# Ramrod?



## kmc

Anyone get in to ride Ramrod this year? Just found out that I got in. Let the climbing training begin...


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## 2ride

*4 years in a row...*

Yeah, 4 straight years getting in. Maybe I should buy a real lottery ticket!


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## JP

in. 4 in a row for me.


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## rcnute

I wasn't paying attention. Am I screwed or are there scalpers?


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## kmc

JP said:


> in. 4 in a row for me.


Wow...better go buy a lottery ticket. This is my attempt and I got in, along with a friend. A third guy is 93rd on the wait list, so his chances are pretty good.

Looking forward to it...I have heard great things about the ride.


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## JP

rcnute said:


> I wasn't paying attention. Am I screwed or are there scalpers?


Screwed. There is a wait list, but you needed to sign up for that. You can volunteer this year and get in next year without the lottery. You can also just ride it another day since you are not afraid of carrying a little food and water. 

I think this is the first year I wasn't on the wait list.


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## Travis

got in last year after trying for three years. I am almost number 700 on the wait list. Guess I'll be riding it on my own this year. Several years ago I camped at cougar rock cg which is 1/2 way up paradise. I would ride Paradise several times and the real plunge is riding down to the grove of the patriarchs. Every second your are screaming down hill you have to think you will need to climb back out to get to the campground. Blast to camp and ride there though


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## tyro

I got in. 1st year for me.


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## rcnute

JP said:


> Screwed. There is a wait list, but you needed to sign up for that. You can volunteer this year and get in next year without the lottery. You can also just ride it another day since you are not afraid of carrying a little food and water.
> 
> I think this is the first year I wasn't on the wait list.


Those are good ideas.


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## dirthersh

*Not me!!*

This is the fourth year I haven't been chosen. Plus I've been so far down on the wait list my hopes of riding are nil. If anyone should plan a unofficial ride please post it here and maybe I/we can enjoy our own RAMROD, minus the cool, "look what I did" t shirt.


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## tyro

dirthersh said:


> This is the fourth year I haven't been chosen. Plus I've been so far down on the wait list my hopes of riding are nil. If anyone should plan a unofficial ride please post it here and maybe I/we can enjoy our own RAMROD, minus the cool, "look what I did" t shirt.


Hey, if there is another ride of the course, let me know. I'd love to do it.


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## B2

*#722 on the Waiting List*



kmc said:


> Anyone get in to ride Ramrod this year? Just found out that I got in. Let the climbing training begin...


Must have been a lot people throwing their names in the hat this year.


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## kreger

i got it, 2nd year in a row. i actually got into all the 'lottery' rides i signed up for this year.

im totally down for an unofficial ramrod. i stayed in packwood a time or two, and rode from the entrance by packwood up over and down paradise to the entrance, turned around and went back up and down. then did part of cayuse pass. turns out to be as more actual climbing in about half the miles. park entrance fee was 5 bucks and the stay in packwood was around 25.


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## tyro

kreger said:


> i got it, 2nd year in a row. i actually got into all the 'lottery' rides i signed up for this year.
> 
> im totally down for an unofficial ramrod. i stayed in packwood a time or two, and rode from the entrance by packwood up over and down paradise to the entrance, turned around and went back up and down. then did part of cayuse pass. turns out to be as more actual climbing in about half the miles. park entrance fee was 5 bucks and the stay in packwood was around 25.


I'm totally game for this. I missed the forum ride this past summer, so I'm playing catch up.


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## kreger

when i organized a ride 3 people showed up, so maybe im not the best,,,,,bill?


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## bigbill

kreger said:


> when i organized a ride 3 people showed up, so maybe im not the best,,,,,bill?


Sure, I'm a climber.  I need to see the dates. I plan on doing STP and now it looks like I can do the Ring of Fire time trial in September. The older I get the less interested in racing I get. These days I look at 10-12 hour events and maybe a 24 hour ride in the next few years.


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## tyro

kreger said:


> when i organized a ride 3 people showed up, so maybe im not the best,,,,,bill?


That's the one I am referring to that I missed. Sorry!


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## kreger

check out this years jersey, its pretty sweet. i ordered one.









compared to last years









edit, it looks like the makers of the jerseys are adjusting to americans being bigger, this years jersey is so much bigger, maybe ill pack a keg with me on the ride.


