Cycle Oregon Training Week: Riding with Rocker

If you are fortunate enough to take a week off to train for a week-long ride, I highly recommend it! I had that opportunity this past week while vacationing in Northern California, visiting my family. And I was able to do it with my Cycle Oregon riding partner and brother, Jonny Rocker. Tackling our own version of "Cycle Northern California" we rode 300 miles in seven straight days of riding, a new record for Rocker and the most miles I've logged in a week other than on Ride the Rockies.

Rocker and I found some good hills to work on
our climbing skills. This one hit 13% grade/

Base camp for our rides was my brother's house in El Dorado Hills, CA. From there we rode as far East as Pollack Pines (on a tough 66 mile day with 4,626 feet of elevation gain) and West on the American River Trail into Downtown Sacramento (on the easiest and flattest day riding 52 miles with only 500 feet of gain). In seven days we climbed more than 17,000 feet, a little over half the amount we will climb in one week on Cycle Oregon (if the estimates on the site are accurate -- more on that later).

Here's a rundown of our training rides this week:

Day One (40.88 miles, 2,667 feet of elevation gain) -- Our first ride was a nice loop on back roads paralleling Highway 50 East towards Lake Tahoe, punctuated by a steep climb then descent into Placerville.

Day Two (36.16 miles, 1,949 feet) -- Our second ride took us down the hill to Folsom then around Lake Natoma. The ride around the lake was beautiful but the climb back up the hill is tough, especially the final stretch up Serrano Parkway.

Day Three (27.28 miles, 2,356 feet)  -- For our third ride we decided to tackle eight nasty hills around Rocker's house, including a long, very steep (15%) climb up Beatty Hill, followed by lower and upper Serrano Parkway. Check out the profile. Yikes!

Day Four (26.25 miles, 1,575 feet) -- Our fourth consecutive day was a short and fairly easy loop through Rescue and Shingle Springs, letting our legs recover and rest up for a long climb on day five.

Day Five (64.7 miles, 4,626 feet) -- Our longest ride of the week came on day five. It was also the toughest, climbing 4,626 feet to Pollack Pines. The climb from Placerville to Pollack Pines was 13 miles long ascending approximately 2,000 feet but took us through beautiful country and several Apple Hill vineyards. 

Day Six (51.99 miles, 518 feet) -- We opted for a flat ride along the American River Bike Trail to historic Old Sacramento on the sixth day, logging enough miles to put us within reach of our goal (300) while saving our legs for the final day.

Day Seven (51.85 miles, 2,589 feet) -- Our final day of riding was a bit of a slog on tired legs (and sore rears). We did get some great views of Folsom Lake and Granite Bay. The final climb back up Serrano Parkway took every last bit of energy and mental will power we had left. 

Goal accomplished! 300 miles and 16,280 feet of climbing. Now all we have to do is get ready to ride 420 miles in seven days in September!

Rocker flashes the "shaka" sign, a common greeting in the Hawaiian culture meaning "hang loose." 

The question is, are we really going to climb almost 30,000 feet on Cycle Oregon (the website estimates between 25,853 and 33,689 ft., depending on option days/miles)? I have my doubts. 

Based on my review of the elevation profiles on the website, I believe Cycle Oregon is guilty of the same hyperbole. For example, here is the elevation profile for day three from Bandon to Gold Beach. I have a hard time believing the estimate of 3,400 to 3,958 feet given that the route is relatively flat and never goes more than 500 feet above sea level. My guess is the total gain for this day is no more than 2,000.

There's also no way the final day, almost entirely downhill, gains 1,650 feet. No way. I'd bet my bike on it!

I'm not sure why but it seems like the elevation gain on these rides is often overestimated. As I documented on Ride the Rockies in 2015, ride organizers missed the mark by about 10,000 feet, over-shooting by more than 25 percent (I'm sorry, but I still think that's inexcusable given today's GPS technology).

I guess time (and my Garmin Edge) will tell. In the meantime, Rocker is a little worried that we only climbed about half the total estimated gain for Cycle Oregon this past week. Hang loose, Jonny, my guess is we climb no more than 25,000 feet. While still formidable, it's doable. 

Ride on!

