After last weeks failed fleche it was time for another randonnee' event. This time it was the Lost River 200K. This route was scheduled last year but conditions forced changes in the route. This time conditions would allow for the ride to follow the complete planned route.
I caught a ride with Drew and we drove out the night before and stayed at the Super 8 in Warrentown VA. This is one of the nicer budget motel/hotels you will find. Clean, well kept and comfy beds. The free WiFi was nice but very slow.
We got up Saturday morning and we were ready to ride. I had changed some things on my bike. I added a bottle cage to the left seat stay and it worked beautifully. I also put the rear derailure into friction mode in hopes of finding my climbing gears and debugging any issues it gave me.
There were somewhere between 12 and 14 riders for this grueling event. Three of us were on recumbents! Here is my Strada, ready to roll;
Here is Drews Cobrabike Royale ready to roll;
...and here is Dana's Gold Rush Replica ready to roll;
The black and gold theme is very cool.
Speaking of cool, it was freezing out! I thought it was Spring, but it felt like W*nt*r. There were signs of Spring here, some flowers and green grass.
The route took us through Strasburg and down Back Road. Back road is very nice on the way Southbound. Here we pass Mt. Olive. The next to last control is at the store in Mt. Olive. I will see it again in 10 hours or so.
After a quick tour of the local woods on Back Road I caught up with Drew at this church just before we headed down towards the climb of Wolf Gap.
The next few miles were pleasant and as we turned onto Wolf Gap road I decided to be a smart ass and asked Drew if the grade we were ascending was the climb to Wolf Gap. The climb was 2 to 3 miles of 12% grade. I was wondering how Dana was making out. He started a little behind us, it was his first brevet and this would not be an easy ride. I think he has a great base mileage so he stood a chance of making it.
My rear derailure was shifting ok but the top limit was still off a bit and I dropped the chain over the edge and in between the cassette and the wheel. I told Drew to go on and would see him later. Here I took off the now very warm W*nt*r gloves and unzipped my jacket. Starting back up was difficult and I walked to find a flat enough spot to start back up. Eventually the climbing stops and I met Drew at the top. I take a picture of almost every gap I ride. Here is the obligatory picture at the top of Wolf Gap.
Drew has a picture that is almost the same on his blog here.
After Wolf Gap we traveled through Trout Pond WV. At this point my Blackberry no longer has cell service and it won't until I start the arduous climb back up Wolf Gap a few hours later. The calendar says Spring but it looks and feels like W*nt*r here. The route makes a turn to the left and heads to Lost River. The first few miles are nice and rolling, then it gets ugly as the next big climb comes into play. It's something like a 22% grade at the bottom and you feel it.
After climbing Mill Gap it's a quick downhill run in to Lost River, a quick left and into the control at the Lost River Grill. I got there at 11:55AM and had a 31 minute cushion. Drew had a table inside, I decided lunch was a nice idea and joined him for a good meal. This was a great little place, but the clock was ticking and there were four more tough climbs to go. Matt Settle the RBA chatted with us briefly, Drew shivered a bit and had changed into some warm dry clothing. Your inner thermostat can get messed up on these long rides. We finished lunch and headed out just four minutes after control had closed. There was no sign of Dana, he had missed the time cutoff for the first control. Both of us wondered if he had made it up Wolf Gap.
The second climb up Mill Gap was tough, I dropped my chain again and spent some time setting the high point on my rear derailure. It was almost perfect. After going through Mill Gap I rolled downhill and put some cushion into my time. I made the left onto Trout Pond and half way up the hill I saw Dana, thinking he had missed the turn for Lost River. It was too late anyway but I was not sure of his plans. When I saw him he said he was done. The only time he would go over Wolf Gap again was by car in his words. He had seen Matt and Drew just before me. He tried to call from his cell phone but no service was available. I told him it was almost all downhill to the next control and he could find a phone in town. I rolled down the big hill and out of the George Washington National Forest.
Control number two! 11 minutes to spare. I left Lost River just four minutes after the control closed. Here I met Matt and Drew. Matt was inside getting some lunch, Drew was quickly getting away to make time. I chatted with Matt briefly and waited with him for Dana. It took forever for the store to sell me some water and mints. My stomach was way to full from lunch and I needed it settled. I rolled out of the second control as it closed.
Two very big climbs to go! Trout Pond Road was not a gap but it just as well should be. Here is a picture of the hill.
