My first ride report - Cruisin' the Conejo!

[tprevost]

I DID IT!!!!!! YEAH!!!

I got there Friday afternoon, picked up my bib number and had dinner then went to be really early. I got there at 6:30am, Caligurl and her DH drove up shortly thereafter. I'm not good at writing these reports but this was a very well organized ride (keep in mind that I don't have much recently to compare it to) the route was very well marked, the rest stops had plenty of food and were easy to access. I had decided that I would just wing it with regards to the route; it would either be the 34 (too short) or the 68 (too long) but I would decide at the cutoff depending on how I was feeling. I made it to the first rest stop and was feeling pretty good (now, you've got to know that it was only 9-10 miles in ) and I had been pacing myself to do the longer ride. The route was gorgeous, it went around some huge gorgeous houses, a lake, lots of horse properties and then... up some hills... not too bad but enough so that I was going really slowly up one of them and while I was making my way up that hill, a guy was doing repeats and did a few to my one... oh well, at least I have room for improvement huh? Anyway, I was still trying to go pretty slowly to conserve energy and at the cutoff, I felt okay so I decided to do the 68 miler which was fine until we got to this terrible, horrible, very very scary decent...OMG, I had a death grip on my brakes and the road was wet from the fog, and was slick anyway as it seemed to have been just re-paved. AND, it was foggy so visablity wasn't the best; although I decided later that it was probably for the better that I couldn't see the road ahead . Someone said it was about a 15% grade (lots of curves/turns) but I'll wait to get the official number from Caligurl and her magic computer I was scared to death but I didn't really have a choice because I couldn't stop and put my foot down or my cleats would have slid out from under me (happened earlier at a flat stop).. but, I made it and decided that if I made it through that, the rest would be a piece of cake. I was worried about my hand as it was pretty tired by the bottom but seemed to bounce back pretty quickly. I managed to make it to the 2nd and 3rd rest stop with no problems other than general fatigue. After the 3rd rest stop my right foot was starting to get hot and my hand was really aching. Thankfully, there were no really difficult obstacles; a few grades, not too steep but I was very happy to have a good granny gear - I just went into my granny and slowly got up each hill. About 10-15 miles out there was a woman who had been hit by a truck towing a boat. She was still laying in the street and had a blanket over her but appeared to be coherant and talking with the other cyclists that had stopped to assist her. I think she was going straight and the truck turned and ran right into her but I'm not positive. The police and ambulance showed up so I didn't stop since I figured she had enough gawkers and was in good hands. The rest was uneventful other than getting passed by a whole TON of riders I was really tired but nothing really hurt. I did go and get a free quickie massage and food, then waited for CG and her DH to come in. Ya know, CG looked just the same as she did when I saw her in the morning.... something is just wrong about that! I turned into a human salt block but I managed to get rid of most of the evidence with a beach towel and water before too many people could see me! The sun never came out, it was very foggy (wet) in the morning and was overcast in the afternoon with the sun just starting to peek out as I was leaving. Probably good for me because I didn't overheat and it was easier to stay hydrated.

Anyway, I finished the 68, I think my average mph was 11.7 which was fine w/me considering I was only going about 7mph down the earlier mentioned decent. It was a really nice route, much more rural than I expected and they had fabulous strawberries (along with other stuff, of course) at the rest stops. I will definately do this one again - the best thing was that the course was so well marked; riding alone, I am nervous about getting off course and not knowing where the heck I am... no chance of that w/this ride.

Well, gotta go get rid of the rest of the grime. Thanks for the encouragement everyone! AND, BC68, you should've thrown your bike in w/mine and come w/me!!!

Everyone have a great weekend!!!

Tracy

ps. I also discovered that taking an Aleve before the ride helped keep the 'hand ache' at bay for longer - YIPPEE SKIPPEE! :D

[Lise]

GO TRACY! Sounds like a great ride. Isn't it phenomenal to have something like that under your belt? Congratulations, and thanks for writing up the report! :D Lise

[KSH]

Way to go!

