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It’s been a season of great, even epic rides, and they just keep getting better. My first ride in Marin County, and I started with a classic, the 2013 Marin County Double Century. What a day, what a ride. 200 miles (well, 196, but we’ll call it close enough) of wild, scenic, rugged, California coastal-range cycling bliss, This ride’s got it all, a big climb up front to the summit of Mount Tamalpias; a decent though giant, weeping redwoods; in and out of fog and wind along the beaches; straight up the spine of the San Andreas Fault; and inland meandering through the warmth of the rolling, golden brown hills of the Coast Range valleys – what a state. The ride starts en mass at 5:00 AM in San Rafael. Not having much experience, I thought the 300 double century riders would start off at a comfortable, sustainable pace, all of us cognizant of the long miles and hours of saddle time ahead – NOT! The pace out of the gate was ridiculous. Lead by a police escort in the pitch dark, we all raced up Lucas Valley Road at 20+ mph, everyone pumped up on adrenalin, jockeying for position, eager to demonstrate just how easily we could accelerate past anyone, you know, if we choose to. Naturally, having the best bike in the entire group (a fully tricked-out 2013 Trek Madone 7.9 thank you very much), I was the worst offender. At one point I floated to the head of the entire pack and led for a bit, until some kids turned on the burners and reminded me of my age. No matter, as we approached Fairfax and the beginning of the Mt. Tam climb, I was still in the first group of 20 or so riders, just where I’d hoped to be. Now I’m a pretty decent climber for my age (54) and was looking forward to a solid effort to the summit and moving up the ranks. Sure enough, as we started up the pitch the riders around me began to appropriately drop back. However, I soon noticed a wheel coming by me on my left, and glancing over I noticed it was……a woman!. What?! I don’t think so! I instinctively accelerated rapidly and shot out in front of her about 100 feet. A minute later however, there was that wheel again, uh oh, in for a fight, been here before. Thereafter it was me close to my limit just trying to keep up with her. I figured she was 35 and this was easy for her, but later found out she (Katharine) was in my age group (45 to 54). When the results were posted a few days later I saw that she ended up 40 minutes ahead of me for the whole ride - horrifying. A third of the way up Tamalpias we came upon another group of 3 riders, now we were 5. Everyone but me seemed to know each other, all locals, and for the rest of the way the whole group punched it hard to the top. Another of the riders also looked to be somewhere in my age group. He had long streaming hair flowing out the back of his helmet down to the middle of his back, and I noted it was streaked with gray. Not as much gray as me however, and I pegged him for mid to late 40’s; actually, I needed for him to be mid to late 40’s. He was a chatty, happy fellow (Michael) and soon he got around to chatting with me and the subject of age inevitably came up. “58” he replied when popped the question (oh sh….. thought I). When I told him my age, 54, he pronounced me a youngster and darted ahead, to which I promptly replied and retook the lead. Anyway, it was like that the whole way up, much fun really. At the very top of Tamalpias, above the cloud deck in the blazing sunshine, I put on my hardest effort and managed to clip Michael by maybe 10 seconds and Katharine by 20. OK, I thought, I’m about 40 miles into the ride and I’ve just burned what felt like 60% of my total reserves for the day…..more smart riding from Cal. The next 35 or so miles took us down through the Muir woods, out onto the coast, and north up the beaches and lagoons to Point Reyes Station. At Stinson Beach I fell in with a husband and wife duo who were wickedly strong riders. I tucked on the back wheel of the pair, and we spent about 5 blissful miles at about 25 mph flying along the gentle S-turns through the marshlands along the eastern edge of Bolinas Lagoon. At the northern end of the lagoon at about mile 61, as we left the water and continued northwest straight up the San Andreas Fault, the road began to roll with a few climbs. We all three passed a group of about 15 riders. A mile latter we were suddenly overtaken by the lot of them, and we kicked it up a notch and joined the paceline. Thereafter, from about mile 63 to the rest stop at mile 72, followed the wildest and most exhilarating portion of the entire ride. As a group we were able to kick it up to average speeds near 27 to 30 mph the entire stretch. This is quite hairy, focused riding where mistakes cannot be made, as we were not on closed roads and all had to more-or-less stay bunched in a line hugging the right side of the lane. There were a mixture of riders, all very strong, from mid 20’s up to me. It was the fastest pace riding I’ve yet experienced, but most of the time all I could think to myself was 200 miles, 200 miles, 200 miles, this pace is insane, this