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Steelhead 70.3 lodging?

krisfkrisf
in Community Forum 🏠

 Anyone done Steelhead and have any recommendation on place to stay or not to stay?

Thanks

 

Comments

  • drm1drm1

    We've stayed twice in St. Joseph, the beach community just over the bridge, at the Silver Beach Hotel. On race morning it's an easy ride to the start, avoiding the massive traffic jam. Restaurants/ice cream parlors/T-shirt shops . . . very pleasant compared to Benton Harbor, which has some rough areas. Rate is steep for race night but worth it for convenience.

    Hotel Web site seems to be dead but reservations work from http://reservations.onetechsolution...ations.asp.

    We're staying there again this year. --Dan M

  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    X2 what Dan said. Silver Beach Hotel here too. Very convenient for race morning as the traffic driving to transition can be crazy. Plus its a nice easy walk/ride of your bike back to the hotel afterwards too and there is lots of food places within walking distances.
  • Barbara SpitlerBarbara Spitler
    There is also a Holiday Inn across the street from the lake, just about 3-4 miles south of St. Joe. However, it is usually booked up a year in advance. You can always try it.
    Definately want to try to be in St. Joe, rather than Benton Harbor. If places are booked up, you can always stay at a hotel off of I-94, just on outskirts of St. Joe. Only about a 15-20 min. drive to the beach. I've done that both times I did Steelhead. There are several chains...Comfort Inn, Country Suites, etc. If you do stay on the outskirts, it won't be a big deal, if you leave the hotel early enough in the a.m., you park in the area designated for the tri. They will NOT let you in Jean Klock Park with a car. There are shuttle buses from parking, into the race venue. You do know that you MUST rack your bike the night before!
    So Dan and Kris, are you both doing Steelhead? I thought about coming up to watch the race this year, since I won't be doing it. (Too close to IMLOU) I'll wear my EN singlet (if I lose weight to fit into it!) and my EN cap!! Will love to cheer for you guys!!
  • krisfkrisf
    Not doing the race but thinking about coming up with some of my local folks that will be racing. Too close for WI for me to race as well.
  • drm1drm1

    Yes, doing the race. And I'll add that you can rack your bike the morning of the race--we did that last year, riding from the hotel right into transition. Race Web site says (on the schedule page): "All athletes must check their bikes into transition EITHER Friday or Saturday at the times listed or they will not be able to race." Saturday time is 4.30-6.45 AM.

    Hope this helps. --Dan M

     

  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    I'm doing the race too. Thanks for bringing this up... I gotta take care of my lodging and stuff too! :-)

    Several peeps from my local club will be racing, but hope to meet some of you guys too!
  • Barbara SpitlerBarbara Spitler
    Dan, my bad! Thanks for clarifying that about racking the bikes! William, get your lodging reserved!
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    Uggh. Nothing much available within a 30 mi drive. I found something serviceable (Baymont) about 40 minutes away. That'll teach me.

    Maybe there's a Walmart parking lot I can just park the car and sleep in. :-)

    William
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    While I'm at it, I don't mean to sound like an unprepared idiot, but can someone describe the bike and run courses for me a little? I can obviously see the elevation profiles they give, but I have a bit of a hard time figuring what they mean since they're always scaled to the full height of the graph. Looks like maybe "not especially big hills, but lots of little up and down throughout" on the bike? The run fairly flat (just modest up and down) except one big hill?
  • Barbara SpitlerBarbara Spitler
    William, the bike is somewhat hilly, but nothing you can't handle. There are a couple of good hills that may take some effort, and some up and down throughout. The bike does flatten out the last 3-4 miles. (Just remembering off the top of my head here, so if mileage isn't spot on, take it with a grain of salt.) I will say that wind is a possibility. Last year I did the race, and we had 32- 34 mph headwinds for the remaining 18 miles back into town. People were trashed before the run. (including me) You are right there on Lake MI, so wind is always a possibility. Take your time if that is the case.
    The run is fairly flat, with one big hill I think in the first 2-3 miles. Can't remember if we bike that hill or run it. Sorry! Then you run out for two loops through the Whirlpool campus. No real hills there. The deal with that is it is hot out there. A portion of the run is through the woods on the campus, which gets you out of the sun for a short time. You'll be glad they hand out sponges there, if it is a sunny, steamy day.
    You didn't ask about the swim, but I will say that you might have some swells. Our swim started off pretty calm, and then we got swells during it. You just have to plan your breathing right, so you can pop your head up and see the buoys when the swell tops out. Atleast they don't make you jump off of the pier anymore. I never did, but my friend Debra did. She enjoyed it, but there were plenty of others freaking out, and I sure would have been one of them!
    As for dinner the night before, they had a pretty good spread at the University where the expo is held. Last year was the first year they had the expo/dinner there. It was nice. They used to have the expo with 5 or so tents, set up down by the beach. Wasn't much to look at. Last year they had some nice tri shorts/jerseys, etc.
    If you aren't into eating at the expo, there is an Italian Restaurant kind of out in the country not far from St. Joe. Can't think of the name right now, but it is supposed to be very good.
    Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you. I hope to meet you and Kris up there, as I may come and play EN cheerleader/Sherpa!
  • Barbara SpitlerBarbara Spitler
    Oops, forgot to include hope to meet DAN up there too! Sorry Dan! image
  • William JenksWilliam Jenks
    Yes, thanks!

    I had read about possible chop on the swim and that the water is pretty cool. Should have thought about the correspondence meaning the bike could be windy too. No one likes headwinds, but since I learned to race with power, I've learned to use it to my advantage. Same thing with false flats. Seems like a lot of people don't know how to handle them - I guess pretty similar.

    I tend to be a little antisocial about pre-race dinners after I had a bad experience at a hot HIM where everyone at a group dinner I went to that had the same dish got GI problems the next day! So now, it's like PB&J or something every time. :-)

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