So Cal ladies...

[Brandy]

Which organized rides are on your agenda for this year and early next year?

[tprevost]

Hi Brandy,

I'm planning on the Windmill Century (more central CA) and Cool Breeze and then probably Amtrak and the fall redlands ride. I'm also doing one up in Healdsburg but obviously that's not in SoCal.

Do you have any on your calendar yet?

Tracy

[Brandy]

Nothing for sure, though I want to do Rosarito to Ensenada in September and then shoot for Cinderella Classic next year since I have some friends in northern California. I would really like to do the Amtrak Century next year, though I have the feeling that I won't be able to wait that long before I'm itching to do one. There is a century ride in Arizona in early January that I could probably pull off since it starts about a block from my in-laws house...so I'm thinking about that. Apparently the whole route is flat, so it's a good beginner century.

We'll have to see how I do on longer rides before I commit to anything. Oh...and I need to master descending without freaking out too

[tprevost]

Hey Brandy!

I may do the Cinderella next year too (we came from the Bay Area 5 year ago so this is a ride I've done before) If you are looking for a ride in January, there's a ride in Palm Springs too, unless you just wanted to hop over to visit the in-laws Sometimes you just have to sign up for something because then, there it is.... calling you get ready for it! I am not that comfortable doing really long training rides by myself in my area (roads aren't great) so I use the organized rides to get those in (plus, I have the SAG support in case something goes wrong or I've overextended myself). You could also look at the Cool Breeze Century out of Ventura in August. They have several different mileage choices and from what I understand it is a fabulous ride!

I know what ya mean about the decents, I'm not too great at them but I am improving. I did one this weekend that scared me to death... but I did it and that's what will help me improve!

Have you looked at the ride calenders to see what other rides are happening down in SoCal?

Tracy

[Brandy]

Thanks Tracy...I'm going to look into the Cool Breeze...maybe I could pull off a metric century by then! I love that area, we camp up in Goleta at El Capitan State Beach every year and the weather is always gorgeous. So do you usually get a hotel room and go up the night before?

[tprevost]

You can do it Brandy!!!! Also, several people are doing a ride along one of the bike trails on the 29th if you'd like to join us. Apparently this will be a contingent of people who just want a nice, slow, relaxing ride. We'll probably do around 40 but the nice thing is that if you don't want to do that much, you can always turn around earlier! If you'd like to join in, I think we are starting near Irvine and going west first. BCIPAM is in charge of the route (she knows this area the best!)

Tracy

[caligurl]

hi tracy!

i have a long list of rides for the year... (and it seems like the bulk of them all happened during the months of april and may!)

next on the list is heatbreak 100... which is the final ride to be crowned king of the mountain and earn the coveted jersey

then:
-ride around the bear
-grand tour (i do the double metric.. NOT the double century!)
-3 harbors
-cool breeze (you'll REALLY like this ride!)
-not sure about amtrak this year... i liked the ride.. just didn't like the whole waiting for the train.. train ride, etc.. cuz we still had a 3ish hour drive to get home after... so may not even try to sign up this year!
-angeles crest
-las vegas century
-if it's not on a conflicting ride day... smog to surf.. which i also liked! and GREAT picnic at the "surf" end!
-OCW's fall metric

i picked up a flyer at cruising for another ride this fall.. but can't remember the name of it or the date right now.... but will look into that, too!

can you tell i love organized rides!?!

[Ninabike]

I haven't decided on rides yet this year as I'm kind of waiting to see what rides my DH wants to do. Usually I do the Palm Springs ride, the Volvo Tour of L.A. the cycling portion of the L.A. Triathlon, maybe Rosarita-Ensenada. The Cool Breeze sure sounds good. I don't know anything about the Amtrak ride but I think I'll check it out.

Nina

[tprevost]

Caligurl,

You are a wild woman!!! I don't have anything until 7/15, then 7/22 so I've set up a couple of rides w/TE ladies YEAH!!! I somehow missed the smog to surf ride so I'm going to go check it out! I did look at the LV century too but haven't decided yet.... Hmmmm....

Brandy - like I said before, I use the organized rides as long training rides because its much more comfortable for me as I usually ride alone here at home. There are usually shorter options to choose from, then you just build from there! There are several people on this board who know most of these rides pretty well; Caligurl being one of them, also BCIPam and Bikerchick68 so if you need an overview, be sure to post your question 'cause they are awesome!!!

Caligurl - did you download your 'info' yet from Saturday? I'm just dyin' to know the grade % on that one downhill!!

Trac'

[caligurl]

i did.... but need to go back and look at what mile potrero was so i can check! i planned to do it yesterday (cuz by the time we got home saturday.... i pretty much fed brie... d/l the stuff and went to bed!

but even yesterday got away from us... by the time we got home from shopping (i wanted to by home by 5 so watch survivor!) we didn't make it til after 8 (so coulda just watched it in my own time zone! lol!) but again... ate.. fed brie... found out who won and went to bed!

hopefully i'll be able to look tonight!!!!!!

[Fredwina]

From what i've heard, Smog to Surf (now Riverside to Tide) has been moved to the same date as Las Vegas. I'm still debating about which one to do.

[marapets]

whats it like in california? always fancied going there

[caligurl]

From what i've heard, Smog to Surf (now Riverside to Tide) has been moved to the same date as Las Vegas. I'm still debating about which one to do.

well... i thought that too... but then i wrote to the lady in charge of the las vegas century... and unless riverside bike club changed their date from the proposed date.. they are now one week apart! yay!

"The Las Vegas Century Ride this year will be on Saturday, October 21. We're not sure of the location yet. Once we get the information (probably June/July) we will mail out the brochures and post it on www.active.com and the www.lasvegascentury.org"

i can't find it on their site now... but i'm pretty sure i read at one time that they planned on having it the 14th... (and it's not being called smog to surf anymore... i forget the new name, too!)

[Fredwina]

happy, happy! Not only don't they conflict, but the date for Vegas works out better for me. I work 9 hours days, and get every other friday off. Switching fridays is a bit of pain. Last year, I drive out there on friday night and got stuck in traffic jam at the CA-NV border. Did not get to Vegas until 2am... no century for me that day!

[Brandy]

Okay...you all have me thinking about doing the metric century at Cool Breeze in August and then doing the Amtrak Century in September. Am I crazy? Is that enough time to train for a century when I just got my bike a week ago? My two rides so far were 21.6 and 24.5 miles and I felt like I could have gone longer. I'm in pretty good shape...I work out often, lift weights, Spinning and do other cardio. What do you think?