Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride 9/24/11

As planned, my husband and I participated in our second Rosarito to Ensenada Bike Ride on September 24, 2011.  I should start by stating that I am not a cyclist.  I own a Specialized Expedition Mountain bike, its a great bike and its easy to ride...when I actually ride it.  In fact the only reason we own bikes was in order to participate in this ride in 2010.  It’s the only ride we do, and the only one we will probably ever do.  The plus is it forces me to get in shape to train and is another great reason to take a weekend trip down to Baja, our favorite vacation spot.  They say that casual riders will finish in around 4 hours and I believe that is true.  I am still far from a casual rider.  The only time I get on my bike is when I am working toward another ride, but hopefully this ride has gotten me into a better mindset where I will not stop training now that its over and I have the Cinco De Mayo ride already to look forward to.

As stated in an earlier blog, we had decided to stay in Rosarito this time, for a myriad of reasons, the most important being the two hotels we stay at in Ensenada (Coral and Punto Morro) were both already booked 60 days in advance of the ride. 

After a lot of researching we decided the Rosarito Beach Hotel would be our best bet for Rosarito.  Neither of us have actually stayed in Rosarito, but since this hotel is where the ride starts it seemed easy enough to roll out of bed and be right there for the ride.  Which it was.

We stayed in the New Pacifico "condo" Tower, and we actually got an amazing rate.  Instead of booking online we called the hotel and asked about the bike ride package.  We saved about $80 (US) off the price of the room plus got free dinner for each of the nights we were staying at the hotel.  We also received a spa discount which we never found time to use :-(.


We had a master suite, and its a bit small (remember I am comparing to the size of the rooms I am used to at Coral and Punta Morro) but its quite nice, clean and has amazing views.  It actually reminded me of the rooms I used to stay in at "Twelve Hotel" in midtown Atlanta.  It had a full mini kitchen, small seating area, separate-ish bedroom and a nicely appointed bathroom.  The hotel felt very secure, the pools were nice (but unheated, and not lit at night), and the food was basically acceptable (it was free so I can't complain).


The one thing I missed is at Hotel Coral they take all bikes and lock them in a conference room so they don't take up space in the hotel room, and they don’t dirty up the common areas.  This was not an option at the Rosarito Beach Hotel so we had to bring our bikes into the already small room.  There were also no chairs on our nor most of the balconies.

We woke early on ride day and it was very nice to have the ability to not have to rush to catch the shuttle into town.  We finally left the room around 9am to go to Pancake Republic (the only place we ever eat breakfast in Rosarito) for some pancakes.  Then we went back to the room to get our bikes and stretched and set up for the ride.


It was very busy at the starting line and although I have read reports from others that there seemed to be more Americans than locals over previous years, for me with my only other experience being the 4/17/10 ride, I would beg to differ.  I definitely felt in the minority although it made no difference, everyone is very nice, and riders are all just there to have a good ride and some fun.


The start went off at exactly 10am, and although still difficult due to the amount of riders, I was able to start riding right at the start line, with less chaos than our previous ride, and It thinned out rather quickly.

Although most of the course is closed except to immediate local traffic, there were a couple hills in the beginning that were down to one lane with a lot of stopped traffic and police escorts.  Exhaust wasn't an issue, but it was at times quite cramped.  We don't go fast on this part anyway because we bring candy to throw out to the local kids so its a slow start but well worth it to see the smiles on their faces.

We arrived at the 16 mile checkpoint a little over an hour after the start, got a quick drink and continued on.

Now as flat as the ride looks from the elevation map, there really isn’t any part of the ride that is truly flat with the exception of the last 8 miles or so.  The hills are not huge, but they are there.  Our goal of training specifically training on hills at home really helped.  I don’t think we made up any time from our first ride, but it was definitely an easier ride than last time.

Once you get to the overpass to go under the toll road, there is a small hill left before a nice downhill into La Mission, where you will encounter El Tigre. 

I don't think my husband or I were really concerned about El Tigre this ride.  We walked almost the whole hill last ride and we had been training specifically to ride it this time.  Its a long hill but only a few sections are actually that steep.  At the end of the day, hubby rode it without stopping, I stopped 5 times but did not walk any of it.  It took me 28 minutes to ride it (including stops).  It took us 36 minutes to walk it in 2010.  So really if you are just a casual rider, you don't lose much by walking, but for us it was a goal that we had to reach.

