Foxy's Falll Classic - Davis

[RolliePollie]

Anyone else doing this ride?

This will be my FIRST CENTURY! I'm nervous...actually, very nervous. I think I'm prepared but I broke my toe last week so I'm anticipating a little extra pain during the ride. I ride tons of hills so I'm not too worried about the climbing. Hopefully I can do it...I am so motivated the finish the ride...I can't wait to have a Century under my belt!

[maillotpois]

Well, shoot! Now I wish I were doing it. DH is doing it with some friends. I am going to be in SF cheering on friends at the Nike marathon.

Have fun! I will venture to say the course will seem easy compared to what you usually train on. Sorry about the toe, though!

[jobob]

Good luck! I did a ride out that way a couple of weekends ago, it was lovely.

And have fun cruising down Wooden Valley Road, it was recently repaved and it's like buttah now, and with a 1% or so downhill grade - whee!

[xeney]

My husband is doing it. I did the metric two years ago, and I am doing the 50K with my daughter in the trailer this year.

[SadieKate]

Good luck! I did a ride out that way a couple of weekends ago, it was lovely.

And have fun cruising down Wooden Valley Road, it was recently repaved and it's like buttah now, and with a 1% or so downhill grade - whee!

Unless they've reversed direction, they will be flying down Cardiac (same direction that Team Darwin went).

It's too bad since flying down Wooden Valley is so fabulous.

[aka_kim]

I'll be doing the century, or I will if I can get my sorry butt up to Davis early enough. I'll be identifiable as the person way in the back, wearing the AV colors.

[RolliePollie]

I'll be doing the century, or I will if I can get my sorry butt up to Davis early enough. I'll be identifiable as the person way in the back, wearing the AV colors.

I'll probably see you...I anticipate that I'll be in the back too! But I don't know what I'm wearing yet. I want to wear my Placerville Bike Shop jersey but it's not the most comfy jersey and I may decide on comfort over style for this ride.

The website for this ride is pretty crummy, but the extremely brief course description says we'll be riding up Cardiac Hill. So I'll look forward to the Wooden Valley Rd. descent! I hear Cardiac Hill is about 4 miles of climbing. I recently did a ride that started out with 7 miles of non-stop climbing (no clue on the grade but I was in my granny gear), so 4 miles should be do-able (I hope!).

Maillotpois - I hope it seems easy!!!!!

[jobob]

I came across this Foxy's century route mapped out on Bikely:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...x-Fall-Century
(disclaimer: I have no idea if this is this year's actual route)

When I first saw it I didn't check the direction of the route.

Well, come to find out, SK was right, according to this you'll be heading uphill on Wooden Valley. It'll be a very shallow uphill except when its not, and then you'll be heading east from Moskowite Corners up & over Cardiac.

Sorry to get your hopes up about Wooden Valley ...

[RolliePollie]

Thanks for the link, Jobob. I'm glad to see a preview of where we'll be going. Whichever direction they send us, I'll be happy enough...I've never ridden in that area so I won't know any better if it would be more fun to go the other way.

This is what the Foxy's website provides for the course description:

"Experience a beautiful ride through Solano and Napa counties. Ride through vineyards along Gordon and Wooden Valleys, climb to Moskowite Corner and enjoy the downhill after climbing Cardiac Hill. Lunch is served at Wooden Valley School."

I'll definitely let you know which way they send us after the ride. I just got in little bit ago from my last pre-Foxy's ride and I felt horrible on the bike. Not sure what was going on. I think I'll eat pasta every night til Saturday!

[SadieKate]

Having ridden that route for a bizillion years, I can tell you that you will be climbing up Wooden Valley to the school where you will stop for lunch. You will then have another climb (and the steepest) to Moskowite Corner so don't chow down. If you need more to eat later there is a country store at Moskowite.

You will then wind around Lake Berryessa with a bit of climb back up out of the lake, then start your descent to the dam and back to the valley floor. The steepest section is off the face of the dam but you should be used to it where you live.

The climbs are not challenging, but pace yourself going north up to Moskowite because it is long and steady. It is almost more important to find folks to ride with going down to Fairfield or back from Winters. Long flat miles with hopefully little wind where a bit of company goes a long way. The earlier you get started in the day, the better chance you have for avoiding the wind. Fact o' live in Solano and Yolo counties.

[jobob]

If you need more to eat later there is a country store at Moskowite.

Um, no there's not. It's closed, alas.

The old gas station there is now a (micro-) mini mart that sells cold beverages and a very limited supply of snax.

[snapdragen]

Um, no there's not. It's closed, alas.

SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MOVE AWAY SK!!!!!!!

[aka_kim]

Yeah! First the Coffee World in Fairfield, now the store at Moskovite. What next?

[SadieKate]

WHAT?

That's insane that they couldn't keep the store open. The cafe, which was an exercise in faith anyway, I could understand, but not the store.

[Bike Goddess]

Yeah, store closed (we had hoped for a summer opening but alas that didn't happen). I don't know about the bathrooms- last time we asked they didn't have them at the gas station.

I've also done this route many times (both directions) and will say that I think it is easier going this way. Cardiac Hill is a bit steeper coming from the other direction coupled with the fact that you have already done some climbing from Lake Solano to the dam.

Gordon Valley should be beautiful- fall colors in there are quite spectacular. After you turn onto Wooden Valley it's 4.5 miles to the school and another mile or so to the junction where you turn and start a good climb. They have fixed the road and it has a nice surface.

When you get to Moskovite corner and turn right you will be following the old Amgen tour route. This year they will do that part of the route in the reverse direction coming from Davis on their way to Santa Rosa.

If you see any yellow jerseys it's probably my club as we ride this century every year. (Benicia bike club) They are a fr'endly group so feel free to say hello (they might even have argyle socks on!).

Looks like you'll have cooler temps and (yes indeed) some SW wind from Davis through Fairfield. Once you get past Mankas Corner and turn into Gordon Valley it should be a bit less windy. (If you need to stop for food or bathroom- Vezer Vineyard is at Mankas Corner- bathrooms and great coffee, etc.)

Looking forward to a ride report!