Time was running short. Had the terrain been something other than two big climbs up miles of mountains, I would have built a big cushion. As Matt caught me going up hill I told him it was not looking like we would make the next control. He said we would make it. We did with his correction.
Finally up Wolf Gap again! From here it would be possible to finish. Nothing brutal left, just 47 miles of small climbs, some rollers and flat.
I was only moment stopping here. I snapped a quick picture, grabbed my lightweight gloves and zipped up the jacket. The descent would be fast and a bit chilly. On the way down a snapped a picture of this cool spring. Note the plastic bucket for getting a drink;
After that it was bombing down the road for almost two and half miles. I remembered braking at one point and saw the speed drop into the 40's. I mentioned it to Drew later when we were back at the hotel. I hit 54.6MPH on the broader sweeps down Wolf Gap Road.
The rest of the ride was pretty nice. I passed Drew on his way back from the next control, I was only a few miles from it. I caught up with Matt, had my card signed and took a quick O and O break. Back out towards Back Road. I was happy to see Matt in the distance, a slight headwind and as I approached Mt Olive I was watching my time as Matt crossed hills in front of me, maybe 4 or 5 minutes away.
As I came on the next to last control at the bakery and store in Mt. Olive I turned on the head and tail lights. I rigged the Energi to the bike mast. The Garmin was looking a little low and the Energi was plugged in. Off I went back towards Warrentown. After climbing into Clary and making the turn onto 622 it was finally dark. I had about five miles to go and a little over 30 minutes. That's less than a 10MPH pace with only the small climb up route 11. I was going to make it unless there was a mechanical. No real cushion, As I turned on to Oranda road I hit the power button on the Garmin for the backlight. Normally it stays on for a few seconds but while connected to external power and charging, the backlight stays on! What a cool benefit to this device. I hammered it a bit on Oranda to allow for the last climb.
The last climb and I can see Matt in my sites. As we roll into town on the flatter terrain I gain and come right on top of him. We turned into the Super 8 finishing a brutal 200K. As I sit down in the lobby and have my card signed, it's 8:27PM.
Ride complete, no DNF this week.
When I got back home and unloaded the bike something caught my eye, here in central Maryland, it was Spring.
The blossoms on my peach trees were awesome!
I caught a ride with Drew and we drove out the night before and stayed at the Super 8 in Warrentown VA. This is one of the nicer budget motel/hotels you will find. Clean, well kept and comfy beds. The free WiFi was nice but very slow.
We got up Saturday morning and we were ready to ride. I had changed some things on my bike. I added a bottle cage to the left seat stay and it worked beautifully. I also put the rear derailure into friction mode in hopes of finding my climbing gears and debugging any issues it gave me.
There were somewhere between 12 and 14 riders for this grueling event. Three of us were on recumbents! Here is my Strada, ready to roll;
Here is Drews Cobrabike Royale ready to roll;
...and here is Dana's Gold Rush Replica ready to roll;
The black and gold theme is very cool.
Speaking of cool, it was freezing out! I thought it was Spring, but it felt like W*nt*r. There were signs of Spring here, some flowers and green grass.
The route took us through Strasburg and down Back Road. Back road is very nice on the way Southbound. Here we pass Mt. Olive. The next to last control is at the store in Mt. Olive. I will see it again in 10 hours or so.
After a quick tour of the local woods on Back Road I caught up with Drew at this church just before we headed down towards the climb of Wolf Gap.
The next few miles were pleasant and as we turned onto Wolf Gap road I decided to be a smart ass and asked Drew if the grade we were ascending was the climb to Wolf Gap. The climb was 2 to 3 miles of 12% grade. I was wondering how Dana was making out. He started a little behind us, it was his first brevet and this would not be an easy ride. I think he has a great base mileage so he stood a chance of making it.
My rear derailure was shifting ok but the top limit was still off a bit and I dropped the chain over the edge and in between the cassette and the wheel. I told Drew to go on and would see him later. Here I took off the now very warm W*nt*r gloves and unzipped my jacket. Starting back up was difficult and I walked to find a flat enough spot to start back up. Eventually the climbing stops and I met Drew at the top. I take a picture of almost every gap I ride. Here is the obligatory picture at the top of Wolf Gap.
Drew has a picture that is almost the same on his blog here.
