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Miss Mary
VB Team Member
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Posted: Thu Apr 19th, 2007 07:26 pm |
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Hey Everyone,
I know it's still 3 months away, but the campsites go fast and TWW & VB will be camping together again this year, so we're trying to get a head start on the organizing.
I need to know how many people are THINKING of going to D-ville. This does not have to be a definite yes. I just need to figure out how many sites to hold (we can always realease them later.)
SO if you have any inclination of D-ville and would like to camp with the best group ever, let me know!
I will need to know how big your personal group might be. (ie: I'm gonna hold a space that will accomodate myself, my significant other, & 2 more people I might later decide to invite).
We'll probably reserve space around May 1st, so please let me know. (Even if the percentage of you actually going is like 25%, I'd like to know!!!)
-mm
Last edited on Thu Apr 19th, 2007 10:25 am by Miss Mary
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jeninsb
Administrator
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 03:56 pm |
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Both days, me and John 
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disco piper
VB Team Member
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Posted: Sun Apr 22nd, 2007 08:36 pm |
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Hey MM-
I'm about 90% sure I will be there, most likely just Friday nite b/c I may have to start the drive back to CO after the race - ugh! I also voted on the TWW poll, so don't count me twice. And I will have a "+1" again this year.
Thanks! P
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MightyMo
Member
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Posted: Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 10:25 pm |
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hi Miss Mary-- I too, voted directly on the TWW poll but wanted to at least let you/the team know via the Bella Boards that I'll be going as well!
will I see you there?
cheers! Mo
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Bella Loca
VB Team Member
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Posted: Tue Apr 24th, 2007 03:19 am |
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Which campground are you thinking you will stay at? My favorite campground is Wild Plum. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that all of the campgrounds in the area are first come first serve and don't take reservations. At least according to these two websites.
http://www.yubaexpeditions.com/downieville/accomm/accomm.dvl.html
http://www.sierracity.com/Stay/Camping.html
The best way to have a large group camp together is probably to have several different cars arrive on Thursday or early Friday and pay for adjacent campsites for the weekend.
Matt is going to be there for certain - I wonder if he's going to be able to keep himself out of trouble if I'm not there to chaperone?! There are some really great road stage races up north that conflict with D-Ville this year. I'll have to decide later...
Sarah
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Miss Mary
VB Team Member
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Posted: Tue Apr 24th, 2007 04:55 am |
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Thanks Sarah...
We (TWW & I) aleady knew about the no reservations, but are coordinating a few people to get there to save spots. I want to keep the poll going to see how many spots we need to save.
so if there is anyone interested in getting there early, let me know.
we're working on trying to get a group at wild plum, more info to come later as we get closer to the date.
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Pizie
VB Team Member
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Posted: Tue May 8th, 2007 04:17 pm |
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Miss Mary:
Did you get me? I'll also be volunteering so I might be camping out at the school but I'll know more as we get closer to that date.
Hey Mo: I registered for the cross country and I hear it's a b*tch of a climb to the top. I've basically been off the bike out since my accident last year and just got back. Any suggestions on how to train for this race?
Cynthia~
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MightyMo
Member
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Posted: Wed May 9th, 2007 05:57 pm |
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great question, Cynthia. It IS a bitch of a climb. When I raced it two years ago when I was in shape (versus last year, when I wasn't training at all), my goal was to make it to the top of the climb under 2 hours (I did it in 1:40). If memory serves, we're about the same fitness, so that should give you an idea of how long you'll be climbing for.
My advice for training (others might have different suggestions)...
1. climb Nisene Marks all the way to Santa Rosalita to get an idea of what a loooong mtb climb feels like. it's hard to get that feeling on other dirt climbs in the area. while Nisene Marks is a big fireroad, once you pass Sand Point, it gets more difficult in regards to technical traction, and this is a good gauge of the DVille climb. Climbing out of Skegg's is similiar, but considerably shorter in terms of distance and time.
2. moderate hill repeats (Nisene Marks is a good place for this too). these help you with endurance climbing. 17 minutes at about 75-85% of your max HR. fully recover for 10 minutes (easy spinning) in between sets. repeat two times to start (so 20-30 minute warm-up-17 min on-10 minutes rest-17 min on-- spin home), ramping up to three times once you get used to it. i'd do this once to twice a week for at least a month to see results.
Really it comes down to getting in as much long sustained climbing as you can on the dirt between now and then. I'd also squeeze in a couple long road rides at base pace (ie, Pescadero or Mt. Hamilton/Diablo) if you can, just to get your endurance back up, since this race is very much about endurance... especially since once you get to the top, after climbing for almost 2 hours, you have to get DOWN, and with Downieville as technical as it is, that's a tiring exercise in and of itself. (i've actually cramped both times i've raced this on the downhill portion of the race, and not the uphill portion.)
does this help? others might have more to add.
cheers! Mo
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jeninsb
Administrator
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Posted: Wed May 9th, 2007 11:25 pm |
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Tell me more about this climby climb. Is it single track all the way? Techie like say, rocky and bumpy? Some fire road, some techie?
Thanks 
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velobella
Administrator
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Posted: Wed May 9th, 2007 11:35 pm |
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| you also might want to add some extended climbing or climbing intervals in the heat. The climb at Dville doesnt have a speck of shade. I think Kennedy on a warm day is a good substitute.
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velobella
Administrator
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Posted: Wed May 9th, 2007 11:37 pm |
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jeninsb wrote: Tell me more about this climby climb. Is it single track all the way? Techie like say, rocky and bumpy? Some fire road, some techie?
Thanks
All fireroad. But it can get scrabbly enough that there is only one good line.
It ranges from hardpack to loose scrubble and all in between. For some reason, it seems to get scrubblier where it gets steeper.
