Preparation
Super Bowl, Schmuper Bowl. There’s but one kickoff that matters to me and it’s right around the corner. That’s right, folks, it’s nearly time for the 2012 Cycle Oregon Kickoff party, which takes place on Feb. 7 at the Tiger Woods Center on the Nike Campus in bucolic Beaverton. Doors open at 6:00 and announcements start at 7:00.
For those who can’t make it, you can now watch a live video feed of the announcement at www.cycleoregon.com.
As a reminder, this year registration is being handled ONLINE ONLY. This includes registration for the weekend event, the week event and Tent & Porter service. Registration opens at 9:00 pm Pacific. Based on the last few years, we expect this event to sell out very quickly — most likely in a matter of hours. If you want to make sure you get a spot, be online at the top of the hour. Here are some things you might also want to consider:
- The Nike Campus does not have a public wireless connection (though plenty of nearby places do — just make sure you pick a place and confirm they have service and will be open in advance).
- The registration system DOES work on mobile devices.
- There is no limit to the number of people a single person may register. However, the reservations aren’t made until payment is accepted at the end of the session, so dividing and conquering might be a better strategy than a single mass registration.
Although you won’t be able to sign up at the event, there are still plenty of reasons to be there these include — but are not limited to:
- Rekindling relationships with your extended Cycle Oregon family
- New friends
- Beer and wine
- Seeing photos of where we’ll be riding on the big screen (someone needs to be there to “Ooooooh and Ahhhhh” for the folks watching at home)
- Checking out this year’s jersey design in person
- Getting STOKED for training if you haven’t started already.
Who’s in?
Contrary to popular belief, this year’s ride has a fair bit of climbing. And since we’re doing a loop, the ride has a roughly equal amount of descending. For most people, descending is a reward for a long, hard climb, and the most fun part of the day. There are a few people, however, who take little pleasure in the downhill ride. In fact, they find it a bit frightening. Courteous riders will do what they can to help by not making a bad situation worse.
On any given hill during Cycle Oregon, both types of riders will be sharing the road, and it’s important that each take a moment to consider the other’s mindset.
For an accomplished rider, a fast downhill is something special. It’s a little bit like riding a motorcycle and a little bit like flying. Being in the zone and in control as the miles fly by is one of the best parts about riding in places that have long climbs and descents. Getting behind a slow, nervous rider is a lot like getting behind an RV in a national park: It’s a total buzzkill. If you’re a slow rider, be aware that others likely want to pass you; accommodate them as soon as you feel comfortable doing so. If you hear someone behind you calling “On your left” or “Passing,” acknowledge them with a nod or by giving them a little extra room.
Conversely, if you’re a fast rider, realize that there are some people who are terrified by going downhill and ripping by them at 50 mph in a tight, steep corner when they don’t even know you’re there is a pretty serious party foul that puts you both in unnecessary danger.
When you’re overtaking someone else, make sure they know you’re there, and hang back until you get to a spot where you can cruise by safely. Be particularly leery of passing two riders at once. It’s entirely possible that the second rider has just caught up to the first and is in the process of getting ready to pass as well. They might not be focused on uphill traffic (though they obviously should be).
As the faster rider, the onus is on you not to endanger your fellow rider or make a bad situation worse. You’ll have other opportunities to grip it and rip it, so if circumstances dictate, take a minute to enjoy the view.
For more on this topic, check the discussion about safe descents on the Cycle Oregon forums. And for those of you who are looking to improve your downhill skills, read on.
Tips for slow/tentative descenders:
- Take your time. Don’t let the fact that you’re being passed persuade you to go faster than you should.
- Be aware that you’re going to be passed; where it is safe and comfortable for you to do so, stay to the right and hold your line.
- Conversely, when you don’t feel safe and comfortable staying to the right, use the whole lane. On a tight right-hand turn, for example, the left-hand part of the lane is the best and safest place to be – it gives you a bigger turning radius.
- Take brake breaks. When/where it is safe to do so and traffic in both directions can clearly see you, pull over and chill out for a minute partway down. This will give you a chance to check out the scenery and gather yourself. It will also give your hands a rest. When someone crashes on a hill, they often feel is if their brakes “just went out.” The reality is that, short of a broken cable, brakes rarely “go out.” More often than not, the rider’s hands become fatigued from having a prolonged death grip on the brakes. Without realizing it, they pick up speed and then aren’t able to slow back down.
This video, from Lance Armstrong’s former coach, offers some additional tips. Give them a try, and before long you’ll be bombing hills with the best of ‘em.
Team Fartlek primed and ready to ride Cycle Oregon!
Building your own training group can be extremely rewarding and a whole lot of fun. In Part One I covered how to find fellow riders and how to plan your season. In this part I’ll share some tools and techniques I’ve discovered that have helped my group, Team Fartlek, endure.
