Originally Posted by
Andy_K
Nice report. It brings back memories. I attempted the Sunday ride a couple of years ago. I think I made it about 25 miles in before noticing that the route was passing close enough to the start that I could slink back without anyone noticing. The way I remember it the route markers were entirely unnecessary as anytime you came to an intersection you could count on going whichever way led up the steepest hill. Good times. I keep telling myself I'm going to get in better shape and try it again one of these years. Maybe once battery technology makes it practical to use a small electric assist for that long....
That is what
exmechanic89 and I must have done wrong. We missed a marker at one place, and went down when we should have gone up. Fortunately, there were so many people whizzing around the mountain that we just jumped in behind the next group that whizzed past.
And, realizing that we were about 5 blocks of flat hilltop to the end, or a plunge back into the valley was quite a temptation.
While you could say "always choose the steepest uphill section", that route was so convoluted that the markers were absolutely necessary. It still amazes me that there was only one place where they overlapped courses in the same direction, and had to mark route choices 1/2.
A little more warning for the sharp downhill turns would have helped though. I think the Sunday ride actually did that a bit better.