bikerjp

Thanks.

Dalai

Will look into the Everest Challenge. I do race but I've looked once before and the charges to get a Cycling Australia International Race licence is obscene!

Only thinking of including the bay area and LA climbs as I've seen many photos of these climbs such as Old La Honda in topics such as the 'On the road' one on weight weenies...

Rowan

This is true, although fuel in the US is dirt cheap to the rip-off prices in Australia.

The Qantas boxes you get at the airport are $20 each, are quite big, and they are durable (six flights through Asia and across to the UK -- we had to dispose of them reluctantly because we hadn't planned on coming back to the UK, but they still had plenty of flying left in them).

------------

We drove up Pikes Peak today. It's something I've wanted to do since seeing the Vatanen rally car record on the gravel road in 1989... but I digress.

We spoke to the woman at the gate about bicycle access. It seems that the road was opened in September this year to road bikes for the first time, as a "suck-and-see" exercise as to how the motorised and bicycle traffic fared with each other.

The outcome evidently was very good, but... the plan is to open the road again to road bikes only in September next year. For the rest of the year, it will be closed, unless you are a part of an organised, escorted tour.

I have to say, the drive up was thrilling, and to ride up it on a bike is now on my bucket list (which replaces going up PP in the first place). It might not be next September, but I'm hoping it will be in the next couple of years.

There is a chance that you would do the climb, then come back down on the cog-train, if you are at all concerned about brakes, drop-offs and traffic (with maybe the odd big-horn sheep thrown into the mix).

The climb did not seem to be too tough. Certainly, it's not as steep as Mt Baw Baw in Victoria.

Which leads me to the question, Dalai, are you doing the 7 Peaks Challenge this year?

We did last season, finishing all seven. We aren't the best climbers in the second half of the cycling population, but we had a lot of fun and went some places we hadn't been before.

I would rank the Pikes Peak climb about the same as climbing the Mt Hotham part of the 7 Peaks. There are some steep bits, some not-so-steep bits, some downhill, and some switchbacks... and views to die for (those drop-offs from the Vatanen record still exist!).

Acclimatising might be useful. The pinnacle is at 4300 metres, and the air is pretty thin up there.

NB: Link to Vatanen's 1989 record:

https://www.metacafe.com/watch/123742...t_climb_dance/

Dalai

Sounds like you are having a great trip Rowan!

I haven't taken part in the 7 Peaks Challenge, though will need to get into the hills to train specifically for this trip. For my 2011 France trip, I just went out to Mt Donna Buang numerous times and rode Threepeats to prepare. Great climb - 16.8km 6.4% average but only tops out at 1250m... Unfortunately it's also Melbourne's closest snow play area with the approach on the shaded south side, so made it a particularly cold task through that winter... Probably look at doing the same for this trip.

I already use a Polaris Bike Pod, so am already covered in regards to a bike box.

Biggest issue I see with this trip from all the feedback is that there is a huge amount of quality rides across these states! Three weeks will barely scratch the surface!

Ritterview

Oh, I thought I had posted the link, but I only had the link to the map pic. Sorry.

And about it being legal? Well, no. Soda Springs Road ends at an impassable gate beyond which is private, and if you managed to get by through the open gate (as I did once), the locals were hostile. It really is a shame, as the climb over Soda Springs and and Mt. Umunhum Road makes Monitor Pass look like positively tame.

Soda Springs/Mt. Umunhum
Distance: 31.5 mi
Elevation: + 7489 / - 7502 ft



Monitor Pass, East and West.
Distance: 35.2 mi
Elevation: + 6010 / - 6029 ft



Soda Springs/Umunhum in Google Earth.

ericm979

Bummer. Since I live in the mountains on a private road I tend to respect the other private roads I encounter. If I got an invite from a local I'd ride it for sure. One of the biggest bummers about Soda Springs, besides more close calls with cars than on other roads, is the lack of a view when you get to the (legal) top.

merlinextraligh

Altitude is the difficulty with climbing in Colorado. Not much in Colorado is truly steep, but the climbs go on forever, and the altitude makes what seem like modest grades feel steep.

Mt Baw Baw tops out at 5141 feet, and Hotham at 6106. At tohse elevations you're not really feeling the altitude. 14,000 feet is a whole nother story.

In Colorado this summer, my power output at 12,000 feet was about 75-80% of what I test out at sea level. So 8% grades feel like 12% grades at lower elevations.

Nachoman

You need to invest in an altitude tent.

merlinextraligh

I actually looked into renting one. It wouldn't be that expensive. However, the data on their effectiveness is somewhat equivical. Apparently sleeping in a tent for 8 hours is not the same as living at altitude. Add in that sleeping in the tent limits recovery, and therefore training, and that my wife would make me use it in theguest bedroom and I decided against it.

ericm979

A friend of mine who is a journalist got a loaner tent. He used it before racing Mt Evans in the citizen category- he's a serious cyclist but not a racer. He didn't think that it did much for him, and he was really bummed to not beat my time seeing as how I'm a weenie Californian.

Here's the article: https://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/...c-performance/

Dalai

Agreed none of the climbs here in Australia will help me acclimatize. Hence why I was thinking of heading to the Eastern Sierra first as the climbs there only top out around 10,000ft...

All I can do with my hill repeats is get fitter and hopefully increase my FTP. There are centres that offer altitude training, worth considering prior to coming?

ericm979

Nah. Unless you're racing and think you'd be competitive. Otherwise spend your money and time on more vacation.

Rowan

Yes, I have to laugh.

