Tour of Unknown Coast 2012

By: Brian Ecker

 The Tour of the Unknown Coast is a long standing event held annually in May down in Humboldt County California.  It’s dubbed as California’s toughest century and it lives up to it.  One hundred miles, 9,000ft of climbing, wind, rough roads, and technical descents make for one heck of a great day. It is a timed event with official results yet it is still a bit different than your typical century or race.  I had the pleasure of partaking last year and came away with top honors after 70+ miles of solo effort; definitely a great day at the office. From the moment I finished that year I already had my mind set on coming back!

This year Dave Bishop and I were accompanied by 4 additional great friends: Rusty Dodge, Stewart Bowmer, Chad Clarke and Patrick Means. It was great to have some friendly faces knowing that I would be a marked man after last year. We pulled into Ferndale, CA with enough time for a gentle ride out to the coast.  Fortunately or unfortunately I suffered some serious mechanical issues about half way through the ride. My rear shifting was quickly becoming non functional and upon inspection back at the car it was pretty clear I needed some serious help.  A few quick calls to Adventures Edge (local shop that sponsors the event) and we were high tailing it to their shop hoping to get there before they close.  The folks at the shop we very welcoming and immediately threw my bike up in the stand.  The funny part is that they immediately recognized the bike and then me as “that out of towner” from last year.  A good 45 min of love by the mechanic got the frayed derailleur cable out of the lever, a new one in, with new housing.  They stayed way past close and totally saved my ass!  THANKS MAN!!

On with the ride!  It was up in the early morning cold to get ready for the 7am start. True to form, the ride started quick with the local team setting a nice tempo to discourage any forays off the front.  About mile 35 the route passes under Hwy 101 and into the dense redwood forest.  Below is a video shot from a remote control helicopter:

Here I gathered our forces and began throwing down a much higher tempo.  The road is narrow, bumpy and snakes through the forest.  My goal was to thin the group, stay out of trouble, and get this thing under way.  We reached the base of Panther Gap(7 mi and about 2,500 ft) with a relatively large group which thinned quickly once on the climb.  About 1/3^rd of the way up the climb the group began to thin more. About 5 guys drifted ahead of me with Patrick Means hanging tough. Knowing that the climb is long but a bit easier towards the top I kept it steady and kept the group within site. The gap hovered between 15-30 seconds for the majority of the climb. I was confident that if I could keep it under 45 seconds I would bring them all back on the highly technical and fast decent.  Over the top I could still see the group and threw it in the big ring for the chase.

The down hills on the route are just as challenging as the up hills. Section of potholes, steep grades, numerous hairpins, and even short sections of gravel make for some exciting riding. Coming off of Panther Gap I closed the gap quickly. Luckily, Patrick sat up a bit to wait for me and we soon took turns railing the decent.  With over 9 hair raising switchback all with a grade of well over 18% we quickly made up time on the remaining two guys up front. By the bottom, Patrick and I were in the lead with one local Adventures Cycling guy in tow. If the decent doesn’t rattle you enough the bridge at the bottom surely will. It’s an old school bridge with wooden planks that have a varying amount of distance between the seams that run parallel to the path of travel.  Yikes, don’t want to get your wheel stuck in one of those slots!!

The three of us rolled together for short bit and decided it would be best to wait for the two chaser hovering 15 seconds behind us.  The infamous winds were blowing strong today which made a group of 5 a way better strategy than a group of 3.  We joined forces and set a reasonable tempo over the many rolling hills on our way to the coast.  A few sneaker descents to keep you on your toes and plenty of short steep walls to keep the quads awake.  We continued to keep a modest pace with everyone pitching in.

The edge of the Unknown Coast

We eventually descended down onto the Unknown Coast and were quickly met by the infamous head wind.  While it was strong this year our group seemed to make good work of this 10K flat section.  A few times we were blown to some pretty slow speeds but we kept at it and soon the infamous “Wall” was in our sites.  Everyone later talked about how bad the winds were and all I could think of was Furnace Creek back in 2009 which made 10K of beach breeze seem pretty darn nice.

The “Wall” is the only way out of the Coast and you must climb about 4K which has at least 2K of sustained grade well over 18%.  Throw in a stiff headwind and you’ve got some slow moving and suffering cyclists.  About 2K out from the wall our group slimmed down to 4 active members as one of the local guys complained of cramping.  Up onto the wall it soon became 3 with the intent of just getting through it. About ½ through this section, up came the guy with “cramps” whom instandly threw down an attack which gapped me off.  The head cross winds continued to be strong and I fought hard to claw my way back. Near the top the climb stair steps a bit with alternating flatter and steeper sections. I dug deep and pulled them back. Once in the draft I knew it would be much easier.  Again, the light weight local guy threw in a surge and once again I was off the back. I could quickly stabilize the gap and found that I could keep them within 10-15 seconds.  This gave me some confidence. Yes, I couldn’t handle the surge but my legs were letting me ride all out without blowing up.  That’s always a good sign for me;  I can dig way deep and yet continue on at a high pace. Just before the top I latched back on and quickly found the front so I could lead the decent.

