Tour De Los Padres

[ScottM]

Yes, thanks Erin.  4xAAA Lithium or (good) rechargeables.

[adegoede]

I turned on my spot and see it on the spot map but not the trackleaders map? Double checked the ESN number and all appears good. How long does it take to show on the trackleaders map?

Thanks
Art

[ScottM]

Hey Art,

Looks like your share page is password protected.  Can you make a public one and email it to me: smorris@topofusion.com

I'll drop it in and you should be good.

Scott

[ScottM]

Got it.  You're showing a fresh point now!

[Roland Sturm]

Does the Tortoise = Rich Wolf? If so, isn't he still racing the AZT750?

On Los Padres, it is Erin. The giveaway would be that he isn't that slow, just hanging a bit behind the rest because he has his schedule worked out (Miranda Pines for the second night). Miranda Pines just doesn't work if you want to make the Santa Cruz trail before sunset on day 3. That's why Art and I pushed further this year, we were going down Santa Cruz in the dark last year, not a good time and it also is a very pretty part that is worth seeing.

[Roland Sturm]

Unlike a tortoise, he seems to finish the full race route today and 4 days is not slow, this is a tough course. And then it has a hard ending, Erin is still grinding on that. http://trackleaders.com/lospadres15
 I like the touring route finish after Montecito (the orange line), which is pretty and a nice relaxing spin at the end, so that's what I took.

[B_Bock]

I want to give a shout out to Erin! He's done a hell of a job putting this route together. His passion shows through by the  thoughtfulness he puts into giving everyone the opportunity to have a successful ride. I recommend the ride to anyone looking for a remote and demanding race or trip. Plenty of good climbing, fireroads, epic single track, and beautiful scenery.

[Jilleo]

Has anyone who's ridden this route worked out their own shuttle from SB to the start through some form of public transportation? I'm just fishing for tips for a potential solo ride in the next few weeks (weather permitting.) I couldn't attend the group ride as a friend's memorial was held the same weekend.

I'm also hoping a trip report or two shows up.

Congrats to those who were out there this past weekend enjoying springtime in the desert.

[bigportions]

Has anyone who's ridden this route worked out their own shuttle from SB to the start through some form of public transportation? I'm just fishing for tips for a potential solo ride in the next few weeks (weather permitting.) I couldn't attend the group ride as a friend's memorial was held the same weekend.

I'm also hoping a trip report or two shows up.

Congrats to those who were out there this past weekend enjoying springtime in the desert.

Trip report: my butt hurts

[ec_duz_it]

Wow, I forgot how hard this route is!  My ass is so sore!  Thank you to Micheal Grosso for giving me the rest of his Assos cream when he dropped out.  I totally needed that on day 4!

Here is what I have so far for results:

Finishers:
Blake Bockius
Duke Hudkins (single speed correct?)
Mike Abbott
Gregg Dunham
Art deGoede
The Tortoise

Not sure if you finished?  If you are on this list and you finished on route and want to be counted as a finisher, please post your raw GPX file(s) to Strava and post here, or private message me with the Strava link.
Forest Baker
Rob Roberts
Rich N.
Chris Ellefson

Scratched- (bailed out, or did not stay on route):
Michael Grosso
Claude Frat
Rachel Finch
Wes Barber
Trevor Thorpe
Robert Newton
Roland Sturm

[bigportions]

The Duke rolled in at 9:26 after Blake. Not single speed, that was Rich about an hour or so later.

[Roland Sturm]

Trip report: my butt hurts

So I'm not alone here, far worse than after a more typical 4 day ride. Seems this route is more demanding in that respect as well! Aside from tired legs, definitely a factor that favored the touring route finish.  

[B_Bock]

I finished at 6:22 Sunday morning.

[ec_duz_it]

I just want to give props to Rob Newton, who only after 6 months of riding his mountain bike, showed up to ride the full route.  Although he did not finish, he fully embraced the spirit of the TDLP by starting his own crowd sourcing fundraiser (something I have done myself over the past two years through bikepacking, raising money for K-9 Pals and the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation).  I took a break from doing my own fundraiser this year, so I donated towards his fundraiser, and if you all would like to give back, I would recommend donating towards his cause, which is the Nowzad Dog Animal Shelter.  More info here:  http://www.nowzad.com/

Whether it is $4 or $400, any donation makes a difference.  

Rob's fundraiser can be found here:

http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/rob-s-cycling-the-tour-de-los-padres-for-nowzad/316428

[ec_duz_it]

And on a completely different subject, anyone going for an ITT in the next few weeks, here is the water information (only pointing out differences from cues):

First water source at mile 10.3 is dry. Water spigots are turned off.  

Hose at fire station is working at mile 40.1, but the fireman there was less than friendly when one rider used this as a water source.  

