December 15, 2004

1. The 2005 California Triple Crown Schedule has been modified with the following Time Limit changes based on an announcement by Planet Ultra:
   
   Butterfield Double has been extended from 17 to 18 Hours
   Solvang Double has been extended from 17 to 18 Hours
   Mulholland Double has been extended from 17 to 19 Hours
   Heartbreak Double has been extended from 18 to 19 Hours
   Eastern Sierra Double has been extended from 17 to 18 Hours
   Tour of Two Forest has been extended from 18 to 19 Hours
   
   Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it!!
   
   Accept The Challenge: Be A California Triple Crown Winner next year!!
   
   Let's Roll!!
   
   

November 21, 2004

1. The 2005 California Triple Crown Schedule has been announced consisting of:
   
   02/19/05 Butterfield Double
   03/05/05 Death Valley Spring Double
   03/26/05 Solvang Double
   04/09/05 Hemet D.C.
   04/16/05 Mulholland Double
   04/30/05 Devil Mountain Double
   05/14/05 Central Coast Double
   05/21/05 Davis Double
   05/28/05 Heartbreak Double
   06/04/05 Eastern Sierra Double
   06/18/05 Grand Tour
   06/25/05 Terrible Two
   08/06/05 Mt. Tam Double
   09/17/05 Knoxville Fall Classic Double
   09/24/05 Classic Tour of Two Forests Double
   10/15/05 Bass Lake Powerhouse Double
   10/29/05 Death Valley Fall Double
   
   The Butterfield Double was on hiatus in 2004 but will return in 2005. "Ride the Butterfield Stage Route along with the best of Orange, Riverside and San Diego Counties. Kick off the New Year!!"
   
   On the 2005 Schedule Page, the old Feet of Climbing has been totally updated to be the Polar Elevation Gain for these Double Centuries because the Elevation Gain measured by the Polar Altimeters seem to be near the median of the readings from all bike computers in the Detailed Analysis of Altimeter Readings study. Please send your readings including the Double Name, Date, Computer Manufacturer and Model, Elevation Gain, and Miles to Frank Neal, the California Triple Crown Altimeter Guy at Cycleman "at" bigplanet.com and he'll add them so we'll have even better Elevation Gain numbers next year!!
   
   A Printer Friendly One Page Version of the 2005 California Triple Crown Schedule is also available.
   
   The 2005 California Triple Crown Doubles have also been Ranked by the Elevation Gain so you can easily see how they compare in terms of climbing.
   
   Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it!!
   
   Accept The Challenge: Be A California Triple Crown Winner next year!!
   
   Let's Roll!!
   
   

2. A brand new Double Century has been added to the 2005 Schedule ... the Bass Lake Powerhouse Double Century will be held October 15, 2005 and is destined to become one of the great rides in California!!
   
   Enjoy the Western Sierra Scenery including Pine Flat Lake, Bass Lake, and the "Gold Country".
   
   For those who have ridden Climb to Kaiser, the first 12 miles will be very familiar as this section is exactly the same. However, from there we will divert and meander through orange trees, follow the Kings River, and ride overlooking Pine Flat Lake. At this time of year all of the mountain lakes will be low, preparing for winter, and awaiting the annual snow runoffs. The first 25 miles are flat to gentle allowing sufficient time to warm up the legs. Enjoy it while you can it because there is plenty of climbing on this course.
   
   Upon leaving Pine Flat Lake, the rural mountain road will start traversing the western Sierra mountains, going through Burrough Valley, bypassing the town of Tollhouse, onward to the town of Auberry, and dropping down to Kerckhoff Lake. So far, there have been no sustained major climbs, and little to no traffic except for a few cows. Enjoy the Western Sierra scenery.
   
   After crossing the bridge over Kerckhoff Lake, the challenge begins. There will be a 'time trial' within the double century which will go up 'Powerhouse Grade' for 5.2 miles. The first 3.2 miles will have a gradient between 8% and 12% and level off the final 2 miles. The recorded times will be posted on the Fresno Cycling Club's website. You must finish the double century to have your T.T. results posted.
   
