Top Hat Classic 2005

I know some of you have ridden this. Can you help me with a few questions that are unanswered on their site?

Anyone know the 50-mile route? Does it go over Diablo? The site has what it calls "Topo Maps" but are really elevation profiles. I might talk some friends into this with the promise of Diablo.

How difficult is the 75-mile route say in comparison to the climbing on the 100-mile Wildflower? This year's weather is severely hampering my training!

Do teams have a different fundraising commitment than singles?

Any other opinions you'd like to share? I know you have some! :D

Neither the 50 or 75 mile route goes over Diablo :).

Let's see (I think I've got last year's route map at home, so this is only what I remember, and my memory is not that good...). 50 and 75 mile routes follow the same course, which leaves Pleasanton, up the Dublin Grade to Castro Valley, up Redwood Rd, over Pinehurst and down to Moraga. The 75 mile route then takes Moraga Way out to Orinda. Last year the course was changed, but I continued stubbornly on the old 75 mile route, which takes the Three Bears along Briones Resevoir, then up Pig Farm, then over Reliez Valley Rd and back to Walnut Creek, where it meets back up with the 50 milers. I don't remember how the 50 milers get from Moraga to Walnut Creek. After Walnut Creek it's back along Danville Blvd and smaller streets all the way to Pleasanton. This is the crowded section of the course -- lots of cyclists, cars, etc.

The 75 mile is a fairly strenuous ride, with about 5000 feet of climbing. Pig Farm and Reliez Valley are the two hardest climbs. It's very scenic, well, until the last 20 miles when you're heading back. I love riding the Three Bears, which last year the organizers cut down to One Bear (but I, and many others, ignored the map and signs). I've never done the Wildflower 100, so can't compare the two.

So, you're forming a team?

Ooops, someone dropped the ball here, and that someone is me !! :o

SadieKate, I'm sending you a PM ...

I'm totally new to this whole team fundraising thing. I'm not sure what it means. I've got a call into the team MS Ride person, but she's not in today.

Kim, you interested? It would be good motivation for me to have a committed group. Depending on the min fundraising levels, I might get some others.

I was thinking that 50 miles with a climb over Diablo would be nice. Not sure that I can be in shape for 5,000 ft of climbing by then. We don't have any hills here in Davis, unless you count the freeway bridges, so hill training is a real problem. We go to Briones on our mtbbikes a lot (when dry) to get in some hard hills. Hill training in Davis is done by riding head first into the wind!

Check your PM :D

I did and YES!!

Oh gosh, get the kleenex.

S.

Just got a call from the MS Society and she said I could post her name and number if anyone has questions.

Alison at (510) 268-0572 ext 115

She said the team captain should register first (for on-line reg) and then everyone else should register after that. The MS Society will work with the captain to provide info, team recruitment stuff, whatever we need.

I told her about all of you and she's going to check out this forum. Thank you, Jobob, for making this happen!

I just spoke to Alison (hi Alison, if you're lurking out there!)

There is a minimum pledge level of $100 per participant. It's the same if you're participating as an individual or as part of a team. The website hasn't been updated yet to reflect that, but it will soon. Time to make friends and reestablish family ties :D

This year they're having team web pages, so a team can have a fundraising web page, and pledge contributions could be made via that page to either the team, or to an individual w/in the team. If I understood her correctly, a contribution to the team would be divvied up by the # of members and that amt credited to each member's pledge quota (but I wasn't absolutely clear on that).

I asked her if it's OK if different members of the team ride different routes, and she says that's fine. Also, if you sign up for a route and on the day of the event you find you're not up to it (or, feel unusually frisky) you could go on one of the other routes.

I'll do the captain thing so long as SadieKate agrees to be our Spirtual Leader ;)

- Jo.

This is gonna be so cool!!!

:p :D :p :D :p :D :p :D :p :

Well girls, it looks like I'll be joining you. I figure I can do the ride in the morning and work DMD with Thom in the afternoon.

Team Name:
F S
A Te

Picture the letters a little closer together with the A below but between the F and S.

Friends of Sarah at Te.

V.

Quote:

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Originally posted by jobob
I'll do the captain thing so long as SadieKate agrees to be our Spirtual Leader

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Agreed! I'll come up with a Blessing of the Bikes and Flaying of the Flat Tube.

Quote:

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Agreed! I'll come up with a Blessing of the Bikes and Flaying of the Flat Tube.

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Oy, what have we gotten ourselves into here?? :D

That's super you can join us V. Hope you can break out the cashmere for the occasion.

- Jo.

"Blessing of the Bikes" and "Flaying of the Flat"? How cool is that! One good thing about the course, you ride out to Moraga (about 25 or so miles), then get to decide how you're feeling and opt for either the 75 or 50 mile course for the remainder.

Team FAST eh? We'll see...

Cashmere will depend on the weather. If it's warm - 70s- it'll be a sleeveless top.

How close is the finish to Mines Road?

V.

WiTChes

We on Te Care.


V.

keep posting - for those of us that can't make it/ride it - I would pledge especially if I can pledge on the website and have it divvied between all my TE friends!

Corsair - thank you!

Cool group of ladies, huh? Including you!

I figure it's time to get serious about training. So Mount Diablo this Saturday.

10 AM at Arbolado Park off the north gate. We can go to either A Sweet Affair for sandwiches after or there is a really good burrito place in the same plaza and a ColdStone.

Directions from 680 East on Ygnicio Blvd to Oak Grove. Turn right on Oak Grove. Arbolado is your first left after the road divides. Turn into the second park entrance on your left.

Go at your own pace. Come on you can do it!

V.

(jobob perks up) ColdStone?!? Now you're talking.

- Jo "will climb mountain for ice cream" bob

Public service announcement -- if you've signed up for this ride and requested brochures and posters, they will be delivered this year on a CD. This is per the Society's IT director. As of yesterday, their CD vendor is behind in delivery.