On September 6th I competed for the second year in a bicycle race in Slovenia, the 20th running of the Juris na Vrsic. One year ago, on the day before the race was scheduled, we happened to stop in the town Kranjska gora after scouting out the trailhead for a climb of Triglav, the highest of the Julian Alps in Slovenia. Posters advertised the "XIX Juris na Vrsic" ride to be held the next day, and many cyclists were already in town.
Since the mountain would wait, and I had my cross bike with me, why not? The ride route started in Kranjska gora at 809 meters and ran 12 kilometers south into Triglav National Park to Vrsic Pass at 1611 meters. Registration was the morning of the race with the race start at 10 a.m. The registration fee was 2000 Slovenian tolars, or about $12. There were about 1500 registered riders with bikes of all descriptions. There were two age categories for women (under and over 30), and 10 for men. The last two categories were 71-75 and over 75! At registration, I received an attractive jersey (included in the $12 registration fee!).
The route went through the middle of town, along a lake and then up the mountain on a main highway, which was closed to traffic for the event. The mass start went about how one would expect with 1500 riders on narrow roads, but without any crashes. The weather was perfect, and the winner in my age category finshed in about 44 minutes with the overall winner coming in about 10 minutes quicker.
In some respects, the ride was notably different from our rides. The participants were, of course, mostly Slovenians with a number of Austrians also competing. A minority of riders wore helmets. At the finish, refreshments consisted of hot tea and home brewed schnapps. The ride back down faced an hour of delayed traffic going both up and down and 24 switchbacks, all paved with cobblestones . (The rest of the roadway was excellent asphalt).
The ride was such great fun that I returned to do it again this year. Unfortunately, the weather was not so good this time. It was drizzling Saturday morning, September 6th, at registration. By race time a full-blown thunderstorm rolled in. Nevertheless the race went on, with a somewhat diminished field. This year the race start was staggered in three segments starting 15 minutes apart. No jersey this year, but each rider received a water bottle at registration and a trophy at the finish. The hot tea and schnapps were very welcome at the cold, wet summit. The decent was tricky, but I only saw one crash and a couple of near misses. The awards ceremony was held in a large tent and the affair, which lasted at least two hours, resembled an Octoberfest, with much food and drink, and a seemingly endless raffle of donated prizes.
I want to express my support of this ride for any of our members thinking about a bike adventure. The trip is sponsored by Pro-Events International out of Minneapolis and owned and operated by Tom Sullivan, who also has a contract with the National Football League to provide logistic support of Super Bowl activities. He also runs several other bike trips.
The trip down the Mississippi consists of four segments: Minneapolis to Davenport, Iowa; Davenport to St Louis; St Louis to Memphis; Memphis to New Orleans...total, 21 days. I did the first two segments, some 700 plus miles, 9 days biking. The scenery is beautiful, especially in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I expected hot days, mosquitos, and fairly flat biking. I didn't have the hot days or the bugs, but I sure as hell had hills! Lots of hills. And I did my first 100 mile days...two of them, back to back.
Pro-Events provides complete support, although some of the nights are in schools, so you carry a bed roll. (We older folks bypassed the schools and used motels.) Breakfast and dinner are provided in restaurants and are generally very good, but the midday stops can't compare with those on your club tours. We had six staff and 22 riders, along with four vehicles for baggage and sag. Ages ranged from 78 (me) to 3 1/2. (Dad and Mother switched off in biking their son in the jump seat.) It was a great group and we genuinely enjoyed our brief acquaintance.
Tom Sullivan is extremely well organized in all aspects of the trip. Every change in road direction is marked with arrows. And although he provides good maps, you could just go by the road markings. With respect to roads and routes, Tom expends a lot of effort in selecting the best bike routes. Minnesota and Wisconsin have the best. Illinois and Missouri are not as well maintained and some roads are pretty tight with traffic and limited shoulder space. All in all, this is a great trip, and unless I have another more attractive offer, I plan to do the other two segments next year.
From September 12-20, 40 Santa Rosa Cycling Club members and friends participated in the club's annual cycle-tour, an adventure that-in its 1998 version-tested the limits of both the rider's physical endurance and their ability to absorb spectacular scenery. It was sensory overload at almost every bend in the road and over the crest of every hill...and there were many, many hills...as we traveled the Sierra high road through Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks.
After riding Byron's magic bus to Bridgeport, everyone settled into our first night camp on the banks of Robinson Creek, under the towering peaks of the Eastern Sierra. That camp was one of the nicest on the trip: a vast, rolling meadow, broken up with granite boulders and pretty little groves of aspen trees. Most of the riders loosened up their legs with a 13-mile out-&-back along the shores of Twin Lakes...a really impressive setting, with jagged mountain peaks looming at the end of the lakes.
The first real day on the road featured two big climbs: 8138' Conway summit and 9945' Tioga Pass (the highest paved road in California). Conway was relatively easy: just a long, gradual spin up to the vista point overlooking Mono Lake. With the day's route listed at only 52 miles, some of the more ambitious members of the group chose to pad their miles with optional out-&-backs on either Bodie Road or Virginia Lakes Road (both beautiful, well paved, and all sizzling downhill on the way back). There was a long, fast downhill off Conway to near the shore of the briny lake, and then folks settled down to mastering the big ascent of Tioga: 3200' in 12 miles. While this climb is never very steep, the high elevation can take its toll, and many riders huffed and puffed along at very slow speeds for most of the afternoon to get the job done. Finally, once over the top, we all got to enjoy a final, six-mile descent to our camp at Tuolumne Meadows...a smooth, delightful, 40-mph run that set the tone for the days to come: long climbs and smooth, fast descents.
Day 2 was more about descending than climbing, as we dropped from Yosemite National Park's attic at Tuolumne (8600') all the way to the legendary Yosemite Valley (under 4000'). In an effort to avoid the worst of Yosemite's notorious traffic, we scheduled our visit here to be on weekdays after Labor Day, and for the most part, this helped in keeping our entanglements with cars and RVs to tolerable levels. Except for the occasional irritating incident, we mostly had the roads to ourselves. Highlights on this day were jewel-like Tenaya Lake, the views from Olmsted Point, and the many examples of spalled, exfoliated granite that make this park such a natural sculpture garden. And then there were the downhills... Although there were a few rather substantial climbs, the main business of the day was descending-mile after mile after mile-all of it on well-engineered, beautifully paved roads. We had a ball! And with only 58 miles to do, start-to-finish, most riders were in camp in the valley shortly after lunch time, even with a late start. That left plenty of time for showers, exploring, dining, and getting acquainted with the ground squirrels and racoons that invited themselves to dinner. (Although we had been warned about aggressive bears, we never saw one in Yosemite or anywhere else on the trip.)
