The "Terrible One"

[maillotpois]

Yesterday, Mike and I led a Death Ride training ride on the second half of the Terrible Two course. We'd driven part of the ride before, and I knew that part had a wall on it that was so long and steep I laughed deliriously in the car and hoped the AWD Subaru could make it up. Well, turned out that wasn't the hardest part of the ride.

We rode from Wohler bridge near Gurneville up through a ghastly headwind to Lake Sonoma. I decided I needed to pull the 15 miles because I have heard there are brutal winds at my next double this Saturday. Then the fun began. Skaggs Springs-Stewart's Point Road to highway 1 is 35 miles of climbs and descents and a very brief welcome spell riding along a river. The "wall" is about 1.5 - 2 miles of 13 - 18%. I am not kidding. No break atr all. Crazy stuff. I actually made it up.

There were a lot of people out training on this road - they didn't look like doubles riders. Most looked like racers.

My friend Stacy had a bobcat run alongside her for a while on this road. Amazing. After the final "wall" on Skaggs, there is a scary descent with concealed cattle guards and some more climbing and then we were onhighway 1 for about 15 miles of rollers. That part was fun because I like rollers, but the goal of this ride was tobolster the confidence of one of the women I am coaching for Death Ride, so Stacy and I stuck with her and we all had a fun ride down 1. I have tryul never seen the cean that blue. This was a gorgeous ride and a beautiful day.

After highway 1, we turned onto Fort Ross Road. Wow. A wall even longer and steeper than the one on Skaggs. It was at least 2 miles, and there was no way I could make it up without putting a foot down at one point. After that, a beautiful ridge, a harrowing descent, and a couple more super steep climbs.

This was an amazing ride. We were so lucky to have great SAG support - I am not sure how you'd do the ride unsupported unless you have a camelback. We had great weather, and everyone was so happy to have finished. I think completing this ride really bolstered my coach-ee's confidence that she can complete the Death Ride. Stacy and I told her over and over with complete truthfullness - there is no climb on the Death Ride as hard as those "walls".

So in the middle of the first wall, I told Stacy "If I ever talk about doing the Terrible Two, slap me." The TT goes over 100 miles of some really tough riding before it even hits the part we rode. Then later, she and I decided the TT might be possible. She said she'd talked to some guys at Knoxville who said, you just walk up some of it and you don't care. You just get through it.

Total ride distance was 107 miles. 10,800 feet of climbing. Almost 9 hours ride time (woof!). I'd do it again.

[jobob]

Well I'd say you earned that pizza last night ! Brava.


My friend Stacy had a bobcat run alongside her for a while on this road. I hope the bobcat wasn't thinking "mmm, lunch".

Amazing story.

[SadieKate]

Have a cheeseburger! ;) Go wild, have a glass of water or ice tea even

[bikerz]

We rode from Wohler bridge near Gurneville up through a ghastly headwind to Lake Sonoma. I decided I needed to pull the 15 miles because I have heard there are brutal winds at my next double this Saturday. Then the fun began. Skaggs Springs-Stewart's Point Road to highway 1 is 35 miles of climbs and descents and a very brief welcome spell riding along a river. The "wall" is about 1.5 - 2 miles of 13 - 18%. I am not kidding. No break atr all. Crazy stuff. I actually made it up

That's amazing... That Skaggs Springs-Stewart's Point Rd is insane - and that's just my memory from driving it! And a bobcat. And the Ft. Ross Rd. Wow. Go ahead, have two cheeseburgers!

[Veronica]

I wish I could have ridden with you! It sounds like "fun"!

V.

[maillotpois]

I wish I could have ridden with you! It sounds like "fun"!

V.

Told you! Well, come along on our 120 miler. It will be less "fun", but still amusing.

[tprevost]

Wow Sarah!

What a great ride! Of course, its way beyond my capabilities right now but I love to read about your adventures!

Great job!

Tracy

[maillotpois]

This is our ride for Saturday....

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
:cool:

[Biciclista]

oh you are so lucky to have seen a bobcat! the only ones i have ever seen were in zoos.

