Death Ride?

Anyone doing the Death Ride this year? It's lottery, so it is tough to get in (though you can almost always get a spot the day before if you line up at the expo for the unclaimed extra slots they seem to have). I didn't get inthrough lottery this year but will get a slot with team in training as I am doing a coaching program for them for it.

After reading Caligurl's post about that Redlands hell - I mean hill - ride where you get a sticker for each hill, it reminded me a lot of the Death Ride.

It is a tough ride, and weather can really be a factor. But I have ridden all over, and there's no more beautiful ride in my opinion. Something about those mountains and forests.

Anyway, just checking to see if anyone else is doing it. I highly recommend it - might make a good goal for next year at least for anyone who's interested.

Over my dead body.:p

http://www.deathride.com/

I think it was Susan who owns Team Estrogen who stated that she generally avoided rides that had words like "death," "suffer" and "devil" in them. I agree. ;)

Now, now - don't just knee jerk react because the name is scary. You can do just 1 pass, or more if you like. You set your own pace and ride as far as you want.

And seeing the tandem bike with the skeleton stoker makes it worth it!! (S/he pedals and everything!)

Oregon has rides like the Cookie Monster Metric and the Pub Crawl. Bend has the Ice Cream Century (or something or other like that). What is with California? The Death Ride. The Terrible Two. I think I'll move to Oregon.:p

Actually, this is a ride my husband has always wanted to do. He could probably make it, too. His only reason for not wanting to do it is because he's afraid that he won't be able to take descents as fast as he'd like because one of his friends who has already done it told him that there are too many riders who go slow on the descents. ;)

Might as well live in Oregon with this weather. HARUMPH!!!

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Originally Posted by maillotpois

Now, now - don't just knee jerk react because the name is scary. You can do just 1 pass, or more if you like. You set your own pace and ride as far as you want.

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I can attempt one pass all by myself without displaying my pathetic decrepitude (an aka_kim-ism) to the public.

Actually, yellow, Kim and I were talking about Ebbetts(?) last year but couldn't do it before yellow abandoned us for Yewtah.

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Originally Posted by slinkedog

Actually, this is a ride my husband has always wanted to do. He could probably make it, too.

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So here's the deal - you guys both sign up for it next year. (Team in Training actually has a good training program for this, and you are guaranteed a slot.) Anyway, sign up and he goes off and does 5 passes and you do 1, 2 or 3 and meet up at the end and you look all fresh and relaxed and he's beat. Perfect!!

But I am sure that building up to it, you could do 5 as well. We had a woman on the team last year, she was AMAZING. She was in her late 60's and wasn't the fastest rider in the world, but she just kept plugging along. She made it to the cut off at Pickett's with 15 minutes to spare and did all 5 passes. Stuff like that makes me cry.

But I digress....

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

Actually, yellow, Kim and I were talking about Ebbetts(?) last year but couldn't do it before yellow abandoned us for Yewtah.

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Ebbetts is beautiful. My favorite of the passes. But it is SUPER narrow, and the nice thing about Death Ride is the road's closed to cars.

The conversation actually started with Monitor.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...hlight=ebbetts

Can everyone tell I'm procrastinating on going out into the weather? I do have my tights and storm socks on now.

so, whatdoya haveta do to get a guaranteed slot? Come on Slinke, I'll do it if you'll do it! ;)

Tracy

... of course it'll take every last day between now and the summer of '07 to get ready... hee hee hee :D

i want to do son of death ride.... cuz their jersey SO cool! (ok.. the ride sounds awesome too!)

something's really wrong with you Cali! ;) I guess I'll wait to see how ya'll look doing BA before I decide to try this one! Unless, I can get someone to do it with me!

