Holstein 100 v.2006

[SadieKate]

Just received a voice mail from Pam Osborn, the ride director, and she said something along the lines of "I am 99.9% certain that the ride will be August 19 because of school starting and the Inverness Fair is the weekend before."

Wonder what the route will be. Upon review of Miss Snap's threads, it changes every year causing some consternation about the amount of climbing.

YooHoo CindySue, what was the ride like last year?

[snapdragen]

I can pretty much guarantee you the metric and the century will have the "Marshall Wall" in it. Hopefully it will be from east to west, so you end up on the coast. No matter what route, there will be climbing - and cows. :D

[slinkedog]

I'm pretty sure CS did this as the first major ride after she got her new bike with the compact double and she suffered a bit. Cindy is a STRONG rider, so I imagine it's a tough ride.

[cindysue]

YooHoo CindySue, what was the ride like last year?

this was my FAVORITE century! (granted I've only done Holstein, Chico, Tierra Bella).

I loved it because:

1) landscape

2) little traffic (but also a far drive to get to start)

3) flora and fauna (e.g., holsteins, brown cows, etc.)

4) friendly riders -- I was coached up a very steep hill by a really great guy and his friends who took pitty on me and my compact double (really missed my triple w/34 in the back). These guys rode with me the whole rest of the way - we even took a picture together at one of the picture points.

5) friendly folks at reststops (the seniors)

6) food at end. Yum!

it was pretty foggy and cool in the morning (I couldn't see the cows but I could smell them :eek: ) but overall a fabulous day!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! :D :) :cool:

P.S. It's one of the more expensive centurys but well worth it. And the jersey is my favorite! (see pic below)

[cindysue]

looks better in person.

[jobob]

It all sounds pretty nifty.
I would re-tape Dusty's handlebars in cow print tape for the occasion !

[snapdragen]

I gotta run out and see if I can find little cowbells for the bikes.........

[slinkedog]

LOVE that jersey! Do they have more options than 100 miles?

[cindysue]

last year they had 35, 67, and 100

[slinkedog]

Okay, the 67 and 100 look just plain nasty. But I would have a lot of time to train. :)

[Veronica]

Do the hundred this year Slink! You've got time to train, you can do it!

Maybe a bunch of us could do it. A TE party!

V.

[slinkedog]

Maybe if I train like crazy all spring and summer AND get a 34 in the back I'll be able to do it!! :)

[Bike Goddess]

Now I remember.....the reason I didn't do this one last year was because the Napa Century was scheduled for the next day (Sunday). That's the one where I broke a spoke last year on the famous "Ink Grade"!

Another nice century that covers similar scenery is the Marin Century. Veronica could do the Double and the rest of us could do the century! That's right V, by that time, you should be a DC fanatic!:p :p :p :p

[SadieKate]

Nancy, V is going after the California Triple Crown and there is no Marin Double Century on the list. What are you talking about?

OK, I think I figured out that you're talking about the Mt Tam Double held inconjunction with the Marin Century. Different weekend that the Holstein.

[Veronica]

Yeah and I have to get off the pot and decide on my third one. central Coast sounds pretty. Davis sounds flat and crowded. terrible sounds hard, but then I can answer the question - Which is the hardest DMD or TT?

V.

[Deanna]

Yeah and I have to get off the pot and decide on my third one. central Coast sounds pretty. Davis sounds flat and crowded. terrible sounds hard, but then I can answer the question - Which is the hardest DMD or TT?

V.

Do the Terrible Two! The route is being changed enough this year that all the course records are up for grabs! It could be a lot of fun and I'll be at one of the stops to cheer you on.

Deanna

[bikerz]

I'd like to do the Holstein 100 - that will be 2 months post-ALC, and I might be ready to look at my bike again by then!

For those hills, try them, like I do, with a 24 (gasp!) in front and a 34 in back - with good balance, it's possible to go as slow as 2.5 miles per hour uphill! :o

[SadieKate]

I'm running a 26x34. It gets me there. That's what counts.

Looks like we have a group thang starting.

[slinkedog]

I would REALLY like to get a different cassette in the back. I think I'm okay with my 30 in front, but right now my rear cassette is running a 12 x 27, which I realize is more granny than most have. I just changed it out last fall and haven't ridden it a ton yet.

I want to get strong and be able to do all those steep climbs with my current configuration, but I don't want to fry my knees. I'll keep thinking about it and looking for used mtb cassettes on craigslist and ebay. :)

[SadieKate]

12x27 is pretty standard these days with a triple. I don't think there should be a pride factor in what gear you use. I think you use the gears it takes to climb a hill and then buuild strength from there. Besides, there is no cookie cutter approach to gears, strength, leg leverage, crank length, etc., etc., etc. Your bike came equipped with whatever the manufacturer thought would work for the most people.

Besides, go find Yellow's Ode to her 27. That is a testiment to using gears as they were intended, not letting them use you.

[Veronica]

I have an 11 - 27 (I think) in the rear and a 48 - 36 - 24 front!

I am a big fan of not blowing out my knees. I pushed too big a gear on Sunday for the rollers out at Point Reyes and I paid for it on Monday! I don't ride a lot of rollers - everything I normally do is an extended climb and I just go down to the granny. Should have done that more. :rolleyes:

V.

[Bike Goddess]

....
OK, I think I figured out that you're talking about the Mt Tam Double held inconjunction with the Marin Century. Different weekend that the Holstein.