The following day (Day 2.1) was a layover day for sampling the many attractions of this Disneyland-for-adults. Some folks climbed to the top of Half Dome and some hiked to Glacier Point. A large group rode the tour bus to Glacier Point and some rode their bikes back (another 4000' descent). A few others rode their bikes up to Glacier Point and back, and others just spent the day lounging around camp or exploring the valley, from the quiet charms of Mirror Lake to the splendor of Yosemite Falls, to the elegance of a lunch at the grand old Ahwanee Hotel.
We bid the valley goodbye on Day 3 with a long climb out of the valley along Wawona Road, including an interesting, mile-long run through the Wawona tunnel...quite exciting. Most folks stopped at the famous old Wawona Hotel to soak up a little of its Victorian charm before leaving Yosemite Park via a long, long descent toward the town of Oakhurst. (There are actually two great descents along the Wawona Road, each around 12 miles long. Neither is very steep, but with a little pedaling, both can be turned into immensely entertaining full-tilt fliers.) Oakhurst brought us to probably the least pleasant miles of the trip. A road construction project forced us to detour around our planned route on a longer, hillier, busier, and, as luck would have it, hotter road. All in all, these may have been the hardest few miles of the tour, but all ended well: our camp on beautiful Bass Lake was just a few steps from a pleasant beach, and the temperature of the water was perfect for swimming, which is what most of the hot, tired riders did for the rest of the day.
Day 4 explored a network of tiny backroads in the foothills south of Yosemite and north of Kings Canyon. There were great descents all day long, as well as several quite daunting climbs, and with the mercury bubbling up into the high 90's, it eventually turned into quite a long day, especially for those who opted for the longer, hillier route. After the relatively busy roads around Yosemite, these little lanes were a treat: most were thoroughly devoid of traffic. We camped overnight in a quiet county park on the bank of the Kings River, and as at Bass Lake, most folks hopped in the water to cool down after the ride. Only in this case, that meant a lot cooler: whereas Bass Lake was quite warm, the Kings River was cold! You could dive right into deep water right at our camp, and it's just as well we could, because no one would willingly have gotten in all the way had they attempted to wade in, inch by inch. Some of the friskier players organized an impromtu crit around the park roads before dinner...sandals only, one speed only, and no helmets (just to keep it easygoing). The race stayed pretty mellow, but somehow the rivalries didn't end with the race: later that night, Emilio's bike was found 30 feet up a tree. (This was only one of several practical jokes on the tour. Most notable among the pranksters was Gary Grayson, sneaking around in the night, slipping lead weights into the saddlebags of some of the stronger climbers. Gary called it handicapping, as in horse racing. At the end of the tour, Gary revealed all and presented King and Queen of the Hill awards to Emilio and Donna Birky.)
Day 5 was billed as the hardest day of the tour: over 75 miles and almost 10,000' of climb on our way into Kings Canyon. Most of the climbing came in the first 40-some miles...4000' in the steeply folded foothills and 4000' in the long (Tioga-sized) grade up into the park. It was a hard day, but most riders actually felt it was a wonderful day in the saddle. The big climbs were mostly shady and not too steep...and then there was the descent into Kings Canyon (the deepest gorge in the country):3600' down in a little less than 20 miles, all of it through some of the most breathtaking scenery imaginable. Most people are familiar with the granite cliffs of Yosemite, but far fewer have experienced the magnificent stone ramparts of Kings. It was a real eye-opener for many tour participants, and a number of people said it was the highlight of their trip.
Day 6 began with a silky, ten-mile downhill along the Kings River (as slick and slinky as a downhill could be), and then a long-but gentle-climb out of the canyon and up to the Generals Highway that connects Kings to Sequoia NP. This was actually the longest day on the tour (almost 90 miles), but it ended with almost 30 miles of downhill (losing 6000'), and so didn't seem quite as arduous as the two preceding days. Once into Sequoia, we took side trips to pay our respects to the majestic big trees and many riders shed their cleats to hike to the top of granite monolith Moro Rock for views as grand as any on the tour. Finally, we launched off into that ultimate descent: an endless, tangled snake of a road, with dozens and dozens of switchbacks and S-bends dancing down into the canyon of the Kaweah River. Many folks agreed: this is probably the wildest, most exciting and entertaining descent they've ever done. You really have to ride it to understand how great it is. It took a downhill this fantastic to put the proper exclamation point on a tour that had been larger than life every day and every mile along the way. Truly, an epic journey.
Boston-Montreal-Boston (BMB) is a 1200km (750 mile) randonée. The name roughly describes the route, although it actually starts 15 miles west of Boston in Newton, and for 1998, the turnaround point in Canada was about 20 miles east of Montreal. The advertised mileage was 744, but I, like everyone else I talked to, had the distance at about 760-770.
A few days before the ride (in mid-August), my wife Lorna Toyota and I flew back to Boston. Lorna wasn't doing the ride, but would meet me at most of the checkpoints with food and fresh clothes and encouragement. On Wednesday, my bike and I passed inspection. Tom Davies (former Terrible Two winner) was at the inspection and tried to talk me into starting with him and several other faster riders at the 4:00 am start time, but I wanted nothing to do with it. Tom goes out faster than I like to, and can stay at that speed for much too long for my comfort. Besides, I wanted a full night's sleep. I didn't know when my next sleep might be.
There were only a few people doing the 10:00 start and we took off and headed out through the suburbs. The first 35 miles are easy, rolling hills with no need for the small chain ring. As the route progressed,the hills got bigger and steeper. I got to the first checkpoint in just over 4 hours, averaging 17.5 mph. Having done almost all my riding in California, it was an interesting experience to ride in New England. It was August and yet everything was green. In many areas, the tree canopy provided shade across the road all day. And as one got out of the Boston metropolitan area, the route went through numerous small New England towns. These would have the old wooden churches painted white, along with many sites that a long-time Californian rarely sees in person.
The next stage to Brattleboro included the first good climb of the trip. There was a secret control along here, as it was possible to bypass the climb and shorten the route. I got to Brattleboro (mile 110) at about 4:40 pm and stopped for about 10 minutes to reload everything and drink some water along with my protein concoction. Then it was into the hills to Ludlow. I was suffering a bit at this point. The route from Brattleboro to Ludlow is tough. It's 55 miles, but has about 4000' of climbing, some of it plenty steep. It was getting dark as I finished the last climb before Ludlow, and I had to do the descent in failing light, so I didn't get a chance to see what I could do. I've heard stories about hitting 55 or so coming down Mt. Terrible into Ludlow. I got into the Ludlow checkpoint at 8:30 and took 20 minutes to get all of my lights set up, put on warmer clothes, and handle the food thing.