Trac'

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Originally Posted by tprevost

so, whatdoya haveta do to get a guaranteed slot? Come on Slinke, I'll do it if you'll do it! ;)

Tracy

... of course it'll take every last day between now and the summer of '07 to get ready... hee hee hee :D

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Well, for a guaranteed slot through team in training, you have to commit to fundraising (about $2500) - and they provide supported rides and a training schedule. In my opinion, having this sort of support, especially for an epic ride, really helps. TNT chapters that do death ride are Bay Area, SOuth Bay/Silicon Valley and (next year, I hope, 'cause I'll be head coach) Napa/Sonoma/Marin.

To get a slot the normal way, you enter the lottery. Chances are probably 50/50, but if you don't get a slot, you still have a pretty good shot at showing up the day before. (Of course, it's hard to train diligently knowing you may or may not get a slot.)

Also, if you know a sponsor or have any sort of connection that way you can get in.

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Originally Posted by tprevost

something's really wrong with you Cali! ;) I guess I'll wait to see how ya'll look doing BA before I decide to try this one! Unless, I can get someone to do it with me!

Trac'

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probably has something to do when i climbed out of my playpen as a kid.. and promptly fell on a toy train and cut my head! lol!

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

Oregon has rides like the Cookie Monster Metric and the Pub Crawl. Bend has the Ice Cream Century (or something or other like that). What is with California? The Death Ride. The Terrible Two. I think I'll move to Oregon.:p

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Cookie Monster Metric has always been on my list of rides to do someday. Pub Crawl......who could resist?

Death Ride? Not in my lifetime!:D ;)

If I were to do the Death Ride (not currently on my list nor is the Auburn Century for that matter either), I'd have to do some serious hill training. The Benicia Bike club group has a wicked training program which requires some cycling on the steepest hills they can find around here. When I saw what they did to prepare (these guys do this ride EVERY year), I decided I'd rather do centuries and have fun! No misery for me!:( :( :( :( :(

Yes, the area is beautiful. I know the roads up there well. Ebbetts is hard. Steep, narrow, windy. The only good part of the Death Ride is it is closed for part of the day. Can't imagine meeting one of those big recreational vehicles coming down as I was attempting to go up! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Castrophe in the making.

There are two women from my town who are doing it (they are in). Unfortunately they aren't on this forum.

Sarah- You're one tough cyclist!

Nancy / BG -

You have racked up some serious mileage this year (and this is probably your typical mileage - I just haven't compared your past years journals and I am a relative newcomer to these boards). I know you dismissed my suggestion that you should do a double and now you seem to think DR is too much - I really think these things are not as hard as you may think they are. It's just a long day on the bike. But you have an incredible base of fitness - enviable, actually. I would love to be able to put in the miles you have! (CLearly you can't be afraid of rain! :D )

Seriously - you are VERY tough and I really believe you could do DR and/or a double. Just give it a whirl! If you're not psyched about climbing then start with Davis or Solvang next year (though as I learned Solvang is a bit early in the season for a double!). Anyway, you can TOTALLY do it.

I've ridden with Nancy. I think she could do it too. :) She climbs a lot too. I don't want to do the Death Ride because there are so many people. I thought the roads for Solvang were crowded at times

V.

Speaking as a lowly mortal, and not the AMAZON that the rest of you are, I can say that the DR is HARD! Not as hard as a double I'm sure, but still alot of work. You have to train for it, and love hills. Think of each pass as roughly a Mt. Diablo, well, w/o the 17% at the top.

I've done 3 passes on two DRs. The first ride I had a great time and finished strong (and damn I wish I'd gone for 4 passes that year). But I also had a massive nose bleed at the lunch stop before finishing. The next time I did the ride I barfed before the second pass - weird sinus problems again I think. Now I'll stick to doing one pass, at my leisure, maybe with the pathetically decrepit SK ;), and cheer on you Amazons from the sidelines. :D

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Originally Posted by SadieKate

Actually, yellow, Kim and I were talking about Ebbetts(?) last year but couldn't do it before yellow abandoned us for Yewtah.