The local guy and I forged a small gap but all came together a bit at the base of the “endless hills” climb. Patrick was 10-15 seconds back. I remembered the endless hills well from last year.  I had been solo for 60 mi when I got to the base. The climb is quite steep for the first 3.5 mi and I had suffered tremendously.  This year, I was with a group but the suffering would end up being just as much.  Soon into the climb, the local guy threw down another surge and quickly gained 10 seconds on me. It slowly inched out to 20. Patrick came up and through me with a steady intent to make contact with the two leaders.  I could not match Patrick’s pace but was heartened that the gap had stabilized.  I put in a few surges of my own but could not cut the gap down to less than 10 seconds. With the harsh winds, I knew if I could just latch on I would have a chance of staying with them. (A great shot of me clawing my way back)

About 2 mi in I had made some additional progress and the gap was just 7-10 seconds. I made a resolve that it had to be now or never and surged hard to make it successfully across. I wasn’t there more than 200m when the local guy looked back and saw me there. He promptly put in another surge and I was right back to where I had been.  This time the gap stayed steady right away, about 15 sec. I slowly clawed it back and once the grade lessened I surged hard and was again in contact. From here I knew there was still plenty of climbing but the majority was a much lesser grade and came in doable chunks.  With the strong winds, I was able to get significant draft and the featherweight climber seemed to lose his advantage.

Now, with all of us on a more even playing field we all took turns lighting some fireworks. Each of us made bold moves but nothing would stick. Back and forth we went and the closer we got to the finish the stronger my resolve was to not let anything get away. I knew the finish would come quick as the decent into town is long, technical and very steep.  There are a few sneaker up hills within it where the local guy threw down a few more surges. Once on the decent proper he, being a local boy, threw down hard. Again, my resolve had become stronger than ever that either Patrick or myself needed to finish this off. Local guy led the way, bombing close to 50mph down a narrow hairpin decent.  Several times, he overcooked it a bit and I thought for sure he was going over the edge. Each time he brought it back and we continued down at break neck speed. At times I could smell the odor of overheating brake pads on carbon. (His not mine)

Once at the bottom, he had a 2-3 bike link gap. We went through a quick right and then a quick left. He threw down a hard charge for the finish which is now about 1k out. I matched him and soon was able to tuck in behind him. We sat up and played a bit of cat and mouse while Patrick and the other ride were charging hard.  Local guy, hit it hard with 400m to go which I was able to match, wait briefly and then put him away.

Two for Two at the Tour of the Unkown Coast! 5hr 11min.

2011 Year End Stats

 By:Brian Ecker

The year 2011 marks the probably the first year I have ever downloaded every workout for an entire year.  With the close of the year it seemed like a fun idea to do a year in review.  As is probably true with just about every endurance athlete, I wish I had more time to train but life (family, work, etc) are pretty darn important too!  For this year I am pretty happy with the balance I achieved and the results I brought back.  All in all, a pretty solid year!

 

Total Miles: 10,152

Total Hours (training): 612

Total Calories burned (cycling only): 441,252

Number of rides over 100mi: 25

Total number of pedal revolutions: more than 3.2 million!!

 

Best to all in 2012!

Brian

My not quite Top 10 list for 2011

 By: Brian Ecker

As the year end quickly approaches it is always good to reflect a bit on the year that was.  Top 10 lists can be great especially when they are full of wit and humor.  Not sure this will qualify on either of those grounds but it’s worth a try!

Some of the phrases, concepts, facts, and/or opinions that I most often share with my clients:

5) Chamois time actually isn’t training time
4) Yes, compression tights do really work! (While they do make quite the fashion statement it’s probably best to wear them underneath your other clothes.)
3) The fitter you get the faster you go but sorry, it doesn’t get any easier, ie you just go faster………thanks to Greg Lemond for that profound quote.
2) When you ride kinda hard all the time you might get kinda fast but pretty doubtful you will go beyond that. Really hard days and really easy days are the way to go.
1) The Coke Bomb – yes it is real and yes it really works! (Every year that I have given a seminar to a certain collegiate cycling program, at least 75% of the class thinks I am absolutely insane when I share the wisdom of the Coke Bomb)

Favorite races or rides of 2011:

5) Terrible Two – Santa Rosa, CA: 200 mi and 16,000 ft of climbing and descending craziness.  If you are looking to be challenged when you are going up as well as down this is the ride for you.  A mass start ride/race that takes in all the amazing climbs and roads of the greater Santa Rosa area: Trinity, Geysers, Skaggs Springs, Fort Ross, etc etc.
4) Winthrop are fire roads – Rolling the cross bike over in the Methow is pure bliss.  This ride takes in Forest Service Roads 39, 38 and 42 – over 80 miles and 10,000ft of climbing.  Check it out!
3) Slate Peak – New to me this year this gravel/dirt road climb represents over 5,000 ft vertical in right around 20mi.  Great starting point is the Mazama General Store in the Methow Valley. From there you head up the Lost River Rd for some gradual paved uphill where you then eventually hit the gravel and climbing really begins.  The climb tops out at an ever impressive 7,458 ft which represents the highest road in WA State.  While very long the Slate Peak climb is super enjoyable and some amazing vistas await you at the top.
3) The 508 – Furnace Creek 508 is a marquee event that has a reputation for being a battle against the elements.  It will rarely disappoint.
2) Galbreath>South Lookout Towers>Alger Alp>Blanchard Mt Ride – This makes my list cause it’s a hard man’s ride yet I can leave from my doorstep. It’s a mix of road, fire road, and single track with 55mi and 8,000 ft of climbing. The climb up South Lookout is one of the hardest around.
1) Tour of the Unknown Coast – Labeled as California’s toughest century this ride doesn’t disappoint.  Whether you are rolling through the Ave of Giants, slogging against the coastal headwind, grinding up the “Wall”, or screaming down on of the many crazy crazy descents this ride packs it all in. It’s a 100 miles with 9,400 ft of climbing.  