You went really far... more than you thought you could do! Awesome!

[Running Mommy]

YEAY!!!! I wish I was there with you!! Where was this at?? Sounds like a blast! BTW- the Bonelli sprint series has a descent like that. It scared the bajeebers out of me! I'm getting better though. But yeah, I know how you feel.
Anyway, YEAY for you!! I watched my video again today and your in the corner of one of the pictures, I said to the screen "hey Tracy!"... So I guess I was channeling good cycling vibes to ya! :D
Give the munchkins a squeeze for me! And happy moms day in advance.
Ciao!
Denise

[tprevost]

Thanks everyone! I am pretty proud of myself; as soon as I decided it was okay to do the 34 or SAG in, somehow it was easier to take the plunge and go for it :p Denise, it was up in the Thousand Oaks area, north of LA near 101... beautiful area.... HEY, where's my video woman??? :p I think I'll steer clear of bonelli now that I know about that decent... just not ready for those yet!

T~

[Trekhawk]

Congratulations. You definitely need to be proud of yourself 68 miles and lots of hills ......Im impressed.:)

[Brandy]

Wow Tracy...sounds like an awesome ride! If you do it again next year, maybe I'll be up for it :)

[fatbottomedgurl]

Hey- you were in my neighborhood! It is pretty, isn't it? Good job, that Portrero Road descent is known to be crazy!

[tprevost]

ah HA! Someone who knows what I'm talking about! It doesn't help that I'm pretty scared of decents anyway :eek: Yes, it is a beautiful area, that's for sure! Fatbottomdgurl, Brandy... come on... we'll all have to do this next year! Trekhawk, you could've done this AND had a weekend in Santa Barbara! ;)

Trac'

[caligurl]

didn't i tell you that you could do the longer ride??????????? http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/149.gif

i liked this ride! a lot of it was some of the same roads for mulholland challenge and the grand tour (light)..... so i was actually familiar with a few areas!

i was bummed about the weather... fortunately i decided to go with long sleeves and a racerback underneath like i had done the weekend before... cuz the weather for the many various areas did day cool and cloudy/foggy in the a.m. and some areas warming up in the p.m.... well... we had overcast all right.. we had MIST! UGH! i had a steady drip coming off my helmet and couldn't wear my sunglasses til well after... oh... the 4th rest stop i think!

as tracy said... we got there a little later than i had planned.... can't blame denny's this time... not sure why really... i told hubby i wanted to be there by 6:30 (but in reality i wanted to be there like 6:15) we were about 5 minutes late... got registered and i got on the way... i say tracy at the porta potties before the start (and TOLD her she could do the longer ride! she didn't want to listen.... :mad: :rolleyes: ) and i took off.... it was chilly (for me).... nice wide roads for the most part... ahead i saw a tandem... as i got closer... i realized it was a child on the back... when i caught them at a stop light... i saw it was a little boy! i asked how far they were going (35 miles) and then i asked the little boy how old he was (7)... my jaw dropped! good for him! and good for his dad to get him into cycling! rode along with them for a couple minutes... the dad said he'd already been on the bike a couple years.. and the 3 or 4 year old at home was starting to ride too! WOW! i wish i had snapped a pic!

continued on... at the first rest stop i met a guy from another forum (i seem to get a LOT of "are you caligurl?" at rides lately! lol!) i also discovered a new favorite treat... bananas with peanut butter on them! YUM! grabbed some goodies and was on my way again! somewhere between these 2 rest stops... hubby caught and passed me (he started later after getting me ready to get going.. then he got himself ready) i passed the next stop since it was only water and i still had plenty (RARE for me to EVER pass a rest stop.. but they seemed to have them every 10-12 miles for the first part of this ride!) i was going along and thought my tire felt funny.... stopped to check for a flat.. started going again.. and there was hubby! he said he was at the water rest stop... but i went by! he rode with me a little while.. til we hit what they call... uhm... shoot.. can't remember... table something or other hill? on mulholland... he went ahead of me there... i pigged out on strawberries at the next stop... the nice boy scout was cutting them and i was eating them! YUM!

