Ashland to Roseburg.
This was another epic day. Every leg of this journey has it's own something special. Today found us on I-5 for about 35 miles. Kinda sketchy, but I did find a bitchin VW badge.
Yesterdays brief stint on 5 was like a warm up for today. Yesterday we did one major pass on the highway, Siskiyou Mountain summit, which holds twin distinctions as the highest elevation on I-5 (4130ft) and the West's largest open-air urinal. Needless to say, time spent on top was limited.
Today we had pass after pass on the highway. It broke up pretty early and Warren and I fell in together. Well, backing up a bit, the adventure back story behind today was that our proposed route turned out to be a no go. We were supposed to be on a BLM road, but Eric M. said it was hard going even in the big pickup truck. I related this to Warren later, and he admitted his trepidation about the road when previewing the maps the night before. I believe his exact words were, "BLM people don't even use those roads!" 'Nuff said.
The climbs were not so bad, being graded for highway traffic, but the descents were another kettle of angry fish altogether. I chose to ride my deep profile aerodynamic wheels for the energy savings and well, hell, they're sexy!, but I paid the price in sketchiness when cross wind gusts or the vacuum from passing semis jerked my front end around. If that wasn't enough, someone at Fed Ex figured that if hauling two trailers behind a semi was efficient, then pulling three was f@#%ing genius! All I can say is we took a side trip to Buffet City every time one of those bad boys cruised by.
Well and truly separated from everyone else, Warren and I did what all travelers do on the interstate...we pulled into a rest area. After spreading the word to some friendly folks, we pulled out. It was a little surreal of a thing to do on a bicycle, but then, we're kinda getting used to that.
With the noise, fumes and debris getting to us, we finally got the notion to simply jump the fence by the highway and get onto one of the frontage roads that had been teasing us for a while. Twas nice, especially for Warren who hates even driving on the highway. If anyone honestly tries to be an embodiment of the Bob Marley lyric, "my feet is my only carriage", it is Warren.
After that, we were treated to some very fine roads through the remaining hamlets running into Roseburg. I'd like to point out that, while California's straight-as-a-ruler county roads may be efficient, they are also boring as hell to ride a bike on. Someone should take a lesson from Oregon on how to add a few twists here and there. An occasional hill wouldn't hurt either.
Another stuffy high school gym to sleep in was a bit of a buzz-kill, but at least I got to relive elementary school memories by opening a bunch of windows with the big pole-with-a-hook thingy.
Pictures later, when I figure it out, and have more time,
Hasta Winnebago!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Wheels North Day 5
Yreka to Ashland.
Short day today, and a short post.
Whenever I'm out doing something out-doorsy, I seem to pine for another mode of conveyance. Out hiking a beautiful trail I will wish for my mountain bike, and other such.
So when Mt Shasta came into view today in all it's magnetic glory, I was wanting to peel off and go hike up.
Last time I saw Shasta it was at 75mph heading south on 5. This was much better, and I long for the day I'm looking down from the top.
Each days ride seems to bring something that marks it unique to this trip. Today it was riding on I-5. We were on for maybe 7 or 10 miles, and Histio must have some pull because for most of that we had our own lane!(construction) We veered off just in time for an epic, twisty descent into Ashland.
Nice
Short day today, and a short post.
Whenever I'm out doing something out-doorsy, I seem to pine for another mode of conveyance. Out hiking a beautiful trail I will wish for my mountain bike, and other such.
So when Mt Shasta came into view today in all it's magnetic glory, I was wanting to peel off and go hike up.
Last time I saw Shasta it was at 75mph heading south on 5. This was much better, and I long for the day I'm looking down from the top.
Each days ride seems to bring something that marks it unique to this trip. Today it was riding on I-5. We were on for maybe 7 or 10 miles, and Histio must have some pull because for most of that we had our own lane!(construction) We veered off just in time for an epic, twisty descent into Ashland.
