Daily Routine
This is generally how each day will unfold. We can't get too specific yet, as the Tour hasn't published the detailed schedule of start times, routes, etc. [Coach P Notes in Red] But let's assume a 0800 wheels up time, which is what we'll do if the tour rides at 10 or 10:30. We've found we need a minimum head start of 2hrs, at least:
0630-0730: Camp breakfast available for you, in addition to the hotel chow. Note, no poached eggs and see Chris Malone for best coffee.
0740: You're at the vans with your luggage bag and day bag. Your bike will be there to meet you, tires pumped up, etc. Note how P is covered with bike grease and R is squeaky clean. P will be late, every day.
0800: You ride!
How the riding works:
We encourage everyone to ride with someone: You'll naturally break into ability groups, and we will facilitate this in 2010. One of the coaches will be riding while the other is driving a van. We switch off every day, etc. There will be another support person riding sweep. The vans will meet you at the sprints, KOM's, etc. We're pretty good at working things so the vans are always near you, know where you are, etc. Between everyone riding with a cell phone, CB radios in the vans and the coaches, we'll keep track of you, no worries.
How/where we end each stage depends on lots of factors: The terrain, the course, available exit points from the course, what the front and backends of the course looks like, the amount of driving we have to do at the end of stage to get to that nights hotels, etc. The most important rule is: if a driver of a van tells you to get in a van so he can leapfrog you ahead, get you back on course, buy you 10-15 miles on the peleton, you get in the van, no exceptions. Our worst nightmare is the entire camp, minus That Guy, stuck in the rain at the top of a KOM with/without vans, we get swept up by the Tour and now have to wait for all the traffic to clear so we get down the mountain and to the hotel. That situation can cost us 3-4hrs, easy...and has in the past. We love you, you love us, but no one loves sitting in a stinky van for a few extra hours.
You'll generally ride 3-5hrs per day: This is plenty, trust us! Again, depending on lots and lots of variables, we might be able to stop the days riding at a KOM or Sprint, watch the Tour roll by, then get on with our day. So, in general, you're here to ride, not ride and see the Tour because it's frankly impossible on several days. But we'll do our best to do both when it works. Saturday looks like the best day for it.
So figure your riding day ends about 2pm. We then load up the camp and drive to the next hotel. RnP scheme the next day with each other via cell phones will driving, and we'll brief you on that plan while driving.
Our intent is you get to the hotel, your bags are there waiting for you (ideally already in your room). You give us your bike and you already know the plan for tomorrow. Eat, do your thing, enjoy! (Enjoy = pass out staring at elevation profile for next day!)
Comments
CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!
When the Tour publishes route details we'll be able to give you a better plan for each day. I'm especially curious about Friday and Saturday.
So excited reading these posts!! ToC last year was one of best vacations I've ever had. On the bike, off the bike. Just the total definition of fun stuff with fitness.
Being from Cali, I might be able to coordinate some visits with my homies, if I can provide a general whereabouts for the night, as far in advance as I can.
Stage 1, Sun 5/16: Nevada City to Sacramento
Stage 2, Mon 5/17: Davis to Santa Rosa
Stage 3, Tue 5/18: San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Stage 4, Wed 5/19: San José to Modesto
Stage 5, Thu 5/20: Visalia to Bakersfield
Stage 6, Fri 5/21: Pasadena to Big Bear Lake
Stage 7, Sat 5/22: Los Angeles
Stage 8, Sun 5/23: Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills Circuit Race
No, staying in/near start town. Each day we'll stop riding in/near/outside of finish town and drive to the next day's start. This way we ride from the hotel in the AM, whenever possible.
OK- so if I understand this correctly, the "here is where I'll be at night for dinner/sleep" schedule looks roughly like this?
Sun 5/16: Davis
Mon 5/17: San Francisco
Tue 5/18: San José
Wed 5/19: Visalia
Thu 5/20: Pasadena
Fri 5/21: Los Angeles
Staying in:
Sat night: Grass Valley
Sunday: Davis
Monday: Pacifica
Tuesday: San Jose
Wednesday: Visalia
Thursday: Monrovia
Friday: Monrovia
Saturday: most everyone is leaving Saturday night.
