The Drill.............

More Changes & Long Rides

The routine is pretty straightforward at this point.  Long rides Monday and Thursday from here on out.  Up at 04:00. Work on the bike at 05:00.  Standard breakfast (2 eggs, an apple and chocolate milk) by 05:45.  Put the gear together and shove off at best light.  By this time it's still a little dark, so a tail flasher is always a must.  The first key point is the State Road Shed at SR 39, MP 22.  Anything later than 50 minutes is too slow.  Next key point is "The Spring", near MP 35.  This needs to be under 2 hours.  The real mark is Ant Flat Road, MP 36 - that should be just a shade +/- 2 hours, then choke down a banana.  Within the next few minutes, I'm in the small ring (front gear), as it gets pretty steep heading to the snowmobile parking lot.  From there it's up past Marriott's and MP 40, with only 3 more miles to Little Monte.  At MP 43 (Little Monte), I can spring back into the big ring, but still have a climb to MP 44.  Depending on the day, I may stay in the big ring, but generally, if I'm under 3 hours.  On top, there are the rollers (the shoulders of Monte).  Just past MP 44, from Weber County to Cache County.  Around MP 45-ish, from Cache County to Rich County.  By this point it's all big ring, hitting 30 MPH occasionally.  Just before MP 48, Monte Cristo Camp Ground and Guard Station.  At MP 49, the commitment to continue has been made.  Off the pass and heading for the dugway, let the brakes go and get low.  Into the canyon, start looking for MP 55 - just past it is the east side snow gate.  By the time MP 60 rolls around, there is some serious pedaling.  A cattle gate at MP 60, with another at MP 62 kind of makes a mess of things. By MP 63, its all about going in with a little authority.  Just before MP 68, SR 39 ends, and so does that part of the suffering.  After a quick refuel and maybe an unholy Snickers bar, do it all in reverse.

Today I was running a new wheelset;  DT Swiss, 1450.......... not that it means anything to anyone else but me.  The system was a little tight pretty much all the way over.  The freehub was unusually quiet.  After the 45 minute descent off the west side, it was screaming like a Stuka dive bomber - the way it's supposed to.  Add to this the constant headwinds today and call it a tough ride.  Key times were off, but not by much.  The new wheelset is not as aero as my RXL's, but way stable at higher speeds.  They're also pretty lite, which allows them to spin up fast, just not hold the kinetic energy.  Running through Ant Flat on the return always is tricky with the side wind, but not with these wheels.  By MP 28 (Red Cliff) it was too windy to consider a full ride back to the Home-20.  It was only a matter of doing 112 or doing 115 miles.  Just about MP 25 (still out of cell range), I picked up a grabber-screw in my back tire - yeah, no kidding!  After surviving that near disaster, I was just about out of South Fork Canyon when some knucklehead dang near hit me.  At that point, I can take a hint.  Head for Huntsville, call it 112 miles and call for a bail-out.

This will be the same thing for the next two weeks.  Next Saturday I'll have to add the Cache Valley Century.  A key tune-up ride for me, as it will be the only time I get to ride with fast groups before race day.  I'll have to play that week a little by ear, as to not "overcook".

I've still got a couple "Udder Balm" things to distribute.  This past week I sent some to several far away and enchanted lands.  Right now there are well over 300 distributed, in Michigan, Colorado, Georgia, Texas, Nevada, Montana, Washington, and Idaho.  Of course, there are a bunch scattered throughout the "Beehive" (Utah).  Looking at the page views, it appears there is some traction.  Looking at the donations, I'd say it is looking pretty good.  HHH over all is kind of struggling, but we'll pull it together - I'm sure.

Thanks to all of you who are carrying this effort.  It is humbling and truly remarkable.

For now, I'm a little hurt, tired and sore.  This is a throwback to my post from last year, August 16.  You want to know why I do this, read either my 2017 Year-end post, or August 16, 2017.  My pain is nothing........................

Song Bird

Ride HARD!

Long Rides

Why Woodruff?

So.............  the question has been asked how the Woodruff ride compares to LOTOJA.  Other than LOTOJA is 200 + miles, the ride over Monte to Woodruff and back is every bit as tough, if not more so, by specific elements.