Nice
Wheels North Day 4
Weaverville to Yreka
Breakfast held a little adventure. I saved some of my previous night's pizza for breakfast because I knew I couldn't do another day of hard cycling on breakfast cereal and coffee. Before going to bed the night before, I noticed a microwave in the equipment room of the high school gym we were staying in, and I went to sleep to thoughts of not just pizza for breakfast...but WARM pizza!
So in the morning I go into the equip room (which was already open mind you) to look for an outlet to plug the nuker in. No luck. I spied a long extension but had to do a little scrambling over equipment to get to it. Got it. Plugged in the micro. Fired it up. Mmmmm, warm brekkie!
Kevin found some other cold pizza and I mentioned the microwave. After I told him what he'd have to do to use it (Mama always said put things back as I found them...) he kinda looked half at me, half off into space and said, "eh, cold is good".
We had a none too complicated course. 1 turn only. And we missed it of course. Greg didn't, and he sprinted ahead to clue us in. Safe on our way and gaining altitude from the gun. Not 2 miles and stopping for the first flat. Who needs a warm up anyway?
After a time our big climb of the day loomed. The climb I mentioned from day 2 would soon be relegated to the second hardest ever. This one had to be like 5 or 6 miles long with an average grade of 10 percent or more. In a word...ouch. In a more descriptive word...F@#*!
Our excellent crew had hot Cup O Noodles waiting on top, along with all the other usual goodies. So yeah, it was the shits going up, but it was phenomenally beautiful, and the descent was better. Warren and I have been matching well on the descents, and it's good to have someone nearby. We flew by the fixie guys like they were standing still. More to the point, they were not standing so much as sitting, the downgrade pumping their legs within moments of catastrophic cramping. Ah, but they are a special breed no?
I used to think the Napa valley was spectacular, then I rode through the Alexander valley and it became tops. This ride took us through an expanse every bit as beautiful and picturesque as that, but bigger. It was a picture perfect moment around every bend.
Thai food for dinner hit the spot. The next days route looked confusing, but at least it was short.
Next!
Breakfast held a little adventure. I saved some of my previous night's pizza for breakfast because I knew I couldn't do another day of hard cycling on breakfast cereal and coffee. Before going to bed the night before, I noticed a microwave in the equipment room of the high school gym we were staying in, and I went to sleep to thoughts of not just pizza for breakfast...but WARM pizza!
So in the morning I go into the equip room (which was already open mind you) to look for an outlet to plug the nuker in. No luck. I spied a long extension but had to do a little scrambling over equipment to get to it. Got it. Plugged in the micro. Fired it up. Mmmmm, warm brekkie!
Kevin found some other cold pizza and I mentioned the microwave. After I told him what he'd have to do to use it (Mama always said put things back as I found them...) he kinda looked half at me, half off into space and said, "eh, cold is good".
We had a none too complicated course. 1 turn only. And we missed it of course. Greg didn't, and he sprinted ahead to clue us in. Safe on our way and gaining altitude from the gun. Not 2 miles and stopping for the first flat. Who needs a warm up anyway?
After a time our big climb of the day loomed. The climb I mentioned from day 2 would soon be relegated to the second hardest ever. This one had to be like 5 or 6 miles long with an average grade of 10 percent or more. In a word...ouch. In a more descriptive word...F@#*!
Our excellent crew had hot Cup O Noodles waiting on top, along with all the other usual goodies. So yeah, it was the shits going up, but it was phenomenally beautiful, and the descent was better. Warren and I have been matching well on the descents, and it's good to have someone nearby. We flew by the fixie guys like they were standing still. More to the point, they were not standing so much as sitting, the downgrade pumping their legs within moments of catastrophic cramping. Ah, but they are a special breed no?
I used to think the Napa valley was spectacular, then I rode through the Alexander valley and it became tops. This ride took us through an expanse every bit as beautiful and picturesque as that, but bigger. It was a picture perfect moment around every bend.
