Goals for 2007

[JonnyComeLately]

Even though there's still some riding left to do in 2006, I've been off the bike involuntarily for a couple weeks and it has made me start thinking about setting goals for 2007. This year, I did a multi-day bike tour with a touring company in May, and the need to be in shape for that early in the year motivated me to ride the trainer in the basement all winter.

I'm trying to come up with a similar goal for early in the season next year, and wanted to see if people had suggestions. It's hard to justify the cost of another bike tour, or I'd do that. What I'm looking for is an organized event in the U.S. early in the year with a substantial, but not insane, number of miles. If it is a one-day event, it should be a century, though multi-day events of roughly that length per day are also ok. Climbing, within reason, is also desirable. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it needs to be in a beautiful location.

What's the most scenic century or other event in your area? I'd appreciate your suggestions...

[znfdl]

PAC Tour Moutain Tour, week six of desert training camp. Great riding and training.

www.pactour.com

[sbornia]

If you're up for a trip to California, I'd suggest the Solvang Spring Tour. It's a week of training rides in mid-March that lead up to the Solvang Double Century. Learn more here: http://www.planetultra.com/sst/index.html

[trophyoftexas]

www.hellweek.com is where you would go to find out all the details. It's about the second full week in March and the weather down here us usually about like spring in May up north. It's eight days of rides with about 350 people usually taking part. It was 8 days of centuries at the start but is now "your choice" of distance having been divided up into A-B-C rides. I usually do 1 century followed by a couple of days of B rides (60-75 miles) followed by a C ride of about 40 and then start over again. It is more or less unsupported but with that many riders you don't usually have to worry about being alone without help. The hills are challenging but not "undoable" even if you are using the trip as a training exercise....great fun with lots of nice folks from all over the country....I rode mostly with a couple of guys from Delaware and Maryland last year. Camped at the KOA for $18.00 a night, nice showers and close to town. Fredericksburg, Texas is the host location, lots to do plus Austin and San Antonio are both within an hours drive....LOTS of nice LBS in both cities as well as brew pubs and resturants....nice way to spend a week in the country and meet nice folks!

[Kevan]

in the Spring up in Norwalk CT, hosted by the Sound Cyclists and in the Fall, the golden Apple in Goldens Bridge NY, hosted by the Westchester Cycling Club. The Bloomin' is a very popular one day event with rides up to.... um, oh yeah, a Metric Century. The Golden Apple has rides up to 125 miles and is a bit more challenging.

Both rides are well supported and provide you with very nice countryside.

[swoop]

organize a local event, put on a race, teach kids from big brothers to ride on the local track with their mentors, etc. get your bros together and do something to share the sport. put on a winter tt up the local hill.

goal wise..this time of year when i'm doing base.. i try and focus on breaking down and rebuilding my pedal stroke. that motivates me.. and keeps me focused. working on the ups trokes all week.

event wise.... whatever floats your boat. somethng out of your comfort zone. captain a tandem for someone visually impaired. do solvang, ride naked. anything.

[shinomaster]

or a win like Coylifut..

[zank]

Train consistently.

Get back down to my 1998 weight.

Do the six gap route with SamIAm in April when we go down to see the Tour de Georgia.

Finish Fitchburg.

Super Stretch goal #1 - Top 10 at Mt Snow in the Expert race.

Super Stretch goal #2 - Top 10 at a Verge series cross race in the B race.

[billrick]

Hey TofT - Texas Heck Week is on my list for next year! Hope to see you out there. Looks like a great way to get a jump on the brevet season.

So here are my 2007 goals:

1. TxHW - March 10-17 in Fredericksberg, Tx

2. DC Randonneurs Brevet Series (http://www.dcrand.org/calendars/curevents_07.html) - April through June

3. Paris-Brest-Paris - I have a 1-in-a-million shot at getting to this one, but dreams are a good thing! Plus, it gives me an excuse to get S&S couplings on my new bike.

4. Shenandoah Mountain 100 (http://www.mtntouring.com/mountain/htm/shenandoah_mountain_100/course_info.htm) - This is my personal Mt. Everest for 2007: 100 off road miles with approximately 14,000 feet of climbing. I attempted SM100 this year and have never been so humbled by a ride before. I have sworn vengance in 2007.

:)


www.hellweek.com is where you would go to find out all the details. It's about the second full week in March and the weather down here us usually about like spring in May up north. It's eight days of rides with about 350 people usually taking part. It was 8 days of centuries at the start but is now "your choice" of distance having been divided up into A-B-C rides. I usually do 1 century followed by a couple of days of B rides (60-75 miles) followed by a C ride of about 40 and then start over again. It is more or less unsupported but with that many riders you don't usually have to worry about being alone without help. The hills are challenging but not "undoable" even if you are using the trip as a training exercise....great fun with lots of nice folks from all over the country....I rode mostly with a couple of guys from Delaware and Maryland last year. Camped at the KOA for $18.00 a night, nice showers and close to town. Fredericksburg, Texas is the host location, lots to do plus Austin and San Antonio are both within an hours drive....LOTS of nice LBS in both cities as well as brew pubs and resturants....nice way to spend a week in the country and meet nice folks!

[beungood]

Get a Custom Zank and race this effen big guy on a giant Orange Zank...

[sellsworth]

My goal is to finish the Davis Double Century, Death Ride, and Shasta Super Century next year. This goal may kill me but I will try.

[TimD]

1. Don't get hit by a motor vehicle

1a. Don't get into a physical altercation with the driver of, or passenger in, a motor vehicle

2. Don't crash

3. Finish the Harpoon B2B without cramping, bonking, or getting dropped by my regular crew

4. Average 22 MPH over my favorite, rolling, 30-mile course

5. Narrow the choices for my 50th Birthday Bike (Duende, Ottrott, Nove, ?)

I'm sure I'll think of a few more :)

[manet]

let more chics take pulls

[atmo]

let more chics take pulls
i heart this guy atmo