Please arrive at the ride location with enough time to have your bike ready to roll at the scheduled time.
Also it is recommended that you bring tire tools, frame pump, spare tube, patch kit and water bottle to all rides.
A helmet is legally required for all minors and OCW REQUIRES THAT ALL ADULTS WEAR A HELMET.
Earphones are illegal and unsafe. Please remember that the California Vehicle Code applies to bicycles.

The Saturday rides are offered to improve individual and group riding skills and to promote the sport of bicycling. We do not ride when weather conditions are unsafe or if there is an OCW special event on Saturday. If you are new to OCW rides or are just returning to cycling, let us know, so we can suggest a group that fits your current riding ability.

If the ride is cancelled, the calendar will be updated at least 1 hour prior to the ride start time with the word “CANCELLED”.

Olympic Road Race Century
Saturday, April 27, 7:30 A.M.
93 Miles with 6,000 Feet of Climbing  (5 Laps)
Rain Cancels

Let's challenge ourselves on this Olympic Road Race Century this Saturday.  It's a great route for the more difficult hill climbing rides coming up and it's flexible to allow you to ride 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or more miles. 

Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics for more about the 2028 Olympics which will be here before you know it!!

The weather according to http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/l/USCA0712:1:US  is currently showing just a 6% chance of rain with temps up to 67 in Mission Viejo on Saturday. 

So come on out and ride some famous climbs right in our backyard!!  Vicki Chernoff loves this Olympic Road Race course and she’s not alone. 

Let me know if you can make it by replying to this e-mail.  If there isn't enough interest in this ride, I may cancel it by announcing the cancellation on this e-mail list on Friday.  

Did you know that Connie Carpenter-Phinney won the Women’s Olympic Road Race by just ONE INCH … see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFMdkbixw_Y  !!!

The RidewithGPS link for the route is here.
The Route Slip for the Olympic Road Race Century is attached.

and printed copies will be available at the start of the ride.  We’ll just keep it simple and ride the course in the same direction as the 1984 Olympic Road Race as on this route sheet.

This route has one official distance of 93 miles consisting of 5 laps of 9.8 Miles around the actual 1984 Olympic Road Race course.  In 1984, history was made on this truly epic course as shown at

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0874839.html

when Alexi Grewal became the first American to win an Olympic Gold medal in cycling -- see also

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexi_Grewal  

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_1984_Summer_Olympics  

This Century will actually consist of 5 laps around the Olympic Course which equates to the Women's Road Race where Connie Carpenter won a Gold Medal and Rebecca Twigg won the Silver ... see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Carpenter-Phinney

The 1984 Men's Road Race consisted of 12 laps around the course which is amazing when you consider that there is a section of 14% on Vista Del Lago and some sustained 8% on La Paz. 

Theresa Carrara found some great videos:

Men’s Road Cycling – 12 Laps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHlmEzb1hwA

Women’s Road Cycling – 5 Laps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFMdkbixw_Y  Which shows that Connie Carpenter-Phinney won by just ONE INCH!!

Vince Wilhelm wrote: "Yes, great training ride ... you probably know this, but on Olympiad, just before Marguerite, there's a monument commemorating the 20th anniversary of the race and it includes an engraved map of the course (Mustang Run was named something else back then)."  It's a beautiful monument indeed right at the start / finish line in the street ... and includes a beautiful Olympic Flame artwork.

I've been told the 1984 Olympic Road Racers only had 5 speed cassettes ... making it all the more remarkable.

This ride will start at “The Square” (formerly Foodpark) in Irvine at Main and MacArthur at 7:30 A.M. sharp so you should arrive by 7:15 A.M.  Main and MacArthur is near the intersection of the San Diego Freeway (405) and the Newport (55) Freeway.  Take the MacArthur Blvd. exit from the San Diego (405) Freeway and turn North ... Main Street is the first street Northeast of the 405 Freeway. Meet in the Parking Lot behind the Starbucks.

Ride safe,

Chuck Bramwell