irwin7638

I looked at the thread for the ride we just completed and realized we started talking more than a year before it happened.
Anybody want to chime in with suggestions for next year? I personally am up for anything since I will have more time on my hands (even more than now). I'll be up to support just about anything. We could collect suggestions and take a poll like we did for 2012.

Marc

Planemaker

Where have the previous 5 been held

DnvrFox

Please see the sticky.

rdtompki

I'd like to see next year's on the west coast, but we might consider going bi-coastal: having west and east coast fun fests in even years and centrist fests in odd years.

I'm wondering if there would be interest in scheduling a west coast get together in conjunction with one of the many great organized rides in California. Many of these rides have a range of distances starting at 30 miles and, in some cases, up to 200 miles. We could do a Friday night dinner, an organized ride on Saturday and a laid back, breakfast/recovery ride on Sunday. Or skip the organized park and pick a month/place where the scenery and weather works. Lots of good riding in the middle of the state or Marin or Sonoma or Napa or ..... Wine country would have particular appeal for spouses who don't ride.

irwin7638

That has been the schedule of events for the past 3 years. What events do you suggest?

Marc

Jim from Boston

Marc and I have both ridden three of the last five Annual Rides. This year (#5) I'd like to suggest that we actually had three widely separate Rides. The Boston ride was planned and executed on the “Official Thread for the 50+ 5 Annual Ride.” In addition, a few subscribers gathered together for a “Katy Trail Social” in Missouri I believe, and a few other subscribers reprised the “Onehelluva Ride” in Michigan, the venue for the Third Annual 50+ ride. Both were described on two separate threads. When I get the time, I intend to also record those Rides on the sticky “A Chronicle of the 50+ Annual Rides.”

I'd like to propose this definition of an Annual Ride: One that is announced on the 50-Plus Forum for all subscribers, with sufficient lead time to make preparations to attend. No minimum number of riders, other than at least one besides the “host.” After the ride there should be some narratives and photos of the event (“without pictures, it didn't happen”). Then the ride should be recorded in the Chronicles. It would be helpful to keep all the suggestions for a Ride on one single thread.

This is pretty much the schedule followed on at least the last four Rides, with the addition of a short Friday afternoon ride as well. All the preceding Annual Rides, except the Katy Trail Social, were in conjunction with an organized ride by a local cycling group.

Finally, I personally would be happy to repeat the Boston Event next year. Another suggestion might also be to repeat the Great Finger Lakes Tour of 2010, a particularly successful event since it was so completely organized, with meals and lodging provided by the Southern Tier Bicycle Club. That's my two cents worth; otherwise my driving limit for a ride is not more than about 1000 miles one-way, more likely less than 700, a doable one-day trip.

Retro Grouch 

We've made the decision to repeat the Katy Trail Social next July.

irwin7638

So, who is "we." Do you have a suggestion for a ride and get together. That's about as close to the center of the country as it gets. It could be a great expedition for a lot of people.

Marc

DnvrFox

A return to the first ride is always a possibility. The scenic paved Rio Grande Trail from Glenwood Springs to Aspen - about 80 miles round trip. The trail up the spectacular Glenwood Canyon Trail (17 miles one way) and then going on to Edwards or as far as you like - even to Vail. The world's largest hot spring pool and numerous other activities. Lots of good eating places and caverns and hiking and motels, etc.

Just a thought!! Beautifull in the fall - late September or so.

#at=46
Glenwood Canyon Trail

Retro Grouch 

"We" is me and the other guys who rode it this year. We all decided it was an easily manageable project and worth doing again. I'll post something in plenty of time so that anybody who lives outside the area and who wants to participate can make plans.

StephenH

I like the idea, but just checking over the previous locations, the nearest one was 650 miles away...sort of like if you took a compass on the map and drew a 1,000 mile circle, that's where the rides were. Of course, y'all have the same problem. Realistically, I won't be making many plans for next year until it gets here- I tentatively have a trip to Idaho planned, and may try a ride in Tennessee/Alabama/Mississippi (that'd be a doozy if y'all wanted to incorporate it into the plans. Bwahahahahaha!) And my daughter just moved to San Francisco, so I may make it out there sometime, but sort of need a better travel bike and stuff...

Road Fan

Do you have any dates to post? For me the first thing is to block out time.

irwin7638

Yes, establishing dates to schedule is really important.

Marc

Planemaker

If I get the drift of the messages what is being proposed is one official Annual Fifty Plus ride. In addition, there could be any number of regional rides planned and managed by members who live or want to ride in specific regions.

While I would love the annual ride in the Midwest (Colorado sound wonderful), it seems as though something on the West coast is due.

Retro Grouch 

We were talking about the week end prior to the start of RAGBRAI but I don't know when that will be.

irwin7638

According to the RAGBRAI website "(It will always be the last full week of July)".
So we are looking at the July 18th-20th for the Katy Trail ride.

Marc

rdtompki

Really depends on the month:
The Solvang Century is in March. Weather can be iffy, but the scenery is spectacular if you like rolling hills, vineyards and horse ranches.
Tierra Bella Century is in April. Usually very good weather. The better riding in the SF Bay area involves a bit of climbing, but it's a great time of the year to ride.
Wine Country Century is in May (Sonoma County). Fabulous scenery, not for from the coast, wineries, etc. Great riding around there.
Giro Bella is in July, again Sonoma County.
Marin Century is in August (in Marin County obviously). Ride to your hearts content up to an including a fabulous double.
Lighthouse Century is in Sept. The 87 and 100+ mile rides have some climbing in addition to ocean views, but the 100K starts in Morro Bay and is 100% along the Pacific.
Foxy's Fall Century is in October up in Davis, CA. Also a great ride.