Daren

Cycle Oregon 2016: Days 6-7

One week ago today Jonny Rocker and I crossed the finish line of Cycle Oregon 2016, having ridden 431 miles in seven straight days of riding, gaining nearly 26,000 feet of elevation (according to my Garmin Edge cycling computer). In case you missed the first two installments of my travelogue, here are Days 0-3 and Days 4-5. And now, for the rest of the story...

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Day 6 (Friday, September 16): We woke in Indian Mary Park on the morning of Day 6 ready for what looked to be a relatively easy 66 mile day. I know better. The sixth day of a week-long ride is never easy (check out my Five Tips for Surviving Multi-Day Cycling Events). The miles -- 322 to this point -- and the big climb on Day 5 were taking their toll on my body. The usual suspects began to complain: my left foot, lower back, right shoulder, and the 3-pound mass between my ears!

Rest stop at the historic Wolf Creek Tavern (currently closed for remodeling)

Actually, my hot foot, back and shoulder pain didn't flare up as much this year as they have on previous rides (I'll never forget the day we rode the Three Bitches on Ride the Rockies 2014). My body held up pretty well but the mental issues began around mile 32 after we rode within two miles of our final destination for the day (Glendale High School) then rode in the wrong direction another 16 miles for our free* lunch.

*all meals are included in the Cycle Oregon registration fee.

First cell reception in more than 24 hours!

My RTR buddy Woody would call these "bonus miles" (miles added to the route for no particular reason other than to add miles). For the next 16 miles all I could think about was how much I did NOT want to be on my bike at that time! But Jonny Rocker charged on ahead of me and I knew if I turned around and headed back to Glendale I would never hear the end of it (after 52 years I'm still trying to "keep up" with my older brother!).

Chief Miwaleta Park at Galesville Reservoir

The lunch spot at Chief Miwaleta RV Park and Campground on Galesville Reservoir was actually worth the trip. We ate a leisurely lunch at a picnic table by the water and watched several cyclists go for a swim (which seemed like a bad idea since we still had to ride 16 miles back to Glendale and wet cycling shorts are kind of like a soggy diaper). The ride back was a lot better than the ride out and my attitude shifted from a camel trudging across the desert toward a mirage to a horse headed back to the barn!

Unofficial rest stop at the Azalea General Store.

I think this placard on the outside of the Azalea General Store
sums up the attitude of a lot of the folks who live
in this remote area of southern Oregon.

On our final night of camping in tent city we chose a location near the main stage and beer tent, but had to hoof it quite a ways to get to the shower trucks (and spend another night in a hay field). We were determined to make it to the end of the band for the first time since the opening night -- and we did (but only because we were able to watch the last few songs from our campsite)!

Relaxing with a cold one at our campsite on the final night.

For our last night of camping we chose a spot strategically located near the Main Stage, food and beer tents!

Choosing a camp spot is both art and science on these rides. Our approach was to ride around the area (park, school, etc.) upon arrival to scout for a site. Once we found a good site we'd go pick up our bags and ride back to the site with our backpacks on. Most riders bring their gear in large duffel backs and settle for the site nearest the luggage truck, rather than drag their gear to a nicer spot. We may expend more energy but prefer to get away from the massive tent city!

Packing up camp for the last time on Cycle Oregon 2016

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Day 7 (Saturday, September 17): I have to admit I bitched a little about the bonus miles on Day 6 but the organizers of Cycle Oregon nailed it on the final day. The 43 mile glide down Cow Camp Road was the perfect victory lap at the end of a tough week of riding. I picked up where I left off on Day 6 mentally and hammered the final 10 miles into Myrtle Creek with Jonny Rocker and several other riders in my wake (at 6'4" I create a decent slipstream :).

One last Team Beef selfie

Ice cold chocolate milk at the finish line. Yum!

The obligatory finish line photo!

I may have underestimated the amount of climbing we would do on this ride, having completed nine Ride the Rockies. Cycle Oregon 2016 was a tough ride. Crossing the finish line felt every bit as satisfying as any of those rides, though it lacked some of the emotion of saying goodbye to good friends. Jonny and I pretty much did our own thing and didn't really forge any lifelong friendship like my Team Bar2Bar buddies from Ride the Rockies. But Rocker did say he would consider RTR 2017 after succesfully completing his first week-long ride!