Set Objectives and Ground Rules – The goal of my group to prepare for Cycle Oregon and have a good time doing it. It’s as organized as it has to be to keep going, but disorganized enough that it doesn’t start to feel like a job. We’ve reached a common understanding on things like:
- How long at the start we will wait for stragglers
- How we deal with people who ride at different speeds
- What is expected of each rider (self-sufficiency)
- How we deal with breakdowns
- What is expected of the organizer
- What to do when the weather doesn’t cooperate
Everyone who rides with us knows this isn’t a club or an “official” organization, and that everyone is more or less on his or her own. That has worked well for us. If you feel ambitious and want to eventually grow your group into a club, there are other things to consider such as dues, waivers, service and support, etc.
Maps – Everyone in the group needs to know where they’re going. We started out with simple cue sheets but quickly graduated to printed maps created with mapping software. After a year of occasional wrong turns and confusion I discovered the wonders of the GPS bike computer, which provides turn-by-turn directions and other useful information – PROVIDED you know how to use one and understand its idiosyncrasies.
Now we that have several riders with GPS computers and others with maps, we rarely get lost and are able to keep moving with very few stops.
If you want to take it to the next level, you can map the rides using programs such as www.mapmyride.com or www.ridewithgps.com. Those maps can be printed and shared, OR downloaded on to GPS bike computers. Getting it all set up is a TREMENDOUS amount of work, but once you get it all done planning for future seasons is really, really simple. If you’re in it for the long haul this is a great way to go.
Team Fartlek -- Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad
As I’ve said many times before, Cycle Oregon is more than a big ride that happens in September. It’s an experience that starts the moment you sign up and begin training. And when it comes to the riding portion of your training, there’s nothing better than riding with a group of like-minded people.
Having other people around is good in many ways. It helps you stay motivated, it’s safer and it’s simply a lot more fun to share the joy (and the occasional agony) with others. But finding the right group can be a challenge, depending on the type of rider you are.
It seems like there’s no shortage of training groups/clubs that cater to the hard-core hammerhead. These groups typically go far and fast and are simply not suited for everyone. At the other end of the spectrum are groups that are geared more toward learning how to become an endurance cyclist. If you are brand-new to cycling, these groups can be invaluable.
But what if you aren’t a beginner and also can’t – or don’t want to – spend your season chasing faster riders? The best solution I’ve found is to start your own training group. Provided you’ve got the time, energy and some organizational skills, it’s pretty easy to do. And you might be surprised how quickly you can acquire a great collection of cycling buddies. If you build it, they will come.
The first step is to find a few others who are in the same boat. All you really need is 3-4 people. Perhaps these are people you know from a previous beginner training group or have met at other events. Or perhaps they’re people you recruit from the Cycle Oregon forum or the Facebook page, or even a local bike shop.
The next critical step is to plan the routes. I’ve found that by using a combination of rides I’d done before, routes from a book I purchased from my local shop, and routes I found online that I had more than enough for an entire season.
When building the schedule, start out with short rides (30 miles or less) with little elevation gain. Spend a few weeks building up mileage and then introduce climbing into the mix. Save the long and challenging rides for later in the season, then taper off a few weeks prior to Cycle Oregon by doing shorter rides with greater frequency. Be sure to find a few weekends where you can ride several days consecutively.
Planning the whole season at once takes a little extra work upfront, but it’s the best way to make sure you’ll be ready come September. Once you’ve got your schedule, figure out the best way to share it with the group, keep things organized and make sure everyone is on the same page in terms of goals and objectives.
Next week I’ll cover tips and techniques for turning your fledgling training group into a well-oiled machine.
We’ve asked first-time pairs to tell us what they’d like to know, and then turned to a group of veteran duos for answers. We hope this will give you answers to some questions you might have – and some you might not have thought of.
Q: Cornelia and Rhonda Kromm
Cornelia (left) and Rhonda (below left) are sisters-in-law who are tackling Cycle Oregon for the first time, and Cornelia, at least, is beginner enough that she’s only recently bought a road bike (“So many things to learn!” is how she sums it up). Because the two women live “across the state” of Washington (Lynnwood and Pullman, respectively), they don’t get to ride together regularly – which will make a week of Cycle Oregon even more fun for them.
A: Kimball and Shelley Rasmussen
Kimball and Shelley, from South Jordan, Utah, have done all of their Cycle Os on a tandem. Their first was CO VI in 1993, from Baker to Oregon City. They did that one on two Burley tandems, with each of them (mom and dad) riding with a child. Must have been a good family memory – their son came back to do CO a few years ago as an adult.
What should I bring along in the way of spare parts for my bike?
