Lascauxcaveman 

If you were there, prove it with the pixels. I saw a lot of riders taking lots of pix... don't be shy

Lascauxcaveman 

Lining up at the start, parking lot of Kila School, Kila, MT. Many, many Cino jerseys from this year and previous years.


And we're off!

scozim 

I'm so looking forward to more photos - been three years since I rode this epic ride.

iab

First and foremost, what a great bunch people. I love these events precisely for this reason. Sure, the food was great, the ride was epic, but the people are truly awesome.

But right now I'm pretty beat. I'll get to pictures later this week.

Thanks to everyone who made me welcome!

iab

On a side note, northbend is now on my list.

So I'm thinking I am pretty hot snot going up a 5-mile rough gravel climb with some fairly steep sections on a 42/24 and here comes northbend blowing by me like I'm not moving on a 45/24. And he is nearly a decade older than me.

I suck.

Lascauxcaveman 

Can't remember if I passed you on that hill, but I had a much more favorable 42/36 climbing gear

Pls pm me with your address so I can send you back your inflator - thx for bailing me out of a jam, didn't see you at the Kila pub after the ride, so I couldn't give it back to you at that time. It was great meeting you and that crazy cool bike of yours:



I'm sure someone took much better pix of that thing; not too many wooden rims being run this year, just you and northbend, I think.

Lascauxcaveman 

That beautiful waterfall at the lunch stop on Day 1



I call this one "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe sans naked girl"

(L to R: Dave aka "djkashuba," Tim, Philip, Matt aka "northbend")
One enterprising cyclist remembered to bring his flycasting rod along, to do some fishing in the pool below the falls. One of those little unexpected things that makes Cino what it is.

Lascauxcaveman 

Lunch, clockwise from top left: Smoked salmon cheesecake, prosciutto, sugared-freaking-bacon* (!!!), Mediterranean olives, crisp yellow peppers, artichoke tapenade. This is just a tiny sampling of what was spread out for our dining pleasures. If you're wondering where your $130 Cino registration fee goes - you're lookin' at it.

*It's like sort of a bacon jerky, with a heavy, sweet, gooey coating. Mouthgasm!





________

Oh, yeah, and after lunch there was some people riding around on bikes or something. Whatever. Yada yada yada.

@Wildwood indicating he is still up on two wheels and moving.



@northbend showing me his taillights and rapidly disappearing off over the horizon.

Wildwood 

Ms Mystery Little Black Sparkly Dress in low heels, isn't in perfect focus because it was a quick shot, had nothing to do with an old codger getting shaky at the thought of a tailgate session. HaHaHa, just kidding! .... Really! Besides, couldn't catch.



Braxton?


And YES - Tim wore his standard kit for a full sun, 65 mile ride, (40+ on gravel & rock & sand) = collared short sleeve shirt & tan shorts.

Wildwood 

The major beauty of this ride for me = that you get to spend as much time riding alone (almost deserted if you choose), then join other riders,, or not. Approx 150 riders, could have been doubled and the same would likely be true. Especially the first day.


Those 'false flats' sure were steep.
I couldn't stop giving a thumbs up = all day long.
Hanging with a friend and a beer - wait, isn't that a beero??? Cino is supposed to be about beer, not new-fangled energy drinks or gensing tea????

Wildwood 

Time to change the list.
My excuse is that I'm up on him a few years.

Wildwood 

oh, and for those wondering, the 4X8" piece of paper hanging off the saddle = new to Cino this year.
The 'Cino Rider of Fame' acknowledgement, several of us were singled out.

mikemowbz

Great pics!

Nice country. Much like the country a bit north of there, with which I'm more familiar.

Topography a little more varied than the parts of Montana that remind me of home (from Great Falls east, the open prairie is much like my home province of Saskatchewan...it just flows into the horizon without any of those pesky climbs).

Some amazing bikes - that 'Braxton' pictured with the integrated(?) and painted-to-match rack is awesome, as are members' bike...though I've probably commented on most of those in their own separate threads before.

mountaindave 

I'd have to say that @northbend's Hobbs was the most amazing bike on the ride this year, he was duly called out on it. And for the recond, I can verify that northbend is an animal on the bike, he chews gravel for breakfast and spits out sand!

We had a great pre-event event, it gets bigger every year. It's such a pleasure to meet fellow members face to face.

Some photos:

I recently looked on a map and discovered that the final, nasty descent into the Nirada area is from Sullivan Hill. That road cut is where you start, switch back on a nasty turn, then avoid rocks the size of your fist (yes, those rocks in the foreground are really that big).