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Oh, go ahead, rub salt in it. I miss the Sierra! :( (The Wasatch Range is nice, but it's not the Sierra.)

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Originally Posted by aka_kim

I've done 3 passes on two DRs. The first ride I had a great time and finished strong (and damn I wish I'd gone for 4 passes that year). But I also had a massive nose bleed at the lunch stop before finishing. The next time I did the ride I barfed before the second pass - weird sinus problems again I think. Now I'll stick to doing one pass, at my leisure, maybe with the pathetically decrepit SK ;), and cheer on you Amazons from the sidelines. :D

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Nose bleed and barfing? Not good experiences - boy can I empathize. My goal for my first DR was a simple one: not to barf. It was 95 degrees at Topaz at 8:30 am, and I was nauseated and could not eat all day. I got by just on liquids, but not much of that.

I didn't barf. But it was close!! Did 4 passes that time and the ride was a monkey on my back for the next 2 years til I had a chance to ride it again and knock off the whole thing.

But really, it's not so bad! :D

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Originally Posted by yellow

Oh, go ahead, rub salt in it. I miss the Sierra! :( (The Wasatch Range is nice, but it's not the Sierra.)

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Oh, yellow. Spring time should help. Problem is, where is it?:(

MP-- well, I look at your mileage, AND your speed and I'm totally impressed!

I thought about doing the Solvang double as a matter of fact, BUT, I only got 100 miles in on the Death Valley ride due to bad roads and other factors so I wasn't willing to chance a DNF. (Glad I didn't come down for that one!) I figure I might make Solvang next year. We'll see. I've done double metrics which I do like, but you know how it is- some mental and some physical conversations have been hovering over me!

Thanks to you and V- I do climb hills, but I take a bit of time to recover. This seems to come with age and unfortunately I'm starting to feel it.

I'll see how this year goes- maybe I'll take the plunge next year.

Nancy - take the plunge. Shoot for Davis or Solvang and Death Ride next year! C'mon!! :o

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Originally Posted by Bike Goddess

If I were to do the Death Ride (not currently on my list nor is the Auburn Century for that matter either),

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One of the guys my husband works with asked if I was going to do the Auburn Century and I nearly choked on my cup of tea. I think its a little out of my league. You however would manage very well I think.:)

I think we should send Veronica and Maillot-Pois over to test the waters. The guys in my club said it was hard, and if THEY say THAT, I'm inclined to believe them! How much climbing---12,000 feet? Nothing but climbing for the 1st half, I hear!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

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Originally Posted by Bike Goddess

I think we should send Veronica and Maillot-Pois over to test the waters. The guys in my club said it was hard, and if THEY say THAT, I'm inclined to believe them! How much climbing---12,000 feet? Nothing but climbing for the 1st half, I hear!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

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I have a copy of the route somewhere and thought when it got a bit nicer a might drive it and see just how hard it does look. Auburn is only about 30 mins away from me so it would be a nice drive.

I will let you know how hideous it seems.:D

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Originally Posted by Trekhawk

I will let you know how hideous it seems.:D

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Two words: Iowa Hill.

:eek:

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Originally Posted by Bike Goddess

I think we should send Veronica and Maillot-Pois over to test the waters. The guys in my club said it was hard, and if THEY say THAT, I'm inclined to believe them! How much climbing---12,000 feet? Nothing but climbing for the 1st half, I hear!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

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I looked at the route - have to say I like a profile that goes mostly down in the second half. I am sure it's a beautiful ride. However, its the Knoxville double century that day so I am out. Knoxville's just a great ride and this is one of my 5 "pretty sure thing" doubles. (Get this - I do Knoxville 9/16 - maybe DH does it, too, who knows - and then the next day 9/17 we leave for Hawaii for a week because he's coaching the century there for TNT. Can you say BOONDOGGLE??)

Maybe next year for Auburn. Have to say Death Ride would be good training for it! :D