cool breeze - august 19th

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Originally Posted by bcipam

Well here's the problem - a Club Ride is another animal. Since the ride was flat, it started out fast. The slow folks were averaging 18 - 20 mpg. I burnt out in less than 10 miles and had another 33 to go!

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*GASP* the SLOW people were doing 18-20???? *GASP*

then what does that make me????? lol i can't do 18-20 on flats! downhill... but not flats!

i don't get the whole "go as fast as you can" right at the beginning of the ride! what about warming up? (not that i could do 18-20 even warmed up!) but why do they want to risk burning out like that? but then... i have a negative connotation of club rides... egos clashing... etc! so i guess i see how that happens!

i think everyone is going to do fine at whichever length ride they choose to ride for cool breeze! some will be faster... some slower.... but everyone should ride a ride that makes them happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(so BC.... you and bigK doing cool breeze this year?)

I'm not... not sure about BigK tho... but that is my 20 year high school reunion... :eek: :D

Pam...that club ride sounds nuts. In fact, the more that I hear about club rides in general, the more leery I am about trying one! :eek: You have over two months, plenty of time to train and you know that you don't need to try to ride at a pace like that at Cool Breeze. We're all going to do great!


Tracy...your pictures freaked me out until I saw the line that said the road runs next to the freeway...WHEW...you skeered me, I thought you were riding on the freeway! :p

HI!! I also signed up for the Cool Breeze. I will be doing the metric.
I just finished my first metric at Ojai this past weekend, so I want to do a few more metrics before doing a century.
From what I can tell, most of you are doing the century..
anyone doing the metric??
Thanks!
karen

personal e-mail is redhot3368@yahoo.com

Karen...you should shoot for the century! If you've already done a metric with the same amount of climbing as the Cool Breeze Century, then you'll do fine...especially since it's two months away! Plan to ride with us :D

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Originally Posted by tprevost

I just e-mailed the powers that be at Cool Breeze to get info in specific roads; I'm thinking I may try to drive 101 one direction and preview the hills so I know exactly what the deal is!

T~

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Did CB ever email you? I'm headed up to Goleta tomorrow and I could take a detour off of the 101 and preview the hills. :D

Brandy: Really I'm telling you this - don't preview the hills. It's just better you don't. Let the ride be a surprise and take everything as it comes in stride. You are such a strong hill climber you probably won't think there's an issue anyway. Just worry about the distance. Try doing some longer rides and don't worry - we will all be in this together.

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Originally Posted by bcipam

Brandy: Really I'm telling you this - don't preview the hills. It's just better you don't. Let the ride be a surprise and take everything as it comes in stride. You are such a strong hill climber you probably won't think there's an issue anyway. Just worry about the distance. Try doing some longer rides and don't worry - we will all be in this together.

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i second what pam said... DO NOT preview them! you CAN do this ride... no need at all to preview it in a car! (and isn't half the fun of a new ride... being new to the course!!!!)

seriously... you are all stressing way too much! http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/141.gif the ride is do-able... we wouldn't lie to you! it's also VERY do-able as a first century.... so that, in itself, should say something about the course!

in the mean time... go out and ride... ride longer distance.... do some climbing (and then some more if you want!) and come august... you will see that you've all been worrying for naught!!!!!!!

Okay, okay. Really, it's not the climbing...it's the damn descending that I'm skeered of! :eek:

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Originally Posted by Brandy

Okay, okay. Really, it's not the climbing...it's the damn descending that I'm skeered of! :eek:

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i only remember 1 section that may bother you..... AND i'm not even sure it's on the century route! it was after that horrific climb i told you about that the double metric does.... and the roads (and route slips) were clearly marked to GO SLOW! other than that.... i think the descents were all pretty average.... (i don't like steep descents so i'm sure i woulda remembered any others... an no others stand out... PLUS..... i think i've done worse decents since then.... at redlands and at mulholland! but again... you may not even be doing that section... remember... my route took me on some different sections than you will go on!)

Okay you characters!

