What about RSVP?????

[smittykitty]

Well ladies, what do you think of RSVP?

We rode STP last summer, my first big ride. Now my daughter in-law thinks we should all ride RSVP next summer.

Since I "suck" at hills, I'm fearful of Chuckanut Drive. What about other hills, the ride in general? I hear its considerably harder.

I could be the support driver, but then again.......... maybe, just maybe!!!!! I'm afraid I would really feel like I was missing out driving the vehicle.

So how much harder is it than STP (which was not easy, but I completed without any walking)? I was slow and tired. Didn't love the crowd, but loved participating, loved the challenge.

[ttaylor508]

You will love the RSVP. The scenery is beautiful and most of the hills are rollers. Far less crowded than STP and atmosphere of the ride is much more relaxed! As long as you do some hill training and take it at your own pace you will do fine. Party at the end is a blast. Folks were taking off their shoes and socks and soaking in the hotel fountain (The gleam of sweat and sunscreen in the water was kind of gross)!

Chuckanut drive is so pretty you won't even think about the hills, you will be too busy taking in the view. We just rode it about a month ago in the Chuckanut Century (both ways) and it was the best part of the fide for sure.

The only part that is a bummer is the border crossing on the way back on the bus. The wait was unbelievable.

[AppleTree]

Well ladies, what do you think of RSVP?

We rode STP last summer, my first big ride. Now my daughter in-law thinks we should all ride RSVP next summer.

Since I "suck" at hills, I'm fearful of Chuckanut Drive. What about other hills, the ride in general? I hear its considerably harder.

I could be the support driver, but then again.......... maybe, just maybe!!!!! I'm afraid I would really feel like I was missing out driving the vehicle.

So how much harder is it than STP (which was not easy, but I completed without any walking)? I was slow and tired. Didn't love the crowd, but loved participating, loved the challenge.

Good question SmittyKitty... I "knew" that RSVP was somewhat hillier than STP...but I thought, hey, it's shorter though right?? Not. I ended up doing about 200 miles in all, by the time we got to where we stayed at WWU.

Chuckanut I didn't think was all that bad, but by the time we got that far, I was so glad to be in the shade and near the cool ocean breeze. The area around Mt Vernon was VERY hilly and VERY hot. I think that is what almost did me in. I honestly didn't think I was going to finish the day at one point. The heat made it miserable.

Another low spot of the day: after we got to the college dorm, we found we had to haul our bikes and luggage 1/4 mile away to a different dorm...and then up the stairs three stories to our room. Needless to say that after 100+ miles in the heat we were not happy campers.

But ttaylor is right, the scenery was SO BEAUTIFUL much more so than STP...it is what kept me going at certain spots. Chuckanut drive was just magically beautiful. The next day was much, much easier. I loved biking through the old part of Bellingham and then the farm country just outside of the border. There weren't any big hills to speak of until we got to one they called "THE WALL" on the other side of the border. Yes, I was walking up that one... That was the ONLY hill I walked, which was good for this hill-hater! Still, the hills slowed me down quite a bit.

Somewhere outside of the Frazier River, guess it was on this side of the border, was the most breathtaking, long, scenic, fun, amazing, etc, downhill I have ever been on. I felt like I was in the Tour de France along with the peloton snaking down this winding beautiful hill. It went on for what seemed like miles. Oh, and we didn't even have to suffer an uphill climb to get that reward.

Less crowded yes...more experienced and less squirrely riders...yes.... Downtown Vancouver was pretty tricky to get around, and we actually ran into a pack of zombies near the finish line. Really. We loved Vancouver!

The finish line festival is okay, I think if you have a group of buddies it would be fun. The food is certainly nothing to get excited about. I think next year if we do it, we'll skip the lukewarm hamburger and potato chips and go have dinner at one of the fabulous looking restaurants nearby.

I thought after I finished the ride I wouldn't do it again, it was pretty hard for me. I thought quite a bit harder than STP. But I think what made it hard was the awful heat we had that first day...95+ at one point. So I am in the "thinking about it" stage. Maybe. We'll see. I also thought about volunteering too and just meet my husband afterwards and spending a few days in Vancouver.

