Sunday, July 22, 2012
Final Image and Video
Here is a video of the best descent of the trip. I was just behind the fellow with the head cam. And here is the whole group and the staff on the last morning
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Day 14
DONE! Arrived in Reno early this afternoon without incident. It was a clear, cloudless day that became quite hot. It was, in some ways, an easy day: about 97 miles, only two significant climbs (neither of which was terrible), and generally flat enough for groups to form and stay together. Given the likelihood that there would be hot weather, it was advisable to go out fast, stick together, and get as far down the road as far and as fast as possible. And, that is what occurred which was a very good thing because it began to scorch. But, as I said we all made it, safely and smoothly.
It is so interesting to note the dramatically different topography and the starkly different flora than we were amongst just a few days ago. The striking transformation speaks to the speed and the distance that we have traveled. The high desert country in which we have been the last couple of days is so stark and majestic in a way markedly different from our OR and WA days. It was nice to be there but it is nice being here as well.
My bike is packed and ready to be shipped. To mention the bike reminds me how well it performed. Zero flats, the wheels held up well, and the mechanics functioned flawlessly. Two minor issues presented themselves: first, there is a bit of annoyance involving my BB in that the connection to the FSA BB from the TI seemed to lead to a little creaking that was not catastrophic but annoying. The other matter is that this bike is not quite the descender the Colnago is. Its front end is a little loose and it does not track as well as I would like. Since, this was the first time I had ever had this machine in big mountains, it was a little surprising and not a little offputting. Still, it is a comfortable ride and I am glad I brought it.
This was a very good, a very rigorous event. The route was excellent and interesting throughout. As impressive was the quality of the riders. It was such a strong and skilled group and all pleasant and nice to be around. I feel privileged and pleased to have been here.
It is so interesting to note the dramatically different topography and the starkly different flora than we were amongst just a few days ago. The striking transformation speaks to the speed and the distance that we have traveled. The high desert country in which we have been the last couple of days is so stark and majestic in a way markedly different from our OR and WA days. It was nice to be there but it is nice being here as well.
My bike is packed and ready to be shipped. To mention the bike reminds me how well it performed. Zero flats, the wheels held up well, and the mechanics functioned flawlessly. Two minor issues presented themselves: first, there is a bit of annoyance involving my BB in that the connection to the FSA BB from the TI seemed to lead to a little creaking that was not catastrophic but annoying. The other matter is that this bike is not quite the descender the Colnago is. Its front end is a little loose and it does not track as well as I would like. Since, this was the first time I had ever had this machine in big mountains, it was a little surprising and not a little offputting. Still, it is a comfortable ride and I am glad I brought it.
This was a very good, a very rigorous event. The route was excellent and interesting throughout. As impressive was the quality of the riders. It was such a strong and skilled group and all pleasant and nice to be around. I feel privileged and pleased to have been here.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Day 13
Today was a very looooong day and it seemed longer still. We left Shasta City bright and early and began the ride with a seven mile climb to the Mt. Shasta ski station. Then there was a six miles descent which would normally be a good thing but it was 7:30 am and we were riding directly east into the rising sun. So, it was a 6 mile, 40 mph descent but it was cold (49 degrees) and directly into a bright sun so I was both freezing and blinded. Yikes!
Another reason this was a long day is that I am a bit worn down. It was a long slog, that I thought of bailing on a couple of times. Fortunately, the last 10 miles into the town of Susanville, where we are staying, were generally downhill. Ending on a descent seems to magically transform a ride that had seemed totally crappy into one that, if not great, was at least OK. This change of mood is a generally good thing since the town in which we find ourself is, at best, a dumpy little burg. Alas.
Tomorrow it is on to Reno and the end of the ride. There is, of course, a big climb in the middle just to insure that we keep our climbing legs up and working
Another reason this was a long day is that I am a bit worn down. It was a long slog, that I thought of bailing on a couple of times. Fortunately, the last 10 miles into the town of Susanville, where we are staying, were generally downhill. Ending on a descent seems to magically transform a ride that had seemed totally crappy into one that, if not great, was at least OK. This change of mood is a generally good thing since the town in which we find ourself is, at best, a dumpy little burg. Alas.
