Get Psyched! Recent forecasts for Sunday are for a high in the low 50s! So glad we won't be fighting 20 degree weather

Quick recommendation: make sure to take on calories early and often so that you don't run out of energy (bonk) later in the ride. It may be too late if you wait until you're hungry to take on fuel.

There are a number of higher carbohydrate gels that don't cause gastric distress on the market to choose from or you can bring your favorite bars. In the past I made some rice cakes and even date bars that were pretty yummy. Bring your favorites 

For those who haven't done a long ride in a while (or like me have done most of their riding indoors lately) 

It can't hurt to review this checklist as a refresher!

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/guides/century-training/ride-checklist/

What time are we kicking the ride off from GWB? I saw the idea of starting at 8:30 thrown out

Last year was 9am but I'm down for 8 so we don't get back too late, especially since the weather is looking good.

Seeing that JP last year had 7:40 hours of elapsed time and I'll have to ride some 90 minutes more than than he did to make it home: starting at 8 would be a good idea. 

I'm flexible on start time. Just want to make sure it's late enough so those coming from farther away can make it without issue.

 In terms of imagining the ride, We're usually a bit under 100mi if starting and finishing from the Jersey side of the GWB.  Climbing is around 8,000', a bit more or less depending.  We start with the traditional Kissena roll out on the low road to Piermont, get on the bike path, and make it to Blauvelt.  

  Ride time varies and depends on who is there, how they're doing, mechanicals, etc.  My fastest year was about 5:40 of riding; we had several pros on the ride.  

Believe it or not, on the way back, it's very straightforward and once we're at Nyack, knowing the landmarks and hills should make it almost easy.  The last big hill is climbing up past the scout camp on 9W.  

Assuming that you're starting at the GWB, it's about 65 miles to our traditional single rest stop in Tompkins Cove.  While much of the far end of the ride is kind of remote, we'll pass a place to grab a snack, if necessary, around 30-35mi in.  

 For those riding to the GWB, I'd recommend eating a bar there.  And having either an alarm on your watch/computer/phone, or a KJ metric on your bike computer; try to eat at least a bar's worth of calories every hour.  So, the GWB will be one bar, then when we hit Nyack, another, then probably on Spook Rock Road, then at the top of Bear.

 We shouldn't hit the early hills hard.  We don't want to put anyone in the red zone early.  I figure we'll ride controlled all the way to the start of Perkins, and that's a place where those wanting to test themselves can go for it. We regroup atop Bear, get a picture or two, and then make our way to the Cove Deli, where we replenish.  Then a flat ride through Haverstraw before getting to Hills again.  First-timers should be careful about their efforts; if they're not sure of their form, either short pulls or no pulls in the paceline.

 

Here are the last four editions

8 sounds perfect. I need to be home by like 10:30 so I’ll end up swinging off around 9:45-10

I'm down for the early bird special.

@mugwump ,With an 8am start , whats your best guess as to our arrival time back at GWB?

Mark Taylor said:

@mugwump ,With an 8am start , whats your best guess as to our arrival time back at GWB?

Between 2-3pm.  

mugwump said:

Mark Taylor said:

@mugwump ,With an 8am start , whats your best guess as to our arrival time back at GWB?

Between 2-3pm.  

I may need lights

I'm still a bit unclear ont he start time

8 or 8:30?

Sounds like everyone is good with 8am.

8am at GWB.

Here is the latest on weather for the Super Bowl ride (using Epic Ride Weather). Not as warm as today as there will be cloud cover and a breeze. Still, temps should be in the mid to high 40s throughout the ride. Will “feel” chillier at the start of the ride. Note that the forecast is based on starting at the GWB at 8am. Wear layers

headwinds ftw! 

I’m likely not doing whole thing 
but will be riding from brooklyn
anyone else?

While I don't want anyone to cramp up or bonk, you should know that our route passes 

The "25th anniversary Super Bowl Sunday Plunge February 11, 2024 – 10AM to 2PM - Registration starts at 9AM"

At the risk of being overly prescriptive, I'll share my food and drink plan for the newcomers.

I'll start with two bottles on the bike.  200 calories of mix in the each bottle.  I'll have a Clif bar, three stroopwafels, and a few caffeinated gels in my pockets.  I expect to eat the bar, at least two cookies, and finish the drinks before we hit the Cove Deli.  

There is nothing similar. There is only snickers. Obvs.

I’m not gonna make it, have a great ride everyone. Look forward to reading the ride report

Great ride today. I'll provide some quick details and photos and leave it to the wordsmiths to provide the more colorful descriptions. 

We started with 12 riders at the GWB: Mark T, Dave Y, Lennart, Jim, JP, Greg, Alexander, David V, Matt, James, Marc B, and myself. We straddled the NJ/NY border as we headed north. Various members peeled off having other responsibilities etc.





In the end we were seven: Greg, Lennart, JP, David Y, James, Marc, and me. 



We had been keeping it pretty even on the ride to bear but pushed the pace on the climb past the Perkins gate. I started the pace and was quickly passed by Marc who got a good gap through the steepest section. As things leveled out JP set a hard pace with Greg on his wheel. I held on for a while and thought that Marc would pop as he was breathing heavily. In the end I was the one who got distanced and watched as Greg attacked and bested JP followed by Marc to the top of Perkins.


