As I scheduled this latest ride with Spencer, I became mindful of the last time I had the bright idea of keeping the R-12 run going after the 2008-2009 virgin run. Dubbed “Lucky 13”, at the time it stood as an indication that I really needed some time off and distance from … well... distance. I vowed never to try the Knob Noster 200k again, and proceeded to think about restarting the R-12 run a few more times throughout 2009 and 2010, and 2011... until this last, successful, run of 2011-12. Now - somehow - I find it easier to stay into a routine of one-per-month, so while I’m still relaxing on the prospect that I can “start over” at any point now that I’m back at ride #1, the notions of burn-out or stopping the routine exist only as shadows. That’s a good thing -- because it means I’m in a good place, and I am really enjoying my riding.
So, this month, whether we’re calling it #13 or R-12 vol.3 no.1, or just “the July ride”, it wasn’t a chore or a challenge to commit. Date set, as usual, vehicle packed, off to the start line for an early departure - this time on the Princeton Roundabout route. Not unfamiliar territory, and clearly I’m still in a bit of a rut when it comes to rando routes for myself - but, I had a mind to stay close to home, close to familiar surroundings and populations. The forecast showed hot, 104ºF forecast - which would ultimately deliver. It doesn’t take much to get on the wrong side of hydration for me, and the local roads and concentration of c-stores would be appreciated late in the day.
Along for the fun came Gary and Glen, repeat offenders from the June 200km - the three of us ride pretty well together, and I always welcome the good conversation and company. This time out was no different - we tackled the early hills and made our way out to Eudora, squinting through fogged-up glasses in the early morning humidity as the sun began to climb out from behind the trees, all while we chatted away about this and that. For a few hours, the conditions bathed us in comfort - but it wouldn’t last. It has been desperately hot here in the KC-area for several weeks now, and lately we haven’t been out of the triple-digits during the day, and have rarely dipped below 75 at night. The heat has been accompanied by a pretty lengthy drought, as well. As I write this, a chance of thunderstorms brews to the west - and I can’t describe how amazing that will be, should it hold together. Fingers are crossed, for farmers especially; as we rode alongside this farm and that, the lack of rain sat evident on the withered crops.
Our pace matched the weather, to my delight and surprise. The group, either filled with energy from good training or filled with motivational dread to try and outrun the coming heat of the day, set a solid pace over the first 2/3rds of the ride. I don’t imagine we broke any course records, but, for me, the average speed felt faster than I thought I’d have been capable of in the hot conditions.
Numbers....
Since I’m a numbers-guy by trade and spend a large part of my day soaked in spreadsheets and data, extending that into my cycling is almost unavoidable; so, no surprise that it got me thinking about goals in general and past performances. I’m on an upward trend - my first R-12 saw an average speed, over the 12 rides, of 14.7MPH rolling... despite having bright spots where I had averaged 17.0mph on one particular 200k during that run. The message there simply indicates a lack of consistency; for, also in that run sits a low average of 12.9mph. Compared to the high of 17.0, that’s a spread of over 4MPH. Partly, I found it interesting that my highest averages happened upon the Trek 450 when I’d had it built up with Shimano 105 and zippy Mavic Ksyrium wheels. The lower numbers happened on my Kogswell, with fenders, lights, and rack. Since that run, however, the Trek has been retired and the frame/fork hung back over the workbench with pride - but, I have managed to increase my speed on the Kogswell - which shows in the 2nd R-12 run, with an overall average of 15.65MPH, and a range of only 1.7MPH from the highest to lowest marks. Consistency has improved, and rolling speed sits nearly a full MPH above the ‘08 numbers. With the Trek out of the equation, that’s a happy improvement... but I can’t help wondering how the numbers might look with a “faster” bike back in the stable. I have yet to best any 2003 numbers, but this potential 3rd run might be “the one.” That’s with all things being equal; what had changed from ‘08 to ‘12? The fabled bike fit, and a slight drop in body mass, specifically. All in all, steps in the correct direction - healthwise, and in efficiency. Weather and route choices... hard to tell, but - typical for my route rut - I rode the Border Patrol route nearly as much in ‘08 as I had this last year, so it’s potentially safe to say “all else was equal”. To the notion of having a goal, though, even if one doesn’t yet KNOW the goal, it may be a worthy personal challenge to try and raise my 3rd R-12 average speed another full MPH, and try and grab the elusive 17.0mph average again on a few brevets or permanents. That Trek 450 is still in the garage, waiting for parts.... but, maybe it really ISN’T about the bike, and I can keep building speed on the Kogs? We’ll see. Fun to play with numbers and scenarios, however. Okay, enough numerology for this post.
Food....
Eudora, KS. came and went with a quick control and restroom break -- this time, chocolate milk on tap, and a banana. In the bottles, Carboplex and Emergen-C powder -- seemed to work well, but, ultimately I think my fizzy GU-Brew tablets perform better in the kind of heat we experienced. That, I’m finally figuring, represents my “perfect bottle” - about 250-300 calories, a tiny bit fizzy with a tiny bit of flavor, and a good electrolyte profile. My problems start (as they would today) when I float between feeling awesome all day, or packing light. It’s never a conscious choice... but I always end up packing light when it comes to food. It’s time to scrap the minimalist BS and simply keep enough fuel on-board for the job at hand. Supplementing with food at controls works, but, deep into each ride, I always end up on the nutritional short end as I slip into deficit while riding. Problem #1, I know I need food - but towards the end of rides, I have trouble eating anything - I eat too slow, and can’t seem to shove enough in - plus, at that point, NOTHING sounds good anymore. Problem #2, I don’t want to carry a lot of stuff (bags of powder) -- the easiest problem to solve is the latter: carry enough for the ride, no matter how much that might be! >400 km?, use the bag service (if offered). Possible mitigation to Problem number 2: save the powder until late in the ride if I don’t want to carry as much of it: eat at the controls while I have the appetite... then mix the drinks later when I start to have trouble motivating myself to ingest anything solid. There are SO many approaches to randonneuring - but, for me - as many times as I’ve tried to disprove it to myself - things work better when I can just mix and drink, especially deep into the ride. It’s time to simply be “ok” with that approach, put nutrition concerns on the “done” shelf again, and get a rack trunk or slightly larger saddle bag to carry what I need. Witnessing Alex’s performance on RAAM, I know it can be done from one bottle .. my only hurdle becomes getting around not having a follow-car.
Ah, plans.... I’m great at theory.... terrible at practice.
The first hints of nutritional shortfalls came on the run between Ottawa and Princeton... always a weirdly difficult section. It’s only 6-7 miles, but it trends uphill slightly on a false flat, and it’s nearly always into a weighty headwind. Combined with the featureless highway shoulder and lack of landmarks, progress comes slow, lathered with tedium. I spent the miles time-trialing up to Glen’s wheel, only to pop and fade backwards ... Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen would echo in my head occasionally, motivational quotes and commentary ripe from this year’s ‘Tour playing in my head as I pedaled. Princeton came, eventually, and the half-way checkpoint... and, “hey, did it just get hotter?”
It had. Even though the local bank thermometer read “only” 85ºF, the rate at which the temperature had begun to increase took center-stage as we three prepped for the long slog to Osawatomie, 17 miles to the east. We’d still have a headwind, and the section remains quite exposed - but, we were ready. Normally a bit of a death-march, the three of us maintained high spirits as we kept a great pace eastbound. A lot of the journey became a heads-down affair, yet, we made decent time and soon began to see indications of the town limits coming back into view. More of the same, off-green, drought-parched fields yielded to houses, and soon we rolled through Osawatomie to the local Casey’s store for another stop and refill of water - something which started to become more and more important. Certainly now the temperature had climbed to near 95, as we hid from the blazing sun on the shady side of the building.
We made our way out of town, refreshed and refilled, for the next leg to Paola, KS along Old KC Road and its steady gradient. The last eastward push would finally see us depart the cross-headwinds to accept a slight acceleration from nature for the final roads pointing north for home. At this point, my tank’s virtual “low fuel light” would pop on - the toils of the day beginning to outrun my caloric intake. As foretold above, this ride would end up no different than any other in recent memory - cramps revealed themselves, reminding me to drink, and general lethargy reminded me I hadn’t eaten anything at Osawatomie. Finally reaching Paola, some snacks, my last baggie of powder introduced into a waiting bottle, and a terrific homemade energy bar from Glen helped set things straight. The trend was the same, throughout the group - however... the heat continuing to build, its effects showing on everyones face.
Paola represented the last control - and that means “it’s in the bag!’ Of course, we still had to pedal the last 35 miles or so. Ugh... all I’d wanted to do was sit -- and with the invitation of park benches set up outside the Philips 66 station, in the shade, sit we did.
As we rolled out of the last control, Gary knew exactly how to get my mind off things - even though I hadn’t made any outward complaints, my state must have been apparent. The ensuing conversation about hot-weather clothing choices and different jersey manufacturers helped the miles out of Paola pass quickly and smoothly, and soon we checked off Hillsdale and continued to Spring Hill without a hiccup. For the first time on such a short ride, and for the first time during the daylight, I’d pulled out the night-time mental arsenal: the MP3 player and the single-ear earbud. The distraction helped me forget about the distance yet to cover, and I matched cadence and tempo to flatten the rollers on Ridgeview as we continued north. A few passing clouds provided some relief from the hot sun, and some random cramps reminded me to keep drinking - stay on top!
We passed the QuikTrip (the one I always forget about) at 135th (Santa Fe) and Ridgeview - a stop I should have, on paper, taken. The next ten miles would prove to be the most difficult of the entire day, possibly the hardest ten miles of my 2012 riding season thus far. Gary proved to be a picture of consistency, his pace and strength identical to 9 hours prior, but that’s a former RAAM-finisher for you...lessons to be learned there, certainly. Glen had indicated at Spring Hill that he hadn’t felt great, but didn’t feel bad enough to stop -- and I just felt like stopping altogether! It hadn’t been my hottest day on the bike, weather-wise, and certainly this hadn’t been the first time the hills on Renner would test the legs -- but it wasn’t the grade as much as the day’s toll being collected, with interest - a princely sum in the moment - as rolling cramps accompanied ANY pitch in the road, no matter the length, no matter my gear choice. I popped more electrolytes and guzzled my remaining water to stave off the twinges. I knew if I stopped, it would be game-over until I could rest... and with only 5 scant miles to go, that was out of the question. A sub-10 hour finish teased, still within reach... but the tanks were dry, and engineering began switching everything over to reserves. As I pedaled through the protest in my muscles I precariously reached for my third water bottle, lashed with a toe-strap to my rear rack. A few attempts loosened the strap enough, and Glen - playing domestique - rolled close and freed the bottle the rest of the way. As I took it up I doused my overheated quads with cool liquid, then drank my fill until the cramps finally subsided. THANKS, GLEN!
