Skyline Sufferfest 2013: the Ride

see our preparation and the backstory for this ride here

 

 

First off, I'm going to spoil the ending for you and tell you that I didn't hit any bears. But I did see one! Beau and I were riding along and saw a couple cars and a photographer, stopped, in the middle of the road. We slowed down to see what they were looking at, and saw a bear waaaaaay up in a tree. Chilling and munching without a care in the world. I mean, how do those tiny branches support a bear's weight anyway? We watched it for a bit and I wish it could've been a better angle to get a picture. Oh well.

 

So Friday night, our friend/riding partner Randy talked himself out of doing the double century. While we were happy to accommodate his crazy plan, it was a relief to be able to push our wakeup time to 5:15am to be on our bikes by 7:30am. More sleep AND no riding in the dark!

 

Our SAG driver dropped us off just before the north entrance of the park. According to the thermometer in the car, it was around 30' at the base of the Shenandoahs. We pulled on our earwarmers and gloves, stuffed some HotHands into our shoes, checked our tires (all 6 tires were brand spanking new!), and were on our way. The first 5 miles are a long gradual climb and actually felt a little easier than I expected. It may have been something to do with the prescence of hot chocolate waiting at the top. The cold was completely bearable if not pleasant when climbing, but not quite as comfortable going downhill.

the beginning

The first 40 or so miles passed quickly. I know this part of Skyline well, having ridden it quite a few times. We got to Skyland, the highest point of the road and where our SAG vehicle was waiting, and scarfed down a TON of food. My cocoa banana oat muffins were a hit, especially with a smear of peanut butter on them. I also took to scoops of peanut butter dipped in granola. The intense hunger of long hard bike ride is awfully reminiscent of my thru hike.

 

 

The next wayside was at mile 50ish, and I have never felt as tired after 50 miles as I was at that moment. Like, can-barely-pedal-another-foot kind of tired. Sitting in the grass at Big Meadows was the first time it occurred to me that maybe I was in over my head. Maybe I wouldn't be able to do the whole 105 miles. Our super human strength riding buddy, I'm sure, would have been fine to get going as soon as we finished our bathroom breaks. But Beau and I needed more of a break. We sat in the grass for a bit, munching on bars and Shot Bloks and trying not to imagine what the next 55 miles would be like.

Randy pointed out that the next 25 miles really weren't that bad. A trick I learned thru hiking (where I looked at a profile elevation map of the trail approximately 43,209,423,098 times) is to cover up the map with your hands, and only show the next chunk of miles you're focusing on. Like blinders on a horse, when you just look at task immediately on hand, the rest doesn't seem so overwhelming. Magic!

So all I thought about was mile 75. Every tenth of a mile my odometer ticked up was a little victory towards my goal of getting to mile 75. Randy was a champ and led the pace line the entire way, encouraging us every mile. Eventually we got to mile 75, and then pushed up a big climb to the next wayside at mile 80, and then I was all about counting down and praising every mile passed as another mile closer to the end. 

 

We got a nice sunset, and lucky for me our bathroom break needs were all on different schedules so I was more than happy to break and snap this photo while the men stepped into the woods.

 

 

Finally, finally, we got to mile 100 and were rewarded with a glorious speedy downhill to the finish. It was JUST starting to get dark, and we finished at about 6:00pm. And then there was BBQ on the way home and pulled pork has never been so delicious.

 

 

 While we were riding along, I asked Randy to rate his perceived difficulty of the day's ride, with 1 being a short ride on the very flat W&OD trail, and 10 being LOTOJA. He thought for a moment and responded, "Probably a six."

 

Six?? Seriously?? This is the hardest ride I've ever done and you're calling this a six?

 

But the next day, he emailed us and changed his statement a little. He uploads his Garmin data into a software program that takes into account the intensity, power output, and duration of the ride and spits out a Training Stress Score. For LOTOJA, the TSS was 811. The Skyline Sufferfest was 750. Here is the approximate guide for interpreting the TSS:

• Less than 150 - low (recovery generally complete by following day)
• 150-300 - medium (some residual fatigue may be present the next day, but gone by the second day
• 300-450 - high (some residual fatigue may be present even after two days)
• Greater than 450 - very high (residual fatigue lasting several days likely) 

So yeah, I'd say Skyline was a little more than a six. :)



Skyline Sufferfest 2013: Preparation

Hey I have an idea! Let's cycle all of Skyline Drive on Saturday.

Isn't that like, over 100 miles?