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## kreger

rcnute, you might not but you might have to pay to not be screwed, which seems contrary to how it normally works



> We again had way more applicants than we had room under our permits, and many got turned away. those on the waiting list should continue training. We will continue to draw from the waiting list until July 15. We also expect to start our Ebay auction of a few tickets shortly, stay tuned.


http://blog.redmondcyclingclub.org/


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## Travis

can i trade my last years jersey for this years .... never worn, in an XL


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## zigurate

Cool, they'll be starting ebay auctions.


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## JP

bigbill said:


> Sure, I'm a climber.  I need to see the dates. I plan on doing STP and now it looks like I can do the Ring of Fire time trial in September. The older I get the less interested in racing I get. These days I look at 10-12 hour events and maybe a 24 hour ride in the next few years.


Bill, it's only a matter of time until you come over to the dark side and join the Seattle Randonneurs. Come on out. Just have a taste. You can stop any time you like. 

Ramrod can be ridden as a "permanent" for those of you so inclined. Here is the route sheet:

http://permanents.seattlerando.org/2007/01/0126-ramr.html

I would probably join you late in the season if time works out. JP


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## tyro

JP said:


> Bill, it's only a matter of time until you come over to the dark side and join the Seattle Randonneurs. Come on out. Just have a taste. You can stop any time you like.
> 
> Ramrod can be ridden as a "permanent" for those of you so inclined. Here is the route sheet:
> 
> http://permanents.seattlerando.org/2007/01/0126-ramr.html
> 
> I would probably join you late in the season if time works out. JP


I've thoughts about trying the SIR thing out. It just looks like something that I wold really enjoy. How does one get started?


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## JP

tyro said:


> I've thoughts about trying the SIR thing out. It just looks like something that I wold really enjoy. How does one get started?


It's the most welcoming club you will ever find. We are a bit into the season at this point, so the next two rides are the 400 and 600. Go here: 

http://www.seattlerandonneur.org/

You probably want to come to a populaire or a 200K first. Sign up for the e-mail list too, and you will know what's going on. 

We'd love to see you out there. Send me a PM if you are coming out. JP


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## tyro

JP said:


> It's the most welcoming club you will ever find. We are a bit into the season at this point, so the next two rides are the 400 and 600. Go here:
> 
> http://www.seattlerandonneur.org/
> 
> You probably want to come to a populaire or a 200K first. Sign up for the e-mail list too, and you will know what's going on.
> 
> We'd love to see you out there. Send me a PM if you are coming out. JP


Thanks JP. I checked out the site and did a little reading. First off, I don't even have a bike with fenders right now, so I'm out. I may look to build up a proper bike with lights and such. I have always thought it just looks like something that would be a blast to do. I love long rides and night rides are just that much cooler. All of the things that one must have "together" seems a bit intimidating, but that is also part of the allure...the self sufficiency and independence. Any tips for a newbie?


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## s2ktaxi

I got it - first time this year. Hope I won't struggle too much on it,..


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## kreger

ebay tickets - two sets of two are up
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/redmondcyclingclub


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## pjmsj21

*Less than a Week to Go*

So less than a week to go. We are driving up from Eugene on Tue or Wed and am hoping to get a 5:30 start on Thursday. Naturally I wish I had some more miles under my belt as my longest ride was 110. But we (my wife, 23 yo son and I) have been spending time on a lot of hills. Last year our toughest ride was the Crater Lake Century which has a long climb the only difference is that it is at the start of the ride versus late in the ride for Ramrod. Last ride for us will probably be a 50 miler Sunday and then it's rest time.


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## kreger

pjmaj21

the forecast is for REALLY hot. mid to high 90s on the (neutered erosion damaged) course. i would say start as early as you can, were looking to be on the road at 5 am. get as much done in the early morning while its cool, find a group at your pace and eat up the early miles. im going to be packing some food with me so the first rest stops can be kept as short as possible to keep it cool.

i rode crater lake last year, this is looking to be hotter. 

i went to packet pickup yesterday, there was no ramrod reflector in the bag, what gives? its one of the coolest things about the ride


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## kmc

*good luck to all!*

I am as ready as I will be I guess. Came down with Tendentious behind my right knee last week. Spent the weekend chewing on Ibuprofen and icing my tendon. Feels good today. Should be good to go on Thursday.

