Amtrak Century Sept 9th

[redhot3368]

Hi All...
This is a century ride that starts in Irvine....we ride to San Diego, then a train ride back.
I hear it sells out QUICK!!
registration opens THIS Friday June 30th...@ 7 a.m.
Here is some more info:
http://www.ocw.org/Amtrak/

Let's do it!
Karen

[tprevost]

... and Brandy thinks I'm the instigator!

Still thinking about this one... I'm in San Diego all day Friday but will see if there's still 'room' when I get home...

If I do any more than 2 organized (meaning I'm gone all day Saturday, sometimes Friday night) rides, DH starts getting cranky; so I'm learning to pick and choose!

What other rides are you doing Karen??? Oh, and don't forget the full report w/pics for the Windmill!!!

Trac'

[redhot3368]

hehehehe
LOVE these organized rides!
got 3 harbors
then Windmill
Cool Breeze
I MISSED the registration for Lighthouse..bummer!
In October is other cool ride in Ventura
http://www.harvestrideforliteracy.org/
then November there are a couple of Solvang rides!!

Anyhow, I heard last year the Amtrak sold out in 2 hours!!!
So Tracy if you decide to do this ride, let me know by Thursday.
I will sign you up!! I owe ya one!!
Karen

[tprevost]

I'm with ya there... love those organized rides!!!! Its really the only way I can get the long training rides in!

I'm doing....

Three Harbors
Healdsburg
Cool Breeze
Grand Tour Lite
Lighthouse (I got in, but am waffling on this one)

There are a few this fall that I'm thinking about, it sort of depends on how I'm feeling after Cool Breeze (my first 100). I may ponder doing the Vegas Century, depending on whether DH is in a good mood or bad mood when its time to sign up!

Are you doing the metric at Three Harbors?

Trac'

ps. Brandy got into Lighthouse as well and it turns out she may have a scheduling conflict. You may want to PM her and let her know you're interested in her spot if she doesn't end up using it!

[caligurl]

Still thinking about this one... I'm in San Diego all day Friday but will see if there's still 'room' when I get home...

sorry.... couldn't help myself.... (and i like using my belly laugh smilies!) when i saw you post... i literally chuckled out loud! that ride sold out in... i think it was 2 hours! last year!

you CAN get put on a waiting list... that's what i did.. and we eventually got an email to sign up... but with the "late" fees!

we're not gonna do it this year.... i don't want to put my bike on those trucks... and i don't want to ride my dolce! (that's right... i probably need to remove it from my "rides" list at bikejournal!)

[redhot3368]

Hey Trac,
Yep!!! Doing the Metric at the three harbors with YOU!!
I will touch base with you Thursday regarding the Amtrak ride...
If you want me to sign ya up!
OH, and just looked up the Grand Tour Lite...count me in for that one too!!

[caligurl]

redhot.... you should be able to sign up more than one person!!!

the grand tour lite is the ride i just did (grand tour century challenge!!) we did it last september... only thing i don't like... it's on a sunday! so i have to go to work the next day....

[tprevost]

Karen,

Holy Cow! Does that mean I've gotta keep up w/you????? I'm trying to talk Mommelisa into coming up w/me (she stays in SD for part of the summer). I am really looking forward to it!!!

I'm really thinking I'm gonna pass on the Amtrak ride... I don't really want to put my bike in the truck either AND, when I'm done w/a ride, I want to be comfortable, not stuck waiting for everyone else to finish before I can get a ride back!

However, I am very seriously considering the grand tour lite (CG, I would do the lowland route though, not those crazy climbs!!!) I'm running out of "ride budget" though so I'm probably going to do only a few others over the fall. Plus, I'm still considering putting on a ride myself so..... I may be a little busy!

For some reason I am REALLY looking forward to three harbors - maybe its because I haven't done an organized ride since Cruisin' the Conejo...

T~

ps. sorry for the thread drift
pps. Caligurl, I need your input on grand tour lite - lowland century.... headwinds? hills? I need your infinite wisdom!!!

[caligurl]

unless they've changed something... there is only 1 route for the grand tour lite.. and that is the exact route i just did... at least it was exactly the same last year!

they only have high and low options for the 200, 300 & 400!

but you can do it! latigo is absolutely GORGEOUS! (and even more so when it's not misty/overcast... cuz with each turn... you see a better and higher view of the ocean!!!!!!

and of course... the 25 miles ride down the coast at the end.... when you are along the ocean... breathtaking!

ahhhhh just saw your request... headwind all 3 times so far on pleasant valley... but not as bad this past weekend as last year... OR i've gotten a bit stronger!

of course you come down potrero.... but you just take is slowly and your experienced at it anyways! i LOVE latigo.... already talked about that above!

rollies on PCH.... you can get up some good speed... there are a few climbs... but nothing undoable! i think my only groaner this year... i had forgotten about the last short climb on PCH after getting excited when i saw latigo... knowing only 4 miles.. then saw the hill.. groan!

you'll know by the time you have to sign up if you are up to it.. cuz you will have done several other rides by then! i think it's completely doable!

and it's actually almost a double metric... 122 miles! sag stops are good! LAW always does a good job!

i'm looking forward to 3 harbors, too! and i just did an organized ride 3 days ago! it just sounds like a fun ride!

[tprevost]

"The Lowland Century 100 mile route simply travels up the coast to Ventura and returns."

That's off the website so I'm thinking they will save me from myself I may decide to do the one you're talking about but .... hmmmm it goes down potrero.... maybe not.... but I might be better at descending by then.... hmmmm..... we'll see how it goes! I'd almost rather go up potrero than down it, but then again it could have been worse that day because the street was newly paved and SOAKING WET! Okay, I'm a descent weinie, I admit it... wimpy wimpy wimpy - that's ME!

[caligurl]

ok, then! that's different than last year! OR... i didn't pay any attention cuz i knew i was doing the same ride! let me check out their site now, too!

[tprevost]

of course, if I do the hilly route, the timing will be good since I will have a couple of 100's under my belt...

My 40 mile hilly training ride is 3000 feet of elevation gain (I finally figured that out) so if I actually do it more often, I'm sure it would help... not sure if I'm brave enough to do it twice though... or actually, that ride is more equivalent to doing it 3 times.... OMG!!!! what am I thinking????? Okay, I just can't think of it in those terms.... otherwise I'll never try it!

Trac'

[caligurl]

OTHER OPTIONS: The Lowland Century, up PCH along the shoreline to Port Hueneme, lunch, Ventura, and return along PCH. The Metric Century, PCH to a lunch and turn around in Port Hueneme, PCH to return.

ok.. they DO have other options! silly, me!

ok... then it looks like you travel up the coast... stop at PH... continue to ventura.. then back down the coast!

the coastal route between malibu and PH... so 25 up and 25 down is VERY doable! rollies! up down up down!

headwinds... will all depend... i had side winds coming down PCH... the wind was blowing east....

[caligurl]

of course, if I do the hilly route, the timing will be good since I will have a couple of 100's under my belt...

My 40 mile hilly training ride is 3000 feet of elevation gain (I finally figured that out) so if I actually do it more often, I'm sure it would help... not sure if I'm brave enough to do it twice though... or actually, that ride is more equivalent to doing it 3 times.... OMG!!!! what am I thinking????? Okay, I just can't think of it in those terms.... otherwise I'll never try it!

Trac'

JUST DO IT!

[tprevost]

Okay, I'm hijacking Karen's thread (sorry Miss Karen!).

One last question though.... which Grand tour lite route were you looking at Karen?????

T~