Chico Velo '06 Century Series

[SadieKate]

The reg packet is now posted. The first 3 rides all have day of registration (the first one is all of $0). www.chicovelo.org

I've got the Tandem Rally and Tour of the Unknown Valley on the calendar in case the heavens are kind those days. TrekHawk? Howse 'bout you?

Paskenta Century
Sunday, February 5th
SuperBowl Sunday - Chico - Corning - Paskenta - Orland
50, 75 or 100 flat miles, starts 8am at One Mile, Bidwell Park, Chico, CA. No fees, map provided, show up & ride century.

Rice Valley Tandem Rally
Sunday, February 12th
Gridley - Grey Lodge - Sutter Buttes
40, 62, 100 flat miles, starts Gridley, CA. Full support. Hike: Into the Sutter Buttes.
SINGLES ARE WELCOME TO SUCK WHEEL!

Tour of the Unknown Valley
Sunday, March 5th
Willows - Maxwell - Stonyford - Elk Creek
65 or 106 miles. 106 miles, start in Willows; 65 mile starts in Maxwell. Full support. Watch Movie of the ride here (must have RealPlayer).

Chico Wildflower
Sunday, April 30th
Wildflower 100 - Mildflower 65 - Childflower 20 - Flatflower 30/65
A Bicycling Magazine Top Ten Century. Starts in Chico, CA.
Pre-registration only. Full support.
Lodging info -- Chico Visitor's & Info Bureau, (800) 852-8570.
Hike: South Side Upper Bidwell Park.

Unknown Coast Weekend
Sept 16th-17th
Ferndale - Honeydew - Petrolia
100 hilly miles in two days, support catered dinner and breakfast, outdoor camping on the Mattole River. Sag vehicle provided. Registration forms available July 1st.

Quincy Weekend
Oct 14th & 15th
Oroville - Quincy - Oroville
Scenic two day ride among the Feather River Canyons. Sag vehicle transports your baggage to Quincy. Registration forms available July 1st.

[Trekhawk]

The reg packet is now posted. The first 3 rides all have day of registration (the first one is all of $0). www.chicovelo.org

I've got the Tandem Rally and Tour of the Unknown Valley on the calendar in case the heavens are kind those days. TrekHawk? Howse 'bout you?

[I]Paskenta Century
Sunday, February 5th
SuperBowl Sunday - Chico - Corning - Paskenta - Orland
50, 75 or 100 flat miles, starts 8am at One Mile, Bidwell Park, Chico, CA. No fees, map provided, show up & ride century.

Rice Valley Tandem Rally
Sunday, February 12th
Gridley - Grey Lodge - Sutter Buttes
40, 62, 100 flat miles, starts Gridley, CA. Full support. Hike: Into the Sutter Buttes.
SINGLES ARE WELCOME TO SUCK WHEEL!

Tour of the Unknown Valley
Sunday, March 5th
Willows - Maxwell - Stonyford - Elk Creek
65 or 106 miles. 106 miles, start in Willows; 65 mile starts in Maxwell. Full support. Watch Movie of the ride here (must have RealPlayer).

These do look good and the shorter distances offered would be good training rides for my eventual attempt at a Century. I guess my bike wont ride itself a HUNDRED MILES (OMG when I convert that to KMS I feel a little sick).

So three questions.

1. So you can just turn up and register for the first three of these on the day?
(That works well for me as not sure yet when Pete will be getting home)

2. I didnt realize single riders were welcome at the Tandem ride so that one looks like it could be fun. How fast will all you Tandems be moving? Will I be eating dust and then cheering myself in at the end while all the rest of you riders are at home eating Dinner?

3. Did I read that part of the Unknown valley ride is on gravel? Hmm not sure how I would go on that.

[SadieKate]

1. Yep, just costs $5 more. Be sure not to follow the example of the moron couple on purple tandem who pay their money after it has already started raining.

