jsigone

long day started 0530am. Rode down and did the San Diego 3 Cross loop. Rancho Bernardo to Sweetwater mall ( 745am ride start for the others), -> Mt Helix ->Cabrillo in Point Loma and -> Mt Soledad at mile 88. I PR'd the later two crosses, I still hate Helix, too fat for those double digit punches.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8815843612

CAT7RDR

Took advantage of the perfect weather and Turnbull Canyon Rd continues to be closed at Skyline down to the Whittier side.
This was a blast! No cars, no motorcycles just a two mile descent without the usual concerns.
Saw a juvenile Bobcat off of Rideout overlooking Sycamore Canyon.
44 miles and 5.2K ft of climb.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42408624



Lupines in batches along Turnbull.

SoSmellyAir

36.6 miles and 1,617 feet elevation gain by doing all 5 climbs I know in Irvine: (1) Orchard Hills Loop, (2) Portola Parkway, (3) Shady Canyon Trail, (4) Turtle Rock Dr, and (5) Peters Canyon Trail.

Had my first outside clipless fall when another cyclist on the narrowest part of the MUP swerved in front of me and stopped. My right foot was TDC (top dead center) and I could not unclip it in time; I need more practice unclipping my left foot.

jonathanf2

23 miles on the 1x road bike for Sunday. This bike is fun, I'm usually spinning like crazy on the flats, but on the climbs I can maintain a pretty good cadence with the 44t/11-32t drivetrain. This new frameset I built out is stiff as well, I can really lay down the power when going out of saddle.

jsigone

Great Western Loop short version, looped up to Alpine to mirror the grand fondo route coming up later this month. Fun day except for my buddy crashed pretty bad in the twisty of lower Lyon's Valley Road. mostly missing skin but he'll have rough time in the shower and sleeping this week.

I took the Diverge out w/ the BWR setup. IRC Boken Plus 38C tubeless. this setup is so heavy and so much resistance on the downhills, but good shake down and getting used to this bike again. Gearing climbs so well though. 50/34 quarq up front and 11-36 in the back. Was still able to climb most thing in the big ring. Bike setup also handle like semi truck in the tight sections of the road. Slower steer and leaning on knobs isn't the best feeling.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8856354446

Eric F 

Saturday - 20mi on the gravel bike, mostly easy. Swapped out my stem for one with a -17 deg angle. WAY better fit for me, and bars are still in a good spot for being in the drops on technical sections.

Sunday - 40mi coffee ride. First half was a very easy pace (16-18), and I put in a few good digs with other like-minded folks in the hills on the way to the coffee stop. This will be my last intensity before BWR on Sunday.

I'm bit freaked out for BWR (79mi wafer version). I haven't ridden over 50 miles more than a few times in the last few years. Most of my rides are in the 2-2.5 hour duration. I expect BWR to take about 6 hours, and it will be the biggest effort I've made on a bike in 20 years. Pacing - especially when I'm feeling good in the first couple of hours - and eating will be critical to my survival. I'm feeling very good about my bike setup.

Eric F 

Are you doing the full Waffle?

How do you like those tires, overall? I was running the IRC Boken Doublecross for a little while, I liked how they handled in the dirt, but got discouraged by how they roll on pavement. I would expect the Boken is quite a bit better, in that regard. I'm running 35mm Pirelli Gravel H (rear) and M (front), and I really like the combination, and will use it on Sunday.

Gyro

Thanks for your route. I've been using street view to visit the streets house fires have been on.. Being on the east coast, I'm not likely to ever ride this. Route, but I might be able to on street view.

jsigone

yep full waffle, I think I've been doing good on the miles/hours volume. I'll focus on staying upright and stay in good power zones where I can.

These tires are great for everything but downhills and paved tight turns. Maybe its me, but I don't like the feeling of leaning on knobs in tight turns doing high 20s or more. On the climbs I was able to make up the ground lost to roadie friends on the downhill so the rolling resistance isn't that bad climbing I guess. I crossed the dbl yellow once on the tight stuff and backed down on the speed allot. Wasn't worth pushing. If we didn't have to climb raptor's ridge and 100% dry dirt, I'd be inclined to run 32c slick Spesh Roubaix for BWR. I used to do it on 28c tires and standard roadie w/ standard cranks 53/29 (F my knees...young n dumber version of me)

Eric F 

You’ve definitely been putting in the right training work. I have not.