By the time I left it was dark. For me, it's much harder to navigate in the dark. Even with a helmet light so I could see my odometer and my route sheet, it's just so much easier to figure out what to do in daylight. Luckily, there weren't that many places to turn bewteen there and Middlebury. The route to Middlebury climbs up to Killington, then has a nice descent before turning toward Middlebury Gap. This was on one of the nicer pieces of pavement on the route. Even in the dark I got up over 40. I passed several 4:00 am starters during this period, and then went up over Middlebury Gap. This climb is one of the feared climbs on the ride, but it didn't seem to be that bad. Maybe because it was dark, I went a bit slower and stayed in my comfort range. I had to watch this descent as it was twisty. I managed to miss the last turn to the checkpoint at Middlebury, so I got a few extra miles in before I realized this and turned around.
At about 1:00 am I arrived in Middlebury. I was now 15 hours into this thing and had ridden about 240 miles, including the little bonus mileage. I had packed complete sets of clothes in ziploc bags, along with a separate bag with towel, washcloth, soap, and shampoo. (Used clothes were sealed up in large ziplocs, marked "toxic," and were not reopened until we were back home.) Lorna got the one out with a Terrible Two jersey and my bright red shorts. I took a shower, changed clothes, and ate some lasagna, plus went through the usual bike food routine. I seemed to manage to waste a significant amount of time both directions in Middlebury. It took me about an hour to get back on the road. It was then off to Rouses Point. The first part of the route had numerous small steep climbs followed by small steep descents. This continued through to the Burlington area. As I was leaving Burlington, it began to get light in the sky to the east. From Burlington, you go out into the middle of Lake Champlain, onto the Champlain Islands. I rode along on my aerobars watching the sunrise over some of the mountains to the east. It was quite spectacular.
As one gets out of the hills, the vegetation changes from forest to grasslands. By the time I got off of the island and back onto the mainland the trees were largely gone. It took me about 5 hours to get through this, the longest leg (at a bit over 85 miles). At Rouses Point, I was in a little corner of New York. I got rid of the cool weather clothes and the lighting and headed off into Canada. The route through Canada was really flat and was different than in previous years. It went along the river that drains Lake Champlain into the Saint Lawrence. I wasn't feeling too hot at this point so I stopped and lay down on a park bench for about 30 minutes. After that the route wandered alongside the Rive Richelieu, crossing at one point from the west to east side. The the high bridge was the big climb for this leg. I got to the turnaround point at 11:30 am. It had taken 25.5 hours to make it to the half-way point.
I ate some fruit and then headed back south. By now the headwind was blowing hard, so the trip south was a drag: on the aerobars, going 16-mph on flat ground, working far harder than I wanted to. I got back to Rouses Point at 4:00 pm, ate some food, got some lighting equipment (but not enough), and headed off for Middlebury. This would be one of the more unpleasant parts of the ride. I reached Burlington as it got dark, and my lights burned out in the first few minutes. I stopped and bought some extra batteries (and a bag of chips and a container of orange juice) at a convenience store. The woman working there wasn't quite sure what to think of me when I explained what I was doing. On south, it was back onto those short, steep climbs followed by the matching descents. It seemed like every few minutes a car would come by and blind me with their bright headlights. I eventually realized that this was Friday night. (It was Thursday, part II for me as I hadn't done any sleeping yet.) As I got close to Middlebury, I had some more lighting problems. My headlight would get dimmer when I went over a bump, then it would slowly return to normal brightness. On more than one occasion on a downhill it went so dim that it provided no usable light...a bit disconcerting at 25-mph in the dark on a twisting road.
I finally got back to Middlebury, checked in and had a few slices of pizza-I should have had more-and a glass of milk, then went and took a shower. It took me far too long to get this all done, but after getting cleaned up I decided I'd earned a bit of sleep. I lay down in our van, one foot on an ice chest, one foot on the seat in front of me. I set the alarm for 4:30 (it was 1:30) and was asleep in 30 seconds. When my alarm went off, it seemed like it was 20 seconds later. I hadn't moved. My feet were still on the ice chest and the other seat. Amazingly, I felt refreshed. My legs were a bit stiff, but after 530 miles, they had every right to be. I had planned to get on the road by 5:00, but it was starting to rain. I wasn't eager to combine riding in the dark with riding in the rain, and was actually glad to have an excuse to sit around for a while. As it started to get light, we could see that the sky was clearing, so I left with a tandem and another rider at about 6:00 am.
The largest climb of the ride was ahead, but I had fresh (relatively) legs for it. Middlebury Gap climbs about 2000' in 6 or 7 miles, but it isn't uniform. It starts pretty slow and then all of a sudden hits about 15%. The special 28-cog I put on felt much better at this point than my usual 26. After about a half mile of this really steep section, it dropped down to about a 7-8% grade. I caught and passed the tandem on the steep portion, then caught the other rider here and rode away from him. We went by the campus of Middlebury College as we neared the top, and then the road went back to really steep for about a mile. The road was still a bit wet on the descent so I had to keep the speed down. After some rolling mileage, I got back to the climb to Killington and saw why I could go 40+ so effortlessly on the way north: it was a really steep grade. But after reaching the top it was an easy 15 miles or so to Ludlow. I had taken about 4 hours to do the 65 miles and 3500' of climbing from Middlebury...not too bad. It was a bit slower than going the other way, but Ludlow is 500' higher than Middlebury, and I wasn't quite as fresh at this point.
What I think was the hardest climb of the trip followed. Mt. Terrible climbs somewhat over 1200' coming out of Ludlow, about half of that in one mile. It starts easy, but then you come around a corner and it just goes straight up. The road is close to straight and you can see to the point where it gets less steep. This is at mile 600, and my legs didn't seem to have anything like their usual power, so this climb, like many others, was done standing. The route to Brattleboro continued with a series of smaller climbs and descents. At the crest of many of these climbs, you would find yourself pointed into a brisk headwind, so that the descents were not quite as fast as one would expect. I reached Brattleboro about 2:15 pm and once again it was a bit warm and I didn't feel all that wonderful. I sat down and drank a couple of glasses of water and ate some candy. It took me about 10 mintues to get out of the checkpoint.
