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  • #76
    Originally posted by PaloAltoCougar View Post
    Last year I attempted the Wine Country Century (double metric, actually), but bonked horribly at mile 65 or so and limped back to the start for only 88 miles while the missus, her friends, and one of their husbands completed the ride. There's a lot of climbing in the first half and I was worried about a repeat, but we completed it today (we only did 111 miles--at the women's request we cut out a little spur that's unattractive and is included only to get to a true double metric). But I felt surprisingly good and pulled the ladies over the final 25 miles or so, so my manhood, such as it is, has been restored. When we got to the final big climb that did me in mentally last year (including a short stretch of around 12-15%), it was immensely satisfying to power over the top and think, "Take that, beeyotch!"). Sure I was only going 6 mph at the time, but still....

    Unfortunately, early in the ride one of the women my wife rides with all the time (she and her husband, a strong rider, did the Giro d'Italia routes last year including Stelvio and other major climbs) had a horrific crash right in front of me as we were descending a steep hill. A stop sign loomed ahead and a guy in front of her braked suddenly, catching her by surprise. She hit the ground hard, shattering the side of her helmet and getting very scraped up on her arms and legs. It was something of a miracle that nobody else biffed as we were all close together, but managed to swerve without hitting anyone else. Meanwhile, she looked like she was out cold but was moaning. We had to call for help and an ambulance came and took her to a trauma center where they found she has a broken collarbone, among other injuries, but thanks to the helmet no neurological or spinal damage. After discussion, the rest of us decided to continue on, but it was a definite downer in an otherwise good day. It served as yet another reminder of how quickly things can change with even a second of inattention.

    Oh, and I'm really liking the tubeless tires.

    http://www.strava.com/activities/137109550
    Great job PAC! Sounds like an overall good day. Sorry to hear about your friend. There are few things worse than watching someone go down hard. Especially when there's not much movement afterward. I haven't read ER's link in the other thread yet, but I have two smashed up helmets that I hang onto as examples of the value of helmets. One was from a crash in the pelaton and has holes across the top from someone's chain ring rolling over my dome. I wish your friend a full, speedy recovery.

    I did 11 miles on a spin bike yesterday. As pathetic as it was, it's the most I've done in a year. I'm the worst.
    I told him he was a goddamn Nazi Stormtrooper.

    Comment


    • #77
      Nice going PAC. You got an Epic suffer score on Strava and my guess is they don't throw around the epic word lightly. Sorry about your friend and I hope she recovers quickly. That looks like a beautiful ride. BG's Tour of the Unkown Coast has made me learly of any rides in northern Cal but I would love to come and do this one someday. FTR the TOFUC is one of the most beautiful rides I have ever rode but also one of the hardest.

      Comment


      • #78
        Congrats PAC. Seems your efforts are really paying off and you truly are in the best shape of your life. Keep it up!
        "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf

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        • #79
          The woman that crashed on our ride Saturday is nothing if not resilient. Despite sustaining a broken clavicle, concussion and lots of road rash, she has already ordered a replacement helmet and had her husband take her bike into the shop to check for cracks. If the frame is shot, she's ready to purchase a replacement bike immediately. It took me years to want to ride again after my wreck; it took her about six hours to want to get back on the saddle.

          Comment


          • #80
            We completed the Denver Century today with our firstborn and her husband. No crashes (at least not among our group) and a lot of fun. We didn't push it quite as hard as we could have and as a result we feel great after a really fun ride. The views from Lookout Mountain above Denver were breathtaking and the ride was very well supported. There were way too many stoplights but otherwise it was fine route. We finished twenty minutes ahead of a huge thunderstorm so we feel we cheated death. A superb day.

            Comment


            • #81
              Originally posted by PaloAltoCougar View Post
              We completed the Denver Century today with our firstborn and her husband. No crashes (at least not among our group) and a lot of fun. We didn't push it quite as hard as we could have and as a result we feel great after a really fun ride. The views from Lookout Mountain above Denver were breathtaking and the ride was very well supported. There were way too many stoplights but otherwise it was fine route. We finished twenty minutes ahead of a huge thunderstorm so we feel we cheated death. A superb day.
              Sounds like a wonderful day. Good to hear that everybody stayed upright.

              Comment


              • #82
                Awesome job PAC! It's tough reading these things while I'm still out with an injury and surgery but at least I can live a bit by proxy through you all.
                "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf

                Comment


                • #83
                  In the Weekend Ride Reports thread ERC raised the possibility of a group ride in Glacier National Park along The Going to the Sun Road; I'll continue that discussion here, short-lived though it may be. I realize the odds are very small, but this could be doable for us next month, and here's how. After watching BYU win its fourth in a row on September 20, we'd head north on Sunday to Glacier, MT, an all-day drive. Then either the next morning, or on Tuesday, we'd hit the road. As it happens, portions of the road close to auto traffic that Sunday; Monday would be its first sans cars, a nice tribute to our Tahoe Ride during which the Nevada Highway Patrol shut down the east side just for us.