Brandy, I know you are camping but I'll be gone when you return so, no, they didn't get back to me... weinies!

AND, I am not wanting to preview so I can see if I can do the hills, I will be doing them... I just like to get an idea of when to push, when to save energy, etc. etc.

In any case, I will definately be doing the 100 miler so getting up/down the hills is not an optional thing ;) and I'm really not stressing at all, I'm just obsessed w/riding my bike and I have "bike on the brain"!

It'll be a fun ride!

Tracy

ps. Now we just have to work on Wayne to get him to sign up!!!

OK you guys... I trying to work on Wayne. It's just too far in the future for him. He's a "last minute if nothing else is going on" type of guy. It would be fun to have him ride with us. I'll have to tease him about riding with a female posse. That'll get his interest !

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Originally Posted by bcipam

OK you guys... I trying to work on Wayne. It's just too far in the future for him. He's a "last minute if nothing else is going on" type of guy. It would be fun to have him ride with us. I'll have to tease him about riding with a female posse. That'll get his interest !

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don't let him wait too long... the ride is 1/2 sold out! keep watch on the site and badger him MORE as sell out gets closer!

Pam,

What is Wayne's e-mail???? We'll have to start bombarding him with 'love notes' and guilt him into registering!!! :D

Trac'

I pm'd it...

You're so lucky to be married to a guy who can handle "love notes" from biker chicks!!

Pam, I e-mailed wayne today... I'll keep my fingers crossed!

T~

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

You're so lucky to be married to a guy who can handle "love notes" from biker chicks!!

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Aaahhh that's cause I am not. The Waynster is a good friend - one of my cycling buddies. But he would get a kick out of knowing someone thought us married. People always assume it for some reason...:rolleyes:

I don't think that's what she meant, might have been a bit too subtle. Never mind...let's move on :cool:

Just an FYI - Wayne sent me an e-mail saying he's gonna sign up!

YIPPEE!!!!! Our "Sweeper" is in!!!! :D

Trac'

only 500 spots left! it's closing fast!!!!!

A little birdie told me that another TE member just signed up!

so do we have a list?

me (and hubby) errrrrr.... caligurl!
tprevost
brandy
bcipam
honorary TE member: wayne!
nina r messina
redhot3368
tiffanie
green machine

who else?

Sounds like you girls will have a great ride and day. Dont forget to post reports and lots of pictures after the ride. I look forward to hearing all about it.:)

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Originally Posted by Brandy

A little birdie told me that another TE member just signed up!

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That would be me. I'm so nervous!!! http://www.tinklebelle.com/Smilies/images/nerves.gif

Tiffanie - don't be nervous. First of all the ride is just so gorgeous and usually the weather so nice, you'll want to ride and ride. There are lots of bail out spots so if you do tire no worries. The Club provides lots of sag support. Wayne's coming to support all us gals so that's a good thing. Just get out and ride. You have plenty of time.

Of course I also need to take my own advice!!! I really need to start riding the road bike again. Since each of my MTBikes now have a problem and needS to be repaired so I guess I have no excuses!

I can't WAIT for Cool Breeze!!!!
I am loving these supported rides. The Cambria ride was so, so, so, so
BEAUTIFUL this weekend. I only did 50 miles, but increased my average speed to 14.9 mph...still slow...but getting better :)
Next one is Three harbors metric..yeah!!

Karen :)

Me too! Me too! I'm signed up for the Cool Breeze Century!

I have a few friends that I ride with regularly that are also signed up, so we are all doing our hill training rides.

I'm looking forward to it!!

Judy

Wow...it's going to be a TE-fest! :D

This is SO cool :cool: ! I didn't realize there were going to be so many of us riding! :D Who will be there the night before???? Does anyone want to do a dinner or something????

I plan on starting at 6:30; that way I will get a head start and at least be a little way into it before everyone starts zippin' past me! I've gotta keep the Waynster behind me in case I get into trouble ;) I did a hill ride today and I am SO slow... got lots of work to do!

Trac' :p

tiffanie,

i just had to laugh at your post with the little nervous guy!

