Monday's Wild Adventure Ride... n Ride n Ride n Ride!
In Nevada, the state with picnic tables in the middle of nowhere!
In preparing for the Silver State 508, my teammate, PJ (PattyJo Struve, who has ridden and crewed RAAM - Race Across America) put together a training w weekend so that both riders and crew would get a feel for the event. What a treat! I've upped my mileage and done some double days to prepare, but had eased back on the hills recently after a quad strain leading up to Nor Cal time trial championships the week before. I drove up to meet them with a great sense of adventure - I could hardly wait to see what lay ahead!
Our crew has crewed with PJ before, but never in the same event, so they, too, will use this as a training ride. Rebecca Smith drove all the way from Washington to join us, and Brian Nakagawa is a bike shop mechanic from Olympic Bikes in Tahoe City. What a blessing to have such excellent crew, and ones willing to do this training ride!
With a 6 am parking lot scramble to gather and pack equipment, and the ever- necessary Starbucks stop (gotta keep our crew happy!), PJ headed out on Stage 1 for a 47 mile ride to Silver Springs. Many parts of this stage are eye-popping, and I was out of the van way too many times as we hop-scotched ahead and pulled off every few miles to check in on PJ for food and water needs. We traded places at a gas station in the Middle of Nowhere (all future references: MoN), and I was finally on the road for stage 2, a short 31 miles to Fallon. Some cross wind, but a lot of tail wind on a flat speedy road to another lonely gas station. When I race this course two months from now, I will be on my TT bike.
And now for Stage 3: PJ's 106 miles and my main nutrition/sleep break. Riding 260 miles in a 30 hour time-frame is one challenge; eating and sleeping during my breaks was equally important! All food must be completely portable ( no microwaves in MoN!), easy to deal with while moving along the road, and nutrient complete for my next ride, eight hours away. No problem, now get some rest! Easier said than done, and lesson learned....close my eyes and try to ignore the constant interruption of rumble strips as the van pulls off for PJ! Our crew is fabulous - they are constantly supplying us with whatever we need: water, food, jackets, encouragement, and silliness, but the rumble strips will take some getting used to!
My stage 4 will most likely occur from 9 pm to 2 am, which, for a night ride, is my best case scenario.i am most definitely not a night person, but in a pinch, I can remain coherent a little past midnight. This is my first-ever night ride, and we have plenty of bike lights, reflective gear, and HAMMER thermal clothing. The van will be directly behind me, so no worries, and the state has no navigation issues - it's is a straight line to Austin. With our later than race day start, I get on my bike at 11 o'clock and head out into the unknown. As my friends have told me, night riding is No Big Deal, although I miss the sunshine and my sense of where I am and what lies ahead. A shooting star flashes just as I mount, and I take that as a good sign as I start on another new adventure. Starting a ride with a 3- mike climb is challenging, and there is no warmup in a race like this! I wonder what it's like for my driver to have to crawl along at 4-5 mph. My descent is a long, clean, easy piece of road, and finally I am flying, and night riding is suddenly amazingly FUN! As the road to Eureka starts to rise, the jack rabbits amusie me and help pass the time on this 70 mile stretch in the MoN. There is nothing - no towns, no lights, and thankfully, no cars. However, at 50 miles I am hurting. The saddle is suddenly uncomfortable and I feel like I'm constantly sliding off the back, my quads are strained, and I'm having trouble breathing...I've entered the Not Fun Zone, and must rely on mind games to get me through the next 25 miles. I picture my easy 25 miler at home and click off the miles. I try to decide if what I see out there is real, or a hallucination. My eyes don't want to stay open, and when I glance at my computer, thankful that the screen lights up every 5 miles, I notice that it is 3:30 AM. I'm officially in my Bozo Zone, and I rely on Brian and Rebecca to cheer my up as I reach Hickson Summit (6546'). Unknowingly, I'd already climbed Austin Summit (7484') and Bob Scott (7210'). Sometimes the darkness hides information I didn't really want to know! When I finally reach Eureka, I am surprised at how many hotels there are. I cannot imagine why anyone stays overnight here, in the MoN! But I'm a little cranky right now, so maybe I'm just envious that the other visitors in this town are sound asleep. PJ and I trade places, use a gas station restroom, and we hit the road. My crew informs me that having successfully completed my first night ride, and earlier used nature's restroom, I am officially an ultra- cyclist.😃 it feels good, in a bad and tired way, and I eat and rest, awaiting daylight, knowing that I will feel more like myself on my next stage, 5 hours from now.
