Patterson Pass RR

With all the sandbaggin' expert-class mountain bike racers who'll
inevitably show up, you'll always have some fit guys, even in a Cat 5
race.

In article <[email hidden]>, JS

Quoted message said:

I'm in SoCal where the road racing has come to an end and was
contemplating going up to Livermore this weekend to do this race.

I haven't raced at all this year (recovering from a separated shoulder)
and was wondering if I should even attempt this race. I'm thinking of
entering the Cat5 race and was wondering if I'll get my butt kicked
even there. Anybody have some experience as to how difficult this race
is?

You can expect high Temps. and Strong headwinds on the major climb that
starts just after the start. There is a real steep section near the top
of the major climb. All the climbing is in the first 1/3 of the lap
giving riders plenty of time to chase back on just in time to get
dropped on the major climb again 🙂 You don't get many large groups
finishing together in the race.

Haven't done since 1983 (live in TX now). I think Eric Hieiden won it that
year or the year before, so a big guy can win it, out of form, think not..

I remember on the steep climb as eluded to in the previous post, there is a
false summit which makes it a psychological [censored]. After the false summit
it kicks up for another 250 yards or so.

Also, don't know if SF still uses it for a land fill, the smell use to be
pretty bad with a lot of transfer trucks bringing in more trash.

Good luck

"Casey Kerrigan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, JS

Quoted message said:

I'm in SoCal where the road racing has come to an end and was
contemplating going up to Livermore this weekend to do this race.

I haven't raced at all this year (recovering from a separated shoulder)
and was wondering if I should even attempt this race. I'm thinking of
entering the Cat5 race and was wondering if I'll get my butt kicked
even there. Anybody have some experience as to how difficult this race
is?

You can expect high Temps. and Strong headwinds on the major climb that
starts just after the start. There is a real steep section near the top
of the major climb. All the climbing is in the first 1/3 of the lap
giving riders plenty of time to chase back on just in time to get
dropped on the major climb again 🙂 You don't get many large groups
finishing together in the race.

Quoted message said:

I'm in SoCal where the road racing has come to an end and was
contemplating going up to Livermore this weekend to do this race.

I haven't raced at all this year (recovering from a separated shoulder)
and was wondering if I should even attempt this race. I'm thinking of
entering the Cat5 race and was wondering if I'll get my butt kicked
even there. Anybody have some experience as to how difficult this race
is?

Patterson Pass is *nasty!* If run counter-clockwise, there's a false summit
on the climb, and you swear you must have passed it and not noticed, and
what's ahead is the real thing. Then as you come over "the real thing" you
notice THE REAL THING. I remember one year, as a junior (back in the
mid-70s) and we come over the false summit and see some of the Sr Men Cat-1
having to zig zag, and one even walk up the final climb, because they were
way undergeared. However, I believe they'll be running the race clockwise,
which means you'll have one of the all-time great descents into the finish
line.

Here's a description of my return 30 years later-
http://www.chainreaction.com/crazy.htm. Makes for fun reading.

There are also some photos of Patterson Pass Road on this page-
http://www.chainreaction.com/Pattersonpass.htm (although the route described
isn't the usual for Patterson Pass road race, which typically includes Coral
Hollow Road, not Altamont Pass).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Times have changed as you well know Mike. Now you can get real gears
and there isn't nearly as much stigma to riding the correct gear
instead of being macho and riding up Patterson Pass's final 10% grade
in a 42/19.

In my highest geared bike I'm now running a 38-27 and turning in times
on nasty climbs that are better than my best from 15 years ago. Hell,
even my crit bike has a 26 on it now.