Rich,
Is it safe to say wwe won't need any warm weather gear (coats, long sleeve jersey, arm warmers) in may in Cali? The weather turns warm here too in May but you never know when we may get that unusual 40 to 50 deg. rainy day. Is this not the case for Cali. I'm a very light packer and if I don't need the stuff I'm not bringin, if you know what I mean.
Safe to say...but might want to bring it anyway cuz it will suck if you don't have it. We'll be at elevation some days so...who knows. I'll bring:
That above keeps me comfortable, enough, as low as mid-high 40's, as long as I'm working.
We still may have rain in late May. Usually pretty slim by then, but we've had a pretty wet Spring. I'd at least be prepared for rain. You can always leave extra stuff in the van and have Mrs. Rich drive it around for you. Agree with Rich's post. May be long descents too, which can be cool, cold, especially if shaded. In the Spring I almost always take arm warmers and vest and take off, put back on depending on conditions.
tom
That's we roll in Cali, yo. Can be cold in the AM, long climbs, short climbs, long descents...you're always taking layers on and off. In the EN peleton, not stopping is allowed to add/remove layers. You need to be able to go from sleeves down, shirt unzipped across the KOM to sleeves up, shirt zipped, vest on and in the drops within the first 500m of the descent.
It's a rule...
Dan.... That is great!!!! And will take into consideration.
Just sayin though, us midwest northern boys get outside and start riding before daylight and its maybe high 30's to low 40's and I'm only wearing short sleeve jersey. (but I'm working too) Now if it is raining and 50 deg. and at altitude that is another thing, so point taken I'll bring a little something, but what Rich has on hand sounds like my full on winter gear and just plain weighs too much.
My point is that you've probably never been on a climb that will take you, no joke, 1hr+ of continuous climbing. You strip down, reach the top and it's low 50's and now you descend for 20', then climb for 40', descend for 15'...you get good at changing layers on the fly.
Dan's story is me at a camp I did out there in...'04, I think. I didn't bring anything for a long descent and found a nasty pizza delivery shirt in the gutter
Sounds like the coolest riding around, can't wait!!! I think my longest climb took me maybe 30min. when I did the 3 state 3 mountain challenge in Chattanooga and the decent was maybe 15 minutes so nothing really to ever get you cold and certainly not at a rediculous elevation. I'll be prepared just had to give you Cali guys a little razzing.
I do assume that Rich has staked out every city we stay at after riding and will provide a list for all us hobbling campers to wobble to the nearest brewery with the best suds!!
Do we watch the pros finish, if the timing is good?
Then we go to hotel, get cleaned up and head out for food?
Then we head to the local pubbery?
Then we fall asleep (pass out) with our heads on the table?
@Scott,
There is just too much driving between Stages, too much traffic, too many moving parts for us to see the Pro's finish. You'll see pretty quickly just how many moving parts are involved in this camp and why it just won't work. We are here to ride, a lot, and hard, bonus if we can see the race. I'm 99% sure that we'll be in Big Bear to the see the finish of that stage and Saturday will be a good day to go downtown to see the race, get your groupie on, etc.
Whenever possible, the plan for the end of each stage is:
In short, we can not understate how much this camp is about riding and getting to/from where we need to be when and not about anything else that is not about riding and logistics. This is not a wicker basket, wine and cheese tour
Scott, last year, we usually saw the pros roll by at whatever point we finish for the day. Sometimes not as we're looking to boogie to the next town, sometimes a long drive, roads closed etc.
We'd dry off/get changed, have some van food load bikes and head to next town, stumble either into a restaurant or hotel then food depending on the logisitcs. There were no extra night life trips last year as we were either doing laundry or passing out while the crew was hard at work cleaning our bikes and planning for the next day.
Dave
Seriously though I'm pretty sure that RnP and myself were the only ones to be awake after 9pm. Campers were wiped out last year.