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(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3481140695_fdedfd8590.jpg?v=0)
Twilight Bike Rides


Open track twilight cycling nights:  July 22, Aug. 19, Sept. 16, and Oct. 14.  The cost is $10 per rider to participate.

INFO:
http://www.mazdaraceway.com/pages/bike_ride (http://www.mazdaraceway.com/pages/bike_ride)

From a cyclist perspective the smooth pavement and constant elevation changes of the track create a perfect environment to train and race on.  There is a demanding climb up the "Rahal Straight" portion of the track which makes the legs burn and tests even the most fit cyclist.  The famed "Corkscrew" section of the track is quite a thrill to descend on a bicycle and a must do for anyone who rides a bike and enjoys the sensation of gravity when cycling.  My favorite part is "Rainey Curve" named after one of my idols and possibly the best ever Moto racer of all time, county resident Wayne Rainey.  This section of the track when taken on a bicycle is tremendously fast and provides the rider with a euphoric feeling of speed and freedom on two wheels.

 
The twilight cycling series is the brainchild of SCRAMP and the Monterey County Parks Dept., as a program to bring the community together partaking in the fun and healthy recreation sport of cycling.  The racetrack will be open once a month through October for cycling with each month having a special program on tap.  This first open track session will feature a practice race using the brand new Sea Otter Classic Criterium course.  The track will be open for riding at 5: 30 p.m. The practice race which is open to all riders will start at 6:30 p.m. and will use portions of the track including turn 1, turn 11, the finishing straight, and the pit row area.  Cost to cycle for the twilight sessions is 10$, with a portion of this fee going to local charities.
 


 For more information please call our front office at 831-242-8201.

I'd love to go, but that's a long drive and an expensive motel room.  What a great opportunity to learn the track though!   [thumbsup]

Tempting! :D

Carpool from the city. I can take 4 bikes and 4 riders in my car.

About 1.5 hours SF to Track.

I thought I'd drive back after. Not thinking about a hotel, but... Ideas?

OK. This makes it a lot more feasible, so all I've got to do is figure out how to take that day off...not likely.  Paula - you gotta go with Eric.  Do eeeeet!!!! 

As much as I'd like to test out the pristine pavement on my new Sirrus, I don't think I'd make it through one lap.

I've ridden this track several times on different bicycles, including down the sloping hills next to it. [evil] I highly recommend the experience.  [thumbsup]


 

Damn, that sounds awesome.  8)

I can carry 4 bikes and passengers as well. And as soon as I get the mounts for the BMW, that'll be another 2.

Do I foresee a MOB Laguna cycling night in the future?

Paging Paaauuulllaaa, I'll drive if we can take the BMW.   [laugh]
 [moto]

Sounds like fun.  If I'm still outta work I'll do it. [thumbsup]

Such a nice offer. [roll] [laugh]

2 1/4 miles.   300 feet of climbing.
We're not talking Alpe d'Huez  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpe_d%27Huez)  [cheeky]
Uphill is a steady gradual climb, down is a very wide set of Chicanes with plently of room to ride your brakes down.
Back to turn 1 a little bump of a climb I'm guessing less than 100 feet.  Should be really easy. A beginner in moderate shape should be able to do it at their own pace. NOT a race.

Brakes ?!?! ??? Who said anything about brakes ?!?!  [evil] ;D

I think we should start getting organized to do this. How many times will you ever get to ride on Laguna for under $300?

I've got room for bikes and gear, so let me know if you're interested.

Please, take my wife.

Trying to get rid of me? [roll] [cheeky]

I'm definitely interested...as long as I am not traveling that day. [thumbsup]

I'll adjust your brakes and derailer before the ride  [thumbsup]

Just the brakes please. ;)

We'll take your wife, but we're not giving her back.

Deal!

I'm in fairly good shape, but am new to cycling and haven't cycled on any elevation. Do you think I could hang? And will my hybrid feel comfortable on this track? It sound like a inexpensive, good time!  :)

As long as you have decent gearing on your bike you should be fine.   I'm guessing your hybrid has a triple in the front?

