Little Red 2008

[sulis]

I signed up for the century as well.
I am with many of you though - that my actual distance will be whatever it is that day.
I just have not been able to get the riding in this year. I am definitely not feeling in shape to do a full century in approximately 6 weeks. But I adore LR so whatever distance I get in will be amazingly fun and worth it.
Would love to ride with anyone who doesn't mind a pokie slow rider just out to enjoy the fun of the day.

[Flybye]

Sullis and anyone else - Lifeisgreat and I have decided to team up with whomever else wants to join- our plan is to ride our bikes . We aren't going to hurry and we are leaving the length open ended - although I REALLY want this to be my first century.

We would love company - Sulis - please feel free to join us!

In fact, if you would like to join the Team Estrogen Group for Little Red, will you please pm me with your cell phone numbers, when you plan on arriving (Friday or Saturday), where you plan to stay, and how many miles you are aiming for? When we get closer to LRRH, I will set a time and place for us to meet before we take off!

I am getting excited!

[BikeDutchess]

I was at a Bonneville Cycling Club meeting today and heard the very disturbing news that they came VERY close to having to cancel LRRH altogether this year. Apparently the Utah Highway Patrol would not sign off on the permit due to too complaints regarding riding behavior and impeding traffic. They managed to convince UHP to issue the permit but it was close.

So this year's catch phrase will be "Don't ride too wide". UHP will also issue citations to riders who impede traffic. Even though riding 2 abreast is legal, that is only the case if you don't impede traffic. And the 5-6-7-etc abreast that we all saw last year is just nuts!

The new route was designed to help alleviate the problem (plus some other safety issues). They will also change the start so there will be separate groups based on riding speed, with the fastest riders starting first. That will avoid the fast riders having to overtake bunches of slow riders and being forced to swing wide to do so. There will also be a roving course marshall in a car w/ a PA or bullhorn reminding riders not to ride too wide.

I know it's preaching to the choir on this board, but please help spread the word to your friends & acquaintances. If we want this great ride to continue, we MUST all ride responsibly. I would just hate for this year to be the last LRRH ever. And we want SadieKate to be able to save her breath for riding, not having to yell "Car back!!!" to umpteen idiots! (Whoosh!)

As an aside, they're already over halfway towards capacity with registrations, so don't wait to sign up!

[Flybye]

They will also change the start so there will be separate groups based on riding speed, with the fastest riders starting first. That will avoid the fast riders having to overtake bunches of slow riders and being forced to swing wide to do so. There will also be a roving course marshall in a car w/ a PA or bullhorn reminding riders not to ride too wide.

On a serious note, I think that all of the changes that they are making this year sound like great changes. I hope that this makes the ride smoother for both drivers and cyclists. I really think that staggering the start time is a great idea.

On a silly side, I am relieved that the faster riders will start out first - I got pretty sick of hearing "on your left" "on your left" "on your left"!!!

And even on the sillier side - I can hear the marshall now "TOO WIDE LADIES, TOO WIDE!!!" The sea of ever widening spandex!

Thanks for getting the word out on the changes. I hope that they outline the changes well in the literature that they send out to the registrants.

[MM_QFC!]

I was at a Bonneville Cycling Club meeting today and heard the very disturbing news that they came VERY close to having to cancel LRRH altogether this year. Apparently the Utah Highway Patrol would not sign off on the permit due to too complaints regarding riding behavior and impeding traffic. They managed to convince UHP to issue the permit but it was close.

So this year's catch phrase will be "Don't ride too wide". UHP will also issue citations to riders who impede traffic. Even though riding 2 abreast is legal, that is only the case if you don't impede traffic. And the 5-6-7-etc abreast that we all saw last year is just nuts!

The new route was designed to help alleviate the problem (plus some other safety issues). They will also change the start so there will be separate groups based on riding speed, with the fastest riders starting first. That will avoid the fast riders having to overtake bunches of slow riders and being forced to swing wide to do so. There will also be a roving course marshall in a car w/ a PA or bullhorn reminding riders not to ride too wide.

I know it's preaching to the choir on this board, but please help spread the word to your friends & acquaintances. If we want this great ride to continue, we MUST all ride responsibly. I would just hate for this year to be the last LRRH ever. And we want SadieKate to be able to save her breath for riding, not having to yell "Car back!!!" to umpteen idiots! (Whoosh!)

As an aside, they're already over halfway towards capacity with registrations, so don't wait to sign up!

Thanks for posting and it's not surprising, unfortunately. I'll hope that the safety reminders and usual group riding road rules will be followed by every rider, so that this ride can continue. It's unfortunate that previous rides had behavior that threatened continuing this. I've done a lot of centuries and longer, in large groups and know that it takes each rider to commit to following the rules of the road and practicing safe riding, as we each reflect on cyclists as a whole to the drivers out there. One boneheaded move by an inconsiderate or unthinking cyclist can stick in the minds of all who view it and we all seem to get smeared by it, eh?
I'm glad that the UHP is giving another chance...as I'm registered and will be heading there from Seattle to enjoy the ride.
On our club's annual double century, the Seattle to Portland ride, there are about 8,000 riders who participate and do it in either 1 or 2 days, so the starting line is crowded and it seems to work well to have riders start in a wave of about 100 every 10 minutes or so. I think it sounds like a good change to try the same for the LRRH.
Tailwinds!
Mary

[CyclaSutra]

I'm amending my intentions, downgrading from the century. As of LRRH, I'll be 11 1/2 weeks pregnant, and don't want to get my heart rate over 140. That puts my comfy pace at a blistering 13-14 mph, not exactly conducive to a century. So I'll be doing the metric at most, more likely the 45.

It's my first, and if I had consciously realized that I wouldn't be able to diet for a year, I prolly would have dropped a few more pounds before hopping on the babywagon, but here I am. My first appointment is in a week and a half, so I hope by then I'll know if it's one bean in there, but I'm crossing my fingers for two!

So I'll see you all there, just a little larger and slower than usual...

[Jones]

CyclaSutra, Congrats on your great news. Have a happy and healthy pregnancy. Enjoy your slow LRRH, gas prices are so high there is no way I can make it this year.
Jones

[Flybye]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

[Flybye]

My first appointment is in a week and a half, so I hope by then I'll know if it's one bean in there, but I'm crossing my fingers for two!

How many beans, Cycla??????

Alex - I am so psyched and ready. You???

[malkin]

About Utah clueless cyclists...

With the campaign for 'Share the Road' license plates, I was wondering if the Utah cycling crowd would get it that it would mean that bikes are supposed to share with cars too.

It looks like lots of us share like toddlers, "MINE! MINE! MINE!"

[sulis]

Picked up my packet last night - getting excited for the ride.

My friend and I will try for the century but not sure how far I will make it. I'm definitely out of shape and gorssly overweight this year.

The LRRH volunteers confirmed that we almost lost our precious ride. And in fact it is in peril for future years. Many many complaints about cyclists taking over the road and not obeying the traffic laws. The UHP denied the permit for the ride at first and only approved it after much begging.

Ladies, let's not loose our favorite ride. Please join me in being slightly naggy on the course to any offenders. My battle cry - "Don't Ride Wide!!!"

Although I plan to still leavel early. I know they beg us not to but I just don't like mass starts - even if they supposedly are dividing up by riding speed. Either way it gets messy and gross.

Hopefully I'll see a few of you on the road.

Remember - Don't Ride Wide!!!!