davester

Had a 20 mile Eroica pre-ride with the BF gang and friends this morning. A good time was had by all. I didn’t get any great pix but here are a few shots…

mech986 

I spoke to Amadeo (Italian representative responsible for all non-Italy Eroica events, traveling over 200 days/year) and a few others helping. It’s been difficult to get a lot of on-the-ground help with organization and physical tasks.

I didn’t attend the pre-race dinner (catered by Linn’s) and missed signing up for the VIP, special guests, and limited to 100 lucky signups evening ride and dinner on Friday at Linn’s Farm added this week, this one fully covered by Aaron Linn and staff. I heard that the Scalatore route was either cancelled or not going to be available but I don’t know the reasons. In the past Kiler Canyon climb (part of which is on private property?) was muddy (no rain this year), freshly graded so very soft dirt, or there could have been issue with access to the private parts of the course at the last minute, don’t know. Maybe explains part of the shortened (speculation) long course, don’t know, I didn’t study the long course in detail.

No cue sheet so I’m relying on the 2019 course cue sheet and route mostly but I will look for all signage. Amadeo himself had to go out Friday, Saturday morning, and Saturday evening himself to place and double check the directional course markers because of strong winds through this weekend causing problems with them. Happens.

A lot of people putting in a lot of work but the event needs much more volunteer support. I know a lot riders and family members were helping out too.

I know Cayucos food support is by a local restaurant (Sea Shanty?) so hope it’s good, plus the stop at Halter Ranch, plus there should be water stops at Santa Rosa summit and Cypress Summit. Of Course, the long ride gets the stops at Olea Farms and Cass Winery. Don’t know anything about the stop in Templeton.

Kudos to Wally’s Bike Shop in SLO, he and his crew were working on bikes all through Friday and Saturday, sure make one wonder why the bikes weren’t already prepared well enough but I suppose mechanicals happen before and on the course. I believe there will be mechanical support at Halter and likely Cass, maybe an early one at Cayucos and it will move as the groups move? Wally will ride shotgun in his vintage mustang and I believe a SAG wagon will sweep the routes.

Of course, riders will be helping riders too. I have reduced expectations because I know how hard it is to put on events like this so I’m gonna stay grateful for what we do get and try not to be too critical but constructive for today and the future​​​​. I’m gonna be fairly self sufficient on fluids and food but stick up when possible. And have a fun, if suffering, day out in the cool, then warm Central Coast area of California. Beats lying on the couch any day.

mech986 

Ready.


Entry numbers and route stamp card

Columbus wool jersey from Kucharik ready to go.

72 Italvega Super Special #180

rccardr 

At dawn…we ride!

Brad L 

The competition in the Concours was amazing and, while I didn’t place in the non-restored category, they gave the Best Italian bike award for my 1972 Legnano. This makes the 1750 mile drive worth it.

bibliobob

That's a really solid beauty, Brad! Everyone really loved the silkscreen logo on the down tube, the gold lining, etc. A really great, representative example of a classic Italian gem...

Kabuki12

We had a great ride to the lighthouse. The food was a bit better than 2019 and seemed to be well stocked. The wind after San Simeon was cold and relentless, but we didn’t have far to ride so it was ok. Rich, Craig , Bob, and Rob were wonderful riding buddies and we shared wonderful miles up the pristine coastline. After the chill of the wind cut through our skin it was time for our tailwind blast back down the coast. A stop to visit the Elephant Seals that were lounging in the sandy cove just south of the light house , until, once again, the wind chilled us. Back on the bikes, we headed to Cambria where we were welcomed with the cowbell and a generous helping of Lin’s awesome pasta and bread. More socializing while we ate and meeting new friends. I felt honored to meet and chat with Ted Ernst and a few of the CR list folks who have been on line friends as well as numerous BF buddies. The organizing was ….well? The event was great and the people just fantastic, the bikes were amazing.

Rich and I getting ready for the start.
It seemed a bit disorganized at the start. We needed Wes to rally everyone together but it came together eventually.

nlerner

@gaucho777 at the top of Cypress Mtn Road:

Spaghetti Legs 

Here are a few pics from today. Weld planned on the 82 mile route but for unexplained reasons it was cancelled so we did 72. Still a good time, good people, cool bikes.



First parts of Santa Rita climb

Selection of refreshments at top of Santa Rita

Halter Ranch stop.

Top of Cypress. Wally (pictured on right) of Wally’s Bike Shop in San Luis Obispo came and supplied cold Cokes and Sprites which were a life saver.

Gaucho 777 was riding so fast his bib # came loose and was shredded like an old flag.

Spaghetti Legs 

Congrats Brad! Gugie and I admired your bike as we were leaving onto Main St on Saturday, not realizing we were in the presence of officially recognized greatness.

Kabuki12

A nice stop to visit the Elephant Seals on the way back to Cambria. It was very windy and cold.

bibliobob

Was really great riding with you guys and shooting the bull on the ride back in... Hope to see you all back out at another event....

As the Concours was setting up.... More photos here
Concours photos...

Andy_K 

I'm pretty sure I saw the Somec. Unless it was another Some in that color and that condition, but that seems unlikely.

Drillium Dude 

Is that as steep as it looks? If so, I'd imagine a 10-mile reduction in the overall mileage might feel like a godsend to some at the end of the day

DD

Classtime 

My long ride was made with 3 wrong turns, 18 extra miles, and 2000 extra ft of climbing. Heroes don’t call mom so I carried on. I really dig riding with classic bikes on a challenging ride. Many standard drive trains on the long route. One first timer with a 21 big cog who said next time it he will have a 45🙂

On the Saturday ride, lots of nice folks to ride with but their bikes are boring.

