Chilly Hilly 2010

[Biciclista]

starting on the island is good. Avoid as much of the crowds as you can and you should have a good ride.
I remember being terrified going up a slow long hill because there were people in front of me, lots of them; some were slowing down. Would someone stop directly in front of me?

this had already happened a few years before when we did this ride on a tandem (hint; i don't think this is a good tandem ride unless you do it a different day!)
a lady on a sparkly brand new bike did not know how to shift her bike into a climbing gear. She stopped and got off her bike in the middle of the road. We ran over her.
(she lived)
we had no way to stop in time. So be very defensive, careful, and legal.
good luck.
I really enjoyed this ride on my regular bike, except boy was I tired out at the end!

[MM_QFC!]

starting on the island is good. Avoid as much of the crowds as you can and you should have a good ride.
I remember being terrified going up a slow long hill because there were people in front of me, lots of them; some were slowing down. Would someone stop directly in front of me?

this had already happened a few years before when we did this ride on a tandem (hint; i don't think this is a good tandem ride unless you do it a different day!)
a lady on a sparkly brand new bike did not know how to shift her bike into a climbing gear. She stopped and got off her bike in the middle of the road. We ran over her.
(she lived)
we had no way to stop in time. So be very defensive, careful, and legal.
good luck.
I really enjoyed this ride on my regular bike, except boy was I tired out at the end!

Mimi...you're so right...there are lots of folks who pass someone at the start of a climb, but then slow down and get kind of wobbly all around the road...it's hard to know where they are going, and how to get safely around them while giving them plenty of room, when others are pushing past on both the left and the right, riding 2 or 3 abreast, or stopped and trying to unclip, falling over while trying to unclip, etc., etc.
I always tried to give as much room as possible, but it got difficult at times when so many riders would be 'clumping up'...so, just try to keep an even tempo, ride your own ride, stay alert/aware and ride defensively too.
This is not a long ride (33 miles), but there are always hills on an island ride, along with some twisting roads and downhills to ride along the shore too...so it might be too early in the season for some knees to comfortably enjoy those hills and miles if you haven't been on your bike all winter.

Wishing you all great weather (I recall riding through a hailstorm on part of the route one year!) and a very fun ride!
Mary

[jdubble]

So be very defensive, careful, and legal.

always!