LOTOJA has three key climbs.  The first drags out over 22 miles, with most of the hard climbing confined to maybe 7 miles.  The second is a 9-mile ascent with the hardest only the last 2 or so miles.  The last real climb is Salt River Pass, with a 3-mile KoM (King of the Mountain) stretch that runs between 6% & 8% grade.  The first supported feed zone (my first stop) is in Montpelier - around 4 hours and change.  Salt River Pass is really the "hump" and should be something like 6 hours.  Alpine Junction is at the bottom of Snake River Canyon but is normally a pretty easy (comparatively) climb, as you most always have a tailwind.  

From where I start, Woodruff is just a tad over 4 hours, but about 18 miles shorter than Montpelier.  The climb is considerably harder and longer.  Add to that, the peak elevation is almost 2,000' higher.  If you consider the climb back to the Camp Ground is 20 miles, this is about the same as Montpelier to the top of Salt River Pass.  The difference is, it is one long climb, with grades steeper than 8% near the top.  The stretch across the top is a few miles and then an arduous descent, that goes on for about an hour.  There is nothing like this at LOTOJA.  The highest point of LOTOJA is something like 7,800'.  Still about 1,200' lower than Monte.  Basically, an 8-hour training ride to Woodruff and back to anywhere in Ogden Valley is the rough equivalent of getting to Alpine Junction.

For me, the ride today was roughly 4,500 calories over about 8 hours.  Part of the training is strategic feeding and watering.  You can't wait until you need nutrition or water.  By then it is too late.  I force myself to drink every 20 minutes or so.  At about 45 minutes, I nibble on fruit snacks.  At 2 hours, I force down a banana.  Between 45 and 60 minutes later I'll push down a Gu.  Just before the drop over the other side, I'll pop a Jolly Rancher.  All the while, keeping with the water schedule.  On warm days, I'll go through 22 ounces of drink in an hour.  Cool days, maybe every two hours.

The key to any of this is training your body to do this type of thing for not less than 8 hours.  Again, this may only get you to Alpine, but without it................good luck.  

In short, this ride is by far the best training ride, even compared to riding parts of the actual LOTOJA course.  The only thing you don't get is the familiarization of the actual course itself - priceless.

There are guys that come from fairly long distances to make this training ride.  It's "the truth".  Some days are more brutal than others, but it is always a chore.

Above all else, I enjoy the awesome people you'll meet while at the Woodruff Store.  I've ridden a bunch of the training rides, a lot of them on the LOTOJA course.  None of them come close to this ride, in large part due to the folks over on that side of the mountain.  As hard as the ride may be, I really enjoy the ride to Woodruff.

"Whipping Post"

Ride HARD!

A break through................

Woodruff 2.0 - A far better product................

Back for more.  Actually, I needed to work out several issues after the last adventure to Woodruff.  It's kind of hard to appreciate until you've experienced it for yourself, but this is a tough ride - every time.  From home, the total climb to the Woodruff store is 4,260', with a peak elevation of 9,030'.  To simply get back to Huntsville, the climb is 2,800'.  So for today, call it 7,060' with 112 miles.

I had to get back to basics, running my noisy RXL wheels, and focusing on nutrition all the way over and back.  Out the door around 06:35, I was able to stay cool up 'till about MP 32.  Still, I stayed in my big ring (up front) all the way to Ant Flat road (MP 36).  Key times most of the way were not too bad.  Up on top ( about a mile before the campground), my back tire went flat.  With still three CO2 shots and one extra tube, I decided to push over the hill into "the other side".  Not sure what kind of tire pressure I had under me, I wasn't confident enough to let the bike go.  As a result, the ride into Woodruff took way too long.  Once there, circumstances required a fast turn around.  The real test was pushing through the heat, up over the top, without stopping or going into the bailout gear.  Not really the fasted time back to the top, but darn close - especially with the heat.  The key was certainly nutrition and ride management.  It paid off today.

