# Chilly Hilly



## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I'll start.  Did the Chilly Hilly this morning with JP and rcnute. The Chilly Hilly is the annual kickoff event for Cascade Cycling Club and is held on Bainbridge Island. The route is around 33 miles with 2800 feet of climbing. According to Garmin, there were six different 13% grades and one 18%. Around 5000 riders participate, many of them on the bike for the first time this year. I got to see incredibly high end bikes with out of shape riders, tons of standard PNW bikes (steel frames, old components, fenders with mudflaps), and a handful of Kmart specials. JP did it on a single speed, rcnute rode his Long Haul Trucker complete with front basket, and I rode the commuter. The weather started out cold and rainy but got better throughout the ride. 

JP has pictures as well.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

*a couple more*

People and bikes. JP's SS infront of my Gunnar. Group shot, rcnute and I, all three.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

uh, oh. Two thread warning. 

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?p=2022569#post2022569

Notice the beautiful coffee cup on the saddle. That will get you up the hills.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Cool.

But why won't anyone tell me about the doughnuts? I just got off the trainer after feeling like a slob for not going, and now I'm hungry for doughnuts.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

OldEndicottHiway said:


> Cool.
> 
> But why won't anyone tell me about the doughnuts? I just got off the trainer after feeling like a slob for not going, and now I'm hungry for doughnuts.


I discussed them in the lounge. With your dialup you should see it in about an hour.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

bigbill said:


> I discussed them in the lounge. With your dialup you should see it in about an hour.



Ha.ha.ha.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

bigbill said:


> I'll start. Did the Chilly Hilly this morning with JP and rcnute. The Chilly Hilly is the annual kickoff event for Cascade Cycling Club and is held on Bainbridge Island. The route is around 33 miles with 2800 feet of climbing. According to Garmin, there were six different 13% grades and one 18%. Around 5000 riders participate, many of them on the bike for the first time this year. I got to see incredibly high end bikes with out of shape riders, tons of standard PNW bikes (steel frames, old components, fenders with mudflaps), and a handful of Kmart specials. JP did it on a single speed, rcnute rode his Long Haul Trucker complete with front basket, and I rode the commuter. The weather started out cold and rainy but got better throughout the ride.
> 
> JP has pictures as well.


"incredibly high end bikes with out of shape riders" - are you referring to me there?? My 215lb arse on a Cannondale Synapse? Or is that not really high end? I've got the out of shape part down anyway 

My buddy Troy and I parked at the Ferry lot on Bainbridge and as we rode around the parking lot to test our equipment, he started up a small hill and his rear derailleur exploded!! I'm not even kidding you, it flipped completely upside down and BAM! - pulley wheel, arm - they just blew apart!

So, I rode by myself - bummer!! And even though I had a cold, that's no excuse for the THREE times I stopped on a hill - on two of them, I caught by breathe and got back on the bike to finish the hills, but on the super steep one (right before the main rest area at the park), I couldn't get clipped in - so I carried it on my shoulder as a sort of punishment 

Seriously though, I can ride and ride and ride, but that's only my second time since November actually riding up a hill!! I've only been training outdoors. Can't wait to get my but outside more as the weather improves and work on that climbing :thumbsup:

I'm glad to hear you guys enjoyed yourselves - the weather was great (now I have to work on getting all the mud off my bike).

-Chris


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

I found my numbers! For some reason when I uploaded them to polarpersonaltrainer they went into March instead of Feb. And my 70 mile ride from last Monday was 1 day off. Talk about flakey software!

Anyway I finished it in 1 hr 43 minutes...a little over 19mph


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

What color was the Synapse? I saw a guy on a maroon and white colored one in line for the ferry back.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> What color was the Synapse? I saw a guy on a maroon and white colored one in line for the ferry back.


