Mulholland Challenge Roll Call 4/10/10 (merged threads)

Dirtmistress, do you have any idea how many miles and how much climbing your route has?

 

I am sending in my payment this afternoon. Was on the waiting list and got the go to sign up for breathless agony, and also gonna do heartbreak hundred to round it out.

 

No I'm sorry I don't. I will guess about 4500 ft. but mileage I'm not sure. I suggested that route because I know you wanted to roads that are on MC.
Here's an idea if you want more miles and climbing. After you descend Piuma, instead of turning left and heading back to the cars, turn right and take that road to Mulholland. Then turn left on Mulholland and just stay on that allllllthe way till you climb up and past the rock store.
This climb is also on the route. When you top out, continue to Kanan Dume and go left.
Take that road all the way back down to PCH and go left on PCH and about 5 or so miles back to the car!

 

I'm thinking of doing that, and maybe take Latigo back down, simply because a few people have told me going through those tunnels on Malibu Canyon would be suicide. Or, as an alternative, what do you think about doing an about face when I hit Malibu Canyon and ultimately descending to PCH on, I think it's called, La Tuna?

 

Anyone who has experience with long rides with lots of climbing, how do you prepare for it? I have done 100+ mile rides before, but with nowhere near the amount of climbing mulholland has. I rode this past saturday and did 75 miles with 4500 ft of climbing. How do you know if you are prepared or not?

 

Latigo has some wicked cracks as of late, as if the road is sliding downhill, so be careful. Tuna Cyn is the steepest road in the area with one lane, off camber turns and no guard rail. You'll be descending parts of it with your chest on your saddle, it's that steep. Comparatively, the tunnels on Kanan are probably safer and there's only one heading toward the coast. But...personally I think Kanan is the most boring descent in the area. If you climb Rockstore, keep going on Mulholland and keep left to go down Encinal. There will be a couple climbs to add some more altitude gain, but the descent to the coast is gorgeous.

 

Chris, You prepare for something like this with long days in the saddle climbing. It's not easy but you have to work into it. I have heard it is better to do rides with multiple long hills rather than one long hill.

Hill repeats lasting between 8-15 minutes are a good training technique. Get out on the weeknights and get in some good climbing rides. Try doing Seven Sisters in Laguna. Come out to the San Gabs and climb Highway 39 up to Crystal Lake then out East Fork to Cow Saddle. Ride Pallomar. The key is to become a regular climber.

 

Hi, the tunnel on Malibu Cyn is a tunnel you will be doing on the MC ride itself so that's a heads up for you.
It's not that bad. you can wait till there are no cars coming and then haul through it.
Many cyclists take it as a direct route to the vally and Piuma.

If you decide to continue on Mulholland to Kanan Dume,
you will only go through ONE tunnel and it has a very wide shoulder and it's well lit. The grade down Kanan is about 7 to 8 % in places. Good pavement and a very wide road.
The first turn on Latigo is 17% and goes about a mile before you begin a long technical downhill.
I say stick with the original route ot add on Kanan.
All roads are on the MC except for Kanan.

 

I gave into pressure, mostly from myself, especially since some of the people coming I don't know that well. So I've changed it. I'm going to do a figure 8. I'm going to start at Las Virgenes and Mulholland (at 8:30 a.m.), go south on Stunt to Piuma and then back to Mulholland via Cold canyon and then back on Stunt to Fernwood to Old Topanga to Mulholland and back to the cars. That gives me some time on M.C. roads but hopefully without tons of traffic.

Can you join us Dirtmistress? All are welcome to come along. We are not racers.:wave:

 

Thanks much but I have another commitment this week-end. Gonna be beautiful for sure!!
You'll love it! Traffic is never THAT bad.
PCH gets busy and motorcycles on the canyons get loud but most everyone is pretty respectful. Sorry you aren't doing that other route! It's a good 'un!
Cheers!

 

Sweetpea,

What day are you doing this ride? Start time, place to meet? Miles, and are there place to refill bottles during the ride if needed?

 

We are meeting this Saturday, the 20th, at the corner of Las Virgenes and Mulholland. We plan on riding at 8 a.m. Waterwise, I might wear a camel bak. I did so last time and it worked out well. Dirtmistress listed some refill spots and I would think that as long as there are houses, there is water.

 

I just came down Latigo today and it wasn't as bad as the last time I did it. They've smoothed over the gnarlier cracks. Awesome day, up Encinal, down Latigo, 98 miles for me. :bang:

 

What's the miles planned for this ride? So I know how much food to bring.

 

approximately 40 miles, 6000'+/- elevation gain

Red Hawk, Stacy said that I should warn you that most, if not all of the people coming aren't as fast as you. But in our defense, we tend to laugh a lot and have adventures to write home about.

 

Muholland Challenge Roll Call 4/10/10

Who's doing this one? I'm thinking I will probably be wearing my PAA team kit.

 

These are the people I know about: Teri (Livepe), Winston (Cowboy), Mel, Rochelle, Danielle, Doug, and me.

Have you done this before? I looked at the route slip and I can't figure out where the stops have food and where they don't. Do you know whether running out of water on this ride is a common event? (can you tell I'm getting nervous?)

 

I am in. My fellow STR buddies Bergsteiger and SD_Stumpy will be out there as well. Us three will likely be riding together most of the day. Stumpy and I will be in our Sho-Air kits.

My only hope is that it is not too hot. Otherwise I am looking forward to the ride. Not that it will not be difficult but it is manageable.

Don't slap me on the ass too hard when you pass me (well except for Liz maybe).

 

:lol: ! I'll be at Hurkey. My mistake for setting the camp out up over the MC date!
Sweetpea, they should have plenty of water. take the little white pills too. I believe it's Endurolytes.
I was up on Yerba Buena today and Little Sycamore. The shovel trucks were up there pushing the land slides and debris off the roads.
When you go up Little Sycamore the pavement is great, then it suddenly turns awful! Welcome to Ventura county. That's the county dividing line.
Expect debris and gravel on the roads. Beware of Yerba Buena down. It's so badly torn up. Just REALLY bad pavement!! Deer Creek is very, very steep down with debris so be careful on that.
Decker is steep as hell but good pavement and Stunt is good pavement.
Pray for no wind!!
Stick a newspaper under your jerseys for the ride down Malibu cyn rd/Las Virgenes. It gets bitter cold heading to the coast at 6 am and the paper keeps you warm plus you can toss it later.
The views are spectacular! I'll keep my eyes out for anything else. I'm working the Yerba Buena area all week.

 

Too bad you will not be there Liz. I was really hoping to ride and see you again.

The newspaper is excellent advice! I plan to use a newspaper this year. The ride down Malibu Canyon until the first climbs was painfully cold last year. Some of the coldest, most painful riding I've done to date.

Cold weather gear is really not needed because after that cold stretch there is not much need for the gear.