I did this ride in 2008 and 2009. In '08 I started at 5 am and it was still dark, but began the climb up Carson at about 2:30 pm. The weather changed fast and left my warmers and jacket at the van. Halfway up Carson the temperature dropped and it hailed, and it was ~cold~, especially coming down. Only the adrenalin kept me out of hypothermia. It hailed last year too. Strap your shell under you pack with a mini bungee. If it comes down, you'll be glad for the extra layer.

I've finished twice, 13 hours one year, 12 the next and aiming for 11 this year. The weather will be chilly going up Monitor, warm going up Ebbetts, muggy through Pickets, likely windy before Carson and as Staggart said, there could be snow, hail, rain or an absolutely beautiful calm day up Carson. My money is on some rain though starting at 3:56 pm.

How much money are we talking about Greg? I'm thinking of more of a 2:18 pm rain. Considering the rain is just my excuse for starting early, I'd rather my excuse be for that than not thinking I will complete it in enough time. . .which I will. . .right? :-)

I did it first time last year in a little under 12 hours ...started at 6:00am and got caught with hail, rain and massive amounts of wind about 5 miles from the last pass, and of course back down ...only part that sucked about that is that I had given all my rain gear (which I carried all day long) to Kallie back in town, this year it will be waiting at the cabin and I'll pick it up on my way through town :-)

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to figure out some logistics given a finite number of pockets and the potential for a full 4 season weather misadventure, not to mention the regular food/tool pocket load. I'm looking forward to giving this thing a shot and hopefully riding with a few of you (for about 3 minutes until you drop me on the way out of town).

12 hours is admirable! I did it in 12.5, and I was baked afterwords (actually frozen). If I finish in 12 that would be awesome. Does anyone here have any ideas about how to recognize a Hammerin' Wheels rider while out there? How about a piece of colored electrical tape on a rear seat stay?

regarding how to identify us: we could wear our hammerin' wheels jerseys. We all have those, right ;) I have some surveyor's tape I can bring to this Sat's ride - we can tie a strip of that on our seats. It's bright pink!!

Dave I was baked ...for about a month after that, I don't do a lot of long distance hard rides (like staggart does) so this is my "peak". I was in recovery mode for about am month after that! ...me , my son and the two other kids from the high school cycling club will be in our woodcreek kits (see my profile pic)

Hey Javier, I know what you mean. I did manage to do 101 last Saturday but didn't get home until about 3:40. Rode up into Auburn from Tahoe Park and back - so that was my big training ride - then slept 16 hours.
Hydrate and eat - that's the ticket as others have mentioned here. But yes, this will be my peak too! It just floors me how the pros can ride 100+ miles for 5 days straight like the Tour de France or Amgen - super humans, for sure.

I don't have a HW Jersey, so I'll have a band of blue electrical tape around my left rear seat stay. I'll look for your wood creek kit! I'm going to try to score a 30th anniversary jersey Friday morning, and wear that. Otherwise I'll have my 2009 DR jersey on.

Is anyone gonna do the all you can eat spaghetti dinner the night before? Maybe we can all meet there and figure out what we're all planning as far as leaving times and groups and whatnot. I think it's $12/ head for the all you can eat dinner.

Oh, wait. $15/ head if you buy tickets online, $17 at the door.

@Warren, you'll finish, we all will. And we'll enjoy those fajitas and beer after.

All, here's the "cheat sheet" I made up last year, in the "ACE training for cyclists" book there is an entire page with "just in time" information extremely detailed. So I made up just what I felt was important to me so that I could make it small enouught to laminate and put in my jersey pocket. So here it is, has the checkpoint, miles and latest time you should be there according to the ACE book. http://www.arroyoc.com/cycling/deatheridejustintime.pdf

Anyone interested in carpooling? I think I'm driving up Friday around 1:00 and back down Saturday evening after the ride.

Greg you can ride with me if you would like, I can arrange to leave by 1pm or earlier on Friday and I will be driving back Saturday evening as well.

I've got a full car, so unfortunately can't take another rider, sorry. I'll be there early for registration and my stick around for the dinner, but have a room up at the South shore. Javier, that time schedule sheet looks pretty. It's a 12 hour schedule: I did it in 12.5 so I'm hoping for a similar run. Maybe see some of you at the dinner! This is going to be fantastic: I'm planning on rolling video too with the DXG566

Fixing the bike tonight; instead of 5 chainring bolt sleeves I have been riding on 3 + 5 pieces for a few hundred miles, but that should fix the bottom end creaking. Then I'm heading up Thursday evening, to sleep somewhere high so I know how much trouble I'm going to be in with the altitude.

