Happy New Year ...

Welcome to the California Triple Crown Newsletter of January 7, 2017

Contents:

1. SPOTLIGHT ON 463 CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS IN 2016

2. WE MISS FRANK NEAL, THE CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN DATA GUY

3. 2016 HALL OF FAMERS INDUCTED AT CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN AWARDS BREAKFAST

4. 2017 CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

5. 2017 CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN STAGE RACE ANNOUNCED

6. HUGE DELIVERY OF CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN PRODUCTS

7. RED HALL OF FAME JERSEYS DESIGNED AND SHIPPED

8. GRATEFUL FOR MANY THINGS BUT NOT FOR RUMBLE STRIPS ON HIGHWAY 76

9. LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!

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1. SPOTLIGHT ON 463 CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS IN 2016

Looking back on the 2016 Double Century Series, I hope you had some moments on your rides where "all the world was right".  Where your fitness made the bike feel like it didn’t have a chain.  We tip our helmets to the 463 Riders completing their California Triple Crown in 2016 as shown HERE  Click on any name and you'll see that person's California Triple Crown History in detail.  This report is sorted by Last Name then First Name. 

For example, click on Kirsten McDaniel’s name and her CalTripleCrown History Report appears HERE

Kirsten's Double Century History is exemplary for many reasons.  She was inducted into the California Triple Crown Hall of Fame at the California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast last year after completing more than 50 Double Centuries!  She rode a whopping 20 Double Centuries in 2016 which is a truly amazing accomplishment!!  She was on the podium of the 2016 California Triple Crown Stage Race and placed 3rd in the Women's Division!!  She rode a whopping 15 Double Centuries in 2015 and placed 2nd in the Women's Divison of the 2015 California Triple Crown Stage Race!! 

All of the statistical data has been entered for 2016.  A big thank you to the CTC volunteers who put in a lot of hard work on this monumental task. Before he passed on, Frank Neal did an amazing amount of work to make this happen. Mike Sturgill, and Tony Musorafite have worked long and hard hours posting the results from each of the Double Centuries to the California Triple Crown Database at www.caltriplecrown.org  to see the results.  Overall it was a great year.

Completion of the California Triple Crown series is not easy but we minimize the hassles.  All you have to do (as though this part is supposed to be easy) is register for and complete at least three of the Doubles on the schedule.  We will keep track of those individuals completing the events by working with the ride organizers.

Each year, several people take on the challenge of completing every Double in the CTC series.  However, with the schedule having grown from five events to so many Doubles as we currently have, we recognize that this "grand slam" has become increasingly difficult...perhaps unrealistic.  We encourage riders to attempt as many of these doubles as time, money, and fitness allow, but remind them to be proud of whatever they accomplish, be it three or more doubles.  The California Triple Crown records one ride credit and/or one volunteer credit to each event based on the results posted by the Ride Organizers.

Jim Cook who organizes the White Mountain Double made a good observation. If you look at the First Time Winners Report by going to www.CalTripleCrown.org ... 2016 ... First Time Winners you can see what Double Centuries riders completed with their First California Triple Crown. The totals at the bottom of that page shows that every Double Century on the 2016 California Triple Crown Schedule helped to produce a California Triple Crown Winner. Special congratulations goes to the Grand Tour, Solvang Spring, Davis Double, and Hemet DC which were the Doubles with the most First Time Winners.

We have updated the "Winners History Table" at http://www.CalTripleCrown.com ... click on Results then scroll down from 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, ... below the 1992 Results where you’ll find the “Winners History Table” which compares 2016 to the prior years.

2. WE MISS FRANK NEAL, THE CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN DATA GUY

So many people have written us to express their sadness and condolences with the passing of Frank. We were shocked and saddened when we heard the bad news. It has taken some time to sink in and we miss Frank all the time. He was constantly helping people with getting credit for a Double Century. We will miss him on future Double Centuries. Like Lee Mitchell before him, Frank seemed to have a second sense of where he needed to be on the course to help a cyclist in need.

