Rode with Chris Horner today

[Dan Le foot]

Well. Same hill, same time.

I was tearing up a 8% hill in my granny gear at 7mph in Bend when Chris appeard from a side road, apparently just starting a ride from home.

Hard to miss with his Radio Shack uniform, Trek and perpetual smile.

He was about 50' in front of me so I yelled out, "Hi Chris good to see you in the saddle again." He turned, thanked me and headed up the hill. I tried to catch his wheel.

Pretty funny. :help: He warms up on a 8% grade at 18 mph.

BTW. Bend is the most outdoorsy and biker friendly community we have seen in our current RV trip. (8 Western states this trip) The USA Masters race was here last week and a major MTB race next week I think.

We are headed for Mt Shasta tomorow. Michelle wants to cross off the 14 mile, 4300' climb off her bucket list.( hors/cat1)I get to drag way behind. Lasson National Park is just down the road and she'll bag that climb as well. 3700', 16 miles. cat 1

Dan

[67-59]

Good to hear he's back on the bike. The post-race footage from the Tour was pretty scary.

[Fixed]

bend is what boulder used to be like imho
cheers

[gone]

Bend is one of the few places in the US I'd consider relocating to. Cool town.

I used to backpack in Lassen a lot. Nice NP that gets nowhere near the traffic of Yosemite, Kings Canyon, etc.

Great riding in each.

Oh, and cool story about Chris. Glad to hear he's recovered and doing those "easy" 8% grades :D

[cnighbor1]

In my opinion the climb is harder and more senic south to north.
Than you have all the climbs in California Bay area to do
1. Mt diablo I ride up with you. Stay with my wife and I in walnut Creek Or park RV on Mt diablo camp sites
2. Mt. tam
3. Mt Hamilton and the back side to Livermore
4. Mt Veeder
5. Trinity grade about 14% for a lot of it
6. Old La Hona from Woodside to skyline down to Highway 1 and back up Tunis
7. And more I can't think of.
Charles Nighbor

[cnighbor1]

Lots of great riding out of Ashland Or. I have all the maps in digital format
Dead Indian road a blast up or down Carter lake a great climb and ride around rim over wheming Than ride to coast.
Charles
<cnighbor1@comcast.net)

[fogrider]

In my opinion the climb is harder and more senic south to north.
Than you have all the climbs in California Bay area to do
1. Mt diablo I ride up with you. Stay with my wife and I in walnut Creek Or park RV on Mt diablo camp sites
2. Mt. tam
3. Mt Hamilton and the back side to Livermore
4. Mt Veeder
5. Trinity grade about 14% for a lot of it
6. Old La Hona from Woodside to skyline down to Highway 1 and back up Tunis
7. And more I can't think of.
Charles Nighbor
how about the santa cruz mountains including bonny doon? if you do tam, don't ride up on shoreline (highway 1), go through mill valley and old mill park (few cars, many bikes).

[Hawker]

Very cool, I was really disappointed when he left the Tour and then didn't ride in CO either. Anyone know his plans for 2012?

[Peter B]

Well. Same hill, same time.

I was tearing up a 8% hill in my granny gear at 7mph in Bend when Chris appeard from a side road, apparently just starting a ride from home.

Hard to miss with his Radio Shack uniform, Trek and perpetual smile.

He was about 50' in front of me so I yelled out, "Hi Chris good to see you in the saddle again." He turned, thanked me and headed up the hill. I tried to catch his wheel.

Pretty funny. :help: He warms up on a 8% grade at 18 mph.

BTW. Bend is the most outdoorsy and biker friendly community we have seen in our current RV trip. (8 Western states this trip) The USA Masters race was here last week and a major MTB race next week I think.

We are headed for Mt Shasta tomorow. Michelle wants to cross off the 14 mile, 4300' climb off her bucket list.( hors/cat1)I get to drag way behind. Lasson National Park is just down the road and she'll bag that climb as well. 3700', 16 miles. cat 1

Dan

Cool experience in Bend.

You'll like the ride up Shasta.

