10 hills, 10 stages, 1 morning
A race for some, an epic adventure for others
A tour of the less traveled streets and neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
There is no entry fee and limited support. No cars please, spectators welcome on bikes (you won’t have to ride all the hills).
Just riding up any one of these hills is an accomplishment. Ten in one day is seriously hard. Come prepared.
(This race is based on Danny Chew’s Dirty Dozen. Thanks to Swarm!, Danny Chew, Steevo, Chris Moeller and Dave Clymer)
Hills? Los Angeles? How hard could it be?
Fargo St, one of the steepest paved roads in the world, is only one of ten. Yearly the LA Wheelmen do a hill climb here with lots of hoopla for just riding up this one hill. For you it will only be hill number five. Are the others equally hard? No, but they will feel like it.
Do I have to race?
No. Only a few of the people out there are racing for points. Most are there just to attempt every hill.
I want to race and am totally going to win. How does it work?
Each place, five deep, is worth points starting with 1st place and five points. Each new hill is treated as a separate stage with a group ride between hills.
What does the winner get?
Recognition and bragging rights.
How should I prepare?
Climbing is a unique cycling skill. You may be fast and strong, but being both on these steep climbs requires a lot of training in the hills. This year I want to have a few training rides leading up to the 14th and will post them at nowhip.blogspot.com.
Why so early?
If you can ride these 10 hills in one morning then you can be out of bed and at the market by 745am. If you show up without having slept I’ll buy you a cup of Coffee Cellar coffee at the market. Most of these hills are in quiet neighborhoods with narrow streets. I want us to be in and out with as little impact as possible. The earlier the better.
What should I bring?
Water, some snacks, a tube, the ability to fix minor mechanicals and rain gear. It’s rained all three years so far.
How long will this take?
Expect to be out well past noon. We only do about 30 miles, but getting to the hills, getting set up, etc takes longer than you would think.
Do I get a t-shirt and brunch?
In the past we’ve had one or both, but I can’t promise either for 2009. Hopefully we’ll have a ‘Bryan Farhy Commemorative’ vegan brunch somewhere.
Who puts on Feel My Legs?
“A bunch of fucking boring semi-employed geeks” also known as Swarm! Hit us up via bikeswarm at gmail.
Will this be more fun than being stuck in an elevator in Newark?
Definitely.
I better get back on my bike and train or I’ll never make it. Maybe I’ll just take a tip from Carl Spackler (Caddyshack) and take Jack out…”What you’ve got to do is cut the hamstring on the back of his leg, right at the bottom. He’ll never ride (play golf) again, because his weight displacement goes back, all his weight is on his right foot, and he’ll push everything off to the right. He’ll never come through on anything. He’ll quit the game.”
sweet! training rides will be dope.. .
i hope i can make it down and im gunning for jack.
Awesome ride in 2008. Looking forward to it again.
Have the training rides begun? I’d like to get in on some. I’m not racing but I’d like to attempt all the hills in one day. 1st timer!
do you guys need any RSVPs for this? if so, I’m going to do it right now, if not, I’ll most likely be there that morning, ready to get passed as a bunch of hill climbers pass my mountain-biker ass.
Yo Ben. Bryan Farhy Commemorative brunch??? I aint dead dude. Maybe I am. either way I’m scared. do we know each other??bryan@restlessfilms.tv
sorry Matt, called you Ben but still very curious about the brunch in my name. and bye the way i would love to do the ride..
Why anyone would want to waste his or her time and energy on something that is not run in a fair way is beyond me. It is too bad because this could be the best underground race in the LA area. Mistakes happen you can’t hold that against anyone, but the key is to make a FAIR and impartial decision about how to rectify the mistake. After being told that there would be a chalk finish line and then crossing a chalk finish line with the scorekeeper right next to it, it is very easy to assume the stage is over. I don’t think that anyone can argue that! It is not easy to know the right thing to do, but the right thing certainly did not happen today on Mt. Washington.