You need to bring a basic flat repair system: A pump, plastic tire levers and a spare tube (and possibly a patch kit). I prefer CO2 “pumps” rather than a frame-mounted pump, and I bring a couple of spare CO2 cartridges. You should also carry a compact Allen wrench set for simple repairs and adjustments. Beyond that, Cycle Oregon is very well supported, so they can handle spare parts. Bring a little bit of cash for parts and tips to the mechanics.
What kind of riding clothes should I pack for the week? How many pairs of riding shorts? Will there be a way to wash things out after riding for the day?
CO has buckets for doing simple laundry. You might also spot a laundromat (but these can get crowded). And some towns sponsor laundry services. We have had good luck with four changes of cycling clothes, plus one or two changes of rain clothes. We pack a jersey, shorts and socks – one set for each day – in zip-lock baggies. Arm warmers and leg warmers work very well for cold mornings, and then can be peeled off on warm afternoons. You can layer a jacket on top of a lightweight vest, and then peel down to your jersey when the day gets warm. CO has a gear-drop station for excess clothing. You can drop items off at lunch and then retrieve them when you arrive in camp. For rainy days it is also nice to have foot protection (booties, or similar).
I have lots of yoga tops – are those good for riding, too?
The key is your personal comfort. If your yoga wear does an adequate job with moisture and performs in a variety of situations (wet, cold, hot, etc.) then go for it. One thing I like about Cycle Oregon is that you can dress however you want and nobody really cares. One guy showed up on CO VI in a Speedo! I wouldn’t be caught dead in his “outfit,” but to each his own. Be aware, however, that temperatures at the start of a ride can be in the 30s or 40s and can end up in the 90s or higher by the end of the ride. I suspect this year’s ride will be more moderate than the high desert. So dress accordingly.
Should I bring my own supply of energy bars and road food?
The general answer to this question is no. However, it can be a good thing to have a couple of snack items on hand for emergencies. But CO is well stocked with food and water stops. You should carry two water bottles, and try to drink BEFORE you feel thirsty, with a goal of refilling at every stop. One of the bottles can be dedicated to energy drink or Gatorade. The other should be for water.
What sorts of sports recovery drinks do riders prefer?
Sports drinks are available at rest stops and at Bike Gallery. But my favorite has been the chocolate milk that is often provided at the finish line. It is also nice to buy a “smoothie” from the Ben & Jerry’s stand at the end of a day’s ride.
What was the hardest thing the first time you (a veteran rider) did Cycle Oregon.
Our first experience was CO VI, which went from Baker City to Oregon City. There were no “rest days,” and the ride accumulated about 29,000 feet of climbing. My wife and I each rode as “captain” of a tandem, and our “stokers” were our children, ages 11 and 13. We didn’t realize how hard that was until we came back and did CO VII the next year as a couple (without children) and found ourselves getting into camp at 2 p.m. rather than 7 p.m. To me the hardest thing about CO is the climbs. At 6’3″ and 250 pounds, I probably belong in the Clydesdale division. So my advice: Grab a low gear and spin at a good cadence.
And if you find yourself grinding up a hill, remember to stand out of the saddle at least once every 10 minutes or so. As a tandem team my wife and I take turns standing (we avoid standing at the same time because it throws the bike around and can interfere with other riders). When I sense that my wife wants to stand, I click into a higher gear. When she is done I will typically take my turn standing. This really helps; it’s good to get out of the saddle periodically.
But whatever else, enjoy the ride and avoid getting caught up in pacelines. After all, you’re on vacation!
Exactly how scared should I be of the big climb on this ride?
You should not be scared, but you should be prepared. Some climbs can last for 20 miles or more, with sections of 12% grade (Editor’s note: Not this year. The hardest Day 6 climb is about five miles long, and generally more in the 6%-8% range.) So be patient and prepared to endure to the top. In your training you should do some sustained climbs, if possible, of at least 1,000 feet. You should also log at least one or two centuries before starting CO. On the downhill section, if necessary, pull off in a safe, open area to rest your hands and to cool your rims, tires and brakes. It is not worth it to ride past your skill level and then get hurt in an accident. Be safe and know that the most difficult climbs can also create the most amazing memories.
Can you tell me about chafing and chafing products I see advertised?
If you’re talking about chamois butter, then yes, go for it! And it is helpful to take a mini-tube for additional application at rest stops. My wife and I are big believers in chamois butter. You can also minimize chafing by having a good-fitting saddle. Go to your bike shop and get your “cheek bones” measured for width and then try out saddles until you find the perfect fit. Avoid the lure of the big cushy saddles – they actually add to the chafing problem. Find your best saddle and don’t be afraid to spend $100 or more on that item. It may be the single most important component on your bike. And then log the miles so that you can avoid soreness on Cycle Oregon. It would also be very helpful to be professionally fitted to your bike.