Everybody stay cool on Thursday. We plan to be on the road by 5 am. Signed up for the breakfast, so I will be there around 4 to eat and get my package.

Look for an orange Curtlo and say hi if you see me.

Kurt


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## s2ktaxi

originally, I was going to start closer to 7am but considering the weather, I'll probably start at 5am...


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## s2ktaxi

anyone else want to ride together? I'm probably going for a 16.5 moving avg.


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## microtonal

If you would like to ride with Zack, Grant, Matt and I (possibly a few others) we are meeting at the starting line at 4:45 a.m. and riding out at 5. I believe the plan is to regroup at the top of the climbs if necessary and try to finish as a group (so Zack can pull us to the finish )

Eric


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## SwiftSolo

Good luck to all you guys. I'll be thinking of you pulling the endless and hot final climb on cayuse with the sun frying you. I hope there's lot of stations on that section. Drink till ya puke!


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## s2ktaxi

microtonal said:


> If you would like to ride with Zack, Grant, Matt and I (possibly a few others) we are meeting at the starting line at 4:45 a.m. and riding out at 5. I believe the plan is to regroup at the top of the climbs if necessary and try to finish as a group (so Zack can pull us to the finish )
> 
> Eric


OK, I'll plan on being there by about 4:45. Anyone carrying just 2 bottles?


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## kreger

ill have 2 bottles and one of these tucked in a jersey pocket










its 1 liter (1.5ish bottles) and folds away into a small package. rei has them for cheap. i wont start with it full but it could come in handy


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## kreger

howd everyones day go?

sure was hot


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## s2ktaxi

not as hard as I expected. Finished in under 10 hours of total time. riding time was about 8:32.


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## kmc

*went ok*

Mine went OK. I have been battling some tendinitis behind my knee and it decided to flare up around mile 40. So...with enough Advil I carried on, but decided to skip the Crystal Mountain climb.

Worst part of the ride - the last three miles up Cayuse. Damn hot...nothing like hitting the 100 mile mark climbing a mountain pass with 100 degree temps. 

Still ended up with 149 miles, 8K of vertical, 17.4 average on the ride.

I thought Skate Creek Road was great in some spots, dangerous in others. Got a pinch flat heading toward Packwood on one of the many sections that needed repair while doing about 30mph...a little interesting.

I would like to try this ride one more time on the original route. After that, I can call it good and move on to other rides.

My impression is that there are quite a few repeat riders that REALLY like this ride...almost a badge of honor.


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## pjmsj21

*Ramrod Report*

My wife and I enjoyed the ride keeping in mind that it is a very difficult and challanging ride. 

At 59 I was #72 so I was not as quick as many of the riders but we did finish in about 12 hours total and felt pretty good at the end. We lost some time due to a mechanical issue and aslo stopped on the way up Cayuse to help another rider that had serious cramps and lost some time there as well. I will echo the comments about Cayuse in the early afternoon ...yes it was hot but at the same time I was surprised at how cool the temps were in other parts of the ride.

This was my wife's second year of being a serious rider and for her (again 59yo) to finish a ride of this level was a big achievement. We will definitely consider for next year as a way to gauge our fitness level.


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## kreger

francis, i ran into grant after the ride, nice pace. eric and i started ~20 minutes later, we rode in a bad group with a few good riders, we dropped the riders that had trouble in a line just before the first rest stop, we didnt reform any group and eric and i rode alone to packwood through gates creek, i missed the paradise climb. cayuse wasnt bad at all, but we didnt stop for water at the top and i ran out of liquids on the way up crystal, no water at the top was a bad idea in my mind. we stopped at lunch for a while, took our time, man i love cold coke. the ride in was hot, finished pretty well rolling in a decent group of 5.

good ride, averaged 17.5.

you putting on any sunday rides on the east side in august francis?


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## rcnute

Congrats to all y'all...I remember doing the Torture 10,000 a few years back when it was 90+ and it really adds another dimension to the climbs. No way I could have done Ramrod this year (even without the heat, probably...).


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## kreger

ooops


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## Gnarly 928

Kudos to you all who did the Ride. That is a tough course. Just drove some of the southern portion recently, thinking of how it must feel to be on a couple of the climbs during a hot afternoon and after a hundred miles. Some of that country has certainly been trashed by the timber industry, has it not? Still, pretty spectacular scenery..