T~

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Originally Posted by bcipam

Tiffanie - don't be nervous. First of all the ride is just so gorgeous and usually the weather so nice, you'll want to ride and ride. There are lots of bail out spots so if you do tire no worries. The Club provides lots of sag support. Wayne's coming to support all us gals so that's a good thing. Just get out and ride. You have plenty of time.

Of course I also need to take my own advice!!! I really need to start riding the road bike again. Since each of my MTBikes now have a problem and needS to be repaired so I guess I have no excuses!

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Thanks for the encouragement Pam. I think my nervousness is centered on the descents I'll have to make. I'm terrified of downhill!

You may be seeing me walk a lot. lol

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Originally Posted by tprevost

tiffanie,

i just had to laugh at your post with the little nervous guy!

T~

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:p Definitely what I'll be looking like on the downhill :o

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Originally Posted by tprevost

This is SO cool :cool: ! I didn't realize there were going to be so many of us riding! :D Who will be there the night before???? Does anyone want to do a dinner or something????

I plan on starting at 6:30; that way I will get a head start and at least be a little way into it before everyone starts zippin' past me! I've gotta keep the Waynster behind me in case I get into trouble ;) I did a hill ride today and I am SO slow... got lots of work to do!

Trac' :p

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So, what's considered slow? I haven't done any hills yet (outside of my Spinning classes - does that count?).

Tiffanie,

Don't worry, if you've been doing the same spin classes as Brandy, you'll be just fine! ;) BTW, Redhot's average is NOT slow so don't listen to her! :p

Lets see... I can go as slow as 3.8mph up a hill and I think BCIPam can do it even slower (she's got better granny gears!); I don't have any flat areas here so my averages for rides near my house almost always include some grades and hills - I'm guessing my average will be in the 13-14mph range for the ride if its a good day and the hills aren't too tough. I'll be doing my hill training ride at least every other week between now and then!

Seriously Tiff, work on your base mileage and include some hills. The rule of thumb is that you can go 3x your average ride... so do a lot of rides 35-40 miles w/a couple of longer ones tossed in. It would be really great if you could do an organized event of a shorter distance before then so you could get a 'feel' for what to expect.

If you have to walk down some hills, do it. Ever since I got my cast off I have been a downhill chicken so I totally understand; although it really helped me to get some coaching from Bikerchick68 (awesome - she should be a riding coach!) on the descents!

You'll be just fine! Now, go ride your bike!!! :p

Trac'

you girls are so funny!!!
I am right there with you on the downhills...scary!!! :)
I think I was lucky with my average on the Cambria ride.
I think I am right around 13 mph?, but its all good.
I just remind myself it is not a race, and lets just have FUN!! Right??
the Supported rides are a great way to train, you get used to the rest stops, and all that. I am addicted now!!

This forum is great!!!
Karen :)

i LOVE organized rides! i swear i'm the queen of them! lol! we spend so much money, not only on the rides themselves (and we have to pay double.... 2 riders! *gasp*)... but gas to get there! we've done 12 organized rides so far this year... and have at least 6 more on the calendar for the rest of the year! http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/227.gif

heck.... we bought our MDX so that our bikes were secure IN a vehicle for post-organized ride shopping! lol!

i like them cuz you get the SAG stops.. and i have an excuse to eat stuff that i won't buy for myself! (i.e. rice krispie treats... muffins.... cheeze its... etc etc etc!) it also gives me a goal (if i just set out to ride 60 or 100 miles around here... it's too easy to quit and go home when you run out of water or something... even when the plan is to go home to REFILL and GO BACK OUT!) on oranized rides... i'm out and HAVE to finish riding in order to get back to the start/finish!

i get to ride in areas i wouldn't otherwise ride in... cuz i don't know the area! they give me a map.. and sometimes even mark the road (although not always!!) i'd have NEVER driven to malibu just to ride my bike... but now it's one of my favorite areas to do organized rides!! i'm even becoming familiar with several of the roads!