We stopped at the Cove Deli on the way back where another group of cyclists had about $100,000 worth of high end bikes in front of the store front. We kept a solid pace on the way back including some spirited efforts at sprint lines and on the remaining climbs.

All in all a good ride

Great ride, though I always say that.

We rolled out with a large group.  Jim peeled off early.  He's back on the bike and I think had his longest day in some time.  Alexandre and David V went for home in Saddle River; great to see them out.  Mark probably got a quiet century in even though he turned back at Spook Rock.  

The ride was fairly convival, with most eating and drinking and keeping the pace moving.  Kind of damp and overcast most of the day and it was reflected by the fact we saw very few cyclists out, and non-cyclists for that matter.  

We tried to keep it fairly steady, but as Patrick noted, the efforts did get spicy at times.  

And the stop at the Cove Deli was funny and friendly, as those guys with all the $10k+ bikes got there before us, and were there after we left.

We were too late for the Polar Bear Plunge yet again; I heard ex-Kissena Mattie was going to be there.  That would have been something.  We looking at them like they're weirdos for jumping in a cold river.  Them looking like us like we're weirdos for riding 100 miles in winter.  And Mattie between the two groups.

I was surprised by our pace on the way home. Maybe it was the tailwind, maybe it was the meals a few had back in Tompkins, but I did set a Strava PR from Stony Point to Nyack, and I pretty much only do that route on this ride.  And we did manage some good speed once past the scout camp.

Greg is the mileage winner of the day, with nearly 128 miles.  Dave Y, while out of shape, still managed 118.  

The surprise to me was the relatively light climbing.  I guess taking out the Dunderberg 9W climb both ways made a real difference.  We did it not to make it flat but to avoid 9W.  I guess skipping the Clausland climb on the way back also made the route a bit flatter.  

https://www.strava.com/activities/10744079057

Also, to add.  Someone, possibly Patrick, suggested

MAYBE TRYING THE RIDE AGAIN IN THE SUMMER.

When we're in better shape and not wearing all the winter layers.

Awesome photos. Nice to see Mark "Hotlist" Bertucco sporting the full santa beard

Let's start off with all the excuses:

• I am seriously out of shape
• I woke up at 4a to race Saturday
• Walked around all day after the race doing family stuff
• Ended up ice skating with the kid in the afternoon
• I am seriously really very out of shape
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFvujknrBuE
  

With that out of the way, what a great ride and I'm glad I stuck it out. I was torturously late to the start - so many apologies to you and gratitude to the team for waiting. Pizza party on me.

My goal was survival and knowing when to bail, but as the miles stretched mostly sitting on everyone's wheels I never felt like I was overextending. It also helped that we paused for a minute approximately every hour which was when I was able to rip open a bar and smash it into my face. Mad ups to Lennart who reminded me to keep eating and drinking. Going up Perkins I knew there was a long road home ahead so decided against surging and trying to keep up with everyone's very strong legs. Glad I resisted as I would have been even more cooked than I already was on the way back.

JP is the energizer bunny. By my rough estimate he was eating wind 95% of the ride. It wasn't until the last bit on 9W where he asked for some respite so we doubled up and rotated (where he still pulled through). Even then he had some kick left and contested gas station and the final hill sprint before the bridge. Many thanks to him for keeping us moving as always.

It was so damn nice riding with you all even if I couldn't chat with everyone. Let's definitely do this again when the weather is pleasant!

Notes:

• Kit: Light base layer top, fleeced CX skinsuit, wind vest, and "light" 3 pocket winter jacket; Fleeced leg warmers, summer socks, toe covers. Champsys shell gloves, but swapped it for svelte HandUp cross/mtb gloves. It never felt perfectly comfortable - sometimes too hot, sometimes too cold. Call me Goldilocks.
• Ate: 6 x fig bar packs, 2x no-nitrate mini beef jerky sticks, big-ass omelette at the deli, Little Debbie Valentine cake (James R had the other), mini bag of dill pickle chips
• Drank: 2x home gatorade mix; 1.5x deli gatorade
• Vittoria Corsa Pros + latex tubes were butter. I had them pumped up to 90 front, 95 rear the night before so they probably ended up 15psi lower by the end of the ride.
• No major mechanicals! Lennart had some issues with his front mech not shifting well and Greg caught a slow leak on the rear tire just around 72nd heading to CP on the way back (mile 118 or something) that held after he blasted it with cartridge.

Had a blast! Loved being out with such a big group. 

I had to focus on saving my legs because of my lack of winter riding, so I'm very grateful for everyone who pulled. Eating a load of food helped (5 clif bloks, two bottles of energy drink, 4 gells - and a banana, coke and blueberry pancake at the deli).

Struggled a bit just before the deli. After that it was a matter of counting down the miles and hills. Us mortals traded moments of fatigue, but we reached GWB without problems. Big shoutout to Marc, JP and Patrick for being able to sprint it out after all that.

Took the A train home from GWB, which put my total at 180 km, making it my longest ride in two years. VeloViewer tells me it's also a top 5 ride ever for me in terms of altitude - 2240 meters.

Maybe we also have a whip round to get the President some actual club kit 🤣

I thought the wool looked a bit more pukka.