Yes.

And over 10,000 feet of climbing?

Yes.

And isn't it supposed to be cold, between 30 and 55 degrees?

Yes.

What time will we need to get up to do all this?

3am.

Then I am IN!

So that's the plan. And actually, there is more craziness than just this. Normally we wouldn't need to get out that early for a century, but there is a third member of our party. He is kind of the one pushing this whole endeavor, and he plans to do the whole thing... twice. He just rode the LoToJa Classic last month, a grueling race of a similar distance but half the elevation gain. We will have a SAG vehicle with us the whole way packed with everything we'll need. Then, when Husband and I finish, we'll get in the car and turn around to support our riding buddy as he continues on.

I've professed my love of Shenandoah National Park before, and while I've walked the whole way on the AT, I've only cycled on the northern 30ish miles. Take a look at the profile map:

 

I should take comfort in that I'm already pretty familiar with the hardest part. But this will definitely be the most challenging century we've ever done. And let's be honest, we're not all that conditioned. We did get a good 70 mile ride in last week, but the weeks before that were a bust due to rain, a crash (woops, I guess I didn't mention that before..... we crashed our bikes!) and moving. But here we are. We'll figure it out, we always do! If we run into trouble, our trusty SAG vehicle will be right there to assist.

 

This week I've been making lists like a madwoman to get everything ready. We'll be taking practically every item of clothing we own to give us options for layering. And food! I made up a batch of some cocoa banana muffins, adapted from here, and tried out a new basic peanut butter protein bar recipe, and made up some Sea Salt Chocolate Power Bites from the Feedzone Cookbook. (Does anyone want to buy me this?). I also packed a plethora of other options, like fruit, string cheese, yogurt, Chex Mix, Clif Bars, Larabars, Honey Stinger waffles, Gu, granola, peanuts, and Gu Brew for drinks. Not to mention there are 4 stores and restaurants we'll be passing so... yeah. I think we'll be good on food.

sometimes I feel like my whole life is a series of lists

I'm fairly confident I have everything we'll need, but I'm nervous that something will go wrong tomorrow. Maybe something on one of our bikes will fail. Or it will just be straight up too hard or too cold and I'll quit at mile 60. Or, like my mom texted me this week, "What are the chances you would hit a deer or bear?"

 

Probably small, but at least I would have an awesome story to tell afterward.

 

 

Keeping Safe while Running or Cycling: Lights & Reflective Gear

As fall is now upon us, early morning runners have to readjust to running in darkness. I bring you.... running and cycling safety! Blinky things and bright colors!

I have a hard time understanding why some people get uneasy when they hear that I frequently run when it's dark out or that I sometimes bike to work. Oh, and when I told people I would be thru hiking the Appalachian Trail solo. That incurred a lot of concerned looks. To a fault, it takes a lot to make me feel the "stranger danger" and I frequently have to remind myself how easy it would be for a car to take me out on my bike or when I'm running across an intersection.

You can imagine Husband's efforts to try to make me be safer in my pre dawn excursions. Here's how I light the night:

Headlamp- the Petzl Tikka 2 found here. I didn't realize until 2 months into my thru hike that it has a high and low setting in addition to the flashing white, solid red, and flashing red. I like a traditional head lamp because it has a variety of uses. When running, I wrap it on my wrist so I don't get a sweaty forehead. You can wear it as intended on your head while hiking, walking, running, or hey, when the power goes out. If I need it when I'm on my bike, I adjust the elastic and wear it over my helmet.

I snagged arm bands similar to these from the deal site at active.com for a few bucks. This particular one is found here at REI. It took me a little to get used to them, because they don't stay up on your bicep like I was expecting. Considering I only invested $6 for the pair, I'm cool with it. There are 4 settings: solid, flashing, super flash, and epileptic seizure inducing flash.

For cooler runs and rides, I love my EMS Women's Shell jacket (seen here). EMS tends to have a good sale rack, and that's where I found this. At the time I debated about the purchase, not sure if it was a need or a want, but I ended up getting one for me and one for Husband and they've been great! It's very thin so it works well to wear over anything to make me more visible.

I recently got this Nathan Streak reflective vest. It's so light and brethable I don't even notice I have it on. Similar to my fuel belt by the same brand, I have to wear it on the very tightest setting to fit, so I wonder how tiny people would fare.

I just got this bike light by Magicshine for Christmas last year, and MAN is it bright. Bright lights for cycling like these are pretty expensive, and this one will give you the biggest bang for your buck. It has a bright and super bright setting.