Yes, three in the front and eight in the back. I haven't even touched the front ones. It's so flat here on the island! I'm prolly gonna go. I think the experience will be awesome.  ;D

Great! [beer]

Maria & I are definitely going. We've got room for two more in the truck. Planning on heading down late afternoon...hopefully avoiding some of the rush hour... so we can get the most track time.

Let me know if you're interested, and we can hash out the details.

Interested! :D

Hmm, my parents maaayyy be in town for the 22nd, but if they aren't I'm in.

Definitely going hell or high water. It is a possibility that we might want to go early and kick around Monterey a bit first for the hecky of it.



3 seats of 4 taken - I can get 1 bike 1 more person.
*ducnymph
*Emem
*Me

Bring them. When's the last time you got to say, 'Look Ma!'  [cheeky]

No seriously. One thing I noted being there days ago, it is one very very beautiful place to be.
I'm contemplating bringing a baguette and a basket on my bike, & maybe having a little pic nic off turn 8A.   [wine] why not?   [laugh]

Can I get a ride with someone?

I've got a 2 bike hitch rack, plus I can carry 2 bikes in the back of the 4Runner with wheels off.

@Somegirl: What's the earliest you'd want to leave? I can pick you up along the way.

Wow - I wish we could do this.  We'll be on a moto trip the 22nd.   May try to swing one of the other dates.  I've never ridden my bicycle on a track before.

Don't forget prep-cover the headlight, remove the mirrors, etc....  :P

Right now I don't have anything scheduled on that date so I can be flexible.  I'll let you know if something comes up for work though.  Thanks!

Ok. We can figure out the whens and wheres in the next week or so.

It looks like the truck is tentatively full, but I will confirm it by the end of next week if anyone else is thinking of going. If worse comes to worse, and I can score a trunk rack, I can take a passenger and bikes in the Bimmer. It is a track car, so don't expect any creature comforts. Oh, and you might want to bring your earplugs too!

O tay gang. It's getting close.

https://www.mazdaraceway.com/pages/bike_ride (https://www.mazdaraceway.com/pages/bike_ride)

Maria can't make it, because of work schedules,  so there's an open seat in the truck.

It's this  Wednesday folks! What's the roll call look like? Who still needs rides, etc? Times?

Unforutnately I have to back out. Work stuff came up and I have to be there that night. I'm planning on going to the next one. You guys have fun without me!

Still in for a ride, what time were you thinking of heading down?

Eric & I were thinking of heading down early, and just goofing around in the Monterey area until track time. Nothing in stone yet, so just let me know what works for you.

I have a meeting in SSF in the morning, so the earliest I could possibly leave would be just after noon from my place.  I'll PM you my contact info.  If that doesn't work for you guys, no biggie.

I think I'm going to have to sit this one out :-\. It's 8:10 am, and I've been awake since 2:30. Woke up with really bad back pain/spasms (I'm really getting sick of this damn back injury! [bang]). It's gotten better as the morning's gone on, but I don't know if I'll be even close to 80% by the time we ride. I'm still dialing in the fit of a new bike, and I think it was just a bit off, causing the back aggravation. Being hunched over the bars, doing 18-20mph pulls in a pace line, probably isn't the best idea right now.

There's a few hours before we're supposed to head to Monterey, so I'll update as things develop.

Sorry to hear that :( ...we could try for a different date?  Eric, what do you think?

I ended up going. It was pretty fun. I did three laps on my unicycle and decided it was enough. I wish I would have brought my bicycle to speed down the corkscrew.

ABSOLUTELY! Laguna Seca will open its gates once a month through October for bicycles! 

Aug. 19, Sept. 16, and Oct. 14.

Twilight Bike Rides
https://www.mazdaraceway.com/pages/bike_ride (https://www.mazdaraceway.com/pages/bike_ride)

I spoke with the SCAMP boys on the way out. This is the first year they've done it. It's simply a matter of finding a few SCAMP people & volunteers to come out and out the gates, have people fill out Ins. forms, etc. They are going to try to do it more as its been a lot of fun for everyone and very successful.
It's a Monterey County owned facility which has the goal of providing something for everyone.

