From that moment of Tunitas Creek-induced euphoria last August, when Bob's "friend" Joe convinced Bob to agree to accompany him on the 1999 Death Ride to the actual day on July 10th, 1999, has been a great trip. Not always fun, but with knees and friendships intact, always worth the journey. With Associate Team Foggers Bruce ("the Tyre") Scott and Eric ("Fats") Evitt, we logged over 1800 miles in distance and nearly 150,000 feet in altitude between April 16th (when the Webmaster started keeping track) and July 9th, the day before the ride. Along with changing several tires (but we don't talk about that, do we Bruce?), drinking gallons of PR, Cytomax, etc., sucking down boxes of GUI, applying jars of vaseline, and losing several square inches of skin (was that Bruce again?) we manged to hold down our day jobs, not alienate our spouses (we hope!!), avoid serious injury, and all get to Markleville in the wee hours of the morning on July 10th. At the top of Carson, 11 hours later, we were four for four: four fellow trainees and four fellow finishers.
And what a morning it was. A light overcast to keep the sun from burning us up as the dawn followed a warm Sierra night. Eric and Bruce started out at 5:28 am and rode together for most of Monitor before Bruce jumped out to take the lead and keep it the rest of the day. Joe, who parked his car about 3 miles up the road, cricled around the start chatting with Bob's support crew for a few minutes and took off about 5:35. Bob, riding with brother in law Dan (the ringer from Steamboat Springs), left 15 minutes later.
Read them here, before they get into Sports Illustrated and Outdoor! Eric's Report; Joe's Report; Bob's Report; Bruce's Report
Bruce and I rolled down into Markleeville and slid up the valley to the base of Monitor where I lost Bruce, who shed his parka quicker than I and didn't have to pee. Climbining Monitor was slow and relaxed, a steady stream of riders, all very chatty and sociable, exchanging pleasantries, as they passed one another. Thought I must have had the oldest bike (23 yrs) on the road, but no, met a guy riding a 41 year old steel beauty with amazing lugwork that he'd bought when he was 10. Loved the cheering (and cowbells) at the top, got my first sticker, and fueled up on the theory that the only way I'd make the distance would be to eat at the top and digest on the way down, before the next uphill (not a bad theory, as it turned out).
Descending the back side of Monitor was the most exhilirating downhill of my life. The first of three PRs for the day -- maximum speed = 47.5 mph. (Much slower than many who passed me, but a blast none the less -- and a big relief that the old steed chose to behave and not to go into a fit of high-speed shimmy, as has happened before.) Grabbed a few PowerBars and headed back up the longest continuous grade of the day, still cool, and reasonably refreshed so it wasn't so bad.
Two inspirational moments: a team from a local group "The Rite of Passage" were filling waterbottles at the water stop half-way up (by grapping your bottle and then running up the hill while getting it filled so cyclists didn't need to stop) get my "most spirited supporters" award, and back up at the top, a paraplegic had just completed his first pass on a hand-cranked tricycle. He received a huge cheer from all.
Emboldened by the decent on the back side, it was fun to shoot (for me) down the front, passing many, passed by few. Having learned that I was very, very, slow at any elevations greater than 7,800' (thin air) I figured I'd better crank on the "low" "flats" and hammered the 7.3 miles and 1,000' from the base of Monitor to Spring Creek Campground. Slower going, the remaining 2,000' to the top of Ebbetts, but made it even though some of those short walls felt pretty steep, the air was thin, and it was warming up.
Zipped down to Hermit Valley on the bumpiest surface of the ride, turned around and headed back up. That's when it got tough for me; hot, with little encouragement as many stopped to rest wherever there was shade, a few were walking their bikes, and no one was chatting anymore. Made it back to the top of Ebbetts again, felt I was going to loose my cookies (judging by what was on the road, I wasn't the only one) and knew I'd have to stay a while if I was going to stand a chance of going the distance. Lay in the shade, washed down an Advil and some Tums with an A&W, had "lunch", and hung out for what must have been a total of 30 min. Looked for Judy (again, in vain) in the hopes of getting some news of Joe, Bob, or Bruce and then took off down Ebbetts for the official lunch spot, which was, as I expected, very hot.
Stopped only for some protein and hammered from there to Woodfords, arriving at 3:30. Then, the hottest (and maybe slowest, ?) climb of the day, from Woodfords to the water stop at Pickett's Junction. Sweat was pouring, and my weakest link -- the left knee -- was starting to scream. The Skeleton Crew there get the award for "most committed" -- 87 degrees with no shade. Suprise!, met Joe and Bob while I was stepping out of the Port-O-Potty. Good to see them and learn that Bruce was just a few minutes up ahead. We set out together, but then split up again as I realized that my knee hurt as much going "fast" or slow, and I'd better go the first five miles of the remaining eight to the top of Carson as fast as possible, for fear I only had a fixed amount of time left in the saddle.
The last three miles up the uninterrupted 8% grade to Carson were slow (didn't know I could turn the crank so slow and still stay on the bike), but mercifully cooler than the climbs out of Woodfords or up the back side of Ebbetts. Made it, don't know what time it was, found Bruce for the first time since the base of Monitor, and celebrated with the traditional ice cream bar while Joe and Bob arrived. Judy snapped the historic photo. The rest is history. . .rolled downhill to Woodfords, climbed back up to Turtle Rock Park with Bruce, and claimed our five-pass pins with Joe and Bob. Two other PRs of the day: most miles in a day, 128; and most feet climbed, 16,000.
We made it - all 4 comrades in arms/training, Joe, Bob, Bruce and Eric, fourhaggered/whipped bodies who endured this event . Our game plan was 10.3 hrs riding time + 1.7 hrs for breaks (food, drink, rest) = 12 hrs.
We underestimated some of the climbs. Back side of Monitor - pass #2 (7.5 miles continuous 6-8% grades), backside of Ebbitts - pass #4 (fatigue, unexpected heat - hot day), lower Carson - (steam bath with temperatures ~ 95); We overestimated the downhills which were awesome (Monitor - little braking, speeds 40-54 mph (not quite in Nunan's caliber), Ebbitts, rough/narrow road at the top had to brake - speeds 35-45 mph, Carson no brakes but relatively flat middle section (1/3 of the distance) 20 - 45 mph).
This was the best supported ride I have ever partcipated in or attended - the people of Alpine County were terriffic - whereever you were there was someone on the side lines shouting encourangement. In Markleeville (the main village) people (County, friends of riders, tourists) lined the street and cheered riders as they slogged through. I said to a lady who was cheering on the road as I was grinding up Carson "this is like the Tour de France" and she replied "this your tour go for it, you're almost there" so I had to finish. It is always fun to look back, but some of the time I was asking myself - "self what the hell are you doing this for", and my self replied - "I needed to give you a kick in the a... "
(Bob and Bruce to follow - We hope!)
(click on images to get one our bad eyes can actually see!)
Doesn't he look good? |
Yes, he does make it over! |
Gee, Bruce, what time is it? |