metroliner... errrrrr amtrak century

[caligurl]

i tried to post in the snack thread... but it kept freezing! :mad:

it was.... interesting! my "metroliner century"! lol!

so we get up at 1:30 (yes a.m.) to get ready to leave and get to irvine at a decent time... uh..... wrongo.... we shoulda arrived at least 45 min to an hour earlier! parking was horrendous and it was packed by the time we got there around 5:30! people were already leaving and it was still pitch black (and no lights!)

anyways... we get parked way out in BFE! and get ourselves ready and tote our coolers and clothing bag waaaaaay over to the registration/start! that was well organized and so was the taking of our bags! we took off around 6:50 i think.... (forgot to check!)

had issues with my HRM before the first rest stop :( i had cadence, speed, etc.. but no heart rate! i guess it was underground or overhead stuff.. cuz after the rest stop... hubby's started acting up a bit too! (mine came back... so i have my actual miles and ave speed but not the "actual" calories burned cuz you need your HR for that!)

the rest stops were well stocked and at a good/workable distance apart.... lunch was almost a fiasco! the line was HORRENDOUS but some good-thinking sag volunteer started going up and down the line with the sadwiches... then others joined in.... and they even brought the cookies! by the time we got to the food itself... we had already eaten! the next line they couldn't move any faster though... the porta potties... definitely not enough for 1000 people!

the torrey pines grade was "nothing".... it's only 1.5 miles.... i train on a similar grade but longer (3 miles) hill on an almost daily basis... so it was easy for me.... hubby left me and blasted it! i figured he was nice and rode all the rest of the ride with me.... he could have his moment! lol!

they had ice cream at the top! yum! rode the remaining 20 miles and arrived at the cruise ship place....

our bags were all staged and the trucks were ready and loading our bikes.... they had extra jerseys available so i didn't have to order them and wait! yay! they are so pretty this year!

i didn't like the walk to the train station while lugging our clothing bag (and coolers)... some people were changing at the cruise ship place in porta potties... EWWWWWW we chose to change at the train station (almost as bad! lol) the train arrived early and they began boarding while i was changing... so i hurried so hubby could change and we could board and get a quiet car! uhm.... i was disappointed to find out we were riding.. not and amtrak... but a metroliner!

the first car i got on.. i asked if they were quiet or partiers.. they said quiet... then i went exploring and found the next car had seats open with the little table.. so we moved... good thing.. the car we left ended up being so ROWDY!

the ride was long and slow.... at some points you coulda walked faster than we were going! we ate while waiting for the rest of the people to show up... i don't know if several missed the train or if there were more than 800 seats available.. but we had 8 empty seats in our section!

we got back to irvine and had to wait a while for a train to leave the station... then we had to wait for the first 8 cars to de-train before they moved ahead for us.... a LOT Of waiting! then we had to wait for them to unload the bikes from the trucks.....

all-in-all a nice ride... but since i'm not a partier.. the train didn't thrill me all that much (nice to re-see the ocean and a lot of the route we took)

since we have such a long drive... we always pretty much ride... eat.. and leave... in the time we were waiting...we coulda been 1/2 to all the way home! there's nothing "wrong" with this century.. but because of where we live.. i'd put it at the bottom of the 9 organized centuries i've done so far.... if we lived closer.. it'd move it up a few notches! as of right now... i may not try to sign up for next year.. but then... if they have another pretty jersey.... i'm sure i'll forget the waiting and sign up anyways! (poor hubby! he gets stuck driving while i fall asleep!)

the dogs (or specifically my piglet, brie) were ticked that they didn't get dinner til after 10:00!

so there you have it..... the metrolink... errrrr i mean amtrak century!

[CorsairMac]

so what did you end up packing in the cooler??

[caligurl]

lol! ya... i meant to answer that! :o :o :o

subway.... subway club to be exact! yum! hadn't had subway in almost 2 years.. it was yummy but a tad bit soggy (even though i ziplocked them and the ice!

water... diet pepsi... gatorade... and a 7-up... i drank water... hubby drank the pepsi and gatorade! oh.. and small packaged of nutter butters (4 cookies per) i ate one of those! YUM!

we ended up taking a cooler each (but they weren't full... just had LOTS of ice.... if we do do this again.. we'll take one cooler and two clothing bags instead! that sucker was heavy!!!!!!!!!

people had all sorts of stuff.. brownies... cookies... veggies... beer.... bottled marguaritas... (ya.. a bunch of people on other cars that i hope weren't driving! :eek: )

[Jo-n-NY]

caligirl, this sounded like an adventure, but a fun one except for the waiting around. i don't like wasting time on lines either.

since it takes so long to get there, and decide to ride it again next year, maybe you can get a near by hotel room for the night before you ride it. at least you can sleep later before riding. of course this is not a good idea if you cannot leave your dog with anyone.