Here’s to a great 2011 and hopeful for any even better 2012!!

Winter Ride Report: South Lookout Towers

By: Brian Ecker

As mentioned in a recent post, it’s the off season and time to transition into activities other than pilling miles on the road bike.  This past weekend blew in dry and very cold for the Bellingham area.  Morning temperatures were in the mid 20s but the skies were clear and crystal blue.  I took this opportunity to lead a cross bike ride with the hope of getting in some good climbing.  The route/destination: Galbreath and South Lookout Mountain.

The Profile for the Day

A hearty group joined in at the 9am Adagio Coffee shop start time.  We rolled out for a nice spin along the bay and up to Lake Padden. Today’s route would include the combo of climbing up to the Galbreath Towers then after a long decent tackling the very tough climb up the back side of South Lookout Mountain. The Lookout Mountain climb is tough, maybe the toughest around.  It is 5.5 mi with a total elevation gain of about 2,100 ft.  The gravel road surface is good but there are some sustained steep pitches that are just a killer.  I had the opportunity to do this climb a few times last summer and I can firmly attest that a 30F change in temp, 5-7 lbs of body weight, and a winter fitness level makes this climb even that much harder!  To top it off, add another 3-5 inches of snow for the last 2K of the climb and you have one heck of a workout.

Rusty Dodge led the efforts up the climb with his 34X27 gearing. (I think I have a 29X32!) An amazing display of sheer power and incredible finesse. About ½ way up the climb we began to encounter a fair amount of snow on the road.  The cold dry air had turned the snow into an amazing light powder but as we climbed higher the depth deepened. The last 2K of the climb had us pedaling hard through 3-5 inches.  It was a slow struggle which both Rusty and I made it through without even a single dab that is, until the last 100m pitch where we both couldn’t quite do it and were required to dismount.  Shortly thereafter, Mr. Eternal Youth, Jeff Cummings came cranking up the hill muttering something about “if I had just one more gear…”

The hike and bike off the front side was pretty slick but we all made it down and back to town without incident.  Ride stats of 3hr 20 mi and 4,800 Ft of climbing aren’t out of this world impressive but after slogging through snow filled up hill sections I can confidently say that it was a hard day at the office!

Full Garmin file at: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/130054318

The View from the Top

What makes a great group ride great?

By: Brian Ecker

If you have been riding and/or racing for a while you can attest to how nice it is to have a great group of folks to ride with.  The miles fly by, hard efforts are easier, and you get to catch up with a lot of friends you might not otherwise have time to see.

 

Why is it then that so many of the group rides that are available aren’t really any fun, you don’t really get what you hoped for, and often times you go home frustrated with the way the “other” folks ride.  You continue to go each week hoping it will get better but it never really changes.

 

The fascinating thing is that, regardless of the community, there are often the same ride offerings. There is almost always a group that meets on early Sat or Sun, and then there are always small groups that you will see often but don’t really have an open “invite” to join, once spring rolls around there is almost always a “training race” type of ride.  If you are really lucky 1 or 2 of these rides in your community will be fun and worth the effort to join in each week. Why is it though that, more often than not, many of the group rides that are available aren’t really that great.

 

What is it that makes a group ride great?

 

My opinions are that group rides work best when there is strong leadership present with a style that demonstrates a lot of flexibility.  Not the type of flexibility that enables folks to take risks and ride unsafely but rather the ability to help guide the group in a way that meets the needs of most.  Strong leadership is contagious and often leads to everyone holding each other accountable for riding safe and smart.

 

A great group ride typically starts on time or close to on time. There is nothing worse than a group ride that is set to leave at 9am but really never gets rolling until 9:20 or so.

 

A great group ride has pretty good agreement, before you leave on where you are going and how far.  Folks know, if they want to cut it short, where to turn off.

 

A great group ride makes every rider a better rider by simply participating.

 

A great group ride rolls out at an easy pace.  Folks ride 2 abreast, if traffic is agreeable, socialize and take the time to warm up. If someone pulls off the front they find their way to the back of the group quickly so that you minimize the impact on traffic, ie 3-4 abreast.

 

A great group ride always has hard sections and easy sections. Points on the ride where most know where the sprint line is and if you can’t keep the pace you know that everyone will eventually slow up and wait.

 

A great group ride has riders on it that know that this is a ride and not a race. They are able get  their  nose out in the wind a lot and rotate through quickly and often.  They use the “saving myself” strategy for race day and not for the group ride.

 

A great group ride has riders that stay safe by keeping their heads up and looking forward (not down), don’t make sudden movements, and stay smooth. Riders point out pot holes and debris.  Once a fast section is over, they slow down and recover allowing everyone to regroup.