Thank you so much for all of those who added their memories and condolences to Frank's Fan Club Page. Cyclists can learn more about this kind and gentle man who gave back so much to the sport that he truly loved HERE.

As we go forward, we all have memories of Frank which will remind us of him ... sometimes when we least expect it. We will have to double our efforts to go forward with strength so that when he looks down at us he can do so with a big smile.

3. 2016 HALL OF FAMERS INDUCTED AT CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN AWARDS BREAKFAST

A HUGE Congratulations to the 2016 California Triple Crown Hall of Fame Inductees who were spotlighted at the California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast. Each of these cyclists have completed at least 50 Double Centuries or 10,000 Miles of Double Centuries in the California Triple Crown:
1-Jim Frink
2-El Valdez Lardizabal
3-Ray Barnes
4-Kirsten McDaniel
5-Joel Sothern
6-David Burns
7-David Hartson
8-Bob Esch
9-Ron Fields
10-Ed Gallegos
11-Alexis Berthillier
12-Bill Monsen
13-Eric Ross
14-Don McKaughan
15-Mike McManus

The following incredible long distance cyclists were inducted into the 100 Double Century Club of the California Triple Crown Hall of Fame after completing at least 100 Double Centuries or 20,000 Miles of Double Centuries in the California Triple Crown:
1-Eric Norris
2-John Clare
3-Phil Auriemma
4-Tim Sullivan
5-Terri Boykins

We really tip our helmets to Richard Hoff who was inducted into the 150 Double Century Club of the California Triple Crown Hall of Fame after completing at least 150 Double Centuries or 30,000 Miles of Double Centuries in the California Triple Crown!!

The California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast was a lot of fun. Thank you to everyone who stayed to the end to offer congratulations to these new Hall of Famers. Thank you to Lynn Katano and Eric Smith for organizing a great Breakfast for lots of hungry cyclists and for taking some fun photos HERE. Thank you to Roland Hoffman and Teresa Beck for making each cyclist look so good through their photos and videos on the big screen TV's. Thank you to Scott Halversen and the Quackcyclists for a super ride on the Knoxville Falll Classic Double on Saturday and then working overtime on Sunday to make the Awards Breakfast so well organized. Thank you to Melinda Clare who took the above great panoramic photo of the Class of 2016 Hall of Famers HERE.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2016 California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast a complete success!!

5. 2017 CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN STAGE RACE ANNOUNCED

The California Triple Crown Stage Race was started in 1996 to add a competition to the top end of the California Triple Crown Double Century series.  This is how the Stage Race works: Riders have to complete three of the most difficult Doubles in the California Triple Crown Double Century series.  The Total Elapsed Time from each of these grueling Doubles is then added together and the rider with the fastest overall time for all Three Doubles wins the Stage Race.  If you ride any Stage on a tandem, you must ride all three Stages on a tandem with the same partner.
 
You can see the results of the 2016 California Triple Crown Stage Race at
 
http://www.caltriplecrown.org/2016/2016FinishersbyName.asp?Action=StageRace&Action2=Time&ClubID=  
 
and we tip our helmets to each of the 46 finishers who tackled the HUGE challenge of completing the Devil Mountain Double, the Central Coast Double, and the White Mountain Double.
 
After completing all three stages of the 2016 California Triple Crown Stage Race, the following riders were on the podiums:

2016 Overall Division:
1-Jason Perez
2-Derek Stedman
3-Max Mehech

2016 Women's Division:
1-Lori Hoechlin
2-Rebecca Eckland
3-Kirsten McDaniel

2016 Tandem Division:
No Finishers

2016 Recumbent Division:
1-Jason Perez

2016 Fixed Gear Division:
1-Becky Berka
2-Rick Jacobson (Tied for 2nd)
2-Tony Musorafite (Tied for 2nd)

In the future:
3 Overall Division Winners
3 Women's Division Winners
3 Tandem Division Winners consisting of 2 people each
3 Recumbent Division Winners
3 Fixed Gear Division Winners

The California Triple Crown Stage Race rotates through some of the most difficult of the California Triple Crown Double Centuries.  This rotation provides variety in the Stage Race from year to year.  Just as the Tour de France does not go over the same tough passes every year, neither does the California Triple Crown Stage Race go over the same tough passes each year.
 
