California Triple Crown Series - Double Century Rides / Training
#151
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Signed up for Knoxville and Dead of Winter . . . will probably do Bass Lake this year as well. That will give me six after having already done Camino Real, Hemet, Devil Mountain and Grand Tour (seven if I do Bass Lake).
Rick / OCRR
Rick / OCRR
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I'm waiting to hear if there is a Death Valley Double or not ... I have zero doubles to date (five in each of the last two years) and pretty much at rock bottom on my cycling. Local CX series will be starting up in October, so I'll use that as an excuse to ride lots if the doubles don't materialize (maybe Knoxville and Bass Lake, based on proximity, if DV does happen).
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I am hoping to ride both DV rides next year if they are offered. And Bass Lake, I would also like to ride Borrego and or Camino Real as I have never done those. Up around San Fran is a long ride but I hear they are great rides.
#154
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two training rides down one double to go! Bike Ride Profile | High Sierra Fall Century near Mammoth Lakes | Times and Records | Strava
Winds were actually pretty strong and never in our favor. Hopefully next week will be better.
Winds were actually pretty strong and never in our favor. Hopefully next week will be better.
#155
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Well done and done! 5 double this year and a volunteer and one was a triple century. White Mountain was not the hardest but it was close. Not because of the elevation of climbing surprisingly but because of the heat in the desert.
Bike Ride Profile | White Mountain Double Century near Bishop | Times and Records | Strava
Bike Ride Profile | White Mountain Double Century near Bishop | Times and Records | Strava
#156
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I'm waiting to hear if there is a Death Valley Double or not ... I have zero doubles to date (five in each of the last two years) and pretty much at rock bottom on my cycling. Local CX series will be starting up in October, so I'll use that as an excuse to ride lots if the doubles don't materialize (maybe Knoxville and Bass Lake, based on proximity, if DV does happen).
So I'll skip riding any doubles this year, and just make sure I'm ready for the spring ride ... in it to win it, maybe, if it isn't windy.
#158
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Are any other SoCal forumites heading up to Vacaville for the Knoxville double this weekend? It's always my favorite double of the year!
Rick / OCRR
Rick / OCRR
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Should be absolutely perfect weather this year. It's going to rain in the area tomorrow, but should be clear and cool by the weekend.
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On the other end of the thermometer it's always a tad on the chilly side while descending Mt. George just before sunrise. But oh well . . . I just have to HTFU and deal with the cold for a little while!
Rick / OCRR
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Steady rains have made it to Sacramento ... finally a change of weather.
I'll HTFU for the cold any day if it means Knoxville Rd to Middletown in pleasant weather.
If you've got allergies (mold?), make sure you med up. I got totally slammed by allergies on a double that happened a couple days after a storm like this.
Last edited by anotherbrian; 09-25-14 at 09:10 AM.
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Bass Lake Double 2014 . . . done!
We were fortunate to enjoy a beautiful day for cycling on the Bass Lake Powerhouse double century on Sat. Oct. 11, 2014. I started at 3:30AM with Linda, her friend Bill, Penny Fink and my good friend Peg Miller. I let Peg set the pace and we were quickly away from the others, as Peg and I (pretty much) rode together with other riders joining for short times along the way.
The dreaded Powerhouse Climb was a tad cooler this year (but just as steep and long), and the first 75 boring/flat miles were covered (mostly) in the dark, accented by several chasing-dog encounters. Some of those hounds could really sprint (not much endurance though)!
Other than that (and no Hammer products @ check-points 1&2) a fun ride with some beautiful scenery esp. in the Pine Flats Lake and Bass Lake areas. Tasty burritos at Auberry check-point both North (chicken) and Southward (Veggie) bound kept us well fueled.
Excellent post-ride-dinner by the Fresno Cycling Club too after our 9:40PM finish.. Not quite the perfectly run event as when Richard Hoff was in charge, but hopefully those issues will be resolved before next year's event. Overall though, a very good time and a fun day on the bike.
Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/#activity/611431412
Strava: Bike Ride Profile | Bass Lake Powerhouse Double Century near Clovis | Times and Records | Strava
Rick / OCRR
We were fortunate to enjoy a beautiful day for cycling on the Bass Lake Powerhouse double century on Sat. Oct. 11, 2014. I started at 3:30AM with Linda, her friend Bill, Penny Fink and my good friend Peg Miller. I let Peg set the pace and we were quickly away from the others, as Peg and I (pretty much) rode together with other riders joining for short times along the way.