(PS- I still need a good red light. If you want to see a really awesome comparison for tail lights.. holy cow. See here.)

Bring on the winter!

Ashland Century - Tour de Lion 2013

When looking for cycling events, Husband and I have a few things we look for. In order of importance:

- Must be held on a Saturday (we're Mormon, and Sunday is a day of rest)
- Within two hours of home
- Reasonable cost (preferably under $50. There are two of us, after all)
- Well supported rest stops

The Tour de Lion met all of our criteria. The event was only $35 and the race organizer assured me via email that each rest stop was well stocked, including a lunch at the halfway point and second lunch at the finish.

We reviewed the course ahead of time and saw that it would be fairly flat. We like the challenge of hills (all of our other centuries have been suuuuper hilly) but also liked the idea of a less exhausting ride. :) We weren't thrilled with the out-and-back design of the course. Most organized rides are a loop, and it's definitely more desirable to have new scenery the whole time. Also, some of the joy of a downhill is taken away when you know that you're turning around at some point and going right back up it.

We found the starting line easily and picked up our packet. With cheap races, we don't expect much of a swag bag, but we did get some granola bars and fruit with our bibs. There were bagels and coffee on the registration tables, and checking in was quick and painless.

This was definitely the fewest people we'd seen at a century before- there were maybe 50 riders congregating at the starting line. A lot of them looked fast. We later learned that most of them were locals and from racing clubs in the area, so that explains why we never saw them again.

After just a few minutes, we settled into a pace with a solo female rider whom I immediately made friends with. I tend to do that. We stopped super briefly at the first rest stop, only 15 miles in, and I mostly veered over there because I saw chocolate. I can't refuse a handful of M&Ms. We quickly pedaled away and my new friend Melanie and I were chatting so much that we didn't realize we hadn't seen any signs in a while. Eventually we stopped and got out a cue sheet.... we had totally ridden off course. At least 5 miles. We checked a map (before smart phones, did humans just get lost constantly? and stay lost?) and debated trying to find a route back to the course, but then decided we would turn around, find the right turn, and in the interest of NOT adding more miles to the already long ride, we'd turn around before the halfway point to make up for the miles we were off course. Suddenly I was very glad it was an out-and-back.

On our way back to the course, we found several other riders who had missed the turn as well. See, we're not fools! I blame myself for our mishap because I was the one leading out of the rest stop after my impromptu chocolate grab, and Husband and Melanie were trying to catch up.

It turns out our little deviation added 16 miles to the ride. Husband decided to go the full distance to the turn around point, and sped off from us in pursuit of a crazy long and tiring day. For the next many many hours and miles, Melanie and I rode along on this oh so pleasant Saturday on this oh so flat ride.  Seriously, the weather couldn't have been better and the inclines and descents were mild and kept the ride interesting without being over challenging.

Because we turned around earlier than the course marked, we missed the halfway rest stop. The rest of the stops were fairly well supplied, but I would have preferred more variety. They had water, gatorade, ice, nature valley bars, trail mix, bananas, and an assortment of what I tend to call "crap food" like Doritos, hostess snacks, etc. I was glad I had brought a few items for myself.

At mile 90, my legs became lead and I was going so.slow. Melanie wins an award for being patient neough to stopp and wait for me at one point to make sure I didn't miss the not very well marked turns. A small climb woke me up, and before we knew it we were navigating back to the Food Lion where we started. The finish line tent was great about applauding each rider as they came in, awarding us with medals, and serving up BBQ ribs, baked beans, cole slaw, and rolls.

I had been wondering how Husband was faring, and was just starting to get worried when he came cruising in. 120 miles! Who does that?

It was a great day. The Tour de Lion century gets a low grade on course marking (not just for our one wrong turn, but the others were hard to follow at times, too), moderate grade on rest stops and finish line food, and high grade on convenience, cost, and overall friendliness. I have a hard time rating the course, because normally I wouldn't like an out-and-back but it ended up being very beneficial with our detour. The mild terrain would make this a great ride for someone trying out their first century, but would be disappointing for someone looking for a more challenging ride.

How to Prepare for your First Century

Husband and I have a century coming up next month. I'm excited to be training on my bike again, and I started to think back to when I first got into cycling a few years ago. I had decided I wanted to get a road bike, even though I hadn't ridden a bicycle in many many years. I bought a road bike in the spring, and in August we completed our first century. We had no idea what we were doing. But it was fun! I still am no cycling expert, but have done enough races and tours to know what I'm getting into.