From 1996 to 2008, the Doubles in the Stage Race were rotated 3 at a time between Heartbreak, Devil Mountain, Central Coast, Mulholland, and the Terrible Two.  In 2009, we added the Mt. Tam Double to the rotation, in 2012, we added the Borrego Double Century, in 2013, we added the Alta Alpina 8 Pass Challenge, and in 2016, we added the White Mountain Double to the rotation.
 
The 2017 California Triple Crown Stage Race will consist of the following very challenging Stages:

Stage 1: Mulholland Double on 4/08/17 with 18,000 Feet of Climbing.  The Mulholland Double will test you with an extremely tough and full day of steep climbing!!  Don’t forget Decker Canyon Road, a beast of climb that shoots up a brutal 1,500 Feet in just 3.7 Miles with Maximum Gradients of 20%!!
 

Stage 2: Oceanside Double Century on 5/06/17 with over 14,000 Feet of Climbing.  After climbing up to Julian and descending down into Borrego, you will be tested with the brutally long 11 Mile climb up Montezuma Grade which has many 10-12% pieces.  Don't forget the final climb up Cole Grade Road which is a brute of a climb of 2.4 Miles long climbing 950 Feet for an average gradient of 7.5% but feels much steeper with numerous pieces over 10%.  You can see Chuck's photos from the 2016 Oceanside Double HERE.  BE SURE to stay clear of the Rumble Strips on the descent of Highway 76!!

Stage 3: Terrible Two on 6/17/17 with 18,500 Feet of Climbing. Stage 1 and 2 will be excellent training rides to prepare you to tackle the EXTREMELY Difficult Terrible Two. The early miles of the course were changed for 2016 and will remain in 2017.  Due to permit difficulties, the organizers have decided to bypass 30 miles in Napa County and replace them with some great new roads in Southern Sonoma County, including a number of challenging climbs.  The later miles of the event remain the same, featuring the big climbs over the Geysers, Skaggs Springs, and Fort Ross Road.  Numerous smaller but pesky hills add to the overall challenge.  The Geysers and Fort Ross are multiple-summit climbs, while Skaggs Springs is a long series of climbs and descents, including a tough new climb introduced with a 1995 route change.  The steepest gradients on the course rarely exceed 15%, but many climbs stay in the 8-12% range for long distances.

This extremely difficult combination of Double Centuries in the Stage Race has never been used before. 

The spacing between Mulholland Double and the Oceanside Double will be 4 Weeks giving the riders plenty of time to recover and take their fitness to the next level.
 
The spacing between the Oceanside Double and the Terrible Two will be 6 weeks which will be perfect to recover as well as do plenty of steep hill training to prepare for Fort Ross Road!!

We believe this will make for a very unusual and difficult Stage Race in 2017.
 
You don't have to do anything special to sign up for the Stage Race: In 2017, all you have to do is to sign up for and ride your heart out on the 3 Doubles in the Stage Race!!  Of course, that's much easier said than done!!  Here are the Rules:
To be in the Tandem Division, the rider has to ride each of the 3 Double Centuries on a tandem with the same person.
To be in the Recumbent Division, the rider has to ride each of the 3 Double Centuries on a Recumbent bike.
To be in the Fixed Gear Division, the rider has to ride each of the 3 Double Centuries on a Fixed Gear bike.
The Overall Division Winners can include Women, Tandems, Recumbents, or Fixed Gear Bikes if they finish in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place overall in the 3 Double Centuries.
No motors of any kind are allowed on these bikes ridden in the California Triple Crown Stage Race ... each of those Double Centuries must be strictly human powered events.
Any form of human-powered vehicle is acceptable but the vehicle must be powered solely by the rider.
The awards for the Winners in each Division will be determined by the Organizers of the Double Centuries in the Stage Race.