We three were fortunate to reach every traffic light along Renner without having to put a foot down (if only briefly for Gary, as he bested us to each light) - a blessing, indeed, as any notion of rest would have thrown my legs back into fits. I’d taken up plenty of water - so I’d thought - since Princeton, but, the lack of nature’s call spoke volumes on my real condition - whatever I’d drunk hadn’t been enough, ultimately, and I had been lucky the worst waited until nearly the last control. The joy of the long downhill on Renner over I-435, and the last control -- quickly inside to the thick air conditioning, card signed and finalized, and more fluids on-board to start the recovery process... Finished!
Despite having kept to my usual hydration formula, I think the added humidity of the day played a big factor during those last, difficult miles near the end of this edition. Thinking back to how I’d started my recently-completed R-12 run, last July on this very route, it had been just as hot, and notes from that ride indicate I had the same cramping issues (though not nearly as bad) in the closing miles, too. Perhaps it’s Renner, perhaps it’s me, perhaps it’s both -- but if I ride the Princeton Roundabout again, I’m giving serious thought to stopping at that QuikTrip on Ridgeview and downing a quart of Gatorade or similar before tackling those last ten, seemingly benign miles back to Shawnee. Previously of the mindset that the QuikTrip lay only 10 miles from the end, my gut tells me to push on... but, if stopping briefly prevents those last few ugly cramps on the hills, why not? The “in-town” nature of this particular route seems to squeeze any hydration reserves I have RIGHT out of me, right in those hills heading through Lenexa, KS., and I’m simply not taking on enough to prevent it. All-in-all, however, with a decent average speed of 16.1 to show for it, I’ll take it with a little pain and discomfort.
Gary and Glen -- as always, a true pleasure... thanks for coming out on this ride!
Stay tuned for August!
July 27, 2012
July 22, 2012
Hot 13
Another 200km permanent ride in the books, this one barely tops my
personal temperature record, raising it from 103 to 104 at the end of
the ride, which wrapped right around 3pm yesterday. Had I wanted to
smash my old record, I would have ridden today in the forecast 107F
heat... Yikes! Stay tuned for the blog post, and thanks to Glen and
Gary for coming along for this one!
personal temperature record, raising it from 103 to 104 at the end of
the ride, which wrapped right around 3pm yesterday. Had I wanted to
smash my old record, I would have ridden today in the forecast 107F
heat... Yikes! Stay tuned for the blog post, and thanks to Glen and
Gary for coming along for this one!
July 17, 2012
This thing on?
I'm still alive, yes - but life has been a bit nutty lately, and many
things involving social media and blogging have taken a back seat.
There don't seem to be enough hours in the day anymore to sit at the
keyboard... But that's summertime for ya.
I've been riding a lot more than usual for the last few summers,
getting in consistent commutes, even in the heat and drought
conditions the Midwest had been suffering. I have turned my training
rides north, back to the hills of Johnson Drive, Renner, and Pflumm.
The rewards are coming slower than they did when I was a younger man,
but they are coming. The key is not to let them slip in the first
place - the drone of complaint from the middle-aged American male.
Like I posted about many moons ago, train for something... Even if you
don't know what it is yet. I'm still "training", and having a great
time doing it, even if my only exploits involve dominating the "roller
coaster" stage of the bike trail commute home. Small potatoes... But
they're mine. And they're tasty. Hahaha!
The next R-12 run begins this weekend with a hot 202km ride around the
Princeton Roundabout route. I feel the need to travel.... I love the
local circuit, but I yearn for more variety in my randonneuring, so in
the coming months I plan to drive farther out to more routes that I
haven't tried yet. The KCUC perms catalog is huge... Enough for
several R-12s without repeating a route... The problem is me, my
nerves about unknown routes, and my hesitance to drive when I could be
riding...but it's time to branch out and explore!
I've also been auditioning some new tires lately, which is a new
branch in of itself. It takes quite a special tire to get me off my
trusted Panaracer Pasela rubber, but these looked promising and
represented the first tires I've found that resembled my previous
favorites: the long-discontinued Continental Ultra 2000s. The
candidate is the Specialized Espoir model in 700x25c. I have played
with several models of Specialized tires over the years, but have only
really been impressed with their mountain and utility tires, most
notably the venerable Nimbus. Their performance road tires have
always had an issue or two I could never quite get around, but this
one - so far - is hitting all the right notes. They are cheaper than
my Paselas, roll faster, are lighter, and seem fairly bomb-proof
without a rubbish ride quality. Look for a full review after I have a
chance to burn all the tread away and give them a good, long term
trial.
I still have things to relate about my recent RAAM experience, too,
but will save most of that for a later post - overdue, yes. I will
say that it remains an utterly humbling experience seeing the talent
in the UMCA world firsthand, and - trying not to be terribly defeatist
- I'm not an ultra-cyclist. I was, perhaps, briefly, in 2003...but,
it will be a long, long road back, should I even choose that
particular path. I like randonneuring, I like exploring... But, as a
good friend said recently, it may well be inevitable that I, someday,
try the big one. Speaking of picking something to train for, however;
first things first: until I find redemption at Tejas, RAAM or RAW is
only a dream. Walk the path... One step at a time. I've seen things
from the support van... The question that only I can answer remains
"now what?"
Among several projects around the house, that's about the size of
things lately - stay tuned for that tire review and a recap of the
upcoming 200k, and for goodness-sake, stay cool, stay hydrated, and
stay funky, people!
things involving social media and blogging have taken a back seat.
There don't seem to be enough hours in the day anymore to sit at the
keyboard... But that's summertime for ya.
I've been riding a lot more than usual for the last few summers,
getting in consistent commutes, even in the heat and drought
conditions the Midwest had been suffering. I have turned my training
rides north, back to the hills of Johnson Drive, Renner, and Pflumm.
The rewards are coming slower than they did when I was a younger man,
but they are coming. The key is not to let them slip in the first
place - the drone of complaint from the middle-aged American male.
Like I posted about many moons ago, train for something... Even if you
don't know what it is yet. I'm still "training", and having a great
time doing it, even if my only exploits involve dominating the "roller
coaster" stage of the bike trail commute home. Small potatoes... But
they're mine. And they're tasty. Hahaha!
The next R-12 run begins this weekend with a hot 202km ride around the
Princeton Roundabout route. I feel the need to travel.... I love the
local circuit, but I yearn for more variety in my randonneuring, so in
the coming months I plan to drive farther out to more routes that I
haven't tried yet. The KCUC perms catalog is huge... Enough for
several R-12s without repeating a route... The problem is me, my
nerves about unknown routes, and my hesitance to drive when I could be
riding...but it's time to branch out and explore!
I've also been auditioning some new tires lately, which is a new
branch in of itself. It takes quite a special tire to get me off my
trusted Panaracer Pasela rubber, but these looked promising and
represented the first tires I've found that resembled my previous
favorites: the long-discontinued Continental Ultra 2000s. The
candidate is the Specialized Espoir model in 700x25c. I have played
with several models of Specialized tires over the years, but have only
really been impressed with their mountain and utility tires, most
notably the venerable Nimbus. Their performance road tires have
always had an issue or two I could never quite get around, but this
one - so far - is hitting all the right notes. They are cheaper than
my Paselas, roll faster, are lighter, and seem fairly bomb-proof
without a rubbish ride quality. Look for a full review after I have a
chance to burn all the tread away and give them a good, long term
trial.
I still have things to relate about my recent RAAM experience, too,
but will save most of that for a later post - overdue, yes. I will
say that it remains an utterly humbling experience seeing the talent
in the UMCA world firsthand, and - trying not to be terribly defeatist
- I'm not an ultra-cyclist. I was, perhaps, briefly, in 2003...but,
it will be a long, long road back, should I even choose that
particular path. I like randonneuring, I like exploring... But, as a
good friend said recently, it may well be inevitable that I, someday,
try the big one. Speaking of picking something to train for, however;
first things first: until I find redemption at Tejas, RAAM or RAW is
only a dream. Walk the path... One step at a time. I've seen things
from the support van... The question that only I can answer remains
"now what?"
Among several projects around the house, that's about the size of
things lately - stay tuned for that tire review and a recap of the
upcoming 200k, and for goodness-sake, stay cool, stay hydrated, and
stay funky, people!
June 24, 2012
Training Wheels
The last edition of this second R-12 run wrapped up in good company, with Karen W., Gary D., Glen R., and me enjoying classic conditions for the Border Patrol route from Olathe to Pleasanton, KS. and back. Winds began calm, but were forecast to increase as the day grew long, which would promise a tailwind-assisted blast back north once we made the 70-some miles to the turn-around. Another group, not riding for credit, would leave the eastern part of the county about 30 minutes ahead of us, just out for a good training ride along much of the same route -- and we wouldn't even see them until much, much later in the day.
For once, I elected to start this ride at a decent hour, and on a "regular" riding day. With part of the family out of town, I became open to schedule the ride for a Saturday date, and a 6:00am start! WHAT??? So un-Dude-like... but, small wonder I normally ride solo. This was a treat -- no need for headlights, no need to too-early an alarm bell! We gathered, checked in, and started our march south bound along the US-69 corridor.
