Holstein 100 2007

[jobob]

I'll pull together a report with pics in a bit. I rode the century route with Ellen (PABager) and her friend Amie, and their friend John.

It was the first century for the three of them, booyah!

This was a challenging ride, made more so by the wicked afternoon head & side winds we encountered for the last 25 miles or so.

aka_kim and TrekHawk rode the metric with LeeBob, and I'll leave it to them to tell their tales. They finished early in the afternoon and they hung out with Lee and waited for us to finish - and they had a LONG wait.

That was so incredibly sweet of them to wait for us, I can't tell you how happy I was to see them !

Here's the route profile from my computer, which showed about 6500 ft of climbing (the last climb into a wicked headwind, I might add! ) Ellen, just curious, what was the amt climb from your Edge?



Pics and more to follow.

[jobob]

Annoyingly strong Amie climbing Coleman Valley Road



John & Ellen followed very soon thereafter. I'll leave it to Ellen to say what she was chanting



The First Century Gang with some Holsteins (of course)



Me mit cows



Mooo



View from the top of Marshall-Petaluma Road



And a few more pics here:
http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ein_18Aug2007/

[DrBadger]

WARNING LONG!

So, as Jo already said, we did the Holstein 100 century route yesterday along with my roommate Amie and her friend John. It was a great day, with amazing scenery and great company!

The weather was great, except for the crazy wind that whipped up in the afternoon (it actually blew me over late in the day and I have the chain ring bite to prove it).

Amie, John, and I met up with Jobob, Leebob, Trekhawk and AKAKim at the Tomales high school around 7 am, got riding by 7:30 or so and quickly the sane people doing the metric spit off from us crazy century folks. The morning was great.... the views up Coleman Valley road were inspiring, the cows were on the road, and I made sure that Jobob knew what I thought of the climb (I was telling her that "Coleman Valley $ucks!" in the photo... my language got progessively worse throught the afternoon ) We then had a great decent after the first rest stop followed by lots of rollers (some a bit larger than rollers).

I started feeling pretty crummy around mile 60 or so, stomach feeling off all that fun stuff. We got to the top of a small climb and I asked for a break.... that is when Jo made me eat some clif blocks... wow, what an amazing food! I felt better within 5 minutes and was good for the rest of the ride (with additional food at the upcoming rest stops). Thanks Jo for making me eat! I have to say, it is really great to do your first century with someone who is experienced to help through all the little things like recognizing when you need to eat something when your body is telling you that you don't want to eat.

The wind really picked up in the afternoon, did a bit of drafting which helped a lot, but not with the crazy cross winds that would totally blow your bike around. Got the the last rest stop just before the Marshal Wall (at around mile 90 ) and they told us that if we kept going there wouldn't be any food at the end and we should just SAG in. My response was at mile 90 NO WAY was I giving up. Well, we started up towards the Wall thinking that like the other hills it would block the wind a bit.... OR NOT! The wind was whipping straight down and across the hill. Amie and Jo take off up the hill, I got part way up, stopped to rest my legs a bit, and when I went to start again the combination of the steepness and the crazy wind blew me right over. I extracted my self from my bike, noticed a really great chain ring bite on my right shin and that I was going to have a mother of a bruise on my left hip. I ended up walking the next steep section of the hill as there was no way I was going to risk getting blown over again. Got to a less steep section, and was able to climb the rest of the way up.

At that point Jo took off towards the finish (Leebob had been waiting for us at the finish after doing the metric). Amie, John and I took off down the long decent and then took the turn onto HWY 1 along Tomales Bay... by this point I was cursing up a storm as this section had a ton of small hills, but bigger than rollers. I was down in my granny gear on pretty much every hill and was cursing the race organizers at every turn. When I made the final turn towards the finish line I knew I had done it and sped up. When I rolled into the High School Parking lot, Amie, Jobob, Leebob, Trekhawk and AKAkim where there cheering me on! John came rolling in a bit after me, and then one final guy who was out on the course behind us, so I wasn't last!

After getting cleaned up a bit Amie, John, the Bobs and I went for dinner in Petaluma...mmmmmm.... Milkshakes! and then drove home and crashed!

So, the stats for my first century (from my new Garmin Edge):
Distance: 103.81 miles
Ride Time: 8:12:39
Avg. Speed: 12.6 MPH
Total Ascent: 8447 ft. (I think that this is a bit over.... I would say an average between Jobob's profile and mine is probably correct, so somewhere around 7000 ft.)

