Kissena Forum Archive

Dec 14, 2014 at 10:21 PM

Aaron Blum said:

Hey everyone,

I know i've been MIA for a long time and I'm not entirely sure if this is where i should post this.

I am planning to head out to LA for about a week in January with my bike to climb some hills and be a tourist.

If anyone has any advice on...

where to ride

where to eat

where to get good beer

areas to avoid

figuring out the cheapest way to transport my road bike

or if anyone would just like to simply tag along for some week long sunny training,

I would gladly appreciate it.

Aaron, We have a travel thread somewhere. We also have a "Training Camps" thread. Start by scanning through there as we've had several California training camps in years past.

The first thing to know of Los Angeles is that it is geographically huge. We need to know where you're staying to offer advice.

Dec 14, 2014 at 10:56 PM

Had a great time today getting in saddle time with everyone. We went pretty long (close to 80miles for me) and I suffered quite a bit on 9W on the last leg back. Vlad pushed me back up behind Gavi's wheel when I shook my head thinking I was about to drop (FYI JP and Gavi were chatting and spinning effortlessly). Thanks homie, I owe you a burrito. I spun it back home and mashed as many calories into my face ASAP.

Avi, hope you made it back okay.

avizukerman

Dec 15, 2014 at 03:37 PM

Hey guys, good riding with you and, yes, made it back okay!

Kayt Mathers

Dec 16, 2014 at 07:09 PM

Too early to start thinking about the weekend?

Who's in for Saturday 8 am BB?

Dec 16, 2014 at 09:21 PM

I'm there.

Dec 16, 2014 at 10:44 PM

Saturday looks to be the better of the two weekend days. I'm in for some fun.

Jeffrey White

Dec 16, 2014 at 11:06 PM

Would love to join y'all, but I'll be riding in the warm, dry climes of Phoenix this weekend

.

Dec 16, 2014 at 11:38 PM

You forgot the #humblebrag tag.

Jules

Dec 17, 2014 at 12:56 AM

^Don't get heatstroke, fucker.

Dec 19, 2014 at 05:54 PM

Alright kids. On the one hand, I'm bummed to not be racing this weekend. On the other, psyched to do a long group ride. Hopefully someone can join me. Route is flexible but I'm thinking one of the Jersey Wormhole rides. Ideally the longer one with the bitch'n climb at 1/2 way ish.

My least favorite option would be riding with the time constrained to Piermont where they stop and I continue solo to the Orchards.

I suppose I could also lead a Piermont ride where we loop around and find new (probably to you) ways up and down Clausland Mountain. For those who want to climb, but can't commit to an Orchard-length ride. And actually, I could pack even more climbing into a relatively short distance ride by taking us through the super secret Alpine McMansionLand climbs before we get to the Piermontish portion of the ride.

Effort level, well I'm flexible there too. But the longer I go, the easier the intensity.

9am Jersey side of the GWB on Sat the 20th. (holy crap, how did it get to be 5 days before Christmas?)

vlad

Dec 19, 2014 at 09:07 PM

I'll be there

Dec 19, 2014 at 09:12 PM

don't think I can join Saturday.

Sunday, though, I expect to ride.

Dave Sharma

Dec 20, 2014 at 02:55 AM

in for BB tmrw

Brendan Rigby

Dec 20, 2014 at 06:24 AM

Up too late for today's ride, pencil me in for tomorrow

Dec 20, 2014 at 12:30 PM

Sorry I'm bailing.

JohnMalcolmson

Dec 20, 2014 at 12:59 PM

Tomorrow for me too, getting over a cold.

niallsmart

Dec 20, 2014 at 04:57 PM

I'm down for a ride tomorrow too... afterwards it's pack my bike and head to ireland time

eloy

Dec 20, 2014 at 09:24 PM

Instead of racing the Namur Worldcup tomorrow (sunday Dec. 21)

I'll be riding the Cunningham trails on my crossbike. 10am for about 2 hours.

Text if you wanna join: 347.225.1058

Dec 20, 2014 at 10:01 PM

eloy said:

Instead of racing the Namur Worldcup tomorrow (sunday Dec. 21)

I'll be riding the Cunningham trails on my crossbike. 10am for about 2 hours.

Text if you wanna join: 347.225.1058

While I'm looking forward to the Sunday group road ride, I have to say that I'm a little jealous of Eloy's planned ride. Because if there is one major weakness I had in my CX season, it was the fact that I just did not spend enough time riding my cross bike. Something to work on for next year. Of course, as us crossers know, "next year" started last weekend!

Dec 21, 2014 at 09:56 PM

Nice ride today. Met up with John, Marc, Sean, and Vlad at the bridge. We went as one to Sparkill, where John, Sean, Vlad headed to Piermont, and Marc and I headed into the wormhole.

Our northern limit was Phillips Hill road in New City. We continued the wormhole south until Closter or thereabouts.

Pre-flurries were swirling as we headed north. The temp dropped to 28-degrees and we were hoping that the snow didn't come. It didn't.

Pity the group was so small. A nice day as the wind was barely a factor.

Jules

Dec 21, 2014 at 11:48 PM

Dec 22, 2014 at 12:36 AM

Two nice weekend rides with Kissena. I don't know what this winter is going to be like, but I was grateful to have dry, if chilly, conditions to ride in.

On Saturday, a solid group including Dave S., Kayt M., Jeff C. and Vlad P, and myself rode north and hit up some top-secret climbs in Alpine before cruising into Piermont where we warmed up a bit at Mattie's shop. Cruised home on 9W with a detour through Columbia's northern campus.

