# Colnago Grand Fondo



## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

Is anyone doing the Grand Fondo in San Diego?


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## ragweed (Jan 2, 2009)

I'll be doing the medio corsa. Not enough time to train for the full century and this way I should be able to finish the medium course in about the same time it takes my wife to do the short route. (Can't beat maintaining harmony in the family.)


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## BikeFixer (May 19, 2009)

ragweed said:


> I'll be doing the medio corsa. Not enough time to train for the full century and this way I should be able to finish the medium course in about the same time it takes my wife to do the short route. (Can't beat maintaining harmony in the family.)


That's funny it would be the opposite for my wife and I...... (at least I'm secure enough to admit it eh?)
Wish we could do it but got other stuff and I think it's going to rain which pretty much discourages me :blush2:


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## ragweed (Jan 2, 2009)

BikeFixer said:


> . . . and I think it's going to rain which pretty much discourages me.


The forecast is now for partly cloudy on Sunday, hooray!  But if you haven't registered already it's already sold out.


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## BikeFixer (May 19, 2009)

ragweed said:


> But if you haven't registered already it's already sold out.


Bummer
Well there's next year
Have fun out there.........


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

*Really?*

I did not see anywhere on the site, that there was a cap on participants. Lame! The only thing the site said was to "Make sure you register early to avoid increases in entry fees".

I fully planned on entering Saturday.

Not cool...


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## ragweed (Jan 2, 2009)

Looks like rain in back in the forecast for Sunday. Bummer!


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

I am tempted to just join in on the ride at mile 2 perhaps....anyone see any issues with this?

I had planned on paying on Saturday. As far as I know, it is sold out. There was NO warning on their site that there was a cap on participants that I could find.

Maybe I missed something??:cryin:


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## Kristatos (Jan 10, 2008)

These types of things usually have a cap on riders, or at least that's what I've always understood to be the case. I don't see why you couldn't ride the course anyways - obviously the aid stations would be off limits but they are public roads. The only thing that could trip you up is if they are only letting reg'd riders on the bridge.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

Kristatos said:


> These types of things usually have a cap on riders, or at least that's what I've always understood to be the case. I don't see why you couldn't ride the course anyways - obviously the aid stations would be off limits but they are public roads. The only thing that could trip you up is if they are only letting reg'd riders on the bridge.



good point...i was thinking of linking up in coronado...thanks..


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## Kristatos (Jan 10, 2008)

just saw a 53mi ride for sale on CL - you may look around there and see what pops up.


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## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

rydbyk said:


> good point...i was thinking of linking up in coronado...thanks..


Was thinking about doing the same thing. I literally live a couple of blocks away from the ride route in the South Bay.


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## rward325 (Sep 22, 2008)

*Worst ride of my life!*

If you didn't go you didn't miss anything!

San Diego Gran Fondo this morning. Don't even know why I got out of bed. The weather was calling for severe thunderstorms and we ignored it! The other weather guy called for showers and decided to listen to him. Rolled out of bed this at 5:30 in the Doubletree hotel in San Diego and looked out side. It had rained the night before but the streets were pretty dry and the sky was getting lighter so we decided to roll. Got down to the start line and the skies opened up, it didn't get any better from there. A group of us was riding for a friends mother suffering with Melanoma and we all decided we would shorten the ride from 55 to 32 miles. Should have just went back the the hotel room. As we headed out on to the course some guy thought it was a race and under cut me on a nice wet corner and clipped me, down I went luckily not taking anyone else out with me. My left knee took the brunt of the fall and is a lovely shade of purple now. Got up and kept on going, it didn't stop raining for all 32 miles. I don't know how I let them talk me in to this! I usually do not start if it is already raining out. I am home and warm and dry now with ice on my knee. I am going to go back to my old ways of not riding in the rain.....


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## ragweed (Jan 2, 2009)

Sorry to hear about the fall, rward. My wife and I were signed up but "wimped out" and spent most of the day bummed about it but I guess it's a case of better safe than sorry. But I think your heart was in the right place. My best to your friend's mother.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*well I saw rain predicted*

and was glad I didn't do a late sign up
went on a ride anyhow that was far more enjoyable

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=204839


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

atpjunkie said:


> and was glad I didn't do a late sign up
> went on a ride anyhow that was far more enjoyable
> 
> http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=204839



All the more reason why I'm so glad that I saved my $99. Looks like you had your fun. I had a fairly nice ride up here this afternoon but it was much cleaner. Any word from Svend yet about meeting for a ride next weekend?