SK- do you have an inside source? When I looked at the Napa club site, they don't have the date yet for this year!

[SadieKate]

Simple process of deduction, Watson.

The two rides are on the same day, as shown on: http://www.marincyclists.com/html/MarinCentury/2005MarinCentury/2005MtTamDbl.htm

The 2006 California Triple Crown Schedule states the Mt Tam Double is on 8/5/06: http://www.caltriplecrown.com/schedule.htm

Therefore, the Marin Century is on 8/5/06

The Holstein is a couple of weeks later and, therefore, a different weekend.

[Bike Goddess]

Therefore, the Marin Century is on 8/5/06

Oh, Now I get it! You were talkling about the Marin Century and I was talkling about the NAPA century. The Napa Century was the day after the Holstein century last year which is why I didn't do the Holstein!!!:) :) :) :)

[SadieKate]

Another nice century that covers similar scenery is the Marin Century. Veronica could do the Double and the rest of us could do the century!You're making me feel like a ping pong ball, Nancy.

[Bike Goddess]

Hey V- Re DMD or TT. I think TT MIGHT be harder because of the nasty heat. AND there's a tough climb in the Calistoga area. Roborider on the BJ can tell you 1st hand. HE's a triple crown guy two years running now.

[Veronica]

Thanks Nancy - I want to decide which is harder for me. :D I do pretty well in the heat.

According to the official Cal Triple Crown website, it looks like he didn't complete either of the rides I want to compare. Of course he DID do 508. :p

V.

[Veronica]

Do the Terrible Two! The route is being changed enough this year that all the course records are up for grabs! It could be a lot of fun and I'll be at one of the stops to cheer you on.

Deanna


So I can set the record for slowest speed while still actually moving forward on the bike, or most Paydays eaten in one mile or most determined to finish, don't you dare SAG me in? :p

V.

[Bike Goddess]

SK-- No,No! No ping pong ball here! Just a mix up in which rides we were talking about!

[Bike Goddess]

V- I'll ask around for you. Too bad you couldn't do the Death Valley Double in March as it doesn't have that much elev. gain. I'll be doing the century.

Sounds like your plan is Solvang Double, DMD and one other.

Here are some comments from Homey on the BJ and another guy from Huntington Beach. Homey's also done 508 solo and is on this year's RAAM team. Don't know about the other fellow.

In reality these kinds of questions are all relative because there are so many variables that go into how people perceive the difficulty of a particular ride. The easy variables are distance and climbing but you also have to throw in weather and your condition when you do the ride and how hard you push yourself during the ride. As far as the TT and Devil Mtn Dble and C2K go I would put them all into the category of extremely hard rides.

ps. if they ran the DMD the same time of year as the TT it would be the toughest double...period! (Homey)


Terrible Two is by far the hardest one-day ride I have ever done. Next would be Devil Mountain Double... (other fellow)

[Veronica]

Thanks Nancy - right now I'm thinking I'll do more than just 3. But I have to work it out with Thom and other things that we have going on. I think that if I can complete DMD, any of the others are also in the realm of possibility.

V.

[maillotpois]

The Holstein is AWESOME. Great ride. Of course I was somewhat euphoric last year when I did it because I'd just done the Mt. Tam double, which has a KILLER climb (Coleman Valley) at mile 130. This is after you've already cliumbed Tam and the Marshall Wall. So I was going 3 mph up Coleman at the Mt. Tam Double.

Fast forward to Holstein where you hit Coleman Valley Rd. at mile 30!! Fresh and happy, "only" having to ride 100 miles, no real issue of not finishing, etc. So that was just a fantastic ride and I can highly recommend it! The ride's well supported.

Unfortunately (well, not really) we'll be on our family trip to Yosemite this year during Holstein. But I expect a full report...! ;)

[SadieKate]

If I only ride the metric will I miss out on the best part? I'm trying to decide on the Tour of Napa Valley the next day. If I ride both, I'd only want to ride a metric.

I can ride the Tour of Napa route any time without support so I don't want to sacrifice potentially the best part of the Holstein for it.

[snapdragen]

Probably not, I might have some old route sheets at home, I'll look around. The metric and the century usually both go up the Marshall Wall, and up Hwy 1 near Tomales - tow of the best parts. Oh, and Chileno (sp?) Valley Road is pretty too.

And remember, Holstein is a tough ride. Great, but tough. I know people who have vowed to never ride it again. I've only done the 37 milers, and they kicked my butt.



If I only ride the metric will I miss out on the best part? I'm trying to decide on the Tour of Napa Valley the next day. If I ride both, I'd only want to ride a metric.

I can ride the Tour of Napa route any time without support so I don't want to sacrifice potentially the best part of the Holstein for it.

[SadieKate]

Route sheets - will you share? :D Please?

Thanks for the info. Mid-August should be perfect timeing as long as I can continue training. Actually, I feel more positive about it than the Wine Country.

If I'm not going to miss the purty part of the Holstein I might be talked into Napa with Miss Kim. I've never ridden any roads in Sonoma but Napa is practically my backyard. Ho-hum.:p :D OK, not really but I don't need route sheets and support to ride it.

[maillotpois]

I probably have the route sheet for the 100 last year and if I do, I'll scan it and email it to you when I am at the office next. Great route!! (You also do Coleman that I mentioned about for WCC, but Holstein does it West to East which is a bit harder. However, Holstein hits it at mile 30 so you're nice and fresh. :)