Spaghetti Legs 

I don’t remember but I doubt it or I wouldn’t have been taking pictures. The climb I general I remembered as the easy one but was more challenging than I recalled. I did not have “good sensations” as they say, today, so wasn’t super disappointed in the alteration.

Neil Calder

I am still laughing about the lady with the pasta positioned on the finish line. At any other Eroica arrival at the finish line is greeted with a bottle of the local brew and perhaps a carb loaded local speciality of the cake or savoury variety. At other events I have received confectionery…..so I was a little surprised to see boxes of uncooked pasta but I thought go with the flow it’s California. So I asked the lady if we were receiving a box of pasta as our finish line surprise? Only to be told no it was for sale. I have done many events over the years but never has the joy of finishing immediately been rewarded with the opportunity to stock up on groceries!

gaucho777 

I just arrived back home a couple of hours ago after a really enjoyable Eroica weekend. It was wonderful to meet, hang out and ride with so many forum members--too many to mention them all here.

I'll start with a few photos from the day 1 concourse, and then add some ride photos from today below. Here's a link to a flickr album for the weekend: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzMXjn

There were a bunch of beautifully crafted bikes on display, though they didn't stay up all afternoon so you had to be there early to see them all. I was there when it started at 9am for registration and to browse the swap. I was hoping to find a project, but nothing in my size and budget spoke to me. I did walk away with a bits & bobs for the parts bins--a pair of retrofriction shifters, Italian and French headsets, Colnago-branded toe straps, a Regina FW, plus a couple of pairs of Kutcharick shorts. Here are a few highlights from concourse.

A view of the scene:
IMG_6624 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Herse Tandem
IMG_6604 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6606 by gaucho777, on Flickr

There were a few Bayliss and Wizards on display:
IMG_6649 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6650 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6652 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6645 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6596 by gaucho777, on Flickr

gaucho777 

A few more photos from day 1:
IMG_6628 by gaucho777, on Flickr

A nice pair of Hetchins road and track bikes:
IMG_6620 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6619 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6613 by gaucho777, on Flickr

A pair of Wolfs. This was a new marquee for me. There were a few of them there.
IMG_6629 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6630 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6633 by gaucho777, on Flickr

A really cool and elegant Peter Johnson
IMG_6638 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Masi
IMG_6657 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Cool Pasoni integrated titanium bars and stem combo
IMG_6623 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Drillium Dude 

I truly hope many - if not most - of the bikes in the C d'E got ridden hard the next day. For the bikes' sakes, of course

DD

merziac

Big shoutout to these guys and the big guy @bikingshearer and Thor in particular.

I was in serious peril of having driven 1800 miles without going for any ride.

After driving down nonstop, I was upside down and didn't want stay that way for the drive home so I couldn't get up and get motivated or moving.

Rich and Thor had really tried to help already, but you all know how stubborn to my own detriment I can be so they weren't getting through.

Finally today they did, I had gotten checked out, packed up and was maybe going to do an out and back of some sort up Hwy 1 if it wasn't windy but of course it was so I was going to head North for home up the same.

Then I see, stop and talk with Rich, Thor and the others, "just go back, ride up Santa Rita till you get tired of the stupid hills then turn around and head back", ok fine.

Up to Santa Rita I goes, park at the school, 10 miles out, 10 back, 1000 ft of climbing, stopping, resting and there it was.

Came back, hung out at the start/finish some more, spend the night here again and we'll see how it goes in the morning.

Tx again guys.

gaucho777 

Now for day 2, Eroica Ride day!

I rolled out from the official start at 7am and planned to meet up with a contingent of BFers about a mile from the start. However, a late route change and a wrong turn led to my meeting up with the group at the first rest stop around mile 14. The first rest stop was bountiful and tasty, but not the case the rest of the ride.I have to say the organization had a few deficiencies. First, there was some poor route communication. For some unknown reason, the Scallatore (80ish-mile route) was canceled, or maybe modified? There were no route maps or directions. Signage was easy to miss. But more than anything, the rest stops were meager. The morning spread was nice but there were some odd choices (like shrimp cocktail and no coffee at 8am?). But then the next rest stop didn't happen until around mile 50. It was a long way from that morning stop until the Halter Ranch rest stop, and there the only offerings were warm soup and bread; they ran out of meats early and then ran out of bread while we were there.

Despite these issues, it was still a blast. We had a group of about a dozen BFers that would spread out and regroup throughout the day. I spent a good portion of the day nearby @nlerner and @Spaghetti Legs. Thanks for the camaraderie! It was fun spending the the day with all of you.

The rollout:
IMG_6667 by gaucho777, on Flickr

The first rest stop in Cayucos
IMG_6789 by gaucho777, on Flickr

The first ascent up Santa RIta
IMG_6791 by gaucho777, on Flickr

A mug shot at the top of the first summit with nlerner (Neal) and gugie (Mark)
IMG_6794 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Here is Neal and Hugh (Spaghetti Legs) during the long stretch on the way to the second rest stop.
IMG_6797 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Lots of open grassland and vineyards
IMG_6800 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6801 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Wally from Wally's Bicycle Works in SLO drove up to the peak of the Cypress climb with a few cases of ice-cold sodas. They sure did hit the spot!
IMG_6810 by gaucho777, on Flickr

IMG_6808 by gaucho777, on Flickr

A view toward the final descent
IMG_6814 by gaucho777, on Flickr

Peruano

Thanks for the accounts and photos from all of us that would like to have seen it all.

Classtime 

Of all the cool bikes, this bought my camera out of my pocket.

repechage

By the comments of lack of volunteers, (and pretty late requests for them) My hunch is that there were not enough support folk to secure, run that route safely.
No idea as to the actual turnout, nor how many had intended to ride that circuit.
As this year just fell on the wrong date for me, maybe next year. Maybe.