It was training time, in more ways than one. Along for the ride, as I mentioned, Karen and Gary turned out to both be RAAM veterans, from back a few years. So, with my rookie RAAM crew chief debut on the horizon at the time, it was a terrific opportunity to soak up the brain-gravy of these two superb and accomplished riders. Gary finished RAAM as a soloist in 1983, rider number 18 (rider numbers are a lifetime assignment), and Karen holds rider number 41. Looking down the list of solo rider numbers on the RAAM website, it is remarkable how many of these folks I know personally, or have at least ridden with on a few occasions. It's humbling, indeed. Even more remarkable, to think of the accomplishment of riding such an event over 20 years ago, without some of the technological advances we enjoy today -- I'd argue that finishing today is (as if it is possible to comprehend graduating the difficulty of the world's toughest cycling event) easier than it had been in the early years. Granted, one still has to pedal the bicycle, but with GPS, vitamin concoctions, engineered nutrition, laptops, tablets and smartphones - at least some elements of the race are "easier". The bulk of the 200k would be spent theorizing and discussing RAAM method and technique, along with horror stories and cautionary tales. Worth gold, all of it, and with my RAAM adventure only days away, the timing was perfect.
We made Louisburg in good time, freshened up a bit, and then continued over the rolling hills towards the highway section which would lead us to La Cygne. I still can't wait until Linn County ... or extreme southern Miami County (whichever it is) ... decides to pave Jingo Road from 359th to 335th. Many times I've said it... this section of highway should just isn't my favorite. Soon, however, we were back on smaller roads and enjoying the day unfolding before us. La Cygne came quick on a wave of conversation and good times, and with it - food. While we refilled and ate, we learned that the eastern group had only come through perhaps 30 minutes before us... we weren't doing too bad, but we weren't really focused on catching them, either. It was getting warmer, and hills lay in wait up the road. No sense rushing.
I had, despite the heat, decided to go back to my tried-n-true chocolate milk routine at the controls. The WMGM ride last month proved very difficult and taxing, and I can't help wonder if some of it was nutritional in nature. Instead of worrying about the ambient temperature's effect on my ability to digest diary products, I went back to what had worked so well on the 400km ride. Interspersed with Carboplex, a 16oz chocolate milk not only tasted great, but also provided a shot of protein, some carbs, and a smidgin of sugar. So, so good... smooth... and effective. The payback, however, came about 10 miles after leaving La Cygne, where I began to feel a little stomach lethargy.... but, it had been quick to pass, and power lifted once again. Close call... or perhaps it was just the heat... but, the resulting energy and "full" feeling was undeniable.
One, two, three... the big hills between La Cygne and Pleasanton checked off, one by one -- and, a bit of a challenge with each as I found a strong climbing rabbit in Glen. Astride his tech-filled Pinarello steed, and a strong rider, I found it difficult many time to hold his wheel while the grade increased underneath us. Excellent training opportunity... and, many times, I was bested. Sure, sure - that's not what randonneuring is about, but hey... a bit of friendly competition never hurt anyone, and I love a good hill-climb throwdown. Not since riding with DMar or Staatz had I gotten such a good thrashing. Love it!
Shortly before arriving back at the Pleasanton turnaround, confirmation of our position was confirmed by riders flaying back north with the promised tailwind. Steve B, Steve G., and at least one other rider were making great time coming back north along the otherwise cyclist-free route. Steve G. hollered about extra water waiting for us at the c-store back in town, and with a few waves and smiles, that was that. They'd be finished, showered, and enjoying a cold one hours before we'd be finished for the day. Indication of my increased desires to resume actual "training" for rides, for things like... well, RAAM. Yeah, it's a distant, distant goal ... and, really, possibly one that will never come to pass - for many, many reasons. I'm still very much on training wheels when it comes to ultra RACING. Much as I tire of referring to "the good ole days", there was a time when I took the speed and competition of riding far more seriously, and not regarding sleep deprivation, I had managed fairly good showings at the handful of races I've tried. Tejas still lingers as unfinished business... but, with each passing year I become more and more satisfied with myself, and not so concerned with what I HAVEN'T done. Looking at the gap the earlier group had grown, their speed and conditioning -- and knowing that I am overweight, under-trained, and undisciplined with regards to diet... well, I'm a long, long way off from even considering RAAM - even team RAAM, or RAW, or even Tejas again. Perhaps the fire is dying... perhaps with age I am genuinely "okay" with "just" randonneuring pursuits.. as if that was the same as arm-chair quaterbacking. It looks and sounds a lot like justification as I write it out, here in print... but, I feel no pang of anxiety, no self-doubt, no angst towards that which I have tried and failed. Perhaps, then, that is the best indication that I *am* ready to start a long, steady ramp-up to competitive form. If I already have the gift of going long... perhaps just another 10-15% effort towards speed and diet would get me there. Perhaps, now in my 4th decade, I am finally comfortable enough in my own skin to no longer NEED to do an ultra race to prove something... perhaps it's time to finally do it for fun. That, generally, guarantees the best showing. I'm here to say, however, no matter what the next decade holds... I'm okay with whatever. It's taken a long, long time for me to arrive at a place where that truth exists... where I don't "need to"... I can simply "want to". Still, I am also very much aware, and motivated, to not simply "give in" to age and retire to an easy chair with my memories. I still want another 600k. I still want a 1,000k. I still want a 1,200k... possibly in Paris. To think that I wouldn't also want to, someday, return to Tejas and come home with a trophy is foolish. It is inevitable, really; this bicycling thing - after all - is what I do. But, regret, anxiety, anxiousness... those feelings are gone. When I go back, it will not be about reconciling the past... it will be about realizing a refreshed goal, for new - more realistic - reasons. Compared to those "good ole days", this time around, if it does happen, it will be for fun.
Finally, the tailwind would help push us along the road home - back at La Cygne and with the hills behind us, we fueled up once more and began the steady march back along Jingo Road, back along the highway section - at speed. The only problem with a tailwind, as Glen posited as we turned north, is the heat. Suddenly the heat of the day became much more apparent in the vacuum of the tailwind, but spirits remained high and conversation brisk.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again --- riding in a group is a lot more satisfying than riding solo. I am proud of my ability to maintain my own pace and keep myself motivated and cared for when completely isolated - but for sheer good-times, nothing beats the group element of randonnuering. As the miles ticked by, the smiles remained intact. Finally reaching Louisburg, then Stilwell, and even on the seemingly endless slog along 175th street, desperately looking for that last turn north to the finish, it remained a fun ride. Along Murlen, we played tag with a rider out for a spin on his A. Homer Hilsen Rivendell bike (such a gorgeous machine), and finally made the parking lot for the 7-Eleven store... and, finally, R-12 number two for me! Such a good feeling!
Thanks for sharing the ride, everyone that came along... and for the RAAM advice... there was more than one occasion where I pulled quotes, information and thoughts from our conversations during this ride. I look forward to riding with you all again, and sharing the post-RAAM stories that I now hold. June 2012... what a great month this has been!
Stay tuned... the 'dude isn't done riding yet. That's for sure... R-12 #3, anyone? Why not? :)
Thanks for reading!!!
For once, I elected to start this ride at a decent hour, and on a "regular" riding day. With part of the family out of town, I became open to schedule the ride for a Saturday date, and a 6:00am start! WHAT??? So un-Dude-like... but, small wonder I normally ride solo. This was a treat -- no need for headlights, no need to too-early an alarm bell! We gathered, checked in, and started our march south bound along the US-69 corridor.
It was training time, in more ways than one. Along for the ride, as I mentioned, Karen and Gary turned out to both be RAAM veterans, from back a few years. So, with my rookie RAAM crew chief debut on the horizon at the time, it was a terrific opportunity to soak up the brain-gravy of these two superb and accomplished riders. Gary finished RAAM as a soloist in 1983, rider number 18 (rider numbers are a lifetime assignment), and Karen holds rider number 41. Looking down the list of solo rider numbers on the RAAM website, it is remarkable how many of these folks I know personally, or have at least ridden with on a few occasions. It's humbling, indeed. Even more remarkable, to think of the accomplishment of riding such an event over 20 years ago, without some of the technological advances we enjoy today -- I'd argue that finishing today is (as if it is possible to comprehend graduating the difficulty of the world's toughest cycling event) easier than it had been in the early years. Granted, one still has to pedal the bicycle, but with GPS, vitamin concoctions, engineered nutrition, laptops, tablets and smartphones - at least some elements of the race are "easier". The bulk of the 200k would be spent theorizing and discussing RAAM method and technique, along with horror stories and cautionary tales. Worth gold, all of it, and with my RAAM adventure only days away, the timing was perfect.
We made Louisburg in good time, freshened up a bit, and then continued over the rolling hills towards the highway section which would lead us to La Cygne. I still can't wait until Linn County ... or extreme southern Miami County (whichever it is) ... decides to pave Jingo Road from 359th to 335th. Many times I've said it... this section of highway should just isn't my favorite. Soon, however, we were back on smaller roads and enjoying the day unfolding before us. La Cygne came quick on a wave of conversation and good times, and with it - food. While we refilled and ate, we learned that the eastern group had only come through perhaps 30 minutes before us... we weren't doing too bad, but we weren't really focused on catching them, either. It was getting warmer, and hills lay in wait up the road. No sense rushing.
I had, despite the heat, decided to go back to my tried-n-true chocolate milk routine at the controls. The WMGM ride last month proved very difficult and taxing, and I can't help wonder if some of it was nutritional in nature. Instead of worrying about the ambient temperature's effect on my ability to digest diary products, I went back to what had worked so well on the 400km ride. Interspersed with Carboplex, a 16oz chocolate milk not only tasted great, but also provided a shot of protein, some carbs, and a smidgin of sugar. So, so good... smooth... and effective. The payback, however, came about 10 miles after leaving La Cygne, where I began to feel a little stomach lethargy.... but, it had been quick to pass, and power lifted once again. Close call... or perhaps it was just the heat... but, the resulting energy and "full" feeling was undeniable.
One, two, three... the big hills between La Cygne and Pleasanton checked off, one by one -- and, a bit of a challenge with each as I found a strong climbing rabbit in Glen. Astride his tech-filled Pinarello steed, and a strong rider, I found it difficult many time to hold his wheel while the grade increased underneath us. Excellent training opportunity... and, many times, I was bested. Sure, sure - that's not what randonneuring is about, but hey... a bit of friendly competition never hurt anyone, and I love a good hill-climb throwdown. Not since riding with DMar or Staatz had I gotten such a good thrashing. Love it!
