spingineer

Well, I had such a great time at Knoxville Double ... now, I only have one more to go for my Triple Crown. So Bass Lake is in two weeks. Hey, I'm already recovered, right? One week to get some riding in, and then another double the following week. Besides, Knoxville was a training ride for Bass Lake, right?

Ok, so cccorlew and lanceoldstrong, I'm in ... just wondering if anyone else is. Now just gotta find a room.

gpelpel

Should be easier than Knoxville too ... and cooler. Lots of shade in this area.
I have never ridden this double but participated in the Grizzly Century in North Fork, close to Bass Lake, a couple of time. Lovely area.

200miler

I did 3 different version of Bass Lake over the past 5 years, each uniquely different. Last years had the first 72 miles wandering around in the orange groves SE of Clovis, towards Orange Cove, CA [go figure!]. AT the 2nd TS [same as the 1st] you head out towards the climbing portion of the ride, Toward Trimmer Springs, *UP* Maxon Rd, thru Watts Valley/Burrough Valley and eventually to Auberry. After the TS in Auberry you start the *UP* portion of the menu; up thru North Fork and eventually to Bass Lake, aka Pines Resort. After that it is mostly all down hill, save for a couple of knee breakers, the worst of which is just after the descent from North Fork - the same bit of nasty you climbed up earlier. That puts you back at Auberry after which is mostly a down hill swoop into Millerton and the last TS approx 15 miles from "home"

One great thing is the level of support which is super. And the after ride feed is pretty awesome too. You will not be disappointed. Also, if you can get in, the Best Western-Clovis is right across the street from s/f [Vets Center, unless its been changed, yet again].

Oh, and spingineer, I had the same "feeling" back in '96! It *IS* truly a slippery slope! BTW, the year before last I did 4 doubles in 5 weeks. It's relatively easy from the training point-of-view, but is sure is tiring!

YMMV
-dg

rumbutter

I am in for the Bass Lake. Should be good training for Death valley Double at the end of the month.

cccorlew

This is great stuff! Bass Lake will be magic number 5 for LanceOldStrong and my own bad self. We ar eboth one away from the coveted Triple Crown 1000 mile club jersey. I'm feeling pretty good after Knoxville now, and positive about Bass Lake.
Heck, it even goes past Corlew Mountain (yes, named for my ancestors!) near Auberry, and almost past my Grandmother's ranch on Lodge Road.

I'm checking weather forecasts daily, hoping for it to be "just right."

My guess is we'll be launching ourselves at the earliest possible moment, so you fast folks better slow down enough to say "hello" as you blast past.

I understand there is a mid-double uphill time trial. That sounds crazy stupid to me, and I will defiantly not be time trialing for even a few feet of this ride. I just hope to live through it and maybe make a few good photos along the way.

200miler

Firstly, don't get hung up on the temps for Clovis. You're only there early in the AM, and late in the PM. What happens there during the day is of no importance. Try checking North Fork, or Bass lake itself. Also, when I rode it last year, I went out at 0500. That put me at the 2nd visit to the Winton Park TS just after full sunup. The 1st 70 were done and dusted, and I had the rest of the daylight hours to take care of the remaining 130. Worked out fine.

That "mid-ride" time trial thingie is history. Don't even fret about it. If you survived KNX that you do fine at BL.

FWIW Rumbutter, I was in DV this morning doing my "loosener" [Shoshone to Ashford Mill] and it was pretty nice there - low 70's, at 0-dark-30! Although it did get up to 113° this afternoon. Won't be long before the temps moderate and I can get back to doing my "Scotty's Permanent"!

YMMV
-dg

JourneyLightly

I'd like to try a double century. I have a conflict for Bass Lake, though, and the Death Valley one is closed. That's probably it for this year, huh?

DanteB

I'll be at Bass Lake, I think I'm ready for it. This will be number 7 for me this year. The temps can be all over the place, I've seen 90-100 and even 30 in the morning in Orange Cove one year, it was cold. The support is excellent for Bass Lake. Bass Lake will be a training ride for Solvang Fall the next weekend and Solvang will be a training ride For Death Valley. October 23, between Solvang and Death Valley, I'll be cooking the after ride meal for the Spooktacular Century persented by the Kern Wheelmen. I'll be serving Tri-Tip or chicken, salad, beans, bread and of course there will be pumpkin pie.

spingineer

See ya there Dante. These past few weeks have been great cameraderie with the double century crowd. Missed you at the CTC Awards Breakfast. Being there was truly inspirational.

cccorlew

spingineer, you need to write up the breakfast. I didn't make it as I woke up starving at 7 and had to find food NOW. What did I miss?

DanteB

I missed Knoxville and the breakfast this year, I really wanted to be there. I had a very important family birthday party to attend Saturday night and had to miss the event.

Lanceoldstrong

I painstakingly drew this by following a Bikely Route I found (Bikely stinks) from 2009 and reading the course description on the Bass Lake Double site.
The Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/191950

The first 72 miles are almost flat. They loop around a park, using it as Rest Stop # 1 and # 2. Kind of weird routing.
The challenge in those first 72 miles will be not to go too fast since they are followed by 128 miles with most of the climbing.
I plan to set a moderate pace.

There is a school in the town of Auberry that is used as Rest Stop # 3 (lunch) and again as # 4 since there's a lot of backtracking after a long loop around Bass Lake.


This offers the option of dropping lights and batteries at the lunch stop before 54 miles of climbing, and then picking them back up when the school is used again as rest stop #4. It might be nice to lighten the bike up a couple pounds between mile 108 and 162


Rest Stop # 5 is at the "Millerton Store" at a crossroads at approx mile 185
That is it for full blown rest stops. I hope there are some water stops or "mini - stops" too.

spingineer

I did a short write up on my blog. Basically, there were stories of how some of the riders who completed 100 doubles, started out. And there was a short explanation on how Lynn (my friend, who I was talking to Saturday evening), knows everyone ... I mean literally everyone! And it was just a great opportunity to meet and greet many of the double century rider veterans. Imagine ... 100 double centuries ... and people thought I was crazy.