I like to have goals to work toward, and cycling event rides are so much fun! With the rain falling here, I'm spending some time planning a few winter and summer event rides for 2011.

It all starts in March for me, the last few years I've traveled to Moab, Utah for the Moab Skinny Tire Festival in March, https://skinnytireevents.com/content/section/4/31/ , it's a fun event in the Canyonland of the Colorado River. But this year I might travel to Southern California instead to ride the Solvang Century https://www.bikescor.com/solvang/

I'm also planning to ride the week long Cycle Oregon ride again in September, that's always a fun and beautiful ride https://www.cycleoregon.com/

Anyone starting to plan for the year ahead??

Trying to put thoughts together now for next year. Hope to get a ticket for the Death Ride in CA. in July. Will choose to ride Mountains of Misery in VA and / or Brasstown Baldbuster in May, but the siren song of Assault on Mt. Mitchell is possibly in there somewhere in between. My own personal "Triple Crown"?

I also got a "hall pass" for a week to do training camps or some other event somewhere next year. I'm pondering doing a PAC Tour week again in late March or early April, or I've got jppe tempting me with a Ride the Rockies group ride in June for a week.

Lots of other choices in the immediate area, and a few other rides in the Midwest (old stomping grounds) like R(ide) A(cross) IN(diana) my all time favorite, Dairyland Dare, Horrible Hilly Hundred. Want to make this year one of attempting new challenges. So many choices, so little time...

The only absolutes so far are the April Fools Ride that my club hosts on 4/2/11 and Bicycle Ride Across Georgia 6/4-6/11/11. There will be many others.

I have a couple of local charity rides that I will typically do, however, my "challenge" ride for the last few years has been the "Dairyland Dare." Unfortunately, for the coming year, its a bit pricey and I will probably start looking for a substitute.

90% sure I will be at Ride the Rockies this year... if there is interest here, there is a better chance of getting in if you are part of a group-- I think the max is 10. Anyway, I have done this 3 times and it is a great ride.

Mountains of Misery is a relative certainty (the double metric), and I have penciled in the Shenedoah Mountain 100 over Labor day-- it's a century off road (did it once, and now I want to go for a better time )

train safe-

My schedule depends on our daughter's schedule to a large extent and also that of my wife's work. I'll have to work around those restrictions but should be able to get out for a couple rides here and there. I doubt I'll be looking to minimize my times at any event next year as I probably won't have the time to train for that kind of riding. I have no targeted rides at this time. I don't know how people with younger kids can find the time to ride enough to post the faster times at these events. When I trained with a coach, it was very stressful to get the workouts in while also attending to family. I had to give it up, and I have a very supportive wife. I just felt guilty putting me or my workouts first.

So, I hope I can ride often, find time to ride long, and have a good season. I'm sure I'll do many of the standard rides I've done in the past.

I am going to try to make all 3 Gran Fondo's in BC in 2011. Penticton, Kelowna and Whistler. Will also be entering a few races and for the first time in 5 years, no charity rides. Done my share.

I also have a few days to tour around Vermont and over to do the Whiteface climb. Looking forward to the coming year.

Aren't some of the fondos charity rides? I rode one that was, and even if they weren't, don't you wonder where all that $$ goes? They're not exactly inexpensive.

buelito, do you know why your chances are better for RtR as a group? That's one ride that looks like it's worth the effort to get to.

Paris-Brest-Paris is the first objective. Maybe add some other riding in France as long as I'm there. I usually also do the Northwest Tandem Rally; 2011 is in Spokane, which is a nice place to ride. I'm also thinking of riding in Hawaii; I've got some free accommodation in Kona, on the big island, so may fly there with my S&S-coupled Rodriguez fixie and ride the Ironman course at the very least.

L.

My impression is that the Gran Fondo Whistler (which I'm riding, too, BTW) is a profit-making enterprise. They have a charity tie-in but I don't think it's a real charity ride. It's a business.

It's a very price ride ($250 or so?) but I think it's already sold out -- 4,000 rider max.