Stage 6 - 113 miles - begins at 9:30, and I'm eager to start ! Just a week ago I rode 117 miles so I'd feel prepared, my longest ride in this new decade of cycling. The weather is perfection and I can wear my favorite Hammer Pink tri top. My hungry crew treats themselves to breakfast at a nearby diner (a luxury they won't have in the race) and I head out. Conditions are perfection - a flat, abandoned road with a tailwind, and I'm flying. Definitely TT bike territory for the first 20 miles. FunFunFun! As I begin the climb to Carroll Summit, I'm glad I'm on my road bike, and I realize what a luxury to own two fabulous Cervelos. Although they are considered entry level bikes, they are everything I need to get me to the finish line. I call my P2TT bike my quarter horse, always ready for a strong hard eye-popping time trial of any distance. My R3, on the other hand, is my Arabian, light and ready for any climbing adventure. When I return with race wheels, it will weigh in at 16 pounds, and my crew advises me to travel light, leave my Nathan vest at home, at let them hand up bottles as needed. I again feel so blessed to ride a new adventure with new friends and enjoy life on a bike, all day, and all night.
At 44 miles I reach Carroll summit (7214') with no breathing issues. I always feel better in sunshine, and it's only 80, and I'm ready for some descending. Again, another fast, easy, FUN descent! Since descending is not my strong point, I'm thrilled that my stages have such easy descents. As I approach 70 miles, I'm looking at our time frame and ask my crew and PJ to discuss our plan. As much as I want to ride my whole 113 mike stage, if I do, it will not only bring us in to Reno At 10 pm, but it will completely alter the conditions on my last, and most critical stage. If I cut this leg short, or PJ cuts hers, i can practice the next stage under race-like conditions. I secretly hope that PJ is willing to trim her stage so I can finish mine, but she is determined to ride it, and since the rest of my stage is the straight line in front of me, I climb in our van and we drive 20 miles up the road and get back on schedule. It sure takes a long time to drive 20 miles - feels faster on my bike! Again, I appreciate the tenacity of my crew!
When we return for the race, I will have barely 2 hours rest after my 113 stage and the final 47 miles into Reno. Eating properly will be crucial, since I'll need to refuel with food that I can ride on with little digestion time. This is why I'm relying on HAMMER Nutrition for every stage. I'm using Anti Fatigue Caps, Mito Caps, Race Caps, and Endurolytes, hourly, as well as taking my Premium Insurance Caps (vitamins), during two rest breaks, with my normal race food.
My bottles have grape Fizz Tabs, increasing the likelihood of drinking enough, since I love the flavor. My legs are feeling great, in spite of the fact that I'm cramming a week's worth of riding into 30 hours! What can I say, Hammer products are designed just for such adventures! Both mentally and physically, I feel great.