After Wolf Gap we traveled through Trout Pond WV. At this point my Blackberry no longer has cell service and it won't until I start the arduous climb back up Wolf Gap a few hours later. The calendar says Spring but it looks and feels like W*nt*r here. The route makes a turn to the left and heads to Lost River. The first few miles are nice and rolling, then it gets ugly as the next big climb comes into play. It's something like a 22% grade at the bottom and you feel it.
After climbing Mill Gap it's a quick downhill run in to Lost River, a quick left and into the control at the Lost River Grill. I got there at 11:55AM and had a 31 minute cushion. Drew had a table inside, I decided lunch was a nice idea and joined him for a good meal. This was a great little place, but the clock was ticking and there were four more tough climbs to go. Matt Settle the RBA chatted with us briefly, Drew shivered a bit and had changed into some warm dry clothing. Your inner thermostat can get messed up on these long rides. We finished lunch and headed out just four minutes after control had closed. There was no sign of Dana, he had missed the time cutoff for the first control. Both of us wondered if he had made it up Wolf Gap.
The second climb up Mill Gap was tough, I dropped my chain again and spent some time setting the high point on my rear derailure. It was almost perfect. After going through Mill Gap I rolled downhill and put some cushion into my time. I made the left onto Trout Pond and half way up the hill I saw Dana, thinking he had missed the turn for Lost River. It was too late anyway but I was not sure of his plans. When I saw him he said he was done. The only time he would go over Wolf Gap again was by car in his words. He had seen Matt and Drew just before me. He tried to call from his cell phone but no service was available. I told him it was almost all downhill to the next control and he could find a phone in town. I rolled down the big hill and out of the George Washington National Forest.
Control number two! 11 minutes to spare. I left Lost River just four minutes after the control closed. Here I met Matt and Drew. Matt was inside getting some lunch, Drew was quickly getting away to make time. I chatted with Matt briefly and waited with him for Dana. It took forever for the store to sell me some water and mints. My stomach was way to full from lunch and I needed it settled. I rolled out of the second control as it closed.
Two very big climbs to go! Trout Pond Road was not a gap but it just as well should be. Here is a picture of the hill.
Time was running short. Had the terrain been something other than two big climbs up miles of mountains, I would have built a big cushion. As Matt caught me going up hill I told him it was not looking like we would make the next control. He said we would make it. We did with his correction.
Finally up Wolf Gap again! From here it would be possible to finish. Nothing brutal left, just 47 miles of small climbs, some rollers and flat.
I was only moment stopping here. I snapped a quick picture, grabbed my lightweight gloves and zipped up the jacket. The descent would be fast and a bit chilly. On the way down a snapped a picture of this cool spring. Note the plastic bucket for getting a drink;
After that it was bombing down the road for almost two and half miles. I remembered braking at one point and saw the speed drop into the 40's. I mentioned it to Drew later when we were back at the hotel. I hit 54.6MPH on the broader sweeps down Wolf Gap Road.
The rest of the ride was pretty nice. I passed Drew on his way back from the next control, I was only a few miles from it. I caught up with Matt, had my card signed and took a quick O and O break. Back out towards Back Road. I was happy to see Matt in the distance, a slight headwind and as I approached Mt Olive I was watching my time as Matt crossed hills in front of me, maybe 4 or 5 minutes away.
As I came on the next to last control at the bakery and store in Mt. Olive I turned on the head and tail lights. I rigged the Energi to the bike mast. The Garmin was looking a little low and the Energi was plugged in. Off I went back towards Warrentown. After climbing into Clary and making the turn onto 622 it was finally dark. I had about five miles to go and a little over 30 minutes. That's less than a 10MPH pace with only the small climb up route 11. I was going to make it unless there was a mechanical. No real cushion, As I turned on to Oranda road I hit the power button on the Garmin for the backlight. Normally it stays on for a few seconds but while connected to external power and charging, the backlight stays on! What a cool benefit to this device. I hammered it a bit on Oranda to allow for the last climb.
The last climb and I can see Matt in my sites. As we roll into town on the flatter terrain I gain and come right on top of him. We turned into the Super 8 finishing a brutal 200K. As I sit down in the lobby and have my card signed, it's 8:27PM.
Ride complete, no DNF this week.
When I got back home and unloaded the bike something caught my eye, here in central Maryland, it was Spring.
The blossoms on my peach trees were awesome!