Nope, all black, sorry  And I didn't take the ferry. We drove over the Narrows and parked at the ferry terminal on the bainbridge side

-Chris


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

RoadBikeVirgin said:


> Nope, all black, sorry  And I didn't take the ferry. We drove over the Narrows and parked at the ferry terminal on the bainbridge side
> 
> -Chris
> 
> That bike is clean. That must be the "before" shot.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

JP said:


> RoadBikeVirgin said:
> 
> 
> > Nope, all black, sorry  And I didn't take the ferry. We drove over the Narrows and parked at the ferry terminal on the bainbridge side
> ...


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

Thats what mine looks like too. Gives new meaning to the words "true grit"


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

It looks like a lot of fun. One of these days I`m going to have to see what it`s like to ride a big organized event.

Whacha got strapped onto your seatstays, RBV? Some kind of pannier apparatus?


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

rodar y rodar said:


> It looks like a lot of fun. One of these days I`m going to have to see what it`s like to ride a big organized event.
> 
> Whacha got strapped onto your seatstays, RBV? Some kind of pannier apparatus?


That's actually what's supposed to hold the pump on the frame!  After my buddy retired in the parking lot BEFORE the ride, I forgot to put my own back on (he had one so I figured there wasn't much point carrying 2) 

Eh well, I'm hoping to be lucky and not get any flats this season  I've got the Performance 360g-a-piece thorn resistant tubes in tires, and the tires are a pretty high TPI count. I'll keep my fingers crossed  I was actually surprised that when I bought the frame pump it didn't come with a little velcro strap to secure it to the bike. When I had one back in the mid nineties, it came with a strap. When I was testing my bike out in the ferry terminal parking lot on Bainbridge, my chubby calf just popped the pump right off my bike!

I'm gonna have to fasten it with something - thanks for the reminder! :thumbsup:


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

RoadBikeVirgin said:


> on the super steep one (right before the main rest area at the park), I couldn't get clipped in - so I carried it on my shoulder as a sort of punishment


That was about the steepest hill I can ever remember climbing. I live on Whidbey Island so we are about the same hilliness so for the most part I am used to the hills.

Just before I got to the top of that hill though I was begining to think maybe I cant really get by with an 11/23 cassette around here all of the time  

And for some reason I was thinking the hard hills were AFTER the midpoint!


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

A pump on each side? I guess that WOULD be overkill.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> That was about the steepest hill I can ever remember climbing. I live on Whidbey Island so we are about the same hilliness so for the most part I am used to the hills.
> 
> Just before I got to the top of that hill though I was begining to think maybe I cant really get by with an 11/23 cassette around here all of the time
> 
> And for some reason I was thinking the hard hills were AFTER the midpoint!


Yeah, as Bill said up at the top of the post, there were 2 12% grades and one 18% - I assume that was the one right before the rest area 

As it was my first organized ride I'm not going to beat myself up too much over it. After the first couple hill problems I figured out a different strategy for getting up the rest - it wasn't pretty, and it was certainly SLOW, but I didn't have to stop any more. Continuing to drop weight will definitely help me getting up the hills in the future, and I'll be starting hill training next weekend


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

rodar y rodar said:


> A pump on each side? I guess that WOULD be overkill.


Eh? I'm confused. I just have the clip on the left side (attached with water bottle cage) where my frame pump is supposed to go. That is it. Unless the original question was asking about something else


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

He's talking about the raceblade clip on fenders. Those are rubber things that hold the fenders on.

And in those follow up shots I will agree; you got some good mud going there.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

JP said:


> He's talking about the raceblade clip on fenders. Those are rubber things that hold the fenders on.
> 
> And in those follow up shots I will agree; you got some good mud going there.


AHHHH!! Now I understand  Yeah I don't know what to say about those SpeedEZ fenders from PlanetBike. I decided on them over the full-wheel type cause they can be removed/installed very quickly. I can pull them off my bike, transport my bike to where I'm riding, then put them right back on before I get back on the bike. But I've also found they're not so easy to adjust. And they also kinda bounce while I'm riding and bike annoying noises rubbing on the wheel. I may have to look in to the more "permanent" style that attach through the frame to the brakes.


