Originally Posted by lpolliard

Wow...what's with all the negativity? Day after the ride and I was impressed. It has been a long time since I paid for an event. $99 for a supported ride, a very nice jersey, and a pasta lunch was a value I found hard to pass up. The escorted start was awesome. Irvine PD had all the side streets blocked off along Alton all the way out to the first bike trail, 2 miles. I love the design of the jersey. I am a fan of Bianchi and their Bianchi green. Hincapie makes a quality product. What do you people expect from a Gran Fondo in a suburban area. There will be stop lights. The use of the bike paths made the ride enjoyable, scenic and fast. After completing the very scenic Back Bay I had no problem passing at will. Back Bay was basically a no pass section, strictly for your viewing entertainment. SAG stops were adequately placed and stocked but I missed my orange slices.