About four miles from the top (while heading back), I completely unzipped the jersey to take advantage of a little convection.  The danger of leaving the jersey partially zipped in areas like this is the real (and frequent) bee flying in and not getting out without stinging.  Over the top, I had enough water to keep going, so I started down still doing the full "Batman" (full unzipped).  About six miles down, while doing about 40 MPH, something flew under my collar and stung me on my neck.  So much for a great idea.  A quick stop to zip it to the neck and back to business.  Down around the South Fork Camp Ground, the heat really intensified.  At this point, I still had enough gas to get home, but with the heat and wind, it would be too costly.  Electing to end on a good note, I called for a bailout at Huntsville Park.  A solid effort, for the cost of about 4,500 calories.  I'll take it.

The wheelset is an issue, but I think I have a solution to finish the season - not cheap.  I need to do some work on the bike as well.  Shifting is a little sticky and the bike is very dirty.  I need to track down some 25mm R3's for the race.  I'm not racing on 23's this year.

I need to book this ride again, maybe four more times before Labor Day.  I'm not sure how I'll make this happen.

A tad random, but worth the listen.

Ride HARD!

The right ride for the day..........

Big Mountain

With Trappers Loop not being an option this year, I've been cut-off from riding over to East Canyon.  Needing the variety, I decided to try something a little different.  I drove to Mountain Green with the bike in tow and launched from the Sinclair at the other side of Trappers.  Needing the miles (and the climbing), I decided to go to Big Mountain Pass, maybe another 10 miles past where I usually turn back.

From the intersection at SR66 and SR65, the elevation stays roughly 5,800 feet all the way over to the snow gates.  Okay, there are some rollers along the way, but at the gate, you're still at 5,800 feet.  Over the next 5.4 miles, you gain about 1,600 feet.  A respectable climb.  Starting from the Sinclair, the turn around is 35 miles, with 70 miles overall.

Leaving the Sinclair at 06:30, it was dark enough to use a flasher, but also pretty cool.  I was equipped for heat.  About twenty minutes up the road, my hands were getting pretty cold.  By the time I got up to Milton, things had warmed enough.  Still, no glasses until passing the dam.  Pretty smokey, and thus, kind of a late sunrise - at least with enough heat to matter.  Times to key points; not too bad, but not at a racing speed.  By the time I got back to the truck, I was kind of tired, but not completely spent.  The real challenge was getting home, just driving back over Trappers.  What a mess.

If you're in the area, the Drive over Big Mountain is worth the time.  It's a seasonal road but nice pretty much any time it's open.

Dr. John - Right Place

Ride HARD!

SMIOKE

Can I get a break over here, PLEASE!

"If it's not a one thing, it's another" - Rosanna Rosanna Danna. 

It's been one of those years.  Now.............it's smoke.  Talk about a rough go of things.  Between the fires in No-Cal and the fires out west in Box Elder County, the air is nearly unbearable.  It's bad enough that a lot of folks are getting raspy throats and burning eyes.  Try to get your heart rate up, and you're simply asking for trouble.

The early ride Friday morning was actually pretty good.  Aside from several construction areas, and new chip seal over on 162.  Still, 51 miles, with a spoke bender add-on in sub-three hours - all solo.  I'll take it.  The air quality wasn't nearly as bad as it would become later that afternoon.  By Saturday morning, it wasn't worth the risk.  I did a series of things on the stationary spin bike instead.

Mechanically, I've got to figure out what to do with wheels.  My Race X-lite set is pretty much worn out.  I rode a set of Alex A-Class, which were fast, but I don't think they'll handle the stresses I put into the hub.  If I can shred a DT Swiss hub, I'll decimate that 12 spoke drive in a few hundred climbing miles.  There's no way I'll run carbon with rim brakes, so I'm kind of limited to good aluminum.  There's a lot more to do this than just riding a bike.  The details can make, or break the whole thing - and right now, the details are becoming an issue.

Let's see what tomorrow looks like.  You know how plans can go.

Fundraising is getting some traction.  Page hits are starting to accumulate - all of which fuel the tempo in willingness and desire.  

A big thank you to my favorite Delta "left-seat" R.W.  He's as good a neighbor as anyone could have, and a darn good guy to boot.  This is what it's all about, and it gets me fired up.  This is gonna work.

Speaking of pilots and smoke.  From a pretty good movie that kind of depicted this summer - albeit thirty years ago.