The dreaded Powerhouse Climb was a tad cooler this year (but just as steep and long), and the first 75 boring/flat miles were covered (mostly) in the dark, accented by several chasing-dog encounters. Some of those hounds could really sprint (not much endurance though)!
Other than that (and no Hammer products @ check-points 1&2) a fun ride with some beautiful scenery esp. in the Pine Flats Lake and Bass Lake areas. Tasty burritos at Auberry check-point both North (chicken) and Southward (Veggie) bound kept us well fueled.
Excellent post-ride-dinner by the Fresno Cycling Club too after our 9:40PM finish.. Not quite the perfectly run event as when Richard Hoff was in charge, but hopefully those issues will be resolved before next year's event. Overall though, a very good time and a fun day on the bike.
Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/#activity/611431412
Strava: Bike Ride Profile | Bass Lake Powerhouse Double Century near Clovis | Times and Records | Strava
Rick / OCRR
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Congrats. Do you still have more for the year?
Several years ago I signed up for Bass Lake but DNS'd for some pretty lame reasons. Last year I talked to some folks that raved about how nice it was, so I finally started to regret missing it. It's one of the local doubles (don't need to cross any mountain ranges to get to it at least) so figure I'll try again soon.
3:30am start. *shudder*. I did that for Alta Alpina ... longest day of my life.
Several years ago I signed up for Bass Lake but DNS'd for some pretty lame reasons. Last year I talked to some folks that raved about how nice it was, so I finally started to regret missing it. It's one of the local doubles (don't need to cross any mountain ranges to get to it at least) so figure I'll try again soon.
3:30am start. *shudder*. I did that for Alta Alpina ... longest day of my life.
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Solvang Autumn Double tomorrow. I've been procrastinating as usual and I still have no hotel room. The only thing left in Buellton is Quality Inn for $160/night. As I recall, parking situation in Buellton isn't great (don't recall anything except for the long shoulder across the street from the starting line hotel) but it'll have to do. Even if I choose to drive before and after the event, that does not help, everything as far as Santa Barbara is either sold out, $150+/night, or has crappy reviews. I think I'll do Motel 6 Buellton Friday night (it's sold out on Saturday night) and find something along the way back the second night.
#166
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Re: 3:30 AM start: The first 75 miles are boring flat farm land, best ridden in the dark. This gives you more daylight miles for the end of the ride, which is really scenic. Last year I hammered and finished in daylight (well, dusk). This year I rode slower and it got dark on the way back @ Auberry.
Rick / OCRR
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Definitely find a motel on the way home though. I fell asleep in my car w/o showering after Death Valley one year, and that was the worst way to wake up in the morning.
I'll be riding Foxy's Fall Century out of Davis tomorrow. Start in the daylight, end in the daylight, awesome. I've never ridden it, but it looks like it hits many of the Davis Double and Knoxville Rds. ~3k elevation total, so it'll be perfect on a recumbent (unfaired one this time).
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Not sure what exactly went wrong, but I simply ran out of time. Started at 6:10 (missed the first wave at 6), rode alone the entire time, never caught up with anyone in the first wave, was 20 min behind the second slowest double rider by mile 75, got to the lunch stop (mile 110) at 3:50, which left me with something like 3 hours of sunlight and 7.5 hours till finish close, to go 85 miles with a lot of climbing. So I threw in the towel and went straight to finish (15 miles).
That makes it 3 DNFs in a row (2 doubles and a brevet) and 1000 mile club is not happening this year. Need to figure out why I was so slow. I've gained too much weight since spring, I just got a new frame last week (something may be misconfigured), missing the pace line at the start may have cost me, and pacing could use some improvement.
The course is nice, though headwindy at times, looks very parched (almost like SoCal) and temperature variations are too much for me (from 45 F the first two hours to 85 F by mile 60). My triangle bag was so full with all the shed layers, it was hard to zip up. I don't understand how people ride doubles like this one without a triangle bag at all.
That makes it 3 DNFs in a row (2 doubles and a brevet) and 1000 mile club is not happening this year. Need to figure out why I was so slow. I've gained too much weight since spring, I just got a new frame last week (something may be misconfigured), missing the pace line at the start may have cost me, and pacing could use some improvement.
The course is nice, though headwindy at times, looks very parched (almost like SoCal) and temperature variations are too much for me (from 45 F the first two hours to 85 F by mile 60). My triangle bag was so full with all the shed layers, it was hard to zip up. I don't understand how people ride doubles like this one without a triangle bag at all.