   At the top of Powerhouse pine trees will start to appear, and you will gracefully slide through the small town of Northfork, noted for being geographically in the exact center of California. From there it's a methodical climb to Bass Lake where the elevation of the lake is 3300'. Bass Lake is a beautiful mountain lake surrounded by pine trees, where we will have a well deserved lunch at approximately mile 86. A short climb out of Bass Lake will yield to a wonderful downhill into the town of Oakhurst and the southern terminus of state highway 49, the start of the "Gold Country".
   
   You will then be riding north on Highway 49 and eventually go through the gold-mining town of Mariposa. Most of your climbing is over, except for a few hills to keep you awake. From Mariposa you will drop down on Ben Hur road to the town of Raymond. Ben Hur has a 1 1/2 mile section of road that is downhill and patchy. You will need to go slow in this section. From Raymond it's on to state Highway 41. This highway can be busy at times. There is an Indian gaming casino north on 41, but the middle of October shouldn't be as busy. Nevertheless, please prepare to have good lights on this two mile stretch of highway. At the end of this two mile stretch, at mile 168, you can break out the Champagne because the rest of the ride, for the most part, is either downhill or flat.
   
   With an Elevation Gain of 14,400 Feet, this ride has been given a Difficulty Rating of "Extremely High". Don't make the mistake of moving into the tougher Doubles until you're ready - mechanically, biomechanically, and mentally!!
   
   We appreciate the help from the test riders who rode this course on October 9, 2004 to test out the course and support aspects of this event. Time Splits are included for these test riders through each Rest Stop. A Map and Elevation Chart by Wayne Riley and his TOPO Program is also included as well as a Small Elevation Chart by Dave Evans and his Polar S710i and a Large Version.
   
   The Fresno Cycling Club headed up by Dennis Horton did a great job of supporting the test riders and learning what it was going to take to put on a good new Double Century. Rider comments are documented HERE. With all of their experience supporting the outstanding Climb to Kaiser, the Fresno Cycling Club is extremely committed to running a great event.
   
   Mark your calendar now: The Bass Lake Powerhouse Double on October 15, 2005 has your name on it!!
   
   

3. The 2005 Refrigerator Magnet is also ready to ship with the 2005 Ride Schedule on it.
   
   

October 12, 2004

1. I mailed 425 Winner's Letters to the 2003 Winners today. My apologies for not getting this done sooner. On the Home Page, I removed the 2003 Potential Winner's List and replaced it with the following final reports:
   
   --2003 Winners Report and Comeback Report
   
   --2003 Winners Report Sorted By Name
   
   --2003 Winners Report Sorted By Number of 2003 Doubles
   
   --2003 Winners Report Sorted By Total Number of Doubles: 1990-2003
   
   --2003 Winners Report Sorted By Club
   
   --2003 Gold Thousand Mile Club: 5 or More Doubles With Support
   
   --2003 Support Volunteers
   
   --2003 Thousand Mile Club
   
   All of these reports reflect the results of all of the 2003 Results that I know of at this time as well as a final check with the California Triple Crown Registration Forms. In addition, all of these reports are much easier to read than in prior years because they are coming from a Microsoft Access Data Base. Each report is also available in Microsoft Excel format with the column headings frozen so they are always at the top of the page.
   
   In the Number of California Triple Crown Winners Table, added the number of 2003 California Triple Crown Finishers which is 425, a significant increase over 363 from 2002 and 290 from 2001.
   
   
2. The 2003 Winners Letter and Comeback Report is what I mailed to the 425 Winners today. The letter includes a recap of the year's competitions: Most # Doubles ridden that year, Thousand Mile Club, Stage Race, Club Competition, Hall of Fame, along with an update on the Products, Volunteers, and Really Big Future Goals.
   
   When you're looking for incredible comeback stories, you don't have to look further than some amazing people who completed the 2003 California Triple Crown series!! I asked Frank Neal to tackle the big project of talking to so many California Triple Crown Winners who have made a major comeback in 2003 and Frank shared their stories with us in this letter.
   
   We thank the Riders who shared their stories with us! In 2004, there will be new stories. If you are a Comeback Story, or you know of a Comeback Story for 2004, please contact Frank Neal at Cycleman@bigplanet.com Thanks to Frank for all that he does to share these inspirational comebacks with us!!
   
