2011 Alpine Challenge

Today's stats:  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/82578506

Originally, we expected it would take almost a couple hours to make our way out to the event, so we took off from my house at 5:30 a.m. expecting a ride start near 8 a.m.   With the ride start time for the metric century distance being between 6:30 to 8 a.m., we were expecting to be in chase mode the whole time.  Even on the drive down, I was contemplating what was the best route to get there the earliest, but ultimately opted for the 5 > 805 > 8 east route.  As we neared Alpine, we looked at the clock and saw that it wasn't even 6:30 yet.  We even missed the exit, and ended up going to Tavern Rd, taking a BIO break, and then turning back around to start in El Cajon off of Harbison/Duncan exit.

Upon our arrival, we saw several riders already on the road heading out and near the Summers Past Farms where it started, we ended up parking in front of a house just across the street next to a couple cop cars.  It turns out the cops were out since a resident of the house had come out and was swinging a baseball bat at people.  Glad we missed that drama, but what an awesome parking spot!

Gary and I started to get ready and while we were doing so, we noticed a couple guys in Descender kits riding up and down the street.  I guess one had made eye contact with S-Gary, but there was no exchange of words.  Gary and I just giggled.

We also saw my wife's cousin, Al, roll by in his car and said hi, but since he was not ready to roll when we were, we did not end up riding with him.  Darn.  Next time.

When we got ready to go, we decided to wait to jump in a group, as they would form at the intersection underneath the balloon banner.  Again, this was not a mass start ride like it was last year, so we sat for a little bit.  During this time, the same Descender rolled by and being my cordial self, I extend a "hi."  I think he returned it, but I may have been preoccupied with the thought of why he's still around.

Once there was a group of about 30 riders, we rolled out with them.  Now as some of you know, I just got my new compact crank installed and had it in the small ring at the start.  Once we got rolling, I tried to get into the big ring but for the longest time could not.   Of course, we fell behind a little bit as I kept trying, and I was almost going to try to make the best of it and go on.  Fortunately, a couple more tries and BAM!...it had finally shifted.  Curiously, I didn't have this problem beyond this.  Hence, the "break-in" idea before next week was definitely a good idea.

When we finally got going, Gary took the lead and I made my way up to the front to join him.  The Descender had gotten away by this point, so we decided to do our own thing.  Eventually, the other riders behind us thinned out to just one guy in our draft, so Gary and I just took turns as we made our way through the course.  On the descents, it seemed like I was spinning out pretty fast so Gary would jump up front when I had no more speed to give.  Thanks!

On one of the first ascents, we were going up and keeping a decent pace when a few guys in Navy kits, passed us.  I went to jump on to stay with them, but the pace was a little high for Gary where he let us go and did his own pace.

I exchanged positions with some of the guys going up, but I was wanting to save some to also be able to finish strong.  The Navy guys were solid and made for a good pace.  One of them had fallen off, and I decided to just keep his pace rather than the ones in front.  We took a couple turns, but on one of his turns, he turned it up a bit but I hung on.  His group was just ahead of us, so he waved me on to take the next pull so I obliged.  When passing him, he gave me a push from my lower back (okay it was my butt) to get some more momentum.  I took off and got going and he eventually ended up dropping off.  Now had he squeezed, I may have stuck around more and bonded.

I ended up stopping at the 2nd or 3rd SAG hoping to re-group with Gary at this point.  I waited a bit, then decided to take a BIO break and even had a couple of the Fig Newtons there, but no S-Gary to be found.  The Navy guys had left, but I waited just to see if Gary was going to roll up.  Since I couldn't see him down the road, I figured he must have kept going.  Sure enough, I found him in the following SAG.  I didn't end up needing anything, so we just rolled on from there.

We rolled together again from there, and there was another long ascent.  Earlier on, I had actually not been feeling too good about the new gears and just didn't feel like the cranks were spinning up despite the shorter gears.  However, it felt like it had loosened up a lot by this time where I started to crank up the hill.  I had caught and passed a lot of people, but on the following descent, all I could pretty much do was coast down that long hill.  Gary had fallen back on the hill, but as I neared the turned near the 30 mile mark, I looked back and saw that Gary was not far behind.

After the turn, I missed one of the signs and went straight instead of going left.  I don't think Gary saw me, but as I arrived at one fork where there was no sign, I decided I'd wait to see which way Gary thought we should go.  Sure enough, Gary rolled past the sign too and we both ended up looping around an unfamiliar neighborhood until we found a lady to let us know how to get back on course.  What was weird is that it did not seem like anyone else missed the sign except Gary and me.  Go figure.

We got to the SAG at the halfway point, and there were a lot of riders there.  However, a lot of them had rolled off before we could finish refilling our bottles.  I filled my one empty bottle at this point, and I think Gary ate a little, and we were off shortly after.  This was the last SAG we hit for the day.

When we rode off, we kept a moderate pace in preparation for the last big ascent.  Once we got to it, we saw one group of riders in the same kit (women included) and started working our way up toward them.  I had found a good rhythm when I worked my way past them, but my right quad felt a little "cold" still where I wasn't sure if it was the onset of a cramp.  It turned out not to be, but I was a little cautious.  As I passed, I heard someone say "get him" and I was like WTF?  I kept the pace up, and Gary had fallen behind but another rider (not sure if he was in the group or came up from behind) was working his way up to me.  I kept my pace and didn't want to break my rhythm, and he eventually passed me.  However, the top of the hill came sooner than I expected, so the chase was on.

He kept ahead of me for a while, but I managed to finally catch and pass him during one of the downhill.  There was this right turn to go toward Descanso where it was a nice slight downhill section as you made your way around the loop.   With the guy still close, I decided to drop the hammer through this section and hit averages of 27 and almost 30 mph.   He dropped.

For the rest of the ride, I was mostly in pursuit mode but as I got close to the long descents on the way back, another rider had jumped on and we started taking turns for a little bit.   I went to reach down for my bottle before one of the ascents, and he had gotten a little bit ahead of me.  As I would reel him in on the climbs, he would get away once we descended again.  This went on for a few miles, but he ended up getting away from me after one guy riding abreast to his younger daughter had slowed me down on a narrow road with cars coming from both directions.  Oh well.

As I didn't see any more strong riders to mix it up with, I pretty much just rode the rest of the way back alone.  I still kept the pace up and even tried to blow up my legs on the stretch back to the finish, but then wondered again if I was on the right road.  HA HA.   Ultimately, it ended up being a good ride and it didn't take Gary much longer to come in after.    He had been mixing it up on the way back as well, and showed one guy who tried to break away that BRCM riders don't play that. 

Weather-wise, it started out a little cool but tolerable so no base-layer or arm warmers.  There was also some pretty good head and cross winds on the way out, but nothing as crazy as what I heard about up here in Orange County.  The warm weather didn't end up being too much of a factor though, and I finished the ride barely starting out my 3rd bottle.  

The post ride festivities included some beer at the car, although we were worried about the crazy neighbor, so we didn't drink too openly.  We also had some IPA at the beer garden along with the pasta and burger meals they were serving.  After Al came back, he let Gary have his beer ticket, so Gary was feeling pretty good after a 2nd one.  We did see that same Descender in his kit in the tent area after we were eating, so it looked like he just got back since he was stretching out on a chair. 

Another good day of riding.  No real mechanicals (Gary had shifting problems also but got by), flats, or crashes and good beer after?  Awesome.  Gary and  I missed having more there, so we'll have to see what next year holds...especially knowing that Descenders do this ride too.