It was a ton of fun seeing everyone at dinner, and meeting Trekhawk! Thanks so much Jo for riding with us, I think that it made a huge difference for me to be able to do the full century, so THANKS! And Leebob, Trekhawk, and AKAkim, thanks for hanging out until we finished! That was a long wait!

Here is a link to some of Amie's photos (I will get John's soon): http://picasaweb.google.com/ellen.ma...olsteinHundred

[jobob]

Close Encounters of the Bovine Kind
MP, you weren't kidding about the cows on Coleman Valley. We were a ways up the climb and we turned a corner and lo & behold, there's a cow standing partway into the road munching on some roadside grass. I tried to get a photo but it was getting steep at that point (getting, har har) and it behooved me to have full control as I was passing the cow's backside in case I needed to take Cow Evasive Manuevers.

Then, a little ways farther up, more cows along the road! One particularly large cow (a Guernsey, I do believe) stared me down as I was zooming up the road (zooming, har har) and as I approached she started walking out onto the road directly in front of me. "After you, ma'am" says I as I come to a rather abrupt halt and let her pass - I didn't want to entitle my ride report "Cow 1, Me 0"

The Rest Stop at Walker Ranch
The folks there were a hoot. Probably comes from hanging out there for about 8 hours. Walker Ranch at the base of the last climb up Marshal (at mile 90) was the last rest stop on the route. We were the ninth thru the sixth last riders remaining on the course, and as the riders trickled in the volunteers gave us a very loud cheer (as much out of relief that they'd be leaving soon as much as anything). They were really fun to talk to.

"Amici Veloci my Azz !"
The absolute funniest moment of the ride for me happened in the last mile or so. I'm plodding along Hiway 1, wondering where the hell is the turnoff for Tomales already(!), when a small white car suddenly toots it horn as it approaches me from behind.

I'm thinking to myself "Oh #$%!, I'm as far over as I can be, so shaddup already!", when the car pulls up next to me and the guy driving yells out "Amici Veloci my Azz!" Yes, it was Hot Rod !!!!!

So I grin and naturally, give him the Amici Veloci Sekret Hand Signal. We chatted for a little and he took off heading up Hiway 1 (with an attractive blonde in the passenger seat) and I reached my turnoff for Tomales High School. So I had a good chuckle to carry me for the half-mile or so remaining.

[snapdragen]

"Amici Veloci my azz!" Excellent!

Question for you and PABadger (and anyone else who did this ride for the first time)...will you do it again?

[jobob]

Question for you and PABadger (and anyone else who did this ride for the first time)...will you do it again?

But of course.

[snapdragen]

But of course.

Yay!

I had one friend that did it a couple years ago. I found her eating lunch afterwards with a really pissed look. She vowed to never ride it again. The route that year took you up Marshall-Petaluma in the opposite direction, with nasty headwinds.

[DrBadger]

Question for you and PABadger (and anyone else who did this ride for the first time)...will you do it again?

But of course.

Can I ask them to hold the wind next time? It was a really great route even with the wind... and if I was still living here I would totally do it again.

[aka_kim]

Great job, centurions!

I had to try my new camera phone, and although I didn't get any good pictures I still have to post some anyway.

TrekHawk congratulating jobob:


Amie and PABadger after 104 miles and gazillions of feet of climbing:


The redoubtable LeeBob:

[Trekhawk]

Love the pics everyone!!

Had a great day with the gang and really enjoyed riding with Kim and Lee. Its always fun to share the pain. Kim was very patient waiting for Lee and I at the top of all the climbs and then at numerous stops along the way. She denies being a strong rider but IM SORRY KIM YOU ARE and it was sweet of you to wait for us.

I was so proud of the girls for finishing the Century - Deanna included who looked a little too fresh for just finishing a very windy century.

I must also thank two fit looking blokes who chatted to me going up the hill that was about 5 miles before the Marshall Wall. I think without them I might have convinced myself that I needed a little rest on that one.

Oops nearly forgot it was lovely to meet Five one at one of the rest stops.
Hmm she looked annoyingly fresh too.

A lovely ride but next year if you do this I would ask them to put in an order for less wind. LOL you know its a windy ride when you can hear the wind whistling and your stopped.

[five one]

Oops nearly forgot it was lovely to meet Five one at one of the rest stops.
Hmm she looked annoyingly fresh too.

A lovely ride but next year if you do this I would ask them to put in an order for less wind. LOL you know its a windy ride when you can hear the wind whistling and you're stopped.