 

A great group ride has “hard sections”. These can be anything from the ramp up and sprint for a city limit sign; it can be a good hill on the route, or maybe a fun windy section.  It really shouldn’t be every single ¼ mi roller where folks are stomping the pedals to the top and then coasting down the other side. Remember, you are riding in a group and for those that may not have the same fitness cranking out huge watts going up every single tiny roller only causes them to struggle and doesn’t really increase anyone’s fitness. If it’s your modus operandi to stomp up every roller then it’s probably best to ride solo or at least join a group ride that’s not great. Additionally, a great group ride won’t have folks going across the center line just to win the sprint. Riders on a great group ride stay safe and know what type of actions are not only risky but just plain dumb.

 

A great group ride has good etiquette and folks hold each other accountable (gently).  For instance, good etiquette is to stop when someone flats. Good etiquette is to have a bike in good working order including the appropriate tires so folks are not having to wait for a breakdown that was easily preventable.  Good etiquette is riding smooth and not half wheeling the guy next to you every time you are on the front.  Good etiquette is staying on the right side of the yellow line.

 

Group rides are great for the mind, body and soul.  Riding fast with other folks makes you faster and a better rider. Be prepared, have good etiquette, and have a great group ride.

Ride Report: Kitsap Peninsula – The long way around

By Brian Ecker

Since returning from The 508, I have been transitioning my training to my winter program which always includes a fair amount of riding, some solid time in the gym as well as some great off road rides on the cross bike.  One of the pieces I enjoy most about the winter is taking the time to ride new routes and routes I haven’t done in a long time.  This past weekend I organized a small group ride on a route totally new to me.  I wanted to go long and I wanted it to be epic.  Who else to join in but Mick Walsh and Chris Ragsdale; two riders who know a lot about going long, going hard, and enjoying it.  We were also joined by Bob Brudvik, fresh off his solo ride finish at the 508.

Considering the recent weather, our goal for the day was a bit ambitious: catch and early morning ferry to Bremerton and then do a huge loop around Hood Canal. I upped the ante a bit a decided I would peel off at the 115 mi mark and ride north to Port Townsend and then after another ferry ride I would continue north all the way back up to Bellingham. (180+mi!) (http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/57811644/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1)

Friday night I hit the Amtrak and trained it down to Seattle where Mick picked me up.  Late to bed and an early rise had us out the door and on our bikes by 6:30am Saturday morning. We picked up Chris and Bob in Ballard at 7pm and were on the Bremerton Ferry by 7:30. While it was a bit of a cold and early it was a nice way to start the day: a short warm-up ride, a warm ferry, and lots of coffee.

By 8:45 or so we had disembarked in Bremerton and were rolling through the cool moist air (37F!) of the Kitsap Peninsula.  Our route took us SW on the Old Belfair Hwy and onto Hwy 106 to Shelton. A generally flat route, traffic was light and the views were amazing. Lots of sea life and fresh snow on the Olympics.  Soon enough we were on 101 and on our journey north began.  We made a quick stop in Hoodsport which is one of the many small towns on the route.  We filled up on food and drinks.  The temperature continued to hover at 37F.  Any stops had us soon shivering but once rolling up the highway our steady pace kept us warm. This stretch of 101 hugs the shoreline and for the most part has a pretty good shoulder. While there are not any big climbs the road does undulate up and down.  The fall colors still clung (barely) to some of the trees and the nice south wind pushed us along in spots.

At mile 85, we started up the only real climb of the ride, Walker Mt.  It is just under 2 mi and pretty gentle – about 4-5% the first mile and then 2-3% then 2^nd half.  Mick was kind enough to set a hard but steady tempo for us.  None of us had a lot of snap which is easy to understand given the cold temps.  It began raining at the top so I put the raincoat on for the 5 mi decent into Quilcene.  Here we had a full stop for lunch at a local diner.  Service was exceptionally slow but the food was good enough.  Once we left Quilcene we took Center Rd so we could connect with Hwy 104 (which the Hood Canal Bridge is on).  Center Rd is a great low traffic wide shoulder road.  It has some steady climbing before you get up to the hwy.

At the junction of Center Rd and Hwy 104, Mick, Chris and Bob turned onto the highway and began their journey to Kingston. I continued north towards Port Townsend.  With the long lunch delay I had pretty much assumed I wasn’t going to be able to make the 3:45 ferry but after a check of the time and some quick math I realized that I still had a good chance of making it.  For the 45 min or so I put the hammer down and made it to the ferry dock with 15 minutes to spare. (Luckily the ferry was running as I had learned earlier in the day that they had shut the route down due to high winds!)

Quick jump to Whidbey Island

The 30 min crossing to Keystone went by quick and I soon found myself entertaining a nice tailwind heading north on Whidbey Island.  By now I was running full lights.  At Coupeville there is a small paved trail that parallels the highway which was a nice respite from the buz of Hwy 20.  Unfortunately the trail lasted only a short while and I soon found myself back on the busy highway although the shoulder is wide.  I had mapped out an alternate route that kept me off the highway but with a 140 mi in my legs and in full darkness I decided to keep it simple and stay on the highway.  If still had been daylight I probably would have taken the alt route.