   I also added links on the Home Page under "Prior California Triple Crown Winners and Statistical Reports" to the Winners Letter and Comeback Reports from 2002, 2001, 2000, and 1999 as well as the 1998 and 1997 Winners Letters.
   
   
3. See the 2003 Winners Report Sorted By Number of 2003 Doubles to check out who completed the most Double Centuries in 2003. Special recognition goes out to following:
   --   1 Rider, John T. Clare, completed all 14 of the Double Centuries
   --   1 Rider, Dave Evans, completed 12 of the Double Centuries
   --   2 Riders, Mark Dehanke and Tom Parkes, completed 11 of the Double Centuries
   --   5 Riders, Brian Bowling, Charles Griffice, Jeff Landauer, Frank Neal, and Catherine Waltmire completed 10 of the Doubles Centuries
   --   5 Riders, John D. Long, Tim Skipper, Mike Sturgill, Wick Waltmire, and Michael Warren completed 9 of the Doubles
   --   6 Riders completed 8 of the Double Centuries
   --   8 Riders completed 7 of the Double Centuries
   -- 25 Riders completed 6 of the Double Centuries
   -- 56 Riders completed 5 of the Double Centuries
   -- 66 Riders completed 4 of the Double Centuries
   --250 Riders completed 3 of the Double Centuries
   
   
4. The 2003 Winners Report Sorted By Total Number of Doubles: 1990-2003 includes all Past and Present California Triple Crown Winners even if they didn't complete the California Triple Crown this year. If you see someone on this report who didn't complete the California Triple Crown this year, please encourage them to get back on the saddle and join us again next year!! Riding Double Centuries is a great way to have big goals helping you to stay in good shape!!
   
   This report shows everyone who has completed at least 8 Doubles in the California Triple Crown from 1990-2003. A larger report is available in Microsoft Excel format on that page with the column headings frozen so they are always at the top of the page and showing the over 2,000 Cyclists in California who have ever completed a California Triple Crown. All of this data is not shown on the web page because it gets too big for some browsers.
   
   
5. The 2003 Winners Report Sorted By Club shows some interesting competition between the Cycling Clubs. Congratulations to the following Clubs on the Leaderboard with the California Triple Crown:
   -- Davis Bike Club with 25 Finishers
   -- ADO Gang with 14 Finishers
   -- Orange County Wheelmen with 12 Finishers
   -- Fresno Cycling Club with 11 Finishers
   -- Santa Rosa Cycling Club with 10 Finishers
   -- Western Wheelers with 10 Finishers
   -- Almaden Cycle Touring Club with 8 Finishers
   -- Kern Wheelmen with 8 Finishers
   -- Orange County Rebel Riders with 8 Finishers
   -- Sacramento Wheelmen with 8 Finishers
   -- Veloce Santiago with 8 Finishers
   -- Grizzly Peak Cyclists with 7 Finishers
   -- Redlands Water Bottle Transit Company with 7 Finishers
   -- San Fernando Valley Bicycle Club with 7 Finishers
   -- Marin Cyclists with 6 Finishers
   
   
6. The 2003 Gold Thousand Mile Club: 5 or More Doubles With Support recognizes those cyclists who have ridden at least One Thousand Miles in Double Centuries in 2003 and very importantly have supported at least one of them!! Congratulations to each of these Cyclists and THANK YOU for giving back to the sport!!
   
   
7. It's one thing to complete Three Double Centuries in a year -- it's a whole other matter to complete Five or More Doubles in a single year. The 2003 Thousand Mile Club shows those Cyclists who have ridden at least One Thousand Miles in Double Centuries in 2003!! Congratulations to each of these Cyclists!!
   
   
8. The 2003 Support Volunteers Report shows those people who helped to support at least one of the Double Centuries. Even though this list includes everyone who indicated that they supported one of the rides this year, I know that it's far from complete. There are many dedicated people who work long and hard to make these rides work. Please drop me a line and let me know which rides you worked on ... and I'll add you to this list!!
   
