# Gran Fondo Ephrata, WA 3-21-10



## viciouscycle

If anyone is interested....

The Gran Fondo is a celebrated tradition in Italian cycling culture. A Gran Fondo is a long distance, mass-participation cycling event – not a race – that welcomes professional, amateur, and recreational cyclists of all abilities . While not strictly competitive, this ride is timed to provide some recognition to the top finishers.

Route: The course will for the most part go out Baird Springs Rd and return on Palisades Rd. It is designed to give riders a glimpse of some very remote, out of the way parts of central Washington. In the spirit of remote and rustic central Washington, much of the route is primitive gravel roads. There will be at least one well stocked aid station at approx. the half way point as well as sag wagons for additional assistance. 

http://www.beezleyburn.com/2010 Gran Fondo.html


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## ACree

Looks interesting, and definitely unique. How much is gravel, and how's the quality of those gravel roads? Any tire recommendations?


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## viciouscycle

The majority (60-70%) of the route will be gravel, the rock will vary from asphalt fines to 3/4 chunks. The good part, as we are riding pretty early in the year most roads may not have been graded *yet* so we are hoping for lanes that will be very hard packed dirt. BUT...........any thing may happen....lol I am planning using Spec Armadillo's, thicker casing to avoid rock cuts and pinches and riding my cross bike. There will be some pretty good climbs, look at the map, "the devils" coming back through the Palisades.....ouch, gravel and steep. I plan on driving it pretty soon to get a current condition, you can also send a question to the link above....he's the guy setting/organizing the course.

Hope to see you there......at least for the food and beer...lol


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## 196nautique

viciouscycle said:


> The majority (60-70%) of the route will be gravel, the rock will vary from asphalt fines to 3/4 chunks. The good part, as we are riding pretty early in the year most roads may not have been graded *yet* so we are hoping for lanes that will be very hard packed dirt. BUT...........any thing may happen....lol I am planning using Spec Armadillo's, thicker casing to avoid rock cuts and pinches and riding my cross bike. There will be some pretty good climbs, look at the map, "the devils" coming back through the Palisades.....ouch, gravel and steep. I plan on driving it pretty soon to get a current condition, you can also send a question to the link above....he's the guy setting/organizing the course.
> 
> Hope to see you there......at least for the food and beer...lol


Slick Armadillos?  25s or 28s?


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## viciouscycle

Slick 23's, but that is because that is what I all ready have, most guys are looking at running slick 25's.


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## TiCruiser

Having grown up near by, Gran Fondo and Ephrata are 2 words I never expected to see anywhere near each other. Looking at the course though, it could be a great ride. I haven't been on those roads in years. Might have to go see mom that weekend and join in.


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## viciouscycle

What years were you in Ephrata, there are a few of us that have lived here all our lives. And for how times have changed bicycling wise, we had 17 riders show up for our weekly MTB night ride, 9 miles of single track on Beezley.


Weird huh? :thumbsup:


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## TiCruiser

I grew up in Moses Lake (Cascade Valley) many moons ago. If I had thought about it, I'd have realized the Beezleys would be great for singletrack. Glad to hear it's taking off.


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## viciouscycle

Just in case you want to visit your Mom in April........

April 24 & 25
Beezley Burn 2010

We will once again have two days of racing action with short track racing on Saturday and the infamous Beezley Burn on Sunday

http://www.beezleyburn.com/2010%20BBurn%20XC.html


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## OldEndicottHiway

viciouscycle said:


> What years were you in Ephrata, there are a few of us that have lived here all our lives. And for how times have changed bicycling wise, we had 17 riders show up for our* weekly MTB night ride, 9 miles of single track on Beezley*.
> 
> 
> Weird huh? :thumbsup:



I think I've heard about these through my club (WVV). We probably know some of the same people. I'm in Wenatchee. Couple WVV people I know are considering doing this.

Oh and Hi, I'm OEH, the mean one. 

Nice to meet another "local" on the boards here. :thumbsup:


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## viciouscycle

OldEndicottHiway said:


> I think I've heard about these through my club (WVV). We probably know some of the same people. I'm in Wenatchee. Couple WVV people I know are considering doing this.
> 
> Oh and Hi, I'm OEH, the mean one.
> 
> Nice to meet another "local" on the boards here. :thumbsup:


I'm sure we have a few fellow riders in common, I did the Yeti ride this year, also, my brother was a cook at your hill climb event last yr, I run into your neighbor skiing at Mission quite often (Larry S.) and have blazed a LOT of MTB trails in the Entiat with him as well.


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## OldEndicottHiway

viciouscycle said:


> I'm sure we have a few fellow riders in common, I did the Yeti ride this year, also, my brother was a cook at your hill climb event last yr, I run into your neighbor skiing at Mission quite often (Larry S.) and have blazed a LOT of MTB trails in the Entiat with him as well.



Oh yes! Les aka "BBQ'er Extraordinaire." He was a lifesaver! 
Just was yakking with him about some skiing/snowboarding...unfortunately I have a messed up ankle, can't go.

Heard the Yeti ride was a great success. If I had a bike suitable for the Fondo I'd love to join in, but alas...not to be.

Thanks for the post alerting to the ride though. I've told a couple of people about this.

Ask Larry about the Chelan Century Challenge. Good one. I think he's up for it this year again.


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## viciouscycle

We pre-rode the course today. 48 miles of paved road, 30 of gravel 4700 ft of climbing. I rode on a Specialized Armadillo 23's at 90 psi. 5 miles in you hit gravel for 18 miles with one wicked 10-12 mile downhill section with speeds 30 + on hard packed dirt to loose gravel of all sizes, ruts, and a few washouts.....bunny hops worked...Then a long section of fast pavement, easy to hold a 22-24 avg, wind permitting of course, then a nasty nasty 6 1/2 mile section (60 mile mark) of hell road, gravel and 3 short STEEP (1/4 mile each) pitches I have compact cranks with a 12-28 rear and for every tire revolution I spun 1/4 moved 3/4, last pitch I spun out and walked 50-60 ft. few more climbs then a fast blast down sheep canyon then back in to Ephrata. 

We finished at 5 hrs 15.8 mph avg, on the nose and we had one guy cramp pretty good and were slowed a bit, 4:30 is doable, a 4 hr mark can be done if you hammer and the winds stay down.

I will be buying a set of 700x 25 for the race, a set with light tread, no knobbys... Hope to see you all there, it will be fun.


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## ACree

This was a great event. The course was challenging and scenic, hard, but lots of fun. I'd encourage people to try it next year. Big thanks to the promoters for putting on something a little outside the norm.


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## viciouscycle

Glad you made it over to enjoy our remote country ride, tremendous turnout for the first Ephrata Gran Fondo (52riders) we only had 4 DNF's, no spills and only a couple of flats and a fast set of 3 who blew the course up right from the start. The promoter did a great job.

29 MTB bike, 
1X9 cross
Road bike on road tires, 
Those were to top 3 riders, pretty nice cross section of bikes. And if you left early, 30 mins after the last riders finished, we had a storm blow in, thunder lighting, rain, WIND, the awning at the start now has a geodesic dome type look.

Hope to see you next year.


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## OldEndicottHiway

viciouscycle said:


> Glad you made it over to enjoy our remote country ride, tremendous turnout for the first Ephrata Gran Fondo (52riders) we only had 4 DNF's, no spills and only a couple of flats and a fast set of 3 who blew the course up right from the start. The promoter did a great job.
> 
> 29 MTB bike,
> 1X9 cross
> Road bike on road tires,
> Those were to top 3 riders, pretty nice cross section of bikes. And if you left early, 30 mins after the last riders finished, we had a storm blow in, thunder lighting, rain, WIND, the awning at the start now has a geodesic dome type look.
> 
> Hope to see you next year.



Heard good things. 

Vicious if you have some photos of the event, it would be nice to see some, if you get a moment to post them up here.


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## viciouscycle

OldEndicottHiway said:


> Heard good things.
> 
> Vicious if you have some photos of the event, it would be nice to see some, if you get a moment to post them up here.


Here is a link, only the second half show, I need to let the "promoter know he has a problem with them, by tomorrow they should all be working, maybe in another post...stay tuned....

http://www.beezleyburn.com/Gran Fondo Photos.html

The rest of the pictures are now up and working...


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## OldEndicottHiway

viciouscycle said:


> Here is a link, only the second half show, I need to let the "promoter know he has a problem with them, by tomorrow they should all be working, maybe in another post...stay tuned....
> 
> http://www.beezleyburn.com/Gran Fondo Photos.html
> 
> The rest of the pictures are now up and working...



Fantastic! Great photos. 

Need to get out your way for some open road time...being squashed here in the valley I've forgotten what that is...

Looks like this ride was a success and will only take off from here. Saw Cory was involved ...he was a great asset to the Hillclimb last year and a gracious person to boot, gave us schwag too! (not to mentioned he "lent" me a beer or two).


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