Looks like good weather so we’re all golden. Going to be a large crowd so I need to go over a few details that everyone needs to abide by. First off, this is a training ride and not a race. I can’t over-emphasize the fact that there will be no course markings or marshals. Everyone is responsible for themselves and their actions on their bike. Everyone read the Rules of Engagement so my pre-ride talk can be short.
Everyone needs to sign a waiver and register. If you rode Old Caz you don’t need to sign a waiver but will need to sign in and pay. Registration is a suggested $20 but you can of course give more. This ride is also a fundraiser for Ross Dillon who was hit from behind by a car on the roads we will be riding on. Please read his current update and give generously to help with his care.
Grasshopper 2012 T-shirts will be for sale $10.
The most dangerous part of our ride is the start. To help prevent accidents and to avoid congesting Bohemian Hwy we will start on Old Camp Meeker Rd. just north of town on the right. There will be a ribbonned start zone and people will be staged as follows:1.) Pro/Cat 1 2.)Everyone else. Your placing will be decided by the course and your fitness. Do not endanger the group by crossing the yellow line. If I or any of my secret spies, craftily spread within the peloton, recognize dangerous riding you will be excommunicated from the Church of Grasshopper!!!Forrreeevvver! Everyone must start here, no leaving early or hanging out by the sidewalk on the other side. I know it’s a Hopper but come-on, gettin’ so big we need some freakin order!
Wade Scarpelli from NorCal will be at the start if you need any last minute mechanical help and will be providing the neutral feed on Wilson Hill. Remember in the feed zone, it’s a ride not a race, so mind your manners.
Thanks to all the other SPONSORS who have give generously for all you riders. Check out the product from our new sponsors The Hive and Cycles Fanatic. Don’t overlook the $10 certificates towards your lunch at ForkCatering or the $25 gift certificates from NorCal. Remember, it’s not a price for your placing but just luck, depending on your placing. NorCal will also be raffling off a Garmin for those of you who do the whole series.
Oh, and one last thing. No WHINING. If you’re wining you’re not winning. Yeah, Levi is gonna be there. Yeah, he’s gonna rip your legs off cuz that’s what he’s supposed to do. So say hi to him and all your friends. Bring lots of food and buckle up for Chileno Valley Hopper. It’s gonna be epic.
Mig
With only a week to go I figure it can’t hurt to give folks a heads up. As the word spreads about the Grasshoppers there are lots of folks coming from far away and the least we can do is help assure you don’t get lost. You’ll still get a super-sweet custom laminate at registration. I believe the stats for last year were 80 miles and 8,000 ft of climbing. It’s split up almost half and half with a real humdinger finish with Joy. Remember to read the Rules of Engagement.
We will be raising funds to help Ross Dillon and his family. I hope people can make a donation at the start as well. At $20 for such a killer ride most riders can afford to kick in another 10 or 20. See you on Sat. Mig
Start/Finish: Occidental Community Center
Route: Bohemian Hwy, Rt. on Bittner Rd to Joy Rd. Rt. on Joy to Coleman Valley. Lft on Coleman Valley . Lft. Hwy 1, Rt. Franklin School Rd. to Dillon Beach Rd. Rt on Hwy 1 in Tomales, Lft. Marshall/Petaluma Rd, Lft. Hicks Valley,LEFT . Chileno Valley, Lft, Tomales/Petaluma Rd, Rt. Alexander Rd, Lft. Fallon/Two Rock Rd, Rt at Whitaker Bluff intersection, Rt. Middle Rd, Rt. Marsh Rd, Left Hwy 1/Valley Ford Rd, Rt. Freestone/Valley Ford Cut Off, Lft Hwy 12/Bodega Hwy, Rt Joy Rd., Finish on top of Joy just past Bittner Rd. Return. Rt. Coleman Valley. Finish in Occidental
As with Hopper #1 we will stage on Old Camp Meeker Rd. Please take up only one side and stay off Bohemian Hwy. Thanks.
I’ve finally come up for a breath of air after our first Hopper. Old Caz is truly may favorite Hopper. That and Super Sweetwater when we do an extra 25 miles of road and then Old Caz. It was amazing to see 270 riders in Occidental. I was thinking we’d get a large crowd but that was somethin’. Everything went smoothly with registration and was helpful that many people had printed out waivers. Luckily Tera showed up at quarter to 9 and took over so I could attend to a few last minute things. Was huge having Rob Dillon from NorCal and John Schmier helping with the feed. Hopefully everyone got a sample of Roctane or Chomps from the Gu sample table. They have been big supports the last couple of years. I found myself even more distracted than years past and nearly left without food in my pockets. As we his the 10 start time I sent people down to Camp Meeker Rd for the start and as the last few rolled down I at last had two minutes to think of my own ride. As a “former” racer, mental preparation is habitual. And the absence of it is disorientating. So as I soft pedaled from the Community Center to the start I had two minutes to rehearse my game plan. It really isn’t that hard to figure out, even with no warm up. There’s the plan and then there’s the game. Fortunately I felt really good going up Bitner and had hopes for a decent ride. I was caught by a ton on Willow Creek and faked a surge before the dirt to have the descent to myself. This worked well and I hit the bottom with 6 others, including Rog who had crashed and chased madly from the back. We worked together and caught the first group shortly before Duncan’s Grade. The next climb popped me off the back and I rode solo until catching a few riders.We had a solid group until the beginning of the climb on Willow Creek and I managed to avoid laying fetal position on the side of the road and limped home to a solid 13th. I know this won’t happen in Chileno Valley. It’s my nemesis that on long road rides there is nowhere to hide and nothing to be gained by making up time on ripping dirt descents.