From Brattleboro, the route goes across the Connecticut River and back into New Hampshire. The road climbs in steps for a few miles before turning south and climbing some more. By this stretch I was beginning to feel a bit worn down. I had probably climbed about 10,000' since leaving Middlebury about 140 miles ago. The headwinds were becoming more of an issue, but I knew this was the shortest leg at around 35 miles. It was 5:00 when I got into the checkpoint and 5:11 when I left. I knew it was about 75 miles to the finish and that the last 40 would be fairly easy, but I was getting sore and tired. My rear was getting a bit chafed and at this point my right achilles tendon decided that it was getting tired of the whole thing. The route had a series of short climb and descents, with a general upward trend for the next 30 miles. Under normal conditions I would just try to power over these, but I didn't have much in the way of power to work with anymore. I went back through the same towns I had seen on the way out the first morning, and eventually there was a decent sized downhill and the climbs seemed to get easier.
It was getting dark, and as I approached Boston the amount of traffic grew rapidly. But at this point, I got back on familiar roads, thanks to a short preview ride I had done beforehand. I didn't look at my route sheet for the last 30 miles. I had wanted to get in under 60 hours, but I didn't quite make it, finishing in 60:45. It was sure nice to get to the finish and get off my bike. It was even better when I found that they had beer-Sam Adams was a sponsor-and pizza. BMB is a long hilly ride. It's very scenic. But after doing it, I can only imagine what RAAM must be like. I was hurting by the end, and even weeks later, have not fully recovered. Even so, I'll figure how to do this to myself again next year at Paris-Brest-Paris. I must really be desperate for the little pins they hand out.
Put the third Saturday in July on your next year's ride calendar. Maybe you'll win a Cannondale-like I just did-at the Fall River Century, a non-pledge community venture created to benefit various local groups.
The ride takes place in the gloriously rural area around Fall River Mills in Northeastern California. Starting in the town of McArthur (on state Hwy 299 east of Redding), the hundred miler crosses Fall River's rice-growing valley with IMMENSE views of Mt. Shasta to the north and Mt. Lassen to the south. Some challenging climbs take you higher into the Sierra, around Lake Britton, and through McArthur-Burney State Park.
The metric option keeps you in the valley with a few rolling foothills. The 25-miler is flat, with plenty of photo-ops of the two volcanoes, wildlife, rural churches and barns, and the sweeping views of the valley.
You can begin your trip the evening before by pitching your tent-for free-on a grassy lawn under mature shade trees at the Intermountain Fairgrounds...the start spot for the ride. You wake up to a pancake breakfast served right there for a very modest price by the American Legion. You launch out onto low-traffic roadways with an uncongested but very congenial group of fellow riders, supported by a professional mechanic, plenty of sags, and great rest stop food. For us, the morning air was cool, ambience friendly, and spirits rarin'.
We finished our ride back at the fairgrounds and, wearing our Santa Rosa WCC jerseys, entered the spaghetti feed where Boy Scouts were prepping and serving . We were immediately greeted by several voices saying, "Are you Sue Powell?" Everyone's heads spun towards us. "What IS this?" I thought. "How do these people know who I am? Why are they all looking at us?"
"You won the drawing!" various somebodies chorused. Stunned, I was whisked to the front amidst cheers to claim my brand new Cannondale Silkride 500, donated to the event by Village Cycle in Redding. It's a beauty and just my size!
Editor's note: Having just returned from laying out a tour that uses almost all of the roads in the Fall River Century, I second Sue's positive review, at least regarding the roads and scenery. This is a great area for cycling.
Imagine riding a century along a national scenic byway. There is hardly any traffic, the pavement is good, the support is great, and the scenery is fantastic. If this sounds like your kind of ride, consider the Grizzly Century coming up the first weekend in October.
Not to be confused with the Grizzly Peak Century in the East Bay in May, this ride goes out of North Fork, 20 miles south of Yosemite National Park. After leaving town, the route climbs along the San Joaquin River through a Yosemite-like valley complete with granite domes. About 60 miles into the ride, the course turns onto a one-and-a-half lane road that climbs through alpine meadows and forests up to Cold Springs summit at 7000'. An incredible, unforgettable, 10-mile, 3000' swooping descent brings the rider back to earth, where a free T-shirt and a scrumptious BBQ dinner await.
If 10,000' of climbing is a little too much, there are also 63 and 24 mile options that cover some of the same wonderful territory. The Forest Service provides free campsites at Bass Lake for Grizzly riders, and the nearby town of Oakhurst offers additional lodging and restaurants. Of all the rides I've done, this one is my favorite. Volunteers give the event a small-town feel, with home-made cookies at the rest stops, and a volunteer-to-rider ratio that seems like 1:1. The food is plentiful and delicious, from breakfast all the way through dinner. Beautiful, fun, and challenging, the course itself has few equals. All this and more make the experience well worth the drive. Hope to see you there...
Start: Corvara, Italy > Passo Campolongo > Passo Fedaia > Passo Sella > Passo Gardena > Passo Campolongo > Passo Giau > Passo Falzarego > Passo Valparola > Corvara. 109 miles, 15,400' of climbing.
About 6000 people showed up for this ride and about 2000 completed the longer route. The 6000 riders were divided into four groups, each group starting when the previous group had cleared the start. The result was a long, long, long line of riders climbing the switchbacks of the first pass (Campolongo). Quite spectacular, but also a big mess, as you couldn't really ride at your pace. The first descent was surprisingly safe, considering the amount of people on the road. I only noticed one small pileup with a German and an Italian exchanging pleasantries about the recently formed united Europe.
All 6000 riders did the same course for 90 kilometers and could then choose their course. All timing and rider tracking was electronic. (You had to wear a small electronic ankle bracelet and ride over a special mat at designated points.)
At the top of the second pass -Fedaia...remember Pantani on the Giro this year-you could see about four miles back, as there is a long straight section right before some switchbacks. The view was once more pretty amazing: four miles of solid riders! And I mean solid, since the roads were closed to traffic and the riders were taking the entire road up this hill.
Good things about this ride:
The views-in the middle of the Dolomites-were amazing; each new pass would open on new valleys with towering mountains everywhere.
The organization was great. You see, this part of Italy is really closer to Austria than Italy (culturally), so they actually managed to organize everything very well. Anything like this south of Florence would simply be impossible.
Closed roads are FUN. Downhills were a scream and the pavement in many sections was brand new. (Tubulars were a definite plus!) I wonder when we will be able to close the roads for the TT or the WCC and what would the residents say...