Tomorrow it is on to Reno and the end of the ride. There is, of course, a big climb in the middle just to insure that we keep our climbing legs up and working
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Day 12
Today we are fully in PacTour mode. That is to say, we are no longer tourists, we have a destination and today that destination was
with today's particular destination being Mt. Shasta
Beside noting the entrance to CA the first pic makes it clear that we were riding on I-5. This was our second interstate foray and these, I confess, give me the heebee jeebies. But, as freeway riding goes this was reasonably good; the shoulder was wide and free of debris. So, OK.
The other way this is becoming a PacTour experience is how I'm feeling. Every morning these days I awaken with the feeling of having been pummeled in the night by an enthusiastic sadist. After dressing, struggling to eat, then getting on the bike on the way out of town I begin to feel better. After an hour or two I feel really good and really strong and fast. By the end of the day, however, I'm exhausted and collapse into bed ready to be worked over by that sadist yet again. That's the way we roll on these events. Not for everybody.
The day began with what is rapidly becoming our opening the day on a big climb, in this case 19 miles out of the Ashland valley. That aside, it was shaping up to be a pretty good day. The roads were clear and relatively fast and the two fastest riders got themselves off course for a fairly substantial time, which everyone else figured wouldn't hurt them (which it didn't). At about mile 50 I was riding with a pretty good group of four across a very substantial Shasta valley floor when the wind blew up. It grew harder and harder almost immediately and also almost immediately I began to tail off the back. I rode the next 9 miles into a ferocious headwind by myself. I am, naturally, at this point, eager to employ the always comical and nearly always disingenuous dropped guy's mantra, 'I could have stayed with them but I CHOSE not to (a phrase that no one EVER believes) but I won't. Finally, I managed to get out of it but certainly not easily. Shortly after doing so, we made it to Shasta City where we are spending this night. It is an interesting little town in which as substantial number of the businesses seem to be devoted to selling medical marijuana or some form of spiritual healing. We are just looking to rest because tomorrow is going to be a big day, 135 miles to Susanville. Ugh!
A word about riders and bikes: there some extraordinary riders on this trip. There are two RAAM finishers, numerous Ironman riders, a variety of long time race team members, and one of the woman was winner of the Hawaii Ironman, which is an extraordinary accomplishment. The rest of us flotsam and jetsam are skilled as well. Impressive really. There is an interesting and slightly surprising assortment of bikes: 2 Treks, 2 Specialized, 2 Cervelo, 2 Pinerello, 2 Davidson, and 1 Dean. The most numerous is the 6 Ti Seven bikes (very expensive, high end Ti frames - nice) but no Cannondale, surprising. Overall, it is a strong, convivial group. My roommate is a year younger than me and is a very good rider. Even more, he is an astonishing outdoorsman. He is a certified ski race instructor in Vail for four months a year, has kayaked the Mississippi River, has driven dog sleds, and every year does a solo backcountry canoe trip for a week. His is a very impressive outdoor resume. Taken overall it is a very good group and I'm pleased to be able to keep up. Tomorrow may be a different story.
So now to bed.
with today's particular destination being Mt. Shasta
Beside noting the entrance to CA the first pic makes it clear that we were riding on I-5. This was our second interstate foray and these, I confess, give me the heebee jeebies. But, as freeway riding goes this was reasonably good; the shoulder was wide and free of debris. So, OK.
The other way this is becoming a PacTour experience is how I'm feeling. Every morning these days I awaken with the feeling of having been pummeled in the night by an enthusiastic sadist. After dressing, struggling to eat, then getting on the bike on the way out of town I begin to feel better. After an hour or two I feel really good and really strong and fast. By the end of the day, however, I'm exhausted and collapse into bed ready to be worked over by that sadist yet again. That's the way we roll on these events. Not for everybody.
The day began with what is rapidly becoming our opening the day on a big climb, in this case 19 miles out of the Ashland valley. That aside, it was shaping up to be a pretty good day. The roads were clear and relatively fast and the two fastest riders got themselves off course for a fairly substantial time, which everyone else figured wouldn't hurt them (which it didn't). At about mile 50 I was riding with a pretty good group of four across a very substantial Shasta valley floor when the wind blew up. It grew harder and harder almost immediately and also almost immediately I began to tail off the back. I rode the next 9 miles into a ferocious headwind by myself. I am, naturally, at this point, eager to employ the always comical and nearly always disingenuous dropped guy's mantra, 'I could have stayed with them but I CHOSE not to (a phrase that no one EVER believes) but I won't. Finally, I managed to get out of it but certainly not easily. Shortly after doing so, we made it to Shasta City where we are spending this night. It is an interesting little town in which as substantial number of the businesses seem to be devoted to selling medical marijuana or some form of spiritual healing. We are just looking to rest because tomorrow is going to be a big day, 135 miles to Susanville. Ugh!