Stay tuned on ride details. We will start on Sat. Feb 18th at 10:00 AM. If you’re coming up from the Bay Area this is the most beautiful Southern Sonoma-Northern Marin Loop possible. Two years ago the first finisher was Andrew Talansky ahead of Ben Jaquemaynes and the entire Bissell squad. I wonder who will be there to put their stamp on it this year. Our ride will be a fundraiser for our friend and colleague, Ross Dillon, who was hit from behind by an inattentive driver over 10 years ago. Please visit their site to make a donation or donate at the Grasshopper.
Everyone must read and abide by the Grasshopper Rules of Engagement!
Creek is low and I know everyone is foamin’ for the first Hopper of the year. Last year we had 225 riders! Due to the numbers we will be staging at the corner of Bohemian Hwy and Old Camp Meeker Rd (just down from Graton Rd.) as we don’t want to create a road hazard lining up on Boho Hwy across from the Community Center. Everyone must attend rider meeting at the start; not staging up the road or starting early.
Goal #1: Have a safe ride
Goal #2: Use your ride card and don’t get lost!
Goal #3: Whoop on your buddies and talk story until the next Hopper
Fork Catering will be at the finish preparing good eats so stick around!
To ponder before your first (or next) Hopper
Here you have it! Details to follow. In the meanwhile, mark your calendars and do your homework cuz come late Jan were gonna “get it on”!
Jan 28th Old Caz (Occidental)
Feb. 18th Chileno Valley (Occidental)
March 10th Super Sweetwater (Occidental)
March 31st King Ridge (Occidental)
April 28th Ida Clayton-Spring Mountain (Santa Rosa-NorCal/Bike Peddler)
May 26th SKAGGS ! (Healdsburg Arnot-Roberts Winery)
Now that nearly everyone I ride with is in their 40′s or older everything has changed. No one is really concerned about fitness or cares who is the fastest. We never talk about the latest bikes or bike parts but instead converse about investments and our kids’ schooling. Gone are the days of talking about beautiful women, instead we share our triumphs in domestic duties and share secrets for low calorie ride bars…or do we?! Actually, has anything changed? The age of our mind is relative, based on years as well as experiences; as is our bodies. Non-athletes sometimes resign to idle old age at 30, while others defy the odds and accomplish amazing feats into their 80s or 90′s. While many of us may choose to disregard the changing of decades the fact that gravity has been sucking the flesh off our bones and doing it’s best to squash our organs deep into our lower intestines is undeniable. For many cyclists, I won’t speak for all,( let me just attempt to speak for those who are wise, or foolish, enough to show up for the Grasshoppers year in and year out) biking has become an inseparable component of our lives. When riding, training, racing, time on the bike is when life “just makes sense”. Complications are minimized as are conflicts. 20 minutes turns into 5 hours and any water bottle that left the garage half empty, will surely return half full. Yet everyone has cycled into and out of relationships, job changes and losses, home foreclosures, refis and purchases, children being born, heading off to school for the first time and returning at Thanksgiving on break from college. We’ve seen our friends parents grow old and have lost brothers in arms along the way. We learn new instruments and forget others. The bikes we ride change from steel to titanium, to carbon and back to steel. Presidents, recessions come and go(hopefully) as do wars, droughts, natural disasters and earthquakes. Friends become ill and heal. The mass appeal of bikes swells and shrinks and then swells again and in this pulsing of change our wheels keep turning, keep spinning and we stay in motion. During all of this we stay focused on what we love; riding our bikes and riding in the zone. No one can patent the “Zone” any more they can lay claim to discovering love. Love is love, the zone is the zone. The zone is a moving target. In my twenties I would spend 20 hrs a week on my bike. Now I’m lucky to get 8-10. A job, kids things I have to do, and want to do, bide for my time. I’m not nostalgic for the past but need to acknowledge the formative times riding with friends when our biggest challenge was taking time off the bike. So what to do now, when time is a premium? This is where all this rambling has led to; where it was intended to lead, to the practical application of time management for the goal of staying fit, and fast. I’ve always said I’m not competitive unless I’m not sure I can win. Only very briefly over the last 20 years have I ever ridden with a heart rate monitor, gps, computer or watt meter. I’m not against the tools and if I were able to bring home a paycheck on my bike I would certainly subscribe to such things. As it is, what I look for on the bike, and in life is a feeling. Some things can’t be measured. I’ve always avoided using the word “training” yet seem to always be doing it. If I were to create a zone I’d say that I like to exist at “lactate threshold”. I’m sure this stresses some people out, like my wife and my students but it’s my zone. Riding easier is hard. Working easier is hard. Resting easier is hard. Rest is 5 minutes for lunch before working another 4 hours in the yard on my “rest” day. Speaking of rest days…this is my last rambling blog on the page as I’ll reserve the Grasshopper page for ride, sponsor info and stories about riders and epic Hoppers. To read my late night sleep
deprived or early morning coffee high rants you’ll need to check into my old blog at Grasshopper Blog. Stay tuned for my next post “My ‘Training’ Plan That Really Worked”. Or “How to Get Fit By Going to the Gym Twice a Week and Chase Levi Around on Saturdays Until You Find Yourself Really Alone and Far From Home”.
Dario just spotted this little fella’ in his back yard. Must be a sign. Got my cross bike dirty for the first time last weekend. Got some crazy fun adventures planned for ya’ll. Old Caz is always last Sat in Jan so you better be ready!