The tops of Baw Baw and Hotham are at similar elevations as the plateau/plain that Colorado Springs is on.

And yes, those grades probably would be near doubled in terms of effort to anyone who is not fully acclimatised. When I got out of the car at the top of Pikes, my legs were quivering very slightly, and I'd only used the right one of the accelerator and brake pedals!

Still, when we went to Mont Blanc in France in September, I couldn't walk around without really laboured breathing at an elevation about 1800' below Pikes.

Australian Rules Football team coaches seem to think high-elevation pre-season training is good. Several are or have been in Colorado recently. But I am unsure what the real benefits are, unless the players are kept at high elevations during the week throughout the season, and play at close to sea level at the weekends.

big john

If you do want to ride in the Los Angeles area, there are climbs topping out around 8000 feet nearby. The Santa Monica Mountains are nice but hot in September and nothing over about 3000 feet. The San Gabriels have the higher (and cooler) stuff.

merlinextraligh

I wouldn't worry about the altititude. Just accept the fact you'll be a bit slower than you would be at lower altitude.


Also, I don't think the altitude training centers make much sense. As I understand such training, your training with reduced oxygen, to simulate working out at altitude.
However, that's actually contrary to the more conventional approach of sleep high and train low.

Dalai

Training hill repeats and hitting the 10,000 footers first it is then.

and1homer

Aussie-American living in Boulder, CO here. You will have a ball on this trip.

I highly recommend riding out of Moab UT. You will never see scenery like it, anywhere. The La Sal Loop is short-ish but has some steep ramps, and incredible views from above. Someone else suggested Arches Nat. Park - that and Canyonlands Nat. Park get in amongst the incredible scenery on some minimally challenging out-and-back rides. August will be very hot, but not like Arizona. September would be better.

Colorado is also excellent, the scenery throughout the state is phenomenal. Listen to valygrl, she is local and often has very good advice. Boulder is a great place to base yourself for a few days. Not many Alpine-style steeps, but plenty of challenging climbs nearby (incl. epic rides like Trail Ridge Road and Mt Evans). And it's a great town to hang out in, with a strong cycling contingent to meet and ride with.

btw, I fly DEN-SYD with some frequency. If you book internal US connections on your international ticket, they charge a ****load more, but are considered part of one itinerary, so international travel benefits apply (e.g. baggage allowance, lounge access). If you book internal connections separately (in USD) they cost way less. I second the advice to consider Frontier too - they fly everywhere to/from Denver and seem very bike-friendly.

Let me know if you want more of a transplant's perspective on the Rockies and the SouthWest - I have traveled around the area a fair bit. Like you do.

Dalai

Trail Ridge Road sounds good too. With the usual caveats about the weather - is this road usually open in September?

Dalai

Latest rough plan -

Looking at now flying into San Francisco late August and out of LA three weeks later. Car hire quote is the same for this as it was LA return and saves me the drive between the two. This frees up another day to ride rather than drive...

Couple of days for San Francisco area climbs.

Drive to Reno spending six days or so looking to ride as many of these as possible (Mt Rose + Geiger Grade rd, Death Ride, Horseshoe meadow + Whitney Portal, Bristlecone, Sherwin Grade-Rock Creek-Mosquito Flat and Onion Valley Rd).

Drive to CO looking to ride (Independence pass both sides, Copper Triangle, Trail Ridge rd Grand Lake Estes Park return, Mt Evans, Pikes Peak). If I can't fit them in riding I may have to just drive the CNM and Million Dollar hwy.

Drive to Tuscon AZ (Mt Lemmon, Mt Graham)

Then unfortunately only a few days left. So drive to San Diego/LA and hit as many climbs over these last remaining days...

Sound reasonable or even possible?

ericm979

That's a lot of driving, and I like driving. But a lot of it is scenic.

If you stay in Markleeville you can ride the Death Ride passes for a couple days without driving.

For the eastern sierra passes I'd stay in Bishop, and move to Lone Pine to do Whitney, Horseshoe and Onion Valley. Get rooms early in Bishop- starting in September there's a lot of events that fill the rooms. That's the nice season there.

merlinextraligh

It's an easy ride, and no signifcant climbing, but a gread ride in San Fransico is to go to Tiburon along the San Francisco bay. Start out in Fisherman's wharf, go through the Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and follow the bike lane through Sausalito, on to Tiburon.

It's a beautiful ride. You can stop at a great Mexican restaurant in Tiburon, drink Margharitas, and take the Ferry back to San Francisco.

valygrl

Sounds good to me. Use your driving day as rest days, you will need a few probably. With the car at your disposal, it will be easy to modify your plan as you go.

and1homer

You should be right in September. It normally closes in October, unless there is a big snowfall early.

crockett

I STRONGLY suggest you summit Trail Ridge Road from Estes via the one-way dirt road, "Old Fall River" - its an EPIC climb, beautiful and very quiet - and that way you avoid the tour busses and very heavy road traffic churning up hill, and you can savor the amazing views on the downhill. The "dirt" is no problem - I ride it with my road bike and 23mm, it's typically very packed and smooth. I also suggest starting the ride at the Fall River visitor center EARLY and that way you (likely) don't have to pay the gate entrance fee (since it's unattended early) - and will also hopefully beat the afternoon weather.
PM me if you want a ride buddy - I love that ride!

Dalai

Thanks everyone. Leave has been approved, now just to get the flights and van booked.

Naturally the plan is very open including the number of rest days / order of rides / rides to do!

So please keep the suggestions coming. Such as which areas in LA and San Francisco are the best to be based in to access the climbs there?