   

October 3, 2004

1. Photos added from 2004 Awards Breakfast showing Stage Race and Hall of Fame Winners
   
   On the Schedule Page under "California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast", I added a link to Photos from the 2004 Awards Breakfast by Joe Gross. Click on the first photo to start. Click on the small thumbnail in the upper right hand corner to advance to the next photo ... or the upper left hand corner to go back.
   
   Note that there are 7 Video Clips With Sound which can be found on the main page ... some take longer than others to download depending on their size and your connection speed. Thanks to Joe Gross for taking these excellent photos and sharing these fun videos.
   
   The 2004 California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast was held 9/26/04 at Pena Adobe Park in Vacaville, California, the day after the 2004 Knoxville Fall Classic Double. Scott Halversen, Rory McLeod, George Pinney and the Quackcyclists team cranked out some great Breakfast goodies for us and we appreciate all of their work to make this happen!!
   
   Photos include the following among many others:
   
   -- Scott Halversen of the Quackcyclists did so much ... He's in charge of the Sound System here
   
   -- Dennis Horton is organizing a Test Ride for a new Double Century near Fresno
   
   -- Chuck welcoming Lee Mitchell whose RAAM Team set a new Course Record for 70 Year Olds!!
   
   -- Triple Crown jerseys can be ordered from www.CalTripleCrown.com
   
   -- First Time Triple Crown winners receiving their gift
   
   -- Stage Race Tandem 3rd Place Winners Bill Ellis and Evelyn Buchwitz, aka Bevelyn receive Plaque
   
   -- Stage Race Tandem 2nd Place Winners Dan Crain and Anny Beck receive Plaque
   
   -- 2004 Stage Race Winner Robert Choi accepts 1st Place Overall Plaque
   
   -- Robert said that Jeff Landauer really helped him with a huge pull on the Terrible Two
   
   -- Frank Neal asks for Double Riders to Stand ... Chuck not knowing that this is all a set up :)
   
   -- Frank and Lynn Katano totally surprised Chuck with a "Last Man Standing" Shirt and roast
   
   -- Chris Kostman of Planet Ultra and Furnace Creek 508 Director gave Chuck a really nice award
   
   -- A wonderful Ti and Ag picture frame and Certificate of Appreciation
   
   -- Chuck clearly surprised by his (expensive) gift
   
   -- A Nikon D70 digital SLR with Lens and 1GB Memory Card to replace the camera he smushed a week before!!
   
   Editor's Note: Chuck is so thankful to the CalTripleCrown ride organizers who totally surprised him with this really nice present ... A HUGE THANKS!!
   
   -- A full set of CalTripleCrown Jerseys and Arm Warmers awarded to Quackcyclists Scott, George, and Rory
   
   -- Rory MacLeod does so much to make the Knoxville Double a classic
   
   -- Rory's also ridden 21 Doubles!!
   
   -- Tom Parkes was inducted into the CalTripleCrown Hall of Fame after completing 50 Double Centuries!!
   
   -- Tom's good buddy, John Long, had some stories to tell and rode with him on #50 in Hemet last April
   
   -- Tom was thankful for so many who made this possible
   
   -- Steve Meichtry was inducted into the CalTripleCrown Hall of Fame after completing 50 Double Centuries!!
   
   -- Steve's best experience was the 1993 Grand Tour where he rode 400 Miles in 24 Hours on a Tandem!!
   
   -- Rich Boettner was inducted into the CalTripleCrown Hall of Fame after completing 50 Double Centuries!!
   
   -- Amazingly, Rich set a course record on the Terrible Two then proposed to Liz at the Finish Line!!
   
   -- Tim Sullivan was inducted into the CalTripleCrown Hall of Fame after completing 50 Double Centuries!!
   
   -- Chuck Holmberg was inducted into the CalTripleCrown Hall of Fame after completing 50 Double Centuries!!
   
   -- Chuck now travels all the way from Oklahoma to join us on the California Double Century Circuit!!
   
   -- Jeff Dewey was inducted into the CalTripleCrown Hall of Fame after completing 50 Double Centuries!!
   