And then, stage 8. The first 20 miles take me through 6 mile canyon, a small curvy country road and a nice change from the long straight stretches on The Loneliest Road in America. I am on a gradual climb, doing ok, when things start to finally get really tough. The details of this stage completely evaporated from my brain, and I'm climbing towards another summit, this one at 6789'. As long as the other climbs have been, they were all highway grade, 6-9%, and gradual. Now that I'm over 200 miles in, I am finding the climbing to be really challenging. My crew tries to cheer me up with "you're almost to Virginia City, only a little farther...". Well, they were accurate, in terms of distance, and with two blocks to go...the pitch suddenly turned ugly. 18% grade? I was dizzy from the elevation ( like on my night leg) and stopped to regroup. Rebecca kindly held an umbrella over me and poured water over my head. Brian encouraged me, Pj said I " looked great". Ha - liar! As I remounted, I started to tip over and wonderful Rebecca not only tipped me back up, but pushed me off, and up this steep pitch I went, zigging and zagging across the road for two blocks, with Brian running along side ( ok, he was probably only walking!) to let me know if I could use both lanes, which on this teeny little stretch, was not a problem. They did, however, inform me that I went through a stop sign, and that they won't be at this spot on race day, so I'll need to be careful to avoid a penalty. These two blocks are the toughest in my entire 261 miles (although I believe PJ has the tougher stages with much longer climbs). Once in Virginia City, Brian I formed me that I had "only" 4 miles to the summit! What ?!?!!!! But I was back on highway grade, so it was a picnic, relatively speaking. At race time, we think this section will be at dusk, which I am hoping for (as opposed to the Black of Night). We'll stop and put on lights and vest at 6 pm as required. Today it is still early, and as I count down the miles on my Last Climb, I appreciate this opportunity to test myself and Play Outdoors ALL Day! I'm suddenly aware that this is the first day of school - and I'm retired! Here I am on the Loneliest road in America, preparing for an Epic Adventure, while my co-workers return to school. I absolutely loved teaching PE, but I'm ready for New Things, and thankful to be here, happy and in good health. Riding a bike all day is a gift, and I'm grateful for my health and fitness as I descend into Reno. This 8 mile descent is slightly more technical, especially after dark, so I start thinking about it again a few times before race day. I live just a couple of hours away, and...I'm retired, so why not !😃
As I ride into Reno, there are still 9 miles to go, so the route takes us the long way back to the Atlantis Hotel, with lots of traffic, lights, and turns. I'm trusting my crew when they tell me it won't be that bad and that I won't get lost! Nine turns later, we are done. We unload in the dark of the parking lot, like campers who've been gone a week, sorting things back into original cars, and leaving racks and caution signs in my van for Race Day. Brian and PJ head back, Rebecca and I spend the night and brainstorm training ideas for my next couple of months. I wrote detailed notes along the way, so I can tweak things as needed. I've just packed 230 miles into the last 34 hours, and it is becoming a blur as I drive back to Genoa for a few days with my sister. Yep, ask me again if I like being retired !! 😃❗️
In Nevada, the state with picnic tables in the middle of nowhere!
In preparing for the Silver State 508, my teammate, PJ (PattyJo Struve, who has ridden and crewed RAAM - Race Across America) put together a training w weekend so that both riders and crew would get a feel for the event. What a treat! I've upped my mileage and done some double days to prepare, but had eased back on the hills recently after a quad strain leading up to Nor Cal time trial championships the week before. I drove up to meet them with a great sense of adventure - I could hardly wait to see what lay ahead!
Our crew has crewed with PJ before, but never in the same event, so they, too, will use this as a training ride. Rebecca Smith drove all the way from Washington to join us, and Brian Nakagawa is a bike shop mechanic from Olympic Bikes in Tahoe City. What a blessing to have such excellent crew, and ones willing to do this training ride!
With a 6 am parking lot scramble to gather and pack equipment, and the ever- necessary Starbucks stop (gotta keep our crew happy!), PJ headed out on Stage 1 for a 47 mile ride to Silver Springs. Many parts of this stage are eye-popping, and I was out of the van way too many times as we hop-scotched ahead and pulled off every few miles to check in on PJ for food and water needs. We traded places at a gas station in the Middle of Nowhere (all future references: MoN), and I was finally on the road for stage 2, a short 31 miles to Fallon. Some cross wind, but a lot of tail wind on a flat speedy road to another lonely gas station. When I race this course two months from now, I will be on my TT bike.
And now for Stage 3: PJ's 106 miles and my main nutrition/sleep break. Riding 260 miles in a 30 hour time-frame is one challenge; eating and sleeping during my breaks was equally important! All food must be completely portable ( no microwaves in MoN!), easy to deal with while moving along the road, and nutrient complete for my next ride, eight hours away. No problem, now get some rest! Easier said than done, and lesson learned....close my eyes and try to ignore the constant interruption of rumble strips as the van pulls off for PJ! Our crew is fabulous - they are constantly supplying us with whatever we need: water, food, jackets, encouragement, and silliness, but the rumble strips will take some getting used to!