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

Bummed I missed it (I work Sundays), but I do a version of that ride once a week in the summer. Best road ride close to Seattle- no question..........MTT :thumbsup:


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

MTT said:


> Bummed I missed it (I work Sundays), but I do a version of that ride once a week in the summer. Best road ride close to Seattle- no question..........MTT :thumbsup:


And your thoughts on the hills??


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## biker (Apr 2, 2004)

How did the Shower Pass jacket work ? It looks like the Elite2 model.


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

I am interested in how breathable the showers pass is. I ran out to Ace the night before the ride and bought one of those cheap plastic rain jackets.
I was more wet at the end of the ride from condensation than if I had not worn a rain jacket at all.
It was one cold ferry ride back.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

JP and I both had the pit zips open by the halfway point. The jacket was more of an insurance policy than really needed. None of us had any plans of hammering the ride so we overdressed for going slow. If I had intended to ride hard, I would have worn a standard bright yellow thin jacket over a long sleeve jersey. The temps got up to the low 50's by the end of the ride and I would have absolutely roasted in the Showers Pass jacket if I rode hard. 

My showers pass jacket is for the commute to work in November through March when the morning temps are in the low 30's with fog and occassional light rain. I don't commute to work in heavy rain, the cars just wouldn't see me on the two lane rural road that is the first ten miles of my ride. I wear the Showers Pass jacket and carry a vest or thin jacket in my rack bag for the trip home. The Showers Pass is kind of bulky and doesn't fit easily in a jersey pocket. At $220, I don't want to drop it in traffic. I put it in the bag for the trip home.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> I am interested in how breathable the showers pass is. I ran out to Ace the night before the ride and bought one of those cheap plastic rain jackets.
> I was more wet at the end of the ride from condensation than if I had not worn a rain jacket at all.
> It was one cold ferry ride back.


I'm with you - I bought a cheap Louis Garneau one a couple months back as an insurance policy (I'm training for several organized rides - most in the summer, so I'm trying to avoid nasty weather), cause I knew I'd need a rain jacket at some point, but with me losing weight at a couple pounds a week, I didn't want to spend 200 bucks only to have it not fit me in six months.
The jacket I bought even had mesh on the sides and on the insides of the arms so it could breathe - it was still covered with sweat on the inside - I'd probably be better off layering with jerseys!


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

what organized rides are you training for?


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

Did you go to Marathon foto and see if there were any pictures of you? I dont see any from the Chilly Hilly there at all.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> Did you go to Marathon foto and see if there were any pictures of you? I dont see any from the Chilly Hilly there at all.


The Marathon Foto thing that came with my bib number, etc. said to log in 72 hours after the event ends, so I imagine it would be up later today

*EDIT: I just got on to Marathon Foto - there are pictures up, but they were only "partial matches" to my bib number so I had to search through three pages of photos to find the two of me.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> what organized rides are you training for?


Well, I just started cycling in November but Chilly Hilly was my first ride, then I have:

*Daffodil Classic (Sunday, April 19th)
*Reach the Beach (fundraiser for the American Lung Association - Saturday, May 19th - starts in Portland and goes to the beach)
*Flying Wheels summer century (although we probably will only do the 70-mile route - Saturday, June 13th)
*Seattle to Portland (Sat/Sun, July 11th-12th)
*Bike MS in Mount Vernon (fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Sat/Sun, September 12th-13th)

Fun times! :thumbsup:


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

You forgot the Tour de Whidbey 

http://www.onemorehill.com/2005/09/whidbey_island_century.html


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> You forgot the Tour de Whidbey
> 
> http://www.onemorehill.com/2005/09/whidbey_island_century.html


Holy hell that's only a week or two after the two day Bike MS ride!! I'll have to see if I can handle it. I'm at about 210lbs right now, and the hills of the Chilly Hilly were enough to do me in. My original goal was to get down to 200 by the time the STP rolls around, but since I've gone from 242 in November to 210 now, I'm going to have to adjust the bar a little higher 

If my poor body can take it by then, I'll see about participating in that one as well  I also originally wanted to do the Livestrong ride in Seattle (I think it's in June), but that would be a THIRD fundraiser for the year and Troy thought that was too much.