   -- Frank Neal was inducted into the CalTripleCrown Hall of Fame after completing 50 Double Centuries!!
   
   -- Frank is the CalTripleCrown Comeback Guy after having two horrible accidents in 2000 and 2001
   
   -- Each Hall of Famer receives a CalTripleCrown Plaque commemorating their 50 Double Centuries
   
   -- Mike Perone sold Frank the Bridgestone bike ... and has now completed many CalTripleCrown Doubles himself
   
   -- Paul Kopit received special plaque for being the First Person to Complete 100 Double Centuries!!
   
   -- 100 Doubles or 20,000 Miles is a HUGE Accomplishment and Paul was very thankful to have done it!!
   
   -- Gerd Rosenblatt is an amazing cyclist ... He completed the Terrible Two this year at age 70!!
   
   -- Steve Meichtry is congratulated by all of the prior CalTripleCrown Hall of Famers
   
   -- Tim Sullivan is congratulated by all ... Tim completed Paris-Brest-Paris in 1995, 1999, and 2003!!
   
   -- Tim has also completed Boston-Montreal-Boston, a 750 Mile Non-Stop Event in 94, 96, 98, and 01!!
   
   -- Chuck Holmberg is an amazing cyclist ... completing over 50 Double Centuries since 1994!!
   
   -- Chuck had a serious illness in 2001 but has lived to fully recover ... riding 5 Doubles in 2004!!
   
   -- Jeff Dewey rode a Grand Tour Quad of 400 Miles in 24 Hours back in 1995!!
   
   -- Jeff rode all 9 CalTripleCrown Doubles and the Furnace Creek 508 in 1996!!
   
   -- The feeling was so great here as Frank Neal was congratulated by the other Hall of Famers
   
   -- Frank Neal has never DNF'd on a ride ... He's started 52 Doubles and finished 52 Doubles!!
   
   It was a great honor to induct Tom Parkes, Steve Meichtry, Rich Boettner, Tim Sullivan, Chuck Holmberg, Jeff Dewey, and Frank Neal into the California Triple Crown Hall of Fame in 2004!!
   
   It was also a great honor to induct Paul Kopit into the California Triple Crown 100 Double Century Club!!
   
   Thanks to everyone who helped make the 2004 California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast so fun and such a success!!
   
   
2. On the California Triple Crown Hall of Fame Page, I added the following new Hall of Famers inducted in 2004:
   
   Tom Parkes
   Steve Meichtry
   Rich Boettner
   Tim Sullivan
   Chuck Holmberg
   Jeff Dewey
   Frank Neal
   
   and added links to the photos from the Awards Breakfast.
   
   I also added a link to a photo of Paul Kopit being awarded his 100 Double Century Club Plaque HERE.
   
   
3. On the 2004 California Triple Crown Stage Race Results Page, I added a link to the photos showing the Stage Race Winners receiving their plaques.
   
   
4. On the 2004 California Triple Crown Schedule Page, I made the following changes:
   
   -- Added a link to the 2004 Mt. Tam Double Results. The First Annual Mt. Tam Double had excellent weather on a beautiful new course that was supported very well by the Marin Cyclists.
   
   -- Added a link to the 2004 Classic Tour of Two Forests Double Results. This year's "TOTF" had some of the best conditions imaginable with a beautiful morning climbing the switchbacked roads outside of Ojai. Everyone seemed to like the new improved course organized by Planet Ultra.
   
   -- Added links to photos by Eric Norris of the 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 Knoxville Fall Classic Double. The 2004 Knoxville Fall Classic Double was favored with cooler temperatures than last year on a new improved course organized by the Quackcyclists.
   
   Links to the results for all of the 2004 Doubles so far have also been added to the Schedule Page.
   
   
5. This just in from Roland Hoffman, the California Triple Crown Video Guy: Big Ring Dave Evans rode with Lance Armstrong at the start of the Tour of Hope last Thursday night. Dave is a Cancer Survivor who was inducted into the California Triple Crown Hall of Fame back in 2001 and a big inspiration to us all. The video of Big Ring Dave's epic ride is ready! You can view it HERE.
   