Once into Oak Harbor the shoulder disappeared and riding the highway became a bit sketchy.  While stopped at a light on the north end of town I caught a strong whiff of teriyaki splendor.  Over my right shoulder I spotted a teriyaki restaurant and with hesitation it was full stop for dinner.  A full order of chicken teriyaki, rice, and hot tea seemed to relieve the weariness in my legs and spirit.  Back out onto the road and out of the city limits the nice wide shoulder returned which made the nighttime riding a lot less stressful than I had anticipated.  The temperatures were remaining below 40F and now a big east wind was beginning to kick up.  As I approached the Deception Pass bridge I slowed for a gap in traffic and then took the entire lane for safety.  I hammered across quickly without incident.  The bridge is dark, narrow, and not a place to take chances.  North of the bridge the road remains dark and narrow. Again, I had mapped out an alternate route but for a variety of reason I elected to stay on the highway.  Relieved to be finished with the narrow section I happily rolled into the March Point area and took the Frontage road that parallels the highway on the north side.  The east wind was at gale force now and the rain began to fall in earnest.  Crossing over the bridge and onto the Skagit Flats the rain and wind picked up even more.  I made a brief stop to put the rain cape on again and happily reached the junction at Bayview Edison Rd.

The rain and wind continued although the route had me sheltered from the bulk of the easterly and even picked up some sweet spot tailwinds. By 8:00pm I had finally hit Chuckanut Dr. and began taking on some gels to help me fuel up for coming rolling terrain.  While Chuckanut is a very dark and narrow road there is such little traffic on it at night that it actually makes for really pleasant riding. I lucked out with some more tailwind which helped my tired legs labor over the many rollers.  Finally, at 9pm I rolled into Bellingham wet and tired but satisfied. A beautiful ride with some great company on some great roads.

Ride Stats:

182 mi in 10hr 20min (ride time)
Avg Watts: 227 w/30% of the ride time at or above 270w
Total Calories burned = 7,100
TSS of 393 (As a comparison: The Donut Ride = TSS of 105, Arlington 100 = TSS of 276)

Furnace Creek (508) 2011

 

 By Brian Ecker

Per the Furnace Creek 508 race web site, the 508 bicycle race is revered the world over for its epic mountain climbs, stark desert scenery, desolate roads, and its reputation as one of the toughest but most gratifying endurance challenges available, bar none. The course has a total elevation gain of over 35,000′, crosses ten mountain passes, and stretches from Santa Clarita (just north of Los Angeles), across the Mojave Desert, through Death Valley National Park and Mojave National Preserve, to the finish line at the gateway to Joshua Tree National Park, Twentynine Palms, CA.

The details behind the scenes are that many of the roads you race across are exceptionally rough, wind is always a factor (see my 2009 race report), and the route is exceptionally remote.  These factors make the route a lot harder than it looks like on paper. I’ve done plenty of hard races and hard rides, often with way more climbing, but The 508 remains a more than worthy challenge.

The 508 uses “totems” instead of racer names and once a totem is chosen you have it for life.  This meant we would fly the colors of the American Kestrel for the 2^nd year.

The Logistics

Since none of us have unlimited time off or an unlimited budget, logistics for these events are always complex and complicated.  Wednesday David Dean and I drove down to the infamous Farm in Eugene.  We received a warm welcome, as always, by the Minniti/Shipley clan. (This was the 3^rd such trip of the year where they graciously allowed us to crash en route to an event.)

Up early for a short ride then on the road to Sacramento where we needed to pick up Bish and Paul.  Fresh snow on the Siskiyou Peaks meant great vistas and an amazing approach to Mt. Shasta. We pulled into Sacramento airport for the van pick up and gear swap with less than an hour before Bish and Paul would fly in.  All flowed smooth and soon the Dodge Caravan was loaded and ready. It is the perfect vehicle for these events. (Probably 75% of the crew vehicles at the 508 were the same model). We continued south and ended up in Santa Clarita quite late.

The Crew

Plain and simple – without a solid crew these events are pretty much a no go.  Simply gathering 2 to 4 folks to volunteer hours of their time (with limited sleep) is hard enough but to actually get a crew that is highly motivated and highly skilled is really something special.  I’m a very lucky to have just that – a crew that seems to enjoy these events as much or more than I do.  They have unparallel skills and unparallel commitment.

Paul (crew chief) and Bish are veterans of both these types of events and the 508.  David Dean is familiar with endurance racing but his background is form doing them as a rider on the unsupported side.  A nurse by training, David was brought on specifically for his clinical assessment abilities and his cool head.  Both, of course, proved to be critical to our success.

The Race

The race start is a gentle 4 mi neutral section with a bit of moderate climbing.  It is enough to help get the legs warm in the cold morning air.  Upon exiting the neutral section I hit full throttle for the last ¼ mi of the climb with the hope of getting out of the mayhem of 90+ riders. (Last year I wanted to start mellow and found myself frustrated with trying to follow the rules and keep a good pace. Rider would surge ahead only to then slow down and force me to accelerate to pass.)