Wine and beer were available at the end...and the first glass was free. I especially liked this.
Bad things about this ride:
Though I can see the economics of it, 6000 riders on the road with a mass start are too many.
For some reason, some sag vehicles are allowed on the course; most of them were motorcycles and all of them were a pain in the seat of my pants.
Many of the riders in front of me were filthy pigs, as I saw tons of garbage (wrappers, bottles of gel, assorted crap) on the road. I think riders should be disqualified for something like this.
All in all it was fun. The weather was okay until the last hour, where we had strong headwinds and rain, which didn't help in the last long descent. I finished 550th out of the 2000 on the long course. Just to give you an idea of the competition, the winner finished in 5hours, 43 minutes, with nine people under 6 hours. Remember: 175 kilometers (109 miles) and 4700 meters (15,400') elevation gain...pretty impressive. I wanted to finish in under 8 hours and my official time was 7 hours, 59 minutes, 27 seconds. Close enough? Anyway, for the first time, the Santa Rosa Cycling Club is now represented in the results of this ride. Next time I guess we'll have to train a bit harder.....
Glossy promotional brochures and detailed pre-ride packets for the Big Sur Ride promised a memorable, scenic, two-day, 168-mile tour for the price of $95. At first, I balked at paying that much for two 80+ mile rides, but I eventually succumbed to the lure of exploring roads I'd never ridden before. Now, after two of the most enjoyable days of cycling in memory, I consider it money well spent, and can enthusiastically endorse this event. It was superb in every way.
130 riders registered for the tour. The first day's route was simple: beginning in Carmel, ride 55 miles down Highway 1, turn left and ride 27 miles over the mountains of the Los Padres National Fores t to Mission San Antonio de Padua, in the middle of Fort Hunter Liggett. Route 1 south of Carmel means Big Sur, that mythic reach of rugged coast beloved of travel writers, nature photographers, poets, artists, and tourists...motorized tourists, unfortunately. (However, scheduling the event late in the year cut down somewhat on the traffic, and with the wide shoulders on Hwy 1, I never really felt harrassed.) A bank of chilly fog stayed with us all morning, allowing only fleeting glimpses of Big Sur's legendary scenery. Even so, it was quite impressive. No doubt catching it on a clear day would be absolutely magnificent.
We were helped along on our run down the coast by a moderate tail wind, although the road is so curvey and hilly that we seldom found ourselves simply gliding along on a zephyr. Most of the time we were on a rocky roller coaster...up and down over one headland after another. In fact, of the 7000' of climbing on the first day, 4000' of it came on Hwy 1. Once or twice, we had to do some serious climbing, in particular on a stiff, two mile grade just south of the first rest stop. Almost all of the remaining 3000' of climbing occurred immediately after turning inland on Nacimiento-Fergusson Road. This beautiful, deserted backroad tacks its way up the flanks of the Santa Lucia Mountains, gaining 2500' in seven miles (on this day, lifting us up out of the fog at about 1000'). It averages 5-7% and never exceeds 10%. (By the way, it's also a feature of the new Central Coast double century out of Paso Robles.) It reminded me of ascending the lower portions of Pine Flat, both in scenery and gradient. Here though, the near view of beech, bay, and oak is set against the spectacular panorama of ocean far below, shrouded in a level white blanket of fog.
The best thing about climbing up a mountain is flying down the other side, and this road rewarded our uphill efforts with a delicious downhill: a mile or two of quick, kinky descending —Pine Flat comes to mind again —followed by several miles of mildly downhill cruising through dappled shade along the banks of the pretty little Nacimiento River. Finally, as we entered Fort Hunter Liggett, the woods gave way to rolling grasslands, all tawny and sun-bleached at this time of year, with ancient, sentinel oaks scattered among the low hills. This is the essential early California landscape "what the first Spanish explorers encountered" so it seemed appropriate that we should end our day at one of California's oldest and best preserved missions.
Our camp gear was waiting for us when we arrived and, having pitched our tents in a shady glade behind the mission, we had plenty of afternoon left for exploring. Built in 1771, San Antonio de Padua was the third mission established by Junipero Serra. Being isolated for many years within a vast military base, well off the beaten path, has saved the mission from both the plague of modern development around it and the dubious benefits of a sanitized renovation to contemporary tourist standards. It is still a functioning Franciscan monastery and still looks much as it must have 200 years ago. Of all the missions I've visited, this one best conveys the feeling of life in early California. Adding to the historic ambience was the Hacienda Ranch House where we took our meals. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and certainly is deserving of that honor...a splendid, sprawling example of California Mission architecture.
The brochure had mentioned an all-you-can-eat pasta dinner and a pancake breakfast. As veterans of many after-ride pasta feeds, we didn't expect much...cafeteria style spaghetti served on paper and plastic perhaps. However, we were delighted to find their brochure guilty of gross understatement: our dinner offered tortellini, lasagna, spaghetti, breads, salads, desserts, and more, all served not on paper and plastic, but on stoneware and linen in the elegant dining hall of the Hacienda. (Likewise, breakfast offered not only flapjacks, but eggs, bacon, ham, hashbrowns, toast, juice, etc...all well prepared and served up by a cheerful staff, and in endless quantities.) After dinner, some folks wandered into the grand old saloon to watch the World Series, while others lounged on the terrace to watch the sun set over the mountains, or strolled through the lovely gardens, where bunny rabbits frolicked in the twilight...a pleasant ending to a great day of riding.
We were awakened early Sunday by the magical, eldritch howling of a nearby coyote chorale, and were stunned to find that the balmy temperature at bedtime had plummetted to the low 30's overnight. After breaking camp and packing in as much hot food and coffee as we could comfortably carry, we set off with nipped noses and frigid fingers. Our first few miles were run on an old road in the military base that was closed to cars, and weUd have enjoyed the serenity and beauty of it all somewhat more had we not been frozen stiff. However, after a couple of 300' climbs, we were warm...warm enough even to enjoy a 50-mph downhill towards the valley floor south of King City. For the next 25 miles, our route headed north through the agricultural fields of the Salinas River Valley. What in theory might have seemed a boring, featureless stretch was actually fascinating. Even on a Sunday morning, agribusiness was booming, with workers out tending the produce that makes the area famous: onions, tomatoes, broccoli, chilis, lettuce.
