Strada Rossa in Redlands CA
03-05-19, 09:21 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Strada Rossa in Redlands CA
Went on my first “gravel” event this past weekend. I say gravel but because of the unrelenting rain, it was more of an extremely muddy single track event. Either way, it was absolutely epic. Me and my buddy took our inexpensive gravel/adventure bikes to it and they actually held up perfectly despite the constant rain, mud, sand, river beds and crashes. If anyone is in the SoCal area and want a challenge, the Strada Rossa is well worth it.
03-05-19, 09:37 AM
#3
Non omnino gravis
While it looks like you cut some little bits off in Highland, your Strava elevation looks really low for that route.
Rode it in 2018, didn't like the route (at all,) so had pre-decided not to pay just for the privilege of riding Seven Oaks. The sections north of 38 by the Ranger Station are just awful. Then when that rain moved in I felt particularly good about sitting it out.
I was on San Timoteo (Carriage/Cocomaricopa) the following day, and even on a nice sunny morning it was still a sludgepit. Looks like SR is taking over for the Orange Show, meaning whenever they schedule it it's gonna rain.
Rode it in 2018, didn't like the route (at all,) so had pre-decided not to pay just for the privilege of riding Seven Oaks. The sections north of 38 by the Ranger Station are just awful. Then when that rain moved in I felt particularly good about sitting it out.
I was on San Timoteo (Carriage/Cocomaricopa) the following day, and even on a nice sunny morning it was still a sludgepit. Looks like SR is taking over for the Orange Show, meaning whenever they schedule it it's gonna rain.
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03-05-19, 09:59 AM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
While it looks like you cut some little bits off in Highland, your Strava elevation looks really low for that route.
Rode it in 2018, didn't like the route (at all,) so had pre-decided not to pay just for the privilege of riding Seven Oaks. The sections north of 38 by the Ranger Station are just awful. Then when that rain moved in I felt particularly good about sitting it out.
I was on San Timoteo (Carriage/Cocomaricopa) the following day, and even on a nice sunny morning it was still a sludgepit. Looks like SR is taking over for the Orange Show, meaning whenever they schedule it it's gonna rain.
Rode it in 2018, didn't like the route (at all,) so had pre-decided not to pay just for the privilege of riding Seven Oaks. The sections north of 38 by the Ranger Station are just awful. Then when that rain moved in I felt particularly good about sitting it out.
I was on San Timoteo (Carriage/Cocomaricopa) the following day, and even on a nice sunny morning it was still a sludgepit. Looks like SR is taking over for the Orange Show, meaning whenever they schedule it it's gonna rain.
It was definitely miserable and I hated it pretty much every mile after the first 5 or so. I think that’s why I am looking at positively in hindsight because it was such a slog but I did it. If given the choice to do it again in the same conditions, I don’t think l would.
I heard people say that it was much better the previous years because it was dry but there sure was a LOT of singletrack.
03-05-19, 10:17 AM
#5
Non omnino gravis
That's my main problem with the route, at least for the 60+ mile: much of it clearly intended for full-on MTBs, and many of the segments feel like they're in the dirt simply because of the fact that there's dirt there. I've covered pretty much all of the SR routes, and some of the parts I'm content to do just once. It's too steep and too loose for a CX/gravel bike. It's supposed to be an "adventure ride" but what it ends up being is an MTB ride with some paved bits.
This year bypassed Hulda Crooks and barely touched Mentone Beach, which have some of the best riding-- but not nearly-vertical singletrack, so it doesn't appeal to the guys who lay out the course. The 90-miler ended up over 10,000ft of vertical, and much of it is climbing purely for the sake of climbing. I don't weigh 140lbs, and I don't ride a hardtail MTB, so I don't actively seek out routes full of blown-out sandpits and 15% grades.
The irony of this year's course is that the only part I wish I could have ridden was Seven Oaks Dam... which is paved.
This year bypassed Hulda Crooks and barely touched Mentone Beach, which have some of the best riding-- but not nearly-vertical singletrack, so it doesn't appeal to the guys who lay out the course. The 90-miler ended up over 10,000ft of vertical, and much of it is climbing purely for the sake of climbing. I don't weigh 140lbs, and I don't ride a hardtail MTB, so I don't actively seek out routes full of blown-out sandpits and 15% grades.
The irony of this year's course is that the only part I wish I could have ridden was Seven Oaks Dam... which is paved.
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03-05-19, 10:27 AM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought the same. I am a total noob to the gravel thing and because “gravel” seems to be such a wide spectrum I was thinking this course was just normal. There were a few sections that were kind of like fire roads and it was really pleasant but the majority of it made me wish had had at least double my tire size.
03-05-19, 10:38 AM
#7
Non omnino gravis
Yep. There are some great sections up above Greenspot (just south of the Dam) that can be handled on file-tread 35s (which is what I run as an everyday tire) and Mentone Beach is always great. Even some of the stuff near Zanja Peak is nice, and I'm on the San Timoteo trails probably once a week-- nice hardpack is fun. Squishy sandpits and staircase-steep singletrack I don't need.
I do wish SoCal had at least a little gravel. Wherever the county put down rock, they seem to be egg-sized or larger. It's brutal. And we don't have dirt so much as "clay with varying amounts of sand in it, ranging from 100% clay to 100% sand."
If you're ever out this way again (I don't know where you're coming from) feel free to hit me up. I can show you some more sane, reasonable "adventure" routes in the IE.
I do wish SoCal had at least a little gravel. Wherever the county put down rock, they seem to be egg-sized or larger. It's brutal. And we don't have dirt so much as "clay with varying amounts of sand in it, ranging from 100% clay to 100% sand."
If you're ever out this way again (I don't know where you're coming from) feel free to hit me up. I can show you some more sane, reasonable "adventure" routes in the IE.
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03-13-19, 04:41 PM
#8
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Great ride. This year was my third. I completed the 60 route two years ago on a regular road bike with 30s. I rode speedplay road pedals and shoes that year and quickly learned that I took a knife to to a gun fight. Last year got lost several times attempting to complete the 90mi route and called it quits after 75 miles. This year we registered for the 90mi route but ended up doing the 60. Weather make it tough, but fun. Will definitely do it again. 700x40 WTB Nanos seem to be a perfect tire for SR last two years.
