... and pucker up. On Apr 13, 6:25 am, DENNIS GUVETIS <[email protected]> wrote: > In that case Kevin, assume the position...... > > read more » > > ________________________________ > From: Kevin Dougherty <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Tue, April 13, 2010 12:00:40 AM > Subject: RE: [Gyros: 15254] Re: Spring Gyro Mountain Ride > > About that SAG wagon. What if you're sittin' there on the side of the road > in who knows where, Bucky is late, and you start to hear banjo music ? > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > > Gary Rohlke > Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 11:36 PM > To: North Raleigh Cyclists (Gyros) > Subject: [Gyros: 15253] Re: Spring Gyro Mountain Ride > > Good comments all. Courtney - thanks for the great description of the > Sauratown climb and reinforcing the danger of the descents. Bryan - YOU can > ride a quad hump. We will give you extra credit for the hill repeat - I > promise. Kevin - invite your wife to come join us as her birthday present. > Wrap up my description of the ride and give it to her with a look on your > face like you just bought out Tiffany's. Not only will you be able to > participate in this mountain ride, but I would be willing to bet that as an > added bonus you will get a kitchen pass at least through the Blood Sweat and > Gears ride in late June. > No, there will not be a SAG wagon on Tony's Three Mountain Romp but you can > always hitch a ride in Bucky Studrock's pick 'em up truck (or with one of > his many relations in the area). Good luck on that. > Seriously, someone will pick you up after the ride if needed. I found that > the best solution is to drive your own car to Pilot and take a couple > cyclists. Make sure you keep your car keys with you during the ride. That > pretty much guarantees someone will be back for you. > Logan - unless you were driving a bulldozer the size of Cleveland I have to > call BS on your claim of flattening those three "hills." - Gary > > On Apr 12, 7:34 pm, Logan <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hey guys, Steve and I went out there today and did all those "hills" > > so dont bother. We flattened them. > > > On Apr 7, 4:07 pm, "Kevin Dougherty" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > "Put a quarter in the juke & boogie 'till you puke" -- Root Boy > > > Slim (circa 1978). > > > > I might be interested in being one of the swept up A weenies. When > > > do you need to know by ? I am anticipating a month of delicate > > > negotiations to get a release on that date (my wife's birthday). > > > Btw, the ends might not justify the means in this case. Will there > > > be a sag wagon if you can't make it back up to your car ? > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > > > Behalf Of > > > > Gary Rohlke > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 1:23 AM > > > To: North Raleigh Cyclists (Gyros) > > > 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 > > > Sheffieldhttp://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 just 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 California. 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- > > > > Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
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