Now the Virginia State Hill Climb Championship even! On bikereg:

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=4303

:thumbsup:

I really hate that race....but for some reason I do it every year!!!

I really hate that race....but for some reason I do it every year!!!

LOL!! Every year when I get to the gatehouse, I am like "WTF am I doing this for, I am 5 inches taller and 20-40 pounds heavier then all these little climber types".

Then next year I am signed up again. . .

:D

I will be making the trip in late March to train and we do Reeds Gap and then down the mountain towards 81 and back up through the Vesuvias (Spelling) climb past the Sugar Tree Inn, I think that is the name. I am usually seeing things by then and am not too sure.

Either way, it is awesome ridingdown there. I would do the race, but the Turkey Hill race in PA is the same day and very close to my home.

Have fun guys and be sure to have a compact if they allow them, or a 15-35 for the back, if they make them.

I signed up for it, and I don't know why as it is certainly not the type of event I am good at but it was something I couldn't resist.

My trip is about a five hour drive, any thoughts on a place to stay? I read there is a discount at the resort but don't know that I will want to drop that for a bed the night before.

I signed up for it, and I don't know why as it is certainly not the type of event I am good at but it was something I couldn't resist.

My trip is about a five hour drive, any thoughts on a place to stay? I read there is a discount at the resort but don't know that I will want to drop that for a bed the night before.

If you are coming down for the night, or possibly the weekend, I would try to get some host housing. There are tons of cabins/lodging all along the Blue Ridge and plenty of stops in nearby Waynesboro. I would try to google "lodging blue ridge va" and it should give you plenty of options.

Also Wintergreen is like 30 minutes from Charlottesville roughly, which is home to the University of Virginia, tons of great places to eat- and plenty of hotels and motels. I imagine using one of those hotels.com or travelocity type sites and putting in Charlottesville would be the way to go.

I signed up for it, and I don't know why as it is certainly not the type of event I am good at but it was something I couldn't resist.

My trip is about a five hour drive, any thoughts on a place to stay? I read there is a discount at the resort but don't know that I will want to drop that for a bed the night before.

http://www.mistymountaincampground.com/rates.html

I live two hours away in Williamsburg and use this place to park at when we go ride
in that area on Saturdays. It's located on rt.250 about 20 to 30 min. from the race
start.

Veni Vidi Vici

Now the Virginia State Hill Climb Championship even! On bikereg:

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=4303

:thumbsup:

Do you ride back down the mountain or do they drive you down and bring your bikes down for you?

If so - Is there a truck to bring clothes/walking shoes to the top when you are done?

Do you ride back down the mountain or do they drive you down and bring your bikes down for you?

If so - Is there a truck to bring clothes/walking shoes to the top when you are done?

There are several shuttle buses running between the bottom and top of the mountain to move you between the start and finish. There is parking at the finish (also where registration/number pick up is). Probably easiest to park at the top with your stuff pick your the number, then ride the shuttle down to the start and warm up.

I notice the distance is 7 miles. What is the elevation gain? How does the grade vary from bottom to top? How does it compare to rides like Salt Pond Mountain to Mt. Lake?

Check out the course profile map here: it has all the information and stats on the climb:

http://www.cvilleracing.org/

:thumbsup:

I signed up for it, and I don't know why as it is certainly not the type of event I am good at but it was something I couldn't resist.

My trip is about a five hour drive, any thoughts on a place to stay? I read there is a discount at the resort but don't know that I will want to drop that for a bed the night before.

You might also like these other torture fests:

http://www.mountainsofmisery.com/
http://www.bikemountainmama.homestead.com/

We're one month out. Better start practicing your climbing!

:)

Now the Virginia State Hill Climb Championship even! On bikereg:

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=4303

:thumbsup:

I'll be there, hopefully.

If I may offer my humble advice, it would really help this event achieve long term, world wide fame if you guys set up a stable site with results from past years. It does a lot to get people stoked up when they have a time to shoot for and they know their glorious achievement will be added to a hallowed pantheon of results on the web that includes names like Ben King, Ian Ayers, and AllUpHill. Even if their glorious achievement was 85 minutes in the Cat 5 55+ group. Yep, this could be the next Mt Evans or Mt Washington. :thumbsup:

I'll be there, hopefully.

If I may offer my humble advice, it would really help this event achieve long term, world wide fame if you guys set up a stable site with results from past years. It does a lot to get people stoked up when they have a time to shoot for and they know their glorious achievement will be added to a hallowed pantheon of results on the web that includes names like Ben King, Ian Ayers, and AllUpHill. Even if their glorious achievement was 85 minutes in the Cat 5 55+ group. Yep, this could be the next Mt Evans or Mt Washington. :thumbsup:

I found some past results tucked away on the VA Cycling site. It's good that they're there, although hard to find.

http://www.vacycling.org/2006/results/wintergreen.html
http://www.vacycling.org/2005/results/2005WintergreenFinal.pdf
http://www.vacycling.org/2004/results/wintergreen.html
http://www.vacycling.org/2003/results/wintergreen.html

Thanks for the links! See you there.

:)

http://www.vacycling.org/2007/results/wintergreen.pdf

Folks were minutes faster vs. 2006. Was the wind blowing up the mountain?

Was the wind blowing up the mountain?

Wasn't the wind. I'm thinking that every year the climb fills with more and more regulars who know what to expect, what gears they need to bring and how to train for the climb.

I've noticed a similar trend in the mid-west time trial scene. The winning time has improved by seconds if that but the time necessary to finish in the top ten has dropped by minutes.

Cooler temps this year helped. But with the state championship status more people were gunninh for it as well.

Another factor was that last year had a headwind that depressed times.

Still I set a PR myself for over the last four years so there is something going on.

:)