#169
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My only suggestion is to put in more miles but then again I have seen you ride some pretty hard rides with out a lot of miles so that may not hold true. I can do almost any ride with warmers and a vest. I can also fit all that in my back three pockets. Do you have an extra layer, jacket?
#170
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What was your average rolling speed through lunch? Did you spend a lot of time in rest stops? By your start to lunch times, it took you 9h40m to go 110mi, which feels like an overwhelming amount of the day. I know that if I don't force myself to rush (which I don't find to be pleasant), my plans for a "short" rest stop can end of being 20-30min+. Stack a couple of those and I'm finishing really late. If I am trying to rush, I'll hit my lap button as I roll into the rest stop, and hit it when I leave, and if my stopped lap time is too high I'll try to compensate either on the road or at the next rest stop.
As for carrying stuff (saw your post in the LD forum), on my road bike I've started carrying a short length of webbing with a plastic buckle, and I roll my jacket+arm warmers+gloves into a mass, wrap it with the strap, then clip it to the bottom of my stem, or back of my seatpost. I've tried riding with all my cold weather gear stuffed in my jersey (i.e. climbing Mt. Diablo, I don't need any clothing on the ride up, but I'd like a parka and on the way down), and I might as well wear a Camelbak. Except that wet stuff stays wet when rolled up, it has worked very well and left room in my jersey pockets for a snack/keys/phone. On the recumbents I just suffer the weight penalty of the bags, but could carry a 6-pack or two if I really wanted.
As for carrying stuff (saw your post in the LD forum), on my road bike I've started carrying a short length of webbing with a plastic buckle, and I roll my jacket+arm warmers+gloves into a mass, wrap it with the strap, then clip it to the bottom of my stem, or back of my seatpost. I've tried riding with all my cold weather gear stuffed in my jersey (i.e. climbing Mt. Diablo, I don't need any clothing on the ride up, but I'd like a parka and on the way down), and I might as well wear a Camelbak. Except that wet stuff stays wet when rolled up, it has worked very well and left room in my jersey pockets for a snack/keys/phone. On the recumbents I just suffer the weight penalty of the bags, but could carry a 6-pack or two if I really wanted.
#171
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What was your average rolling speed through lunch? Did you spend a lot of time in rest stops? By your start to lunch times, it took you 9h40m to go 110mi, which feels like an overwhelming amount of the day. I know that if I don't force myself to rush (which I don't find to be pleasant), my plans for a "short" rest stop can end of being 20-30min+. Stack a couple of those and I'm finishing really late. If I am trying to rush, I'll hit my lap button as I roll into the rest stop, and hit it when I leave, and if my stopped lap time is too high I'll try to compensate either on the road or at the next rest stop.
My powermeter shut down at 8h30m into the ride, it recorded 3021 kJ of work. At the last two successful doubles I was at 3616 and 3578 by that point. So, it could have been a matter of pushing a little harder.
I've created a strava segment for the first half of the course (up to lunch), for some reason it only matches one other cyclist, who beat me by 2h10m, looks like I was steadily falling behind, e.g. I lost 40 minutes between mile 12 and mile 52, which were mostly flat or dowhill. Partly it's just that I usually don't push hard on flats, partly there may be something off mechanically. I think my handlebars are set too high, and there may be some brake rub (I have fancy aero brakes and they are a bit of a hassle to set up right.)
#172
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I've found it can take close to 24hrs for a new segment to fully match, and it doesn't happen in any obvious date order.
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That's a ~20% difference, so definitely going to make a difference ... and if you were carrying any extra weight compared to the previous rides that'll slow you down over that 6k of climbing. Do you usually base your effort on perceived exertion, heart rate, power, or speed and did something different this time?
I've found it can take close to 24hrs for a new segment to fully match, and it doesn't happen in any obvious date order.
I've found it can take close to 24hrs for a new segment to fully match, and it doesn't happen in any obvious date order.
This time I was falling a bit short of the target, especially because climbing didn't really start till late.
Segment got populated and I'm currently #40 /40.
Last edited by hamster; 10-19-14 at 06:44 PM.
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Oceanside Double in 3 days... Not an easy double even under ideal conditions. Looks like we'll have some interesting weather, too. The forecast for Julian is the high of 50 F, good chance of light rain, and 20 mph gusty west wind. So, a hair-raising descent down Banner Grade followed by climbing Montezuma Grade with 20 mph headwind. Fortunately, a 20 hour time limit, should be hard not to finish in time. 11-32 cassette goes back on the bike, as well as aero bars (ever tried to climb in 34/32 while on aero bars? I'll try).
#175
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Good luck! My only planned ride left this year is tour de foothills.