Just back from 4 days of riding and driving some of the GRR. Here are some
thoughts, suggestions, and questions.
Hwy 70 up from Oroville is quite narrow. I'm wearing my pbp orange vest there in
the daylight. I'm going to wearing this vest in a lot of places where I thought
the road was narrow. Hi-visiblilty to traffic is smart thinking.
It's very dry at the higher elevations and could be hot. My mouth turned to dust
pretty fast. Sipping a lot of fluids just to prevent cotton-mouth. Must not
over-hydrate, be careful.
White clothes helped me stay cooler, and they are good for visibility to
traffic. Got a sunburn on the tops of my shoulders after just 2 hours of
rolled-up sleeve riding, this in not the place to worry about looking cool or
getting tan lines. Just cover up with sunscreen and re-apply often.
I tried riding w/o socks to stay cooler, but my feet got so sweaty that they
were sliding all around in my shoes. Washed out shoes and insoles after that.
Wear socks at GRR. Change them often. I've had "trench foot" twice, once at PBP
07 and once at Cascade 06. Keep feet dry! Don't hose them down.
Janesville Grade is not so bad going down. My brakes are solid, and I'm a wimp
on downhills. But it's going to be a killer going up. Walked the middle section
for about 15 minutes. I wear MTB shoes with recessed cleats for my 2-foot gear.
Decided to practice walking on steep parts of rides for a few 5 min. intervals
for the rest of the trip to prep my walking muscles.
Maybe I'll get a real hotel in Susanville for 2 nights, it's at about the 250
and 500 mile point, Is Susanville the Loudeac of the GRR? Did past GRR riders
get a room there or not?
I found a nice room at the Holiday Inn Express for about $90 and it had 2 queen
beds.
Susanville's Starbucks is open at 4:30 am.
Nighttime wasn't too cold, only around 60F at night at 4000 ft. Spent a night in
Tahoe and at 6200 ft, low temp was 55F.
Over 4 days, I felt myself getting better and better adapted to the altitude.
Wish I could spend a month in Tahoe before the next big ride. Maybe rent a house
in Tahoe in 2011 before PBP.
Ok, that's enough rambling. Time to taper!