The Hammerin' Wheels Road Bike Club

March 7, 2010 9:00 AM. 7 attended.

B77 Amador County 77-mile Hill-a-palooza!

Distance: 77 miles
Pace: Moderate/strenuous - 16-20 on the flats (there are few flats!).
Climbing: About 6900ft (with moderate to short-strenuous climbs)
Sweep: NO. We'll set up regroup points.
Skill Level: Advanced Intermediate

This is a "moderate/advanced" foothill ride (I say that cautiously because for Amador County, this is medium distance and does not have the toughest that Amador County has to offer). You must be in good hill-climbing shape and have a good base. While you may not be in "century" riding condition right now, you are aiming for that in a few months. This would be the kind of ride to move you toward that goal. If you are preparing for the Pardee Party or the Chico Wildflower, this will put you over the top (Pardee Party is easier than this). Take a look at the route sheet and note the climbing profile. This will NOT be a hammerfest!! If you are a good rider and can put in the mileage, I will support and wait for you (perhaps you will wait for me!). I want to encourage riders to attend even if this is at the edge of their capability.

We will have two car meetup points: The Fish Hatchery where we can carpool from and Ione, CA at the "Old Ivan", the steam engine, next to to Ione Police station. This is a regular Sacramento and Stockton Cycling club cyclist's meeting point for all rides Amador. Meetup at the hatchery is 8:00, Ione is 9:00. Here is the Starting Point in Ione which is a 45 min. drive from the hatchery.

We will have approximately 5 re-group points and one food stop but we will not be taking too much time out once the last rider arrives except for a snack/lunch stop in Volcano. There are a few places you can get food and water on the route but in general, you should come self-prepared since we will not stop at every opportunity.

Amador County is a premier place for road cycling in California, if not the US. It has some of the most challenging roads with low population density and generally very light traffic. The scenery is always rustic and gorgeous, even more so this time of the year. Come out and try a ride on some of the most challenging and pretty roads anywhere. Once you have ridden here you will not want to ride anywhere else! Did I mention the great riding?

The Route

Please print your own Route Cue Sheet.

As always, helmets are required. Bring food and/or money for the coffee shops.

Rain cancels.

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I plan on leading a series of spring/summer rides in Amador county. I lived there for 16 years and know every road. The rides will gradually increase in length and difficulty (moving up to 100 mile days with 10,000+ of climbing). If you'd like to get in "good" condition, please come out and join me. I am working on an epic self-supported one-day ride in late May from Lodi to Yosemite (that I have done twice before) that is 139 miles and 12,000+ of climbing. If you have interest in this, let me know when you come out for an Amador County ride. If you are interested in co-hosting an Amador ride, please let me know.

Scott
[masked] (h)
[masked] (cell)

Scott Taggart
Looks like great weather for Sunday!! Let's meet at the hatchery parking lot at 8, decide on how to carpool and leave together form there. Otherwise, we will see you in Ione at the train.

Scott 916-716-0028

Posted March 5, 2010 at 8:38 AM
Joe
Sounds like a plan. Hoping for a total leg buster of a day.

Posted March 5, 2010 at 2:03 PM
A former member
Hatchery @ 8a! See you there...

Posted March 5, 2010 at 5:10 PM
Scott Taggart
Hatchery is here: http://tinyurl.com/yaza72j
I have a dirty white honda odyssey. Cell is in ride desc.

Posted March 6, 2010 at 3:56 PM
SteveMD
Alex and I were not official attendees, so we weren't invited to comment on the ride. But comment we must! This was a triple WOW ride. The first WOW was the scenery, especially climbing up over Pardee Reservoir. Unfortunately, the second WOW was the pain inflicted on the climbs, which tended to limit our taking in all of that scenery. And the 3rd WOW was some of those screaming downhills, notably on Pine Grove Volcano Rd and then on Hale Rd heading toward Fiddletown. Way fast! Great group, too.

