Rosarito to Ensenada bike ride!!

[borracho_dnf]

Is anyone interested in participating in this year's Rosarito to Ensenada bike ride? web page (http://www.rosaritoensenada.com) A few of us are considering going. I heard it's really fun. It's happening on April 17th, a non-race weekend.

[FIF]

Well see, that's NOT a Monday. Which makes a little easier!
Kook http://www.race-dezert.com/vb3/attachments/old/images/graemlins/tongue.gif.
"Everyone is entitled to my opinion"

[klaus]

http://www.rosaritoensenada.org/folio/event%20course%20map.JPG

[ntsqd]

"Head south of the border with 10,000 of your closest amigos...."

'Nuff said.

[Jordan]

I did this bike race twice when I was cycling a lot. Good times just be sure to bring enough fluids they arent as readily available as you might think http://www.race-dezert.com/vb3/attachments/old/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[01_el_tiburon]

Jordan is right on the fluids part, also you must consier it has 2 huge climbs, did this race 15 years ago, ended up so tired i got waisted at Papas after the race, fell asleep on the hood of car after a huge brawl at the joint, got my ass thrown in jail, buddies didnt answer the phone till 11.00 a.m., cops modified my property list, instead of 82.00 dlls y got 2.00 dlls back, long, long weekend....

el tiburon

[Kritter]

everybody I know who has done it has had a blast...grab onto the pick up truck on the uphill climb...thats the hard part.

[PLS]

Never did this one, but we used to do the Tecate to Ensanada ride. There were some serious climbs on that one. Drinking beer in line before the start was not the best way to get ready!
Pete S.

[klaus]

Tomrrow 10AM....
Are any RDC'ers giving this one a shot?

http://www.rosaritoensenada.com/folio/start%20field.JPG

Event 411 (http://www.rosaritoensenada.com)

[fishd00d]

Just got a call from Klaus and he completed todays ride without any major incidents. He said it was pouring rain and that made for some interesting downhills without brakes lol.

[01_el_tiburon]

Klaus completed it !?!?! WOW !!! Geting to Ensenada to papas must have been his motivation, maybe some beer in the water bottle ...?

omar

p.s. i guess hell have a fever tomorrow .....

[ESB4130]

i think me and fish might be in it for the next one. sounds like fun

[klaus]

yeah it took me 5 hours to comple the 50mile fun-run. My goal was 4 but ohh well. The most I have ridden was 20 miles on the beach with one brief stop on the way. Overall it was much harder then I thought it would be. The first 20 or so miles seemed easy as there are just slight elevation changes, then around the "half way house" it started raining hard. I think some riders stopped at Puerto Nuevo and bought jackets (?). I rode my own paste, basically reached the discomfort zone and then one or two clicks back.

Up to this point there where countless kids lined up alongside the way asking for candies. I didn't have any but seeing then showing interest in the event was a rush.

Then the "El Tigre" hill climb came up. Its a 7% grade for about 2 miles. You move from sea-level to about 900ft elevation. Lots of riders started walking their bikes at this point. For me it was an ego thing not to. So I suffered in first gear crawling so slow that I had a hard time passing those walking. There was one pickup truck going uphill towards the last section and Kritters advise to hang on came to mind, but no one at that point made a move to do so and I wasn't about to neither. Once to the summit I took my first and only 3 minute break to freshen up with some oranges and bananas.

The entire time its raining and everyone is socked wet. Instead of freezing and resting I decided to get right back on it before I loose my rhythm. At this point I am very beat. I overheard someone mention that this is mile 26 or 27 (about the halfway point). That almost ruined it for me to know that I just finished half of the event.

The next hill was much smaller and easier, yet I was so burned out that I went very slow. Tempted to walk the bike. Then an older lady passes me and yells at me "That's what separated women from men, Punka$$" It took me a minute or two to absorb what she just called me, but then that was exactly the energy boost I needed. No more whining from now on...and it worked out.

Then the downhill section where tons of fun as you gain a ton of speed, but since it was raining, the speed means wind and since you are socking wet it made it feel like Antarctic temperatures. Also brakes don't work well in the rain. I had to apply them 100% to get the braking power you normally get from 20% lever.

When going downhill towards the outskirts of Ensenada the rain stopped and temperatures picked up. The town was in sunshine. The last 5 miles where easy, basically from the Coral hotel around the harbor to finish line located where SCORE holds their contingency. By the time I finished my cloth dried off and I was a happy camper.

I also passed that old lady that called me out and beat her by 5 minutes or so. I ment to thank her for her boost, but lost sight.

Other fun moments where when 2 drunks entered in a tandem. I saw them at the start right behind me, and then around the second hill they where around me again. Perhaps all the drinking took the pain in their body away...they also crashed a lot and tipped over their ice chest full of tkt's...

Most riders had post $1k bikes and full on riding gear, while I was sporting dickies, vans, and a black rdc riding my pawn-shop freebee bike I scored a couple of years ago. The spokes are rusted and locking it up when parked outside seems over-rated. I feel there are tons of posers out there, just like in desert racing...

Biker pants for guys are very very very gay looking....even though they may serve a purpose.

I hope to do it again in fall and hopefully some of you guys will join me.

This was maybe my best Baja-trip ever. While in Ensenada I hit all the usually spots we visit during the races and then of course lobsters on the way home in PN. Good times+

[Bill]

way to go Klaus.congrats on the finish. http://www.race-dezert.com/vb3/attachments/old/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[notime]

maybe a lot of those Tecate beer make's klaus now with superpowers.................. http://www.race-dezert.com/vb3/attachments/old/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[John_Bitting]

yeah the guys on the tecate billboards inspired him to keep going.

[klaus]

what tecates ? The only ones I had where at the finish line and then all night long of course...but I don't see myself being able to ride far with only one beer in my system.

[01_el_tiburon]

Klaus:

You ALWAYS have at least one beer in your system....Who you trying to fool....LOL