There are numerous other rides that I have not done, some in spectacular, out-of-the-way places.

A number of these rides require early registration so may not work. Lighthouse, for example, sells out very fast. Still, we could go to any one of these areas on any weekend and have a great time.

Jim from Boston

A trip to California is way beyond my thousand mile driving limit, but a real draw for me to attend a Fifty-Plus Annual Ride is the goal to train for a Century. Since my schedule and the weather here in Boston are not really conducive to training until April, July is an ideal time. Of course I can do a century around here, even a self-directed one, so the other big draw of a Fifty-Plus Annual Ride is to meet other subscribers. So I second DnvrFox’s admonition to appeal to a wide group.

My impression from prior Annual Rides is that a metric century is the most popular option. In Boston this year, while a century or a metric century were available, the entire 50+ group did a 30-mile ride, and we all rode together and a had a great time. We chose a short ride partly due the fact that the City if Boston was a great attraction itself, and the visitors were all new to the City and had a limited amount of time here.

Personally for me though, other than being within a reasonable distance, the venue is less important than the Ride and the company, and just getting away to somewhere new is a draw itself. As Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.”

irwin7638

Wow, so far this is great. Jim has volunteered to host another in Boston, Retro-Grouch has suggested the Katy Trail Social, rdtompki has a selection of events to choose from and Denverfox has The Rio Grande and Glenwood Canyon Trails. That's a pretty good response for two days. Who has any more? We can put together an early list and post a poll for a month to see how many want to go where. It would be great to have one on each coast and in the middle.

Marc

rdtompki

I went to school and worked in the Boston area for 11 years and grew up on the East Coast so I understand your dilemma r.e. training. Also, I understand a 1000 mile limit; that's why I'm thinking when we have the ride on one of the coasts we should also have a ride on the other coast the same year. I don't think many would fly across the country although I would love to get back to Boston sometime.

On the West Coast Sonoma County makes a lot of sense. It's within striking distance of both Washington and Southern California, the riding is absolutely beautiful, and it's only a one hour drive to San Francisco which, I would imagine, could be very attractive to riders and non-riders alike. It can get warm depending on the time of year, but the Marin Century (and Double) a few weeks ago saw fog and perhaps drizzle along the coast. I'll set up a West Coast poll to assess interest in the various areas of the state.

Monoborracho

Summer of 2011 we took our tandem to Glenwood Springs for several days. The trail along the Colorado was closed due to the flooding but we rode the trail to Aspen and back in stages, staying in G.S. every night. I enjoyed long swims in the pool as much as I enjoyed the biking.

I could see going back to Glenwood Springs, or to Katy Trail. We've talked about doing the Katy on our tandem. From where we live in CenTX its about the same distance.

Daspydyr 

https://rtcws.rtcsnv.com/vivabikevegas/#.UgUzUZJqkhE

What could be better?

There is also a Wounded Warrior Honor Ride in November.

Yankeetowner

I'm new to the Forum, so I don't want to say much, other than this looks spectacular. There are direct flights from Orlando to Denver on Southwest, and I love Colorado, particularly the Estes Park area (we have been trying to go for a week every Summer). My wife and I could plan a trip to Estes Park hiking around this ride, if it materializes.

DnvrFox

RE: Glenwood Springs, Rio Grande Trail, Glenwood Canyon Trail

Keep in mind that I have found no previously or currently planned formal organized rides starting in Glenwood Springs. At the first annual ride, there was consternation regarding times for starting rides, etc., with the group dividing into two groups, early risers/riders and not early risers/riders. Due to it being hot, some of us liked very early start times, while others not. So, it was near impossible - in fact, it was impossible - to actually have a "ride" - although people were riding all the time, sometimes doing centuries, etc., almost daily, as we were there several days.

I point this out because, if you were to choose Glenwood Springs, I would suggest that, ahead od time, a start time and date be set for "the ride" if, indeed, a ride was needed beyond individuals or small groups of riding. There were some hurt feelings and difficulties on this issue, DESPITE ground rules being clearly posted prior to the event.

I would not be the one to organize this, and would suggest that it be more loosely organized than the first ride.

However, we did have a lot of fun, despite.

Just my humble opinion.

irwin7638

So, this is great! We have several ideas.

Jim has offered to host in Boston again. I assume the same organized ride, which I thought has the potential to be one of the great rides of the East Coast. It was held the last weekend of July, hopefully will be again.

Denver Fox has suggested a repeat of the first, wants it less organized, in Colorado along the Glenwood Trial, the dates flexible, but he has no intention to organize it.

Daspaydn threw Vegas into the mix. Yeah, Vegas, September. Desert scenery and all that Vegas stuff. Have you ever spent a week in Vegas? I did. Jaded is a mild description for the result.

rdtomki has several suggestions for a west coast get together. He has suggested a separate poll to narrow that down, but Sonoma County makes a lot of sense.

Retro Grouch is talking about the Katy Trail Social. That(by his explanation) would be July 18-20 and an ad hoc organization but the facilities are all around the trail and it is as close to smack dab in the center of the country as you get.

I will volunteer to host at the Ride Around Torch. Steve Sawyer and I rode it this year, it's one of the best organized rides I have been on, and the west coast of Michigan is one of if not the most beautiful coastlines you can experience. The area is full of yuppie cafe's, winery's, brew pubs and gift shops.

So what else is out there? Let's have a little fun! Throw something at the wall!

Marc