Eh, I don't care one way or the other - I usually just pay the minimum myself and if a couple other people put a few dollars in, I'm more than happy  But I understand that with a house, a wife, etc, it's harder for him to do that.

Are you doing the Tour de Whidbey? Is that something you usually do every year?

-Chris


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

I have talked about it for years but never done it. My first organized ride ever was this Chilly Hilly.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> I have talked about it for years but never done it. My first organized ride ever was this Chilly Hilly.


In seventh grade I attempted the Daffodil Classic (the 30 mile route) and bonked. I also tried the STP that year ('97) and bonked on both days - did about 60 miles on the first day and 50 miles on the second. This year there will be no quitting (or bonking), I don't care if I have to go lay on the ground on the side of a course and chow down on Clif Bars or chug Gatorade or flat Coca-Cola - plus I don't have the excuse of being 4'9" 155lbs either, or using my friend's MOM's mountain bike (and back then I didn't know anything about fit, so other than slicks, nothing butt the saddle height was really correct).

Do you have any more rides officially planned this year? How did the Chilly Hilly go for you??

-Chris


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

I plan on doing the Flying Wheels and the STP. My goal is the 1 day. And then the Tour de Whidbey of course.
I am still looking for more rides to plan on doing this summer. Maybe that Daffodil Classic would be a good one. The Chilly Hilly was more fun than I had imagined.

It went very well I though. I have been riding as much as I can lately. I did 70 miles last Monday and that was my furthest at one time ride to date.

I have lost about 18lbs since last summer so am pretty motivated  
Congrats on losing all that weight! It feels great doesnt it? I still want to lose another 5 - 10 lbs.

I used to ride mountain bikes a lot. I even joined NORBA with the intent of racing back in the early 90s but never actually did it. I just would go to races and watch then ride the course after everyone left.
I finally got tired of dreaming about all this stuff and not doing it. Its time to start doing.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> I plan on doing the Flying Wheels and the STP. My goal is the 1 day. And then the Tour de Whidbey of course.
> I am still looking for more rides to plan on doing this summer. Maybe that Daffodil Classic would be a good one. The Chilly Hilly was more fun than I had imagined.
> 
> It went very well I though. I have been riding as much as I can lately. I did 70 miles last Monday and that was my furthest at one time ride to date.
> ...


Exactly, no more "eh, maybe next year I'll do something about it" - but I've got quite a ways further to go than you, it looks like  I'd like to get down to 150-160 at some point, but that's another 50-60 lbs. Maybe in like two years?? 
Eh well, the past is the past and the future is now :thumbsup: I'm riding with my buddy Troy - I think he did all the rides I mentioned last year, but he did them alone. he said that by far, his favorite ride was the Reach the Beach ride in Oregon. I understand that's not incredibly close though. Good luck!


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

hoehnt said:


> I plan on doing the Flying Wheels and the STP. My goal is the 1 day. And then the Tour de Whidbey of course.
> I am still looking for more rides to plan on doing this summer. Maybe that Daffodil Classic would be a good one. The Chilly Hilly was more fun than I had imagined.
> 
> It went very well I though. I have been riding as much as I can lately. I did 70 miles last Monday and that was my furthest at one time ride to date.
> ...


The Rhody Tour in Port Townsend is on April 26th. The metric route is challenging but not too bad. Last year I did the Rhody Tour, Peninsula Century (103 mile route is beyond hard), Flying Wheels, and tons of commuting to prepare for the one day STP.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

bigbill said:


> The Rhody Tour in Port Townsend is on April 26th. The metric route is challenging but not too bad. Last year I did the Rhody Tour, Peninsula Century (103 mile route is beyond hard), Flying Wheels, and tons of commuting to prepare for the one day STP.


