SamP
Guru
A local cycle touring company has starting running free (promotional) supported rides on Skyline Drive. They supply support vehicles (hydration, energy bars, gels, chews, fruit, etc, mechanical support, a ride if you can't or don't want to continue), you can ride your own bike or they supply a good road bike from Ridley Bikes. They also gave us some free merchandise: a jersey, a musette bag with stuff: in my bag was a water bottle, 4 energy bars, a packet of energy chews, an energy gel packet, a packet of chamois cream, and 2 packets of warming cream--this was in addition to the support food on the ride.
The ride starts at the Front Royal entrance to the Shenandoah National Park, goes 51 miles to Big Meadow, lunch at the lodge restaurant (included for free), then back. The ride to Big Meadows is about 7000 ft of climbing, and about 4000 ft going back.
Despite having severe doubts that I could do this ride, I signed up for Oct 4, intending to ride USS Yiggy, my Conversion Kit bike. They contacted me for details on my bike and after sending them information and a picture decided they couldn't take my bike at this time, so I opted for one of their road bikes. They offered me a Ridley Fenix Carbon w/Ultegra 11-speed compact crankset, medium frame. After measuring myself and consulting Ridley's website, I determined that was way too large, I'd need an extra small. After several back and forths eventually we settled on a Ridley Liz in small, a women's bike. Then Hurricane Joaquin happened and the remains of the storm rained out that date.
So new ride scheduled for Oct 11, and now they were able to offer a Fenix Carbon XS. In preparation, I started riding my mountain bike to get some traditional bike saddle time.
Oct 11 was cool and clear with no wind, about 45 F at Front Royal and forecast to rise slowly to mid-60s by mid-afternoon, temperatures maybe 5-10 degrees lower at altitude. The van picked me up on the way to Front Royal from the main pickup point in Maryland (it seemed silly for me to drive an hour to the Maryland pickup point just for the van to drive past my house an hour later and they agreed to pick me up).
Until Sunday, the last time I rode a road bike was probably in 1987, so this ~17 pound carbon fiber superbike was quite an experience and change from my almost 50 pound CruzBike. On this trip were three college kids who met us at Front Royal (they're on the Virginia Tech cycling team), and the van brought a fit guy in his 30s who has run several triathlons and got addicted to cycling, a pretty fit biker my age (late 40s), and me (and the owner of the company riding support on a bike and the drivers of the 2 support vehicles).
The start of the ride is a 1500 ft climb over 6 miles (with a half mile flat in there), mostly steady around 5% grade with a maximum of around 8%. My heart rate hit 180 bpm within the first mile where it pretty much stayed except for a half mile flat. My heartrate recovered on the almost 2 mile descent, but on the next climb I found it hard to get pedaling again. I was uncomfortable pedaling in the saddle and I had less power in my legs. I got more and more uncomfortable and had less and less power. I took several breaks. Several times I got out of the saddle to relieve the pain and get more push on the pedals. On the third climb, at 14.3 miles and 2600 ft of climbing, I got out again and my right calf cramped up and the leg seized up. That was the end of my ride.
Tony (the owner who basically road with me the whole time I was riding) called back the trailing support car and we loaded the bike and I rode in the car the rest of the trip. The other cyclists were up the road in a group of four and a lone rider (the other older guy) trailing, the support van staying with the lead group, the trailing car leapfrogged ahead to the trailing rider then stopped until me and Tony arrived, then leapfrogged again. We drove to Big Meadows and then waited for the other five and the van to arrive for lunch. After lunch the car headed back with me, the other five rode the second half of the century.
On the first climb, I averaged about 7 mph on the light road bike. I suspect I'd be going around 4-5 mph on USS Yiggy. I don't know if I would make it all the way up on it though, but I would have been more comfortable.
Strava RideWithGPS
They're doing more of these free rides, if you're in the Washington DC area you might want to give this a try, it's a great deal on a scenic (and difficult) ride. PM me if you want a direct email address for them.