At the top of El Tigre you go through a chute where they check your numbers, I was quite thankful it was less busy and we were able to ride through versus walking.  Perhaps it was timing, but either way it was nice.  There are two small hills after the chute and then you are up to the mesa...which again is anything but flat.  I tracked the ride on Google Earth and basically you go from 700 feet at the chute to almost 1,100 feet at the top of Santa Rosa (the second hill).  The thing is, you go up 100 feet back down 60, up 80 back down 20.  So there is never really full recovery time after a small climb.  Again its not the end of the world, but the mesa for me is where the ride really sets in and the term "moderately difficult" really comes into play.

Training on hills really is the only way to get through this part.  Its also much warmer up on the mesa, but luckily we had a fabulous cross wind that made it quite enjoyable.  We also reapplied sunblock at this point.  Sunblock is your friend on this ride...and remember the top of your legs!

Once you get to the end of the Mesa you will pass what I have heard called mile 32, or the biker bar.  Now on Friday night my husband and I met some really cool guys from Orange County at Papas & Beer: Sonny, Dana and "Primo".  They have been doing the ride for some time (20 years for Sonny), and I know they originally passed us around mile 15 because I saw them go by, but I assume from talking to them about the biker bar we passed them at mile 32.  Either way, I know a lot of people stop here for a beer.  I should be so lucky to have the endurance to stop and drink and still make it up Santa Rosa!  Maybe someday!

After the biker bar, is what is in my opinion the hardest part of the ride.  El Tigre has got nothing on Santa Rosa.  Maybe its because you are already 32 miles in and have climbed so many small hills, maybe its because you know its the last big hill and you are home free, maybe its just because you can see the hill coming from so freaking far back.  Whatever it is, Santa Rosa ended up being a half walk hill for us, no shame, its freaking steep, long, hubby had really bad cramps and I was tired.

Now once you get to the top of the second smaller hill and you see the blue building on the right, you can pretty much breath a sigh of relief.  There are still two tiny hills before the downhill but at this point they are  cake.

The downhill is amazing, and luckily I didn't see anyone down this time.  I somehow got a shoelace stuck in my chain but I was able to stop without completely eating it (thankfully).  We made a quick stop at the 42 mile checkpoint before heading back to join the toll road on our final journey into Ensenada.

The last 7 or so miles into town are really the best for me.  Its mostly flat and the couple of tiny hills are nothing.  To look out in the distance and know that the fiesta awaits makes it a very easy ride.

Our actual start to finish line time was 5 hours and 9 minutes, but actual ride time was 4 hours 39 minutes.  We had a few stops for one reason or another but its really not about the time, its about the enjoying the journey.  Although I have no other events to compare this ride to, I have to believe it is the best event of its kind.  This is not a race, its a weekend of making new friends, seeing the amazing Baja coast and proving to yourself that you are stronger than you think.  In our previous ride there was a point where I looked at my husband and I said "never again".  That was something I never came across this time.  Similar to child birth, once its over you forget how hard it was and really only reflect on what an amazing feat you have accomplished; along with a few thousand of your newest friends. 

I want to thank the people at Paseo Ciclista Rosarito Ensenada  for running such a smooth event, from the registration to medals, the fiesta to the affordable prices.  This is an event that really anyone can participate in as long as you have the will, there is a way. 

"Do or Do Not, there is no try" - Yoda

Hasta el Cinco De Mayo, 2012!

The Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride and Training

With 18ish days to go until the next Rosarito to Ensenada Fun ride I though I would get down my experience from my last ride so I have something to compare it to after the next.

 

Training for the April 17, 2010 ride

            In November 2009 my husband bought me a bicycle, a used Specialized Expedition off Craigs List.  He and I had talked about doing the Rosarito Ensenada Fun Ride http://www.rosaritoensenada.org/ for several years and my one complaint was that I would not commit to a ride until I actually had a bike and had the opportunity to train.  So, I had a bike, and I needed to remember how to ride it and then figure out a plan to train for the April 17, 2010 event.

            I remember the first solo ride on my bike, a small patch of bike path in Canyon Country CA.  I think I rode about six or eight miles and I was exhausted, I felt there was no way I would ever make 50 miles.  So that was my goal, to ride and ride till I could ride 50 miles.  By mid January I had done an eighteen-mile ride across the Santa Clarita Valley and I was quite proud of myself, it was basically flat, but a long ride.  However by February, my babysitters for my son had to leave town and I was stuck with finding a new option.

            I joined a gym and took up spinning…I REALLY HATE spinning.  Although at the end of the day it probably saved my ass to get me through the ride.  Spinning is definitely great for building endurance, and even though I never did a street ride longer than about 23 miles before the 4/17 ride, I felt I had built up the endurance needed.  I was mentally ready to ride fifty miles.