   If the direct link is not opening your Windows Media Player, right click the link and "save target as", then open your player and run the file!
   
   

September 3, 2004

1. I added pages for Voler California Bear Flag Shorts and Bib Shorts to the Product Pages.
   
   These shorts are made by Voler and sold directly on Velowear.com which is linked to from the Product Pages. So if you've already sent me a California Triple Crown order for your hot items, there's no need to revise that ... just go to the new Short Pages to check out these great looking shorts and click on the link to order them from Velowear.com.
   
   The Bear with the Red, White, and Blue look excellent with all of the Yellow and Blue California Triple Crown product line!!
   
   Velowear.com has a great "Free Exchanges and Easy Returns" Policy so there is no problem if you need to exchange these for a different size.
   
   I ordered a pair of these and especially like how they look with my Voler Blue California Triple Crown Jersey. I've been wearing other Voler Bike Shorts for over two years now and find them to be comfortable and work well on long rides.
   
   

September 1, 2004

1. I updated the Product Pages, showing the new products for the 2004 season and have updated the Order Forms to reflect the new products.
   
   2004 may be the first year you have qualified for the California Triple Crown. If so, I congratulate you on your achievement!! It's not easy riding 200 Miles in One Day let alone doing it at least Three Times in One Year!!
   
   I understand you may want to order some California Triple Crown products.
   
   The next orders of Voler Products will arrive in October and November. I need to submit the Order Quantities and Size breakdowns to Voler on September 7, 2004. Everyone who has sent me an order will be given priority ... those orders will be shipped as soon as the Voler shipments arrive.
   
   If you want a Voler Product, you should send me an order as soon as possible.
   
   I order Voler Jerseys in Club Sizing as shown on the Product pages. If you want a Race Cut Size which fits more snuggly, you need to send me your order as soon as possible and we will send your Race Cut products out as soon as they arrive. Simply write in "Race Cut" under the Size on the item you're ordering. I won't be ordering any Race Cut sizes except for those who have sent me an order.
   
   If you want Woman's Sizing, please send me your order as soon as possible as well. Simply write in "Women's Sizing" under the Size on the item you're ordering. Because we want to encourage more Women to complete the California Triple Crown, I'll be ordering some additional Women's Sized products but you should send me your order so I'll be sure to order what you want in the size you want.
   
   All of the information on the products is on the Product Pages. New this year are the Blue Long Sleeve Jerseys, Blue Windbreakers, Blue Vests, and the Blue Sleeveless Jerseys which are great additions to the product line!!
   
   On the 2004 Blue and Yellow Long Sleeve Jerseys and Windbreakers, the Small White Stripe, Large Red Stripe and the Small White Stripe will be moved up on the upper arm under the California Triple Crown logo. A small California State Flag will be added on the sleeves at about where you would wear a watch on your lower arm. A new photo of the Arm Warmers was added which shows how the small California State Flag will look.
   
   Orders will be filled on a first come, first served basis so don't hesitate to place your order today.
   
   The Order Form is on the Web Site and ready to go.
   
   A big thanks to Charlie Irwin and his company for building all of the Custom Products this year as well as doing the Shipping and Handling on the orders.
   
   When you see the new 2004 California Triple Crown products, I hope you'll agree with me that they were worth the wait!! Send in your order today!!
   
   Let's Roll!!
   

August 3, 2004

1. Added an Elevation Chart for the Mt. Tam Double by the Marin Cyclists which shows where the climbs are on this brand new Double Century in the California Triple Crown to be held this coming Saturday. The Marin Cyclists report that this first year of the Mt. Tam Double has sold out with 250 riders already signed up!! Thanks for supporting this brand new challenging event. It's been cool on the coast in the San Rafael area so bring your vest, arm, and leg warmers.
   
   
2. Added links to Results and Photos for 2004 Mulholland, Devil Mountain, Central Coast, Heartbreak, Eastern Sierra, Terrible Two, and Grand Tour on the Schedule Page.
   
