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Theme of the Day: Does it always rain here?!!

Summary: Campers ride in a drizel all day, climb Mt. Howell, a serious KOM, and are met with dry clothes and hot soup in Angwin.

The Full Run Down
The hills and length of Stage 1 provided a good shakedown that identified some maintenance issues to be addressed quickly before/during Stage 2. Coach Rich stayed in Davis to await the opening of Davis Wheelworks while Patrick and the other campers hit the road. Major props to Wheelworks for opening early for us and banging out some critical issues in less then 30 minutes! Rich was back on the road within the hour, driving to the intermediate sprint town of Angwin, which is where the campers would end their day’s riding before making the admin transfer to Pacifica for the start of Stage 3.

Meanwhile, Patrick was leading the group on the ride from Davis. In this, our fourth year of doing the Tour of California, we have NEVER done this stage without rain…and this year was no exception. The ride started out overcast with the rain holding out until the end of the day…just in time for the KOM ascent up Cat 2 Mount Howell and the short descent into Anwgin, were Coach Rich and Camper Chris Malone where able to hook up hot soup for the crew at the end of the ride.

We then loaded up the camp into the vans and drove to Pacifica, our starting location for Stage 3.

Stage 2 Map and Profile

Stage 2 in Pictures and Video

Pre-Ride Prep

Mrs. Coach Rich is ready with hot soup for cold, wet campers

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On the final day of the camp (not the Tour, those poor S.O.B.s have to keep going!), we rode about 70 miles all-in. The course was pretty challenging…not sure how the pros are fast every day, but we were all definitely feeling it today. The ride started easy but then began drifting up the ridge. All told there was 38 miles of climbing for 3800 total gain, but most of it was in the last few miles. Can you say OUCH? The headwinds didn’t help, but the fans were out to give us a nice mental push as we made our way up the KOM. Lots of folks out riding today — this was theh SoCal cycling community’s chance to finally get some TOC riding in. We even met Verna from the forum…way to ride girl!

Once we crested the ridge and got on the 2, it was a slight climb and then BOMBS AWAY! We flew down the big sweeping turns, with the only mishap being some motorcycle monkeys passing cars on a turn on the other side of a double-yellow line…right where Coach Rich happened to be riding. YIKES!!!

Once safely on the other side, we dropped into the Rose Bowl where, after a quick change, we jetted over to the finish line to watch the peloton roll by. They had five laps and while the crowd wanted Hincapie to win his second straight Pasadena finish, a few other doodes had their own plans. In the end, Nocentini edged Peter Weening for first place on the day. The crowd dispersed, with many apparently heading over to the Team vans and the doping tent to get some signatures or rider close ups.

We had other plans, coming back to Rich’s house to clean and pack our bikes…and then relax. All in all it was a GREAT camp…we couldn’t have asked for a better set of folks. Hard to believe the camp’s at an end…guess it’s time to plan for 2010!!!

Happy Riding!

Patrick

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Day 6 of the Camp found us in Solvang. After a great dinner at The Hitchin’ Post and a good night’s sleep, we were off to ride the TT course and then hang out in Solvang. This was also a rest day for the squad…after 5 days of 50+ miles, people were definitely feeling a bit under the weather.

The ride itself was uneventful and pretty easy. We rode no-drop through the first half of the TT course, then detoured out Foxen Canyon Road for a nice out and back session. After a few flat tires (including a screw that went in one side of the tire and out the other!), we were rolling smoothly. Got some great video of the team on the return trip too….just a ton of fun!

Once we re-integrated with the course, we climbed up the switchback section and then powered through the descents back to Solvang. We had a great paceline going and were just drilling it! After regrouping in town and storing our bikes, we hit the pastry shops hard and then went to watch the TT.

Solvang was jammed with fans…it’s just great to see how much the interest around the Tour has grown over the last four years (4 years!!!!). The team buses were slammed, the Astana bus was mobbed and the course was jammed. All of the riders looked as though they were out to crush it, and as we learned this year, the course ain’t easy!

At the end of the day, Levi just outdid Dave Zabriskie to claim top honors and add to his overall Tour lead. The group was psyched to see so many pros and to get so many great pics. Just killer!

More Soon,

Patrick

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We awoke to wind and rain, and a fast-moving hailstorm had everyone hanging their heads…what, another day of getting wet? But the prospect of climbing the Cat 1 climb of Sierra Rd and heading on past Lake Casitas had everyone amped up, weather be damned! A break in the weather came through just as the group rolled out. Maybe we are finally doing something right?

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Stage 2: Sausalito to Santa Cruz

Third day of the tour, our second day of riding, and second day of rain. We started a little south of San Francisco in Pacifica, giving our group a good 15 mile head start on the Pro Peloton as they ventured across the Golden Gate Bridge. As the video from CycleTo.com shows below, even the pros weren’t that excited about the day.

Watch Jens and Jurgen – S*** at the Start

Our group was only just a bit more excited, and we found a way to roll down the coast on the PCH 1 despite the conditions.

There was a hotly contested sprint (See video below) that coach Rich only just took ahead of Dan “Soigneur” Socie and Bryan “Have You Seen My Foam?” Masse.

Half Moon Bay Sprint

We then turned left up Tunitas Creek Road for a 10+ mile stint, with over 7.5 of them climbing. It was just an epic ride, starting in farmland and then gradually building up to slight forest, changing over to redwoods, then switchbacks and eucalyptus trees and more. There were parts no wider than a car and the fans stiil turned out in earnest despite the conditions. It was a tough climb, and a tiny part of you knows that the peloton would just big ring the whole thing….just sick.

Our group pulled at the top of the first KOM, with just over 30 miles on our legs with the hopes of living to fight tomorrow’s epic climb of Sierra Road (and more). Spirits are high, lots of joking and a little bit of fear as we look ahead to two more quality days of work before the TT break in Solvang!

Ride safe!

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