OH... and after the majority of them..... we get to stop at either tommy's.... in-n-out..... or BJ's on the way home! YUM!

OK guys here's the deal - I'm slow up hills - my slowest ever was 2.3 miles per hour. Can you imagine? And yes I stayed upright - as long as the pedal moves forward you stay upright. I struggle up hills all the time - WHY? All for the love of a good downhill and that's how I make up speed. Fastest downhill - 55 mph, during the Mammoth Century. Slowed way down when I realized my contacts would most likely flip out of my eyes due to the wind. PS: I would like to see an average speed for everyone of at least 15 mph. This tends to be a fast century, especially in the beginning. Usually out to Bates road, I paceline at about 20 - 22 mph for the first 20 miles. Not saying I would do that this time, just saying its not hard. It's flat and there's a tail wind.

Anyway what I'm trying to say is there are ways to make up speed and downhill is one. Someone like Brandy can make time up hills, well I'll catch her going down. Just the way it works. If the downhills freak you out well walking is allowed but plan on making up time traveling uphill. It all works out in the wash.

What I would like to see is us all starting around 7 which is early enough. 6:30 is really too early and you won't have alot of other riders out there for support. I started my first CB century at 8:30 and still got in in decent time. This century won't take all that long - just trust me. Most Century riders leave around 7 - 7:30, alot even at 8. I have some fast friends who most likely won't leave until 10 (and they will still get in before me - just wrong!).

Get a good night's sleep, take your time in the morning and let's all meet up and ride together.

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Originally Posted by bcipam

PS: I would like to see an average speed for everyone of at least 15 mph.

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BWAH HA HA HA HA! uhm.... ok... YOU all go ahead and get 15 mph..... last year i did the double metric at 13.7.... and i haven't increased in ANY of my other rides so far this year... as a matter of fact... i've dropped a . or 2!

i'll be leaving at 6:30 or as soon as i get registered... pam is right... there aren't a lot of other riders out there that early... or at least not on the double part! (and there were some icky scary looking parts on the bike path.. but the century doesn't go in that direction!) hubby stayed with me last year til the 1st rest stop.. when there were more people catching me... thus more peeps on the course!

15 mph! i'm still laughing! but then.... i think there's more climbing on the double part! (my polar last year recorded 7,230 for the 128 miles! 9 hours 23 minutes ride time!) hopefully i'll see some of you at some point when the routes come together! (i saw BC68 last year!)

all this worry about a ride that is still 2 months away! i'm gonna worry about this weekend first! maybe i won't want to do another double metric after this weekend! that's a LOT of hours on the bike!

(and pam.... 55 mph downhill!!!! *GASP* my comfort limit is 40!!!!!)

Actually my downhill comfort limit is also 40 mph. Have you ever done th Sierra Century in September out of Mammoth? Seems like your type of ride. After struggling for miles and miles and miles up steep, forever long hills there is the descent towards Crowley Lake. I was just so relieved no more big hills when I started down I just enjoyed the breeze until I noticed my contact blurring. I checked my speedometer and realized I had hit 55 mph! YIKES! All sorts of things popped into my head and fear prevailed I slowed waaaaaaaayyy down (probably to 40mph)! Beautiful ride. Would love someday to do it again.

Cali - you and your double centuries are a whole other thing but I think it fairly easy for the gals to maintain 15mph on the century. There is enough flat and downhill to make up the time and distance even with sags and pacing. And if riding with groups of people (another reason to leave after 7) and the adrenaline of a first century... I bet I'm the one trying to catch up.

I am also of the belief that a century is not a "cruise" ride. You gotta be serious about your performance. I don't expect anyone to act like a racer but it's not like you can expect to ride slow and be chatty for 100 miles and still finish while dinner is waiting. Sag stops - good for chatting - riding - need to be serious. Although my thing with sags - get in get out - no hanging around. Think about pedal stroke, cadance, breathing, nutrition etc. Not trying to scare off anyone but a century is a serious distance. Need to think about time and finishing well. If everyone gets in some training should be no problem.