| SUNDAY : Nichols
|
| Description: 27 miles, 3-mile climb, 10-miles of rollers |
| Difficulty: Hard |
| Time: 8:00 AM |
| Place: Corner
of Westwood Boulevard and La Grange Avenue in Westwood
[Route Map] |
| |
| The Skinny: The crown jewel of all of
the La Grange rides, Nichols Canyon has been happening long
before many of us were even born! A typical turnout for this
ride can fluctuate from a minimum of 40 to a high of over
100. The ride proceeds north then turns right on little Santa
Monica Blvd. heading east. Pedaling through Century City,
Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, the pace at this point in
the ride is purely conversational. As the ride approaches
the base of Nichols, the pace tends to pick up in anticipation
of the climb ahead. Here the conversations end and the heavy
breathing begins. With approximately two miles of steady climbing,
the pack is significantly stretched out with the fastest riders
reaching the top in about 10 minutes. "The Wall"
is the final 100 meters of the climb where the wrong gear
choice can quickly eliminate you from a group. The ride is
now on infamous Mulholland Drive where the next 6-8 miles
can best be described as fast rollers with a couple of small,
yet significant climbs. There is a general regrouping at Sepulveda
Blvd. next to the 405 freeway. From here, the ride proceeds
down Sepulveda back towards West LA. The pace at this point
can vary from moderate to fast. As the ride crosses Montana
Ave. and heads towards the VA cemetery there is an increase
in pace as the pack approaches the official finish line for
the ride. A large pack sprint finish gives one determined
rider "sprint bragging rights" for the week. A right
turn on Constitution takes the ride into the VA and over to
Peet's
in Brentwood (San Vicente and Gorham) afterward. |
|
|
| Danger!: Vehicles descending Nichols Canyon and the intersection
at Laurel Canyon. |
|
|
| Tips for New Riders: Find a group of riders during the
climb up Nichols that you can keep pace with; the last thing
you want is to find yourself on Mulholland Drive by yourself.
Also, if you're not comfortable riding in a large pack at
high speed (as is the case descending Sepulveda), it is recommended
that you maintain a position at the back of the group until
your comfort level increases. |
| Special thanks to Marco Fantone for this ride description. |