Shortly before arriving back at the Pleasanton turnaround, confirmation of our position was confirmed by riders flaying back north with the promised tailwind. Steve B, Steve G., and at least one other rider were making great time coming back north along the otherwise cyclist-free route. Steve G. hollered about extra water waiting for us at the c-store back in town, and with a few waves and smiles, that was that. They'd be finished, showered, and enjoying a cold one hours before we'd be finished for the day. Indication of my increased desires to resume actual "training" for rides, for things like... well, RAAM. Yeah, it's a distant, distant goal ... and, really, possibly one that will never come to pass - for many, many reasons. I'm still very much on training wheels when it comes to ultra RACING. Much as I tire of referring to "the good ole days", there was a time when I took the speed and competition of riding far more seriously, and not regarding sleep deprivation, I had managed fairly good showings at the handful of races I've tried. Tejas still lingers as unfinished business... but, with each passing year I become more and more satisfied with myself, and not so concerned with what I HAVEN'T done. Looking at the gap the earlier group had grown, their speed and conditioning -- and knowing that I am overweight, under-trained, and undisciplined with regards to diet... well, I'm a long, long way off from even considering RAAM - even team RAAM, or RAW, or even Tejas again. Perhaps the fire is dying... perhaps with age I am genuinely "okay" with "just" randonneuring pursuits.. as if that was the same as arm-chair quaterbacking. It looks and sounds a lot like justification as I write it out, here in print... but, I feel no pang of anxiety, no self-doubt, no angst towards that which I have tried and failed. Perhaps, then, that is the best indication that I *am* ready to start a long, steady ramp-up to competitive form. If I already have the gift of going long... perhaps just another 10-15% effort towards speed and diet would get me there. Perhaps, now in my 4th decade, I am finally comfortable enough in my own skin to no longer NEED to do an ultra race to prove something... perhaps it's time to finally do it for fun. That, generally, guarantees the best showing. I'm here to say, however, no matter what the next decade holds... I'm okay with whatever. It's taken a long, long time for me to arrive at a place where that truth exists... where I don't "need to"... I can simply "want to". Still, I am also very much aware, and motivated, to not simply "give in" to age and retire to an easy chair with my memories. I still want another 600k. I still want a 1,000k. I still want a 1,200k... possibly in Paris. To think that I wouldn't also want to, someday, return to Tejas and come home with a trophy is foolish. It is inevitable, really; this bicycling thing - after all - is what I do. But, regret, anxiety, anxiousness... those feelings are gone. When I go back, it will not be about reconciling the past... it will be about realizing a refreshed goal, for new - more realistic - reasons. Compared to those "good ole days", this time around, if it does happen, it will be for fun.
Finally, the tailwind would help push us along the road home - back at La Cygne and with the hills behind us, we fueled up once more and began the steady march back along Jingo Road, back along the highway section - at speed. The only problem with a tailwind, as Glen posited as we turned north, is the heat. Suddenly the heat of the day became much more apparent in the vacuum of the tailwind, but spirits remained high and conversation brisk.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again --- riding in a group is a lot more satisfying than riding solo. I am proud of my ability to maintain my own pace and keep myself motivated and cared for when completely isolated - but for sheer good-times, nothing beats the group element of randonnuering. As the miles ticked by, the smiles remained intact. Finally reaching Louisburg, then Stilwell, and even on the seemingly endless slog along 175th street, desperately looking for that last turn north to the finish, it remained a fun ride. Along Murlen, we played tag with a rider out for a spin on his A. Homer Hilsen Rivendell bike (such a gorgeous machine), and finally made the parking lot for the 7-Eleven store... and, finally, R-12 number two for me! Such a good feeling!
Thanks for sharing the ride, everyone that came along... and for the RAAM advice... there was more than one occasion where I pulled quotes, information and thoughts from our conversations during this ride. I look forward to riding with you all again, and sharing the post-RAAM stories that I now hold. June 2012... what a great month this has been!
Stay tuned... the 'dude isn't done riding yet. That's for sure... R-12 #3, anyone? Why not? :)
Thanks for reading!!!
June 22, 2012
RAAM wrap-up
Race Across America has proved to be the experience of a lifetime -- never before have I had so much to organize, think about, coordinate, execute upon; on such little sleep or food. I made lifelong friends in a short period of time, tested myself and watched others do the same - and, above all, watched the exploits of a truly talented cyclist unfold before me. Unfortunately, accidents do happen. It's a part of RAAM, and a part of cycling. While climbing Wolf Creek Pass in the Colorado Rockies, between Pagosa Springs and South Fork, my rider suffered a fall. While negotiating the steepest part of the climb, in traffic, and with nasty shoulder conditions, his front wheel got into something - and, as part of the maneuver to right himself he fell sideways and landed directly onto his left hip, breaking it. This ended Alex Shnyra's RAAM bid, and was heartbreaking for the team. It could have been much, much worse... a motorist and two motorcyclists witnessed the incident and helped block traffic, while the team and an official worked to get him off the mountain and to hospital, where x-rays confirmed the result.
There is simply too much to relate here... my brain is still decompressing after almost 1,000 miles of pavement covered, the blur of towns and hotels and gas stations, and every conceivable gravel pull-out between the Pacific Ocean and Wolf Creek Pass. The only things I can say -- the team was brilliant. For a group of non-cyclists and an Ironman triathlete, led by someone (me) that had never really led a team before, I think we did a fantastic job, and I am immensely proud of having gotten him to the mountain. Nine solo riders dropped out before Alex's fall, for non-accident reasons. We rallied to make the time cut-off at Durango - one of the most intense and stressful (yet, rewarding) moments of the ride. We climbed nearly all the race's climbing - Wolf Creek Pass represented the last mountain before reaching Alex's preferred flatlands of eastern Colorado and Kansas, and we had made up 6 placings on the way to the top. The plan was working... but, as I said... accidents happen. I'm glad Alex survived largely unscathed -- yeah, it's a broken hip, but surgery went great, he has a rod in place, and is already up and walking around back in Kansas City... and we're forming plans and lessons-learned for next time. It may be next year... it may be 2014, or 15... but it is certain:
This is unfinished business.
Out of over 1,000 photos, I tried to find one that typified the event --- but it was not easy.
This one, I like -- but doesn't scratch the surface.
Arizona, the desert... and while many focus on the Rockies as the "real climbing", trust me.... Arizona has more, and it is worse.
The only reward for the climbs is delivered as long, endless, torturous sections of pan-flat desert road, triple digit temperature, and wind.
This was the beginning of another such section. This would mentally level some people... but Alex never complained.
He is a giant... and he will be back.
June 9, 2012
R-12 #2, complete!
That about sums it up.
Today, Karen W., myself, Glen R. and Gary D. headed out onto the
Border Patrol route for my last of 12 rides in succession towards RUSA
R-12 award #2. The day unfolded brilliantly, and after roughly 10
hours, the finish. Of course there is more to tell, but the hour
grows late - and a larger task than blog posting lay ahead. Thanks to
everyone that came out!
Stay tuned... The adventure is only beginning!
Today, Karen W., myself, Glen R. and Gary D. headed out onto the
Border Patrol route for my last of 12 rides in succession towards RUSA
R-12 award #2. The day unfolded brilliantly, and after roughly 10
hours, the finish. Of course there is more to tell, but the hour
grows late - and a larger task than blog posting lay ahead. Thanks to
everyone that came out!
Stay tuned... The adventure is only beginning!
May 30, 2012
RAAM Training weekend photolog
Over the long Memorial Day weekend, Dr. Alex Shnyra, and crew members (me), Alice R., and CC headed west to the Colorado border to attempt to break the long standing UMCA Kansas W-to-E cross state bicycle record of 25 hours and 50 minutes. Although we ultimately did not break the record, the trip was no failure. With 25-30MPH sustained crosswinds and higher gusts, and 105ºF heat at one point during the day, I think we had a very rough time of things - and it prove excellent training for RAAM in a couple weeks' time. Shynra never faltered, never got discouraged despite having been punished by the wind all day long, and most of the night as well - and even though we'd decided to call it around sundown Saturday night, and no longer actively pursue the record, we never quit. Alex finished at the Missouri/Kansas border on K-68 with a total time of 30 hours and 12 minutes, and, considering the conditions, that's a huge accomplishment. That's 420 miles, roughly, in 10 hours less time than RUSA gives riders to finish a 600km brevet. Not bad...and with a goal of approx. 300 miles daily for ten days in June, we're on-target. Here's the weekend in pictures.... enjoy, and stay tuned for RAAM!
Congratulations to Dr. Alex Shnyra and crew on a terrific cross-state ride. We didn't smash the record, but there's always next year. Looking forward to a strong showing at RAAM 2012 -- Stay tuned!
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| Thunderstorms, thankfully, happened Friday - not Saturday during the ride, yet, they made for interesting driving conditions on the trip west. |
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| Tornado-warned storm, near Alexander, KS. |
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| The backside of the storm, after clearing it. |
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| Sunrise at the KS/CO border |
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| Colorful Colorado - looking west at the border, on K-96 highway |
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| CC, team mechanic, readies the bike |
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| Alex and Alice preparing for the task ahead |
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| Looking east, into Kansas... the thought of crossing the entire state is overwhelming to me... yet, I want to try it someday! |
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| The ride covered two time zones, technically - very cool! |
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| Not sure what the building houses, or where we were... somewhere along K-96, there's not much out here. |
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| Alex, making his way east with wicked cross/headwinds. The expanse of Western KS, all around. |
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| Alice mixing nutrition. Note the wind's effect on the tree in the background. A rough training day. |
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| At Ness City, KS. a quick chat and water push as the temperature climbs |
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| Dighton, KS., and another hand-up. The motorcycle in the foreground shadowed us for a while, cheering Alex along. They were travelling in the same direction, and couldn't believe that we'd make it to Missouri before them. We did. |
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| The task of officiating such a ride with the UMCA requires meticulous records. |
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| Dighton, KS... this was to be a shot of the bank temperature, but I caught the time instead. It's 102ºF, and not even noon. |
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| A section of train, sitting alongside K-96. |
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| An interesting minimum-maintenance road, looking south from K-96 in western KS, near Scott City. |
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| More of the vastness of the plains |
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| Shoe change - comfort is key! |
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| The night shift, nearing dawn on US-50 west of Emporia, KS. |
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| The battle-van in night-mode livery. |
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| Old US-50, west of Emporia after sunrise on Sunday. No sleep breaks logged, Alex pushes on. |
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| Williamsburg, KS., and the first real tailwind in over 350 miles! |
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| Dr. Shnyra on the home stretch. K-68 highway, approaching Louisburg. You can almost see the finish if you squint! |
RAAM update
Though it's not one of "my rides", I'm still involved in the effort, and still took some photos - which I'll get around to posting here tonight, most likely.