What is a century?
It's not uncommon, when I mention that Husband and I have an upcoming century ride, that people need clarification for what exactly it is. If you talk about a marathon or triathlon, people know what's up. But for some reason, cycling events don't get the same attention. A century is a 100+ mile bike race or organized ride. Just like running events, they often support a charity or cause, and are a fun goal to set and a good way to have fun doing something hard.

How long does it take? How do you carry enough food and water?

rest stop during the Civil War Century

100 miles is a long way. The total time depends on a lot of things (fitness level, difficulty of course, how long you take at rest stops), but you should plan on anywhere from 5 to 8 hours. There are a lot of  serious cyclists out there that go for a sub 5 hour century, but I've never been one of those people. :) Because of the amount of time a century takes, most events will be fully supported. There will be several rest stops, stocked with an assortment of snacks and water. Most will have a lunch stop as well, with anything from PB&Js to Subway or pizza. Many also have a finish line celebration with more food and supplies. In one, there was even ice cream! Read the website thoroughly or check with the organizer to get an idea of what kind of food they will have.

What do you need to have with you on the day of the event?
Your bike, obviously, and basic stuff to take care of a flat along the way. There are usually SAG support vehicles for major incidents, but you should be able to take care of a simple flat on your own. You'll want to bring a couple favorite bars or energy gels, in case you need something in between stops or they don't have something you're used to eating. You might want some sort of electrolyte powder (I like Heed and Gu Brew) to add to your water.

As for clothing, think about the changes in the weather throughout the entire day. Will it be chilly for the first 20 miles? Sleeves are a wonderful thing and can be easily stored in a back pocket. Some events that expect temperature changers offer gear bags at the rest stops, and they'll bring it back to the finish for you.

How do you train for riding 100 miles?
Just like with a marathon, you probably won't ride a full 100 miles until the day of the race. There is no magic number that will get you "close enough", but personally I make sure I'm comfortable on a 60 mile ride and ideally, have done a 70+ beforehand. In the months preceding the event, go on a long bike ride every weekend, and supplement with one or two shorter rides mid week. Start out with 20-30 miles on flat terrain, then gradually add 10 miles as you feel comfortable. Make sure you are riding hills that will be similar to those in your event. Plan as many 60+ rides as you can to get used to time in the saddle and how your body reacts to pedaling for several hours. You'll get really hungry, so make sure you pack enough snacks! If you're unsure of how much time your ride will take or how hungry you'll be, plan to pass grocery stores or gas stations on your route.

While time in the saddle is crucial, cross traning the other days of the week will really help your fitness level. I'm only on my bike once or twice a week, but running, weights, and spin class keep my cardio and strength at a great level.

Train your Brain
One of the biggest challenges to tackling your first 100 miler is the mental aspect of being exhausted at mile 75, but knowing you still have 25 more to do. Having a riding buddy with a similar pace to yours will help with the mental monotony. I also favor cheesy pep talks in my head and picturing a really awesome reward afterwards that involves a lot of ice cream.

The atmosphere in a century is unique. Unlike in foot races, people are a little more social and relaxed. We've met some fun people during races and can't wait for out next one in just a few weeks!

Scenes from the Shenandoahs

Shenandoah National Park is only an hour's drive away from us, and we've been twice in the past week to enjoy the scenery. Motorists and cyclists take Skyline Drive, snaking through the Shenandoah range from Front Royal to Waynesboro for 100 miles. Dozens of vistas along the way and 4 or 5 waysides offer perfect rest stops. The Appalachian Trail parallels the road, with several blue blazed off shoots for shorter day hikes.

This weekend we had an awesome bike ride on Skyline Drive; the kind of ride that makes you get totally psyched for the rest of the summer and fall in love with your bike all over again. Husband and I went out with our favorite riding partner (who happens to be 30 years our senior) and got some great shots.

Here's a few photos from our various trips to the Shennies over the past couple years. Looking through these, I'm reminded of how great it is that you can experience each season here in Virginia.



northern entrance to the park, October 2011

 Hightop Mountain, May 2012




~milemarker 10, October 2011

 random rock outcropping, June 2012 

remnants of thru hikers at Loft Mountain Wayside, May 2012

Old Rag, March 2013

Overall Run Falls, July 2013



Old Rag, March 2013

somewhere on the Appalachian Trail, June 2012

Hogback Overlook, July 2013

muscles used while cycling

Really cool chart from a really cool tumblr.