My stage 4 will most likely occur from 9 pm to 2 am, which, for a night ride, is my best case scenario.i am most definitely not a night person, but in a pinch, I can remain coherent a little past midnight. This is my first-ever night ride, and we have plenty of bike lights, reflective gear, and HAMMER thermal clothing. The van will be directly behind me, so no worries, and the state has no navigation issues - it's is a straight line to Austin. With our later than race day start, I get on my bike at 11 o'clock and head out into the unknown. As my friends have told me, night riding is No Big Deal, although I miss the sunshine and my sense of where I am and what lies ahead. A shooting star flashes just as I mount, and I take that as a good sign as I start on another new adventure. Starting a ride with a 3- mike climb is challenging, and there is no warmup in a race like this! I wonder what it's like for my driver to have to crawl along at 4-5 mph. My descent is a long, clean, easy piece of road, and finally I am flying, and night riding is suddenly amazingly FUN! As the road to Eureka starts to rise, the jack rabbits amusie me and help pass the time on this 70 mile stretch in the MoN. There is nothing - no towns, no lights, and thankfully, no cars. However, at 50 miles I am hurting. The saddle is suddenly uncomfortable and I feel like I'm constantly sliding off the back, my quads are strained, and I'm having trouble breathing...I've entered the Not Fun Zone, and must rely on mind games to get me through the next 25 miles. I picture my easy 25 miler at home and click off the miles. I try to decide if what I see out there is real, or a hallucination. My eyes don't want to stay open, and when I glance at my computer, thankful that the screen lights up every 5 miles, I notice that it is 3:30 AM. I'm officially in my Bozo Zone, and I rely on Brian and Rebecca to cheer my up as I reach Hickson Summit (6546'). Unknowingly, I'd already climbed Austin Summit (7484') and Bob Scott (7210'). Sometimes the darkness hides information I didn't really want to know! When I finally reach Eureka, I am surprised at how many hotels there are. I cannot imagine why anyone stays overnight here, in the MoN! But I'm a little cranky right now, so maybe I'm just envious that the other visitors in this town are sound asleep. PJ and I trade places, use a gas station restroom, and we hit the road. My crew informs me that having successfully completed my first night ride, and earlier used nature's restroom, I am officially an ultra- cyclist.😃 it feels good, in a bad and tired way, and I eat and rest, awaiting daylight, knowing that I will feel more like myself on my next stage, 5 hours from now.
Stage 6 - 113 miles - begins at 9:30, and I'm eager to start ! Just a week ago I rode 117 miles so I'd feel prepared, my longest ride in this new decade of cycling. The weather is perfection and I can wear my favorite Hammer Pink tri top. My hungry crew treats themselves to breakfast at a nearby diner (a luxury they won't have in the race) and I head out. Conditions are perfection - a flat, abandoned road with a tailwind, and I'm flying. Definitely TT bike territory for the first 20 miles. FunFunFun! As I begin the climb to Carroll Summit, I'm glad I'm on my road bike, and I realize what a luxury to own two fabulous Cervelos. Although they are considered entry level bikes, they are everything I need to get me to the finish line. I call my P2TT bike my quarter horse, always ready for a strong hard eye-popping time trial of any distance. My R3, on the other hand, is my Arabian, light and ready for any climbing adventure. When I return with race wheels, it will weigh in at 16 pounds, and my crew advises me to travel light, leave my Nathan vest at home, at let them hand up bottles as needed. I again feel so blessed to ride a new adventure with new friends and enjoy life on a bike, all day, and all night.
At 44 miles I reach Carroll summit (7214') with no breathing issues. I always feel better in sunshine, and it's only 80, and I'm ready for some descending. Again, another fast, easy, FUN descent! Since descending is not my strong point, I'm thrilled that my stages have such easy descents. As I approach 70 miles, I'm looking at our time frame and ask my crew and PJ to discuss our plan. As much as I want to ride my whole 113 mike stage, if I do, it will not only bring us in to Reno At 10 pm, but it will completely alter the conditions on my last, and most critical stage. If I cut this leg short, or PJ cuts hers, i can practice the next stage under race-like conditions. I secretly hope that PJ is willing to trim her stage so I can finish mine, but she is determined to ride it, and since the rest of my stage is the straight line in front of me, I climb in our van and we drive 20 miles up the road and get back on schedule. It sure takes a long time to drive 20 miles - feels faster on my bike! Again, I appreciate the tenacity of my crew!