I am amazed at the riding you guys are doing. And death ride. (shudder)

[melissam]

This is our ride for Saturday....

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
:cool:

Oh dear.

[jobob]

Lee & I will have tube socks to give out at our SAG stop. You can fill them up with ice and use them to to beat off the bobcats.

hee hee hee :cool:

[jobob]

Mel, dachshund and I saw a bobcat when we were on a ride a few months ago, right after we saw a bald eagle take off from its nest.

Yeah we live in a sucky place. :rolleyes:

[melissam]

Lee & I will have tube socks to give out at our SAG stop. You can fill them up with ice and use them to to beat off the bobcats.

hee hee hee :cool:

This reminds me -- I have your AV buff that I borrowed from your SAG stop at the top of Sierra. It's been laundered and everything! :D


Mel, dachshund and I saw a bobcat when we were on a ride a few months ago, right after we saw a bald eagle take off from its nest.

Yeah we live in a sucky place. :rolleyes:

Yeah, we were talking about that on Saturday, when we were hanging out by the Eagle's Nest. I'm not sure if it was Kim or Dachshund that said, "Isn't this where Jo saw the bobcat?" Alas, no bobcats were sighted on Saturday, but we did see a flock of wild turkeys ambling about down by the water. Sometimes it seems like Wild Kingdom out there. :cool:

[maillotpois]

We were there yesterday (on motos). Saw the nest but no eagle. :( Lots of turkeys, though. And Mike ran over a huge snake on Mines. He just couldn't avoid it. The snake was slithering happily off the road by the time I got there so I hope the 400 lb moto didn't end its days of slithering.

Saturday's ride is really one of my favorites and I am happy to be able to share it with you all! :)

[jobob]

Saturday's ride is really one of my favorites and I am happy to be able to share it with you all! :)

And Lee is going to take me to his all-time favorite ice cream place - Flavors Unlimited in Guerneville.
(OK, I'll fess up, that's the main reason why we're going up there this weekend. :D)

We'll see how it stacks up against the original Steve's.
Folks who lived in the Boston/Somerville area in the 70's-80's will know of what I speak. :cool:

[indysteel]

Two miles at 13-18%?????!!!!! As per usual, you amaze me! Good job!

[maillotpois]

Wow - you'll have to tell me where that ice cream is. Right there on River Rd.? Sounds great.

Yeah indy - it is pretty crazy. When it flattens out to 9% that feels easy. :rolleyes:

[indysteel]

Wow - you'll have to tell me where that ice cream is. Right there on River Rd.? Sounds great.

Yeah indy - it is pretty crazy. When it flattens out to 9% that feels easy. :rolleyes:

Sometimes I wish that we had climbs like that around here so that I try to do them. Other times, I'm okay with it. ;) I did a ride in Kentucky this past weekend that had a 1.3 mile stretch at 7%. It was so fun to go up that I was tempted to turn around and do it again. One of these days, I hope to do a ride that involves some seriously long climbs and some challenging gradients. Until then, I'll just keep battling the midwestern wind.

[jobob]

Wow - you'll have to tell me where that ice cream is. Right there on River Rd.? Sounds great.

Yep, on River Rd at the west end of Gueneville, right near where Lee & I are staying for the weekend. :)

[Crankin]

I did a climb like that last summer. It was the one that had me walking for the first time, ever....

[melissam]

So I guess I should bring the bike with the triple chainring and not the one with a standard double? ;)

(Uh yeah, as if there was ever any doubt. :rolleyes:)

[maillotpois]

Haven't seen much of that double.... ;)

[melissam]

Haven't seen much of that double.... ;)

Yeah, isn't that funny? ;)

[maillotpois]

SNORT!!

I actually would like a comparison from people of Skaggs v. Sierra - though given the conditions last time you all did Sierra there would really be nothing harder than that. My sense is Skaggs is steeper but the steep parts are shorter, but I can't wait for the reviews. And Ft. Ross so lovely as well! :D

[melissam]

SNORT!!