Thai food for dinner hit the spot. The next days route looked confusing, but at least it was short.
Next!
Wheels North Day 3
Corning to Weaverville.
As hard as yesterday was, today was as sweet. We progressed further up the central valley, soon to escape the clutches of its oppressive heat. The two main climbs were hard for sure, but I decided to take a cue of self preservation from Team W (Warren and Willie). We kept a mellow pace, stopping in what little shade was available to kick off the shoes (a la Greg) have a bite and a sip, hit the Friction Zone (good stuff! chamois creme) and basically stayed within ourselves.
Taking a breather at the base of the Hayfork Summit climb did wonders to lower our body temps before grinding up. It must have done the trick because I flew up the climb. It was about 1000 vertical feet in say, a few miles, but I hit a good rhythm and took off.
The roads were a treat. A lot of ups and downs, NOT rollers as we know them...they make 'em bigger here. Everyone was tired after the constant up and down, but the roads were so nice and the scenery so pretty that noone really much cared how tired they were. We were glad to be done and off to the showers.
Until the water sternly refused to warm up. Oh well.
Pizza and bed.
Next!
As hard as yesterday was, today was as sweet. We progressed further up the central valley, soon to escape the clutches of its oppressive heat. The two main climbs were hard for sure, but I decided to take a cue of self preservation from Team W (Warren and Willie). We kept a mellow pace, stopping in what little shade was available to kick off the shoes (a la Greg) have a bite and a sip, hit the Friction Zone (good stuff! chamois creme) and basically stayed within ourselves.
Taking a breather at the base of the Hayfork Summit climb did wonders to lower our body temps before grinding up. It must have done the trick because I flew up the climb. It was about 1000 vertical feet in say, a few miles, but I hit a good rhythm and took off.
The roads were a treat. A lot of ups and downs, NOT rollers as we know them...they make 'em bigger here. Everyone was tired after the constant up and down, but the roads were so nice and the scenery so pretty that noone really much cared how tired they were. We were glad to be done and off to the showers.
Until the water sternly refused to warm up. Oh well.
Pizza and bed.
Next!
Wheels North Day 2
5 minutes before lights out to summarize a 12 hour hurt-fest...
We had, in no specific order, pain, heat, washboarded gravel roads, pain, tooth-rattling-semi-patched-fully-pot-holed farm roads, pain, the hardest climb I have done up to that point, an a-hole backwoods shop keeper, an awesome friendly backwoods other-shop keeper, and massive headwinds for the last 20 miles.
Taco Bell never tasted so good.
Everyone pretty much agreed that this was one of their hardest days on a bike. On the beat up farm road alluded to earlier, I resorted to telling Greg terrible jokes in the hope that his face would not peel back and reveal the devil. on a stiff aluminum fixie, he was not liking the road none to much.
Everyone got through it though.
Next!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Wheels North, Day One...overcooked
Santa Rosa To Winters. 60 miles. 3 climbs. On paper, not too bad.
HA.
Everyone was expecting a scorcher today, and we'd get it...eventually. Many were dressed lightly in expectation of rising mercury, but on the way to SR, the overcast and mist in Petaluma got said people, myself one, a bit nervous.
"Oh, it'll burn off" a common sentiment. Not to be. We'd have to ride out of it. Pulling into the lot to sub 60 degree temps and looking for coffee eventually found us our coffee plus warm breakfasty goodies and a restroom. We could have stayed there. But we are here for reason, so...
It was a good thing I was wearing street clothes, in direct defiance to Capt. Norris' orders to be "in chamois" and ready to roll at SR. All my warm stuff was in a truck somewhere else, but my long sleeved cotton would get the call up. Lucky.
A very short warm up, and we hit Spring Mtn. It hit back. Tough climb. About half way up it was time to loose the sweat soaked death fabric. I felt fresher instantly. In a parallel universe I'd have been on TV walking through a flowered meadow at that moment.
