Tour of California - Random Thoughts
There are a few TOC Summaries/Reports floating around so I thought I'd take a different approach as to not rehash the daily escapades which in general will be similar for all campers. So with that...here's a few random thoughts since the camp ended six days ago.
- There is no other form of customer service like Coach R Customer Service. You know exactly what you are getting (and not). Bikes were ready to go when we arrived. Cleaned/prepped each day. Minor service issues were addressed. Bags were waiting in Hotel/Motel when we arrived each day. Kudos to R, Joanne, Riley, and the admin staff.
- Your body can take much more than your mind. At 375 miles across six days this was the most I'd ridden in a single week. I'm not gonna lie..my legs felt tired after the 3rd day but my NP was within a +/- 5 watt range EVERY DAY. My highest NP was on the last day with 49 miles at 234 NP.
- Early season base mileage like this pays dividends. I saw it with Blue Ridge Camp in '13 and can only imagine the difference this year.
- A can of $5 body spray can make you smell like a king in a van full of cyclists that just wrapped up 6 hours of riding and sweating
- You access a hotel room via an interior door. A motel is accessed via an exterior door. Know the difference and set expectations appropriately.
- Stephanie Stevens is not the Tour Director (Scott )
- Cycling/Endurance sports is a connector. Broad range of campers from age, sex, ethnicity, capabilities, careers yet we all got along as if the best of friends. Old friendships were rekindled and new ones forged.
- A diet solely made up of Clif Bars and Gatorade endurance causes gas.
- Friendly competition can be a huge motivator. I do most of my training solo....going mano-y-mano with Coach R, Trevor, Peter, Johnny, Trent, and others really gave me an excuse to dig deep on the KOMs, Sprints, and other climbs.
- Even bright yellow course marking signs are hard to catch when you are in the drops and hammering.
- The Pros are good. Really good. It's most obvious when you see them climb. At a rate much faster than even the strongest in our group. With a standard crank. After 30% more mileage than we did
- Bob and Christie Nelson are perhaps the most gracious and generous hosts. What a positive first experience in Sacramento.
- Two bloody marys (maries??) following 6 days and 475 miles is the perfect recipe for sleep on a red eye flight back to the mid-west.
- An easy run is great to flush out the legs. I think I felt better on the mornings where I did an easy 4 miler before we mounted the bikes.
- Pride is contagious.
- Aloe infused water doesn't taste nearly as bad as it sounds. It's actually quite good. I will start buying it.
- Teri Cashmore is a total badass. She hung with the A group as the only woman all week. Oh, and she was on a tri bike. With Zipps. How she managed to control that bike in those crosswinds given her 100lb body is remarkable. Not to mention the 24% climb up Balcom Canyon. I guess that's why she's won podiums and been to Kona.
- Just because you are getting a massage in the same room as another person at the same time doesn't make it a couples massage
In closing...this camp is truly epic. That's a word that gets thrown around a lot but it's true. It's epic not only because of the incredible riding but also the fellow campers and incredible support crew and organization. It will be on my annual calendar whenever possible.
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Comments
1. Waffle machines are much better than pancake machines
2. Riding along the coast is awesome until you let a random Cat 3 racer pull for 20 minutes with an 8% climb looming
3. The black bear diner is rad
4. Trevor is a great roommate!
5. Shivering in the cold with no food waiting for the tour to ride by is still kind of fun. (Thanks rich for getting bring our food and jackets even though we went rogue!)
6. A towel should be added to the gear list
7. There is a must visit bakery in ojai, and apparently we are all cute in our cycling gear.
8. If you have a big nasty beard and wear a poor fitting jacket you might just score some free food up in Mt. Baldy
Great perspective on the camp. I have to admit beyond not having a road bike the days in a row and mileage of the camp do intimidate me. Having said that this camp is on my list of wants.
I'd be interested to see what the TOC does for your cycling fitness w/kg or maybe improvement in holding IM pace? Is your signature line accurate?
I went out Saturday and did 50ish miles at 248 NP. Power was good, but legs still not 100% recovered from TOC and feeling the fatigue from a stamina POV. My signature is correct. TOC was validation that my FTP was higher than the 275 I'd been training at so I estimated it around 290ish which I have been using since then.
1-when you get lost from your group, even though you know the way, text all ride leaders including R immediately.
2-train FOR this, it isn't a pleasure cruise (See comments above about friendly competition)
3-Teri IS badass.... having her chase me up Mt Hamilton was a huge motivator
4-great group of people
5-never tasted the aloe water, but the Ariba (sp?) coffee drink was spectacular
6-bring every kind of clothing imaginable, and when you think of using it in the San Gabriel Mountains, bring it, don't listen to your roommate and think "you'll be ok without the toe covers or warmer gloves" if the forecast is for temps in the 40s, bring the 40 degree gloves!
7-hot chocolate cures all
9-dessert at the black bear cures anything Hot Chocolate won't
10-do something every day that makes you uncomfortable
11-Thank you Bob Nelson for your hospitality! Awesome pool club, how come NY don't have one of those?!!
Looking forward to doing this in CO in '16