When we return for the race, I will have barely 2 hours rest after my 113 stage and the final 47 miles into Reno. Eating properly will be crucial, since I'll need to refuel with food that I can ride on with little digestion time. This is why I'm relying on HAMMER Nutrition for every stage. I'm using Anti Fatigue Caps, Mito Caps, Race Caps, and Endurolytes, hourly, as well as taking my Premium Insurance Caps (vitamins), during two rest breaks, with my normal race food.
My bottles have grape Fizz Tabs, increasing the likelihood of drinking enough, since I love the flavor. My legs are feeling great, in spite of the fact that I'm cramming a week's worth of riding into 30 hours! What can I say, Hammer products are designed just for such adventures! Both mentally and physically, I feel great.
And then, stage 8. The first 20 miles take me through 6 mile canyon, a small curvy country road and a nice change from the long straight stretches on The Loneliest Road in America. I am on a gradual climb, doing ok, when things start to finally get really tough. The details of this stage completely evaporated from my brain, and I'm climbing towards another summit, this one at 6789'. As long as the other climbs have been, they were all highway grade, 6-9%, and gradual. Now that I'm over 200 miles in, I am finding the climbing to be really challenging. My crew tries to cheer me up with "you're almost to Virginia City, only a little farther...". Well, they were accurate, in terms of distance, and with two blocks to go...the pitch suddenly turned ugly. 18% grade? I was dizzy from the elevation ( like on my night leg) and stopped to regroup. Rebecca kindly held an umbrella over me and poured water over my head. Brian encouraged me, Pj said I " looked great". Ha - liar! As I remounted, I started to tip over and wonderful Rebecca not only tipped me back up, but pushed me off, and up this steep pitch I went, zigging and zagging across the road for two blocks, with Brian running along side ( ok, he was probably only walking!) to let me know if I could use both lanes, which on this teeny little stretch, was not a problem. They did, however, inform me that I went through a stop sign, and that they won't be at this spot on race day, so I'll need to be careful to avoid a penalty. These two blocks are the toughest in my entire 261 miles (although I believe PJ has the tougher stages with much longer climbs). Once in Virginia City, Brian I formed me that I had "only" 4 miles to the summit! What ?!?!!!! But I was back on highway grade, so it was a picnic, relatively speaking. At race time, we think this section will be at dusk, which I am hoping for (as opposed to the Black of Night). We'll stop and put on lights and vest at 6 pm as required. Today it is still early, and as I count down the miles on my Last Climb, I appreciate this opportunity to test myself and Play Outdoors ALL Day! I'm suddenly aware that this is the first day of school - and I'm retired! Here I am on the Loneliest road in America, preparing for an Epic Adventure, while my co-workers return to school. I absolutely loved teaching PE, but I'm ready for New Things, and thankful to be here, happy and in good health. Riding a bike all day is a gift, and I'm grateful for my health and fitness as I descend into Reno. This 8 mile descent is slightly more technical, especially after dark, so I start thinking about it again a few times before race day. I live just a couple of hours away, and...I'm retired, so why not !😃
As I ride into Reno, there are still 9 miles to go, so the route takes us the long way back to the Atlantis Hotel, with lots of traffic, lights, and turns. I'm trusting my crew when they tell me it won't be that bad and that I won't get lost! Nine turns later, we are done. We unload in the dark of the parking lot, like campers who've been gone a week, sorting things back into original cars, and leaving racks and caution signs in my van for Race Day. Brian and PJ head back, Rebecca and I spend the night and brainstorm training ideas for my next couple of months. I wrote detailed notes along the way, so I can tweak things as needed. I've just packed 230 miles into the last 34 hours, and it is becoming a blur as I drive back to Genoa for a few days with my sister. Yep, ask me again if I like being retired !! 😃❗️