Today, Sunday, as described by JP.

Quick notes/reminders about the weekend group rides. Over the years I've heard various "things" about our group rides. I'll address those with my very own FAQ section.

I'm slow, can I still come on the ride?
YES! Especially on Sundays, the first part of the ride, to Piermont is largely flat and goes a pace that all can manage. Many, especially from Brooklyn, take a coffee break at Mattie's bike shop and return home.

I'm awesome, and going to upgrade to PRO this year, should I still come on the ride?
YES! This ride typically splits up and for those who want extra efforts, you can "go long." Today JP and I cranked out for 3.5 hours, in a headwind all day long. By the time we hit the final climbs through Englewood Cliffs, I was begging for mercy. And I'm sure, if there were tougher guys on the ride, the pace on "Part II" of the ride would have been sufficiently post-ride "nap inducing" for them too.

I'm nervous about riding in packs, should I still come to the ride?
YES! Kissena is a club that is here to help you grow as a rider and racer. One of the best places to develop pack riding skills is during our group rides. Winter typically you'll see at least 5 and often 8 or 10 KCC riders show up for a group ride. There will always be an experienced rider that will be there to make sure you're comfortable. Often that rider will be one or more of the KCC mentors.

It's the off season, shouldn't I take it easy until March?
NO! Even if you aren't a spring classics kind of rider, and have later season goals. The winter "off-season" should better be called "training season." If approached correctly, you can make your biggest gains in fitness during this period. A good winter of training directly correlates to a good racing season.

I drank too much and got home too late and I need to sleep in, should I come to the ride?
YES! Because you drank too much and you got home too late, you REALLY need to come to the ride to remind yourself why it's not always an awesome choice to drink too much and stay out too late. Seriously though, I'm not a total boring-ass prude. I get it. But honestly, weekend "detox rides" can be fun.

Alright gang, that's it for now. Please keep an eye on this thread. Many of us are traveling for the holidays and won't be around for the next weekend or so, but plenty are in town and will be riding. Get out there while the weather is nice, because soon it's all going to turn to shit and we're going to be stuck on trainers for 15 months like we were last year.

Dec 22, 2014 at 12:40 AM

PS Today's wormhole ride was sufficiently deep and black enough that even JP got himself turned around a few times!

Jules

Dec 22, 2014 at 02:11 AM

Marc Bertucco said:

PS Today's wormhole ride was sufficiently deep and black enough that even JP got himself turned around a few times!

Was it the same "JP" who was caught riding on the hoods last year? That guy is a doppleganger. Don't trust him.

vlad

Dec 22, 2014 at 04:10 AM

It was actually the ghost of 1980's JP with faded kit and Merckx bike. The world has changed a lot since then, so I'm not surprised that he got turned around a bit.

Dec 22, 2014 at 04:15 AM

Marc Bertucco said:

PS Today's wormhole ride was sufficiently deep and black enough that even JP got himself turned around a few times!

Still up for mastering new roads.

The Merckx (corsa extra, SLX tubing) is from 1990, but it has a PowerTap wheel. trying to keep up with the Vlads, but still keeping it real.

Dec 22, 2014 at 04:37 AM

To add to Marc's big and excellent post on the Sunday ride, I have a few points to add.

There are multiple turn-around spots for people who are concerned about their endurance, hall pass, skills, or the cold. Basically, there are hills that lead from the low road up to 9W. you tell us you had enough or are out of time, we point you up the next hill, and you'll make it home. And for those who get to the GWB totally blown out, there's a subway stop just on the NY side, and there's nothing wrong with taking the train home.

For newbies, the goal of winter riding could well just be doing the distance with the group. Go a little longer each week. You don't have to take a single pull, and if you get to the front, you can always pull off. Eventually, you'll do the entire distance and be stronger for it. Another goal could be going from surviving to doing well. These goals can even be combined. For many, they look at winter riding as first developing endurance, then developing speed.

For more experienced and stronger riders, not only go longer on Sunday, but ride harder on Saturday as well. Take longer pulls. Ride slower tires and wheels.

Riding long on Sundays is about fitness. But it's also about skills. Pack riding is huge--this is comfort in chaos, trusting the people around you, knowing when to brake, when to shift, how to suck wheel, how to ride hard when you're tired, and much more. Efficiency is not simply muscular or aerobic, it's cadence management, wind management, and beyond.

Then there are the intangibles. Knowing your teammates, not only who they are but how they ride and what their strengths are. Riding through fatigue. Learning to recognize when you're hitting the wall. Dressing for the cold. Riding longer and harder in worse weather than you can ever imagine doing in a race. When Battenkill or whatever big race comes up, you'll have no fear of the alleged difficulty or distance because you've already done it in training. And don't worry, if you race long enough, you'll end up racing in truly shitty weather.

Always bring two full bottles, a bar for every hour of the ride, at least one caffeinated gel (this will save your keister some day), money (enough for a meal, a coke, and the subway).

If you never crack on a ride, you'll never find your limit. The only way to know it's too much is to actually experience too much.

Besides, it's so much fun, it ought to be illegal. (and sometimes it is; I got chewed out by a cop today for riding on the wrong side of the road)

JohnMalcolmson

Dec 22, 2014 at 03:05 PM

Nice posts... Just to reiterate, the weekend group rides are:

8am Brooklyn Bridge (Brooklyn side entrance) & 9am George Washington Bridge (Jersey side). Every Saturday and Sunday.

New members, I appreciate that many are juggling schedules and it's tempting to go out later, but I implore you to ride at least one of these this winter. Racing is all teamwork and this is a chance to connect with your teammates.