My wife (also pictured above) and our friend just leaving the lunch stop:



I don't seem to have many Day 1 photos. This is the top of Brown's Meadow pass after the 5-mile climbing portion of 9 Mile Hill. Left to right: @northbend's derriere and his stunning Hobbs, my wife high-fiving Chris (one of the organizers who rode Day 1), random lady, volunteer bike mechanic (the ride wouldn't happen for many without guys like this!), our friend Laurell. Behind the mechanic you can see Ron (another organizer and LBS owner) drinking a soda (or "pop" as we like to call it) - he rode a spectacular Cinelli on Day 2.


I managed to get a number of BF members together, missing @rccardr, @Choke. Left to right (help me fill in handles!):

Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave, and Dave. Not really, but there were a lot of Daves!
@djkashuba, @etherhuffer, Chris, @Lascauxcaveman, @Wildwood, yours truly, @northbend, Byron, @iab



Somebody had made this sign at Brown's Meadow Pass for us on Day 2:



I've discovered that Cino has become a yearly pilgrimage for me, not to a place, but to a state of mind, brought on by the experience created by the people who come along for the ride. It would not be the same without the friends I meet, new and old... and a pinch of exquisite suffering.

Oh, and first time in my five Cinos without a single flat - hooray for 34mm tubulars!!!

etherhuffer 

Good to see you again Dave, even if you were incognito at breakfast! Ha! I swear to god you looked like a different person Sunday AM......
I took a roll of black and white film. Now to develop it and scan the negatives. Should be fun

Lascauxcaveman 

I can see that, absolutely. I was finding myself giddy at times at how a bunch of strangers (some more strange than others) can just come together like this and say "Let's go do this crazy thing." This is well above and beyond simple bike-geeking; it's admiring some guy's (or girl's) bike, kit, and attitude as they pass you at speed going down some skittery breakneck slope. It's the applause you hear from the gathered crowd when you're one of the last ones up The Hill on Day 2. And I must say you and Mrs Mountaindave are about the best ambassadors for C&V, for Cino, and for Montana one could hope to meet.

Really looking forward to doing this again someday.

For now, more pix:

Somebody's hot looking Stella, basking in the sun at Day 1 lunch:


I noticed the wild black Berrys were looking kind of dusty along the mountainous route. I'd pick one if I could


Superbly patinaed and original Legnano Grand Premio (my grail!) casually leaning up against an equally stunning Pogliaghli because all the space along the hedgerow at Alameda's was taken up by other cool vintage bikes and it was getting mighty crowded in there!

Choke 

This was my third time attending Cino. I thought the roads were in pretty decent shape, certainly better than last year – though I heard others say exactly the opposite. For whatever reason I had no climbing legs this year so even though I had lower gearing than last year I suffered much more any time the road turned upwards. It was great to see old friends and to make some new ones…..this is definitely my favorite ride of the year.


Before the start….



Fresh cooked bacon at the first rest stop…






Lunch on Saturday was at the same place as last year….a spectacular waterfall on private property.








Even some of the support vehicles are vintage.






At a rest stop…

Choke 

Sunday’s lunch stop, just a bit before “9 Mile Hill”…



Matt’s (@northbend) 1937 Hobbs



4 speed freewheel

Choke 

It was nice to see you again Dave. I'm sorry I missed out meeting some of the others.

Edited to add: You're missing Doc in the pic as well @rccardr

mountaindave 

Ack! You're right!

gugie 

Welcome to the club. He showed up for a full gravel grind ride, forestry roads from Portlandia to Tillamook a couple of months ago. He had the skinniest tires of anyone there, practially O-rings in comparison, and left us all in the dust, both uphill and downhill.

northbend 

The very familiar feeling of elation and sadness that sets in after Cino is over has begun. It’s good to be home but a part of me is still wishing I was riding the hills in Montana with the Cinoriders.

Until next year, there’s only photos and memories. Photos were fewer this year for me (I took none on Sunday), I found myself just relishing the moments more as they happened. I am glad others were snapping pictures as well..

This was the second time my son, Philip, has accompanied me to Cino and there is no greater joy than sharing a common passion with him.

Me n my Boy by NBend, on Flickr

He drove up from Colorado bringing along his Mercian Olympic. I drove in from Washington State bringing the Hobbs. We had a great time riding together and catching up on all he’s been doing. He’s hopefully in his last year of Graduate School and then he can get his PhD and move on with life. I get tired just hearing how busy he has been! Somehow, in spite of not having ridden much this year he rode very well.

Caveman, I passed the Peanut on I90 on the way over to Montana!

Pass the peanuts by NBend, on Flickr

Friday dinner, graciously hosted by Dawn and @mountaindave. Matt (the guy who filmed the beautiful Cino video from last year), rccadr (Doc) and wildwood (Stu) go in for seconds.