What kind of speed do you have to maintain to really complete the STP in one day? I don't think my legs could pedal fast enough all day  My buddy Troy joked that we'd do it next year


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

RoadBikeVirgin said:


> What kind of speed do you have to maintain to really complete the STP in one day? I don't think my legs could pedal fast enough all day  My buddy Troy joked that we'd do it next year


16 mph. Give or take.


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

bigbill said:


> The Rhody Tour in Port Townsend is on April 26th. The metric route is challenging but not too bad. Last year I did the Rhody Tour, Peninsula Century (103 mile route is beyond hard), Flying Wheels, and tons of commuting to prepare for the one day STP.


I will probably do the Rhody tour. Especially since its so close. I can see PT from here. The ferry is about 5 minutes away.

What made the Peninsula century so hard? hills?

So you did the 1 day STP?

Id like to do at least a century a month or more.

If the weather is nice Sunday I will do 80 or 90 miles.


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

Are there any big rides in March?


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

hoehnt said:


> I will probably do the Rhody tour. Especially since its so close. I can see PT from here. The ferry is about 5 minutes away.
> 
> What made the Peninsula century so hard? hills?
> 
> ...


The Peninsula Century had around 7000 feet of climbing in 103 miles. Almost twice as much as the STP. Eleven climbs with double digit grades and the weather sucked. I don't know if you recall, but last year we had a Junuary instead of June. 

I did the one day STP. I started a STP primer in the PNW forum that describes how I did it.


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

RoadBikeVirgin said:


> The Marathon Foto thing that came with my bib number, etc. said to log in 72 hours after the event ends, so I imagine it would be up later today
> 
> *EDIT: I just got on to Marathon Foto - there are pictures up, but they were only "partial matches" to my bib number so I had to search through three pages of photos to find the two of me.



I saw one of you in the 103 pages of misc photos in the "lost and found"
its number 57091229

There is only one thats of me (centered) and I have my eyes closed. I dont think its worth $35 to me. There are some others where I am barely visible behind others...

Crazy pricing on these pictures. If they were like $10 I might buy them, but not $35. If it was a good shot maybe Id buy one for $35....but there are no good ones.


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> I saw one of you in the 103 pages of misc photos in the "lost and found"
> its number 57091229
> 
> There is only one thats of me (centered) and I have my eyes closed. I dont think its worth $35 to me. There are some others where I am barely visible behind others...
> ...


My buddy's wife rides support for us - she can take pics of you with my dad's Canon dSLR! 
Yeah, 35 bucks, I don't think it's worth it no matter how "good" the photo might be. Besides, do I "really" want a "professional" photo of myself all fat and looking like I'm 10 secs from a heartattack??  My buddy ordered a finish line photo from the STP last year - she was really pissed because there's a big MarathonFoto watermark on the image itself - like you don't pay enough for a clear pic??

By the way, thanks for letting my know about the other picture - I'll check it out 

-Chris


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> I saw one of you in the 103 pages of misc photos in the "lost and found"
> its number 57091229


If you happen to recall around which of the 103 pages the image was on, please let me know  There is apparently no function to search for a particular picture number :-/

I am NOT like that site


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

I dont remember exactly. toward the middle I think


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## RoadBikeVirgin (Nov 21, 2008)

hoehnt said:


> I dont remember exactly. toward the middle I think


Of course!!  What irritates me is the fact that I've thought "hmm that COULD be me" a couple of times, but I can't see a bigger picture unless I click "This is Me" - this company is just... ARGH!! :mad2: 

I'm on page 23 of 103


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## hoehnt (Nov 7, 2008)

yea...I asked them for a discount price on that picture since I have my eyes closed and its obviously not a great picture and they said I could have %25 off.

Still seems high. Thing is, they would be better off taking anything I was willing to pay than nothing.


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