Finally getting caught up on the blog! Though the last post took weeks to write, it seems... .five minutes here, ten there, and finally got to hit "upload" this morning.
I'll pre-warn -- the RAAM coverage will largely be on the Twitter and Facebook companions to this page. I'll likely report photos that don't make it onto the social media stream, but the sheer size of the effort would take volumes to express in the fashion I've become accustomed to chronicling a ride, and I don't anticipate having the energy to perform such a task. Still, it's a life-changer, a monumental task for rider and crew - so not saying anything at all wouldn't be right. I'll have notes, and perhaps a paragraph of two for each photo - but that's where the line will fall. I want to be timely, not wordy, for that one.
On that note, stay tuned... Things will happen quickly: I have another 200km ride on June 9th which will cap off my 2nd R-12 run, and then I'm on the way to Oceanside, CA., where I will enter "RAAM-mode", and not stop until we reach Annapolis, MD., ten days later. Race coverage will be top-notch from the race organization - visit www.raceacrossamerica.org and surf around; you'll see live rider progress, videos, crew interviews, and daily race updates as the event unfolds. Their media team is nearly as large as the rest of the volunteer pool, so it ought to be good - and far better than any Twitter action I can muster, especially after a few solid days of crewing. We'll see, and I'll do my best -- but job #1 is getting my rider to the finish. If I miss a few posts, so be it!
Thanks for reading! Getting to be an exciting summer!
The Hashbrowns Ride
From May 18th, 2012 - another riveting 200km ride report!
In my attempts to break up the monotony of continuous 200km+ bike rides over the course of 12-months, I vowed - on this 2nd R-12 run - to try and revisit some old routes, and add in some new ones. To that end, I looked at the permanent route offerings, and came around to the W.M. Gates Memorial 200k, which I’d created with Spencer’s help back in 2008. The last time I’d ridden it, actually, was also sometime in 2008... I believe December, when Noah and I tackled it last. With hindsight having fallen well out of view, and without me re-reading any of the old posts about the route, I self-questioned with a hearty “how hard can it be?”, and signed up. I’d just come off a successful 400km ride, after all, so I felt strong, trained, and “agile” (insert Al Pacino voiceover here).
It would be foolish of me not to insert something along the lines of the importance of training for hill-climbing when attacking a hilly route. I like hills -- I don’t, honestly, know why - but I always have had an interesting relationship with them. Over the years, however, my ability to viciously attack them has weakened slightly - simply because my normal commute and choice of training circuits don’t really suit climbing development. Compared to last month’s 400k, and most previous month’s 200k’s - I have been light on the climbing. The WMGM Route would serve as a reminder to introduce a more balanced routing into my riding.... a) because I really do love hills, but b) because I love them more when I can master them. I think the cue sheet is incorrect... it indicates 6,200 feet of climbing in 127 miles, but I’m fairly certain that the real number lies somewhere north of that figure, if only by perception.
5:00AM.... 7-Eleven... my old friend. I frequent this place often enough in stretchy pants and neon shirts that I’m practically on a first-name basis with the early-shift staff. After the usual clock watching, and a very neat sliver-of-a-moon moonrise to the east, I went inside and performed the usual receipt and signature routine, polished off a chocolate milk, and threw my leg over the top tube for adventure. Once again! We ride!!
Not even the wind was on my side - and I knew it. Perhaps subconsciously “okay” with the Karma that would have me slowly paying back lots of double tailwind and otherwise uneventful riders this last year, I entered into this ride knowing full-well that the odds were stacked. The hills would be challenge enough, but the entire trip back home on this north/south-oriented route would be into a strong southerly headwind. At least it was warm - so, really, I had little to complain about. The skies were clear, and hopes ran high as I rolled through residential side streets on the cue and enjoyed - while I could - the mild tailwind that would help for at least 100km of the journey. Food was in place - a ClifBar, the chocolate milk, and pocket brimmed with other options for along the way, and my steady supply of Carboplex powder. Along with it, sunscreen, “sun sleeves”, and plenty of water and electrolyte tabs, for, on top of everything else, it was to become properly warm this day... moreso than any other ride, commute or otherwise, since last summer. It seemed this would be my first distance ride above 75 degrees since perhaps August the previous year! However, I have a track record of doing fairly well in the heat... but, that’s after a period of acclimation; which I hadn’t had yet.
Renner Blvd, Road... whatever incarnation you happen to experience, it’s the same slice of pavement which runs nearly unbroken, north/south, from county line to county line.... as long as you don’t count the I-35 corridor, which cuts it off. It has a few names... Renner, Mur-Len in Olathe’s city limits...The Proving Grounds, however, also coined by Noah of KC-Bike.net fame -- alhough for different reasons than I cite here, the name still sticks. Where Noah hearkens to the remarkable automotive suspension-proving potential of the circuit of endless roundabouts which lay between 95th and 87th streets in Lenexa (and I don’t disagree), the road as a whole serves as a proving grounds for cyclists, as well. There are questionable sections of pavement which test bike handling skills. There are unfortunately-placed traffic lights at the bottoms of steep hills, which test your braking prowess. The pitch of some of the hills are simply staggering at times, honing the power climber we all aspire to become, and, yet in other sections the hills are marvelously spaced to allow a rolling-hills tempo training run in others. There are miniature mountain passes, wicked curves, fountains, shaded sections and exposed ones, and the whole thing takes on a different flavor if you turn around and ride it in the opposite direction -- it’s a great road for automobile, or bicycle... but, MAN.... the unprepared will curse it and give it unpublishable names when the winds blow wrong, when the temps are high, and when the legs grow weary. Such good training!
They say a picture is worth 1,000 words... and since my last 200km post was about 5,300 words, I suppose I’m glad I started taking more photos on rides. My fingers are killing me. So, I’ll toss some pics in here, a few short captions, and we’ll be up to speed! Whoo-hoo! It’s remarkable - I find myself very short on time lately, with RAAM preparations, house activities, and work --- even though it’s “summer” and homework is absent, I’ve taken on a lot of other stuff - and the byproduct is writing these ride accounts several weeks after they take place, lately. I hope not to continue that, but the photos help bring me right back to the action - so I’ll leverage them, keep the posts shorter (ha!), and hopefully stay on top of things, so I’m not writing posts about the last ride the night before the NEXT ride... which is happening.
Another interesting observation: I bumped into Warren T, finally meeting him (I think I’d met him at night, during a DSR...but it’d been years) during Bike Week a few weeks ago, and he made an accurate assessment that posting volumes across blogville have slipped a little, with such powerful, succinct and mobile-capable micro-blogs like Twitter. I’m also guilty of this --- and as I slap things on Twitter from the road, I have found it makes the blog posting suffer. I don’t have immediate plans to cease either activity -- but, when Tweeting the ride, part of me gets the sensation that I’ve “already posted about it,” so I don’t rush to the keyboard to write a larger post as a result. There’s gotta be a balance -- because after a decade online here at this URL, I don’t really want to just slice everything down to an “@” symbol, and call it “good enough.” We’ll see.
After the thrill ride of Renner Rd, I hit Holliday Drive at the river, and proceeded west. Another difficult part about this ride are the number of turns. It’s difficult to get into a good rhythm when you are constantly managing intersections on the way out of town, and on the longer sections of road the hills have the same effect of breaking up pace, unless one is just super strong. Meandering along the river, and then crossing it on K-7, then negotiating a highway interchange and constant shoulder condition issues and railroad tracks on K-32 make it difficult to just “settle in.” I continued my push north, eventually reaching 86th street.... only to pass it, by maybe a mile. The road sign which had once made the road move visible had been missing, and - not remembering what to look for - I blew right past it. I realized my mistake when I started to recognize landmarks from the KCK-to-Ottawa 200km route, and remembered that I shouldn’t see ANY of those on this route. I looped back, and - remarkably - passed it AGAIN on the return, reaching the traffic light at 88th Street. Another U-turn, and I was back on course - feeling a little silly.
No matter -- 86th street has a way of making riders forget their foibles and worries. It’s hilly, and sorta makes Renner look flatter somehow. After wrestling with hills and a couple roadside, trashbag surfing dogs, I made it to Parallel Pkwy, and the first control. After a quick refuel, I was keen to get moving again before the legs seized up too much. I hadn’t climbed this much in years on a route, and I’d been hopeful not to find out the painful way that I’d been ill-prepared. Keep moving! Next was Georgia Ave, and then Wyandotte County Lake Park.... did I mention this route was hilly? Yeesh.
Upon entering the park, I caught up with another cyclist out for a morning ride - and it turned out he was involved with an upcoming ride called “Bike the Dot”. It offers (if I recall) 20,30 and 50 mile (approximate) loops around Wyandotte County, starting at the Ag Hall of Fame. Registration is still open -- it’s only a few days away, so hurry. A good cause, and some great riding scenery!