continued on... came to a steep and curvy downhill... they had a person there to warn you to slow down, etc... as well as steep signs! (wish planet ultra had done that for mulholland challenge!) but anyways.... passed several motocyclists... it's a popular road for them (seems that a lot of the popular cyclist roads are also popular withe motocyclists!) i got the the next rest stop and there was hubby again! he waited for me! YAY! but he also said that he almost got creamed by a motocycle.... the MC apparently had turned arount to look over his shoulder... and in doing so... passed the center line and was in hubby's lane coming right toward him! so between that happening.. and still being cautious on the hills since his crash... and since the bulk of the climbing was done for the ride... he decided to ride the rest of the way with me! YAY!!!!!!!!

at another rest stop... i finally had a chance to take a picture of the viking.... which i will post.. and meant to have ready to post when i talked about the ride.. but things came up so.... i will have to post pics later! then... hubby and i are riding along... and all the sudden up ahead we see... a UNICYCLIST! yes... really! with a number... as in ... doing the ride.. and by this time.. the "arrows" marking the road.. were strictly 100 and 68 mile markings! (the courses all went together.. then some cut off.. then some came back together... them separated again... nice route!) anyways... got a couple of pics... hubby asked and he was doing the 68... on a unicycle! with no gears! egad!!!!!!!! he also said how long he had been riding.. but i forget...

i didn't realize we were so close to the reagan presidential library! all the sudden i started seeing signs... when we got to the entrance sign... we stopped and took a pic! i also got really excited when i saw a tommy's (http://originaltommys.com)! this is the second ride this year that has gone right by a tommy's... my question is.. why don't they use them as a SAG stop! lol! (ok.. nevermind.. i know why... i wouldn't want to ride AFTER eating at tommy's...)

at about 90 miles... i was bored... done... wanted to go home! lol! hubby is riding in front... at my pace... so slow for him.... then this guy goes by on a derosa... and kinda gives hubby the "look"... and i think to myself.. "ya.. whatever... he's riding at MY pace you butthead!".... he passes... and goes on ahead a bit.... after a while... i notice we are actually gaining on him on the hill.... hubby drops back at that point and asks if i saw the "look", etc... i said ya... now i usually don't worry about jerk racer wannabes... i'm not fast.. never said i was fast... don't try to race cuz i know i can't.... but hubby points out that we ARE gaining on him.... so he gives me a push and says "i just want to see his face"... so i'm like "ok"... heck.. i'm getting a push! lol! we get behind him... and first hubby passes.. them me... i giggle to myself... well then he passes us... gets a bit ahead.. but can't hold it... we do this leap frog thing a couple more times.... then we get to yet another grade... only this time.. i'm gaining on the guy on my own! (guess he burnt himself out?) so i told hubby to go ahead.... sure enough... the guy was "playing games" cuz as soon as hubby passed him... he was on his feet trying to catch him... but he couldn't.... he sits back down and then "I" pass him... ya.. slow me! lol! i couldn't help myself.. i laughed (to myself.. not outloud) after i passed him! i mean why was he playing games? hubby slowed up for me to catch him.. then about 6 or 7 cyclists were stopped at a redlight.. and the jerk blows through it! going between the cars (2 lanes).... ugh.. there's one in every crowd! hubby and i continue our ride.... stopping at the stop lights now that we are back "in town".... THEN... lo and behold.. we caught mr big shot again.. by now.... i was thoroughly entertained! he sure was making the last 10 miles enjoyable with his psuedo race in HIS head! we were riding along side by side (the bike lanes at this point were wide!) then i realize mr bigshot was drafting us.... finally hubby decided to just take off... mr bigshot practically but me off going on my right to keep up with hubby.... was drafting him a bit... til hubby finally just decided to prove the point... and took off.... (i was cheering to myself from behind!) he lost mr bigshot... so then mr BS was drafting on some other guy ahead of me.... and again... "I" was gaining on him! lol! this was too fun! if i had had maybe 1 more block... i could probably passed him.. as i was... i turned into the parking lot like 3 seconds behind him! i was just shaking my head when i found hubby.... wannabes! lol! why can't people just ride and have fun? why make everying a race? ugh!