The California Triple Crown issues this challenge: Be among the select few who are able to finish the Stage Race!!  Everyone who completes the 2017 Stage Race will be commended and will be able to wear the coveted California Triple Crown Stage Race Jersey shown above.  Just to complete these three Extremely Difficult Rides is a MAJOR accomplishment!!
 
California Triple Crown Stage Race Plaques will be presented to the Winners at the California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast on 10/01/17, the day following the Knoxville Fall Classic Double in Vacaville, CA.
 
The California Triple Crown lays down this challenge: Be among the select few who are able to finish the Stage Race!!

6. HUGE DELIVERY OF CALIFORNIA TRIPLE CROWN PRODUCTS

In early December, we received a HUGE delivery of California Triple Crown products from Voler.  The breakdown of this order can be seen at the top of

http://www.caltriplecrown.com/products.htm

including 74 Blue Jerseys and Vests, 17 Blue Long Sleeve Jerseys and Windbreakers, 101 Yellow Jerseys and Vests, 25 Yellow Long Sleeve Jerseys and Windbreakers, 25 Yellow Arm Warmers, 54 Red Stage Race Jerseys, 134 Gold Thousand Mile Club Jerseys, 16 Green Hall of Fame Jerseys and Vests, and 49 Red Hall of Fame Jerseys and Vests!!

A BIG thanks goes to the great team at Charlie Irwin’s Company, AFM Engineering, for shipping so many orders out before Christmas.   Nearly 100 orders were shipped the first two weeks of December.

We have lots of items in stock.  Chuck has been living in his Long Sleeve California Triple Crown Jerseys, Vests, and Arm Warmers the past couple of months.  You can see what’s in stock at

http://www.caltriplecrown.org/ProductsList.asp

http://www.caltriplecrown.com/products.htm

The California Triple Crown store is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Just go to www.CalTripleCrown.com then Products, decide what you want to order and click “Order It Now!!”

7. RED HALL OF FAME JERSEYS DESIGNED AND SHIPPED

You’ll be seeing many California Triple Crown Hall of Famers wearing these awesome new jerseys on the Double Centuries this year.

I am extremely pleased with how it came out and I hope you are too!!  Thank you to Jim Poppy for his great graphic design work. We agonized over the exact shade of Red that we thought would look best and narrowed it down to this shade.

Let us all remember Lee Mitchell as we wear this jersey with pride. You’ll find:

On the left sleeve, “LEE MITCHELL” so we’ll always remember him!!

On the inside of the collar, “Do whatever it takes and continue to the end. – Lee Mitchell”

On the inside of the left back pocket, “You Betcha!! – Lee Mitchell”

Lee was the ultimate example to all of us who ride Double Centuries in California of how to give back. We will always remember him and these aspects of this most prized Jersey will help.

Hall of Fame members will continue to be able to order Green and/or Red Hall of Fame Jerseys and Vests.  We won't be stocking many of these jerseys but you can place an order for one at any time and we'll order it for you from Voler in September for a delivery in December. 

When you get a chance, please e-mail me a photo of you wearing your new Hall of Fame Jersey.  Maybe at the summit of a mountain on a Double Century or good training ride. Maybe with some other Hall of Famers.  I’ll then add those photos to an on-line photo album to share on www.CalTripleCrown.com and on the California Triple Crown Facebook Group.

You can see what’s currently in stock at

http://www.caltriplecrown.org/ProductsList.asp

8. GRATEFUL FOR MANY THINGS BUT NOT FOR RUMBLE STRIPS ON HIGHWAY 76

On a personal note, many of you have heard that Chuck crashed on the Oceanside Double on October 22, 2016.

Since this horrific crash was caused by the rumble strips on the descent from Palomar on Highway 76 which he ran into at 32 MPH not knowing that they were there in the dark, he wrote up the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly HERE.

Be sure to watch out for and stay WAY CLEAR of rumble strips on your travels in 2017!!

The good news is that he worked hard to recover from this and with the help of his amazing wife and so many others, he's feeling pretty good on the bike again. He was blessed to be able to ride a Century last Saturday pain free.