We parted ways, and I continued my march north, past Wolcott, past Lakeside Speedway, and onto K-5 heading to Lansing and Leavenworth. K-5 is a remarkable road... my only wish would be a little less traffic. It’s scenic as all get-out, hilly, technical, fun, and not your typical Kansas highway. Imagine, if you are familiar with the reference, Mission Road between 159th and 191st Streets (for you locals), but, extend it out to perhaps 12 miles. Constant fun - but challenging. Past farms and houses, around bends and under a canopy of trees, I finally exited the highway at the Veteran’s Association Hospital in Leavenworth, next to the Leavenworth National Cemetery, where the namesake for this tough route rests in peace. (Hi, Dad)
Eventually I was faced with crossing the Missouri River on K-92, which - normally - is a nice ride across a glorious bridge. This day, that bridge had been reduced to one-lane for both directions for refurbishing by the state. I knew this in advance, having emailed a few interested parties about the possibility of joining my ride, Randy of Kansas Cyclist pointed me to the information that the bridge had once again been “under the knife”. Uh oh... I made a few calls, and it sounded do-able - but I was leary of risking my R-12 by riding up there, only having to turn around again. I know now, especially as I write this now, with only a couple days left in the month of May, I wouldn’t have been able to get another ride in had this not worked out, but, thankfully, it worked out fine. It’d been a bit hairy, yes -- the arrangement involved temporary traffic signals at each end of the bridge, queuing up traffic while one direction at a time, in succession, would cross the bridge. I watched a couple cycles to examine how things might unfold, and then took my place at the front of the next line.
Traffic was surprisingly accommodating, perhaps knowing that aside from I-435 (which isn’t bicycle legal) and the bridge at Atchison, KS., (which is 40 miles out of the way), I didn’t have any other options. Still, I didn’t dawdle - upon receiving the green signal, I gave it my all and sprinted the ¼ mile or so across the river to avoid holding anyone up. It worked fine, and soon I was turning onto the MO-45 Spur highway for the next leg of the ride.
If I could take back my previous statement about not being able to find a rhythm on this route, this represents the portion wherein riders can. MO-45 Spur is pan-flat, as is MO-45 which it connects with, and these two roads are difficult for different reasons. The winds can have a dramatic effect on how cyclists perceive these two sections of the route. On the way north, with the growing tailwind, it unfolded as a terrific ride -- and more on the opposite effect a bit later, eh?
Weston is surrounded by hills, so after reaching Beverly, MO., and crossing underneath MO-92, one climbs steadily until reaching the intersection of Highways 45, 273 and route JJ... or, as I call it, “Route [handclap] Dyno-MITE!”
Hashbrowns for breakfast -- peppers, mushrooms, onions, melted cheese, toast and jam.... dude. Good, hot, fast, and cheap.... kinda like me. BOO YAH, breakfast is served. Team Ride-to-Eat in the house!
After finally ingesting perhaps half the giant platter of hashbrowns and the same amount of toast and jam, I washed my face, got refills of ice water from the waitress, and stepped outside into the growing late morning heat and wind. First, more sunscreen came up on the menu - but, not for my arms, as I pulled out the “sun sleeves” from my back pocket, and pulled them on. I got the same strange feeling I remember from last summer when I first trialed Specialized’s Reflex-Sun arm coolers/sun shields: normally something performed when temperatures are far, far lower, it seems backwards and completely ill-advised to pull something onto my arms when it’s hot and sunny. Confirmation, however, would come quickly. On the first couple of downhills running out of Weston, as I bid the small town farewell, revealed how remarkably well these things work. First, any sweat they wick from your arms is dried very quickly, and the evaporative cooling effect is remarkable. My arms acted as heat exchangers, of sorts, and I believe my core temperature stayed relatively low as a result, while the ambient temparature continued to climb. Second, I don’t have to worry about sunscreen on my arms - working it into my arm hairs, dealing with the road dirt and bug collecting that usually follows - and the end result is a cooler core and no sunburn on the arms. The material is such a brilliant white, it becomes almost difficult to look at it directly on a sunny day. Strange, but effective. They also make “knee coolers”, but I’m not sure I’m ready to take that step. Aside from the benefits of some compression, my legs don’t seem to be as exposed during the heat of the day - shadowed by my own body.
Headwind.... I knew I’d be paying back some of the ease of the trip north with a growing headwind in the afternoon hours - but I hadn’t expected the wind to be quite so vigourous. As I made my way back down MO-45, I met with a wind strong enough to neccesitate downhill pedaling. So much for an easy trip back to Beverly. The road flattens out, and the remainder of MO-45 and 45 Spur unfolded as a heads-down, in the drops, keep-on-spinning exercise in patience. Finally, the pesky bridge construction waited at the end of the headwind slog - and another sprint across the river - this time, uphill.
Traffic, same as before, behaved rather well -- I was waved ahead by an older gent driving a Mercedes, the rear window of which had been slathered with United States Marine Corp stickers. I gave it my all, and with the uphill slant and headwind/crosswind at play, I left a fair amount of myself on the bridge itself. For the same reasons as before, I hadn’t wanted to hold anyone up - despite their understanding - yet, I hadn’t considered how tired the effort was rendering my legs. The nearly endless hills of K-5 still waited, and 86th Street, and Renner.... and the day was beginning to show already.
The first treat was Wilson Ave (if I recall the name correctly) at the bottom end of 2nd street after meandering south through Leavenworth. Much like most riverside cities, the bluffs and cliffs and elevation changes throughout the town make for some very interesting (and steep) roads at times, and getting out of town becomes quite the chore. At this point in the ride, I was beginning to appreciate having a wider cassette on the rear wheel. Ever since the Knob Noster 200k a few years back, and the giant wall of a hill I ended up walking, I’ve run a 12-27 9-speed rear cassette. Proudly, that 27-tooth ring is usually the cleanest part of my drivetrain - but today, as the Leavenworth hills and the headwind began to collect their weighty taxes, I contented myself for being prepared by having the bail-out gear. It even crossed my mind that a compact crankset may well be in my future... and, yes, as I age perhaps a little push is leaving my muscles (I still think I have some strong years left if I stay focused and continue to eat right off the bike), but more and more evidence towards keeping my cadence higher, instead of punishing my knees with low-RPM grinding sessions - and the compact drive would only help that end, and extend even further the bail-out potential. When I hear about challenging 1200km rides like the Endless Mountains and P-B-P, the idea of carrying around the “traditional” (racing oriented) 53x39 crankset starts to make less sense. A triple would make even more sense - but, for the sake of elegance and simplicity, I’ll probably swap over to a basic, touring-style 110bcd, square taper, 50x36 crankset - in polished silver. Until my existing BB starts to show signs of folding, however, my 27-tooth rear cog is a ride-saver on days like this one.
K-5 began to show its evil face around the Lansing prison complex. Nothing but long, steep, exposed hill after hill - for miles. The wind even had a strange component: I never really think about the wind (headwind or otherwise) when on a hilly route, as the hills themselves sometimes block the breeze while I climb. The only unfortunate byproduct develops as an inability to coast on the following downhill. This day, however, the wind was somehow managing to crest the hills, slowing my progress on the way up AND the way down - so I was moving forward, but at an extra-slow pace. I knew it was bad when, even though I just mentioned how happy I was to have my 27-tooth cog, I reached down for the shifter to see if perhaps I’d brought along a 29 or 32-tooth cog as well, only to find I was indeed already in my easiest gear. Ugh.... just keep pedaling!
Eventually, however, as the “just keep moving” plan plays out, I rolled off the last hill on K-5 and back onto the flatter section which parallels the railroad tracks while approaching Lakeside Speedway near Wolcott. At this point, finally crossing off ot K-5 and onto old Wolcott Road, to pass under I-435 and back onto much quieter back-roads, I began to grow tired. I’m not sure if it was a bonk, the beginnings of a bonk, or just fatigue from the last 25 miles of hills and wind on a full stomach of hasbrowns, but I was beat - and hot. Finally reaching a nice pull-off, I stopped and got off the bike (the first time in a while just stopping mid-route) for a good 15-minute rest. I ate a Clif-Bar from the seatbag stash, and collected myself. Wyandotte County Lake Park was next, and then I’d be back at the QuikTrip control again, practically “finished” with the ride. Normally I feel strong enough, and confident enough, when the halfway point of a ride arrives, I know I will finish -- this day, however, that “in-the-bag” feeling would still lie many miles down the road -- in fact, I don’t think I felt like I’d finish until only 7 or 8 miles remained. It had been working out to be a tough, tough day of training.
I summoned some courage to throw my leg back over the top tube, and continued until I reached the QuikTrip control on Parallel Parkway again, where I spent even more time just standing in the shade and drinking liquids. I hadn’t felt cramped quite yet, but the heat had been unexpected - er, my reaction to the heat, that is. In retrospect, it never broke 95 degrees (F), yet, I hadn’t really even commuted to work in anything approaching “hot” this year - and combined with the hills, and the relatively low humidity which worked with my technical clothing and the strong winds to dry me out, the effects felt quite real. I must’ve hung out at the QT for 30 minutes, just drinking, and staring into space, waiting for the sensation of a full bladder to indicate I was ready to get moving again (after emptying it, of course). That moment came, and then it was time to wrap things up.
86th street took another notch out of my belt, hill after hill -- yet, this time (compared to K-5), even with the wind, the refueling and rest at the QT control served me well. The climbs came easier, with more of a rhythm and sensation of strength and control, as I slowly made my way back to the Kansas River and K-32. Back on the flat-lands near Edwardsville, I became motivated to continue shoring-up the bank of hydration and energy, so I stopped again for some hydration solution and a restroom break. No sense rushing -- despite not yet feeling confident in a “guaranteed finish”, I knew I had plenty of time left on the route card to finish. I eventually made Bonner Springs, K-7, and the final river-crossing of the ride. On the bridge, while I pedaled along steadily and admired the river, I was overtaken by a racer-clad, light-travelling cyclist headed south toward 43rd street, and I guess I had “easy mark” written on my back as he flew past me, in the drops, without so much as a shoulder shrug to acknowledge my existence. Ah, well... I suppose I can’t expect everyone to wave and chat, now can I? (sigh)
The hardest part of the day came up, after reaching normal backroads again and leaving the state highway system behind for good. I enjoyed a train fly-by along 43rd street - I believe the only time I’d ever witnessed a train on those particular tracks, and then more railroad action along Wilder Road and Holiday Drive as I rolled toward I-435, and the inevitable, and foreboding, turn south on Renner Rd (85th St). Why, oh why - as the route designer -- had I chosen Renner Road as the return route, after all the day had levied? This, admittedly, marked the point wherein I knew, upon successfully reaching the top, that I could finish the ride. My performance on the hills thus-far hadn’t inspired self confidence that I’d make this beast without having to get off (fall off?) and walk up. Shift, shift. shift, shift...... here we go.....