I am considering the Grand Tour, by the LA Wheelmen, the double century. Some friends have ridden it, and I have been asked by them to join them for the 2011 ride.

Yes, I suppose in the truest sense, they are fundraisers. I don't consider it a fundraising event as there is no effort required on my part except to pay the entry fee and show up.

I don't have to solicit funds like the $38k I have raised for cancer research.

When I look at the infrastructure and salaries paid to host a GF, I have no doubt where the lions share of the funds go. The excess goes to charity.


https://www.rbcgranfondokelowna.com/charity.htm

https://www.rbcgranfondowhistler.com/index.htm

https://www.granfondoaxelmerckx.com/

In early June there is the Saratoga tour de cure, then in late June is the Whiteface uphill race. Then in July is the Teddy Roosevelt ride and the My Greylock century. In August, the Pat Stratton Century and the Ididaride. In Spet is the Saratoga Century.

Fletcher Flyer in June.
RAIN would be cool.
Horsey Hundred is good I hear.
A very tough ride is the century of the OKHT. Far better riders than I have walked the last few hills.
Anyway, I'd like to do three out of the four.

Now that sounds like a good time.

I've been wanting to ride Rim Rock Drive in the Colorado National Monument. I could do that on the way to, or the way back from, the Skinny Tire Fest. They also have some special deal for Rim Rock Drive cycling in March. I wouldn't have thought about that part of the country in March before, but now you have me thinking.

Not in the cards for this coming year, but thanks for the tip. I'm going to pencil it in for 2012 maybe.

As I understand it, it is a raffle. However, if one member of your group is picked, you all get in. Hence, your chances are improved the bigger the group.

train safe-

I need goals to stay focused too and I love big organized rides. TOSRV in May, RAGBRAI in July, Apple Cider Century in September, and Hilly Hundred in October. Real goals are to have 500 miles in before TOSRV, 1250 before RAGBRAI and 2500 before ACC and HH (weather and time permitting).

Lots of good one day organized rides in California. We'll do Palm Springs, Wine Country, Tierra Bella, Lighthouse, Solvang, Marin, Chico Velo Wildflower (maybe), Foxy's and maybe 1-2 others. We'll do the Century if the climbing isn't crazy, maybe < 4500 ft., otherwise the 100K as we're two old folks on a tandem. Maybe something in January (?), but the weather is really iffy.

I'm already planning for the summer. I have TWO (!) week-long supported tours planned, with massive amounts of cycling in between that will include Victoria and Vancouver BC. Dreaming of them will help me get through the winter months.

I may toss in the Davis Double Century and I know we'll do a few centuries.

Only one so far in Camino Real double century in Feb. which will by my 50th CA double, and while I'm still 60.

After that, who knows. I think my wife has scheduled us fora week long supported tour in WA, but other than that,
the date book in open.

Congratulations to all of you who are so organized this early!

Rick / OCRR

I'll be doing my first century ever at Palm Springs in Feb and then plan to do Sea Otter in Monterey (April), Chico Velo Wildflower and Great Western Bike Rally (May). Considering the Bike Around Lake Tahoe in June. Beyond that, I haven't planned.

So I hear.

Saw your quote inside the Adventure Cycling catalog. Like a kid waiting for Christmas, eh?

One of my friends from my club has ridden the Palm Springs ride and loves it. Good luck on your first century!

A relatively unknown, but great ride, is the Auburn CA Century. Many options for distance. Tough climbs, especially out of the American River. Beautiful time of the year to do it. The only stretch you will really get traffic is the last leg from Foresthill to Auburn. The rest of the route is just beautiful backcountry roads. The 140 mile option is a tough ride, but it can be done if you have put in the hill training rides. I used the route (without the Robinson Flat out and back) many times while training for doubles
https://www.wildestride.com/

Planning on attempting a double, this is a local one on very flat terrain. Probably do the Civil War again and maybe the Seagull, depending on how plans form my daughters wedding are going around here