Originally Posted by SJCetape

I've not been active on this forum much, but I'll put in my ride report. BTW, I've done one BF ride with my friend Donald dl33 on a Mt. Hamilton ride a few months ago.

Got a late start. Out the parking lot at 7:49am. Doing the 100 miler only. My longest ride this year so far was 51 miles and 4 hours or so. Redwood Gulch is a nice wakeup climb. Thankfully my compact crank came in handy. Very cold at the fire station rest stop. Stuffed up with carbs, refilled bottles, and then motored on. My goal besides finishing the century was to minimize rest stop times, since I'm training to ride the Etape du Tour in July. On the Etape ride, there is a broom wagon that sweeps up riders that fall too far behind.

Enjoyed the fun descent into Boulder Creek. Quick stop at the school ~11:15am. Climbed up 9, which was not too bad, but somehow seemed to go on forever. I ride this alot on my motorcycle, so I know the road very well, but on the bicycle just seemed to never end.

Skipped the fire station #3 stop. On Alpine, suffered the first mile climb, but thoroughly had a grin on the twisty descent. At the lunch stop about 1:50pm, I skipped the heavy foods, and went for the quick carbs. Stretched some, then hit 84 into the stiff headwind. By this point my left quad was starting to cramp. Never had to stop, but did have to take it easy on 84 to save my quad.

Stage Road was a freakin' pain. Almost like a death march for me with my cramping quad. Somehow made it onto Hwy 1, and wow, what a breath-taking view of the coastline on the descent before the turn to Tunitas! I bypassed the Bike Hut stop#5, for fear of cramping really bad while stopping.

Suffered up Tunitas at mile 80, and really "crawled" up the middle steep part. Seemed like my tires were sticking to the somewhat fresh tar on the road. This is great training for the Etape, because I will have to face Mt. Ventoux at mile 93. Of course, Ventoux is a gonna be a real killer: 13 miles ~5,280 ft. Saw Donald on my crawl up. He was smoking along as usual, despite doing the 200K. The last 3 miles to the top, were tough mentally... the grade eased up nicely, but seemed to keep on going for a while.

Quick stop at the top. Usually I down a soda, but didn't feel like it this time. It was cold again on Skyline, so put on my vest, then blazed on down Kings Mtn. What a great descent here! After surviving my quad cramps, I had some strength left and hammered to the VA finish arriving at 5:31pm. Met up with Donald and Ramon there. Enjoyed a nice ice cream bar before heading home.

Good century. Always a tough hilly route. Although I think that the last Sequoia I did in 2005 was harder. After the lunch stop then, faced East Zayante to the Summit. Then the mini walls on Skyline back to Page Mill. Kudos to Western Wheelers, a class act putting on a great ride. Stops were always well stocked, and sag cars were out and about all the time.

My stats: 102.8 miles, 8:45 ride time, 9:42 total time, 9200 ft climbs.

Later,
David in San Jose