Saturday morning high mountains

[Josh.E]

I can't race this sunday, so I was thinking I'd like to do something epic on Saturday morning.
I'm going to head out over the malahat to shawnigan lake, then do a climb I've heard about up to a suburb that's going in there. It ends up being 496m vertical from mill bay to the top of the climb.

The whole ride will be 106km door to door with 1700m of ascent (and 1700m of decent)
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Vi ... -Mountains
You can go to show->elevation profile in the upper left corner to have a look

I'm going to head out around 6AM usual. Anybody out there interested in joining me?

Josh

[bill]

Please take some pretty pictures. Will miss ya on Sunday

[sylvan]

Got any takers on this? It sounds sketchy, but epic, too. I might be in. 6 am where? One of the Bucky's?

The cool thing is that 500m elevation point. You don't really get that anywhere around here on pavement. It's not Haleakala or Ventoux, but it's 150m more than the malahat, so that has to be good.

Apparently this is the place here: http://www.goldstreamheights.com/

[Josh.E]

I'll be at the starbucks on douglas and alpha (across from mayfair mall, just off the goose) by 6AM if you decide you want to give 'er a go. I think that one opens early. If you decide not no worries either.

I figure it'll be just getting light out by the time we get to the malahat. Probably will get to see the sun coming up as we climb, so make sure you've got good lights on the bike.

Anybody else out there I can talk into this?

cheers
Josh

[Brian S]

Apparently this is the place here: http://www.goldstreamheights.com/

Nice place but where do you go to get groceries at 10 o'clock at night? Looks like a nice add on to the 'hat. Some other time Josh--I would be in, but I am in Vancouver tomorrow and not back 'til Saturday.

[leftcoaster]

Hey Josh - I'll meet you there at 6:00 but my better half is in the last week of a class at 9:00a.m. so I'll turn back at about 7:15.

Alternately, we could start even earlier, but the Malahat would still be dark and my lights are ok, but not great.

- David B

[glenowyn]

I can't make it tomorow.
I'm working overtime tonight. So sorry I won't be able to make it.

[leftcoaster]

If it's not raining....

- David B

[Josh.E]

http://connect.garmin.com/player/28192242

Well, that was epic.
After going up the Malahat with David, He had to turn and head for home, so I continued down the other side to mill nay, then over to Shawnigan Lake.
From there, the climbing starts, I'm sure many of you have done the climb out from shawnigan lake up the side of the Malahat. Right before you get to the railroad tracks you turn right, and keep climbing, turn left into goldstream estates, and keep climbing, and climbing. The grade gradually increases as you get higher, 7%, 8%, 10%. The road is wide and newly paved. It's an awesome climb, the last pitch is a solid 10-11% for probably 2 or 3 km. It reminded me a lot of the road to washington, but with no traffic. After you get to the top, you go down for a bit, and then there's a super steep little 1km or so road up to the end. That section was STEEP, a solid 15-16% the entire way. I was out of the saddle doing maybe 6km/h, and it hurt.

Any way, great ride 4 hours 10 minutes in the saddle and 110km total distance. The view at the top is awesome, you can see the entire saanich inlet. I highly recommend it.

Josh

[Josh.E]

The road to the first summit.

[Brian S]

Nice--I will have to give that a try. Here is my Saturday. I don't think an iPhone and mapmyride quite captures the detail, there was lots of 12%+ stuff in West Van. I strongly suggest to those "going to Italy" guys that Cypress is a great climb. Steady 6-7% for 13 km, tops out at around 900 m, and you can do it right from sea level with a bit of planning. I am over working in Vancouver a couple more times before I head to Italy in May, and will try to get up there. Company will be appreciated, and I will post dates.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/canada/bc ... 3804715415