Since we know now that Selby is a not a guaranteed water source, you need 200 oz. to make it safe from Ventucopa to Gilliam Spring.  However the water spigots at Selby were flowing just fine this past Saturday.  I noticed a water tank on Elkhorn road that likely had water as well, but you would have to fight cattle to get to it and it would likely be gross.  The visitor's center might have water as well, but I have yet to check to see if they have a hose or spigot. 

Miranda Pine "Spring" has water, but its not the greatest.  Works fine for a pump though and is a critical place to get water.

I found water in a black tank at the outhouse on opposite side of road from Painted Rock Campground at mile 184.5 or so.  Some human put this water here, so its not reliable, but it was full this past Sunday.  

Chokecherry spring is working, but depressing how low it is. The creek not flowing, but the trough is full.  

After that, you should not have any water problems.

[mtbrich]

http://forums.mtbr.com/california-norcal/my-first-bike-packing-race-race-report-tour-de-los-padres-964045.html

i finished 10:17 am sunday morning

[greggd]

I have to thank Erin for organizing such a great event. I have to say there were a few times (Bumpy River at night/The hike-a-bikes in Santa Barbara) when I probably said out loud "What the hell is this guy thinking torturing us like this?" but it was so worth it when I rolled down Shoreline Dr. to the finish.

For me, this was as much or more of a mental test as it was physical.

Things I would do differently:

1. Eat a real breakfast the morning of the start
2. Drink plenty of Gatorade before the race
3. Bring sun-sleves
4. Pack less
5. Not as much beef jerky
6. Maybe no JetBoil next time
7. More dried fruit (I got really tired of bars)
8. Less weight on my back and more on the bike
9. Full suspension next time
10. Better saddle. My XC WTB saddle killed my ass (I may have to go to the doctor)
11. A better lighting setup
12. Double and tripe check that my GPX file is fully working…all the way to the end… My file stopped at mile 212 and in the middle of nowhere I began to have a mental breakdown. Thanks to Chris for being completely awesome and giving me his Garmin at the top of Santa Cruz -Saved my life! Erin is not messing around - you cannot do this on cue sheets alone.

This was my first race and I'm so glad I did it. Thanks to you guys that gave me advice, love and good vibes on the trail, I learned a lot. A big thank to my wife who was super cool and very supportive by letting me do this. I also, successfully raised more than my goal of $1,000 for the Spina Bifida Association. https://www.crowdrise.com/greggridesthetourdelospadres/fundraiser/greggdunham1

I hope to see you all on the trail in the future.

Gregg


 

[phil_rad]

Congratulations to all finishers for this years TDLP! For all who didn't finish, don't be too hard on yourselves, theres always next year. This sounds like an awesome route, so close to LA but yet so remote. I've got this on my plan for next year when I fly out to visit family. Water sounds really sketchy though, and I'd be lying to say I'm not concerned. I have a filter and also a steripen, which would be better?
Get in some good recovery time and hope to see you all next April.

Happy Trails

Phil

[B_Bock]

Phil,
Use a filter, because some tanks are filled with algae and cows are in the area.
Thanks for write up Rich. I have a feeling I'll be seeing you again at the start line of one so these ultra race. I'm working on a write up as well and I'll post it soon.

Congrats to all if you finished our not. Your stories are inspiring. Hope to see you all next year!

Blake

[Roland Sturm]

There is a lot of stuff in the water, maybe you get extra protein with the steripen or tablets, but I'd rather keep that out. See below the water at Chokecherry (mile 199), which is listed in the cues as some of the best water along the route: Lots of tadpoles, some funky worms, and more. And still is some of the better tasting water (last year could be filtered from a rock a bit higher). The best water may be a tiny creek at Bluff (mile 210, a short hike behind ranger cabin, no water at the ranger cabin), which was the only flowing water until the front range. However, the tight water issues are all before then.

My biggest worry on the trip was a torn brake hose, snagged in on a downhill and tore out on day 2 in the morning. That had me stumped for a while and the route is far too difficult to ride with one brake. Choices were long hikes either direction (lots of ups/downs) to pavement and then riding to town either on 58 or 166, neither would be enjoyable -  or fix the brake somehow. The preferred option worked, I had two fluids, water and chainlube, and I tried chainlube first. The trick is to get the olive/compression ring as close to its original shape as possible (they are single use only and compress during installation) or any liquid will leak out. Chain lube may be a bit thicker than the original brake fluid, so it took  time to get it into the line, half drop by half drop, but maybe that also helped with making it reliable again (no leaks, no brake fade) and the brake felt almost the same as before and held up for the remaining 3 days. Still, an argument in favor of mechanical brakes. The owner of my LBS reported a similar problem, he cut his line on a rock, and then there was nothing he could do, but he was just on a day ride.

The brake problem didn't cost a whole lot of time, probably not even an hour, Gregg had passed me a little before the misadventure and then he had a weak spell, so I arrived before him at Miranda Pines and he did not look good at that point. But he recovered well and motored past me in the evening and was never seen again.