Dinner at Dave n Dawn's by NBend, on Flickr


Laurell’s sweet puppy was very attentive, making sure no food scraps were left on the ground

Laurell's dinner is closely watched by NBend, on Flickr

I got a call from my son Philip when he finally arrived at the Hotel in Hot Springs so Dawn set me up with a plate of food for him and I left the dinner party early to bring it to him…

rccardr 

So...finally home, showered, slept a BUNCH after all those early mornings, steep hills and long flights. All I can say is- what an experience! Echoing everything said above about the people, the vibe, the supporters, the food, all just very different from any other ride I've ever done. As were the roads. Haven't ridden many long days on gravel, and there's definitely more to it than fatter tires and bigger cogs. Let's just say it will take a few days for all of my innards to settle back in place.


So great to meet the BF crowd who attended, pretty sure I chatted with, drank with, ate with, or rode with pretty much all of them. Also met some darn nice locals and semi-locals from southern Canada who came down for the ride. Many thanks to Dave and his wife Dawn and their friends for putting on an excellent Friday night get together.


I was told in advance that at some point during the weekend, something would happen that was uniquely 'Cino'. Here's mine: About 19 miles in on the first day- that's about three miles downhill from the Bacon & Bourbon Lady- I had a flat caused by a sidewall cut. Not a huge deal, as I had four (count 'em!) spare tubes with me. Every rider who went by asked if I was OK< needed anything, etc. The Gravel King came off easily (a surprise, as they were a b***ch to mount) and one of the traveling support mechanics stopped to give me a boot for the tire and the use of his floor pump. After everything was done, saddle bag was repacked, and I was about to re-enter the trail, a very lovely young lady stopped and asked if I was OK. I told her the flat had been repaired, and she asked again if I had everything I needed. I reassured her that everything was good. She paused a moment, looked me in the eye, and said "Well, I have whiskey."
Yeah, that was my Cino Moment.


Couple of observations:
No Rivendell bikes to be seen, at least none that I came across. Surprising, given that this kind of ride is so much like what Riv shows on their website, and their bikes should be ideal for it. Plus they're listed as a sponsor on the Cino Rider website. So that was kind of weird.


By my count, the largest manufacturer present was Nishiki, followed by Miyata. Could be that there was a local distributor of those two brands and there are a lot of them in the area, or maybe over time people have learned that they take a big tire and ride well on gravel. Regardless, there were a lot of them. Bunch of Peugeots, too. And one Grandis:

The food was amazing. Best food EVER on an organized ride of this size, and in a gorgeous shady setting with a waterfall close by:





Nine Mile Hill is really steep. Even with some pretty tall gearing, it was a real challenge:




Anyway, a great time was had by all. Here's a link to a slideshow of pics from both days of the ride, including many of the simply astounding Montana landscape:
Cino Heroica 2016 Slideshow by rccardr | Photobucket

northbend 

We’re up early the next morning. The sky, putting on a show as we pack the car for the drive up to the starting line in Kila.

The sky is afire as we get ready to drive to the starting line by NBend, on Flickr

Sunrise over Flathead lake

Sunrise over Flathead Lake by NBend, on Flickr

We’re some of the last to arrive in Kila, we get checked in and queue up next to @iab (Dave) for Reed’s customary pre-ride sermon

Dave n his bike by NBend, on Flickr

We finally set out, sometime after 9am. The first few miles are on pavement

The start by NBend, on Flickr

Montana flower girl

The flower girl by NBend, on Flickr
@Choke (Scott)

Scott by NBend, on Flickr

My boy, Philip

Philip by NBend, on Flickr

Caveman’s (Tim) first Cino

Tim by NBend, on Flickr
@iab first as well. His bike was similar to mine, a few years older. Cool bike

Dave by NBend, on Flickr

northbend 

The riders stretch out as we hit gravel

Browns meadow road by NBend, on Flickr

Solitude sets in as the hill pitches upward. Philip and I stay together, riding an easy pace taking it all in. Cino Heroica is a gem of a ride with many facets. We round a corner by the top of the hill the solitude is broken. riders are bunched around the famous “Bacon Lady”.

You can barter with the Bacon Lady for Bacon or, new this year, answer a trivia question for a shot of Whiskey!

New this year: Trivia for whisky shots by NBend, on Flickr

After a shot, it’s back on the bike. The solitude returns

The ridgeline after the big climb by NBend, on Flickr

Philip flats and we stop to make repairs

Philip Phlats by NBend, on Flickr


We get to the lunch stop (Pranza) and pick a spot next to Tim and @djkashuba (Dave)

I join Dave n Tim for lunch by NBend, on Flickr

Our backdrop at Pranza by NBend, on Flickr

Gourmet food, wine and 150 of your closest new friends

Pranza by NBend, on Flickr

Cino has a way of attracting great people.
Fun, generous, interesting, unassuming and adventurous. Folks who are easy to be with.

Good food, even better company by NBend, on Flickr

We linger long at Pranza. I watch my intake of wine this year :-) we still have some challenges ahead.

We get ready to ride on, Dave goes thru his preflight checklist

Dave n his bike by NBend, on Flickr

Doc is geared up

Doc n his bike by NBend, on Flickr