2. Could be any speed depending on which length route and which tandem you manage to get your bungee hooked to. I think you'll find that the hard core riders will do the full 100 or 62 at a pretty brisk pace. The 40 miler will have a variety of speeds. At our current level of slobdom, Bubba and I might do the 62 at a cruising pace 18-20, maybe slightly faster. We haven't been on the tandem for a loooong time. 2 years ago on the 40 mile loop, in the rain and with a rotating pace line of 3 tandems I think we were cruising at 22-24 but I can't see the compooter (I could only see the 6 ft rooster tails of water). You'll find all speeds on the 40 mile ride, but you MUST know how to draft to keep up with most tandems. A tandem punches a pretty big hole in the wind so you don't have to be real close. However, some tandems ride pretty slowly and I've passed them on a single bike. The catered Mexican burdo buffet is fabulous.

3. As I recall, the gravel is rideable by road bikes. I should go read the description again, but I was just planning on throwing on some slightly wider tires. I would think that if it was really serious, they make a bigger deal out of it. Maybe send a few emails and ask. I've always wanted to see these hills.

[Bike Goddess]

Although I haven't witnessed this myself, we had a conversation this past Tuesday (Jan 3rd) about this ride at my bike club meeting as this is a ride a number of people in our club do each year. Yes about 5 miles or so, if I'm not mistaken, of gravel roads. Someone always seems to have a flat on that part of the ride. AND depending upon the weather in can be wet and cold. It's beautiful country but you need to be pretty self sufficient as you really are out in the middle of nowhere! The guys I ride with are some of the best in the area so I take their comments seriously when they talk about bad road conditions and flats!

[SadieKate]

The route description and the map are very confusing. There may be more than one gravel stretch and some may be on optional routes. I've asked emailed the club contact.

[Trekhawk]

1. Yep, just costs $5 more. Be sure not to follow the example of the moron couple on purple tandem who pay their money after it has already started raining.

2. Could be any speed depending on which length route and which tandem you manage to get your bungee hooked to. I think you'll find that the hard core riders will do the full 100 or 62 at a pretty brisk pace. The 40 miler will have a variety of speeds. At our current level of slobdom, Bubba and I might do the 62 at a cruising pace 18-20, maybe slightly faster. We haven't been on the tandem for a loooong time. 2 years ago on the 40 mile loop, in the rain and with a rotating pace line of 3 tandems I think we were cruising at 22-24 but I can't see the compooter (I could only see the 6 ft rooster tails of water). You'll find all speeds on the 40 mile ride, but you MUST know how to draft to keep up with most tandems. A tandem punches a pretty big hole in the wind so you don't have to be real close. However, some tandems ride pretty slowly and I've passed them on a single bike. The catered Mexican burdo buffet is fabulous.

3. As I recall, the gravel is rideable by road bikes. I should go read the description again, but I was just planning on throwing on some slightly wider tires. I would think that if it was really serious, they make a bigger deal out of it. Maybe send a few emails and ask. I've always wanted to see these hills.

Thanks for the info SadieKate.
As far as drafting goes I know zip about that as apart from the Giro D'Vino ride I have only ever cycled solo. I guess if I go to this one I will just use my own pedal power as slow as that may be.

[SadieKate]

Keep an eye on the thread over at BikeJournal. So far, this is the only response but I'm sure there will be others.

I rode the full 100 several years ago. The area is very isolated and quite interesting. The entire route is indeed rideable on 23 tires. The gravel sections are very short and easily navigated. There is one section of paved rode that is maybe 2 miles long, that is VERY ROUGH. Lots of pot holes and cracks. I recall thinking it was like riding through an obsticle course. Having said that, I'd ride it again if it didn't conflict with the DV double.

We'll probably shoot for the metric at both the Unknown and the Rice Valley. It would be nice to do a full century but I've ridden very little in the last month.

[jobob]

As I recall, the gravel is rideable by road bikes. I should go read the description again, but I was just planning on throwing on some slightly wider tires.

Sounds like a reasonable solution to me. Unless you plan to make it into a race.