After a rest stop in Greenfield, we headed west back into the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains and began a long run through rolling country along the Arroyo Seco River. Our total climb for the 86-mile day was listed as 4000' and we'd knocked off half of that in the rollers before we hit the one big climb of the day at mile 55: a fairly painless, three mile, 1000' ascent of Cahoon Summit that carried us over into Carmel Valley. After saying goodbye to the interior valley with one last sweeping vista at the summit, we dove down into the leafy glens and canyons that lead back to Carmel. The next 15-20 miles have to rank as one of the nicest cycling venues anywhere...downhill just enough to hold a 25-30-mph pace, but not steep enough to need the brakes...one slinky bend after another, almost always near a rocky brook, almost always in the shade of alders, oaks, and willows. Pure bike heaven. Unfortunately, this perfect road eventually led us back to civilization, and our final dozen miles were along the shoulder of an increasingly busy suburban boulevard. Time to return to the real world...but what a small price to pay for all the quality miles that had preceded it.
Proceeds from entry fees support the InterAct Club at Monterey High and it was the bright and shiny kids from that club who so energetically supported us along the way. All of the details were well done: rest stop food, course marking, maps, T-shirts, overnight arrangements, etc. Pavement was generally good to excellent, and the scenery was delightful. Put this ride on your schedule for next year. ItUs a winner.
But that's really not fair, as the San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club's Wildflower has been around just as long as Chico's and I think is just as good, if not better. Most NorCal riders are unaware of it, as the ride is no longer listed in CalBike. The SLOBC Wildflower often occurs during the same time frame as Chico's and can present the usual dilemma about which one to ride, but when they fall on different weekends, a rider can get in some nice back-to-back century riding.
This annual ride starts in the small, rural community of Creston, some 20 miles east of Atascadero, nestled in the rumpled hills of Central California. It is situated on one of those funny little California highways (299) that more or less appears to go absolutely nowhere. If you arrive on Friday night, you can camp in the play field behind the elementary school and carbo-load at a spaghetti feed put on by the Creston Women's Club. Saturday mornings this time of year are still chilly (32 degrees this year), but by midday temperatures are usually in the eighties. Although registration is the morning of the ride, every time I've done it, it has gone smoothly and I'm out in no time at all.
I've ridden this century three times in the last five years and every year it has featured a different route, all of them challenging. This yearUs incarnation was dictated partly by the typical storm damage and was, I'm told, one of the original century routes. Leaving Creston, the ride headed east up several gradual climbs towards the first rest stop at the Avenales Wildlife Preserve a distance of about 15 miles. The usual good rest stop food was augmented by a still reasonable display of wildflowers. (I say "reasonable" because I was through here three weeks previously and now I know what a real carpet of wildflowers looks like this place can be astonishing.)
Heading north towards the next tiny town of Shandon, the road lay out relatively flat and quick —a great place for a tandem-wheel sucking guy like me. In fact, many of the roads here lend themselves to tandem-led pace lines, with little or no traffic, straight lines, and lots of gently rolling hills. Barreling up Shell Creek Road, we were at the "lunch stop" before two hours had elapsed (shortly before 10). It was hard to imagine eating this early, but at this point the century route diverged from the others and would not be near another town until the end of the ride. Lunch was a deli buffet with plenty of delicious local strawberries available.
After the lunch stop the shorter rides headed back on Hwy 41 towards more of the rumpled hills around Creston and Templeton, while the century riders headed out Hwy 46 to another country road bearing south towards California Valley. In the next 40 miles we would see all of four cars, as we began a long climb that would contribute 2000' to the day's total climb of 4300'. With two more water stops behind us, the route left Carrizo Plain on a ripping descent through scrub pine forests on its way back to Avenales and eventually Creston.
After checking in at Creston and getting a meal ticket, the riders are treated to a first class chicken barbecue put on by the Creston Volunteer Firefighters, where a little extra food can usually be had without any hassle (unlike the "other" ride).
If you can't guess, I like this ride. It's limited to 1000 riders. It's run primarily (80-90%) on very lightly traveled but well-paved rural roads. The route varies from year to year but is always challenging, and there are no pointless little detours to make up mileage. The scenery is constantly changing and always spectacular. The food is good and plentiful. nd at this point, a tip of the hat to Wayne Williams, age 76, who died in a bike accident just three weeks before the ride. He had been instrumental in organizing this century for years and I'm sure he will be missed. Thank you, Wayne.
The Party Pardee is sponsored by the Sacramento Bike Hikers and was held this year on April Fools Day. The offered three ride options: 100, 74, and 30 miles. The 100 mile and 74 mile were both moderate to hilly rides, with an extra 26 mile loop for the 100 mile riders. The 30 mile family ride was flat. I chose the 74 mile ride.
The rides started at Rancho Seco Park, next to the nuclear power plant, putting the start out in the "boonies," about 25 miles south of Sacramento and 10 miles east of Galt. I stayed in Galt, but would recommend Elk Grove or Sacramento as choices with more motel and restaurant options. The drive from Santa Rosa is about three hours. The event was well organized, with both Party and April Fools Day themes at the start, finish, and all rest stops. Organizers had about 500 riders registered and expected another 200 to sign up on the ride day. They provided an excellent map: an overall map plus details to each rest stop. Photographers took pictures of each cyclist early in the ride. The photos were displayed for sale at the finish for $4. They appeared to be a big seller. I thought the riders appreciated the photo feature.
Oh yes, the ride: the first 15 miles were light rollers and not particularily interesting. Then, as you got further into the foothills, the scenery was more interesting and the ride became quite challenging. There was one long climb (almost two miles) just prior to the first rest stop at 27 miles. Over the next 33 miles to the last rest stop, the scenery and riding were magnificent. I had the feeling of being away from everything, amidst pastoral scenery, with unlimited views, very low noise level, no motor traffic, few cross roads, and good road surfaces. All this with the challenge of continuous, steep rollers. That 33 miles was very unique, and made my day.
The lunch (which was very good), live music and other festivities at the end of the ride provided a pleasant finale. The Sacramento Bike Hikers see themselves as more of a fun club than the more serious Sacramento Wheelmen. I would concur in their self-assessment, as they served three kinds of cheese cake for dessert!
I spotted Bonnie Miller by her club jersey. She too enjoyed all aspects of the event, and hopes to be ready for the 74 mile ride next year.