So now to bed.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Day 11
Diamond Lake to Ashland, 115 miles.
Awoke this morning feeling completely beat up. Took off at the crack of dawn anyway. Today was supposed to be relatively easier, that is somewhat less climbing with the day ending on a descent. I suppose this is generally true but I awoke feeling so wreaked I was apprehensive. This apprehension was intensified by the fact that the day opened with a 20 mile climb to Crater Lake
but the ride up was so interesting and attractive I felt a bit better. What is so striking is the widespread effects of the collapse of Mt. Mazama 7700 years ago. Yesterday were the lava fields miles away and today is the effect much closer by. What was described as Pumice Desert
on the placard in the foreground is quite extraordinary. The deep nutrient poor pumice field has largely prevented the growth of vegetation even now, 8000 years later. But the effect is not uniform as the pics below show
See how I got my bike and myself in the pic? I really there as well as here
Following the euphoria of visiting the lake and descending off the mountain the last 50 miles turned into a bit of a slog and my feeling of being beat up returned. Now, frankly, I'm pooped and ready for bed (it is 8:30).
Tomorrow we enter CA and head to Mt. Shasta. It is a relatively short day but with sufficient climbing to make it beastly. I'm expecting the worst.
Awoke this morning feeling completely beat up. Took off at the crack of dawn anyway. Today was supposed to be relatively easier, that is somewhat less climbing with the day ending on a descent. I suppose this is generally true but I awoke feeling so wreaked I was apprehensive. This apprehension was intensified by the fact that the day opened with a 20 mile climb to Crater Lake
Tomorrow we enter CA and head to Mt. Shasta. It is a relatively short day but with sufficient climbing to make it beastly. I'm expecting the worst.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Day 10
Fairly long day today, 125 miles from Bend to Diamond Lake. Overall, a very nice day. It did, however, start a little rough with a 20 mile climb up to the Mt. Bachelor ski lodge:
After that it was mostly up and down for the rest of the day. One nice thing was lining out behind a tandem for @40 miles. Worked great. One striking part of today was another bed of extraordinary lava fields. These differed from yesterday in that this field about 50 miles south of Bend was much older that the field on Makenzie Pass yesterday. Today's field evidently was a product of the eruption of Mt. Mazama that created Crater Lake @7700 years ago. The Makenzie pass lava by contrast was from only around 1500-1700 years ago. Today we also passed through an enormous plain that burned in 2003. It was a remarkable space and the way that the growth is beginning to reemerge. None of this was what could be called photogenic but it was interesting to pass through.
This evening we are staying at Diamond Lake
in some quite funky cabins. I am confident, however, that they will sleep well.
Tomorrow on the way to Ashland we are stopping at Crater Lake. It seems that on this trip we are hitting all the high spots. Why should tomorrow be different. Tomorrows course is much easier than the last couple days: 110 miles with some climbing in the beginning and then mostly flat and down the rest of the way. Should be good.
The connection here is very poor so no marginally useful data. Tomorrow. You will just have to wait.
After that it was mostly up and down for the rest of the day. One nice thing was lining out behind a tandem for @40 miles. Worked great. One striking part of today was another bed of extraordinary lava fields. These differed from yesterday in that this field about 50 miles south of Bend was much older that the field on Makenzie Pass yesterday. Today's field evidently was a product of the eruption of Mt. Mazama that created Crater Lake @7700 years ago. The Makenzie pass lava by contrast was from only around 1500-1700 years ago. Today we also passed through an enormous plain that burned in 2003. It was a remarkable space and the way that the growth is beginning to reemerge. None of this was what could be called photogenic but it was interesting to pass through.
AfThis evening we are staying at Diamond Lake
in some quite funky cabins. I am confident, however, that they will sleep well.
Tomorrow on the way to Ashland we are stopping at Crater Lake. It seems that on this trip we are hitting all the high spots. Why should tomorrow be different. Tomorrows course is much easier than the last couple days: 110 miles with some climbing in the beginning and then mostly flat and down the rest of the way. Should be good.
