* Weather looks great for Sunday. Overcast will keep morning temps mild, and temps cool all day for great riding. Fingers crossed for great bay views the ride is known for.
• Please carpool or ride to the start if you can. If you BART, get off at El Cerrito Plaza, and head north to Moeser Lane, turn right and continue to Pomona Ave.
* Please be ready to ride 5 minutes before start time for your group. We start "on time." We will have a rider meeting for all groups, I will be there for Nifty Lite/B group start and A group start. Elite group will be small, and I will be gone. You guys are on your own and can take care of yourselves. Josh Dapice, Clark Foy, and Tim Clark will likely co-lead this group.
* Bring food at the start for up to 3 hours. A stocked, self serve rest stop at half way point, about mile 25. Bring money for coffee and pastry at Peet's Domingo after climb 9, before the final climb to the finish on Vollmer Peak.
* A voluntary donation of $5 is requested to cover costs. Please find me and make your donation. I will be wearing a Marc Pro - Strava vest and Red SRAM baseball cap. Some of my teammates will be there. Don't confuse them with me. They're thieves! :-)
* Bring low gears and a positive attitude. If you know the roads, lend a helping hand to others so they can find their way.
* Guides will wait a short time at the top of climbs. This is NOT a "No Drop" ride. If you fall behind, the guide will continue on with the group. Print out the route sheet and/or upload the route to your Garmin so that you can find your own way in a pinch. If you expect to be one of the slower riders in your group, the ability to self navigate may be crucial.
* I am expecting a large group this year. Please fuel up at the rest stop, drink up, fill your bottles, and take just one or two snacks in your pocket for the next climbs so that others have enough treats to stay fueled. You'll stop again at Peet's Domingo within 1-2 hours.
* Upload your data to Strava and I will post results for KOM on Marin and the final climb up to Vollmer peak. I will also track overall moving time for the entire course. But... it's not a race.
* Please ride safely, obey all traffic laws, descend at a sensible pace, wear a helmet, and do not do anything that might jeopardize the ride going forward.
* We will meet at Lanesplitter, in Berkeley, San Pablo Ave near University after the ride for suds and Pizza. 5 PM approximately.
Your Guides!
.JPG) |
| Guides (l to r), "Elite" Josh Dapice, "B" Gaston MacMillan, "A" Paul McKenzie on a training ride |
The latest, greatest, course download for the
Nifty Ten Fifty 2013
The Nifty Lite 2013
These courses include a few very minor changes, nothing to worry about. Print out a route sheet or upload to your Garmin and follow.
At the ride link, go to "Export," output a .tcx file, then upload to your Garmin by placing the .tcx file in the "New Files" folder of your Garmin device (DO NOT load the file into the "Courses" folder. Be sure to properly eject your Garmin or the file won't stick). Then you can follow with your Garmin. If you are old school, just print out a route sheet. Actually, print out a route sheet either way. I will no longer be providing route sheets at the start.
The NTF is scheduled for April 7, 2013, always the first Sunday in April. Start times will be:
"B" Group and Nifty Lite: 8:30 A.M.
"A" Group: 9:00 A.M.
"Elite" Group 9:30 A.M.
Where: Cerrito Vista Park
Moeser Ln. and Pomona Ave., El Cerrito, CA.
Park at the South end of the diagonal parking area, about 100 Meters from the corner.
Please scroll down to read much more info about the Nifty, and please do read the FAQ section.
Check out the Nifty Ten Fifty Film by Chris Leavell if you have not already done so.
As you can see, I will be adding an "Elite" group, for super strong Cat 2 or better riders. This group will likely be lead by one of, or all of, the following riders.
Josh Dapice
Clark Foy
Tim Clark
Christopher "HD" Harland-Dunaway
I will be leading the "A" group as usual. There will also be the usual "B" group, led by Gaston MacMillan this year, and the "Nifty Lite" led by Bill Dunn. Scroll down below for more information on which group you should join, but in a nutshell:
Elite: Pro, Cat 1, Cat 2
"A": Cat 3, Strong Masters riders
"B": Cat 4, Strong, fit recreational riders
"Nifty Lite": An easier, shorter course, with a more relaxed pace
If you are not sure what group you belong in, start with a slower group and latch on to the faster group when they catch. This way you won't be dropped.
The ride is NOT a race, however the different groups allow everyone to keep moving and ride at their own comfortable, (or not so comfortable), pace. There will be KOM's on Marin and the final climb up Claremont, Grizzly, Vollmer. Data will be pulled from Strava, so be sure to upload your data. It's free, and you just need a Garmin, iPhone, or Android device.
Feel free to contact me: macpaulster@gmail.com
Cheers, Paul
Hey Paul. First BART on Sunday arrives at 8:48am. Just a heads up for those coming in from out of the East Bay.
ReplyDeleteI became aware of this issue (BART Sunday Schedule) too late in the game to change start times. Next year will double check the schedule to be sure everyone can make start times when riding BART. Many rode to the start by bicycle and I really appreciate that.
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