One of the best bicycling experiences I have ever enjoyed was last summer when I took an organized tour that followed the Tour de France. We cycled the same roads, saw starts, finishes, and cols. I rode l'alpe D'Huez, the Tourmalet (both out-of-category climbs), and also saw the historic Motorola finish at Pau-from the press area. After spending three days in a castle-like Chateau near Bordeaux, we took the TGV bullet train to Paris for the finish. Viewed from the press area, and only 20 meters from the actual finish line, we enjoyed a preferred position. Although there are several tours that do this, I was lucky to select the best one: Two Wheel Tours of Indianapolis. I believe they still have some available space in '96 for either the Alps or the Pyrenees. I liked it so much I'm doing it again this year and taking my wife. I was surprised to find that about half the tour group were non-riders. This tour limits the number to only 20, so you aren't crowded and you get to know everyone. Anyone interested in details, please feel free to call me at 538-3793.
Furnace Creek is a 510-mile time trial (no drafting!!) with 30,000' of vertical gain from Magic Mountain in Los Angeles through Death Valley to Twentynine Palms. A pace vehicle with a minimum of two crew members is required. The course is shaped like a horseshoe, with the midpoint being Salsberry Pass. There are ten major climbs, Towne Pass and Salsberry Pass being the most notorious: each approximately 3400' of gain, with grades similar to the Geysers. Despite all the climbs, a significant part of the course is obviously flat, with strong headwinds at times. I have ridden the course several times and have encountered strong winds at all points on the route. Aerobars are highly recommended. Apart from ten miles of extremely rough pavement in Panamint Valley (much worse than anything the TT can offer), the road surfaces are very good. Good lights are essential, as the fast, steep descents into Death Valley and Shoshone, as well as Ibex Pass are all made at night.
As in the TT, most riders who DNF do so because of heat related problems, such as severe nausea and inability to eat or even drink. The climbs to Randsburg and Sheeps Hole Mtn are especially known for heat-induced exhaustion. Last year's relatively cool temperatures and favorable winds resulted in record times, with Seana Hogan first at 28:46.
To be competitive in this race, liquid nutrition, minimal off-bike time, and the use of aerobars are essential. Unfortunately, I didn't use aerobars, nor did I heed the urgings of my crew to adequately eat and drink. After having led the men's field most of the race, I bonked during the last climb of Sheeps Hole Mtn. My crew resuscitated me with ten packets of GU and I finally made it in with a RAAM qualifying time of 30 hours, 24 minutes, but in 4th place overall.
Since doing the FC 508, I have become infected with the dreaded Ultra Marathon Cycling Virus, which has led to RAAM Syndrome. I am therefore desperately seeking crew members and a crew captain to help me overcome this by successfully racing to Savannah, Georgia, beginning August 11, 1996. Anyone interested in joining me in this adventure, please call Peter Pop (310-457-6432).
As the name implies, the Mt Hamilton Challenge features as its centerpiece the ascent to (and descent from) that well-known, 4300' peak towering over Southeastern San Jose. The tour-sponsored and supported by the Pedalera Bicycle Club and the California Association of Bicycling Organizations-has been a South Bay fixture for 27 years. (This is a different event from the 65-mile Mt Hamilton Road Race, held on Memorial Day weekend.) There are two route options: the Challenge (a 130-mile, 8000' loop up and over the mountain, north to the Livermore-Pleasanton area, and back south through Milpitas), and the Ascent (a 70-mile up-and-back on the mountain that is considered the equal of a "flatland" century). This year about 150 riders did each course.
Support on this event is a little different from what one expects on a typical century. The entry fee is only $10. You bring your own food packets and the support crew delivers them to the various rest stops around the course. It's kind of a neat arrangement: the ride is cheap, and you get exactly the food you want. One small reservation about this econo-tour approach is that, at the end of the day, with no after-ride meal or festivities, things seem to just peter out in an anticlimactic way. I enjoy the usual after-century partying and missed it here.
Both routes begin and end in Sunnyvale, near Hwy 101 and spend the first (and last) 12+ miles of the ride crossing through San Jose-area urban sprawl before hitting the hills and rural scenery on the east edge of the metroplex. (More about those urban miles later.) Once out of the suburbs, the climbing begins with a pleasant grade through Alum Rock Park (no cars allowed) and then the steepest climb of the day on Crothers Rd, which the map says is 14%. (If that's 14%, I'm Marco Pantani...more like 9%.) After that, it's onto Mt Hamilton Road all the way to the summit, nearly 17 miles away. It's not all uphill-there are even two downhills-but for most of those miles, you climb. It's an enjoyable climb...never very steep and growing more beautiful as it gains elevation...ending with magnificent panoramas near the top.
After a rest stop in the shadow of Lick Observatory on the summit, it's back down the front side of the hill for the short course riders and down the back side for the 130-milers. This begins the best part of the whole ride on the long course: a twisting, 4 1/2-mile, 2100' descent, followed by 30 miles of absolutely gorgeous back country along remote San Antone Valley...30 miles of little streams, big boulders, wildflowers, and old oaks. For the next 15 miles (after leaving the lovely valley), the route skirts the fringes of Livermore and goes down the charming main street of Pleasanton, before returning to the countryside along Sunol and Calaveras Roads. The latter road in particular is a real jewel, snaking through the trees for ten miles alongside Calaveras Reservoir before descending steeply back to Milpitas and the final 12 miles of urban sprawl.
With one notable exception, this route is one of the prettiest and most enjoyable I've ever ridden on an organized tour. The exception though, can't be ignored: traversing the valley floor at the beginning and end of the ride...25 miles of tract neighborhoods, industrial parks, shopping malls, and traffic-choked boulevards. If the ride started and finished in Milpitas, on the edge of the developed area, the organizers could offer a sensational, 105-mile century that would rank as one of the best in the state. (The route goes right past a nice park in Milpitas that looks like an ideal staging area.) I understand the existing start/finish venue is a time-honored tradition but, having now done the ride officially, I may be inclined in future to follow the example of many of my South Bay friends: start from Milpitas and skip the blighted boulevards.
With so many good rides on our home turf, it's sometimes hard to get away and see other places, especially just for a weekend. But Joyce Chang promised something special, as she and I and two friends from the Bay Area headed off to Arizona to join the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association (GABA) on their Memorial Day Grand Canyon Bike & Hike. This is a three-day event, with 200 miles of fully supported cycling through some of the most beautiful scenery in the American Southwest and a 24-mile hike from the North Rim to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon - 5,000 feet down, and 5,000 feet up. The ride is organized by the Tucson Chapter of GABA and is wonderfully put on with great rest stops, lots of food, and friendly people. The weather varied from cold (think snowflakes), hail and rain, through warm to hot. The cycling was on the cool side, the hiking on the hot. It's the desert, and so the conditions can vary tremendously. GABA's past experience in running the event has been that it's hot, so many of us were surprised at the cold.