i was looking at some of the booths and tracy found us! talked to her a while why looking at the booths.... someone else asked "are you caligurl?" lol! but then found out they were friends of the lady from alpine that i was talking to.. AND i realized after.. they were the couple i talked to in line while waiting to register for BA last year.. in the dark! lol! spent a long time talking to them (and the lady and her hubby from alpine!)

finally dragged hubby away so we could change and drive home! stopped at... *drumroll* TOMMY's (in pasadena though.. not the simi valley one we passed on the ride!)

then... ahead we saw an element with 2 tandems on top.... i said to hubby "i wonder if they were at the ride?".... we caught them in traffic (traffic.. YUCK!) and i said... "hey... that looks like sylvia's hubby driving".... then they caught us and we realized it WAS them... and sylvia was in the back seat! too, funny!!! so hubby says "i guess that answers your question about if they were at the ride!"

oh and tracy... don't forget to look for your pic at photocrazy (http://www.photocrazy.com)!

so there you have it.... more then you could ever want to know about crusin' the conejo!


http://www.photocrazy.com/2006/0513CTC/Ctc1/tn_P060513104629623ab_jpg.jpg

p.s. i still need to check and see what the grade is for potrero road! hopefully i'll have time to do that tonight! at least we went down it! for the grand tour double century (and above) they actually CLIMB it! ACK! fortunately every ride i've been on... i've only had to descend it! phew!

[Aggie_Ama]

Sounds like a great ride for both of you! Strawberries at a rest stop? Wow it is always bananas, oranges and apples in Texas. I would LOVE some strawberries.


Congratulations Tracy for pushing yourself and not sagging in!

Cali- I hate the leap frog people. The descend really quick then get ticked off when you pass them. If they would just learn it is not a race and pacing yourself really does wonders. :p

[Trekhawk]

ah HA! Someone who knows what I'm talking about! It doesn't help that I'm pretty scared of decents anyway :eek: Yes, it is a beautiful area, that's for sure! Fatbottomdgurl, Brandy... come on... we'll all have to do this next year! Trekhawk, you could've done this AND had a weekend in Santa Barbara! ;)

Trac'

Oooh an escape away to Santa Barbara with the girls.....sounds mighty fine.
I might need to work on those hills and descents though hmmm a year away might be doable.:D


Caligurl - great ride report....all that racing near the end and Trac tells us you still looked the same as when she saw you at the start. Hmmm perhaps I need some training tips I look a tad scary when I finish a ride.:D

[bikerchick68]

Tracy... YOU ROCK! :eek: :D Dang woman! You've only been back on the bike for a couple months and you're out riding the Conejo??? And I KNOW this is not what is considered an "easy" century... not with 6500ft climbing! WAY TO GO!!!! :D :D :D

Ah I woulda loved to be there with you but alas duty called... but looking forward to riding with ya in June... promise not to drop me OK? :o

I'm thrilled for you that you did the 68... just awesome... I'm thinking that deserves a pizza... ;) :D

[Geonz]

68... that's over 100 km, you know... AWESOME. They just get more fun, you know :-) :)

[AuntieK]

Way to go, tprevost! It's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it, isn't it? Great ride report!

Holy mole, caligurl! I can barely remember my own name after I ride. What details you can remember and write about...I esp. like the part about Mr. BS! :D

[caligurl]

hubby was actually talking about my (and others) ride reports that he's read at other forums... and was saying the same thing as you... he doesn't remember... he just rides! he joked that we are composing our ride report as we go along on the ride!! lol!