 

My life-long thick thighs tell me I was born to be a cyclist.

Cap2Cap Recap

 

First  race  organized ride of 2011! The Cap2Cap in Richmond or Williamsburg, VA. We had some friends that do this ride every year and love it.  Participants choose from full, half, or quarter century distances and can either start in Williamsburg (the former capitol of Virginia) or Richmond (current capitol).  The full century goes from one city to the other- hence the Cap2Cap name.  Husband and I opted for the half century. I wanted to have the rest of the day to go to colonial Williamsburg and I also felt like I wouldn't be ready for the full 100.

I always tell myself that I need to take more pictures of events. So... here's what I got.

We got to the start 40 minutes early, giving us plenty of time for bike assembling, packet pickup, and potty stops. I commend the ride organizers for varying the start times for the different distances, allowing packet pickup and the starting point to be less crowded. 

The route was beautiful! It took us through wooded country roads with few hills.  We kept a really good pace (for us) of 17mph and enjoyed the whole ride.  The "feed zones" were sufficiently stocked. I may have had some comments in this area if I were doing the full century.  There were a few different bars and trail mixes out, but if I were doing the whole thing I would have hoped for more variety like the other centuries we've done. But we were fine for the 50 miles and didn't even stop at all of them.

One thing I really liked about the Cap2Cap was the finish line festivities. Because of the staggered start times, all riders were ending around lunch time and there was a great catered lunch. 

We had a great first event of the season! More to come!

saturday fatterday ride to suncrest

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Husband and I participated in a group ride with Epic Biking. The "Saturday Fatterday Ride" went from the cycling shop in Saratoga Springs to the the Suncrest  development in Draper and back.

It was COLD.  And I solved my dilemma of only having cycling shorts! I didn't want to go out and spend a lot of money on cycling tights, so I used the spandex capris I wear to work out in all the time and added $2 knee length socks from Target. Who needs to spend all that money on new pants or cycling socks?

Only a few people showed but we had a great time with them. One of the store owners had a helmet cam on, and the raw footage can be found here on on youtube. (Not that it's exciting to watch  beginning to end.... but if you're dying to see what Utah cycling looks like, then go for it. Mountains and all.) Epic Biking had hot chocolate waiting for us back at the store.. normally I don't believe in liquid calories, but it was perfect for the weather.

Topo Map:

Not too often you get to see 3 miles of 6-7% grade. But, what comes up, most come down! Anyone who hasn't experienced going 35mph on a bike for a couple miles hasn't lived.

The road leading up to the Suncrest housing development (the steep hill) is wide and does not have many cars on it. It has an open view to the mountains and makes for a great climb and descent! I think we'll be adding this to our route repertoire.

Thanks, Epic Biking of Saratoga Springs, UT!

people for bikes

www.PeopleForBikes.org

Sign the pledge! If not to improve the routes of bike commuters like me, because they have the cutest logo.

St George Century

I can't tell you how many times we heard "Just one more hill after this, and then it's all downhill!" or "Once you get to mile __ (fill in the blank with 80, 85, 92, etc.), it will be all downhill from there!"

LIES. All of them. Even the topo map lied to me. 

This is what I gathered from the map:
1. The first generally more challenging than the second. Sure, there's a long hill from 85-90, but the first half is a long gradual slight uphill. Which I hate. And besides, the steepest hills are only a 3% grade. That's not bad at all.
2. Once you get to mile 90, you're home free.

Both of these were false. The first half was a breeze- didn't feel like I was working at all. We were upbeat and overconfident. The second half was BRUTAL and I don't even remember many parts as I have now blocked it out of my mind.

I had a flat at mile 88. No biggie, change the tube, carry on. Flat again at mile 90 (also a rest stop). Hm. Something's wrong with the tire. A nice guy and his truck fixed me up with another tube and picked out the big whatever that had caused the hole from my tire. Great! It's all downhill from here, right? I'm at mile 90! Mile 93 (still going uphill!) and same tire has a flat. Called the SAG vehicle to pick me up and drive me to the finish- something is wrong with my tire. He found a crack, gave me a temporary patch, and told me to carry on because.... "it's all downhill from here." So, now I'm by myself and I turn down Snow Canyon, have several miles of beautiful downhill, and my computer says 99. Wait a minute... the finish line is still in downtown St. George, definitely more than a mile away. I follow the signs, turn to go to the finish, and what do I see? A hill!

