Cool Breeze RR

[MTBMaven]

I just got back from the Cool Breeze Century. I rode with a guy named John who I met about a year ago doing trail work in the Angeles, some of you may know him. This was his first century in about 10 years. He is a regular rider but he doesn't get out on long rides.

We left Pasadena at 5:00AM for Ventura. We registered on site and hit the road at something like 6:50AM, the official start was at 6:30AM.

The air was cool and the wind was light out of the north (meaning it was blowing south). We set a blistering pace and pasted tons of people from the 6:30AM start. The ride was along the coast for the first 15 miles then it headed into the rolling hillside. After the first SAG we rode on Mountain Ave. This was a really cool street. Some good hills in the beginning but after that it was twisty rolling hills. Really fun stuff.

The rest of the ride as really nice and very well supported. Even had some hot biker chicks out there today

Unfortunately we were riding behind three guys up a hill when one of the hit the wheel of the guy in front of him. A no big deal slow speed crash, but he broke his finger in the fall. Looked really painful.

Total ride time was 5:59 minutes with an average speed of 16.9 MPH. Both are new records for me, but barely. My previous record was 5:59 minutes for 100 miles this was 102, and my previous best average was 16.7 or 16.8. But hey I'll take was I can get.

John and his family wisely decided not to drive to Tahoe tonight.

[El Salt]

Nice Job!

I've done that one twice in the past. Really fun, and like you said, well supported.

I hope there was a "cool breeze", as its hotter then heck most places this weekend!

Again, super job, and respectable times!

[Pain Freak]

One of my favorite centuries. Waited to long and missed it, but still have Amtrak and Tour de Poway coming up along with a few doubles thrown in. Wish I could have joined you.

[Endo Verendo]

Nice meeting ya Maven. I didn't know about the crash... no wonder you guys kinda looked 'shell shocked'. It was also nice meeting Shudder. STR represents!

I'm totally spent. I did the double metric century and hooked up early on with a fast racer guy. I pulled him up the hills and he pulled me on the flats at a blistering pace.. damn he was fast! At mile 100 he burnt out so he did took the century option back. Us doubles were sent up a climb that someone said was 14%, but I think it was more like 10%. But still, pretty ruthless after 100 miles. All said I rode 130 miles and climbed 8600'. ouch.

The scenery was worth it with views of mountains, farms or the ocean around every turn. That Zaca wildfire was always looming nearby and man that looks huge! Good thing the wind's blowing that smoke NE.

Alright... beer time. What to choose?......

[MTBMaven]

Endo...when did we meet? I don't remember, sorry.

Your route sounds crazy, I think I could have done it but I would have taken a really slow pace and still would have been hurting pretty badly.

[Endo Verendo]

Originally Posted by MTBMaven

Endo...when did we meet? I don't remember, sorry.

Um, K.... I first noticed you leaving the lunch stop as I was following a tandem in, but I was too spent to say hi. After lunch I caught up with you just before the next rest stop. I said "Hey, I'm supposed to say hi to someone wearing a hammer jersey riding a Lemond." Then I introduced myself. You did say "Hi" back to me. Then I said 'hey' to you again at the rest stop table with the watermelon. Then when I caught you on the bike path after I was done with the double route I said "we have to stop meeting like this." ring a bell?

[MTBMaven]

Really? A silver and black Lemond with a water bottle holder on the back of my seat with only one bottle in it?

I was on the look out for you the whole day. You were the only person I expected to run into. What jersey were you wearing? Did you introduce yourself as endo_verendo? Could there possibly have been another Lemond riding Hammer jersey wearing person out there yesterday? Maybe my doppelgänger?

I normally remember stuff like this but for the life of me don't remember. I'm so sorry. I fell really bad.

[Endo Verendo]

Were you in a group with the woman in the pink Hammer kit and bike?

[MTBMaven]

No That is too funny. John was wearing a Colorado flag jersey also riding a Lemond. He has an older black Lemond Buenos Aires. Looks like my doppelganger was out there.

[shudder]

Originally Posted by Endo Verendo

It was also nice meeting Shudder. STR represents!

So, my buddies Charles and Phillip and I set up a short paceline as we sped through the upper portions of Carpinteria. We were going about 25 MPH when alla sudden these two guys, one in MTBR colors, passed by us. I caught up and asked if he knew STR, and lo and behold, it was Endo (yeah, they were real fast...)!! Good to meet ya as well.

It was a tough 103.79 miles. My left knee blew out just before the climb up to the top of Montecito (beautiful up there!!), so I had 70 miles to go on a really sore knee. Fun fun fun. But, I made it.

My first century.

Zaca Fire was with us all day:


My 2007 Cool Breeze Gang (me sprotin' the good hairdo in the FedEx jersey):


Sorry I didn't hook up with any of you guys -- I had a difficult week and was really out of sorts for several days. My dad passed away on Tuesday, so I almost didn't do the ride, but decided in the end to use it as a healing ride for me. Worked oiut very well in the end (I just wish my knee had done better!).

shud

[S54MCoupe]

Shudder:

Congrats on your first 100miles.

And really sorry to hear about your father, thats about as huge of hit as someone can take, but it's great to hear you kept on and did the ride regardless.

[Pain Freak]

My condolences Shudder. I've lost both my parents and I know how bad it feels.

Ron, what was your time? I don't remember that much climbing and I've done that century 3 different times. Is there a lot on the double metric, that's not on the regular century?

[Endo Verendo]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

Ron, what was your time? I don't remember that much climbing and I've done that century 3 different times. Is there a lot on the double metric, that's not on the regular century?

There's over 3000' of gain on the century and supposedly 8600' on the double. Only one big longish climb though and the rest were a lot of rolling hills. There were some steeper than it looks ball busters around Ojai.

I don't have a computer but I started at 7:10 and finished around 3:40 something. Frickn long.

Originally Posted by MTBMaven

No That is too funny. John was wearing a Colorado flag jersey also riding a Lemond. He has an older black Lemond Buenos Aires. Looks like my doppelganger was out there.

Anyway... so the guy on the Lemond and the Hammer jersey.... I asked him if he was Maven and he said yeah. Probably wasn't you but why would he say that?

[MTBMaven]

Originally Posted by Endo Verendo

Anyway... so the guy on the Lemond and the Hammer jersey.... I asked him if he was Maven and he said yeah. Probably wasn't you but why would he say that?

So weird. It may have been me and I was in such a zone but that just seems strange that I would have blown you off like that. If I did I am SOOOOO sorry. I hope we can meet again and I promise this time I will try to remember.

D@mn now I feel bad.