Day One: The long day - 135 miles, but with a net elevation loss of 3,500 feet. An early start (6 am; was that snow in the air?), we headed east along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Stunning views of the Canyon on our left contrasted with the Coconino Plateau on our right. As we reached the park boundary, we began a long descent that took us past the Little Colorado Canyon (a miniature version of the Grand) and into Cameron. There we turned north, and headed up Highway 89. This part of the ride was the least enjoyable, as we had - at various times - rain, traffic, a desert landscape that looked like a slag heap, and tornado warnings. But by the end of the day it was spectacular, as we rode down into Marble Canyon in full sunshine and warm weather.
Day Two: Short and steep - 85 miles with 5,000 feet of climbing. The climb is mostly one very long set of switchbacks that takes you up the Vermilion Cliffs, giving breathtaking views of the Paria Plateau and the Grand Canyon before entering the forests of the Kaibab Plateau. At Jacob Lake (wonderful pie in the Coffee Shop!) we learned that 10 miles of the highway had been torn up by Arizona Highways for repair, and were impassable by bike. The trip organizers responded with a car shuttle that took us over the worst parts, and neatly avoided a long, cold tree tunnel climb over the highest part of the plateau. Nobody complained, and soon we were headed south through rolling terrain and alpine meadows to the North Rim, where we camped overlooking the Canyon.
Day Three: As our gear and bikes were hauled back around to the South Rim, we hiked from Rim to Rim. It's not a recommended hike by the National Park, as it requires experience not only in hiking but in desert conditions. When we started at the Rim at 6 am, the temperature was close to freezing; at the bottom, 4 hours later, it was pushing 100 degrees. You need to force yourself to drink water even if you don't feel thirsty, because it is very hard to stay hydrated under those conditions. Training is different because you use different sets of muscles for hiking than cycling (thankfully, after 200 miles!) For those of us who live at sea level, the altitude alone presents a challenge. Many people train for this by hiking or running, and many people actually ran the Canyon. If this particular form of madness strikes your fancy, contact GABA at P.O. Box 43273, Tuscon AZ 85733, or John Jackson at 538-7234.
Last December, from the 26th to the 31st, I rode in the 39th annual Hosteling International-American Youth Hostel Christmas Tour. This is a no-frills, inexpensive tour ($200) that serves as a modest fund raiser for the San Diego HI-AYH chapter. No frills, in this case, meant sleeping in meeting rooms and gyms (for the majority who didn't camp out), plain but plentiful food, and showers that were either a little hard to come by, or, as on the first night, unavailable. We were, however, shuttled to a hot springs pool one evening, which was warmly relaxing.
The 375-mile route traveled in a northeasterly, counter-clockwise direction from San Diego to Palm Desert and back. I clocked 345 miles, as I took a shorter, climbing option on the third day which lopped 30 miles off the basic route. Depending on how well one rides and on how adventuresome one is, there can be many alternate routes. Some folks have ridden this tour many times and since it usually travels in the same direction now, there is a fair-sized amount of interest in exploring different roads along the way..
The first day took us 50 miles to Pine Valley at 3700'. It was cool but dry overnight, with just a trace of frost. The next day took us over Mt Laguna and past roadside snow to Warner Springs. Just to the north of the business/camping area at Mt Laguna is a small sign: "USAF Observatory," indicating a turn to the east. Taking that turn leads one to the best view in this whole section. On a clear day one can see Borego Springs (on the next day's route), the Salton Sea, and further in the distance, the Chocolate Mountains. It really is a spectacular view..
The third day led to Palm Desert, either through the desert or up, over, and down the Seven Level Hill, which is the way I went. The next morning saw the forming of an approximately 60-rider double paceline that cruised together through Palm Springs and onward some 30 miles to lunch at a restaurant in Banning in front of the dinosaurs seen in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. We slept in Hemet that night and pedaled to Fallbrook the following day, again forming a large, fun double paceline. On the sixth and final day, Pete Penseyres joined fellow ultra legend Rob Templin (who was riding the tour), and together they tandemed to the finish in San Diego..
One interesting event occurred in the midst of some hokey theme days: a flat changing contest. It was set up with the contestant a few steps away from a flatted wheel laid against a table upon which were two tire irons and a new tube, with a floor pump nearby. One was required to change the tube, inflate it with 10 strokes of the pump, and return to the starting spot. The winning time was 56 seconds (!) and the consensus was you were out of it if you sat down while changing the flat. Something like this would liven up a club meeting wouldn't it?.
When the bike tour was over, I remember telling people I felt like I had gone through training camp and was now ready for the start of football season. That was due partly to the fact that I had not really felt like myself for almost all of the trip. I was telling myself, "Well, I don't have to do that again." Now however, I have been thinking more and more about going back: I met some nice people, there were a lot of good riders, the terrain is different than here, and there are all those side roads to explore!
Last summer I had the opportunity to partake of a day of ski-lift-assisted mountain bike riding at the Northstar Ski Resort in the Lake Tahoe area. I hadn't been on my mountain bike in about six months, and I was a bit rusty at first, to say the least.
Getting on the lift is pretty much the same as skiing. As the chair comes around, you sit down in the seat, and it whisks you away. Getting off is different in that as you approach the top, the lift slows a bit, and as you reach the platform you stand up and walk quickly away.
Once this is done, it's time for some serious downhilling! Northstar offers upwards of 100 miles of trails. Everything from service roads to fast descending, technical single track. I spent the entire day on single track. The trails are all designed to keep you off the ski slopes. All the trails are well thought out. There is an EMT on duty each day during the week, and two on the weekends. They get around on quad runners. There is ten gallons of cold water at the base, and at the top of the two lifts they employ. The staff is very helpful and wants to know immediately if there is a problem with a trail..
The trail I had the most fun with was called "Competition." It starts off very steep and loose, and as you work your way down, it wends its way into a small dry wash and caresses it back and forth, crossing over a dry creekbed several times on small 2x12 planks. Twisting through the boulders and trees, crossing the creek...nothing like anything I had done before. I ran it about four times that day, and by the last run I was blasting right through it..
The village at the base was open, including shops and stores offering food, supplies, and whatever else you might have forgotten to make your day fun. There is a bike shop offering repairs and service.The rate for the lift for the entire day was $20. Not bad considering all they offer. Northstar really seems to have this down after three years of ski-lift-assisted mountain biking..
Next summer I'm going to list this as a ride in the newsletter. I'll reserve a site at Sugar Pine Point State Park Campground. The site will hold eight folks. I'll run a notice.
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