The Ladera Grand Prix is today. Anyone racing or watching? I live a few blocks away and was thinking of heading over to watch some of the action. The Pros race at 4pm...right around happy hour.
I went to check it out with the family. What happened this year? It's always been pretty packed with riders, spectators and vendors, but seemed totally dead today.
I went over and saw some of the laps. Crowd and vendors looked about the same as last year. I think the race could be a lot better if more 'stuff' was happening around the race. Get more vendors out, stuff for the kids, a food truck. OTH, even the Rwanda ride has a much better turn out from that stand point.
What is this event, and how is it that someone like me who lives and rides in the area, reads this board, and is connected to a bunch of bike sites through Facebook, had no idea it was happening?
And that's the problem. There where banners at some the street corners in Ladera, but other then that not much advertising.
Most years I go out and watch and take some photos, but I was traveling yesterday. I have no interest in doing any crit racing myself, but it's fun to watch, Those guys are crazy - 30mph on asphalt in a tight pack with almost zero protection.
Meh. I'd be more interested if they linked our local trails somehow and did some kind of MTB enduro time trial. Had a route in mind, but now some sections are "illegal".
Racing on the road in SoCal has been pretty grim in the last 20 years. Cheaper to put on a crit -- only people that show up are the other racers and their spouses and/or families. Is it fast and exciting? Yes. Opportunity to see a couple crashes? Yes. Kinda like Nascar. However, the crit riders are the worst of the road bunch (I'm speaking as a former roadie, so no "hater" here). A few of the old races remain -- Boulevard is still there. They changed San Luis Rey to an out and back course that is nothing like the old loop. A couple others in the spring like Redlands, but not much to participate in for the masses. But once you hit summer, it's all crits. There are some great centuries and other gran fondos, but nothing like the old road races like Acton and the Mammoth Classic.
Is be down for that race. Could be a good one. Get Ladera Ranch and Rancho MV involved. Show off some of their trails. I wonder how much it would cost to but something one. Or go simple, maybe a forth of July fun ride.
Yeah, good luck getting permission from Rancho Mission Viejo....they'll end up barb wiring the crap out of everything down here. They already proved they don't want anyone looking at their land. However, a race like that would be kinda cool but probably a tough one to put on.