                  The ride is a tough one, if one does the out-and-back--about 95 miles with nearly 10,000 feet of climbing. What we'd likely do is have the missus ride out with the peloton while I drive, meeting people at the turnaround with beverages, fuel and no body odor. She would drive back, taking photos of all the spots she scouted out on the way in while my fresh legs provided a nice pull for the first three miles of the return, after which I'd tag along for the remainder. A fine dinner that night in Glacier, Whitefish or Kalispell would conclude the festivities.

                  Of course, weather could be a major factor, possibly scuttling my otherwise well laid plans.

                  This is likely something better left to next year, if at all, but with no major trips in the offing I need to fantasize about such things to get through the day.

                  Comment


                  • #84
                    I'd need more notice for this year, although you all are free to go without me. What I had in mind next year is riding from west glacier through the park, then up to the Many Glacier hotel on the other side. Stay there overnight and ride back to west glacier the next morning. Check out the Many Glacier Hotel. It's really something.
                    At least the Big Ten went after a big-time addition in Nebraska; the Pac-10 wanted a game so badly, it added Utah
                    -Berry Trammel, 12/3/10

                    Comment


                    • #85
                      Originally posted by ERCougar View Post
                      I'd need more notice for this year, although you all are free to go without me. What I had in mind next year is riding from west glacier through the park, then up to the Many Glacier hotel on the other side. Stay there overnight and ride back to west glacier the next morning. Check out the Many Glacier Hotel. It's really something.
                      Good idea; let's start thinking about it. BTW, my plan needed a little more thought, including how we were going to drive out and back with SAG support if the road were, in fact, closed to cars.

                      Comment


                      • #86
                        Originally posted by PaloAltoCougar View Post
                        Last year I attempted the Wine Country Century (double metric, actually), but bonked horribly at mile 65 or so and limped back to the start for only 88 miles while the missus, her friends, and one of their husbands completed the ride. There's a lot of climbing in the first half and I was worried about a repeat, but we completed it today (we only did 111 miles--at the women's request we cut out a little spur that's unattractive and is included only to get to a true double metric). But I felt surprisingly good and pulled the ladies over the final 25 miles or so, so my manhood, such as it is, has been restored. When we got to the final big climb that did me in mentally last year (including a short stretch of around 12-15%), it was immensely satisfying to power over the top and think, "Take that, beeyotch!"). Sure I was only going 6 mph at the time, but still....

                        Unfortunately, early in the ride one of the women my wife rides with all the time (she and her husband, a strong rider, did the Giro d'Italia routes last year including Stelvio and other major climbs) had a horrific crash right in front of me as we were descending a steep hill. A stop sign loomed ahead and a guy in front of her braked suddenly, catching her by surprise. She hit the ground hard, shattering the side of her helmet and getting very scraped up on her arms and legs. It was something of a miracle that nobody else biffed as we were all close together, but managed to swerve without hitting anyone else. Meanwhile, she looked like she was out cold but was moaning. We had to call for help and an ambulance came and took her to a trauma center where they found she has a broken collarbone, among other injuries, but thanks to the helmet no neurological or spinal damage. After discussion, the rest of us decided to continue on, but it was a definite downer in an otherwise good day. It served as yet another reminder of how quickly things can change with even a second of inattention.

                        Oh, and I'm really liking the tubeless tires.

                        http://www.strava.com/activities/137109550
                        PAC are you doing this again next year? I would like to do a different century every year and this one or the Sequoia Century look like beautiful rides.

                        Comment


                        • #87
                          Originally posted by RC Vikings View Post
                          PAC are you doing this again next year? I would like to do a different century every year and this one or the Sequoia Century look like beautiful rides.
                          Come do this one with me next year. http://www.fallcentury.org/

                          Or any of you for that matter.

                          Comment


                          • #88
                            Originally posted by BigPiney View Post
                            Come do this one with me next year. http://www.fallcentury.org/

                            Or any of you for that matter.
                            Looks like a fun ride. Have you ever done Levi's GranFondo? That one looks interesting as well.
                            When things are at their darkest, it's a brave man that can kick back and party. --Tuck Pendleton

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                            • #89
                              Originally posted by RC Vikings View Post
                              PAC are you doing this again next year? I would like to do a different century every year and this one or the Sequoia Century look like beautiful rides.
                              Not sure yet, although it's a possible. We're doing this one in October--I'm looking forward to it as it seems to be a bit easier than others we've done this year. I'd like to do a group ride and let you guys pull me around for a few hours. Stay tuned.

                              Comment


                              • #90
                                Originally posted by BrutusBuckeye View Post
                                Looks like a fun ride. Have you ever done Levi's GranFondo? That one looks interesting as well.
                                I'm looking at getting a cross bike this winter and this would be nice with the dirt route.

                                Comment

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