   

July 25, 2004

1. Added the 2003 Support Volunteers Web Page which shows those people who helped to support at least one of the Double Centuries last year. Even though this list includes everyone who indicated that they supported one of the rides this year either on the Registration Form that they sent or based on the ride organizer's web reports, I know that it's far from complete. There are many dedicated people who work long and hard to make these rides work. Please drop me a line and let me know which rides you worked on ... and I'll add you to this list!!
   
   

July 9, 2004

1. Finalized the new page for the 2004 California Triple Crown Stage Race Results. The competition was closer than ever this year with just 17 Minutes separating the top 3 Finishers after 600 Miles and over 42,400 Feet of Climbing!!
   
   In First Place was Robert Choi, Age 43, from Rohnert Park: he was 2nd on the Mulholland Double, tied for 1st on the Central Coast Double, and tied for 7th Place on the Terrible Two!! This is Robert's third year on the Double Century Circuit after finishing in 3rd Place in the California Triple Crown Stage Race in 2002 and 2nd Place last year!! Congratulations to Robert!!
   
   In Second Place this year was Lasse Bjerga, Age 50, from Cedar City, Utah. Lasse was 3rd on the Mulholland Double, tied for 1st on the Central Coast Double, and tied for 2nd on the Terrible Two!! This is Lasse's third year on the Double Century Circuit and his first year competing in the California Triple Crown Stage Race. Congratulations to Lasse!!
   
   In Third Place was Jeff Landauer, Age 36, from Fair Oaks. Jeff was tied for 3rd Place on the Mulholland Double, tied for 1st Place on the Central Coast Double, and tied for 7th Place on the Terrible Two!! Jeff won the California Triple Crown Stage Race last year. Congratulations to Jeff!!
   
   An Honorable Mention goes to Graham Pollock, Age 36, this year. Graham came in First Place on the Mulholland Double with a Course Record Time. Most impressively, he came in First Place in the Race Across Oregon on June 5, 2004. On top of all this, he came back and cranked out a very fine Terrible Two just a couple of weeks afterwards!! Congratulations to Graham!!
   
   In the Women's Division, Janet Christiansen, Age 43, from Palm Springs came in First Place. Janet completed her first Double Century in 2002 with the Heartbreak Double. She came back in 2003 completing two Doubles but those were just warm up rides for her excellent Furnace Creek 508 completion in 37:51. Janet came back this year with three excellent Double Century rides. Congratulations on a great California Triple Crown Stage Race, Janet!!
   
   In Second Place was Doris Bingo, Age 41, from Anaheim. Doris completed her first year of Double Centuries way back in 1996 and has now completed over 32 Doubles!! Congratulations to Doris on a great California Triple Crown Stage Race!!
   
   In Third Place was Margie Biddick, Age 20, from Aptos. Margie completed her first year of Double Centuries in 2003 including the Terrible Two. Margie came back this year with three excellent Double Century rides. Congratulations to Margie!!
   
   An Honorable Mention goes to Michelle Kashima, Age 44, from Irvine. Michelle completed her first year of Double Centuries in 2001. She came back this year and tackled the three hardest Doubles in California and was only 48 Minutes behind Margie. Congratulations to Michelle!!
   
   In the Tandem Division, Mike Chester and Karen Koppenhaver came in First Place. Mike and Karen are long time California Triple Crown Double Century riders: Mike started riding Doubles in 1992 and Karen in 1991. Mike has completed over 43 Doubles and Karen has completed over 54 Doubles. They were flying on the Stage Race this year and a big congratulations to Mike and Karen!!
   
   In Second Place in the Tandem Division was Dan Crain and Anny Beck. Dan and Anny are also long time California Triple Crown Double Century riders: Dan started riding Doubles in 1996 and Anny in 1990. Dan has completed over 70 Doubles and Anny has completed over 29 Doubles. Congratulations to Dan and Anny!!
   
   In Third Place in the Tandem Division was Bill Ellis and Evelyn Buchwitz. Bill started riding the Terrible Two in 1994 and has ridden it 8 times!! Evelyn has completed 11 Doubles since 2001!! A tip of the hat to Bill and Evelyn who tackled these extremely tandem unfriendly rides on their tandem!!
   