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

rward325 said:


> If you didn't go you didn't miss anything!
> 
> San Diego Gran Fondo this morning. Don't even know why I got out of bed. The weather was calling for severe thunderstorms and we ignored it! The other weather guy called for showers and decided to listen to him. Rolled out of bed this at 5:30 in the Doubletree hotel in San Diego and looked out side. It had rained the night before but the streets were pretty dry and the sky was getting lighter so we decided to roll. Got down to the start line and the skies opened up, it didn't get any better from there. A group of us was riding for a friends mother suffering with Melanoma and we all decided we would shorten the ride from 55 to 32 miles. Should have just went back the the hotel room. As we headed out on to the course some guy thought it was a race and under cut me on a nice wet corner and clipped me, down I went luckily not taking anyone else out with me. My left knee took the brunt of the fall and is a lovely shade of purple now. Got up and kept on going, it didn't stop raining for all 32 miles. I don't know how I let them talk me in to this! I usually do not start if it is already raining out. I am home and warm and dry now with ice on my knee. I am going to go back to my old ways of not riding in the rain.....




I sat in my car at the start of the Coronado Cays....just watched everyone go by. You all looked extememly miserable. I respect you all for going for it. I say Paolo Bettini on the side of the road signing peoples' helmets in the rain...funny...


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## rward325 (Sep 22, 2008)

rydbyk said:


> I sat in my car at the start of the Coronado Cays....just watched everyone go by. You all looked extememly miserable. I respect you all for going for it. I say Paolo Bettini on the side of the road signing peoples' helmets in the rain...funny...


We were as miserable as we looked. Heard from a couple of guys doing the 100 that there was snow on the ground up high on the ride! Really glad I decided not to do that. Due to crash and bumps and bruises I am backing out of Solvang next weekend, woke up this morning and left wrist as well as knee are screwed for awhile.


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## Pegorider (Nov 2, 2008)

*It wasn't as bad as that, but maybe close*

Yes, the rain sucked. Waiting 30 minutes in pouring rain because the organizers hadn't checked the Amtrak schedule sucked. No cue sheet or course map sucked. Not seeing a single support vehicle the whole day sucked.
A really confusing 53 mile course didn't help either. You had to ride up to the Olympic Training Center parking lot and proceed through the aid station to stay on the 53 mile route. We didn't need to stop for food or bathrooms, so we continued on, not knowing that we were on the 103 mile route. (I guess that means we were the winners of the 74 mile event.) Not having food at one of the last aid stations sucked, especially for 103 mile riders. Not having the post ride buffet available for riders finishing after 4:30 sucked (for them,)

Despite the weather, there was a lot to like about the ride.
Little Italy is really cool, good food and beautiful women. (They really need to add podium girls next year.)
Riding over the Coronado Bridge was a gas.
Wool is great in the rain. My feet were soaked, but never cold.
My Ibex wool beanie saved me much suffering, too.
My Showers Pass jacket worked as advertised: kept me dry and the sleeves allowed me to keep my body temp regulated.
Clip-on SKS fenders are the bomb. They turned my Pegoretti into a rain bike, kept my rear and saddle bag contents dry.

So, the organizers have some things to learn about how to run an event like this, I suggest a visit to Tucson to talk to Richard Debernardis about he manages to keep 10K riders on course, or even head to Moab to learn from the Moab Century tour organizers.

Will I be back next year? At this point I'd say its 50-50 odds.
If nothing else, San Diego is always a good time


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

rocco said:


> All the more reason why I'm so glad that I saved my $99. Looks like you had your fun. I had a fairly nice ride up here this afternoon but it was much cleaner. Any word from Svend yet about meeting for a ride next weekend?


$99? Does it come with free post-ride hookers or something?


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

den bakker said:


> $99? Does it come with free post-ride hookers or something?




$99 even for just the medio corsa/53 mile ride. I wonder what they serve up at the SAG stations... At least a happy ending?


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

rward325 said:


> I am backing out of Solvang next weekend, woke up this morning and left wrist as well as knee are screwed for awhile.


bummer!! Was looking forward to seeing you there. Heal up quick and get back in the saddle :thumbsup:


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Rocco*



rocco said:


> $99 even for just the medio corsa/53 mile ride. I wonder what they serve up at the SAG stations... At least a happy ending?


Svend is out o' town this weekend, maybe next. Does that work for you?


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

atpjunkie said:


> Svend is out o' town this weekend, maybe next. Does that work for you?



PM'd you.


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