# Big Sur Ride



## rockridge (Nov 17, 2004)

Who is doing the Big Sur Ride Sept 23-24? 170 miles and 11,000 ft of climbing. It goes down the coast from the Carmel Valley and then heads inland through the Ventana wilderness with the overnight at a California Mission on Fort Hunter Liggett. Fully supported, it is a road ride. Has anyone done it and how is the big hill on the first day?


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

I've done it, and it's a great ride. The hill on the first day is Nacimiento, and it is pretty steep for the first mile or two, then it eases up to a more reasonable but still tough grade for the next few miles until the top. It is a tough hill, so do not take it lightly. When you get to the top, you still have about 20 miles to go, usually into respectable head wind! Sounds like fun, doesn't it? It's certainly a challenge. 

The next day the big hill is Carmel Valley Road. It's nothing like Nacimiento, but don't think you are done when you get to the top. Check the profile. You'll go downhill for a bit, then you climb again.


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## rockridge (Nov 17, 2004)

*Thanks for the Heads Up*

Thanks for the input, Mo' chair. I will definitely conserve my energies for Nasiemento Hill and approach it with respect. Hope there is no head wind that day. But really looking forward to those backroads.


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## rockridge (Nov 17, 2004)

*Big Sur Ride in the books*

The ride is done and the thighs are recuperating. Highlights were riders seeing 7 condors sitting on a roof through a birders scope and a whale cruising 100 feet offshore right below a rest stop. There is almost 4000 feet of climbing on HWY 1 before you hit Nacimiento Hill as you head in from the coast. That hill had even the "mountain goats" going real slow. Weather clear. Goats Head thorns near Fort Hunter-Liggett caused some flats. Second day had the hill with the false summit. Riders averaged 85 miles per day for the two day event. Some came from Florida and Kansas! It is an epic.


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