Lies, all these people lied to me.

Anyway, the moral of the story is don't be overconfident and don't assume that a century is truly 100 miles. Because this one was 107. And don't believe the map.

Nonetheless, it was still fun. Support was great, weather was great, etc. etc. 

Action shot!

Shaking my Hammer Heed electrolytes in my water bottles!

Flashing a peace sign on the UT/AZ border.

little d

The two largest stores I went to this weekend when shopping for a new bike, after hearing my description of what I like to do (longer rides, riding to work, not competitive) steered me to their women's selection.  I was a little skeptical.  My bike, the stolen one, was a men's frame. I bought it used and quite frankly, didn't care, as long as it was a good price and fit well enough. Looking back, it was too big (probably 54 cm) but I did just fine with it. Smaller bikes are harder to find used and women's specific bikes are even more elusive. I wondered if women's bikes just had shrunken geometries of men's bikes, had some flowers/designs slapped on them, given a pansy name, and sold to naive ladies. Unless you like the pink look, in which case you should go here. Upon further research, it seems like the recent trend has brought (good) bike manufacturers to make women's bikes with narrower handlebars, shorter cranksets, and women's specific saddles.

The two I ended up deciding between were the Cannondale Synapse and the Specialized Dolce (again with the names! Dolce?). They are both entry level bikes and have equal components, but when I test rode them The Cannondale felt good, but the Specialized just fit. When I got off, I exclaimed to Husband, "It's just my size!", something my 4 year old niece used to say when she found something miniature or made for children.

So, welcome to the family, Little D. And a big thank you to Canyon Bicycles in Riverton, UT for helping us find the right bike, letting me test ride it not once but twice, and throwing in some extras with the purchase of the bike.

a sad day for the cycling world

Last Thursday after work, I walked from my building across the parking lot to get my bike and ride home. The bike rack was empty and my bike lock, cut, was on the ground.

I sat on the curb and cried for about 15 minutes before calling Husband.

Called the police, who of course besides filing a report, do nothing. We went to pawn shops the next day and I am checking craigslist, ebay and KSL.com obsessively for the thief to post it to sell. However, I personally believe that he took my bike to use for himself, because lying on the grass nearby was a mountain bike. Decided he wanted an upgrade, I guess.  I was one of the last people in the building and no one has claimed it so I think that's a safe assumption.

I still have hope that I'll see it one day chained up in front of a grocery store, or with some kid riding down Redwood Rd.  Until then...

RIP Specialized Transition

heber valley century 2010

Welp, I did it! My very first century.

The weather was PERFECT, which was a huge blessing. I would have gotten really discouraged if there were a headwind. Or any wind. It was definitely challenging (especially since we hadn't done more than 60 miles at one time) but very fun and very worth it. PLUS we (husband and I) got to shoot a rifle about 10 miles in on the Olympic biathlon course. Click to enlarge.

Random? Yes. But fun.

Course topo map:

Last 10 miles were pretty sweet.

Not that I have done one of these before, but I felt that the whole event was very well done.
Pros:
- Well organized. The registration desk was quick and painless. They had a great listing of all the rest stops and turn by turn directions, not that we needed them, because...
- The course was well marked. It's always a pain when you're questioning if you're going the right way.
- The rest stops were super well stocked. Wide variety of snacks- fruit, bars, trail mix, candy, etc. and Subway for the lunch stop. All had either bathrooms or porta potties and a couple had bike support for those that were having problems.
- Great scenery! Passed by a few lakes or reservoirs and through mountain passes.



Cons:
- We were going along just fine around mile 40 and hit a gravel road. Um... what? It gradually turned into a dirt road and lasted for a couple miles. Not only is that super hard on the bike but my legs were exhausted. Like running on sand.
- During miles 50-60ish, we saw riders going the opposite way on the same road. It was pretty discouraging knowing we would be coming up the exact same road in several miles. Also, this stretch was slightly downhill so all I could focus on was the looooong slight uphill that would greet me when we looped around.
- The shirts are on back order! The website said we were getting "quality event socks" and since I have enough t shirts to last a lifetime, I thought that was neat. But then I guess it changed to shirts but they didn't even have them there. Something to look for in the mail, I guess.

The finish, 100 miles later.

As for the aftermath, I did the responsible thing and iced my knees (rather than leaving them along and regretting it the next day) and I feel no soreness or pain today.

Next up: St. George century in October!