   California Triple Crown Plaques will be awarded to Robert, Lasse, Jeff, Graham, Janet, Doris, Margie, Michelle, Mike, Karen, Dan, Anny, Bill, and Evelyn. These will be presented at the California Triple Crown Awards Breakfast to be held September 26, 2004, the morning after the Knoxville Fall Classic Double, in Vacaville.
   
   Everyone who completed the 2004 Stage Race is to be commended. Our hat is off to each of the 30 Finishers ... just to complete these three Extremely Difficult Rides is a major accomplishment!!
   
   

June 29, 2003

1. Added a new page for the 2004 Race Across America.
   
   The page has a link to 17 photos taken from the 2004 Race Across America at the Start Banquet in San Diego, California on June 19 and 44 photos taken from the Solo Start on Sunday, June 20 and the ride out to Time Station 1 at Pine Valley.
   
   Seven of my favorite photos are included on the 2004 RAAM web page.
   
   The organizers of this year's Race Across America are to be congratulated on an exciting, well organized, and very impressive start of the Race!!
   
   
   

June 17, 2004

1. Let there be no doubt about it: The Terrible Two is a truly epic and tough ride!!
   
   If you've ever ridden it before, you probably wondered:
   
   How Steep Is This Road?
   
   Where are the Steepest Parts?
   
   Are there any places where I can really recover?
   
   Where are the hottest parts of the course?
   
   Where in the course is most of the climbing?
   
   During my training, what kinds of gradients do I need to climb to simulate those on the Terrible Two?
   
   All of those questions and more are answered in great detail on the Terrible Two on the California Triple Crown Schedule Page. Just scroll down to the all new "Road Engineering Analysis Including Route Profile, Climbing Gradient Analysis and Photos For Each Climb" which is based on my Ciclosport HAC4 Computer measurements on my handlebar of The Terrible Two of June 28, 2003.
   
   Included is a 2003 Temperature Graph both by Distance and by Time which shows that the Thermonuclear Power Meltdown lasted for nearly 2 hours for me with temperatures over 110 degrees. This was then followed by a 60 degree drop in temperatures over 3 hours during our Arctic Freeze down Highway 1.
   
   There are also a few of my favorite photos from the road including my favorites from the Thermonuclear Power Meltdown on Skaggs Springs last year!!
   
   Best of luck to all of those cyclists about to be challenged by The Terrible Two.
   
   

May 26, 2004

1. Added a new page for the Preliminary 2004 California Triple Crown Stage Race Results. Results are in from the Mulholland Double held 4/17/04 and the Central Coast Double held 5/08/04. The report included shows the "Leader Board" of those riders who completed the first two of the three Stages of the Stage Race, ranked by Total Overall Time.
   
   Robert Choi leads the competition so far with Lasse Bjerga and Jeff Landauer tied for Second and Third Place just 17 Minutes back!! Graham Pollock trails by just 9 minutes!!
   
   In the Women's Division, Janet Christiansen leads the competition followed by Emmy Klassen then Doris Bingo.
   
   In the Tandem Division, Mike Chester and Karen Koppenhaver leads the competition followed by Dan Crain and Anny Beck then Bill Ellis and Evelyn Buchwitz who are all out tackling these extremely tandem unfriendly rides on their tandems!!
   
   However, there is one Stage left in this Stage Race: The Terrible Two to be held Saturday, June 19, 2004.
   
   The Terrible Two has a reputation of being the most difficult Double Century around. Although the route has varied in small ways over the years, its defining features have always been its four big climbs (and the steep, twisting descents that follow): Trinity Grade, the Geysers, Skaggs Springs, and Fort Ross. Numerous smaller but pesky hills add to the overall challenge. Trinity, the Geysers, and Fort Ross are all double-summit climbs, while Skaggs Springs is a long series of climbs and descents. Few gradients on the course exceed 15%, but many climbs stay in the 8-12% range for long distances. The Terrible Two Web Site has an excellent Elevation Chart which graphically shows just how brutal this course with over 16,000 Feet of Climbing really is!!
   
   Stay tuned for all of the results!!
   
   The California Triple Crown lays down this challenge: be among the select few who are able to finish the Stage Race!!
   
   Stay tuned for all of the results!!