iab

WHAT: Open invitation to a ride for anyone who reads this post, and their friends. Riding your vintage bike is highly encouraged but all bikes and riders are welcome.

Please note, this ride will be divided into A and B groups. This is a no drop ride but there is no SAG support.

WHEN: Saturday, April 25, 2009. Start times are as follows;
Loop 1 – meet at 8:00, start ride at 8:30 am.
Loop 2, A riders – meet at 10:30, start ride at 11:00 am.
Loop2, B riders – meet at 11:00, start ride at 11:30 am.

WHERE: Crystal Lake Main Beach parking lot

Map to Main Beach https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...h&z=16&iwloc=A

FORMAT: This ride will have two groups, an A and B.

All will start Loop 1 at 8:30 am. They will ride a 50 km route ending back at the starting point. The faster A group will start Loop 2 at 11:00 am. They will ride a 50 km route ending back at the starting point. The B group will start Loop 2 at 11:30 am. The hills are quite steep, 39/27 gearing is recommended.

Cue sheets and maps https://www.h3odesign.com/Cue_Sheets1.pdf

No-Drop rule for both legs (could effect start times but probably won’t – just be flexible). Faster riders will be allowed to ride at their own speed, but a sweep rider will be available for slower riders.

Only moral support is provided. You must provide your own fluid/food for the ride. There are optional stops on both legs. The idea is that you bring your own and leave it in your car. Each time we return to the car you will then stock up for the next 50 km ride.

Cue-sheets and maps will be provided. No road markings, but some of us know the route pretty well.

Currently we have no mechanical SAG support. If someone could bring a spouse or friend to help fill that role – it would be great!

WHY: This is meant as a social ride. It is an opportunity for Bike Forums members, friends and acquaintances to get together and meet, and ride together in a group. It is also meant as an opportunity for riders to challenge themselves in a “safe environment”. If you have never ridden a Metric before you will be surrounded by a lot of riders that have that can lend you support.

Feel free to bring non-BF riders as well, but remember this is not an “organized event”. This is simply a large group ride.

My apologies to our northern friends, as you can see this ride will be south of the cheddar curtain this year. I am trying to limit my car miles this year so I'm keeping it close to home. As a concession, and if there is enough interest, I have the best brat cooking skills south of the border. I will be happy to host a brats and beer soiree after the ride. I am just that classy.

The route is a bit different from the 1st annual spring classic. The first loop avoids the high traffic sections and the second loop has you do the Bull Valley hills coming and going.

laryanshabaz

NOOOOO! NFL DRAFT. I can't do the ride in Madison 4/25 either.

Hate this.

timmyquest

I have no excuse this year...

My roads

Severian

Considering I will be gearing up for some changes in my shop around that time. I will have to bow out.

timmyquest

iab i've got a mailing list of local riders, nice guys...i'll send the info out...

Loop 2 goes right by my house...

Psimet2001 

I believe I am in. Does not appear to be any scheduling conflicts.

CyLowe97

I'm in. Pending work issues, but I'm not talking about that here.
Are you on the clock? Are you the GM for the Lions? (yeah, I know, you could make better picks than that bum Millen did.... so could my four year old)

Forget that junk! NFL Network will be talking about it 24/7 for the following three months. I think you'll be able to catch up on what you missed!

Get down to Crystal Lake!

RJBTrek

Sounds fun. Now I have to decide since the Flatlandia Road Race, Leland IL., is the same day.

timmyquest

This is a boring draft anyways.

Jose Perez

See you kids there. I will actually have a "classic" bike to ride this time around now that I'm rocking a 20 y.o. Serotta, albeit with modern equipment.

aham23

i was wondering if this was going down this year. now i know. later.

jbernaeyge

im planning on attending this one

ColorChange

I'm in.

JT1

My bike is very modern, however I might be old enough to be considered vintage

mridan

I plan on attending

timmyquest

Drats. I was pondering the idea of getting to Iowa City this year to do their Crit.
https://www.oldcapcrit.com/

I may still, the crit is on Sunday...would probably only do one loop in that case though.

sekaijin

This was a great ride in New Glarus last year ... I won't make it to this one in Crystal Lake, but have a great ride.

This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that last year, I got myself and others lost on Loop 1, and bonked out of the A group on Loop 2.

aham23

now that i know, i checked with the schedule and the tower; things look good for me and this. cool. later.

Kimbercop

I have zero miles on my legs so far this year, but what the heck, I'm always the slowest anyway. I'll check with the boss, but things look good.

timmyquest

Best get crack-a-lack'n

iab

Excellent to hear. I will probably ride modern, with a classic twist. Rumor has it my frame is at the distributor's. I give it a 60/40 it will be ready by the ride.

iab

No worries, I like a riding partner.

iab

TQ, how are the roads around Wonder Lake? I haven't seen them is a while.

timmyquest

I could probably give you a turn by turn analyze

Quickly glancing at the map though...

Dole all the way through allendale is fine as far as i know. Those of you who have never ridden down Valley Hill road need to be made aware that 1.) It's super steep--you'll see this on your own--but there is a spring under that hill and throughout the entire season the road is rather wet at its steepest part

Queen Anne is fine until you cross 120, this is a pretty ugly stretch including almost all of bull valley road. It gets much better after Fleming up until the (huge) climb just prior to valley hill again. In fact, i've never seen it (the hill) so bad. It's ride-able but it makes the climb feel a lot harder than it already is. Country club might be a bit hairy for some riders. Not a huge shoulder, and a bit of traffic going 45-55mph. A safer route may Cherry Valley--hardly any traffic.

Kimbercop

Didn't we do that last year?