My strategy worked – I was instantly free and clear. I settled into a strong rhythm about 10% harder than what I anticipated my long term race pace to be.  About ½ way up the 9 mi 2,500 ft climb I could see Rock Rabbit coming up to me.  I kept the pace steady, expecting the catch.  To my surprise, the catch came but by a different rider, Turkey Vulture.  Turkey Vulture is a guy about 6’ 3” and 135lb.  Oddly enough, he was riding Power Cranks unlocked with the crank length set to about 110mm. (Very very odd but to each their own).  TV could climb well but I was able to up my pace and stay with him without issue.  We topped out on the climb and began a short decent to the uphill roller where all the crews wait.  I radioed up….”riders up boys”. A quick return “roger that”.

I passed the many crews to find mine eagerly awaiting my arrival. 

I passed off my extra gear (vest, arm warmers, cell phone, pump, and spare tire) and took on a high calorie Perpeteum bottle and settled in for the catch of TV.  I easily brought TV back and it became apparent that while TV might be a climbing maniac he didn’t go so good on the descents or flats. I found myself having to slow down in order to not over take him.  Out on the flats we made easy work with a nice pace of 22-23mph.  The calm (wind) conditions and open roads made for a quick pace.  It’s here my fishing expedition began; sit up on the hoods and let a little line out, drop down in the aero bars and gently real it back in.  TV was keeping a close watch, checking my position constantly.  At this point, time check on RR is about 2 min.  On the way to the Windmills climb (6 mi 1,000 ft) I continue to follow TV at a safe distance and begin to wonder if this is the right strategy – I have way more throttle available and in fact have about 30 watts, on the flats, left before we would be up to my race pace. I consider the question of why push it when we are easily covering the lead.  This strategy is cemented when a second time check comes back that has RR (3^rd place) further behind.

Over the Windmills Climb (almost no wind) and down the other side.  We quickly make our way into TS1 – California City (83.6 mi IN and 426.11 mi to GO) at 4hr 15 min.  A bit off the pace of my 2009 ride but the lack of tailwind and race strategy make the actual split a bit irrelevant.

Windmills Climb

Coming out of the TS I take a quick pit stop which gives TV 30 sec breathing room.  He seems to want to take advantage of it and begins to up his pace.  Quickly back on the road I drop into the aero bars and set the throttle at a clean 300w (about 20-30w more than my race pace).  TV comes back to me easily and again we settle into the routine of me modulating the gap and TV checking my position.  We roll at a pretty good pace on the flat roads 23-24mph and have little to no wind. Temperatures are mild, 60’s, and the skies are crystal clear.  My body is feeling good and it is taking a fair amount of energy to resist the temptation to surge on ahead and get settled into “my” race pace.  Patience – RR has continued to looe ground and there are many many miles to go.

We start the long Randsburg climb (7 mi 1,500 ft) which, as is true for much of the course, doesn’t look too hard, but in reality the climb is a solid challenge.  Very gradual initially – the wide open vista and increasing temperatures make this climb mentally tough.  TV seems to up the pace a bit and I find my watts running higher than I would like.  I am committed to staying close to TV and continuing to apply the pressure to keep him in close.  The climb drags on and I slip back to approximately 2-3 telephone pole lengths behind. The grade is steady, the road is rough, and the riding is starting to become hard.  Towards the last third of the climb it steepens and we approach the small town of Johanasburg.  I find my pace consistent yet I begin bringing TV back. Now just 1 pole behind I find that I have to ease up in order to not get closer. We continue on this for a bit and eventually make it over the top. Out briefly onto a major highway and approaching the crest of a roller, it is apparent TV is struggling.  My racing instincts take over and I accelerate hard and pass TV, immediately putting 10 seconds into him. Left turn down a decent and it’s clear the mental tactics have worked and TV looks to have cracked.  Crew radio’s across: “excellent work, TV isn’t able to respond but RR is coming hard”.  Running only a few minutes out front at race pace I find that my legs feel way more fatigued than I am expecting.  Up until now we’ve done the climbs a bit harder than I wanted but all else has been pretty easy.  RR continues to close the gap so I take advantage and pull off for another quick pit stop.  He passes and I casually remount back into follow mode. RR is on his full TT set up including aero helmet.  He’s going good but it’s well within the “plan” to keep a close follow. The gap wavers between 15 and 30 seconds.

The open and desolate roads typical of the 508

Trona TS2 comes up and a bit of chaos ensues.  Normally, a very quiet town of very few folks, a rock and gem show has the town packed with 100s of cars creating a significant traffic jam. I see RR’s crew driving on the shoulder of the opposite side of the road urgently trying to get to the gas station.  As I pass the station a Time Station official runs out and confirms my identity. (TS#2 2:48pm, 7:48 in, 3:34 split, 154.8 mi IN and 354.91 to GO)  I continue to roll down the road to only see a flagger ahead stopping our lane of traffic.  My crew is stopped alongside RR.  I ask how it was getting gas but the crew says the TS (gas station) is further up. I lose my composer a bit and let them know that the TS is back in town right at the traffic jam.  Flagger turns the sign and I let RR regain the gap he had established.

An American Kestrel?

