Party Pardee 2005

[SadieKate]

Thanks for the reminder, Veronica. I'm still trying to decide on spring rides. How fast does the reg fill up? Last year we participated in 3 organized rides (besides the Cinderella) - the Rice Valley Tandem Rally and it poured on us, the Wildflower and we baked, and the Napa Valley during which we baked again. I even spent an hour with a man who fell off his bike with cramps and couldn't get up. Took forever before he would let me call SAG and then I had to tell them 3 times he couldn't even sit up before they would come. Grrrrr.

Anyway, how quickly do we need to make a decision? Since I picked out all 3 wet/hot rides, hubby is not trusting me to choose the rides this year.

[Veronica]

Last year was the first year we did it and it seems like we didn't sign up until Feb. or so. But a woman in our club didn't make the sign ups and she crashed it. She rode with us, but didn't eat any of their food or use the SAG.

V.

[SadieKate]

I have a friend who has encouraged us to poach honestly for this reason -- just as your friend did. I think there are enough places to buy food and drink as neccessary. I just like to support the clubs. It takes an incredible amount of volunteer effort. But hubby may not let me pre-reg for anything this year! My track record ain't so great.

How hilly is it? You said tandem friendly but the ride is in the foothills. I've never actually ridden a road bike in the area and grades are so deceiving in a car.

[Veronica]

Have you ridden Cardiac Hill on a tandem? The hill by the Dam is probably similar or maybe even a little easier. And there is a pretty steep but short hill in the middle. We broke our chain on it, so maybe it's not as steep as I remember. The chain broke from wear, not the hill.

V.

[SadieKate]

Veronica, I've almost got hubby talked into this. Got any ammo to push him over the edge? I'm afraid we're going to miss the 1,200 max registrants.

Anyone else? I've done almost no road riding east of Folsom (all mtbiking) and hubby thinks he may have done this BS (before Sarah) in the early 80s which means he can't remember what the route was like.

[aka_kim]

I'm still on the fence about Pardee, since it is the same day as Cinderella this year.

The Lodi Century (which I otherwise hate but usually do) goes up around Lake Comanche and crosses Pardee dam -- it's a beautiful area. And my all-time favorite event, the Sierra Century, is up in the foothills near there too. Party Pardee sounds like it could be just as fun.

You've heard of the "ski bus"? We need a "bike bus" to take us to all the cool biking areas and eliminate the long drives.

[NorthTahoe]

I'm still on the fence about Pardee, since it is the same day as Cinderella this year.

The Lodi Century (which I otherwise hate but usually do) goes up around Lake Comanche and crosses Pardee dam -- it's a beautiful area. And my all-time favorite event, the Sierra Century, is up in the foothills near there too. Party Pardee sounds like it could be just as fun.

You've heard of the "ski bus"? We need a "bike bus" to take us to all the cool biking areas and eliminate the long drives.

Ms. Kim-
Can you tell me about the Lodi Century? It sounds like you have a love hate relationship with the ride and I was thinking about doing it this year....thanks.

[aka_kim]

Well, others may differ (like Sadie Kate in another thread), but I think the only pretty portion of the ride is up around the reservoirs, where it's very pretty.

I've done the ride three times. The first time it was in the 90s and the volunteers were completely unprepared. Ran out of water and ice. Next two times it was very windy, which I guess is normal out there, with the last 50 miles or so with some kind of head or cross wind.

Despite my complaints, I may still end up doing the ride again this year if I need some miles before the Sierra Century. It gets 3 (out of 5) chain rings from me.

[SadieKate]

Well, maybe I just hit the one and only right day for a million years. You are right about the wind - all my Davis training must be making me a bit immune to it.

If Bubba ever gets his tickets purchased, I will be Bubba-less that weekend. What distance were you planning on? We could plan our own road ride someplace more scenic. The Davis Dble is that day - we could do portions of it and be in good company.

[NorthTahoe]

Thank you for the input. I am trying to get a couple friends into cycling and the first rides need to be shorter and lots of fun!

[aka_kim]

At the end of the ride last year I was thinking it might be a much nicer ride of about 75 miles if it cut out most of the windy portion after lunch and just headed back to Lodi (into the wind of course) by backtracking on the morning section. So this is what I was thinking I'd do this year, but I have no idea what the traffic on those roads is like in the afternoon.

Poaching some of the DD course sounds interesting too.

[yellow]

I too am on the fence. I'd love to come over and do the Cinderella but am also temped by staying local and doing Pardee. So many rides, so little time...

My hunch is that I'll end up on Pardee since my hubby will probably want to ride rather than shuttle me around.

So who is doing what???

[SadieKate]

If I can get hubby to commit, it will definitely be Pardee. We're so spoiled in Yolo and Solano counties with the low traffic that I have turned into a wuss and can only do 1 roadride a year in the East Bay. You girls who live there have nerves of steel. Mine aren't even aluminum foil.

I've done the Cinderalla 4 times over the last 18 years and hubby has served as team wrench boy and driver every time. I think I owe him one (actually a lot!).

[yellow]

Well, I sent in our entries for Pardee so Pardee it is.

Sadiekate: I promise I'll review the ride list for Top Hat soon!

[aka_kim]

I'm off the fence too! I registered for Pardee yesterday, so it will be the first time in many years in which Cinderella isn't my first event of the year.