Anyone doing the Ride Around the Bear on Saturday?
06-03-08, 12:00 AM
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Anyone doing the Ride Around the Bear on Saturday?
I've been doing lots of hill training, and lost 20 pounds - looking to improve dramatically this year. Anyone else?
06-03-08, 07:27 AM
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I am doing it. Last year We did it on a tandem. This year I will be on my single. We are leaving Sylvan park at 7am. We are hoping to do it in 6 hours..
06-03-08, 07:32 AM
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My best was 7:40 (7:05 ride time).
Last edited by Mr. Beanz; 06-03-08 at 07:36 AM.
06-03-08, 07:55 AM
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Rob is doing it. 
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06-03-08, 08:18 AM
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I'm riding The Bear; this will be my 10th. My best time ever was 6:59:13 and I doubt I'll come close to that this year!
Still, it's a great ride, and we will have a good number of Rebels out there. Even my wife (Jackie) is riding it this year, along with her friend (The Action Figure) Roseanne, plus Linda and Arthur, Maria, Jimmy, Andrew, probably Keith too, so it should be a good time!
Rick / OCRR
Still, it's a great ride, and we will have a good number of Rebels out there. Even my wife (Jackie) is riding it this year, along with her friend (The Action Figure) Roseanne, plus Linda and Arthur, Maria, Jimmy, Andrew, probably Keith too, so it should be a good time!
Rick / OCRR
06-03-08, 08:19 AM
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06-03-08, 10:47 AM
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It's ALL base...
I'm in. I guess I didn't get enough with Breathless Agony.
I'm starting as early as I can, depending when I get my butt out the door. I'm hoping to finish.
See you all out there!
I'm starting as early as I can, depending when I get my butt out the door. I'm hoping to finish.
See you all out there!
06-03-08, 11:43 AM
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I've dont the Bear 3 times and BA once. I'd say the Bear is a much more enjoyable ride IMO. I hated Jack Rabbit Trail and a few others out there. The Bear is more mtn scenery most of the way up.
06-03-08, 12:43 PM
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The Bear is a pleasure cruise compared to Breathless Agony
. Honestly, no Jack Rabbit Trail like stuff, and the climb to Onyx is WAY easier from The Bear side. No, really . . . it is! Plus, nothing as steep as Oak Glenn. Add it all up, shake throughly, . . . The Bear comes out way easier! I know, the support and org. on Breathless Agony was excellent, but the OCW support on The Bear is every bit as good. Try The Bear, you'll like it!
Rick / OCRR
06-03-08, 01:29 PM
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Oh man!
That's this weekend?
What's up with always missing this and Breathless Agony?
It's been something like 3 years since I did Ride Around the Bear, 'cause something always seems to come up.
Although at least this weekend it's fun. Got a last-minute call from a SAR teammate last Friday morning, that they were short people for an intermediate rope rescue class, and could I come. So I bailed on work and went to that. We did all the classroom stuff last Fri. - Sun. This Thurs. - Sun. we'll be in the field rigging haul systems and dragging a litter up, down and across various nearby cliffs and canyons.
If it wasn't that it'd be a mtn. bike race in Santa Barbara, so I guess the bear just wasn't in the cards for me, again, this year.
That's this weekend?
What's up with always missing this and Breathless Agony?
It's been something like 3 years since I did Ride Around the Bear, 'cause something always seems to come up.
Although at least this weekend it's fun. Got a last-minute call from a SAR teammate last Friday morning, that they were short people for an intermediate rope rescue class, and could I come. So I bailed on work and went to that. We did all the classroom stuff last Fri. - Sun. This Thurs. - Sun. we'll be in the field rigging haul systems and dragging a litter up, down and across various nearby cliffs and canyons.
If it wasn't that it'd be a mtn. bike race in Santa Barbara, so I guess the bear just wasn't in the cards for me, again, this year.
06-03-08, 06:58 PM
#13
It's ALL base...
It's funny, I actually *liked* Jack Rabbit Trail for some reason. The climb wasn't that steep, and it was definitely a different kind of riding.
Rick, great description! I'm looking forward to the ride more now, knowing it's not quite the slog that BA was. I'm still leaving at the crack of dawn, though...
Rick, great description! I'm looking forward to the ride more now, knowing it's not quite the slog that BA was. I'm still leaving at the crack of dawn, though...
06-04-08, 08:01 AM
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My fear on JRT was taking out a tire. Too many sharp rocks and other bits that used to be pavement. But yeah, the climb was easy, and the scenery was totally excellent (once I looked up from the trail . . . occasionally).
Overall, JRT just constributes to BA's personality, and BA is definitely more varied in that regard than The Bear. So I like them both; just as much, but differently.