Bulvelo Cycling Tours - Skyline Drive Training Day
Elevation profile
It's moments after the start, and everyone else is getting away!
Shenandoah Valley floor
Still going up
Some more valley
Looking east... and nearly done in
Ridley Fenix Carbon, XS, on support car after ending ride
On the way back (east), from the car
The ride starts at the Front Royal entrance to the Shenandoah National Park, goes 51 miles to Big Meadow, lunch at the lodge restaurant (included for free), then back. The ride to Big Meadows is about 7000 ft of climbing, and about 4000 ft going back.
Despite having severe doubts that I could do this ride, I signed up for Oct 4, intending to ride USS Yiggy, my Conversion Kit bike. They contacted me for details on my bike and after sending them information and a picture decided they couldn't take my bike at this time, so I opted for one of their road bikes. They offered me a Ridley Fenix Carbon w/Ultegra 11-speed compact crankset, medium frame. After measuring myself and consulting Ridley's website, I determined that was way too large, I'd need an extra small. After several back and forths eventually we settled on a Ridley Liz in small, a women's bike. Then Hurricane Joaquin happened and the remains of the storm rained out that date.
So new ride scheduled for Oct 11, and now they were able to offer a Fenix Carbon XS. In preparation, I started riding my mountain bike to get some traditional bike saddle time.
Oct 11 was cool and clear with no wind, about 45 F at Front Royal and forecast to rise slowly to mid-60s by mid-afternoon, temperatures maybe 5-10 degrees lower at altitude. The van picked me up on the way to Front Royal from the main pickup point in Maryland (it seemed silly for me to drive an hour to the Maryland pickup point just for the van to drive past my house an hour later and they agreed to pick me up).
Until Sunday, the last time I rode a road bike was probably in 1987, so this ~17 pound carbon fiber superbike was quite an experience and change from my almost 50 pound CruzBike. On this trip were three college kids who met us at Front Royal (they're on the Virginia Tech cycling team), and the van brought a fit guy in his 30s who has run several triathlons and got addicted to cycling, a pretty fit biker my age (late 40s), and me (and the owner of the company riding support on a bike and the drivers of the 2 support vehicles).
The start of the ride is a 1500 ft climb over 6 miles (with a half mile flat in there), mostly steady around 5% grade with a maximum of around 8%. My heart rate hit 180 bpm within the first mile where it pretty much stayed except for a half mile flat. My heartrate recovered on the almost 2 mile descent, but on the next climb I found it hard to get pedaling again. I was uncomfortable pedaling in the saddle and I had less power in my legs. I got more and more uncomfortable and had less and less power. I took several breaks. Several times I got out of the saddle to relieve the pain and get more push on the pedals. On the third climb, at 14.3 miles and 2600 ft of climbing, I got out again and my right calf cramped up and the leg seized up. That was the end of my ride.
Tony (the owner who basically road with me the whole time I was riding) called back the trailing support car and we loaded the bike and I rode in the car the rest of the trip. The other cyclists were up the road in a group of four and a lone rider (the other older guy) trailing, the support van staying with the lead group, the trailing car leapfrogged ahead to the trailing rider then stopped until me and Tony arrived, then leapfrogged again. We drove to Big Meadows and then waited for the other five and the van to arrive for lunch. After lunch the car headed back with me, the other five rode the second half of the century.
On the first climb, I averaged about 7 mph on the light road bike. I suspect I'd be going around 4-5 mph on USS Yiggy. I don't know if I would make it all the way up on it though, but I would have been more comfortable.
Strava RideWithGPS
They're doing more of these free rides, if you're in the Washington DC area you might want to give this a try, it's a great deal on a scenic (and difficult) ride. PM me if you want a direct email address for them.
Bulvelo Cycling Tours - Skyline Drive Training Day
Elevation profile
It's moments after the start, and everyone else is getting away!
Shenandoah Valley floor
Still going up
Some more valley
Looking east... and nearly done in
Ridley Fenix Carbon, XS, on support car after ending ride
On the way back (east), from the car
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