Sunday, June 30, 2013

New Paltz -- Minewaska&Mohonk

Heading to New Paltz, NY. Good ride, great group. A minor flat early into the ride... two nice climbs, one broken spoke with a need to re true the wheel to not get stuck in the fork. But all went fine.
Just no one was up for a little extra 15mi with one more climb, but possibly good as we just beat a pretty good rain storm... as we went for lunch at the Gilded Otter just after packing up it started to rain pretty hard.


This was the option no one was with me any more today --- http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=570819 and I'd really wanted to check out this one climb towards Peekamoose we skipped.... well, next time we'll do this!!!!

Few impressions:


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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Early Birds North -- fast flying and a "Pro"? guest.

EB's N once in a while after riding so many mountain and great passes -- what a flat ride.

Running later, very late this morning -- about 15min behind schedule near on giving up. But there is a good 50% chance to just meet them on the fly in case they go North as so often. Full speed ahead TTing towards Manorville, possible breaks his best time, and yes -- there they come.

Then even faster moving with the pack, recovering a bit, but not much -- but just enough. Things got tough as the pace on past Doctor's on Sound went close or beyond?? the 50 km/h mark... who is that rider on this BMC machine, not sure -- but turned out some Pro12 or such. Continuing fast, but very solid and steady until the usual play grounds. The BMC bike rider went home in Riverhead, hey you missed the fun part!

Our two young EECT riders doing well. Little playing on that slight incline and pulling those left behind up and over the last hill -- finishing with Z side by side off the front of the few left.

Fun ride. Then riding home via Lake Panamoka and NC easy.

A good more 510 km week -- not too bad besides work, but flat.


Saturday, June 22, 2013

RP to Orient -- almost, some mecanicals and detours

A Ride to Orient it should have been... meeting Doug and Jeremy at Tildas, picking up more riders on the way. Good fun pace. Some excursions to the water... and some detours/part returns as Tom broke a spoke and we back tracked to Drago's to get a wheel... on flat. Then deciding to go to Greenport only due to extra distance we already made. Still good day! And A great "stone" and Cappuccino in Greenport.

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Friday, June 21, 2013

Friday nights

1st Friday night race for Py. In brief -- 1st break was short living with George, 2nd break misjudged and not realized all riders in there and it's capability -- it stuck they made good time quickly, 20s, 30s... and over a minute later -- done.

Beyond that only a fast move pack behind. Kind of just getting it done, not much playing, jumping out at the end early just for fun then let them go at last 400m -- just play it safe.

Otherwise a great womens race took part as well!

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Saturday, June 15, 2013

Berner Oberland - Grimselpass - Furka - part of Kl. Scheidegg - Day 7 (GBF13)

Last day of our week of cycling -- day No 7.

Breakfast, loading bikes in the car and driving to Meiringen (near Interlaken). Getting concerned about the picked outfit as it was getting fairly wet and rainy in the highway. But weather changes quickly with location in the mountains. Arriving at our ride start, a few last drops then amazingly the sky almost opened up a little, dry roads out here! How is that? We were so lucky last days! Clouds seam to break up.

[add: original loop, closed suten pass, non ideal recovery timing from previous day?]

Py feeling a little slow and heavy legs some how, may need a long warmup... not really moving anywhere today. Also that one "hammer perpetum" drink tastes a little strange today, almost like spitting it out. Yikes. But this was the only water/drink, the other version in bottle two tasted a bit better. This is to be dumped at next opportunity to refill with plain water.

Some what keeping today... the wind chill about every second turn with more and more elevation gained did not really helped feeling better, so Py put his jacket on even climbing.

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Climbing Grimsel Pass. A very scenic old road around the car tunnel.

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Approaching the Grimselpass top -- snow melt running in rivers down left and right of the road, and flooded the pavement at several locations.

To be noted: This pass just opened today!!!

Descending down into Gletsch finally dumping this ugly drink and putting clear water in, eating some bar. Feeling a notch better.

Then heading on to Furka Pass. While Ben is going ahead we agreed to meet where ever he will be on his return -- so it happened we meet at Belvedere.

Back down to Gletsch -- fast fun! Coffee & Gipferl. Then climbing up to Grimsel pass again and back down -- getting a bit dirty and wet but from melting water. Sun -- finally coming out -- great!

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As there were a few hundet meters missing to finish another 3000m elevation we went up on kleine Scheidegg to finish a good 3000m again. That was a steep final climb to finish up a perfect week of riding.


