Why don't you guys make it a QUAD Hump. Sean and I did it a couple years back and loved it.
Start at the top of Pilot Mountain Ride to and ascend Sauratown Ride to and ascend Hanging Rock Ride back and ascend Sauratown Ride and finish at the top of Pilot Mountain. On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 9:22 AM, Courtney Michelle <[email protected]>wrote: > That was good Gary. I’ve got to throw in my 2 cents worth now: > I hate Sauratown. It has that first long “false flat” stretch where it > doesn’t look like a climb but then you realize you’re giving > everything you got and only going 5mph. And it’s so desolate. There > is no protection from the wind or the sun and both always seem to be > brutal. (And it’s always a headwind.) After all that you still have > to climb the steep part. > > Like Gary said be careful on the descents. At 3MM one year I was > climbing Hanging Rock with Armando and a couple other Gyros (sorry > can’t remember who now?) when a cyclists coming down the mountain ran > into the back of a car. We were going into a curve on the way up, the > car was coming out of the curve on the way down, the cyclist went into > the curve full speed and had no idea the car was there until it was > too late and he slammed into the back of it. > > > Courtney > > > > On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 6:58 AM, Tony <[email protected]> wrote: > > Gary - Loved reading your description of these climbs! Great to see you > > yesterday. Let's hope for a great turnout for this ride. Please keep me > > posted on who let's you know if they are riding the B+ ride. I will do > the > > same. > > > > Tony > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Rohlke" <[email protected]> > > To: "North Raleigh Cyclists (Gyros)" <[email protected]> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 1:22 AM > > Subject: [Gyros: 15212] Re: Spring Gyro Mountain Ride > > > > > > I will lead a B+ ride if anyone is interested. The B+ ride is > > intended for those who want a slightly slower pace than the A ride. > > The B+ group will also be the sweep group picking up the many weenies > > who retire from the A group. Please let Tony and I know if you are > > interested in the B+ ride so we can get a count. > > > > 1. The B+ ride will follow the same route and rules as the A ride. > > > > 2. The overall pace will be a bit slower than the A ride, but will not > > be leisurely. There are no leisurely rides in the mountains. > > > > 3. The route, not including the three major climbs, consists of > > continuous rollers and long, steep inclines. Just that part of the > > route is more difficult than anything we ride here in Raleigh at that > > distance. > > > > 4. There are three mountain climbs on the route. The climbs are each > > over two miles in length and there are no flat sections where you can > > rest. It is a continuous climb all the way up. Mountain roads in > > North Carolina were built following old goat and deer paths. If you > > have ever seen a deer or goat climb you know what I am talking about. > > During the pre-Nascar, moonshine running days in western NC the good > > old boys had 400+ cubic inch engines ("got a hemi?") in their cars so > > a little "incline" was no problem for them. Each of the three climbs > > is "interesting." Sauratown, the first mountain climb on the route, > > consists of three long switchbacks. Each switchback gets > > progressively steeper and longer with lengthy grades of 10% or > > better. It is probably the "easiest" of the three climbs but > > psychologically seems very difficult because you can see almost all > > the way up the last mile and your slow progress up the mountain is all > > too evident and disheartening. This is the first climb on the famous > > Three Mountain Madness (3MM). If you are new to mountain climbing it > > will be your wake up call. When I ride in the 3MM as I am starting the > > climb up Sauratown I get to watch the "big dogs" on their way down, > > which puts them about an hour ahead of me less than 20 miles into the > > ride. Talk about putting you in your place. There is no rest stop at > > the top of Sauratown, only a turnaround, fence, bugs (yes, some bees > > too) and a radio antenna farm. Next stop is Hanging Rock which is > > ranked by the Rocket Man (Tom Sheffield > > http://ncbc.addr.com/documents/Rocket_Man_Climb_Ratings.htm) > > as the third most difficult climb in NC. It has several, steep > > switchbacks with a 15% grade or more in some places. The bottom > > section is the only place where you can see ahead for a few hundred > > feet, after that the road twists all over the place. It has restroom > > facilities (a good place to puke) and water available at the parking > > lot off to the left before you reach the summit. I have had the > > pleasure of bonking on Hanging Rock and it was all I could do to keep > > from going down backwards. We finish with Pilot Mountain. No, > > contrary to popular opinion, Andy Griffith did not ride his cruiser > > bike up Pilot Mountain from the fictional Mayberry (Mt. Airy). But I > > have ridden up Pilot Mountain, several times in fact, and lived to > > tell about it - barely. Each time I am grinding and cussing my way up > > Pilot Mountain I question my sanity. Rocket Man ranks it number 6 on > > his list of most difficult NC climbs. But it deserves better in my > > book. It is at the end of the route so you face it when you are > > tired. And you will be tired. It has two switchbacks that are so > > steep (~20% grade) that I have to lean over my handlebars jsut to keep > > the front wheel on the ground while barely turning over the cranks. > > The final mile or so is a constant 9-10% grade that just sucks the > > life out of your legs. You are so high at the top you can see all the > > way to Causfornia. There are facilities and a parking lot at the top > > of Pilot Mountain. The first time I made it to the top on the 3MM I > > rode over to a guy sitting on a bench and asked him to kick the c...