Matsuhime showdown

[echothree]

This sunday I'm hoping to get out and have a crack at Matsuhime-toge and Otoge, god willing and weather permitting. Maybe start in Takao if there is a cruisy route to the start, or is it better to get the train to Otsuki..?
Anyone care to join me?
clay

 

[Deej]

Man, I would love to, but I'm all booked up with family stuff. But good luck in your quest to shatter Mike's record! Sergey and Thomas should join this one for their Fuji training.

It's strange, but my legs already feel like they have more "spring" in them compared with last week. Hopefully, this feeling will continue through next weekend, when I hope to subject you to the same devastating accelerations that you treated me to last Saturday!

Deej

 

[kpykc]

Hi Clay,

Let's check out Matsuhime on Sunday I'd love to do Otoge as well, but it really is a one-way climb - I hope to be there next Thursday.

We can meet at Takao or Uenohara, i guess

 

[Mike]

May the force be with you.......not

What's this about shattering my record? I think you have to start at least from Takao if it's gonna be a true record attempt. Every time I've hit that climb it's been with close to 100km in the legs already. If you do it from Otsuki and break the record I'm afraid I'll have to put in an official TCC protest

 

[AlanW]

Clay,
Weather permitting, Bass Pale Ale hangover permitting :beer1: and Naomi-san willing I'll join you on Sunday.
Any idea of the total ride distance?

AW.

 

[echothree]

the plan

Ok, the plan I was thinking was to hit Otoge first, this is the climb with the Street Cred (so I've been informed by Simon... he said they'd be fame, fortune and pretty girls for whoever cracked the hour mark.)
Then after that, ride back down it and go for Matsuhime-toge... that way Mike can't complain about fresh-legs when his record falls.
So given there's a couple of big climbs there, maybe it would be better to start from Otsuki station?
I'm not after a super early start - I'm heading out for a drink or two saturday night... so maybe meet as late as 10am at Otsuki (?) No real preferences, though, so Alan, if you'd rather earlier/later..?

 

[Deej]

Ok, the plan I was thinking was to hit Otoge first, this is the climb with the Street Cred (so I've been informed by Simon... he said they'd be fame, fortune and pretty girls for whoever cracked the hour mark.)

Ooh, I'm looking forward to hearing how your Otoge climb goes. You may have utterly decimated my Kazahari record, but I think you'll find Otoge a harder nut to crack. In terms of length and average gradient, it's not too dissimilar to the recent Blockhaus climb at the Giro, which most sources put at 18.5km and 6.9%.

So slap on your steroid patch and put your game face on, Clay, 'cuz you're about to enter the Deej Zone.

Good luck!

Deej

 

[echothree]

Thanks Deej. I'm on a hiII-ghway to the.... Deej-zone.

 

[kpykc]

Otoge be it...

Clay, I'll meet you at Otsuki st. this Sunday
But no Matsuhime for me this time... too much for the first ride after 2 weeks of abstinence.

 

[Deej]

Thanks Deej. I'm on a hiII-ghway to the.... Deej-zone.

It's got to be more than mere coincidence that the one image you choose happens to be the very same one I have airbrushed on the side of my van and painted on the back of my leather jacket. It's almost like Tom is trying to tell me something through you, Clay. He does that sometimes -- tells me stuff via symbolic messages. You know, through cloud formations, dogs, junk like that. We have a special relationship. But the courts have made it harder for us to hang out now that they said I'd go to prison if I got within 500 meters of him. Tom, if you're reading this, I'll be outside the 7/11 in Takao at 8:30 next Saturday. Medium pace, with lots of climbing. See you there, bud!

 

[Wolfman]

If you're looking for music to inspire you on the ride, then perhaps a little Artie Shaw might also be of use.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7vkto5knRls/ShCyvQ1BtGI/AAAAAAAABC4/ZDnDbhOU9V8/s1600-h/amanandhisdreamshaw.jpg

 

[Philip]

Clay,

My apologies. I had intended to join you this weekend but I have a commitment with my running club on Sunday. Good luck with the hour record & weather

Cheers,

Philip

 

[david.anderson]

I'm up for the ride tomorrow

Dave

 

[echothree]

time

Ok, so how about Otsuki Station at 9:50am, and rolling out by 10am. I still don't have a keitai (getting one next week) so I will be in stealth mode.

 

[AlanW]

Clay & David,
Will see you at Otsuki station tomorrow, unless it's raining.

AW.

 

[david.anderson]

Sounds good.

See you in the morning
Dave

 

[Denis]

one more, maybe..

I'll probably be there as well. I'm concerned about rain in the afternoon - if the forecast for the afternoon rain shifts to an earlier time I will not join, otherwise I'm OK and plan to return by Kosuge/Okutama.
-Denis

 

[AlanW]

Guys,
Forecast is still for rain this afternoon. I'm going to ride closer to home this morning and stay dry.
Enjoy the big climbs!

AW.

 

[kpykc]

Finished with Otoge and hope everyone else made it home safely. As for the ride, well, as I feared, my levels dropped but hopefully will be back up soon but that's not important... What's important is that today the legend of Otoge is over and today's legendary hero is... Clay! (should I add "Top Gun"?).

You are fast as hell, friend - I wonder what will it take to beat you... one of these days - for sure... maybe...

PS.
Looking forward to hear about your Matsuhime assault.

 

[echothree]

Thanks for the ride today gentlemen. The weather held out long enough for us to get up Otoge, perfect conditions really and I felt in reasonable form. Then the rain set in, making for a chilly descent and retreat to the quik-e-mart for refueling.
The rain got heavier and Sergey and David took the sensible option and got back on the train, but the siren call of Matsuhime was too strong to resist, so I put on my jacket, took a Toughen Up pill, and headed for Matsuhime. Mike, my legs were pretty shattered so no formal complaits to the TCC board for not having the required "100kms in my legs."
Times according to my gps http://internal.physics.uwa.edu.au/~clocke/
Otoge: 54'03"
Matsuhime: 56'12"