Endurance Nation Epic Bike Ride

Rich Strauss, founder of Endurance Nation, came up from Southern California for the weekend to hang around with a bunch of members from the area. He stayed at our place. His notes were posted in the EN forum, so I copied them down to the blog.

Day the Second and more riding in the cold, cloudy then sun and fun. Today's route was a good bit of former ToC stages, including Calaveras Road and Sierra Road (5k, about 9-15% grade). After a good 8hrs sleep (finally), I was greeted with a double latte served by EN NorCal barrista Tom Glynn. We met the rest of the EN/FMRC posse in Danville and then proceeded to ride some flat, pretty fast roads to Sunol, a little railroad junction town at the base of some great climbs. Me, Tom, Dave (? FMRC guy) picked up a Randy (Random Dude) on the way and had some fun hammering on some good climbs and descents. We arrived in Sunol a few minutes of ahead of everyone. I had a feeling the caffeine was going to be a requirement today so a quick double espresso (that's a total of 4 before 9am) and I was good to go.

We then started riding to the base of Calaveras Rd. John Stark was feeling froggy, apparently, and drilled up ahead only to look back and wonder where everyone else was. I circled back to offer a wheel while Tom continued on. I pulled Josh to the base of the climb and then he said "ok, that's it, 10' to the top." I figgered I would try to catch Tom. No friggin way but I killed myself trying. About .88 IF for the first 1:30 of ride time.

After a regroup and group photo Tom, Randy (real name Joe) and I hammered up and down Calaveras Rd. I love this kind of riding: sharp, blind corners, fast descents into good visibility sweepers...just good, fast, bike skills riding. We stopped at the top of the descent down into town for another regroup.Tom, and Tom's New Best Friend Randy and I rode down the hill, into town and stopped at the gas station at the bottom of Sierra Rd. Espresso #5 in the form of one of those gas station capawhatevers out the machine. Good enough, I needed the caffeine. Then we started Sierra road. 5k at average grade of probably 9-10% with more than a few 15-17% pitches. Just. Wrong.

Tom says "are you just gonna cruise this or TT it?"

R: Wha?

T: cuz you're going kinda easy, he sez, at about 14% grade. I just tried to keep the bike upright and Tom in sight for the rest of the climb. Yes to the former, failed the latter.

At the top we waited a bit for Randy, decided he was just Randy and carried on. Fun descent on stoopid narrow road, like bike path narrow, praying there is not car around the blind corner you're taking at 32mph. Hit 49.9mph on rough, shadowy descent. We carried on down Calaveras (awesome road, if I haven't mentioned it yet) and then traded pulls into a still headwind when it flattened out. Back in Sunol and espressos #6 & 7 from the same server who pretends not to recognize me . Tom and I climbed kinda chit chatty (me talking just to slow him down) until we got to the top where it flattened out for a great 20+ mile stretch back to the cars. We traded pulls just absolutely trying to bury ourselves silly.

Back at the car and the numbers were:

4:3686 mi

5900ft gain

.845 IF

325 TSS

Shagometer = 8.9/10

Quick drive back to Tom's house for a shower and then the kids come home. Parker runs up the stairs to my bachelor pad and starts to break dance on the carpet. Conner (spellingbee Rainman) and I trade "how do you spell" punches back and forth while I my vision is blurry from near bonkage.

Lunch at a swank cafe in Danville where I finally break the $15 barrier on a burger and fries (!). Aaron (HighSpeedLowDrag) receives an epic FAIL for his pink lemonade to my Triple Exultation. Parker (background) reflects on the broken shell of man that is Aaron Smith and tells him to cowboy up for Triple E for the next round.
Coach Rich's Weekend Digits:

241 miles

862 TSS @ .80 IF

13:15 ride time

8976kj

ATL/CTL/TSB: 130 tss/d, 78, likely south of 50 tss/d tomorrow.

Tomorrow I load up the AdventureCyle and ride back to LA, have a supacool route schemed out. About 450 miles. Dunno if neck and back will be giggy.
WORK is SPEED Entering the Body