I hope, with that many riders on the road all on one day the 'locals' didn't melt down and get too "agro" with the cyclists..
Good job all.


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## kreger

not to totally get away from the ride, BUT... properly managed timber harvesting leads to healthier forests. mans interruption of the natural burn cycle through forest fire suppression can lead to unhealthy and overgrown forests prone to explosive/destructive burns. clear cutting has its downsides, the industry has learned how to minimize them. but to say the country has been trashed by the industry is unfair and i feel, wrong. the whole 'rape of the forests' is incorrect. alone 410 the most vibrant stands of forests all have 'replanted 198x of 199x along them. 

im not a industry shill, but i grew up in the forest industry, both service and havesting.

i didnt have trouble with local motorists, i actually thought some riders needed to pay more attention, ride more single file, pass with more care especially early on during the morning commute.


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## Gnarly 928

kreger said:


> not to totally get away from the ride, BUT... properly managed timber harvesting leads to healthier forests. mans interruption of the natural burn cycle through forest fire suppression can lead to unhealthy and overgrown forests prone to explosive/destructive burns. clear cutting has its downsides, the industry has learned how to minimize them. but to say the country has been trashed by the industry is unfair and i feel, wrong. the whole 'rape of the forests' is incorrect. alone 410 the most vibrant stands of forests all have 'replanted 198x of 199x along them.
> 
> im not a industry shill, but i grew up in the forest industry, both service and harvesting.
> 
> i didnt have trouble with local motorists, i actually thought some riders needed to pay more attention, ride more single file, pass with more care especially early on during the morning commute.


 "Properly managed timber harvesting....." Yeah, I probably buy that it can lead to healthier forests...to some extent..But you are delusional if you can say the timber industry hasn't left a big huge mess almost everywhere it's been...except maybe for the past few years..

I've traveled a lot of forest service back roads this summer, biking and just exploring...There are thousands of square miles of really nasty old timber harvests with downfall everywhere, stumps, rocks, erosion...Looks like "Ground Zero" of an atomic bomb in many of these old 'timber harvests'...Really really nasty stuff, and whoever cut all that years ago, they certainly are not gonna come back and clean up after themselves now...

I guess the NW regional forum is probably not a good place to mention forest practices, but I live here and it bugs me when when I see public lands being further trashed for the profit of a few...Maybe things are being done a little more carefully now a days...but what was done in the past certainly ain't purty..and those old clearcuts will burn like crazy with all that 30-50yr old slash laying around and the new trash trees starting to spring back between the stumps..

Now back to our real love...sorry for the off topic..


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## kreger

yeah, 'they' used to do all sorts of bad things, they not being exclusive -lead in paint, cffcs in aerosols, sugar in pop. the fact that the timber industry, i feel, has developed and employed a more sustained set of practices is a good thing.

you usually dont see a slash pile older than 5-7 years in a clear cut. forests chew that stuff up pretty quickly, slash piles are usually burned before its replanted, but if a slash pile remains it is usually the site of the most rabid new growth.

my high school was funded with timber dollars, as were many of the roads i have and do ride on. counties and states relied on this money, when it went away in the mid 90s, least where i live, everyone hurt. 

it should be noted weyerhaeuser is the largest land owner in the state of washington, owning over 1,000,000 acres, the state is only 40,000,000 and weyerhaeuser one of the largest land owners in the world. we could get mad at them for what they did to public lands, but the public let them do it. they sought to maximize profits, we allowed them. 

back to topic...will delete this drivel if anyone has a gripe about hijacking.


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## JP

So a little late to the party here. I had a good social ride. I'm surprised how many people I am starting to know on these rides. A fair number of the randonneur gang was out incognito; I only saw two dynohubs! 

I did see Kreger long enough to say hi early in the ride. I sat on that group for a few miles, but you guys were just too fast for me. Good on you for sporting the Fatty jersey in the heat. Fight Like Susan.

You guys need to know that if you go to the little building at the far end of the parking lot at Crystal, there are nice cool bathrooms with hot and cold running water. Luxury. 

I also had the experience of jumping in the most squirrely paceline in history at the end of the ride. I did one rotation and got out. Carnage waiting to happen. 

Why is ice cream always so good in Enumclaw?


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## heliskyr

JP said:


> Why is ice cream always so good in Enumclaw?


Ice cream, like beer, always tastes best when earned!


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