is insane!. But of course I could not be the one rider who was going to be dropped, and I scratched and clawed and fought and stayed on the wheel in front of me, or raced up to the front and butted my way into the line; all that stuff in a fast paceline that everyone was doing. Toward the end I felt the early signs of my legs cramping up, more insanity, and I was yearning for the town of Point Reyes and the rest stop. When we finally reached the rest stop at mile 72 at Point Reyes the bulk of the riders took maybe a 90 second break and leapt back on their bikes and back on the road. A few of us however, including myself took a more extended break and let them go, good God, enough of that. The route then turned inland, along Point Reyes-Petaluma road, past the Nicasio Reservoir and on up to Petaluma at mile 91. The sun came out, the temperatures climbed, and the riding was much mellower, although still pretty fast. During this stretch the course merged with some of the other rides being hosted simultaneously that day, a century, a metric century, etc., and the road became littered with riders of all levels, though which I weaved as if skiing a slalom. After a quick lunch break in Petaluma, we cut back through the Chileno Valley across parched, but beautiful coast range valleys and rolling hills in a general northwesterly direction. Eventually, after additional rest stops and check in stations (and briefly getting lost for a stretch with 4 other riders) we made our way all the way back to the ocean at mile 129 just north of Bodega Bay. After an invigorating mile along the beaches, the route turned sharply east at mile 130. As the mountains descend straight into the sea here, there was nowhere for the road to go but straight up - up the much discussed Coleman Valley Road climb, 2 solid miles of 8 to 13.5% pitches, and the steepest climb of the day. Coming at mile 130, this was not most people’s idea of a good time, yet I felt pretty chipper and my legs powered me steadily upward at a respectable pace. At the base of the hill I spotted a group of about 8 riders about ½ mile ahead, and soon was among them. We were on the steepest pitch, and everyone was trying to be jovial, but soon the pitch snuffed out the chatter. With nothing more to talk about, I gave it a little gas and soon was out ahead of everyone, grinding it out alone and out front. Up near the top someone had stenciled Jen Voight's famous line across the whole road - "Shut Up Legs!!" I slowed down a little near the top as the grade flattened a bit to take in the view, and a youngster who I’d passed on the steeps rode up beside me and said the words that this fragile ego longed to hear, and made all the preparatory months of hard riding and suffering completely worth it: “Dude, your climbing skills are impressive…” he said. My life now complete, the rest of the ride, some 60 more miles spiked with more challenges, and hills and fog and forests and beaches, seemed to pass in a blissful haze. After a final climb at mile 190 heading east back along Lucas Valley Road, the final 5 mile shallow descent on good pavement, with a wide bike lane, and at speeds of 22 to 27 mph were pure joy, knowing the finish line and a hot meal were just ahead. I finished at 7:00 PM, 14 total hours after pushing off and with just over 12 hours of pedaling time. There is nothing quite like the totally spent satisfaction of relaxing at the finish line of a double century ride. I like it above all things; so I think I’ll do it again!
By: | Cal Erdman |
Started in: | Marin, CA, US |
Distance: | 195,8 mi |
Selected: | 195,8 mi |
Elevation: | + 17642 / - 17617 piedi |
Moving Time: | 12:09:02 |
Gear: | 2013 Trek Madone 7.9 |
Page Views: | 282 |
Departed: | 3 ago 2013 05:01 |
Starts in: | Marin, CA, US |
Distance: | 195,8 mi |
Selected distance: | 195,8 mi |
Elevation: | + 17642 / - 17617 piedi |
Max Grade: | |
Avg Grade | |
Cat | |
FIETS | |
VAM | |
Ascent time | |
Descent time | |
Total Duration: | 13:59:38 |
Selection Duration: | 50378 |
Moving Time: | 12:09:02 |
Selection Moving Time: | 12:09:02 |
Stopped Time: | 01:50:36 |
Calories: | 8231 |
Max Watts: | |
Avg Watts: | 188 |
WR Power | |
Work | |
Max Speed: | 44,3 mph |
Avg Speed: | 16,1 mph |
Pace: | 00:04:17 |
Moving Pace: | 00:03:43 |
Max Cadence: | 243 rpm |
Min Cadence: | 10 rpm |
Avg Cadence: | 79 rpm |
Best format for turn-by-turn directions on modern Garmin Edge Devices
Best format for turn by turn directions on Edge 500, 510. Will provide true turn by turn navigation on Edge 800, 810, 1000, Touring including custom cue entries. Great for training when we release those features. Not currently optimal for Virtual Partner.
Useful for uploading your activity to another service, keeping records on your own computer etc.
Useful for any GPS unit. Contains no cuesheet entries, only track information (breadcrumb trail). Will provide turn by turn directions (true navigation) on the Edge 705/800/810/1000/Touring, but will not have any custom cues. Works great for Mio Cyclo. Find GPS specific help in our help system.
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