Sooner than expected my crew returns. They bring some solemn news – no gas at Trona, the station was dry. RR and I retain our positions and begin the climb of Trona Bump (5 mi 1,000 ft). A relatively easy and short climb, we continue our soldier.  The nagging headwind we have had since the start of the Randsburg climb continues and our going is slow. Over the top we quickly descend the twisty fun road and drop into the wide expanse of what is known as Panamint Valley. Immense vistas help distract from the punishingly rough roads and stiff headwind. In 2009, with huge tailwind support, we rocketed through this section continuously turning the 53X11.  Today, it becomes a race of the desert tortoise.  Rolling a tempo pace across rough chipseal and a very non impressive 14-15 mph.  We continue on. The wind is forcing a slow pace and thus some important decisions need to be made.  It’s approaching 5pm and night rules take effect in an hour.  With no gas at Trona the team decides that once we reach the end of Pananmint Valley they will leave me and go of course about 4 mi up to the town that is confirmed to have gas.  I’m not a fan of having the crew leave and heated discussion ensues.  In 2009 we were already up and over Townes Pass which meant the crew could stop, before night rules were in effect, at Stovepipe wells. The nagging headwind has us way behind schedule and the crew mitigates this well.

Topping out @ Trona Bump and looking into Panamint Valley

About this time a flurry of activity is taking place with RR.  His crew is leapfrogging more frequently and looking to be getting ready for something.  Soon enough they all pull off and a bike swap ensues.  Surprised, I find myself in the lead and in the vast wide open.  We are approaching the 200 mi mark and my legs are surprisingly fatigued given the perceived effort thus far.  I tempo on and RR competes the swap and he is now 1:30 down.  I maintain tempo expecting him to return to the lead but instead the next time check is 2:30.  It’s here we reach the end of the valley and make the right turn for the approach to the behemoth known as Towne’s Pass.  Crew puts on my lights, full bottles and new rear wheel (27 tooth cassette). It’s 5:35 and the crew departs for gas. They have exactly 25 min to drive 4-5 mi one way, gas up, and then return to me.  If they do not return by 6pm (night rules) I will be forced to pull over and wait.  (When in night rules, the car and rider are one unit and can never separate.)

I approach Towne’s as the beautiful long evening shadows begin to settle in.  Our right turn should mean a cross wind but as is the case for the majority of the race, logic defies and our headwind continues.  Towne’s is a big climb, 13 miles 3,800ft, with grades of 12-15%.  In 2009 I found, with headwind, that we were able to tempo the climb pretty well and I was able to sustain an excellent pace without burning any matches.  For whatever reason, today I find myself struggling a bit and the pace is slow.  RR is not in view so the struggle becomes just personal.  It’s about this time that Race Staff come up and begin taking many pictures.  The evening light and geography make for some great shots.  The climb is long and the work is hard. The headwind is constant and it’s a bit of trouble to spin the gear.  The evening light begins to fade quickly. Last year we were up and over and down onto the valley floor before the sun said good-bye.  That’s not the case today but again, we are in the lead, putting time into everyone else so any comparison has little relative value. 

Photo courtesy of AdventureCorps

After much too long, we reach the lesser slopes near the crest.  Once at the summit we stop to put on a light coat, aero, helmet, and disc wheel.  Fully dark now, I will get to experience the stuff of legends; descending Towne’s at night.  We are quickly up to speed, 50+mph, with the van following within inches behind.  David Dean, new to this, is sitting in the front passenger seat and his anxiety is rising.  Full white knuckle grip on the “oh shit” handle, erect posture, and leaning forward, David takes the new experience in quietly.  Paul, continues to follow close and we hit the “dip” at top speed.  My memory has the dip being enormous but tonight we are through so quickly that I dismiss it as it not being the “one”. Our descent continues and the temp rises quickly.  Back up to the mid 80s we soldier onto the halfway point TS3 Furance Creek.  It is about this time that we expect to begin to cash in on the ever present headwind of the earlier sections.   Instead we are greeted by a gusting head cross wind that is tossing my front tri spoke around.  We patiently wait for the road to “turn the corner” and pick up the sweat spot but the road turns and the unfavorable wind continues.  We make a quick stop to swap out the front tri spoke with a normal spoked wheel to help reduce the handling issue. It’s a bit of a risk as the tri spoke is an exceptionally fast front wheel but the decision pays off as we continue to run the valley and the winds remain from the front/side.

We roll into TS3 Furnace Creek at 8:51pm, 13:51 total ride time, split of 6:03, 252.99 mi IN and 256.72 to GO. We are a full 1hr 30min behind 2009 pace.  We have retained the lead and are unable to see any riders behind us.  We keep the gas on through the time station and continue to try to gobble up the miles.  My mind returns to the horrors of 2009 where the hurricane force winds and blowing sands, broke my spirit to race and my 2009 ride turned from a race to a ride.  Tonight is different, the moon is up and bright, the wind continues to not do us any favors but we commit to soldiering on. The miles to the low point of the route, Badwater -249 ft elev, pass soon enough and we silently slide through. The road continues along the valley floor undulating up and down, around corner after corner.  The night and unfavorable winds continue. We soldier on. We limit our stops with feeds from the car and occasionally pick up a straight tailwind. 