A big shout out to all the staff and volunteers who pulled off an amazing ride. I have been asked several times if I would ever do Cycle Oregon again and the answer is a resounding YES! From my viewpoint the week went off without a hitch, the route was amazing, the food was good, and there were never any lines for the showers or port-a-potties! Bravo.

Ride on!

Daren

Today, we ride. Why? Because we can!

Today is Day Zero of Ride the Rockies 2017. This is the day 2,000 riders show up in Alamosa, Colorado, to register and get ready for tomorrow's 92-mile ride from Alamosa to Pagosa Springs. Most people will arrive by car or bus and spend the day getting their gear ready to go. But for Team Beef/Bar2Bar, this will be our first day of riding. You see, we are starting out in Salida, Colorado, where the ride ends next Saturday, and riding 80 miles to the start in Alamosa. Why? Because we can!

Jonny Rocker loads up the bikes for the big ride.

Before heading to Saluda we stopped at YAWP Cyclery for a quick tune up of the BEEFMAN bike that included the addition of a new rear rack! :)

Searching for the perfect trunk bag for the rack proved more challenging than expected. After stopping at 10 bike shops in Denver and Buena Vista, I found the perfect bag at Absolute Bikes in Saluda!

When the RTR route was announced back in February we immediately noticed that the ride ended in Salida, a frequent overnight stop on Ride the Rockies and home of five of our nine team members. It is also home to the Victoria Bar, a popular hangout for locals and tourists visiting this iconic mountain town at the headwaters of the Arkansas River. Soon after somebody floated the idea of starting in Salida and making the ride an 8-day, 520 mile loop. The idea of starting and ending the ride at the Vic was just too tempting to pass up!

Jonny and I hit our first brewpub -- Joyride Brewing -- for a quick beer before our journey.

At our hotel in Saluda -- the last bed until Durango (camping the next two nights).

Jonny Rocker and I drove from Denver yesterday and met up with the rest of the team at the Vic last night. After loading up on some liquid carbs we went out to dinner and began the feeding frenzy that is RTR, Burning around 4,000 calories a day on the bike requires constant refueling! We turned in relatively early and I woke this morning grateful that we made a good choice and avoided the typical first night syndrome (overindulging due to the excitement of seeing each other and anticipation of the week to come).

The Hankster (left) and Jonny Rocker (center) meet for the first time at the Vic in Salida.

Team Beef/Bar2Bar outside the Vic.

Jonny and I are packing up our gear and will meet up with the rest of group and head out around 7:00. We should arrive in Alamosa in the early afternoon, hopefully before the heat and wind pick up. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the week.

Ride on!

Daren

Ride the Rockies 2017 Training Update: Three Weeks to Go and We Still Have Snow!

Egad. There are only three weeks remaining until the start of Ride the Rockies 2017. How did that happen? It still feels like winter in Colorado. Maybe that's because a late May snowstorm hit us this week dropping more than a foot of snow the Denver area. Fortunately this year's route is in the Southern Rockies!

Spring snowstorms in Colorado are not unusual and quite beautiful.

The late spring on the Front Range continues to make it difficult to get in some long rides on the road. I've only been out four times so far in May. Normally I would be logging some serious miles riding two/from work by this time. However, I have been hitting the trainer hard and am feeling pretty good about my training to date. 

Rocker and I riding along the coast in LaJolla, California.

This past weekend my family gathered in San Diego for my nephew's graduation from San Diego State, Mother's Day and birthday celebrations. Brother Jon (Jonny Rocker) brought his bike so I rented a nice ride from The Bike Revolution and we went on a couple of short morning rides (32 and 20 miles). Rocker said he is finally feeling excited about RTR and could "do it today." I agreed but am still glad we have a couple of weeks to reach the peak of our conditioning. I don't want to just ride the Rockies; I want to rock it!

The view from the Mt. Soledad National Veteran's Memorial is well worth the ride up!

I've recorded 1,469 miles in the saddle since January 1 in 96 workouts burning a whopping 129,354 calories (according to my Garmin 810, which notoriously overestimates calories). My goal is to ride 2,000 before the start of RTR. I'd have to ride 183 miles per week in the final three weeks to get there. That's still possible but factoring in tapering it's not likely. Besides, I haven't ridden that many miles in a week yet this year!