Posted March 7, 2010 at 4:59 PM
Alex Chiu
Was a great ride. I think if I hadn't done the fast ride Saturday and the medium ride Friday, I would have enjoyed it more. It was not until the second half that I really started feeling the hurt. Enjoyed the ride though, Scott was very good in providing directions. Only got a bit scared on the canal crossing. I went to In N Out afterwards. Time to pass out! :)

Posted March 7, 2010 at 5:41 PM
Alex Chiu
Oh, and just for humor sake, I am VERY thankful our route did not include the 3 mile descent from hell. Given the condition I was in I think I would've had an accident. :)

Posted March 7, 2010 at 9:13 PM
Joe
I got home yesterday evening and blacked out. That's not uncommon for me after a full day in Amador, but usually it's because I had been getting loose at all the wineries. Great ride. I am scarred for life.

Posted March 8, 2010 at 3:51 PM
SteveMD
Joe neglected to mention that he was the primary engine in pulling the rest of us back to the barn. We would have had more blackouts without his efforts.

Posted March 8, 2010 at 5:41 PM
A former member
Joe was definitely the engine on the last stretch of road! I am going up to Amador (Fiddletown) at the end of March, but this time its for the wine!

Posted March 8, 2010 at 8:13 PM
Scott Taggart
Yes, Joe did some monster pulls that put us all to shame. Glad to hear there were at least some side-effects less we all be put to big-time shame ;) Unfortunately, up Diablo the draft is no help!

Posted March 8, 2010 at 8:29 PM
Alex Chiu
Joe is like a train man. All aboard for the Amtrak! I remember talking to him about the rollers towards the end about wishing we could just take some C4 to one of the climbs, he ended up jetting off and screaming and pushing through it. You're an animal Joe! haha :)

Posted March 8, 2010 at 8:36 PM
A former member
and we kept up with Alex because of his 2 rides prior to this one! I ate 4 tacos, beans, rice, and ice cream after that ride!!

Posted March 8, 2010 at 8:41 PM
Alex Chiu
I ate 2 Double Doubles and fries (well done, crunchy!) from In N Out, in my car, before going home. Even though my house was 2 minutes away, I was too hungry to wait. Probably not the healthiest recovery food, but it was SOOOO GOOD :)

Posted March 8, 2010 at 8:45 PM
Scott Taggart
Now you guys are learning the meaning of my favorite quote "Ride to Eat!!" (borrowed from the book titled "Eat to Win").

Posted March 8, 2010 at 8:50 PM
SteveMD
Well, Scott, see what you've done! Supplying the torture event that created a bonded group of starved and slightly raving fellow sufferers. It was truly an epic ride, and the buzz obviously hasn't worn off yet. I'd say it was the equal, if not better than, the Iowa Hill Challenge, in that it wasn't one killer hill, but an endless progression of big ups and big downs. Glad we could be a part of it, although there were moments of doubt, right guys?

Posted March 8, 2010 at 9:11 PM
Alex Chiu
While I did not get light headed/dizzy as I have when trying out some climbs in the early months of me starting to get into cycling, the pain in the legs on some of the climbs was brutal indeed!

Posted March 8, 2010 at 9:14 PM
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7 attended

4.504 (4 ratings)

Event Host

Scott Taggart
Group Supporter, Assistant Organizer

Do you like your legs baked, BBQ or fried? This was a great ride on a great day with a great group of riders. Can;t be better.
Lance Maguire
Group Supporter

Wow! Some of these hills had a bit of steepness included for extra measure. Not many places mapped out that have you cross a stream ( without a bridge ) . This might have been that religous experience a couple weeks ahead of time. Thanks for posting and coordination. The phrase that starts with " If it doesn't kill me..... " comes to mind about this ride. Thanks Scott!
Dale
Group Supporter

Staggart once again led us though some great climbing in Amador County. I missed the Hale turn and got 65 miles and 6200 feet of climbing, My mistake took me thorough the Sutter Creek portion of last weeks ride which cemented it into memory. Would like to have tried the other 12 miles and more climbing, but had a great day trying to hang with some excellent riders. Here is the map of my ride: http://www....
Alex Chiu
SteveMD
Group Supporter
Joe
Group Supporter
A former member