thank you for sharing your ride. it was a fun read.

joann

[caligurl]

actually... the staying overnight doesn't work for us... cuz of our four-legged children... specifically the dogs!

i can't bring myself to kennel them.... so if we stayed in a motel overnight..... we'd have to stay at a dog-friendly place (few and far between) then leave them in their crates in the room while we ride (which is ok... per se... cuz they stay in their crates inside while we work)... however.. being a strange place... not sure they wouldn't bark at every little noise! :eek:

so we limit ourselves to 3 to 3.5 hour drive time.. even if leaving in the middle of the night (the dogs stay outside in the yard when we are gone that long.. but it's still not overnight and they get to eat breakfast before we leave and evening breakfast (you know how dogs learn certain words.. well ours eat "breakfast" for both meals! :p ) when we get home!

i'm still contemplating vegas which mapquest says if 4.5 hours but that means it's really 4 hours... ??????? it's kinda up to hubby since he'll get stuck driving while i fall asleep!

the waiting that mostly "bothered" me was the waiting for the train... waiting of the other train to leave.. etc.. the lines are all a part of the bike ride.. (but still annoying! lol!)

[bcipam]

Glad to hear you did well but I did remind you about 1) parking and 2) taking too much stuff.

Next year, if you plan to do it again, park right across the street from the station, off ADA. Go check in, drop off the cooler and clothes bag, check in and then walk back across the street to get the bikes and take off. I've learned to take just one backpack. It has shorts, a ball cap and a tshirt and a Coke (I can drink it warm but I freeze it first and its usually cold) and some small snacks, crackers, string cheese, cookies.

The train can be a nightmare. This year I heard it left right on time 4:30 leaving some folks still stranded on the docks. Last year, in 100 degree heat, we had to wait 2 hours for a train so consider yourself lucky. The folks on the train do get rowdy. One reason why I don't enjoy the ride anymore. I just can't stand the stupid behavior (there is alot of drinking involved). Alot of my friends ( I live closer - in Irvine) bypass the train ride and have friends pick them up at the dock and they drive home. You get home sooner and have some control over the stops.

One nice thing this year was the weather. You were real fortunate. Plus I heard lunch was better organized (it has been real awful in the past).

Next year, forget AMTRAK and plan instead on doing COOL BREEZE. You'll have to got he night before (so find an hotel that will take pets). Absolutely perfect century. You get great sags, a great lunch, awesome BBQ after and the best views in California. It's my favorite ride.

[caligurl]

yes... you warned me about the trains and stuff! lol!

the weather was perfect! long sleeves and tights for me.. didn't need my jacket (had it so tied it around my waist cuz i didn't want to take it back to the truck!) didn't have to worry about tanlines! :D was quite comfy with what i wore (stripped off the shirt on torrey pines (had a shimmel on underneath) i was pleased at my talent to do that while riding! lol! (full zip.. not over my head!)

ya.. we wondered if people got left! since there was so much room! and it did leave PROMPTLY at 4:30! and i'm really glad we got a quiet car! the one couple we talked to a lot before the train left... were really nice.. it was his first amtrak.. maybe first century! we were trying to talk him into breathless agony next year! lol! (he's from santiago so knew richard kahler (spelling)

we didn't have any stops.. just slooooooooooowing... (well.. stopped at the end to wait for the train to clear!)

we did cool breeze.. it was easy getting there (no traffic... another early morning start.. for that one we got up at 12:30 a.m.!) did the double metric! i'm still complaining about that hill at the 100 mile mark! :mad: :D :eek:

i just like to do organized centuries... cuz i don't have the.... i guess willpower????? to do them on my own... i love the mini goals of the sag stops! (ok... 26 miles... EAT! yay! ok.... 26 more miles.. EAT! ya!! lol!) and i get to eat junk! yummmmmmmmmmmmmmm! so i try to sign up for and go to any within a reasonable distance! although we WILL get to solvang one of these times but that will mean taking the dogs or boading *gasp* them!

ya... i know me.. i'll probably forget i was not 100% thrilled this year with the waiting at the end.... ... and will do it again.... but will leave earlier in the morning.. and yes.. ONE cooler.. and a small bag (backpack sounds good!) for each of our clothes!

i don't think hubby has figured out yet if it's good or bad he got me into cycling! i used to "fight" him on rides (why do you have to pay for them?) and bike stuff (why does it cost so much)... uhm... now it's TWO of everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol! :eek: :D and i'm the one making the calendar of rides.. he sometimes tries to talk me out of them cuz he has to drive home!!!!!!

p.s. cool breeze is my 2nd favorite ride.... grand tour lite (did the double metric during the grand tour) was my favorite... rode the coast from port hureneme (spelling) to malibu.. and latigo canyon... *sigh* BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!

both are on the list already for next year.. as is the grand tour lite at the end of the month!