The Platters - Smoke Gets in your eyes.

Ride HARD! (cough cough)

A long way to go

Finding the way back......inspiration!

It's been a banner week.  Support for the "porpoise" is getting some great traction.  This couldn't have come along at a better time.  Everything seems somehow connected and can either make or break the overall effort.  State of mind is the single largest factor and having support - it's all the difference in the world.

I got back in town from a quick, action-packed visit to see my friends in Michigan.  Those guys are the greatest and I really enjoy working with them.  Taking time out of my schedule this time of any year is painful, but these guys are pretty good about allowing me to be flexible and work straight through.  Straight off the airplane and back to the office, so no riding until Wednesday morning.

I made a few changes to the wheelset, with a new rear cassette and different tires,  These tires are a tad wider, with a lower running pressure. They are also siped for crappy conditions.  A little heavy, but good for training.  Construction over on 162 (chip-seal) pushed me onto the pedestrian path, with all the garbage that makes it a bad place to ride.  The ride out was a series of intervals, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off.  The overall pace was pretty good out to the midway point.  The ride back was more constant and deliberate.  About 3 miles from home my front tire flatted.  I'm sure it was a slow pinch flat from garbage on the pedestrian path.  It wasn't the best of rides, but it fulfilled the purpose.

This morning was obviously not going to be productive, so I deferred and did a solid dirt ride tonight.  Quite a few people on the trail, but still able to get a good burn for about an hour-twenty.  Overall leg strength is not bad, considering some of the problems.  Endurance is a serious problem and will take some specific rides to get over that problem.  Fifty miles out and back only go for three hours.  I need to make a couple solid rides back to monte, but cut it down to five hours and change.  And then there is Woodruff........................

We'll see what conditions are like in the morning.  Every day has to count and there is no room for do-overs at this point.

Check out the donors on the HHH Tab

These guys have really given me the inspiration I needed to get my head screwed on straight.  This is what the "porpoise" is really all about.

"Find your way back"

Ride HARD!

The Wrong Ride for the Wrong Day

Megga Bonk!

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I should have followed my intuition and turn back at the top.

I was convinced I was ready to ride Woodruff, a tough ride pretty much any time, but add the wind and heat............it's pretty rough.  Getting to the top of Monte was a little slower than I'd like, but I thought I was keeping some in the tank for the ride back.  At Woodruff, I made a fairly quick turn after getting some Poweraid and a little fuel.  As is typical, the cross and head-winds where pretty stiff.  Add the solar exposure and the blasted heat - it really baked me.  At about the halfway point, I was spent.  It took me double what I had expected.  All that did was make it worse.  I should have either pushed it hard, or went back to Woodruff for a bailout.  On the way down Monte, I was fading fast.  It was getting pretty dangerous, so I had to keep stopping.  Finally at around MP 30, I couldn't go any more.  I was in serious trouble and not less than 5 miles from cell service.  A guy driving by swung back, as he could tell I was bad off.  He was generous enough to haul me down to Etta Baker's vet clinic, at about MP 22.  From there I called for a ride. Call it 101 miles the absolute hardest way.

 

I've bonked before.  Generally about once a year.  I've never been like this though.  Maybe it was knowing I had no cell service, or that I let it get into my head.  Regardless, it was as bad as I can remember.

The body can do amazing things when your mind doesn't interfere.  If you start acting defeated, than defeated you shall eventually become.  Doing things like not eating and properly hydrating only makes it worse.  Admittedly, I was a bit apprehensive about trying Woodruff, but I had to get it under my belt sooner, rather than later.  I started thinking about how I thought it hurt, when it really didn't.  I started to act fatigued, when I should have known better.  I held back, when I thought I needed to save something.  It was all stupid and now I'm paying.  I'm burned, weak and demoralized.

I've got to head out to Michigan Sunday afternoon.  I'll be back Tuesday, so I'll be off the bike.  It won't be much of a rest, as it'll be about a week's worth of work in one day.  Between now and then, I'm being dragged around in the heat and close quarters.  I need some relief and a little rest, but there is no time.

It can't put this one down. Headed back.........soon.  The Sisters - Love Hurts

Ride HARD!