I'm going to hit up some SF bike teams to go and host it. MOB could potentially host it as well, why not? If we get enough folks together.

Well I have to say that was one of the coolest things I've ever done.   ;D

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A totally surreal experience.
It is a universe of bicycles and only bicycles. A patch of beautiful Earth. A track all about doing whatever you want as fast as you want. No limits, no driveways, no stop signs or intersections, no wondering if road conditions will fall apart, no gravel patches, cracks, tree roots or potholes, no crazy surprises, crowned road, and off camber nuttiness, no dogs, deer, or no bean-headed cages. Its just one single continuous band of perfectly smooth tarmac wider than you could want. I never had to touch my brakes ANYWHERE on the track.

The ride on a bicycle:
The start finish is a slight up hill grade, very easy and short. Maybe 200 yards. You come over turn one, which for a bicycle is just a kink in the road that launches you down a beautifully steady decent into the double apex of turn 2. Taken with the correct line, turn two will let you continue to pick up speed going around it. I was a little amazed at how poorly most bicyclist choose their lines. However no one ever got in the way, it wasn't crowded enough. The speed of the little hill carried me through turns 4 and 5 and with a little peddling I was through the flat sections of turns 6. The back side is a slight uphill grade that you pass without a lot of effort at all and you're around 7. Leading up to the corkscrew however there is a section that is quite steep but very short. 100 yards and you're up it to the very top of the track and the top of the world.

Riding up it the right side edge of the hill disappears into the blue sky and vast valley below. We were in the Sun but the the fog was rolling into the valley below covering the texture of the farms. The track holds a little heat wave even in the cool afternoon breeze which makes it look shiny. You can see ahead up the hill a horizon with tiny figures on their bikes riding on the reflection of the brilliant light blue sky. It looks as if you ride into the heavens. A picture filled with only bicycles conquering the landscape was rather mind boggling.

A little look around at the top revels the deep green oaks on the golden hills as far as you can see. The landscape is remarkably sensual and almost figurative looking. 

The top has a little section that's pretty flat. There's some heavy black rubber marks that bounce from the rumble strips on the right to the rumble strips on the left that tell the tale of the race just weeks ago. Sitting there the track disappears out of sight to the left. Approaching it looks like a sheer cliff. If you take the turn on the near side it's a gentle slope that steepens more and more into the famous corkscrew. If you go to the far side, you can drop in a spot that's gets real close to vertical for a couple of impressive feet. Over the edge and under the trees you pick up speed in a heartbeat. You can see everything you need to do through 8, 8A,  and 9(Rainey Curve). There's no fear at all about where the track goes. I never had the notion to touch my brakes even the first time I went down. 8 and 8A you don't even have to think about on a bike, you can go straight through the chicane as you just don't go that fast. 9 you want to line up well if you want to carry speed through 10 which is in sight before you get to 9. You can easily see you want to start peddling as hard as you can through 9 Rainey Curve bumping the rumble strips on the left then the right apex into the more gentle down hill into 10. 10 comes fast - it's a nice sweeping curve right where you can peddle as hard as you want all the way through it in top gear. 11 is far away down a slight downhill grade. It's a sharp left but by the time you get there you've got to be peddling to have any speed so you can hit it as fast as you want no problem. After 11 is flat and then goes into a very gentle up grade through the start/finish.

A lap is between 7 and 8 minutes depending on how fast you are up the hill to the corkscrew. Top speed down hill is greatly determined by your aerodynamics and what the wind is offering at the moment. You can top 40mph no problem, and have no anxiety about it as its so safe to do so.

Thanks for the report, glad you had fun. [thumbsup]  Did you take any pictures?

I just had my POS handlebar video camera.

Here is my first lap around, pardon the bobble head, recommend turning the sound off.
8 min. lap.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eobo/3753891358/#secret070915de01-w500-h375 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/eobo/3753891358/#secret070915de01-w500-h375)