Crush the Commonwealth 2013
This topic contains 288 replies, has 52 voices, and was last updated by 
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 flyS564 Feb 28 2013 at 2:13pm # |
No SAG allowed, that’s the fun. I learned my lesson last year setting an unrealistic goal for a first timer, realizing something horrible was happening to the riders 50-100 miles ahead of us. I’m just going to ride, try to keep in a group and avoid stopping for too long. If timing is good, I’ll chip in for whatever is most convenient for getting my bike back otherwise if getting a train and shipping my bike is an option, I’m going to try that. |
 jonawebb Feb 28 2013 at 3:02pm # |
Oh yeah, one other option — take the train or bus back and drop your bike off at a bike shop for shipping. I think they charge something between $25 and $50 to pack your bike up and then there’s shipping. This is the easiest way, I think. |
 cburch Feb 28 2013 at 11:20pm # |
yeah if you get caught using any outside support, including a SAG wagon, you are DQed. |
 stefb Mar 12 2013 at 10:28pm # |
Ok officially getting excited about this now. |
 that guy Mar 13 2013 at 3:17pm # |
http://www.crushthecommonwealth.com Best website of 1994, ever. You’ll be able to share your ride or follow others’ by tagging instagram or twitter posts with #crushthecommonwealth. Might be adding more features too. Dunno. |
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flyS564 Mar 15 2013 at 11:19am # |
I doubt I will be able to type #crushthecommonwealth, it would be nice to just be #ctcpa13 or something. I don’t know how I have managed riding in nothing but summer gear almost year round for over 5 years (Pearl Izumi inner-cool elite shorts are basically all I have owned), including last years ctc. I guess I just get so cold in my lower belly and stomach that I can’t feel it until after a long shower. I just grabbed a lot of wool stuff from head to toe and have been riding in 30 degree weather and it feels so much better. Hopefully it doesn’t rain/sleet or whatever for 300 miles again this year. |
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that guy Mar 15 2013 at 11:38am # |
Most of the shorter tags are already taken. One you type it in once, twitter and instagram save the tag and it only takes three or four characters before it pops up and you just confirm. |
 pbeaves Mar 15 2013 at 1:13pm # |
^^^ +1, |
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flyS564 Mar 15 2013 at 1:45pm # |
Paul, are you riding? My instagrams will be something like this: “wtf snow”, “help please”, “sheetz”. |
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that guy Mar 15 2013 at 1:48pm # |
Crush the Commonwealth, a.k.a. Tour de Sheetz. |
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pbeaves Mar 15 2013 at 4:25pm # |
oh no, I will not be riding CTC this year, maybe in 2014 (i do better in even years), but I am doing the Breakfast Ride from the point out to McKeesport. PGH gonna represent. |
 tomh Mar 15 2013 at 6:00pm # |
Heh. There’s a nice new Turkey Hill in Morgantown. And there’s always the Rutters in East Berlin, but yeah….lots of Sheetz. |
 rice rocket Mar 19 2013 at 10:59pm # |
I remember someone had a good packing list, but I can’t find it. Seems like a Dan thing to do, but I can’t find it in his FAQ. |
 reddan Mar 20 2013 at 7:45am # |
Probably was, but I don’t recall a general packing list. I came up with this one a year or two ago: it’s specific to my P-38 in randonneuring mode, but might give an idea of how I plan for such endeavors. In general, think about the following: |
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rice rocket Mar 20 2013 at 2:07pm # |
Thanks Dan! Very helpful, good points on the spare bolts and cleats, I wouldn’t have thought of that until I lost them… I should start riding w/ chamois cream, see which one I can tolerate… |
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flyS564 Mar 20 2013 at 4:01pm # |
I think one thing that I never thought about until it felt like it was happening last year: what if ALL the people you are riding with drop? I’m going into this one mentally prepared to ride alone. I hope to stick with people but if people drop, I want to be mentally prepared to ride in the dark, in crap weather and on my own. I relied heavily on everyone else’s directions and GPS routes last year and will probably only recognize a few stretches this year. |
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that guy Mar 20 2013 at 4:13pm # |
You’d be surprised how easy it is to navigate on your own. I’ve found the route to be very well marked. As far as riding alone, I actually prefer it that way. It’s so much less stressful to just ride at my own pace, stop when and where I want, and not feel responsible for anyone else. |
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that guy Mar 22 2013 at 2:13pm # |
New news at crushthecommonwealth.com |
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rice rocket Mar 22 2013 at 3:53pm # |
I’m being lame and bailing this year. I got roped into another type of endurance race, involving gasoline and rubber. |
 mrosswog Mar 23 2013 at 12:08pm # |
I’ve been training for the past 10 weeks and completed back to back centuries 2 weeks ago. I’m planning two more big rides before CTC. Is it a stupid idea to do a 160-180 mile ride the week before? I’ve been googling 600k training plans and im obviously not fully prepared but that’s all part of the fun right? :) |