Annoyingly fresh? That couldn't have been me then . Well, maybe. It WAS before Marshall and the wind! It was nice to meet you and Kim and chat briefly.

This was my second year doing the metric. Last year I recall it being foggy a lot of the day. This year it was clear, but the wind was really something. There were a few times during the descents off the climbs that I thought my wheels were going to come right out from under me . I had somehow buried, in the nether regions of my mind, most of my memories of the Marshall climb. Probably a good thing. I had also forgotten how long the last thirteen or so miles seemed. Never-ending rollers. All I wanted was lunch at that point . We rode with a friend who hadn't done a lot of training lately, though she's an experienced rider. Muscle memory served her well, though we dialed it back a bit. Even still, I was pretty pooped at the end of the ride.

I didn't have a camera on me, so I was glad to see the pictures the rest of you took. Great shots. And congrats to Ellen, John, and Amie on completing their first century - and a tough one at that!

Trying to decide whether to attempt the century next year. Got to do more hill work. Lots more.

[Deanna]

I was so proud of the girls for finishing the Century - Deanna included who looked a little too fresh for just finishing a very windy century.

I think you must be confusing looking fresh with a look of relief. If I looked fresh at all, it was thanks to the tailwind I got for the last mile or two. I doubt I would do this one again, though I'm sure I'll do some of these roads again. If anybody asks, I'd probably recommend the metric route over the full 100 mile route, the metric seemed to spend more time on roads with less traffic.

I wanted to stay to make sure Jo made it in, but I had plans to meet my mom (who lives in Petaluma) for dinner at Dempsey's Alehouse. I had come in about an hour later than I had hoped for (and told her to plan for), and she's the type to WORRY to the point of making alarming phone calls. I'm glad to hear you all made it in and would do it again!

[jobob]

TrekHawk congratulating jobob:

Or, telling me to live long and prosper.

[maillotpois]

Live long and prosper!!!

Great ride reports and rides, everyone! And great pictures!

Wow, congrats to PA Badger and friends on your first century. Huge!!! That's not an easy first century. Huge thumbs up!!

I saw Kim briefly at the start. We got a later start than I wanted, leaving at 7:30. But I think we must have left later than everyone who did the metric, because the roads were deserted, and we were the only folks back at the end. Super weird. We were also the first people to the Walker SAG stop and oh boy were those people desperate to have someone stop and take advantage of their facilities. But we just didn't need a SAG at that point. I needed a therapist.

I was very glad we opted for the metric. The butt lasted about 40 miles before it became horrible. (I've had a nasty case of ischeal bursitis.) I just couldn't get comfortable. So strange. But DH and I had a fun ride together. It always pushes me, but it was a good tune up for the ride we'll do in November. Fast and flat. We had a nice remora hook up with us for basically the entire ride. Wayne from Lodi. You can be a remora if you try to take a pull every once in a while (which he did) and if you're gracious and recognize you're hanging on (which he was).

Amazing baklava at the end. The support for the whole ride was fantastic. Once of the main reasons that is my favorite organized ride in this area.

And 7000 feet is just about what I got from doing the full route in 2005, so I think all your estimates of 7000 feet are right on.

[smilingcat]

Wow... What fortitude on all of you to do the full century. My back was still bugging me so I opted for the metric. Did the upper half and decided to dump the ride just past the second rest stop. Instead of turning left at petaluma-tomales road, I turned right and limped back to the high school while nursing my poor back. One thing I wasn't expecting was the STRONG WIND!!! I wish I had another rider or two to share with blocking the wind...

Well supported ride, air was so clean and pristine (unlike LA), the moo-cows were a sight. I was worried about lack of shoulder on many of the road and seeing how the local farm boys raced down the road, it bugged me alot; but, it wasn't bad at all. None of them buzzed me. On Petaluma-tomales road, there were tons of black berries. Soo tempted to stop and munch out but decided against it.

If it weren't for the wind and my poor back, it would have been one great ride. Maybe next year.

I did drive into Petaluma for the get together but I didn't get the address right 4th and petaluma dr south?? the two streets ran in parallel. So I headed back to Pointe Reyes before the restaurant closed for the night. Better luck next time.

Oh after the ride lunch, I had their vegetarian cheese ziti with local blue cheese yummo!! Decided to buy the T-shirt afterall and left a suggestion: See if they can get a local massage school there with the massuse students to practice on the sore cyclists.

Maybe next time to meet some of you in person,
Smilingcat