of course this could just be part of a brilliant marketing strategy to make us all want to do it.)
They're probably going to do Couser Canyon, West Lilac, and try to find the least-miserable way through Escondido to get to Rancho Santa Fe, Hodges and Highland Valley Road.

balsingh

Not quite invite-only, they just asked ppl to RSVP and put a "field limit" restriction of sorts. Seeing if any others RSVP'd...

You're probably right about those roads. Wohlford maybe? Without going really east, I really don't know any of these dirt sections they keep mentioning.

whistler

One of the dirt sections is supposed to be Questhaven Rd, and although I have never ridden it, a teammate said it is a read bear of a climb. I think that there is another dirt section on the guessed at route but I cannot remember where it is.

calamarichris

Ack!--Questhaven? On a road bike? Ack! Unless it's been regraded recently, I wouldn't want to take a road bike on that. Maybe they've filled in the ruts and done something since last year.

tony2v

Here's recon info on BWR:
Holy crap Max affrano and myself rode the " not known until now " sections which are the castle rd to wilkes rd - sierra rojo - lilac rd portion which was fun , hard and dont race the down hill dirt section if you want to live . We then rode the hideaway lake - to ten turns onto unmarked dirt roads designed for lifted jeeps section . The only way we knew we were on the correct roads and not in a remake of deliverance was Max's gps on his i phone . T he 1 st dirt section is makeable but you do have to put your bike over a gate that leads you to believe this is not a public road and that hillbillys do reside in this area then a short left on pavement to country club which is a unmarked dirt rd just like the last one but totally not rideable on a road bike ( I figure this is where Mr. Markx fell on his head ) . Maybe on a cross bike or bmw enduro 650 but not our colnagos . Your looking at 1 to 2 miles of total frustration especially if you have speedplay because after the 1st get off your cleats do not go back in and you have 20 more get on and off the bikes to go . I am bringing a light pair of shoes to slip on for this sec and hoofing it . Oh there is a water crossing about 50 yrds in on the rd . Max and i aren't exactly in bad shape right now and these 2 sections added up to about 7 miles which took us a full hour . you can walk 5 miles in a hour folks . Truth be told I was very pissed after this sec , as far as i know belgians don't ride in 8"s of soft sand on road bikes . You cross racers will fare better on country club but Max is a seasoned dolomite dirt rd rider and did not do that much better than me . With all that said training for this ride ( not a race for me anymore ) i have riden some of the most beautiful roads ive ever seen in California . Max said today " we are in Tuscany" . So now this has turned into more of a " you can' design a course to beat me mr markx " thing than a race . I hope you all can come out the other end safely no matter how you decide to ride it . chaio Krod

Some of my club mates (GS Adams Ave) are doing it. Not me!

balsingh

Thanks for the great recon info! So true about Belgians not riding in soft sand. I guess it's the closest we've got to pave, but loose/soft sand or dirt is not quite like riding on cobbles. All part of the fun though!

Questhaven isn't hat bad, just a couple of soft spots, but the road is very short. Haven't done the other sections though.

For a road that will have you hating life, try Nate Harrison. That's (really) rough.

calamarichris

Assuming you're talking about the dirt road up Palomar Mountain, that's strictly MTB territory. I wouldn't even take a cross bike (someone else's cross bike) up that. Beautiful views on that side of the mountain though.

GP

In January I was a couple miles from the top of NH and a car drives up. A BMW 740. I pull over and stop. The electric window went down and the guy says, "Is this the way to the campground?" I said, "uh, yeah. This is the back way. There's a nice BMW type paved road called South Grade Rd. that most people use." The guy looks at me and said, "****ing Google maps."

There's a group that explores the dirt roads in North County. Nothing like flying down a hill at 40 mph and having one of them pull up to you and yell, "TURN RIGHT WHEN THE ROAD ENDS".

balsingh

Ha! When I did NH this summer, some truck came up asking if "the lake" was on this road. No idea.

The two times I've done it this past year: road bike w/ 25 mm tires, but too high of a PSI. NH gives some of the best views in the entire county if you ask me. That's reason enough to try it.

Rumpled

Sounds like an interesting event - I'm busy with 4H kids. Otherwise I'd need another excuse cuz it sounds bruuutal.