The Grand Tour – Malibu, CA: 06-23-2012

[MarkAJ]

Originally Posted by M2M

baldy or tube steaks ?????

[VegaVixen]

Originally Posted by M2M

baldy or tube steaks ?????

Somehow that sounds even wronger.

[MarkAJ]

I'm in rest mode until the ride. I will be going over my bike to make sure it is ready and safe as I can make it. Weather is looking good, cool start and not too high of temperatures.

Edit: Looks like wind might be factor until the last part on PCH heading for home.

[MarkAJ]

Being rested for a ride really made a difference for me on this Double Metric. I was off the bike for four days and took Friday off from work so I sleep in. I also took a nap Friday. The minute I started to ride I felt great, strong and capable.

I arrived at check-in about 6:25 a.m. only to be directed to over-flow parking about ¼ mile away. So I parked and rode over to check-in. I bought a jersey so I had to ride back to my truck and put that away. Then ride back to the start. I had 1.2 miles when I started the course. The weatherman was wrong about fog and misting at the beach. Upon arrival the fog was well off the coast and the sun was out. It was still cool and hardly any wind movement. It was pretty nice but my thoughts went straight to climbing Latigo in the sun, not part of my plan.

As I said I was feeling very good in the saddle out of the gate and climbing Latigo seemed easier than last Saturday. Of course I was pacing myself so I would have enough to finish the course. The weather all day was really nice and never got too hot. However, in Thousand Oaks the head wind was nasty and in Camarillo it just got horrible. The serious climbing is over after mile 65 but some of the latter had wind and now I was in about 15mph winds and no one to help me.

Finally, a rider came behind me, Laurence of BCI (Bicycle Club of Irvine) and we worked together for a spell. He was young and strong, but we both admitted the wind was taking its toll. We both made the last RS and this is the only time I hung out for a while. I was beat up now and need a little time. I knew I was about 8 miles from the PCH junction and I would have a tail wind going back. I needed it and wanted it.

Sure enough the tail wind was there. All I had to do was keep going and get over all those rollers. It was about 3 p.m. and the weather and view along the ocean was great. At times I was able to muster while other times I was fading. I finished and checked in which they wanted all riders to do. They scan your wrist band on start and at the finish. I liked having a band instead of a pinned on number. It is cleaner and easier to deal with. A supported ride for $40; it was well worth it.

125.7 miles; 6,850 feet

[nesdog]

Wow, Mark, amazing....I'm never gonna do a double metric...unless you add up a couple of days rides together! Nice going!

[zzzwillzzz]

well... i've been feeling kinda crappy lately, the last few weeks i haven't gotten much riding in due to work and general laziness and this week i broke a bolt on the seat clamp on the seatpost on the way to work. someone mentioned on friday night that they were doing the highland double, at first i thought they were doing the double metric and i was in, then when I found out they meant the double, i was out.

so sat morning i was slow getting out he door and wasn't sure where or how far i was going to ride and didn't get going til 9:30 or so, a couple of miles in i decided to join the double en route and chase down that someone who started at 4:30. so I rode from north hollywood through the valley and simi to meet the route in moorpark, this put me about 48 miles lees than the riders who started in malibu, cruised up to the top of grimes and had a bit of a headwind on the descent where i didn't need to use the brakes, caught a couple in south mountain and worked with them for a bit til stekel park and rode on to ojai. at ojai i went off course a little into town to get a bite to eat. on to casitas pass which i've never ridden before and a group of 4 caught me including edina, a girl who has ridden with me on the tandem. i dropped the group over the top of the pass and rode on with a couple of riders i caught on the descent to the rest stop at rincon.

while at the stop edina pulled in and told me there were a bunch of sfvbc riders behind her, we waited for them to arrive, and rolled out with a big group and a good tailwind, it took a bit of yelling on my part to herd the cats but slowly we formed a good group that slowly whittled down from 8 to 10 down to 4 or 5 while rolling at 22 to 26 for most of the way on the flats. when we hit the rollers my rear shifting went off and started skipping gears i could tell the cable was frayed and about to snap, we were down to three and i started cramping a bit but the last bit of gatorade held them off and the shifter made it to the finish as well.

152 miles, 17.0 mph ave. less than 9 hours of riding time

[M2M]

Originally Posted by MarkAJ

Being rested for a ride really made a difference for me on this Double Metric. I was off the bike for four days and took Friday off from work so I sleep in. I also took a nap Friday. The minute I started to ride I felt great, strong and capable.

I arrived at check-in about 6:25 a.m. only to be directed to over-flow parking about ¼ mile away. So I parked and rode over to check-in. I bought a jersey so I had to ride back to my truck and put that away. Then ride back to the start. I had 1.2 miles when I started the course. The weatherman was wrong about fog and misting at the beach. Upon arrival the fog was well off the coast and the sun was out. It was still cool and hardly any wind movement. It was pretty nice but my thoughts went straight to climbing Latigo in the sun, not part of my plan.

As I said I was feeling very good in the saddle out of the gate and climbing Latigo seemed easier than last Saturday. Of course I was pacing myself so I would have enough to finish the course. The weather all day was really nice and never got too hot. However, in Thousand Oaks the head wind was nasty and in Camarillo it just got horrible. The serious climbing is over after mile 65 but some of the latter had wind and now I was in about 15mph winds and no one to help me.

Finally, a rider came behind me, Laurence of BCI (Bicycle Club of Irvine) and we worked together for a spell. He was young and strong, but we both admitted the wind was taking its toll. We both made the last RS and this is the only time I hung out for a while. I was beat up now and need a little time. I knew I was about 8 miles from the PCH junction and I would have a tail wind going back. I needed it and wanted it.

Sure enough the tail wind was there. All I had to do was keep going and get over all those rollers. It was about 3 p.m. and the weather and view along the ocean was great. At times I was able to muster while other times I was fading. I finished and checked in which they wanted all riders to do. They scan your wrist band on start and at the finish. I liked having a band instead of a pinned on number. It is cleaner and easier to deal with. A supported ride for $40; it was well worth it.

125.7 miles; 6,850 feet

sounds like you had fun - head wind going up through Camarillo -,,,, who knew ??

[MarkAJ]

Originally Posted by M2M

sounds like you had fun - head wind going up through Camarillo -,,,, who knew ??

I could have used your help. I believe you know your way around there.

[DanteB]

I had a great time at this year's GT. The LA Wheelmen do an outstanding job putting the GT on. It was my 50th double and I got to ride with Lynn Katano who was completing her 100th double, the first woman to do that. The weather was prefect all day, the support is the best and my riding partners were great.

[hansolo3]

Originally Posted by zzzwillzzz

when we hit the rollers my rear shifting went off and started skipping gears i could tell the cable was frayed and about to snap

I am pretty sure you have experience with snapping cables and that it wouldn't have been an issue for you.