[bcipam]

Cali - didn't realize you were so hard core awesome. AMTRAK was most likely a cruise for you. I would love to do the Cool Breeze Double. Maybe next year just need to lose a few more pounds and step up my summer training. And Breathless Agony, I'm not worthy.

Know Kahler well, I'm assuming you did one of his "Torture Clinics"? I keep planning on doing one, but something always comes up (like and injury).

OK Here's a ride for you - have you tried the SPOOKTACULAR out of Bakersfield? Either the Horrible or Hideous (for the truly awesome) 100? The ride has great jerseys (I always like something different), the club puts on a good ride (Kern Wheelmen) and it's different, out of the way, scenery is nice. Now if you have already done the Hideous, I am truly in awe!

[caligurl]

i don't know robert... only know who he is.. (well.. i mean i met him at BA.... but he was talking to everyone!) no... i haven't done his clinics.. but have heard of them!

i'm not hard core! i just like organized rides! and i'm not all that fast! just steady! :) (you know.. the tortoise and the hare!) and determined!

i have to confess... i did BA and big bear by default.. hubby was signed up... and hurt his knee... i'm too cheap to lose the entry fee... so i did them! actually wasn't sure i COULD do BA since i was so new to cycling still! (and cried like a baby when i reached onyx!) of course.. then i knew i could do big bear... i would just take my time! also... since everyone at the other forum knew i was doing BA in hubby's place... quitting wasn't an option! i'm too stubborn for that! no WAY would i go back and have to say "i quit!" lol!

i've heard of spooktacular... not sure if it's not on the list cuz of distance (isn't it norcal?) or date? i'll have to go back and look!

someone at amtrak had on a spooktacular jersey.. VERY cute!

i wonder if i dress my dogs in clothes/t-shirts and hats... if they would be considered kids by non-dog people (i already consider them kids!) so that i'd have no problems with motels! *pout*

we're signed up for angeles crest and we are both excited about planet ultras new "king of the mountain" jersey next year! (mulholland, heartbreak, and BA)... do all three (just the century portions required) and you can buy the KOM jersey (should have a queen one too! :p )

[bikerchick68]

cali... too bad they didn't take you up the inside of Torrey... steeper and shorter, and the views from the park are AMAZING! you ride along watching the paragliders float down over the ocean... really pretty up there...

as to the time spent driving etc... OMG, I woulda been dead from having to be up at that time let alone the ride! :rolleyes: I need a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a day to be human. Trust me... LOL ;)

[caligurl]

it didn't help any that i couldn't fall asleep.... so just laid (lay?) there for about 2 hours *sigh*.. then woke up about midnight... i forget why now... maybe tyler barked to go out? grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

so i got about 2 good hours of sleep *YAWN* that's why i fell asleep on the way home!

[bcipam]

CAli check out this website. This year's Spook jersey is awesome. I signed up for the ride just to get the Jersey. The date is October 15 so it probably conflicts with something else you are doing.

kernwheelmen.org/rides/spooktacular/index.asp

I agree about taking the "old road" up Torrey. Although very steep it is considerable shorter and the view is much nicer than that stupid highway that goes inland plus you get to ride through the park on your way to get a popsicle. Last year was the first time I did the new highway and from now, going back to the old road.

[Trekhawk]

Looks like you girls are the ones to ask about the Death Valley Century.

Have any of you done this in Spring?

Looking for something to aim for in the new year and this looked pretty good. I can get in some sight seeing at the same time.

What do you think.

[bcipam]

I've not done it but have friends who have and enjoyed it alot. Spring time in Death Valley - great time and place to ride. Report back if you do it. If looking for a cool spring time ride, check out the Creston Wildflower (see SLOBC.org). One of the greatest rides (for many reasons) around. Scenery is awesome. You can stay down in San Luis Obispo, Atascadero or Paso Robles - drive out to Cambria for the day (or ride). Price is right, they have great jerseys, and they feed you alot of good food, I mean alot!

[Trekhawk]

[QUOTE=bcipam]I've not done it but have friends who have and enjoyed it alot. Spring time in Death Valley - great time and place to ride. Report back if you do it. If looking for a cool spring time ride, check out the Creston Wildflower (see SLOBC.org). One of the greatest rides (for many reasons) around. Scenery is awesome. You can stay down in San Luis Obispo, Atascadero or Paso Robles - drive out to Cambria for the day (or ride). Price is right, they have great jerseys, and they feed you alot of good food, I mean alot!

Thanks for the tip. I will let you know when I pick a ride. Then all I have to do is ride it. :eek: Yikes.