Jim and Maria doing RAAM Texas Challenge and Blue Ridge Parkway

[Maria Parker]

Jim and I are planning on trying out Shipbikes to ship our bikes to Texas for the 200 in the RAAM Challenge
There is about 10,000 feet of climbing, but not too steep or long. We'd love to have some more Cruzbikes there!

I'm also hoping for some other Cruzbikers to join me in the incredible 3000 Miles to a Cure Blue Ridge Parkway Ride/tour. This is one of the most beautiful rides you will ever do. We stop and regroup every 10 miles or so and eat wonderful snacks and food. You can ride in the van if you get too tired. We have lots of spots left and would love to fill them. Invite all your cycling friends. This is a platform agnostic event (trikes welcome!)

 

[LarryOz]

I am signed up for the Blue Ridge Parkway Event! (If you are not going , please consider any donation to 3000 Miles to a Cure, and help me reach my fund-raising goal: https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/lawren-oslund )

My daughter lives in San Antonio, so I will look into if she would be able to get me from the airport and let me stay at her place while there so I can make it affordable!

My SoapBox:
Wow - $185 to register for the 200! - You would think for this kind of money there would be a SAG, but no!
For a "financially handicapped" person like me, I am just so sad that so many events have gone this route of charging what I would say are excessive fees. It would be a different thing if you knew any excess $$ was going to a worthwhile Charity, but sadly that is usually not the case. As a comparison (Alvin Maxwell's RAAM qualifier in August is only $115, the RAAM qualifier here is $330 - Big difference - Kudos to Alvin for bucking the system!). Obviously electronic timing is going to up the rates, but I think that adds about $30 a person, not $200!
Oh well - it is the way of the world I guess. =

 

[RojoRacing]

First of all good luck and I hope it's cooler this time around. Today on zwift I raced against the man behind the Texas Challenge series Andy Willis and beat him by a wheel to the line so make sure you two carry on what I just started

 

[trplay]

First of all good luck and I hope it's cooler this time around. Today on zwift I raced against the man behind the Texas Challenge series Andy Willis and beat him by a wheel to the line so make sure you two carry on what I just started

And there you have it Larry and Jim. The pressure is on!

 

[LarryOz]

First of all good luck and I hope it's cooler this time around. Today on zwift I raced against the man behind the Texas Challenge series Andy Willis and beat him by a wheel to the line so make sure you two carry on what I just started

Jason, sure you can't make it to this event. You probably would tear it up. I think the fastest speed anyone has done (in recent history) any any bike is about 18.8mph for the 214 miles. There were some faster times back in 2012, but I think it was a shorter and flatter course - not sure though
I am trying as hard as I can to get this setup so I can ge there and join Jim & Maria!
Any Cruzbikers near San Antonio - come join the Tribe!

 

[LarryOz]

I am confirmed as going now - I will arrive in San Antonio on Thursday the 21st. Pray for Jim's knee to "heal up" by then.

 

[LarryOz]

Here is the signup for the 200 mile event. 3 Cruzbikes, but no other brands. I guess the competition just saw us and decided it wasn't work it!

 

[LarryOz]

I was looking at the route. I looks like there is one 51 mile accent that may have about 3000' of climbing in it.
There are also 5 "major" climbs that all appear to have at least 18% grades to them. The final one is the steepest at 21.2% grade coming at around mile 173. We should be plenty warmed up by then!
I tried riding up the steep climbs to my house near Asheville. I think I have some that are close and possibly more than 21%. I think I was barely able to get up 20%, but once it got steeper I just lost traction and fell over. I was sitting as far upright as I was able and was using standard drops to have the upper body usage. If these accents are truly this steep, we might have to do some walking! Hope not!

 

[RojoRacing]

First off congrats on winning each of your categories

Larry in all seriousness the only climb on that profile I'd consider over 10% is that last one as all the others seem to only be average of like 7-8% with maybe some short kicks you can easily accelerate into and over. That 50 mile climb is only an average grade of 0.3% which is about as flat as it gets outside Florida. I would seriously suggest putting on a 32 cassette if you run a 34 or 36 up front or a 36 in the rear if you have a 39 up front. I say this because even though that course is pretty flat those couple climbs are nearing what I normally ride in out here in the west and you'll want at least the gearing I have if not shorter because of your compromised handlebar setup.

 

[LarryOz]

First off congrats on winning each of your categories

Yeah Thanks - If you had come also, you would have you own category too!

My setup for this ride.
I am riding with my full drop handlebars and an 11x32 cassette with a 34x52 front Qrings. Wow that cassette looks huge! haha. I can climb 18% grade on that setup nicely. Odd the RWGPS says 21.2% grade, but maybe they are measuring some non-descript path around a tight corner or something. I'm getting into San Antonio about midnight Wed night, so will have all day Thur and part of Friday to drive (and hopefully) test ride the steep climbs so I have first hand experience.

 

[RojoRacing]

Yeah the gps will record odd spikes in grade due to elevation averaging between data points. This is why you get so many people claiming they climbed this 25% grade or this 30% when in fact it was a 10% grade with a quick 20% kicker between two data record points.

You’ve climbed something steep when one of two things happen. 1 the road had to be specially paved for additional traction for cars or 2. The average grade over a mile is greater then 8%.