I’m heading off to San Diego on the weekend for a business trip but I’m taking the bike and have been hooked up with a local guy whose going to take me on an epic ride through a place called Noble Cayon.

The ride looks awesome; I mean don’t get me wrong, this is going to be one of those ‘best rides you’ve ever done’ adventures.

Problem is the guy is either really pulling my leg, or is dead set on making this a 12 hour, 40 mile ride of epic proportions, including a three hour initial climb!

Now i’m the first to admit I’m not in the best of shape now compared to when I was 27 and about as fit as your average national champion, but this seems to have fallen a little on deaf ears.

The worst part is this guys is freaking 55 years old!

So genuine concern (especially as this ride will be through genuine wilderness country so there are risk factors) or MTFU?

you could push your bike 40 miles in 12 hours so I wouldn’t worry too much 😉

Don’t worry about the bike ride, “an epic ride through a place called Noble Cayon” is a quite obvious euphemism 😕

Not trying to be big-headed like, but I’m 52 and wouldn’t think twice about it. If you’re worried about it then I suspect “your average national champion” is a lot fitter than you.

40 miles in 12 hours? You could walk that!

Doesn’t sound that hard tbh, and googling “Noble Canyon San Diego route profile” shows a 2000ft climb – it’d have to be a very rocky climb for that to be 12hr route!

You’ll be fine unless it’s got huge amounts of climbing and you are really unfit (well compared to me!).

Sounds great, might be worth doing a few long rides to get yourself “in shape-ish” for it.

Go for it – he’ll have to wait 😀

I’d be struggling 😯

Thumbs-up to druid for pointing out that over 50’s should not be written off. 🙂

You’ll be fine and do let us know how you get on! Good luck.

Druidh – I was saying that I used to be that fit, but work and a young family take their toll. On the other hand, I really do applaud you for being in that kind of condition at 52; it gives us all hope.

Yep good points about walking it in 12 hours. That makes me a little more relaxed.

What’s your usual distance when you go for a ride? If you can do 30 miles the extra ten wont be too hard.

TBH – it doesn’t sound too bad

I’m over 50 & regularly do those sorts of rides, albeit not in the Winter these days

suggest you tell him you are up for it, then describe your typical “25mins along the canal” weekend ride to ensure he plans a bail out option for anyone needing to MTFU a bit

oh and three of the guys i regularly ride with are pushing 60 hard, all would happily set out on that sort of epic.

geetee1972 – Member
Druidh – I was saying that I used to be that fit, but work and a young family take their toll.

Ah – I mis-read that bit.

geetee1972 – Member
On the other hand, I really do applaud you for being in that kind of condition at 52; it gives us all hope.

**** – now you’re making me feel old.

Fake an old injury- ask if you could half it. Mountain biking is about enjoyment, this guy seems to be hellbent on showing off his prowess/age.

Agree with druidh that 40 miles in 12 hours is no big deal at all. I’m 54 and quite happy doing the Ben a’Ghlo circuit in about 6 hours -about 35 miles and 5500 ft of climbing. Wouldn’t class myself as more than reasonably fit

Bring it on 🙂

Have I stepped into some parallel world this morning? 40 miles off-road does not an “Epic” make.

Some pictures of the proposed ride.

You see when I read these replies and look at those pictures, I think ‘MTFU’.

Man I am sooooo excited.

Last year, in a not at all fit state, I managed 155 miles in 2 1/2 days in the black mountains / breacons, with some really fit guys.
Yours is not an epic – just a ride….
EDIT: with some rocks 😉

I’d call 40 miles all/mostly off road an epic, 45 is about the biggest loop I do for fun (done 100m once, the route was not as much fun).

I didn’t know you were a mega-endurance athlete druidh? 😉

I’d be pushing on the downs too 😉

What an amazing opportunity! Do it.

looks lovely mate that! you’ll be fine!

i know its not really a comparison but i did 36 miles and 4500ft of climbing in under 5 hours….

about as hard as it gets around peaks which is always pretty steep technical and demanding…so mileage wise 36 miles in 5 hours, and hes wanting to do 40 in 12 hours? you should be fine! be alot of scenery and photo taking opportunities i would have thought and of course plenty of time to eat and refuel with a nice break!

cynic-al – Member
I didn’t know you were a mega-endurance athlete druidh?

That’s just it Al – I’m just a middleold-aged biffer who cycles occasionally.

Must have massive climbs and not much flat to take 12 hours. Take loads of food and drink to keep going. You’ll be trashed but do it anyway. Looks brilliant.

Well, it’s certainly not the Surrey Hills is it 😉

Which bike BTW?

Probably something like this ?

My in-laws are in orange county (bit further north). They had massive rainfall (for S Cal) around Christmas and lots of erosion so your trail might be hard to follow, hence long ride

Nickegg not it’s certainly not! It is the terrain my Nicolai Helius AM was made for so I’m taking that.

OK – who here [apart from geetee] can’t manage to cycle 40 miles in 12hrs?

🙂

Shouldn’t be an issue, if he’d said 40 miles in 6 hours then I may start thinking ‘hmm that could be a challenge in that terrain’

You’ll be fine, just remember to take the single speed

Take a camera, then every time you feel you need a breather you can pretend you are just taking photographs 😉

geetee1972 – Member
On the other hand, I really do applaud you for being in that kind of condition at 52; it gives us all hope.
**** – now you’re making me feel old.

Not yet GT

The worst part is this guys is freaking 55 years old!

I am older and would like to take your place or come with you please 😉

Take a camera, then every time you feel you need a breather you can pretend you are just taking photographs

Is that a tip from SFB 😉

The distance would not put me off, but starting off with a 3 hour climb! 😯

sounds like the dyfi, but with dust,

Those photo’s look great. You’d be a fool to miss the opportunity! Go for it.

Yep good points about walking it in 12 hours. That makes me a little more relaxed.

What?

rule of thumb is 3 miles per hour over rough terrain add 5 mins per 200ft climbed…

Greg – panic over, stop packing your bike up, I’ll take your place, photos make it look half interresting…..might be worth a gamble to see if its any better than Surrey Hills…..

Man those pictures make me want to puke with envy!!!!