My goal at this point is to pack on as many miles as I can in the next two weeks then scale back the final week. The sun is out today and the streets are fairly dry so I am going to venture out. 

Ride on!

Daren

Ride the Rockies 2017 Days 6-7: Montrose to Gunnison to Salida and the finish line!

The final two days of Ride the Rockies 2017 were a mix of easy cruising and tough climbing. The final day's climb over Monarch Pass (elev. 11,312') was the longest (and highest) of the ride, climbing nearly 3,000 feet in nine miles, but the 23 mile descent into Salida was truly all downhill and flew by. Just like that, my 10th RTR was over.

From left: me, Hankster, Jonny Rocker and Flip Flop Jenny.

Crossing the finish line is always bittersweet. The feeling of accomplishment is fulfilling. Then suddenly it sinks in. The ride is over. No more pain and suffering through long climbs. No more adrenaline rush screaming down the backside of a mountain pass at 45 mph. No more sitting at the local brewery telling tall tales of the day's ride. I will miss it all.

No more camp to set up or tear down, backpacks to carry to the truck, smelly port-a-potties or shower trucks. OK, some things I won't miss!

I met this guy on RTR a few years back and always look forward to seeing his smiling face. Somehow I managed to catch him here looking serious but you can still see the famous Hankster grin trying to some out!

Day 6: Montrose to Gunnison

The ride out of Montrose towards Cerro and Blue Mesa Summits was very typical. I have ridden this stretch of road three times and all I remember is the headwind blowing down the mountain. But my legs felt fresh from the recovery day ride from Ridgeway to Montrose and after we dropped into the Curecanti National Recreation Area we were greeted by a nice tailwind that blew us around Blue Mesa and up the Gunnison River to our destination.

At Blue Mesa Summit. From left: me, Jenny, Woody and Jonny.

Woody and I at the Bay of Chickens on Blue Mesa Reservoir -- an RTR tradition!

At an aid station. From left: Jenny, Kevin, Lea Anne, Jon, Julia, Don, Woody and me.

Enjoying some local brews at High Alpine Brewing Company. From left: Dennis, Lea Anne, Hankster, Woody and Jonny.

The Hankster at High Alpine Brewery. Best sign on the ride!

Jonny Rocker pours from the growler at the final campdown.

We met up with Team Bar2Bar members at High Alpine Brewing Company and enjoyed some artisanal pizza and local brews before heading to the school to set up camp. After cleaning up we headed back into town for dinner and ended up the night drinking buckets of PBR tall boys playing corn hole on the patio at Timbers (with a private band all to ourselves!).

Day 7: Gunnison to the Salida (and the finish line!)

The final day began with a nice, steady 1-2% grade climb up Tomichi Creek for 34 miles before beginning the climb over Monarch Pass. I did this climb on my first RTR in 2005. I remember being terrified by the elevation profile of this day. The climb is a steady, relentless 4-7% grade for nine miles. I struggled a little on the steepest parts. At 40+ pounds fully loaded, the Beef Bike is a beast!


Team Beef at the first aid station on the final day! From left: Kevin, Jonny, Dennis, Lea Anne and me.

At the summit on the final day. It's all downhill from here! From left: me, Woody, Jonny and Jenny.

This speed and elevation profile overlay tells the story of the final day's ride!

Dropping into my granny gear for tough sections I spun my way up the mountain. Reaching the summit of Monarch Pass marked the end of the climbing. Though we often say "it's downhill from here," I truly think we could have coasted without peddling the entire way. But peddling along at 30+ mph isn't hard work!

We made our final unofficial pit stop at Elevation Brewery in Poncha Springs, about 4 miles from the finish line. Grouping up there, our team coasted across the finish line. We hung around for the closing ceremony to thank the volunteers, staff and Colorado State Police for keeping us safe throughout the ride and making it possible to tour the rugged Rocky Mountains on a bicycle.

Then came the hugs and goodbyes and the end of another adventure. So now the inevitable question. What's next? Jonny Rocker and I plan to check out other weeklong rides around the country. Please leave a comment with your favorites!

With that, I will leave you with our team motto: Ride fast and take chances!

Daren