Not at all technical.
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MightyMo
Member
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Posted: Wed May 9th, 2007 11:47 pm |
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it looks like this:
and then it turns into this:
Basically, it's long, hot and exposed. It's hard because you climb for DAYS on the exposed fireroad with the sun beating down on you, so that you're feeling it by the time you hit the technical section, which consists of rocks and lots and lots of shale. In the lower ranks, you get screwed because people stop to walk smack in middle of the one and only good line that exists in a couple sections. Looking back, I think the best way to conquer this is to be prepared to spin like crazy instead of powering through these sections... you have to be able to spin through the shale around people and climb at the same time. Sun. Hot.
But it's not really singletrack. You don't hit the singletrack climb until 2/3 of the way through the downhill section.
Does this help?
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jeninsb
Administrator
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Posted: Thu May 10th, 2007 12:17 am |
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Awesome! Yes, the pics help most excellently. We actually have something a little like this here, though not as long. Looks like some up and overs in my future. Woot!
Shale. Yum. Agree that spinning usually works best for shale.
It looks truly beautiful. Can't wait!
Last edited on Thu May 10th, 2007 12:19 am by jeninsb
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Barbarella
VB Team Member
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Posted: Thu May 10th, 2007 01:08 am |
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How do I vote in the Poll?
Josh and I plan on being there and I can provide little camping stoves to cook on
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Pizie
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Posted: Thu May 10th, 2007 01:22 am |
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Thanks Mo:
But is it as steep as Kennedy or more like the climb out of Demo? Kennedy is pretty steep but has some areas where it flattens out.
I guess I better continue on my road bike up Montabello Road. Augh...
Thanks, its a great help.
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velobella
Administrator
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Posted: Thu May 10th, 2007 04:33 am |
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Pizie wrote: Thanks Mo:
But is it as steep as Kennedy or more like the climb out of Demo? Kennedy is pretty steep but has some areas where it flattens out.
I guess I better continue on my road bike up Montabello Road. Augh...
Thanks, its a great help.
It is steep like Kennedy
some more, some less
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jeninsb
Administrator
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Posted: Sun Jul 8th, 2007 06:55 pm |
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Just bumpin' this up since Dville is next week.
Are we on?
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Pizie
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Posted: Sun Jul 8th, 2007 08:50 pm |
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No~
Did you have any issues with altitude sickness out there? I've been out there twice to try and pre-ride and both times I got altitude sickness. I've never had an issue like that before. I'm trying to figure out what Im doing wrong. Any suggestions?
Cynthia~
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jeninsb
Administrator
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Posted: Sun Jul 8th, 2007 11:35 pm |
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Ack. I've never been there, so I'm not sure what might be different about it than anywhere else, though I've raced at altitude - with varying degrees of success and failure - a fair amount. The start for Dville is 5000 or so, right?
Is it fatigue or are you blowing up? Are you getting enough salt? And water? For me, the first day at altitude I blow up constantly, partly just from sitting in the car. So if I'm trying to race, I need to get there the day before and spin around some, do one hard effort. Then, I'm usually ok for the thin air thing, except to peg the effort a bit lower. I find that I have to be extra vigilant on the salt and fluid intake, especially the salts. I usually the day before make sure to eat extra salt - salty snacks, salt the pasta, some elctrolyte-type fluids, etc. Extra fluids and salt the day of also. If you're driving out there, are you maybe not getting enough fluid-eloctrolyte in you? I'm not sure the fatigue from the altitude should be hitting you right away - it usually takes a day or two for me, though everyone is different.
LOL, maybe someone who's actually been there can help more 
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Pizie
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Posted: Mon Jul 9th, 2007 02:19 pm |
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Mo~
Did you have any issues with altitude sickness out there? I've been out there twice to try and pre-ride and both times I got altitude sickness. I've never had an issue like that before. I'm trying to figure out what Im doing wrong. Any suggestions?
Cynthia~
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Pizie
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Posted: Mon Jul 9th, 2007 02:20 pm |
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| Sorry for the confusion, my question was for "Mo", not "No". Augh...
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yentna
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Posted: Mon Jul 9th, 2007 05:59 pm |
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Sounds like you are all going to have a great time! Wish I could be there  - slay some trails for me!
Hugs to all.....
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MightyMo
Member
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Posted: Mon Jul 9th, 2007 11:29 pm |
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Pizie wrote: Mo~
Did you have any issues with altitude sickness out there? I've been out there twice to try and pre-ride and both times I got altitude sickness. I've never had an issue like that before. I'm trying to figure out what Im doing wrong. Any suggestions?
Cynthia~
What kind of altitude sickness are you having? I have lots of experience with it, in various forms--- for backpacking above 9,000', I've gotten really nauseous, for camping in Tahoe, I get consistent headaches, and then this past week in DVille, I got to the top of the climb and even though I didn't work super hard getting up, I was absolutely fatigued and just wanted to go to sleep.
The DVille race course starts at around 3,000' and tops out at 7,500', so a lot of the above apply. Hydration before and after is especially important because the altitude makes you pee out all your low altitude oxygen rich stuff. So start drinking a lot on Thursday and Friday if you plan to race on Saturday. I also kind of take a steady stream of 2 Advil to keep the headaches away, which helps (although I'm not sure this is the best strategy).
Also, my coach told me it's better to show up late Friday and race Saturday morning since that way your body doesn't have enough time to pee out all that low altitude good stuff-- versus showing up Thursday or Friday to acclimatize-- it's just not enough time (you typically need at least 3 days... I think-- I started to feel normal this past week in Tahoe on Wednesday, and we showed up on Sunday, so I guess 4 days).
It might be worth starting another thread about racing at altitude in the training section? Hope this helps!
Mo
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