And, success.... In the shortest gear available, sometimes standing, sometimes sitting, I wrangled my way to the top of The Renner Wall, and after an eternity of waiting for the road to level out, I stopped again to rest. Yikes... I made the mistake of looking farther north along Renner, and I considered the stack of hills yet to come, the heat, the wind, and the time of day … “ok.... NOW it’s in the bag.”
With that, I climbed where I needed to, and made it to another unplanned stop at Midland Drive (the start location for the Princeton Roundabout route) where I confirmed hydration with another restroom break and water refill. Enough dawdling around... I departed quickly, and climbed over I-435 on Renner (Renner Pass?), past Shawnee Mission Park, past 87th, and got nicely dropped into the carnival of roundabouts, one by one checking off the miles to the end. Traffic started to fill in, and I began to forget how difficult the day had been by wrestling with traffic on the final miles back to the finish, which finally came at 5:08pm.... just a few minutes shy of an even 12-hours. With the extended rests and the inevitability of a long rest at Weston, what with the good eats and inviting chairs, I’m not sure what my time would have been like on a similar route with different controls, but, it is a finish - and I’ll always take that, even if this rests as my longest 200km in recent memory.
As I slowly sipped on a recovery chocolate milk at the local 7-Eleven store and replayed the day in my head, I smiled -- far hillier, far hotter than any recent ride, and I managed to finish with nearly 2 hours left on the route card to do so, and I knew that rest and patience would yield a body and legs more prepared for the same later on this summer. Good training.... for what, exactly, I still couldn’t tell you... because *I* don’t know.... but, I like the idea of getting ready for something; even if I don’t know what that something will be.
That wraps up #11 for this R-12 run.... one more left..... and R-12 number 2 is a success! Very excited... cautiously.... but, I feel good about it. The next route will be simpler, flatter, closer to home, and with company to share the experience - so, stay tuned for the next one, coming up in about a week already!
...and, I’ll work on getting it posted in a more timely manner, as well...
The Timeline:
5:00am 7-11
7:38am QT kck
9:43am Weston IN
10:13am Weston OUT
12:40 K-5, wolcott rest in shade
1:25pm QT KCK
2:28 edwardsville
3:51 shawnee, midland dr & renner
5:08pm finish
Songs in my Head:
Safe Side - James McMurtry
Go it Alone - Beck
...noted from the 400km ride, I might have had an easier time on the hills near the end had I employed the earpiece technique. The songs were very few, as my brain stayed occupied with how hilly things were and how tired I'd become. A little mental crutching would have been helpful, but, alas, the MP3 player stayed at home on this ride.
Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!!!
WMG Memorial - Olathe to Weston, MO
In my attempts to break up the monotony of continuous 200km+ bike rides over the course of 12-months, I vowed - on this 2nd R-12 run - to try and revisit some old routes, and add in some new ones. To that end, I looked at the permanent route offerings, and came around to the W.M. Gates Memorial 200k, which I’d created with Spencer’s help back in 2008. The last time I’d ridden it, actually, was also sometime in 2008... I believe December, when Noah and I tackled it last. With hindsight having fallen well out of view, and without me re-reading any of the old posts about the route, I self-questioned with a hearty “how hard can it be?”, and signed up. I’d just come off a successful 400km ride, after all, so I felt strong, trained, and “agile” (insert Al Pacino voiceover here).
It would be foolish of me not to insert something along the lines of the importance of training for hill-climbing when attacking a hilly route. I like hills -- I don’t, honestly, know why - but I always have had an interesting relationship with them. Over the years, however, my ability to viciously attack them has weakened slightly - simply because my normal commute and choice of training circuits don’t really suit climbing development. Compared to last month’s 400k, and most previous month’s 200k’s - I have been light on the climbing. The WMGM Route would serve as a reminder to introduce a more balanced routing into my riding.... a) because I really do love hills, but b) because I love them more when I can master them. I think the cue sheet is incorrect... it indicates 6,200 feet of climbing in 127 miles, but I’m fairly certain that the real number lies somewhere north of that figure, if only by perception.
5:00AM.... 7-Eleven... my old friend. I frequent this place often enough in stretchy pants and neon shirts that I’m practically on a first-name basis with the early-shift staff. After the usual clock watching, and a very neat sliver-of-a-moon moonrise to the east, I went inside and performed the usual receipt and signature routine, polished off a chocolate milk, and threw my leg over the top tube for adventure. Once again! We ride!!
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| Moonrise (the small sliver above the third streetlight from the right) |
Renner Blvd, Road... whatever incarnation you happen to experience, it’s the same slice of pavement which runs nearly unbroken, north/south, from county line to county line.... as long as you don’t count the I-35 corridor, which cuts it off. It has a few names... Renner, Mur-Len in Olathe’s city limits...The Proving Grounds, however, also coined by Noah of KC-Bike.net fame -- alhough for different reasons than I cite here, the name still sticks. Where Noah hearkens to the remarkable automotive suspension-proving potential of the circuit of endless roundabouts which lay between 95th and 87th streets in Lenexa (and I don’t disagree), the road as a whole serves as a proving grounds for cyclists, as well. There are questionable sections of pavement which test bike handling skills. There are unfortunately-placed traffic lights at the bottoms of steep hills, which test your braking prowess. The pitch of some of the hills are simply staggering at times, honing the power climber we all aspire to become, and, yet in other sections the hills are marvelously spaced to allow a rolling-hills tempo training run in others. There are miniature mountain passes, wicked curves, fountains, shaded sections and exposed ones, and the whole thing takes on a different flavor if you turn around and ride it in the opposite direction -- it’s a great road for automobile, or bicycle... but, MAN.... the unprepared will curse it and give it unpublishable names when the winds blow wrong, when the temps are high, and when the legs grow weary. Such good training!
They say a picture is worth 1,000 words... and since my last 200km post was about 5,300 words, I suppose I’m glad I started taking more photos on rides. My fingers are killing me. So, I’ll toss some pics in here, a few short captions, and we’ll be up to speed! Whoo-hoo! It’s remarkable - I find myself very short on time lately, with RAAM preparations, house activities, and work --- even though it’s “summer” and homework is absent, I’ve taken on a lot of other stuff - and the byproduct is writing these ride accounts several weeks after they take place, lately. I hope not to continue that, but the photos help bring me right back to the action - so I’ll leverage them, keep the posts shorter (ha!), and hopefully stay on top of things, so I’m not writing posts about the last ride the night before the NEXT ride... which is happening.
Another interesting observation: I bumped into Warren T, finally meeting him (I think I’d met him at night, during a DSR...but it’d been years) during Bike Week a few weeks ago, and he made an accurate assessment that posting volumes across blogville have slipped a little, with such powerful, succinct and mobile-capable micro-blogs like Twitter. I’m also guilty of this --- and as I slap things on Twitter from the road, I have found it makes the blog posting suffer. I don’t have immediate plans to cease either activity -- but, when Tweeting the ride, part of me gets the sensation that I’ve “already posted about it,” so I don’t rush to the keyboard to write a larger post as a result. There’s gotta be a balance -- because after a decade online here at this URL, I don’t really want to just slice everything down to an “@” symbol, and call it “good enough.” We’ll see.
After the thrill ride of Renner Rd, I hit Holliday Drive at the river, and proceeded west. Another difficult part about this ride are the number of turns. It’s difficult to get into a good rhythm when you are constantly managing intersections on the way out of town, and on the longer sections of road the hills have the same effect of breaking up pace, unless one is just super strong. Meandering along the river, and then crossing it on K-7, then negotiating a highway interchange and constant shoulder condition issues and railroad tracks on K-32 make it difficult to just “settle in.” I continued my push north, eventually reaching 86th street.... only to pass it, by maybe a mile. The road sign which had once made the road move visible had been missing, and - not remembering what to look for - I blew right past it. I realized my mistake when I started to recognize landmarks from the KCK-to-Ottawa 200km route, and remembered that I shouldn’t see ANY of those on this route. I looped back, and - remarkably - passed it AGAIN on the return, reaching the traffic light at 88th Street. Another U-turn, and I was back on course - feeling a little silly.
No matter -- 86th street has a way of making riders forget their foibles and worries. It’s hilly, and sorta makes Renner look flatter somehow. After wrestling with hills and a couple roadside, trashbag surfing dogs, I made it to Parallel Pkwy, and the first control. After a quick refuel, I was keen to get moving again before the legs seized up too much. I hadn’t climbed this much in years on a route, and I’d been hopeful not to find out the painful way that I’d been ill-prepared. Keep moving! Next was Georgia Ave, and then Wyandotte County Lake Park.... did I mention this route was hilly? Yeesh.
Upon entering the park, I caught up with another cyclist out for a morning ride - and it turned out he was involved with an upcoming ride called “Bike the Dot”. It offers (if I recall) 20,30 and 50 mile (approximate) loops around Wyandotte County, starting at the Ag Hall of Fame. Registration is still open -- it’s only a few days away, so hurry. A good cause, and some great riding scenery!
We parted ways, and I continued my march north, past Wolcott, past Lakeside Speedway, and onto K-5 heading to Lansing and Leavenworth. K-5 is a remarkable road... my only wish would be a little less traffic. It’s scenic as all get-out, hilly, technical, fun, and not your typical Kansas highway. Imagine, if you are familiar with the reference, Mission Road between 159th and 191st Streets (for you locals), but, extend it out to perhaps 12 miles. Constant fun - but challenging. Past farms and houses, around bends and under a canopy of trees, I finally exited the highway at the Veteran’s Association Hospital in Leavenworth, next to the Leavenworth National Cemetery, where the namesake for this tough route rests in peace. (Hi, Dad)
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| Considering the bridge, on the KS side along the bluffs on Espanlade St., Leavenworth, KS. |
Eventually I was faced with crossing the Missouri River on K-92, which - normally - is a nice ride across a glorious bridge. This day, that bridge had been reduced to one-lane for both directions for refurbishing by the state. I knew this in advance, having emailed a few interested parties about the possibility of joining my ride, Randy of Kansas Cyclist pointed me to the information that the bridge had once again been “under the knife”. Uh oh... I made a few calls, and it sounded do-able - but I was leary of risking my R-12 by riding up there, only having to turn around again. I know now, especially as I write this now, with only a couple days left in the month of May, I wouldn’t have been able to get another ride in had this not worked out, but, thankfully, it worked out fine. It’d been a bit hairy, yes -- the arrangement involved temporary traffic signals at each end of the bridge, queuing up traffic while one direction at a time, in succession, would cross the bridge. I watched a couple cycles to examine how things might unfold, and then took my place at the front of the next line.