 A brief summary:

7 days, 850 km, 20 km uphill in some what 18 major climbs: Alpe d'Huez, Col de Sarenne, Col du Lautaret+Col du Gallibier (unil impassible about 150m before top), D1T, Susa Moncenisio, Col du Mollard, Croix de Fer (climed both sides), Col du Glandon, Villard-Reculas (D448) to Huez, Col de la Forclas, Col du Marais, Col de la Croix Fry, Col des Glieres (east), Grimselpass, Furkapass (to Hotel/Belvedere), Grimsel from Gletsch, lower part of kleine Scheidegg.

*** Well and without even checking, Py can tell this was by far the most climbing and the biggest distance ever he covered in 7 days in a row


*** And a lot of kudos to Benedikt for picking some of the best locations to ride again -- he knows pretty much every mountain out there!


*** PS: There is still some more to say and in my mind -- may be keep updating for a little while...

Friday, June 14, 2013

Annecy Le Vieux, RA, France - Day 6 -- a notch of competition (GBF13)

Nice breakfast, day No 6. "Team look" in the Gippinger race kit today.

Talking on non alpine but still a few great challenging climbs as those tend to be steeper... so hang on with me (or Ben).

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Staring at the beautiful setting of the city Annecy at Lac d'Annecy. Heading out of town on D909/D909A with traffic on a overcast morning, clouds hanging low in the mountains. Then bearing off on D42 to Col del la Forclaz -- minor slightly winding road, getting foggy... -- on more climb used in the Tour. A hell of fun decent on D42 into Vesonne.


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Heading on to Col du Marais on D12 -- this was getting us into a notch of competition, well some rider came up on us out of town as we started the beginning of the climb moderately, well how could we get this dude getting passing up, so just following him at a little increased pace then Ben getting bored and put down a little bit more power, that guy was sitting on for a while and Py behind a little playing... and Ben took off effortless... I saved a little energy and with ease caught back up to this stranger and passed him, he hanging on at times, a few attempts to get away. I left him behind while entering the next town/turn where Ben waited. It went on form there again with a mostly strait section, slight incline -- that guy hanging on Py again... Then I let him go up into the wind the last 400 meters, no point wasting more energy, we still had a good way to go, just a bit of different fun once in a while, possible some locals -- then following the road to Col de la Croix Fry on D16. This "Fry" is again going into the fog and Py could hardly see where the road went -- may be good -- it kept going and going up while getting really steep beyond 12% at times -- but exceptional nice and quiet. Lunch stop in Saint-Jean-de-Sixt before continuing on D4 to D12 to Col de Glieres. The decent on D12 was getting really chilly and we put our jackets on. Ben was seeking for the entry to D85 but found it right away -- leading up to the next climb (Col de Glieres)!

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A little Paris Roubaix while passing over on Col de Glieres D12 to D55 on dirt road.

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A the last great descent on a small winding road still D55... fun fun. Returning to Annecy on D5.

Then driving back "home" to Bern with shopping on the way.



Thursday, June 13, 2013

Oisans - Col De La Croix De Fer - Glandon - Day 5 (GBF13)

Last day riding from Bourg. Looking like it's going to be a hot day.

Today backtracking our previous decent from Croix de Fer on D526. Glad not to have the pack any more -- a steady good 10..12% climb. The lower wooded part felt good with the shade, later sun exposed getting burned on... then better at higher elevation but still heavy sun exposure.

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Some company by other riders, mostly leaving them behind passing up on them.
The pseudo "sky" rider we would see a few more times later. From Croix de Fer descending now on D926 all the way into Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. Looking for lunch, but only one place we disliked due to non suitable seating space outside. Hot either way all the way done at 500m. Heading on further D906, D1006 now towards [add: fast near flat/slight descent moving, some team of about 8 riders coming up the road in opposite direction, looking good.] Saint-Avre and finding the entry to Col de Glandon on D927.

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As we skipped lunch so fart and did not found anything, just a quick snack and water refill as we entered the climb to Col de Glandon and decided to take any opportunity about 1/2 way en route to Col de Glandon. Some where around 1100m near Saint-Colomban-des-Villards Ben found and stopped at a restaurant. Little refreshments before making it to the top:

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Then backtracking on D526 again and retuning to Bourg.

Back at the car. Final walk around town looking for a little souvenir... Then driving to Annecy-le-Vieux for further exploration of some TdF climbs and roads.
Checking in at a hotel in Annecy -- while some heavy thunder downpour just eased up. Evening cool down from the past heat wave!