Javier, that a nicely condensed version of that ACE schedule, thanks for sharing.

BTW my offer still stands if anyone wants to drop stuff off at the cabin that they want to pick up on the way out to pass #5 (e.g. rain gear) or want an extra rest stop, just let me know so Kallie knows to expect you and drop off stuff no later than 7pm on Friday evening or on way out saturday morning. Unfortunately I don't have anymore room for people as the cabin's already packed! The cabin is right on the main drag accross from the general store it's called "Main Street Manor", can't miss it

Austin and I will have bright pink surveyor's tape about one foot long fluttering off the the back of our seats. Please say hi when you pass/see us. I will have more tape with me at Turtle Rock tomorrow so if you's like a piece to tie on, come and find my white Odyssey van, 4HQB108.

Hey marsh, I'll keep an eye out for you.I'll be driving in my gold Hoda Odyssey with Guitar Workshop magnetics on the doors and GuitDoorbell on the back glass. I'll have my 2008 DR jersey on and riding a blue and white 08 Specialized Roubaix with the goofy camera on the bars!! See ya all there!!!

Our group has made the decision to roll out at 4:15am, kind of "adds to the experience" :-) ...say hi as you see/pass us as well, we will be wearing our white Woodcreek High School kits.

May the "force" be with all of you (and tailwinds if there are any!)

Good luck to everyone doing this ride!

Good to see everyone, sorry that I was seemingly rude some of the times and didnt' chat, between beeing focused on "eye on the prize" and having literally a 1 hour "delay of game" due to a broken spoke at the end of pass #2, luckily I had a spare wheelest in the cabin. Myself and all the Woodcreek riders finished all 5 passes :-)

Far as I know I only saw Javier (I would have loved to ride with you but I was in real bad shape sitting on the front of Ebbet's) and Staggart. That is far and away the most effort I have ever put into acquiring an ice cream sandwich. Congratulations to everyone that rode any of the passes, they are all their own special brand of beastly.

Doug, when were you at the op of Carson. I got up there at 6 and there was a guy with the medics, but he was looking ok. The medical staff were way too busy during the day for the downhillers. I saw 1 on the front of monitor, 4 on the front of Ebbett's (2 or 3 real bloody I'm told) and a kid in a Livestrong jersey down on the road between pickets and Woodfords (6:30-ish). I heard there was one or two helicopter rides unfortunately. Hope everyone here made it through ok.

Paul and I got back to turtle rock around 545, or 6? I think that we were at Carson about 5:00. That ice cream sandwich was the best I have ever had! We saw the ER people pass us a number of times during the day. Too much speed going down the hills for many.

I saw someone in a Folsom Bike kit SCREAMING down Carson as I was goinng up, and I think he hit one of those nasty potholes, front wheel taco'd bike looked like it broke in pieces and he was in the middle of the road, by the time I made it up to that there was tons of people stopping traffic, etc ...he looked helluv banged up :-(

I have done the DR quite a few times and I have never seen so many crashes. My theory is: The roads have been so poorly maintained due to a lack of funding and low priorities that they have suffered. Carson is an absolute mess with places that were dangerous at any speed (esp. down from Pickett's to Woodfords). I am not "blaming" the roads but I think riders come in with certain expectations and it gets them into trouble. I did see a crash of 3 on Monitor where the riders collided.

Well, it was an excellent ride, but I only made 4 passes. Didn't get to Turtle Rock until 4:20, and too late to head to Carson, but huge congrats to all who finished! I'll definitely try again this year, maybe start out at 4:30 instead of 5:30

I was on Carson at 4:30 when I passed the rider with Folsom Bike on his jersey & shorts. The rescue crew was loading him on a stretcher (working at keeping his body straight) & he had an oxygen mask. The front wheel of his bike was taco'd.
This is something I'm sure none of us ever wants to see; my prayers go out to him & his family.
This is my 6th DR & I have never seen or heard so many emergency vehicles as I did this time.
Let's all be careful our there.

Guilty of speed myself. I hit 52 going down the front side of Monitor, and again heading down from Carson. I didn't think Ebetts was a great place to let it go, so held back there. I did hit something on the Carson down, and although every inch of my bike rattled, nothing bent or broke.

I'm sad to hear about the Folsom Bike guy.... I passed him on the climb up the back side of Ebbets.... seemed like a nice guy when I said hello to him.... Some people on the decent were nuts... they wouldn't say "left" or anything.... Not surprising on the accidents, and it was not that they were great riders either cause they carried too much speed into the corners and couldn't hold a line..... feel sorry for innocent ones that were involved.....