Traffic was surprisingly accommodating, perhaps knowing that aside from I-435 (which isn’t bicycle legal) and the bridge at Atchison, KS., (which is 40 miles out of the way), I didn’t have any other options. Still, I didn’t dawdle - upon receiving the green signal, I gave it my all and sprinted the ¼ mile or so across the river to avoid holding anyone up. It worked fine, and soon I was turning onto the MO-45 Spur highway for the next leg of the ride.
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| The temporary traffic light before the bridge... time to sprint! |
If I could take back my previous statement about not being able to find a rhythm on this route, this represents the portion wherein riders can. MO-45 Spur is pan-flat, as is MO-45 which it connects with, and these two roads are difficult for different reasons. The winds can have a dramatic effect on how cyclists perceive these two sections of the route. On the way north, with the growing tailwind, it unfolded as a terrific ride -- and more on the opposite effect a bit later, eh?
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| Pan-flat MO-45, and RR tracks, looking north |
Weston is surrounded by hills, so after reaching Beverly, MO., and crossing underneath MO-92, one climbs steadily until reaching the intersection of Highways 45, 273 and route JJ... or, as I call it, “Route [handclap] Dyno-MITE!”
Hashbrowns for breakfast -- peppers, mushrooms, onions, melted cheese, toast and jam.... dude. Good, hot, fast, and cheap.... kinda like me. BOO YAH, breakfast is served. Team Ride-to-Eat in the house!
After finally ingesting perhaps half the giant platter of hashbrowns and the same amount of toast and jam, I washed my face, got refills of ice water from the waitress, and stepped outside into the growing late morning heat and wind. First, more sunscreen came up on the menu - but, not for my arms, as I pulled out the “sun sleeves” from my back pocket, and pulled them on. I got the same strange feeling I remember from last summer when I first trialed Specialized’s Reflex-Sun arm coolers/sun shields: normally something performed when temperatures are far, far lower, it seems backwards and completely ill-advised to pull something onto my arms when it’s hot and sunny. Confirmation, however, would come quickly. On the first couple of downhills running out of Weston, as I bid the small town farewell, revealed how remarkably well these things work. First, any sweat they wick from your arms is dried very quickly, and the evaporative cooling effect is remarkable. My arms acted as heat exchangers, of sorts, and I believe my core temperature stayed relatively low as a result, while the ambient temparature continued to climb. Second, I don’t have to worry about sunscreen on my arms - working it into my arm hairs, dealing with the road dirt and bug collecting that usually follows - and the end result is a cooler core and no sunburn on the arms. The material is such a brilliant white, it becomes almost difficult to look at it directly on a sunny day. Strange, but effective. They also make “knee coolers”, but I’m not sure I’m ready to take that step. Aside from the benefits of some compression, my legs don’t seem to be as exposed during the heat of the day - shadowed by my own body.
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| The Battle-Axe, at MO-45 and 45 Spur |
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| The reward - The Weston Cafe, breakfast |
Headwind.... I knew I’d be paying back some of the ease of the trip north with a growing headwind in the afternoon hours - but I hadn’t expected the wind to be quite so vigourous. As I made my way back down MO-45, I met with a wind strong enough to neccesitate downhill pedaling. So much for an easy trip back to Beverly. The road flattens out, and the remainder of MO-45 and 45 Spur unfolded as a heads-down, in the drops, keep-on-spinning exercise in patience. Finally, the pesky bridge construction waited at the end of the headwind slog - and another sprint across the river - this time, uphill.
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| Looking west, toward the Centennial Bridge on MO-92 |
The first treat was Wilson Ave (if I recall the name correctly) at the bottom end of 2nd street after meandering south through Leavenworth. Much like most riverside cities, the bluffs and cliffs and elevation changes throughout the town make for some very interesting (and steep) roads at times, and getting out of town becomes quite the chore. At this point in the ride, I was beginning to appreciate having a wider cassette on the rear wheel. Ever since the Knob Noster 200k a few years back, and the giant wall of a hill I ended up walking, I’ve run a 12-27 9-speed rear cassette. Proudly, that 27-tooth ring is usually the cleanest part of my drivetrain - but today, as the Leavenworth hills and the headwind began to collect their weighty taxes, I contented myself for being prepared by having the bail-out gear. It even crossed my mind that a compact crankset may well be in my future... and, yes, as I age perhaps a little push is leaving my muscles (I still think I have some strong years left if I stay focused and continue to eat right off the bike), but more and more evidence towards keeping my cadence higher, instead of punishing my knees with low-RPM grinding sessions - and the compact drive would only help that end, and extend even further the bail-out potential. When I hear about challenging 1200km rides like the Endless Mountains and P-B-P, the idea of carrying around the “traditional” (racing oriented) 53x39 crankset starts to make less sense. A triple would make even more sense - but, for the sake of elegance and simplicity, I’ll probably swap over to a basic, touring-style 110bcd, square taper, 50x36 crankset - in polished silver. Until my existing BB starts to show signs of folding, however, my 27-tooth rear cog is a ride-saver on days like this one.
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| Ward Memorial Building, Dwight D. Eisenhower VeteransAffairs Complex, Leavenworth, KS. One of 38 historic buildings on the property |
Eventually, however, as the “just keep moving” plan plays out, I rolled off the last hill on K-5 and back onto the flatter section which parallels the railroad tracks while approaching Lakeside Speedway near Wolcott. At this point, finally crossing off ot K-5 and onto old Wolcott Road, to pass under I-435 and back onto much quieter back-roads, I began to grow tired. I’m not sure if it was a bonk, the beginnings of a bonk, or just fatigue from the last 25 miles of hills and wind on a full stomach of hasbrowns, but I was beat - and hot. Finally reaching a nice pull-off, I stopped and got off the bike (the first time in a while just stopping mid-route) for a good 15-minute rest. I ate a Clif-Bar from the seatbag stash, and collected myself. Wyandotte County Lake Park was next, and then I’d be back at the QuikTrip control again, practically “finished” with the ride. Normally I feel strong enough, and confident enough, when the halfway point of a ride arrives, I know I will finish -- this day, however, that “in-the-bag” feeling would still lie many miles down the road -- in fact, I don’t think I felt like I’d finish until only 7 or 8 miles remained. It had been working out to be a tough, tough day of training.
I summoned some courage to throw my leg back over the top tube, and continued until I reached the QuikTrip control on Parallel Parkway again, where I spent even more time just standing in the shade and drinking liquids. I hadn’t felt cramped quite yet, but the heat had been unexpected - er, my reaction to the heat, that is. In retrospect, it never broke 95 degrees (F), yet, I hadn’t really even commuted to work in anything approaching “hot” this year - and combined with the hills, and the relatively low humidity which worked with my technical clothing and the strong winds to dry me out, the effects felt quite real. I must’ve hung out at the QT for 30 minutes, just drinking, and staring into space, waiting for the sensation of a full bladder to indicate I was ready to get moving again (after emptying it, of course). That moment came, and then it was time to wrap things up.
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| Before. |
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| After. |
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| Not my first choice in hydration, but it works |
And, success.... In the shortest gear available, sometimes standing, sometimes sitting, I wrangled my way to the top of The Renner Wall, and after an eternity of waiting for the road to level out, I stopped again to rest. Yikes... I made the mistake of looking farther north along Renner, and I considered the stack of hills yet to come, the heat, the wind, and the time of day … “ok.... NOW it’s in the bag.”
With that, I climbed where I needed to, and made it to another unplanned stop at Midland Drive (the start location for the Princeton Roundabout route) where I confirmed hydration with another restroom break and water refill. Enough dawdling around... I departed quickly, and climbed over I-435 on Renner (Renner Pass?), past Shawnee Mission Park, past 87th, and got nicely dropped into the carnival of roundabouts, one by one checking off the miles to the end. Traffic started to fill in, and I began to forget how difficult the day had been by wrestling with traffic on the final miles back to the finish, which finally came at 5:08pm.... just a few minutes shy of an even 12-hours. With the extended rests and the inevitability of a long rest at Weston, what with the good eats and inviting chairs, I’m not sure what my time would have been like on a similar route with different controls, but, it is a finish - and I’ll always take that, even if this rests as my longest 200km in recent memory.
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| Train fly-by, on 43rd Street in Shawnee, KS. |
As I slowly sipped on a recovery chocolate milk at the local 7-Eleven store and replayed the day in my head, I smiled -- far hillier, far hotter than any recent ride, and I managed to finish with nearly 2 hours left on the route card to do so, and I knew that rest and patience would yield a body and legs more prepared for the same later on this summer. Good training.... for what, exactly, I still couldn’t tell you... because *I* don’t know.... but, I like the idea of getting ready for something; even if I don’t know what that something will be.
That wraps up #11 for this R-12 run.... one more left..... and R-12 number 2 is a success! Very excited... cautiously.... but, I feel good about it. The next route will be simpler, flatter, closer to home, and with company to share the experience - so, stay tuned for the next one, coming up in about a week already!
...and, I’ll work on getting it posted in a more timely manner, as well...
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| Road grime, and the clean leg under the sock. Ewww. |
The Timeline:
5:00am 7-11
7:38am QT kck
9:43am Weston IN
10:13am Weston OUT
12:40 K-5, wolcott rest in shade
1:25pm QT KCK
2:28 edwardsville
3:51 shawnee, midland dr & renner
5:08pm finish
Songs in my Head:
Safe Side - James McMurtry
Go it Alone - Beck
...noted from the 400km ride, I might have had an easier time on the hills near the end had I employed the earpiece technique. The songs were very few, as my brain stayed occupied with how hilly things were and how tired I'd become. A little mental crutching would have been helpful, but, alas, the MP3 player stayed at home on this ride.
Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!!!
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