SoCalCycling.com

archiracer · Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Laguna Niguel

Anyone know of a safe route that can take me from downtown Orange to Eldorado Park for tuesday night crit series?

I am taking a new job in orange and want to continue to ride to Eldo but don't want to get killed in the process.

Thanks for any suggestions.

MSOEMiller · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 55 Location: Alhambra

That's a looong way through a few sketchy neighborhoods. You'd be riding in the dark on the way back too.

You're really planning on getting like 80 miles in? Seriously?

You'll get a better workout if you ride the river trail along the 57 freeway a few times, then drive over to Eldo.

An easier and free alternate to Eldo is Hughes Park at 7:00pm on Tuesday.

My 2c

archiracer · Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Laguna Niguel

Long way is not a problem, I do it from Irvine now and it is about an 90 mile ride with one hour of race simulation.

I know some of those areas aren't the best but I was hoping there was a bike path or a river trail that might solve that problem. I might have to pack the pepper spray on a bike trail, but at least I wouldn't be road kill.

I am just trying to avoid the gas money, mostly. There's no substitution for good racing as far as training goes.

Hughes Park won't count for your upgrade points, Eldo can, which is awesome.

Thanks for the input, I am sure I'll figure out a good scenario once I start the new job.

Any good group rides in and around Orange during the week? Anyone?

faster master · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 30

I thought Eldo was a training ride with mixed categories, so how can you get upgrade points from it?

I met a 5 that upgraded to 4 from it, but regretted upgrading so fast, since he had a harder time in the races.

archiracer · Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Laguna Niguel

If you are talking 5-4 upgrade it's simple, Eldo can count as one of your ten mass start events. I am a 3 and know that many guys count Eldorado finishes for their upgrades (assuming that they have enough people, 50 I think.)

It makes sense when you consider the strength of the field(P123 is much stronger than the cat 3 fields), and the size of the field( sometimes close to 100 guys do the P123 race, as opposed to maybe 30-50 at cat 3 races).

I can speak from personal experience and say that it is much more difficult to place in the sprint at Eldo than in a Cat 3 race, thus offering upgrade points for Eldo racing is fine by me.

As for your buddy the 5 racer full of regret. 5s and 4s shouldn't be complaining about the difference between the categories as they are about the same as far as difficulty/danger/etc.