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stefb Mar 23 2013 at 7:31pm # |
I did a 200k last year a few weeks before CtC and then just some 50 milers on the weekends before that and I was fine. I also stopped a lot and slept two nights. |
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reddan Mar 24 2013 at 9:35am # |
Nah, not unless you break yourself. If it were me, I’d prefer a 160-180 day two weeks in advance, and a nice mellow 65-100 the week before, but there’s nothing wrong with a solid day of riding a week in advance. |
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stefb Mar 24 2013 at 11:46am # |
I think I am ready without going nuts with longass rides before CtC. I felt fine last night and today, except for this cold and some ankle soreness. I would probably stop every 25-30 miles rather than every 45 miles. I will do the 100k next weekend and the spring roll. Hoping the weather doesn’t make packing things a pain this year. |
 Marko82 Mar 24 2013 at 12:57pm # |
Spring roll? |
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stefb Mar 24 2013 at 1:30pm # |
http://springrollalleycat.blogspot.com you should get facebook just for the events |
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Marko82 Mar 24 2013 at 2:22pm # |
Thanks. Now get off my lawn! mumble, mumble… |
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flyS564 Mar 24 2013 at 9:54pm # |
I only did ~500 miles before last years ride, only three 50mi rides in April and managed not to drop. Hoping to get one or two 75+ mile rides in before the ride but am too busy to count on it. Stef, I would like to avoid two nights of sleep during the ride this year myself if possible. All I remember last year is how miserable the rain was and leaving late probably didn’t help. I also keep telling myself if we tried to go from Chambersburg to Breezewood at midnight, I may have dropped the next morning. |
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stefb Mar 25 2013 at 4:21am # |
It will be easier this year. It is very doable to get to breezewood or even further by the first night. It is also basically downhill from chambersburg. |
 Nick D Mar 25 2013 at 11:55am # |
I have a few more PT sessions and one or two more test before I could be cleared to ride this, and I hope to. However, it’s pretty unlikely I will be allowed and even if I am allowed, I’ve ridden less than 25 miles this year so I still may not ride. [When I was hit I never thought I would be out of commission for this long, nor did I think it would cause this much financial strain.] In the case that I don’t ride I would be happy to drive the F:R van out to get about 4 people back including bikes if anyone would want to split the costs. If I got another seat and a trunk rack, we could fit 7+bikes. |
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pbeaves Mar 29 2013 at 9:09am # |
Lets have some morning type 3 fun & give the CTC riders an enthusiastic rolling sendoff, the Team Breakfast Sendoff Ride has been posted on facebook, ( https://www.facebook.com/events/100875080107000/ ) Its open to anyone who can make it down to the Point @ 5am, wants to ride out to McKeesport, and enjoys eating breakfast. |
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Nick D Apr 1 2013 at 12:12pm # |
Just came back from PT and it does not look good for me that I’ll be allowed to ride. That said, are there still people trying to find their way back from Philly? |
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mrosswog Apr 2 2013 at 1:16pm # |
How does the group manage the railroad tracks / gravel / rocks / mud of the section of trail where it currently ends to under the glenwood bridge? |
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that guy Apr 2 2013 at 1:21pm # |
In the past there have been different routes. I don’t think trail will be ready in time so we’ll likely just ride 837 as a group to the end of the neutral start in McKeesport. There isn’t a lot of traffic at 5 a.m. |
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mrosswog Apr 2 2013 at 1:47pm # |
Cool. I like that approach. |
 Mikhail Apr 2 2013 at 2:01pm # |
Jail trail, Hazelwood trail, Glennwood Bridge, Sand Castle — https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=203486699788212250094.0004d9650617066b7710a&msa=0&ll=40.429883,-79.957788&spn=0.004429,0.006094 ? |
 Pierce Apr 2 2013 at 6:25pm # |
@Nick D Don’t know if this was covered in another thread, but I’m wondering what kind of injuries you sustained that require PT. This is from the hit and run right? |
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that guy Apr 8 2013 at 10:13pm # |
So I rode down to check on the trail conditions and it doesn’t look like we’ll have to ride on 837. Be prepared for some bumpy, rocky, “gravel grinding” |
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pbeaves Apr 9 2013 at 4:29pm # |
yeat, the construction vehicles havd mashed the large gravel into a pretty rideable pathway. |
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Nick D Apr 9 2013 at 6:07pm # |
Does anyone still need to arrange a ride back to Pittsburgh? |
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that guy Apr 9 2013 at 6:14pm # |
I will likely take you up on this if it’s still available. I don’t think I can take the extra time off work to ride back :( |
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