I might have more tire than I will really need, but as a BWR rookie, I’d rather gamble on the safe side. I’m not trying to go fast, just finish.

jsigone

I think you're gonna be fine. You're a MTBer on skinny tires, not a roadie in the dirt. You'll know what I mean when you start seeing lots of different wheels to follow on Sunday.

diphthong

western lyons valley road ain't no joke. uphill kicks your assets and downhill commands 123% of your constant attention. glad your amigo
is (relatively) okay cuz sailing into one of those bigg roadside cacti or into an oncoming car is a sure fire way to ruin a perfect day. forever.

diphthong

you'll do great. as an experienced rider, you've got a realistic, can't stop won't stop approach. you put in serious efforts where required and look to save effort/recoup where possible. not saying it won't hurt but thinking it might awaken the dragon inside and you'll be breathing straight fire afterwards. always good to have a challenge to face. hit the short and steep until then.

Eric F 

I'm both of those things. My roadie tendencies are going to get me in trouble if I start digging too deep to stay with a group that is going harder than I should be going. My MTB roots keep me confident in my bike-handling skills in the dirt. My big worry is my body being able to function for 6-ish hours.

Eric F 

Thanks for the encouragement. I won't gain any meaningful fitness this week, but I can wear myself out by trying. This week will be a couple of slow and easy spins to stay fresh, and make sure everything is dialed in.

jonathanf2

I did a quick lunch ride at Griffith Park on Monday. On the loop that goes around the LA Zoo and toward the rear entrance climb (Trash Truck), I caught up to a fast roadie group with a 5 minute lead right before the climb. Unfortunately I overdid it and got dropped by the faster lead climbers to the summit (especially since they were at cruising speeds before the climb). I'm beginning to think I might actually be a better sprinter than a hill climber due to my smaller profile and more muscular build from powerlifting. I still like climbing though, since I feel training in the hills still have benefits on the flats. Though on the downhill especially on the rough fire roads, my childhood years riding BMX and MTBs really pull through!

jsigone

Gravel Stoke's Shake Down in the hills, to prep for BWR

https://www.strava.com/activities/8887029366

Pretty nice turn out

Eric F 

I hope to see you somewhere this weekend, and that you have a good ride on Sunday. 😀👍

jsigone

Did the Rapha Socal Tour ride here near the BWR start. They also had pop up shop and got some new gear at great discounts. Good route, hope I didn't burn my legs too much. Mostly roadies in the Rapha group, didn't think I'd see many knobby tires. Allot of miles to pish on big tires before BWR, I took the Soloist to save some watts and efforts

Gonna be warm overall most the day, thinking vest for the first hour or so and thinner aero style jersey

https://www.strava.com/activities/8897132325

diphthong

elfin forest/harmony grove in the pic?

have a great ride sunday!

SoSmellyAir

Spent just under two hours riding 28 miles around Irvine this morning, being passed by everyone else out on a road bike. At least they all called out "on your left." The Varia would have been handy, but it is still en route.

CAT7RDR

Only 21 miles today before snapping my chain pushing up Edgeridge (Turnbull Canyon area) the second time. Stayed upright and did not mangle my RDR. Did not have the right chain link for a 9 speed. Had a nice 4 mile hike-a-bike home. Still managed 3.3 K/ft of climb.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42556699

diphthong

at least three riders that (semi-)frequent this forum did some version of the bwr down here in north county-san diego on sunday. mega-kudos!!

jsigone

BWR....truly and epic adventure this version w/ the rain season we had. I've never beaten on my bike so hard in one day. But no flats, no crashes and no cramps!

https://www.strava.com/activities/8904505998




Patron at 116 mile sag stop, base of the last hill climb



Felt like pig rolling though crank deep mud pits, stream crossing knee high while on the bike and having to pedal through them.





Drivetrain was making so much noise at the summit of Lake Southerland, had the mechanic take a look, told him I think I bottomed out the rear D in the mud and it's grinding in last gear. B screw, and barrel adjust kept it off the cage but was still shifting weird the later half of the ride.



KOM at top of Double Peaks hill climb. I have some videos in the instragram story if you're following me.



The trashed bike, the beer.....glad to be done

joesch

jsigone That was a beastly effort, congrats!
Really funny that patron had a pit stop 10 miles before completion, was anyone doing shots to kill the pain
That bomber badass ale was a nice bonus for completing.