If you have any more time to linger there's some outstanding roads and climbs around there, in the area between Mt Shasta on the north, Redding on the south and and out to the ocean. Highway 3, Hayfork, Scott Mountain, Wildwood Rd. and much, much more.

Not sure how big your RV is but the drive west along either 36 to Fortuna or 299 to Blue Lakes/Arcata are both splendid. And the north coast is quite a place too. Just be careful wondering in the forest this (harvest) time of year...

[Ken Robb]

Well. Same hill, same time.

I was tearing up a 8% hill in my granny gear at 7mph in Bend when Chris appeard from a side road, apparently just starting a ride from home.

Hard to miss with his Radio Shack uniform, Trek and perpetual smile.

He was about 50' in front of me so I yelled out, "Hi Chris good to see you in the saddle again." He turned, thanked me and headed up the hill. I tried to catch his wheel.

Pretty funny. :help: He warms up on a 8% grade at 18 mph.

BTW. Bend is the most outdoorsy and biker friendly community we have seen in our current RV trip. (8 Western states this trip) The USA Masters race was here last week and a major MTB race next week I think.

We are headed for Mt Shasta tomorow. Michelle wants to cross off the 14 mile, 4300' climb off her bucket list.( hors/cat1)I get to drag way behind. Lasson National Park is just down the road and she'll bag that climb as well. 3700', 16 miles. cat 1

Dan
If you will pass through Truckee/Donner/Tahoe on your was south we have some great restaurant ideas for you after our recent visit/pig-out.

[Walter]

Very cool, I was really disappointed when he left the Tour and then didn't ride in CO either. Anyone know his plans for 2012?

I had read he extended with RS...

[thwart]

Very cool, I was really disappointed when he left the Tour and then didn't ride in CO either. Anyone know his plans for 2012?He had a pulmonary embolism after his concussion hospitalization. He is likely riding (against doctor's orders... ?) while on blood thinning medication.

[Dan Le foot]

I had read he extended with RS...
That's what I heard too. RS and Leopard merged so I guess Andy will be a domestique for Chris. :beer:
Dan

[Ray]

I heard an interview with him somewhere within the past couple of weeks (probably phoned into GoGo and the other guy during the Vuelta, now that I think about it) and he was talking about his training program for this year starting a little big earlier because of the time he was off the bike late this season. He's going into next year with the inevitable (and necessary) high hopes, but somewhere in the interview it came up that he's getting ready to turn the big four-ohhhh. He was reminded of this but seemed ever so slightly in denial. At some point, I would think fairly soon, his age is gonna catch up with the riding at this elite pro level. I know there are always one or two 40 year old guys in the peloton, but not in particularly prominent roles and he sounds like he's still shooting for a very prominent role. I wish him the best, but I also wish him a good next phase of his life, whatever it entails.

-Ray

[Elefantino]

Radio Schleck's captain for the ToC in 2012.

[Stan Lee]

Wow- that's cool to hear that he's riding again.

Bend is a beautiful area of the state! I bet you have some great road rides around there.

[Dan Le foot]

but I also wish him a good next phase of his life, whatever it entails.

-Ray
I bet a play by play or color guy. Very articulate. I would bet he would be a great interviewer.
Dan

[Ray]

I bet a play by play or color guy. Very articulate. I would bet he would be a great interviewer.
Dan
Good point. I remember a series of interviews with him during one of the recent Tours (don't recall which) and he did a better job of explaining all of the little subtle subplots of who was working and who wasn't based on standings relative to ALL of the jerseys than pretty much anyone else I ever heard. But then he'd be stuck in a studio somewhere in LA to do the call - might or might not suit him...

-Ray

[MadRocketSci]

If you're near lassen, check out lava beds natl monument if you have some time. Not many people go there and the caves are pretty much open to your self guided exploration. Intense sense of isolation when you crawl down a tube and just sit in silence. One tip for anyone who visits, DO get the cheesy plastic helmet...your head will thank you later...And wear tough clothes u don't care about ( I guess that's two tips)