I actually would like a comparison from people of Skaggs v. Sierra - though given the conditions last time you all did Sierra there would really be nothing harder than that. My sense is Skaggs is steeper but the steep parts are shorter, but I can't wait for the reviews. And Ft. Ross so lovely as well! :D

OK, I'll give you my subjective comparison of Skaggs v. Sierra, and I'll check the SportTrack data for both after it's all said & done. (Yes, I am a tech geek.)

[dachshund]

During the Sierra ride I kept hearing that it was the hardest ride we were going to do during the training. Was that just wishful thinking, fueled by delirium?? :eek: Or did one of our coaches start that one, just for fun? Ya know, someone who could remain nameless. I promise, I won't tell. :D

Anyway, I'm bringing my triple. And maybe a pair of hiking shoes.

[maillotpois]

Well we've got 3 rides that are real doozies, and I'd have a hard time deciding which was the "hardest" - but I think the conditions for the Hamilton/Sierra ride definitely made that one probably the hardest. 20 - 30 degrees cooler and it would have been hard, but a much more doable ride.

We're looking to have mild temps for Saturday, though Skaggs can get very hot it doesn't look like it will.

[melissam]

Anyway, I'm bringing my triple. And maybe a pair of hiking shoes.

Hiking shoes! Great idea!!

As a matter of fact, doesn't Team In Training have hiking programs? Maybe it's not too late to transfer from the Death Ride team to the Hiking team.... ;)

PS I dare you to do the ride on the Litespeed (mountain bike) you bought from SadieKate. :D

[dachshund]

PS I dare you to do the ride on the Litespeed (mountain bike) you bought from SadieKate. :D

Well, let me think about it.
No.
Anyway it doesn't go with my outfit.

[melissam]

Well, let me think about it.
No.
Anyway it doesn't go with my outfit.

Oh come on! It's bare titanium, it goes with anything. (Titanium, the new black.)

[jobob]

As a matter of fact, doesn't Team In Training have hiking programs? Maybe it's not too late to transfer from the Death Ride team to the Hiking team.... ;)

For you, yep, it's too late. You've reCommitted. Here, have a jar of Heed. :p

I, on the other hand, having bailed out prior to reCommitment with a medical excuse other than insanity have until next year to transfer the funds I've raised to a different TNT group. Maybe the hiking team ... yeah, that's the ticket ... :cool:

[maillotpois]

Sure, the hiking team. What-ever! :rolleyes:

[jobob]

Unless they have a Scrabble Team.

:D

[maillotpois]

"Fun" was had by all! (At least everyone made it and I think they were VERY pleased with themselves at the finish - rightfully so!)

Thanks again Jo and Lee for excellent SAG!!

[jobob]

Then the fun began. Skaggs Springs-Stewart's Point Road to highway 1 is 35 miles of climbs and descents and a very brief welcome spell riding along a river. The "wall" is about 1.5 - 2 miles of 13 - 18%. I am not kidding. No break at all. Crazy stuff.

I can vouch. Lee and I drove out Friday afternoon to check where our SAG stop was going to be set up, and we drove up that climb. Oh. my. god. :eek: While we were driving up that climb I was feeling queasy for all the folks who would have to ride up it the next day. Ack!


After highway 1, we turned onto Fort Ross Road. Wow. A wall even longer and steeper than the one on Skaggs. It was at least 2 miles,

Yep, it was. Double ack!!


Total ride distance was 107 miles. 10,800 feet of climbing.

107 miles, 10,800 feet, and a lot of those feet were on climbs well over 12%, sometimes 20% or thereabouts. :eek:

A big, big congratulations to MelissaM, dachshund, and, oh yeah, maillotpois for doing this crazy-hard ride yesterday.

Mel and dachshund looked great, and finished the wicked-tough ride looking good & strong. They've come so far in their DR training, and I'm so happy for them! :)

And kudos to maillotpois for helping them get into the great shape they're in. :cool:

[Veronica]

Woohooo!!! Way to go!


Veronica