Tour de Big Bear [2022]
I was sponsored for Tour de Big Bear (TdBB)! Not really, but a friend won tickets in a raffle last year so I did ride for free. I never would have imagined last year that I would be participating the a 70 mile ride for TdBB. I had only ridden around the lake last year while I was still a giant noob and struggled. If you have been keeping up though you should know I have done quite a few rides over the past year. However, this would be a ride at altitude. Like last year, I went up with a few friends the day before to acclimate, ride around the lake, and hangout. We even got matching jerseys! We attempted to participate in the poker ride again but we were too late.
I was concerned the week leading up to the ride due to weather. Big Bear had inclement weather the weekend prior and the week leading up to the ride. Fortunately for everyone we had clear skies and great conditions. In any case the ride would be held rain or shine.
[2022-08-06]
Today was the big day! I was operating on less sleep than I would have liked, but I am still young...ish? We were close enough to the start that we rode from the cabin to warm up. Once we arrived there I met up with a couple other friends I suckered into joining for the weekend. The ride started at 0800 and we were led off by a classic car group local to the area. It started off with clumps of riders until we slowly spread out due to various reasons, paces, or stops.
I was with my friends for a small portion at the beginning of the ride. The groups of riders continued to separate during the first few climbs (and throughout the ride). The first aid station was down in Snow Valley, but I opted to skip it. As I climbed out of Snow Valley at a slow pace I heard my name yelled out from a friend descending on the opposite side. The climb out was with a few riders until we hit the lake again going at our own paces. I thought I would be riding solo for a while so I took a selfie...but shortly after I heard my name called out as I was passed by a peloton. I sped up to take advantage of drafting off them for as long as I could which was not very long, but it helped. I eventually made it to the second aid station as my sponsor cheered me on while I rolled by to quickly refill.
If you zoom in behind me you can see the group closing the gap...
I was only at the aid station for a few minutes before rolling out. On the road again to see if I could complete this ride in a reasonable time. I told a friend that it should take me less than (7) seven hours and hopefully it would be shorter. As I was spinning I could tell there was a rider or two drafting behind me which is not uncommon. However, I fully expected them to eventually just drop me. One rider turned off participating in a separate course. The other asked if I was doing the 70 mile ride and if we were on the right course. My response was basically I think so because my Garmin 530 has not yelled yet and we eventually saw another sign confirming the route. So onward we went and continued spinning.
Eventually, my new riding buddy pulled ahead in front of me and I thought they would abandon me. However, they were just pulling ahead so I could draft. Relatively slow and steady we rode through Big Bear. We would swap who was in lead as needed and we passed the occasional cyclist(s) while on our way to the next waypoint aid station. We topped off our fluids, relieved ourselves, and I had a couple snacks. I finally caught up with the person that passed me earlier in the ride and they were enjoying the sustenance offered at the aid station. In hindsight, I should have enjoyed the offerings instead of riding for time, but a lesson learned for a future ride. Bill (riding buddy from Mammoth) walked back over and we were ready to roll and we were off with a small group (including his brother-in-law if I remember correctly).
The route seemed to have deviated from the original uploaded route, but we followed the signs in, up, and around some streets off a main road. Finally, around mile fifty ish, we reached the start of the KOM/QOM segment for Onyx Peak. Earlier during the ride Bill mentioned it is probably where we would separate. The ascent is (11) eleven miles and a less than 4% for the average grade. So we began our arduous climb as I watched that red jersey I was so familiar with slowly fade into the distance. Bill was right and I was all by myself, again. I was both passing and being passed on the climb. I was eventually passed by the same rider mentioned earlier in the ride and saw at the aid station. I asked them to pull me up, but they quickly faded into the distance. While I have done climbs before, most have not started so far into the ride so it felt like forever. I saw people off their saddles and on the side of the road who needed a break or worse, suffering from cramps (I offered to throw a spare banana I had to a few riders, but they declined). Onward and upward, riding past signs claiming the end is near. Narrator: it was not quite as near. Looking at the signs and my Garmin...the end should have been here! The placement was a bit off but I survived. Finally I saw the end of the climb and an aid station...on the opposite side of the road. That aid station was not for us casual (70) seventy-mile riders but ours was on a short descent past it. I only had one thought on the descent to the aid station: I have to climb to get back out of here.
I need this jersey. Dr Pepper Snapple Group Keurig Dr Pepper, please sponsor me?
The aid station had plenty of riders either refilling, eating, or sitting around talking with other riders. I saw a person with an amazing Dr Pepper jersey so I asked if I could photograph them and where they got it. Sadly they said it was a gift from many years ago so it is unlikely I could acquire one. I ran into the rider passed me on the climb and we departed together.
The descent from Onyx is probably my favorite so far. A a long closed straight road, straight, okay paving, and no sharp turns to worry about it. We took turns drafting as we continued towards the start at the resort. I had serious concerns around mile sixty due to the elevation gain reported on my computer. The ride is advertised as ~5400 feet of climbing and if I recall I was at about 4000 feet. Internal dialogue: ANOTHER 1400 FEET TO GO IN 10 MILES!? Surely there must have been a mistake either by the organizers or my Garmin. In my head all I could imagine was a vertical wall right before the end of the course. In reality I knew the end would have small climbs and not a wall, but I might hit my wall before then.
Once we were at the home stretch my new riding buddy took off again for the last time. I could feel a slight cramp getting ready to knock me off the saddle if I was not careful. Up, up, and finally the finish line! I was a few minutes behind my buddy. We posed for a photo (no idea where that is available) and checked in our bicycles. We met up with our other friend (my sponsor) and greeted us with cold beverages and a change of shoes. It was over. 70 miles, 4344 feet of total ascent, 4:24:01 moving time, 4:41:14 elapsed time, 16 miles per hour average speed, and 39.7 miles per hour max speed.
Weapon Beverage of choice
We connected with other riders from our group as they trickled in. Drinks were had, photos taken, and food consumed. It was a great day for an organized ride. Thankfully the weather cleared up as it was not so clear the week leading up to the event. 5/7 would ride TdBB again. Another thing I learned was how to effectively (at least for me) consume water while riding at elevation and pedaling. Breath in, drink water, and then exhale. I will be sure to take take advantage of the aid station offerings on my next ride. There is no point in me riding for time: if you ain't first, you're last.
