Catalina Gran Fondo 2014, Gloriously Painful

On May 17, I rode in the Catalina Gran Fondo (50 mile route) for the first time. The distance was similar to the Rwanda 50 miler, but with 2,000 more feet of climbing. This was probably my toughest ride to date, but the views at the top made the climbing well worth it.

Fondo start, 30 minutes before


Lots of people ready to go


Climb up Stagecoach road - just getting warmed up for all the climbin'...


The views along Airport Road. The weather was refreshingly cool along the coast (mid 70s), but very toasty as you went away from the coast (low 90s?)


Resting at Two Harbors. Little did I know about the climbing that waited for me....


Banning House Road....the climbs just kept coming....


and coming....legs were gone and HR was flat-lining. Everyone had to hike-a-bike up the steepest spots


Worst of the climbing is over (for now), time to enjoy the views atop the Trans Catalina Trail!


Great views!


On the way back from the rest station at Little Harbor.


There were a lot of rest stops with food, water, electrolytes, etc. While riding along Middle Ranch Road I came within 100 feet of two HUGE bison but wasn't fast enough to get out my camera before they ran across the road and up into the hills. Those suckers were massive and I'm still kicking myself for missing a potential once in a lifetime photo op! #-o

Rest stop at a farm along Middle Ranch Road. Here is a photo of an animal that wasn't going anywhere


As I was riding along Divide Road I was following a guy who wiped out on some loose gravel. I stopped and helped get his bike upright and assess his injuries. He was cut on his leg and forearm but thankfully nothing broken. He thanked me, got back on his bike and was able to keep on rolling.

The final climb to the last rest stop had my legs begging to hike a bike - but I resisted and finished the climb on the bike!

After dousing myself with water at the last rest stop, the descent was a welcome chance to recover


Even saw what looked like a pet cemetery on the way down...(creepy)

 

Thanks forr the RR and great pics. I'm looking forward to doing this ride one of these years when time and budget allow.
BTW: I've been in that pet cemetery, and it's actually kind of neat....well, for a pet cemetery.

 

Bummed I missed it this year. Seeing the pictures makes me wish I was out there...

 

Killer report and Excellent images. I miss that place = )

Thanks-

 

When I took the city tour with some visiting family last year, the tour guide explained that the pet cemetery used to be really overgrown back in the 80s. When they cleared away the brush, they found a camp full of hobos!

 

Sweet photos! I was at Catalina doing some zip lining 2 weeks ago and I saw those trails and couldn't imagine the agony of climbing them lol. Great job!

 

Thanks for the ride report. Great pictures. I would like to make this ride in the future.

 

Results are posted on the US Cup site

The usual sick times have been turned in by the pros. If I do this ride again (and probably will) I will try to break 5 hours. Congrats to all the local folks for representing! :clap: