# 40th. Anniversary Mt Hamilton Challenge



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Anyone up for the 40th. Anniversary Mt Hamilton Challenge? It is on Saturday 25th April starting in Santa Clara, and is the classic loop heading out over Mt Hamilton, San Antonio Valley Road, Mines Road, Livermore and back via Calaveras Road. The full loop is 125 miles with 8300 feet of climbing, and there's a shorter Mt Hamilton and back option. Entry is $15 per individual, or $25 per family, and you provide your own food.


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

I wish they started closer to Mt. Hamilton Road - riding from Santa Clara sucks. I've been tempted to get in my car and drive to Piedmont Road. I really don't care if I'm not an "official finisher". 

Still a good ride and a good time of year to do it. I like the bring-your-own food thing, too. It keeps the cost down. I wish other rides did that.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

robwh9 said:


> I wish they started closer to Mt. Hamilton Road - riding from Santa Clara sucks.


Fair point. Unless you happen to live right in Santa Clara about a mile away from the start  For my old legs, it is good to have some kind of warm-up before heading up Mt Hamilton.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

Yeah, the problem with this ride has always been the start. I did it when it used to start at Lockheed at Moffett Field. Didn't enjoy that route, but I think it is much better than the Santa Clara start.


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

I was thinking of signing up for this. 

Can someone explain what is so bad about the start? I live in San Francsisco and I am not familiar with those roads.

Thanks.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

cotocalicyclist said:


> I was thinking of signing up for this.
> 
> Can someone explain what is so bad about the start? I live in San Francsisco and I am not familiar with those roads.
> 
> Thanks.


It's not terrible. It's just not ideal. Sign up and do it. 95% of this ride is a good ride.


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

The only mistake about doing the Mt. Hamilton ride on April 25th would be missing this epic ride on the same day.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

mohair_chair said:


> It's not terrible. It's just not ideal. Sign up and do it. 95% of this ride is a good ride.


Indeed, maybe 8 miles of city streets before you get over to the foothills. There won't be any significant traffic, just an annoying number of traffic lights and probably some rail tracks to negotiate. I do this all the time when heading out from home in Santa Clara over to Sierra Road.



> The only mistake about doing the Mt. Hamilton ride on April 25th would be missing this epic ride on the same day.


Bummer


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

Yeah, I was planning on signing up unless someone mentioned there were land mines and barbed wire over the beginning of the route. I was just curious if the roads were badly surfaced or there was a lot of traffic, etc.

Edit: Just saw your post. Thanks for the info.


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*The mines are on Mines road.*



cotocalicyclist said:


> Yeah, I was planning on signing up unless someone mentioned there were land mines and barbed wire over the beginning of the route. I was just curios if the roads were badly surfaced or there was a lot of traffic, etc.
> 
> Edit: Just saw your post. Thanks for the info.


Duh...

There's about an hour's worth of riding through suburban sprawl at the beginning and end.


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

"The mines are on Mines road."

Ha Ha. Don't I feel stupid for asking.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

Unfortunately, I believe that that date conflicts with the Official ThinkCoop Ride™.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

I rode this route (without the Santa Clara to Milpitas piece) this weekend....

http://rides.chriscowan.us/activity/Mt-Hamilton-Pleasanton-Calaveras/id/310

It's a beautiful ride right now - very green, temperatures just right. I caution folks descending the back side of Mt Hamilton; it's very slippery with fine gravel on the corners. I took a spill.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

ratpick said:


> It's a beautiful ride right now - very green, temperatures just right. I caution folks descending the back side of Mt Hamilton; it's very slippery with fine gravel on the corners. I took a spill.


That sounds like an awesome day out! I hope that your spill wasn't at all serious. I will remember to watch out for the gravel (and ice if it is cold). It is the thought of crashing, breaking down or bonking way out there in the boonies that stops me from doing this one as an unsupported solo ride. Actually, to be more precise - it is ukwife that stops me but for the same reasons. On the other hand she has written down the challenge date in the familial calendar, so I'm in for this ride.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

ukbloke said:


> That sounds like an awesome day out! I hope that your spill wasn't at all serious. I will remember to watch out for the gravel (and ice if it is cold). It is the thought of crashing, breaking down or bonking way out there in the boonies that stops me from doing this one as an unsupported solo ride. Actually, to be more precise - it is ukwife that stops me but for the same reasons. On the other hand she has written down the challenge date in the familial calendar, so I'm in for this ride.


Spill wasn't serious - just some road rash but I was able to continue on and do the rest of the 70 miles of the ride ok! There were actually quite a few other cyclists out there - even while I was collecting myself by the side of the road and straightening my brake hoods back up, 3 cyclists came by and stopped to ask if I was ok. Mines Rd is a well-used cycling route I'm told although I was passed by a lot of minivans, strangely enough! I had no cellphone reception from lower Mt Hamilton Rd all the way to Livermore so would have to rely on passers-by for assistance.

This is a very mtbr thing to do, but if you'll excuse me, some piccies from the ride to wet your appetite. It really was beautiful out there...

*Flowers out on Mt Hamilton Rd*









*Green view back over San Jose*









*Snow remaining by the side of the road near Lick Observatory*









*The slippery corner where I did my up-close road surface inspection*









*The Junction - the only "watering" stop between Mt Hamilton and Pleasanton*









*Typical of Mines Rd - green and plenty of water about* (in fact there were at least 3 creeks flowing across the road)









*Along the aptly named Vineyard Rd in Livermore-Pleasanton*









*Calaveras Reservoir in the golden hour before sunset*


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

The ride looks fantastic. Thanks for the pics and the GPS route details. The human skid marks are not so hard to spot in the corner where you fell. Glad it wasn't serious.


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## thien (Feb 18, 2004)

Awesome pics ratpick!


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

Does anyone know when the website for this ride will have the registration information posted?


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

cotocalicyclist said:


> Does anyone know when the website for this ride will have the registration information posted?


The registration form is up now. I'm planning to ride this year. Anyone else?


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

The weather looks pretty reasonable for Saturday - a high of mid-sixties and some sun. It'll be cold early but that's better (at least for me!) than this horrible hot weather that we've been having recently.

Anyone else planning to ride this year?


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## pmarmite (Apr 26, 2009)

It was a good day on Saturday, except for the last past across the Valley with no gas left in the tank and strong headwinds. I have asked the organizers if they want to look at somewhere further west.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

I thought the whole event was awesome and very well executed. I really like the provide-your-own-food format as it made me plan out my nutrition through the ride without having to carry it (and much cheaper too). I got to see a lot of places that I've not seen before, and having SAG back-up in those remote areas is a great insurance policy.

I didn't find the miles between Santa Clara and the hills to be that bad. I looked on them as warm-up and cool-down time. It does boost the miles from a standard century to a metric double, which was a new milestone for me. Since I live right by the start, this was incredibly convenient too!

The head winds were tough. It seemed that we were cycling against the wind all the way up Mines Road, all the way from Livermore to Pleasanton, and then all the way down the east bay until getting some relief on Calaveras Road, and then the expected headwinds for the final run into Santa Clara. I measured my effort pretty well, making good use of my (stronger) riding partner for keeping out of the worst of the wind and keeping my pulls under a strict heart-rate limit. Although I felt like I was struggling during the middle part of the ride, I had plenty of juice left for the end.

I had no time to take pictures but it was just as beautiful as the pictures by ratpick above. There were still plenty of wildflowers and lots of green hills.

The one lesson I learned is that I need a new pair of shorts! My favourite pair from last year are fine on my regular rides but not comfy enough for a whole day in the saddle. It seems that the chamois has worn a bit flat around the sit bones from all the use. I think I need an extra-cushy pair of shorts that I break out just for the really long rides.


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

Overall, this was a great ride and I am glad I did it. It was a tough day with the wind though. I was still recovering from a cold as well so that added an unknown element and a bit of stress into the ride for me. The middle portion definitely had me second guessing my decision to ride with a cold and for the first time ever, I was toying with the idea of a sag at the second rest stop. Fortunately, I felt better after some food and soon hooked onto two guys, at about mile 70, that were pulling like freight trains into the wind. It was all I could do to hang on, but they were really nice about it. I rode with them all the way to the end and it sure made the second half of the ride more fun than it would have been solo.

Two minor suggestions. Rest stop #2 would have been more enjoyable if there was something other than gravel to sit on. Also, I was expecting their to be sports drink instead of just water and powdered lemonade. I guess I should have known better. The bring your own food concept was fine, but I would have gladly paid an extra $3 or so for some sports powder along the way.

Does anyone know the exact mileage starting and finishing at the school? My Garmin Edge 305 ran out of power at mile 108 on the middle of Calaveras.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

cotocalicyclist said:


> I would have gladly paid an extra $3 or so for some sports powder along the way.


Pour some in a ziplock bag and carry it with you. It will cost you a lot less than $3 and you'll know what you're getting.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

cotocalicyclist said:


> I was still recovering from a cold as well so that added an unknown element and a bit of stress into the ride for me.


Did you set off at 8:30am and hang with a couple of riders up until Miguelita Road? If so, I was the guy on the white bike who clanged into the gate on Alum Rock just ahead of you! I remember you had an Edge because it beeped whenever you stopped. I'm glad you made it around all the whole loop. 

My Edge 305 lasted up to the end and I think it was very close to 125 miles. I'll check it tonight. We finished almost exactly at 5pm.

I bagged up some Cytomax and added to my food bags, so that I had a couple of scoops at each rest-stop. They never have the right drink for me at any organized ride. I've learnt the hard way that this is one of the things I need to get right to avoid cramps or bonking.


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## cotocalicyclist (Feb 18, 2006)

Yep, that was me. If I remember correctly you had the Specialized Tarmac. In retrospect, I should have figured this out sooner since there can't be that many British guys on any given ride around here. I spent a lot of time sucking wheels that day starting with you guys! ...and you still finished way before me! Anyway, thanks for the pull. I am not very fast to begin with, but I was feeling extra weak on Saturday.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

cotocalicyclist said:


> Yep, that was me.


Cool!

It was 125.79 miles and 6900 feet of ascending according to my Edge. If for some reason you want the full gpx file, PM me with your email address and I'll send it to you.


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