@p > > out of me so I would never do it again. But I did and he didn't. > > Tony and I are toying with the idea of parking at the top of Pilot and > > starting the ride there thus forcing everyone to climb Pilot at the > > end of the ride to get back to the cars. Machiavellian, aren't we? > > > > 5. All that being said don't let me scare you off - "you can do it!" > > I have done it - several times. Some suggestions though. a) You will > > need proper gearing. A compact crankset with a climbing gear on the > > cassette, such as a 25 or 27 tooth, is the minimum in my opinion. A > > triple is better. One time I put a mountain bike derailleur, longer > > chain and "pie pan" (34 tooth) gear on the cassette on my road bike to > > give me a nice, low climbing gear. b) Know your ability. Pace > > yourself throughout the ride and especially on the three mountain > > climbs. You should have the experience and common sense to ride at > > your own tempo. Everyone will have a different tempo and it is > > important you find and ride yours. Don't try to chase down or ride > > with someone faster and stronger than you on the climbs. You will > > bonk - I promise. c) Be aware of cramping. If you are susceptible to > > cramps on long climbs (like me) drink the proper amount of fluids and > > take supplements you know work. I have used Lava salts with some > > success. Others may have their favorite potions to recommend. d) It > > is OK to rest on the climbs. Just find a place to pull off the road > > and rest. I promise we won't call you names (at least until we are on > > the way back to Raleigh). Getting started again on a steep incline is > > another matter, one I will let you figure out and experience on your > > own. e) Be careful on the descents - you will pick up speed rapidly > > and the switchbacks can come at you in a hurry and surprise you (false > > cambers, oncoming traffic, etc.). Make sure your brakes are in good > > shape. One lesson I learned is to feather my front and back brakes > > alternately to allow the rims to stay cool. It is possible to flat by > > overheating the rims. Tony knows about that. f) You will get very > > tired and need to make an extra effort to stay attentive to the road > > conditions, other riders and traffic. > > > > The good news is all of the mountain climbs are up and back down > > (loops) so you can ride part of the climb or skip it entirely and wait > > for everyone at the bottom. So come with us and enjoy some of the > > "high country." > > > > Gary > > > > On Apr 5, 8:18 am, "Tony" <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > >> G's, > >> > >> Bert and I have scheduled a date for our spring mountain ride. > >> > >> Date is Saturday, May 15th. Mark your calendars! > >> > >> For all of you newbie Gyros, we have done this over the last 4 years in > >> preparation for upcoming mountain rides. > >> > >> This year we'll make our trip to Sauratown, Hanging Rock and Pilot > >> Mountains. > >> > >> The plan is the same as in the past. We'll meet at the Kohl's Store in > >> Brier Creek early Saturday morning (6am), carpool to Pilot Mountain, > have > >> breakfast along the way, ride the course TOGETHER, and eat dinner on the > >> return trip. So, if you haven't figured it out, this is a one day > excursion. > >> > >> This is an A ride but B's are also welcome to join in IF you can get > >> enough to establish a group. The point here is to ride and stay > together. > >> > >> On every climb, the philosophy will be every man for himself but we > >> regroup at the bottom and will continue our trek to the next climb. > What's > >> nice about this is that you do not have to do every mountain or if you > make > >> it up part way and realize that the task at hand is just too great, turn > >> around and meet everyone at the bottom. > >> > >> I believe the course is around 55 miles. > >> > >> It's a great time and a fantastic workout for those of you that are > doing > >> Blood, Sweat and Gears or the 3 Mountain Madness. > >> > >> We have had many Gyros do this in the past so we expect a great turnout > >> this year too. > >> > >> If you are interested, we would like to get a head count so please email > >> me, OFFLINE, to let me know. > >> > >> If the weather looks iffy or too many Gyros have this date already > >> reserved, we'll reschedule for a Saturday in June. > >> > >> More information will come as we get closer. > >> > >> Thanks, Tony > > > > -- > > You received this message because you subscribed to the Gyro email group. > > To post to this group, send an email to [email protected] > > To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected] > > > > To unsubscribe, reply using "remove me" as the subject. > > -- > > You received this message because you subscribed to the Gyro email group. > > To post to this group, send an email to [email protected] > > To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected] > > > > -- > You received this message because you subscribed to the Gyro email group. > To post to this group, send an email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected] > -- You received this message because you subscribed to the Gyro email group. 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