So I've racked up all of 200 miles on the road bike - figure it's time to do a 50 miler. I've done long rides before, and I've climbed up the Poway Grade before; I've just never ridden 47 miles after riding up the Poway Grade.

Curious if any of you have done the 50 mile route? Any nasty surprises to trip you up, seems like the one big climb to start followed by 7 miles of down and then relatively rolling for the rest of the trip. I know it's a ride and not a race and I've been doing 30-35 mile solo rides w/out any support (I'm the dork on the 56 path with his camelback and MTB shoes on ) so I'm pretty sure the 50 won't kill me, just don't want to pull any dumb noob moves and blow up at 45 miles or anything.

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the rider formally known as craptasticycler
http://app.strava.com/athletes/craptasticycler

The first big climb is the worst/best depending on what you like. The last few miles of hilly neighborhood roads after the 56 bike path and back to the start were painful, but that was probably due to distance since it was at the end of the 104 miler. Not sure if the 50 miler goes on Hwy 78, but that section and the cruise through Esco can be kind of hairy with the traffic and the shitty road conditions. I liked the descent down Bandy Canyon Road, swoopy fun!

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"We'll ride it until they pave it."

-Big Clyde

I'll vote for worst since I really don't like climbing. My one climb up the poway grade with the road bike was not what I'd call fast (214 of 229 on strava, so yeah basically I suck), but I was never in danger of having to stop and rest either. My bike came with a 12-30 cassette / compact crank but I still find myself looking for more gears on things like the climb up into sycamore right before you pass under scripps poway bridge. Should be a fun ride though.

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the rider formally known as craptasticycler
http://app.strava.com/athletes/craptasticycler

You will do great. I am riding the 100. I just hope it does to get too hot like it was on the Freedom 50 a couple of weeks ago. I hate the heat!

Ron W from strava right? Hopefully with the 50 I should be finishing up before it starts getting too hot - I'm not brave enough to even consider a century yet.

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the rider formally known as craptasticycler
http://app.strava.com/athletes/craptasticycler

Yes the very same Ron W

You would think Poway guys could handle the heat

TdP was always one of my favorite road rides. A kick ass climb to start and some really fast downhills. That wind through the horse stables always seemed to demoralize folks.

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A mountain biker who doesn't ride road has no legs
A road biker who doesn't ride mountain has no soul

I've ridden what i call TdP 50 Reversed a couple times. I cheat by going the 100 miler backwards tru the Rancho Santa Fe's stables until you meet Del Dios hyw S6. That's just a tad over 25 miles. Then I turn around and follow the course back into Poway. Almost every rider is finished by then, so I'm not totally moochin'. Plus I usually catch a breather on the way back at a little deli in RSF.
Riding my old mtb w hybrid tires.
No glory other personal satisfaction, I couldn't do Poway grade with out stopping like a geek. And I'm poor.

That's some good mileage on a MTB Val! And I wouldn't want to do the Poway Grade on a mtb either, no matter how old or new it was

I've always seen the riders the day of the TdP and thought "gee I should have ridden that". This year after buying the road bike enough other people said "gee you should ride that" that I decided to actually do it. Have a small group of people from work to ride with, thinking it should be a good time.

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the rider formally known as craptasticycler
http://app.strava.com/athletes/craptasticycler

All done, did the 50 with no drama in our group. Was right behind a rider who went down at about 30mph at the top of the 78 coming out of Ramona. He was out cold bleeding in the road for the 10 mins we were there, I heard he was at least conscious by the time the ambulance arrived though. Freaked me out for the rest of the ride, but still other than that it was a great time.

Wishing that guy a speedy recovery whoever he was...

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the rider formally known as craptasticycler
http://app.strava.com/athletes/craptasticycler

Congrats.

And riding in a pack can be a bit sketchy. Healing vibe to the injured rider. Road crashes are tough, Its like jumping out of your car at 30 mph in your bathing suit.

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"Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and
feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize
fishing is stupid and boring."
--Desmond Tutu

Sounds like it wasn't as bad as it looked, got email back from TdP organizer:

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the rider formally known as craptasticycler
http://app.strava.com/athletes/craptasticycler