That's why I like to ride with wide-ish (~ 25 - 28 mm ) tires with Kevlar lining. I feel confident I can take on whatever the road throws at me.

Pokey is actually going to be sporting 32 mm Panaracer Pasella Tourguards for the really rough stuff and general purpose touring.

Yep, there's more rolling resistance with the wider kevlar-lined tires, but that doesn't matter all that much to me. I figure I'll get to my destination eventually, and perhaps even sooner than the guy with the 21 mm tires I keep passing while he's fixing flats

[SadieKate]

So, Jobob, does this mean you're pencilling in the Unknown Valley?

[jobob]

I'd like to

The thing is, I'm going out to Denmark for work sometime between mid-Feb and early March, but the dates haven't been nailed down yet. And when I go it's probably going to kill all or part of 2 weekends (grumble grumble grouse grouse).

And I really want to go to the Handmade Bicycle Show which is that same weekend. Not to mention take a certain Ms. Popcorn Farte out for her birthday.

Then again, if I manage to remain in this hemisphere that entire weekend, and if PF would like to take in the show on Friday (I seem to recall mention of a cocktail reception Friday evening ... ), then I could head up north sometime Saturday for the ride on Sunday.

O what a hectic life I lead

[SadieKate]

Ok, the gravel can't be that deep if the Leesville Gap Road Race is on it. I know folks who raced, but it doesn't seem worth tracking them down.

In response to my question about using 700x23 tires, Ed of Chico Velo said:

I ride it on that size tire. Racers also use this course for the Leesville Road Race. You can imagine what they're using.
Ed

This applies only to the main route, not the optional loop.

[Trekhawk]

Ok, the gravel can't be that deep if the Leesville Gap Road Race is on it. I know folks who raced, but it doesn't seem worth tracking them down.

In response to my question about using 700x23 tires, Ed of Chico Velo said:

I ride it on that size tire. Racers also use this course for the Leesville Road Race. You can imagine what they're using.
Ed

This applies only to the main route, not the optional loop.

Thanks for the info SadieKate. I had to have another look at my tyres to see what they were and they are 700x25 so should be fine if I end up making it to this ride.

[wabisabi]

The Unknown Coast weekend is up thisaway, and looks much more civilized than our spring version of it, in which it is done in one day (although there is a beautiful metric down the Avenue of the Giants). Last year, I noticed that there seemed to be no women doing the 100 mile version, which tells you something. It is really a gorgeous ride, a lot of hills, and is the best weather time of the year, and with catering would be great.

[SadieKate]

Are you saying more civilized in terms of amenities and mileage/day or road quality?

Over on bikejournal, someone just posted a link to his write-up on last year's Tour (the 1-day spring version) and I'm not too inspired to ride. The gravel doesn't sound bad and packed dirt is OK, but it sounds like a huge amount of the ride is only really bad surfaces, even the pavement. Short stretches would be OK, but it sounds like most of the route is in bad shape.

If I want to get jarred to pieces, I'll go ride in the dirt. I supose I could take the cross bike or my softtail. But maybe we should just plan our own ride. I want to see these hills but not sure that a road bike sounds like the fun way to do it.

[Trekhawk]

Are you saying more civilized in terms of amenities and mileage/day or road quality?

Over on bikejournal, someone just posted a link to his write-up on last year's Tour (the 1-day spring version) and I'm not too inspired to ride. The gravel doesn't sound bad and packed dirt is OK, but it sounds like a huge amount of the ride is only really bad surfaces, even the pavement. Short stretches would be OK, but it sounds like most of the route is in bad shape.

If I want to get jarred to pieces, I'll go ride in the dirt. I supose I could take the cross bike or my softtail. But maybe we should just plan our own ride. I want to see these hills but not sure that a road bike sounds like the fun way to do it.

Ok you guys have lost me now (I know it doesnt take much) are we still talking about the Unknown Valley ride or are your comments about the road quality SadieKate about the Unknown Coast ride?

And if its about the Unknown Valley ride does that mean you have decided against riding it?