The connection here is very poor so no marginally useful data. Tomorrow. You will just have to wait.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Day 9
First, new category: marginally useful information.
a. There is skiing 12 months a year at Timberline. One consequence of this is that ski teams from all over America and elsewhere come here for periods of time to train. At 6:45 fleets of young ski kids trouped up the slopes for slalom training. The Japanese national development team was there on the morning we left. Interesting overall.
b. The town of Detroit where we spent last night has 176 winter residents. The proprietress of our motel is the mayor and the guy who ran the hot dog stand at the marina across the street is on the city council (I don't know the other members).
c. Apart from the heat exhaustion (mercifully now passed) and the conventional diaper rash that is conventional on such endeavors, I have only standarized minor health problems. Somehow or another I acquired a substantial abrasion on the top of my left thigh. With the continual rubbing and profusion of bodily fluids, I am having a hard time eliminating this. My chief hope is to prevent infection breaking out before getting home. Secondarily, on the super hot days my feet swelled a bit which, in this case, resulted substantial blood bruises on a couple of toes, which, I should say, hurt like crazy. Apart from these conventional problems, I'm doing well and getting stronger. I hope it continues.
Day 9
If yesterday was a cruising, pleasant day, today was a beast. 125 miles with oodles of climbing. The first 27 miles were confidence sapping "false flat" and then the serious climbing began in which we climbed for 10 more miles. Then over the next 10 miles we gave back every inch of elevation. Then began a @20 mile climb to Mackenzie Pass. From there were views of the Three Sisters
and Mt. Washington
More remarkable than the mountain vistas was the extraordinary lava fields that cover the entire top of the pass which is only hinted at in the above photo. Quite amazing really. It was interesting an tough. From there the next 40 miles was a descent and a run into Bend. An interesting, worthy day.
An interesting aside: tomorrow is the start of the Cascades Classic cycling race. The BMC development team was riding the same route we were to recon the climb which is a key part of the second stage . The group included the under-23 national champion and a fairly large group with him and support cars. Several of them stopped and took pics where we did. They were SO young. It was amazing to see them.
Tomorrow is another long, 125 miles, tough day. The most noteworthy part of the route is a mile 15 that begins within 5 miles of the start of the ride. YUUUUCK! I expect to survive. If so, I will try to report.
a. There is skiing 12 months a year at Timberline. One consequence of this is that ski teams from all over America and elsewhere come here for periods of time to train. At 6:45 fleets of young ski kids trouped up the slopes for slalom training. The Japanese national development team was there on the morning we left. Interesting overall.
b. The town of Detroit where we spent last night has 176 winter residents. The proprietress of our motel is the mayor and the guy who ran the hot dog stand at the marina across the street is on the city council (I don't know the other members).
c. Apart from the heat exhaustion (mercifully now passed) and the conventional diaper rash that is conventional on such endeavors, I have only standarized minor health problems. Somehow or another I acquired a substantial abrasion on the top of my left thigh. With the continual rubbing and profusion of bodily fluids, I am having a hard time eliminating this. My chief hope is to prevent infection breaking out before getting home. Secondarily, on the super hot days my feet swelled a bit which, in this case, resulted substantial blood bruises on a couple of toes, which, I should say, hurt like crazy. Apart from these conventional problems, I'm doing well and getting stronger. I hope it continues.
Day 9
If yesterday was a cruising, pleasant day, today was a beast. 125 miles with oodles of climbing. The first 27 miles were confidence sapping "false flat" and then the serious climbing began in which we climbed for 10 more miles. Then over the next 10 miles we gave back every inch of elevation. Then began a @20 mile climb to Mackenzie Pass. From there were views of the Three Sisters
and Mt. Washington
More remarkable than the mountain vistas was the extraordinary lava fields that cover the entire top of the pass which is only hinted at in the above photo. Quite amazing really. It was interesting an tough. From there the next 40 miles was a descent and a run into Bend. An interesting, worthy day.
An interesting aside: tomorrow is the start of the Cascades Classic cycling race. The BMC development team was riding the same route we were to recon the climb which is a key part of the second stage . The group included the under-23 national champion and a fairly large group with him and support cars. Several of them stopped and took pics where we did. They were SO young. It was amazing to see them.
Tomorrow is another long, 125 miles, tough day. The most noteworthy part of the route is a mile 15 that begins within 5 miles of the start of the ride. YUUUUCK! I expect to survive. If so, I will try to report.
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