Watch out for Zombies.

[Biciclista]

I did both rides too. The incredible boredom of STP... will never forget. RSVP isn't like that! it's fun and interesting. I agree about Chuckanut, it's no big deal, very pretty. THe wall? HEH, I remember that. You might walk it. On tandem we went right up it. We did a ferry ride. we DID NOT have hot weather the time we went, so no complaints there.
I think if you can do STP you can do this one. YOu'll be tired at the end.

[smittykitty]

Thanks ladies. As always, you're so encouraging.

Next questions: If we take the bus back, do the bikes get damaged/scratched up on the truck? Wouldn't want to hurt Ruby Sue. How do they pack them in the trucks?

Also, sounds like maybe a motel would be better than the dorms. Not sure our kids ever want to stay in the dorms at WWU again! I thought it would be kinda fun, but Western really is on a hill.

Apple Tree, looks like we have another challenge to get us through the winter again this year! Oh my. Or I guess we could drive support!

[Biciclista]

we stayed in a hotel. I don't do dorms. Our bike (tandem) did fine; but I sure can't guarantee YOUR bike. They pack them carefully, but still.....

oh and RIDING through customs is a BLAST.

[Eden]

oh and RIDING through customs is a BLAST.

I got a kick out of Cascade this year "warning" people that if they sold their bib (which was against club policy this year) that the recipient might have trouble crossing the border..... As if Cascade somehow has control over any bikes that go over.... Something tells me Canada doesn't give a hoot if you broke Cascades rules or not or if you are on RSVP's list or not to come across the border. All you need is a valid passport, to not have guns or a DUI - they won't exclude you for not being in a car.

[smittykitty]

Bicalista: Was that a good BLAST or a bad BLAST??????

[smittykitty]

Eden: I'm thinkin if I should ever start packin heat, I'd probably leave it home when biking. The extra weight and all Although, I may come in handy if I decide I want to shoot myself climbing some ridiculous hill!

[Wasp]

I want to do the RSVP, some of the hills look to be out of my current pedaling abilities but I have no issue walking my bike up a hill if need be. Is anyone interested in going as a TE group? If so I'm up for that, sounds like fun!

[Biciclista]

oh fun fun fun going through customs on a bike. It is unimaginably cool to pedal into another country for one thing..

[AppleTree]

I got a kick out of Cascade this year "warning" people that if they sold their bib (which was against club policy this year) that the recipient might have trouble crossing the border..... As if Cascade somehow has control over any bikes that go over.... Something tells me Canada doesn't give a hoot if you broke Cascades rules or not or if you are on RSVP's list or not to come across the border. All you need is a valid passport, to not have guns or a DUI - they won't exclude you for not being in a car.

I don't think they care when you are coming back INTO the USA, but when we went over into Canada (on the bikes) they were checking out our bib numbers against the list of names they had AND our passports.

Our bikes came through the truck loading and unloading okay, the volunteers and truck guys they had looked like they were very careful loading the bikes...I guess it could happen though.

[AppleTree]

I want to do the RSVP, some of the hills look to be out of my current pedaling abilities but I have no issue walking my bike up a hill if need be. Is anyone interested in going as a TE group? If so I'm up for that, sounds like fun!

Interesting thought Wasp....I would consider that possibly. I think we'd want to plan an organized ride together at least once to make sure we are compatible speed wise, etc... Maybe Flying Wheels next year?? Something to think about before the January sign ups anyway. I am not fast on hills (to say the least) but the only one I had to walk was THE WALL... Mostly they are just long steady cranks.

I just read my first reply, it says I did 200 miles before I got to the university. I wish. It was over 200 miles to Vancouver, almost as much mileage as the STP.

[TrekDianna]

I want to do the RSVP, some of the hills look to be out of my current pedaling abilities but I have no issue walking my bike up a hill if need be. Is anyone interested in going as a TE group? If so I'm up for that, sounds like fun!

I would love to do it. I'm in Oregon

[smittykitty]

What a great group of ladies! Instead of telling me I'm crazy for even considering it, you want us to form a TE group ride!!!! I love the support!