It's not about the speed! I hit 50+ mph as well; this is common.
Maybe some of it is road conditions, but some of it is riders that blast downhill without a care about anyone else, passing carelessly...we've all seen them.
Be safe by paying attention to the road, calling out when passing & looking out for others.

This particular crash on Carson, the rider was all by him self. Going straight down the hill on a clean road. There were no pot holes, rocks etc. I didn't notice any strong cross winds in that area. Maybe he blew his front tire and lost control?

Well whatever the reason it sucks ..however it was great tinder how quick other riders mobilized to control the scene. I hope the rider is ok !!

Wow Scott ..terrible two ...I'm pretty much convinced that DR is "end of the line" for me, I just can't see myself enjoying a double or a ride with more climbing intensity than the DR

Having completed this ride with Javier & co., I definitely am glad that I attempted (and finished!). Was great to see some people from HW - Paul, Scott, Warren, Greg, Rob, Lance, Joe (you animal you!! :) ). While I am still in the hating mood for this ride, I have a little less than a year to change my mind.

Javier,

I am kind of with you on the DR being the end of the line for me. My ego is now small enough(?) that I can sometimes say "no" to a challenge. That said, I have to weigh that against keeping my son motivated given that his scholastic achievements seem to be inversely proportional to his cycling feats!

Probably still a little too close to the event to see clearly for next year. From my tiny perspective into the world of cycling, this is a huge ride. I'm sure there are others more challenging. But this one will always loom large on the horizon of events each year.

Don't think I'm done with it. There's always the opportunity to finish sooner.

For now, I'm taking pride in finishing all 5 in my first attempt. Will honestly say there were moments yesterday when I wasn't sure I would.

Scott, I would highly recommend Austin look into the MTB club @ Oakmont, I know with Jacob he enjoys these long type of endurance riding, but the reality is very few kids his age are into it, the high school club gives him a venue to socialize with kids his age that also cycle, and it's a whole different experience as well as training for a 1 - 1.5 hour "full tilt" race. I know we've talked about the club in the past, but feel free to contact me to discuss now that school is around the corner

It would be great if all of you could give us (those who want to do the DR next year) your own 'lessons learned'. In other words, would you do anything different in getting ready for the DR knowing what you know today. Thanks a bunch

Rick - I would definitely try to learn how to be able to go downhill without getting frightened/panicking too quickly. That was the scariest part for me - feathering the brakes and leaning into the turns (i.e., if turning right put weight on right hand and keep left foot at 6'oclock position) when necessary was great, but there were some turns and descents (Ebbetts #2 down to Carson especially) where I was braking a lot and scared of blowouts. Also be careful to watch out for potholes!

My Advice for day of: 1) Ride MUCH slower than you feel like you want to, esp. the first two passes. 2) Take at least a few minutes of rest at each rest stop. 3) Eat as much as you can even though it is hard. 4) Drink... 5) Take each pass on its own - don't project forward to the rest of the ride. 6) ignore all other riders and you ego to push harder.

Training: as many long (60-100 miles) rides as possible with nothing but hills. Pre-ride at least first 3-passes a few weeks before.

Rick - I did all 5, with a moving time of about 10 hours, but had to spend around 3 hours off the bike. Lesson learned - eat and drink more (duh!). After getting over the cramps & low blood sugar I felt good and could ride a nice pace, so I was happy with my training. I would recommend working in a hard/long SOLO ride now and then, it can be tough to put your head down and ride hard and alone. Stop when needed, but if you are worried about time don't overdo the breaks!

Hey Rick, This was my third ride, I would have to recommend to anyone for a level of confidence a bullet proof tire, like the Continental GP400S - I have run these for over 3000 miles now and had only one flat, and a slow leak too - nothing catastrophic. A downhill blowout is very serious as Alex mentions - make sure your gear is in the best shape you can - Stay hydrated too! See you all there next year!

Scott ...you tore those pages right out of my training book ;-) ...actually everything that Scott Said is what I did *except* I did not do *ANY* elevation training this year, nor did I last year. However I did stay up in Markleeville for days before, this year wednesday, last year thursday and rode mountain bikes up at the top of monitor pass.

Update on the Folsom Bike rider Tony Rivas. He had lots of road rash (of course), chin was cut to the Bone. Needed 14 stitches and 1 on his tongue. He was released Saturday night.