The Day of the Ride 4/17/10

            We made the decision to drive the route on the free road on our journey from Rosarito to Ensenada to get a better idea of what the ride would really be and to see the shape the road was in as there had been rumors they would be is disrepair.  I think seeing it before hand was a blessing, first we saw work crews out working very hard to get the potholes fixed and we had a better idea of what the hills (and I don’t mean El Tigre) were really all about.

Road Repairs

El Tigre

I woke early the morning of the ride.  We had made to decision to stay in Ensenada because that’s where we are comfortable (vacationing as a couple there annually for at least 10 years).  After a morning stretch, and being told by hotel officials that they were unable to arrange transportation to the shuttles we rode our bikes from Coral Hotel into Ensenada to catch our shuttle to Rosarito.  It was only a few miles and actually felt good to get in a quick ride in the morning air.

We got on a shuttle rather quickly, however it would not be a quick trip.  First our shuttle driver stopped at the OXXO right before the end of town, to uh….pick up a cell phone from some guy and do who knows what else.  The wait was about ten minutes at this stop.  Then, get this….he drove to Coral to pick up a couple that were staying there, yeah the same Hotel we rode into town from. So we had to wait for him to load them, PLUS a guy on our van had to go restroom so we had to wait for him. 

Finally back on the road, the driver drove at a snails pace through the toll and up to Roasrito.  Upon arriving in Rosarito, the shuttle exited the toll road at Blvd. Bento Jaurez/Blvd. Guerrero.  He crosses over the freeway, makes a U-Turn and parks in front of the McDonalds and pulls over and stops.  He then tells us this is where he is dropping us off.  We must be at least 1.5 miles from the Rosarito Beach Hotel and the starting line.  Everyone on the shuttle was dumbfounded, but really what could we do?  It was 9:15am, the race started soon and hubby and I still hadn’t eaten.  So once again, we rode…

Where the Shuttle dropped us off.

We had an amazing pancake breakfast at the little restaurant at the hotel entrance and then took our bikes out to join a pack of 4000+ riders for the start of the event.

Rosarito To Ensenada Fun Ride 4/17/10

            The street was packed with riders, from elite to average Joe’s like me.  At 10am, we were off.  The first part of the ride is basically flat with some minor hills and descents, but nothing too major.  The streets are lines with locals cheering you on and luckily hubby did bring candy to toss out to the kids lining the streets.  Really the hardest part of the start is the number of riders, and those at a faster pace trying to get around and break out from the pack.  I do not recommend listing to music on this part of the ride, you are too packed together and need to be able to hear and move over for those that are passing.  Allowing those to pass will help thin out the pack and make it a much more enjoyable ride.

            There are a couple small climbs before you turn in and go over the toll road to head inland.  They are completely doable; I really paced myself here because I knew there were much harder things to come.  After turning inland you pass over a bridge and then through a town; this is it, El Tigre awaits at the end of town.  My training for distance did not pay off.  My endurance could not handle the length of the climb and we walked a majority of this hill.  In retrospect I could have probably pushed myself harder but choose to give in to the easy route of walking (which was probably actually harder and MUCH longer).

Base of El Tigre

The view from the top of El Tigre (yes you started down there at the bottom)

            After El Tigre there is a series of hills and flats.  At least three of the hills are a bit of a challenge, especially since you are already tired.  On the 2^nd of the hills there is a photo area where they will take your picture when you ride pass.  Yeah I know great right, but it makes sense because it thins out the pack so they can photograph everyone.  On you get to a blue house on the right side of the road at the top of a hill you can breath a sigh of relief.  Its about 32 miles in and at least for me, the ride was done, Finishing was no longer a question it would be a reality.

The "Flat" Mesa

More Hills

            Eight miles of exhilarating downhill (and dangerous, we saw more than one go down hard) and you are back connecting with the toll road on the outskirts of Ensenada.  At this point I was ready to break out and go full force, but we kept a moderate pace and at 5 hours 31 minutes we crossed the finish line together.  We had no time goal, just a goal to finish, and we did.  More importantly we leaned a lot.

Here is the video I made of the 4/17/10 ride

Training for the September 24, 2011 Ride

            In the beginning of August 2011 we made the decision that we would once again take on the task of this ride.  However my training plan is different, hills, hills and more hills.  I know I can ride flats till I turn blue in the face; flats are easy.  My goal is to ride the hills, not walk, but ride.   I really doubt I will ride more than 16 miles straight in my training this year but I have already made it up hills near my home that I never could have before the 2010 ride.  Hopefully, this difference in training will get us through the hills and have more time for the fiesta.

            To be Continued, until 9/24/11……..