icyclist 

While I probably won't complete five passes on this Saturday's Death Ride – my first – I do plan to ride as far as I can.

I used a Camelback on a couple of on the Climb to Kaiser rides (2001 and 2002), and didn't much like wearing it. For the Death Ride, I'm planning on carrying three water bottle. Should that be enough to get me from one watering hole to the next?

ericm979

There's a lot of stops on the Death Ride. I skip a number of them. You'd have to be slow and very thirsty to need three bottles between stops. If you climb at the rate that would just get you to the finish in the time limit its still less than an hour and a half between stops.

There's water halfway up each side of Monitor, at the top, and the turnaround at 395, and at the bottom on the west side again.
There's two stops part way up Ebbets, one at the top, and one at the turnaround on the west side.

The only long sections without water stops are from the lunch stop, past turtle rock park start/finish to woodfords. That's not that far and you pass your car on the way, not to mention the stop at the bottom of Monitor.

If you do carry three bottles don't fill up the third for the first climb. It'll just be dead weight.

Biker395 

+1 - Unless it's unusually hot or you get unusually thirsty, there's no need to worry about enough water on the Deathride. There's plenty.

icyclist 

Thanks! You just saved me some unnecessary weight.

valleygirl

There is only one spot you might need extra water and that is to pour over yourself. After Markliville and before Turtle Rock there is a climb that is in full sun and no breeze. That climb did me in, I felt sick , weak and I quit. Still only 2 full bottles are nessesary.

Ygduf

That's after like 12k climbing. Climbing back up to turtle rock is a little bump, like 300ft max. If I had to guess, I'd say that bonking at that point was more a result of nutrition earlier in the ride, and less about that 1 climb.

Anyway, everyone would do well to remember that being at elevation will dry you out faster, so it's even more important to begin hydrating (at least) the day before the ride.

BenRidin

Along with plain water, CytoMax is served. I don't get along with this stuff, so I bring my own Hammer mix.

Good luck on the ride. Go for all five and enjoy the popsicle on Carson.

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icyclist 

I did make all five passes (and had my ice cream). Pics and story here.

Two bottles were enough, and I drank a lot of water and sports drinks.

Not having trained hard enough, it was an effort making all those passes. Last night, the second night after the ride, I discovered, to my dismay, that my urine was extremely dark. A little research seems to have confirmed my suspicion that my body was clearing out damaged muscle tissue. After drinking a lot of water, as of this morning, I'm back to normal. Certainly I feel fine, with feel no muscle soreness or any other after effect I'm aware of after the long day on a terrific ride.

bayareawheeler

Good read on the blog - pics equally as impressive! i was out there with ya. Had a lot of fun in a twisted sort of way

icyclist 

Twisted fun, yes. No wonder I waited so long to attempt the Death Ride.

Biker395 

Nice read. I think you and I share common obsessions, icyclist.

This pix is the money shot:

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_V9XlaFTo-R...ride201027.jpg

Something about that skeleton grin ...