Rick / OCRR
06-04-08, 09:11 AM
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Yeah Beanz,
Just get over it! Actually, it wouldn't be so bad if it ever ended. That's the worst thing for me. It's like you're on it FOREVER, and you look up, and it still goes on, apparently FOREVER. Same grade, same pavement, same scenery, same, same, same, FOREVER.
Other than that, it's not so bad. Looking on the bright side, when you do FINALLY make that turn at the Forest Falls junction, it's time to celebrate, Whoo Hooo! I love that part 
.
So Beanz, do you agree that The Bear is lots easier than BA?
Rick / OCRR
Just get over it! Actually, it wouldn't be so bad if it ever ended. That's the worst thing for me. It's like you're on it FOREVER, and you look up, and it still goes on, apparently FOREVER. Same grade, same pavement, same scenery, same, same, same, FOREVER.
Other than that, it's not so bad
. Looking on the bright side, when you do FINALLY make that turn at the Forest Falls junction, it's time to celebrate, Whoo Hooo! I love that part .So Beanz, do you agree that The Bear is lots easier than BA?
Rick / OCRR
06-04-08, 10:11 AM
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Why does everyone keep referring to the climb up Hwy. 38 as "Damnation Alley"? I've never heard it called that anywhere else, by anyone, cyclist or otherwise.
Who calls that stretch of road "Damnation Alley" anyway? Is that something that's on the BA route-sheet?
Who calls that stretch of road "Damnation Alley" anyway? Is that something that's on the BA route-sheet?
06-04-08, 10:21 AM
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Ever since I've ridden that area I've heard it called that. Don't know why, or who first started calling it that. The name sure fits though! It might be on the route sheet that way; not sure . . .
Rick / OCRR
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06-04-08, 11:28 AM
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I can't say that cause I was in much better shape when I did the Bear. 20lbs lighter and more mtn training. I only did 4 or 5 mtn rides before I did BA, not enough! Before the Bear I was doing GMR once a week, sometimes twice (repeats up to the shack during the week). I was able to push myself the Bear and BA was more about survival. I'll have to get back into shape before I could tell you! The first mile of BA I knew I was going to have a tough ride
06-04-08, 11:33 AM
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Gina drove support for us that day. Refilled my bottles at the beginning of the road. About 4 miles later I was totally empty!
Now FFalls, that was the toughest climb I've ever done. 20 or 22% according to the others' GPS's on my standard double (39/25). If I ever go back there, I'm taking a triple!
...With Gina on the side of the road asking how I was feeling?....I was struggling too much to take my hands off the bars for 'The Bird'
Who are these guys?
...April 2004 
Last edited by Mr. Beanz; 06-04-08 at 11:55 AM.
06-04-08, 02:47 PM
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Yeah Beanz!
That was April 2004? Time sure goes quickly when you're havin' fun! I was a lot fatter back then! Is that Jon (whitecarbodude) in the middle? Looks like him, but I'm not sure.
Rick / OCRR
That was April 2004? Time sure goes quickly when you're havin' fun! I was a lot fatter back then! Is that Jon (whitecarbodude) in the middle? Looks like him, but I'm not sure.
Rick / OCRR
06-04-08, 09:57 PM
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Must be my monitor, but the color on that photo looks kinda funny to me. Also, I'm the only one not hanging onto my handlebars. No wonder my front wheel looks floppy!
Yeah Web007. I remember him now. Whatever happned to him? And Semper Fi? And bigkahuna? Do these people just drop out of cycling, off of the internet, or maybe just change their screen names and they're still with us. The mysteries of cyber-space . . .
Rick / OCRR
Yeah Web007. I remember him now. Whatever happned to him? And Semper Fi? And bigkahuna? Do these people just drop out of cycling, off of the internet, or maybe just change their screen names and they're still with us. The mysteries of cyber-space . . .
Rick / OCRR
06-04-08, 10:27 PM
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Must be my monitor, but the color on that photo looks kinda funny to me. Also, I'm the only one not hanging onto my handlebars. No wonder my front wheel looks floppy!
Yeah Web007. I remember him now. Whatever happned to him? And Semper Fi? And bigkahuna? Do these people just drop out of cycling, off of the internet, or maybe just change their screen names and they're still with us. The mysteries of cyber-space . . .
Rick / OCRR
Yeah Web007. I remember him now. Whatever happned to him? And Semper Fi? And bigkahuna? Do these people just drop out of cycling, off of the internet, or maybe just change their screen names and they're still with us. The mysteries of cyber-space . . .
Rick / OCRR
..Bigkahuna hasn't ridden much. Busy with new job and kids in sports. Semperfi dropped off the boards but I heard from Uncle Leo that he still rides the OakGlen area. I really like riding with him, great and experienced riding partner!
And the cheesy pic is cause I took a pic from a paper I had printed off the forums back then. Didn't have my own camera yet!