[Ninabike]

Hey Tracy, Congratulations on the ride and especially the scary decent. I know how that feels with a bad right hand!!

Caligurl, I love your narrative.

Nina

[tprevost]

Thanks everyone! I'm actually not even sore!!!! :D BC68, I only did the 68 which had 3000 of climbing, the steeper stuff was near the beginning with the remainder being a bit less intense. So, don't be impressed ;) - no 6000 of gain for me! I didn't do the tough one! CALIGURL did the hard one (although after her mountain climbs, I'm sure this one wasn't that tough either! ;) ) AND, I am not exagerating about CG and her looking the same at the end! I tell ya, that is just wrong! :p

This ride was a good boost for my confidence, that's for sure. It wasn't easy but there wasn't any point where I felt I needed to consider the SAG option. I just go really slowly (thus the 11.7 average :o ) . I did not pass a single soul who wasn't standing still :rolleyes: so that should give you an idea!

Nina, that decent was wicked scary... probably wouldn't have been quite as bad if it wasn't wet but still it was definately a 'push' for me! If I thought I could stop without sliding, I probably would've walked down!

I'm looking forward to my next adventure. and BC68, you will still be towing me; your easiest gear on your double is probably the hardest one I push on my triple ;)

Trac'

[Trekhawk]

Thanks everyone! I'm actually not even sore!!!! :D BC68, I only did the 68 which had 3000 of climbing, the steeper stuff was near the beginning with the remainder being a bit less intense. So, don't be impressed ;) - no 6000 of gain for me!
Trac'

Thinking about it and sorry.....still impressed.:D :D

[caligurl]

alrightythen! it looks like the upper part of potrero varies between 14% and 17%! then it "calms down" some to 9-10%... then gets more normal with 4-5%... then "leveling" out some with 2-3%... then back up to 10ish%.... finally ending around 1% ....

so there you have it! the very hairy upper part IS steep! but we already knew that by virtue of riding it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! right!?!
http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/194.gif

[tprevost]

Wow! It was even a little steeper than I thought! Oooh Oooh, I did good!!! :p Thanks Caligurl! I tell ya, that one was a biggie for me!

Trac'

[caligurl]

yes... you definitely DONE GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/88.gif

[bikerchick68]

tprevost... oh yeah, I've seen Cali at the end of several rides... and at the top of the occassional climb... I remember at Cool Breeze last year I was sitting at the top of a hill waiting for a friend who was slower... I was completely whooped, salty etc... and Cali cruised by with a big ole smile looking downright perky! :eek: :D Ya just gotta smile... there is no doubt... the woman is a born climber! (hey Cali... I'm talking about ya as tho you're not here... aaaaack! I am a great admirer of anyone who climbs with a smile... mine is more of a grimace... ;) )

tracy... I agree... I'm STILL impressed... 3000 ft is a decent amount of climbing!

[Derf]

Congrats! That's a fun ride -- did it last year, but couldn't make it this year.

[caligurl]

leaving in the morning... in the fog and mist! on kanan road....

http://www.caligurl.com/bikergurl/pics/conejo%2006/conejo1.JPG

and on mulholland

http://www.caligurl.com/bikergurl/pics/conejo%2006/conejo5.JPG

http://www.caligurl.com/bikergurl/pics/conejo%2006/conejo6.JPG

http://www.caligurl.com/bikergurl/pics/conejo%2006/conejo7.JPG

farmland
http://www.caligurl.com/bikergurl/pics/conejo%2006/conejo9.JPG

mr. viking!
http://www.caligurl.com/bikergurl/pics/conejo%2006/conejo11.JPG


and mr unicyclist!
http://www.caligurl.com/bikergurl/pics/conejo%2006/conejo12.JPG
http://www.caligurl.com/bikergurl/pics/conejo%2006/conejo13.JPG