The descent was well worth the price of admission though. Excellent road with dappled shade, cambered turns, and twisty but not suicidally so. I got some good Flip Video footage. Then a not so quick lunch stop at Taylor's in St. Helena, but a grilled cheese in the middle of a ride is worth the time. I inadvertently caused an accident for the fixed gears when I mentioned the possibility of catching up with Greg and the guys who had left a lunch bit earlier. Randy had a good laugh inquiring whether I was that fast or just crazy. A moment later word came in of a little mishap with the fixies involving some pedals, axles, and disappearing spokes. So in the end, Randy stood corrected, admittedly humorously so.
The rest of the day consisted of me overcooking myself (try) to stay with Peter, Steve and Mojo. Bad idea. I was warned. Not so hard tomorrow.
ciao
Wheels North, Let the Madness Begin
Since PBP has waited this long to be summarized, and since my notes from it are buried, and since it's 5:10am and Warren and Amy will be picking me up in about half an hour to drop us off at WN World Headquarters for the drive to Santa Rosa, well...PBP can wait a while longer. Maybe if I turn out to have something worth sharing, enjoy it, let alone get access to a computer on this ride, I'll finish that scintillating story.
Actually, at 5am I'm just proud to have spelled scintillating right. It's almost a minor victory to not see that little red line pop up under a word.
Breakfast first. There is still a crap-ton of sticky rice and fruit left over from last night's pre-ride BBQ. When have I ever not made way too much of that? I figure that's about as different a breakfast as one could have compared to what Vic and Ray had for their day one repast. Steak and eggs maybe? Maybe they were such badasses they just slugged down a cup of scalding hot black coffee and hit the road. I suppose I'll find out since I'll be reading "Two Wheels North" as we ride. Well not AS we ride, I don't think the other guys are that slow. They'll probably kick my ass, uphill even, one gear be damned.
The DBC Team ought to be rolling into downtown Davis right now to set up the Fourth of July Criterium course. Oysh! Long day for them. Go Team! Someone told me that the category 4 race is pretty late in the day. I ruminated last night on the possibility of, after we ride into Winters today, continuing on to Davis and entering the race, just for shits and giggles. Oh, and for cramps and dry heaves too I suppose. Probably best to let that little daydream of bravado go, considering I wimped out on doing Leesville Gap Road Race yesterday. My excuse was that I was under prepared (packing for WN), but the real reason is likely that I was under prepared (actual training).
Time to get ready. Put this one in the bag. We're off!
Day one, Santa Rosa to Winters.
ciao!
Actually, at 5am I'm just proud to have spelled scintillating right. It's almost a minor victory to not see that little red line pop up under a word.
Breakfast first. There is still a crap-ton of sticky rice and fruit left over from last night's pre-ride BBQ. When have I ever not made way too much of that? I figure that's about as different a breakfast as one could have compared to what Vic and Ray had for their day one repast. Steak and eggs maybe? Maybe they were such badasses they just slugged down a cup of scalding hot black coffee and hit the road. I suppose I'll find out since I'll be reading "Two Wheels North" as we ride. Well not AS we ride, I don't think the other guys are that slow. They'll probably kick my ass, uphill even, one gear be damned.
The DBC Team ought to be rolling into downtown Davis right now to set up the Fourth of July Criterium course. Oysh! Long day for them. Go Team! Someone told me that the category 4 race is pretty late in the day. I ruminated last night on the possibility of, after we ride into Winters today, continuing on to Davis and entering the race, just for shits and giggles. Oh, and for cramps and dry heaves too I suppose. Probably best to let that little daydream of bravado go, considering I wimped out on doing Leesville Gap Road Race yesterday. My excuse was that I was under prepared (packing for WN), but the real reason is likely that I was under prepared (actual training).
Time to get ready. Put this one in the bag. We're off!
Day one, Santa Rosa to Winters.
ciao!
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