At the south end of the valley, we make an equipment stop and take on as many calories as possible. I pop a no doze tablet hoping to proactive ward off any sleepiness. We quickly make the left turn and expect our headwind to turn into crosswind.  Wrong again, we begin the climb up Jubilee Pass, 5 miles 1,000ft and our headwind continues.  Luckily, my legs respond and we make quick work up Jubilee. A quick decent and onto Salsberry Pass, 9.5 mi 2,300 ft.  Now at mile 305 and about 1:30 am this climb will require a bit more work. My tempo soon begins to fade and I begin to struggle.  We stay focused but soon see that we have a racer approaching.  The crew quickly informs me that it’s a team coming up and they ask me to use them as motivation.  The team rider passes quickly and I keep them in my sites as we go over the top and onto the fast decent into TS4 Shoshone – 2:24 am, split of 5:33, 326.5 mi IN and 183.2 mi to GO.  We roll into Shoshone and roll through quickly.  The team has stopped to transition riders and we regain the “lead”.  The next 12 miles pass quickly with smooth roads and wonderful tailwind. I rejuvenate a bit as I am able to, for the first time, spin my legs out and maintain a good clip. We use the pursuing team as fuel to keep the pace up. We are soon on the 4mi climb of Ibex Pass.  The gradual slopes and smooth roads help us maintain a steady tempo.  The team re-catches us about ½ way up.  Over the top we take the gradual descent and take aim on Baker.  It’s now 4am, still very dark and quite cold.  I have taken on leg warmers, aero helmet, gloves, and thermal coat.  In the dark, cold and over 20 hrs of riding it’s hard to know how well we are or are not going.  While it seems like we are rolling well the Baker TS is not coming soon enough.  We soldier on.

Rolling thru the cold night (photo courtesy of AdventureCorps)

Finally we roll into Baker, TS#5, 5:32am, 22:32 total time, 3:08 split, 382.7 mi IN and 127 mi to GO.  We make a longer than usual stop. We have to gas up and try to take on calories.  I take in a coffee and about 300 calories only to have it all instantly come back up. Luckily that is all that comes up and we are back on the bike and rolling up the 20 mi KellBaker climb.  This climb looks mellow on paper but our headwind is back and the road is rough.  Going is tough and slow.  I making forward progress but I can’t tick the gear over. The climb takes forever and soon we discover my 41 minute lead over RR has evaporated.  RR has returned in a hurry.  He quickly passes me and puts additional time into me.  I attempt to lift my tempo but my legs refuse. They have one speed and it is unfortunately slow at this point.  We continue to struggle and road surface only gets worse.  We started in the dark and cold however it is now fully light and warming up. We stop to take some clothes off and come calories on.  The crew works hard to keep me focused and motivated.  We top out and quickly drop into Kelso TS#6 8:20am, 25:20 total time, 2:48 split, 417.6mi IN and 92 mi to GO. 

RR now has 8 min.  Wow, that is quick work. 

Trying to turn the gear over in the cold early morning

Immediately out of Kelso the climb of Granite Mountain starts, 2,000ft in 14mi.  The day is heating up now and calories are hard to come by. My once vast menu of food options has dwindled down to a select few items I am willing to tolerate: applesauce, grapes, gel/water mix, and coke/water.  The importance of the crew becomes even more apparent.  They keep the food coming in small manageable amounts and keep me focused on the race. Luckily, this climb goes moderately well and we top out in full sunshine and begin the long fast 16 mi decent into the last time station, Almost Amboy. 

We arrive in Almost Amboy, TS#7 9:55am, 2:07 split, 451 mi IN and 58 mi to GO.  We are now 18 minutes down.  We make a quick stop and discuss our menu options.  We agree the crew will come alongside every 10 minutes and provide me with a small amount of some type of food.  We ride down old Route 66 and make the left hand turn onto Amboy Rd which marks the real start of the last big section.  A 4-5 mi run in along some crazy salt flats / lava fields and then onto the last climb, Sheephole Pass, 1,500ft over 10mi.  Gradual grades initially the climb gets steeper toward the top. The temperature has risen dramatically and now is hovering somewhere in the 80s.  In the rising heat, I begin to wilt and am not looking forward to trying to get over this last climb.  Upon request, the crew creates an ice sock and I stop to put it under my collar.  It makes a huge difference and surprisingly, melts by halfway up the climb. We stop to refill and on I continue.  Finally, after a steep pitch or two we crest the summit and begin the 6 mile descent that brings you to the long, straight and slightly uphill run in to the finish.

This last section, is in fact, the part I was dreading the most. From the base of the decent to the next turn is about a 20mi run in that is dead straight, typical headwind, and 1-2% up hill.  Again, on paper it looks like a piece of cake but at this time of the race it is hard to not feel utterly defeated.  The crew keeps me updated on mileage and we make the necessary progress.  Finally, I get the update I have been wanting, “1 mi to the LEFT turn on Utah Trail Rd”.

Recovering post finish

We make decent work of the next few sections and roll into the finish line 31 hr and 19 min after we started. A full 59 min behind RR and into 2^ndplace solo.  There is satisfaction for myself and the crew for a race well raced but more than a tinge of disappointment for knowing what could have been.  We raced the entire race but simply didn’t have the legs to finish it off.

 

 

 

Relief of a job well done (Photo courtesy of AdventureCoprs)