rbent Forum - Pactour Southern Transcon

square_corners

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #15 - Sep 23^rd, 2017, 7:43pm

Shamrock TX to Weatherford OK
9/23/17
Day 14, Pac Tour Southern Transcon: Today we had mostly headwind and crosswind with mild temperature. The wind actually felt good most of the time as it felt nice and cool. We crossed into Oklahoma at mile 14.9 but there was no stateline sign. I took a picture of a highway sign as it showed Oklahoma and an outline of the state. That was 5 miles after the stateline. We were on Route 66 virtually the entire day. Oklahoma has the most miles of any state of driveable, intact sections of Route 66 (over 400 miles). We rode through Elk City for our lunch stop. It's a nice clean prosperous looking city. Pavement was nice and debris free. There are also Route 66 Museums there but we didn't visit them. In Clinton OK we had a sag stop next to another Route 66 museum and we did spend about an hour there and I took photos inside. That was another nice town. We ended the day with some bigger rollers than we had encountered earlier in the day, but the entire day was roller after roller, for the most part. We are now in Weatherford OK, another nice town. These towns are much more prosperous looking than the small towns we encounter within 25 miles of the boundary with North Texas so it has been pleasant riding in Oklahoma!
BIKE: Neuvation road bike; start time: 8:08; end: 16:52; avg:15.4; max: 30.3; climb: 2815; miles: 107.08
PARTLY CLOUDY; wind: SE 9-18; start temp: 64; min: 63; avg: 83; max: 97; end: 82
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1994713796

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MrWizard

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #16 - Sep 24^th, 2017, 9:44pm

I was doing more or less fine (picked up a tonne of KOMs too) until my numbers crashed in Roswell and I had to go home and have a marrow biopsy .. I'll get the results next week and rejoin the tour as soon as I can (presuming I'm back to normal numbers wise and theyv'e been going up since I came down out of the mountains)

Quote from jayg on Sep 23^rd, 2017, 8:44am:

[
Daniel, Doug hasn't made any posts. How's he doing?

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« Last Edit: Sep 24^th, 2017, 9:47pm by MrWizard »

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Action Lad

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #17 - Sep 24^th, 2017, 10:19pm

Quote from MrWizard on Sep 24^th, 2017, 9:44pm:

I was doing more or less fine (picked up a tonne of KOMs too) until my numbers crashed in Roswell and I had to go home and have a marrow biopsy .. I'll get the results next week and rejoin the tour as soon as I can (presuming I'm back to normal numbers wise and theyv'e been going up since I came down out of the mountains)

Be well, Mr. Wizard.
Smiley

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"You can't see paradise if you don't pedal!"
T.J. Fowler -- Chicken Run

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jayg

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #18 - Sep 24^th, 2017, 10:31pm

Quote from MrWizard on Sep 24^th, 2017, 9:44pm:

I was doing more or less fine (picked up a tonne of KOMs too) until my numbers crashed in Roswell and I had to go home and have a marrow biopsy .. I'll get the results next week and rejoin the tour as soon as I can (presuming I'm back to normal numbers wise and theyv'e been going up since I came down out of the mountains)

Quote from jayg on Sep 23^rd, 2017, 8:44am:

[
Daniel, Doug hasn't made any posts. How's he doing?

Hope you get some good news and can continue on the tour, Doug. Key told us today he had heard from you via a PM.

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« Last Edit: Sep 25^th, 2017, 9:58pm by jayg »

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jrob_bent Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 952	Re: Pactour Southern Transcon Reply #19 - Sep 25^th, 2017, 6:34pm I am hoping the best for you Mr. Wizard. Hopefully you can continue on your tour.
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square_corners Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 2230	Re: Pactour Southern Transcon Reply #20 - Sep 25^th, 2017, 9:15pm I second that regarding Doug - he has been missed! I didn't post anything about Doug as I felt it needed to come from him. Glad he's on here and giving the scoop!
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square_corners

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #21 - Sep 25^th, 2017, 9:17pm

Weatherford to Purcell
9/24/17
Day 15, Pac Tour Southern Transcon: In the last 4 days, we've had net elevation loss of over 2800 ft. Yet today, we climbed 4700 ft with a net loss of 525 ft in 111 miles. We never noticed the net loss - it all felt like climbing. The nature of the climbing was a continuation of yesterday's - rollers. Today's were bigger, steeper, and more numerous. We also had a strong south wind and much of our route took us south. That combined with the steep rollers, some as steep as 11% made for a wearing day. We had mostly cloudy conditions and there was noticeable humidity for the first time on the trip, today. I employed my 'roller technique' for making the best of conquering the rollers. I would fly down the descents on my aerobars and when reaching the upside of the next one, I would pedal furiously while still in the big ring and gradually shift down on the back without taking it off the big ring. Most of the time, this technique succeeded and I climbed rapidly without straining or shifting to the small ring. Occasionally, on very long climbs I did shift to the small ring. This didn't happen very often. It helped me keep up with James and use less energy. Tomorrow will be more of the same.
BIKE: Neuvation road bike; start time: 7:55; end: 17:27; avg:13.9; max: 35.98; climb: 4738; miles: 111.82
MOSTLY CLOUDY; wind: SSE 7-16; start temp: 63; min: 63; avg: 80; max: 91; end: 84
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1997087550

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square_corners

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #22 - Sep 25^th, 2017, 9:19pm

Purcell to McAlester
9/25/17
Day 16, Pac Tour Southern Transcon: same as yesterday - In the last 5 days, we've had net elevation loss of over 3000 ft. Yet today, we climbed 4100 ft with a net loss of 239 ft in 113 miles. We never noticed the net loss - it all felt like climbing. The nature of the climbing was a continuation of yesterday's - rollers. Today's were easier than yesterday's. Our south wind was less strong, as well. The trees are very numerous now - much of what we saw was thick forest of hardwoods - not much in the way of open land in non-populated areas. This shift from treeless plains to forests took place in a relatively short stretch - 3 days, 300 miles. We are now in the part of Oklahoma influenced by the Gulf of Mexico. We are essentially straight north of Dallas, as well. Humidity is up and the trees and grasses look well watered. Tomorrow will be the most challenging day since Ruidoso - probably more challenging than that day!
BIKE: Neuvation road bike; start time: 7:39; end: 16:29; avg:15.2; max: 34.3; climb: 4147; miles: 113.46
PARTLY CLOUDY; wind: SSE 6-14; start temp: 68; min: 64; avg: 82; max: 104; end: 84
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1999018588

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square_corners

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #23 - Sep 26^th, 2017, 6:52pm

McAlester OK to Queen Wilhelmina Lodge AR
9/26/17
Day 17, Pac Tour Southern Transcon: Today was more about % grade than climbing, at least for me. For that reason, I consider this to be the toughest day of the tour. The first day of the tour, for me, is the second toughest. From about mile 59 to mile 98.9, we had gradients ranging up to 16%. There were miles of gradients 11 to 15%. There is a 3.5 mile climb with gradients ranging from 7% to 14%. Likewise, there were steep descents. I would let it go, not touching the brakes, and reached my highest speed of the trip - 48.6. By virtue of the steep climbs, my lowest speed of the trip also occurred today - 3.9 mph. Some stick insects crossing the road provided minor distraction. Even saw a fuzzy catterpillar crossing the road. Saw numerous catterpillars in New Mexico but this one was the first this far east. Saw the first log truck of the trip and very dense forests of hardwood and pine. The road in the Ouachita Mountains was nice until about the last 9 miles in Oklahoma. Then it became boulder seal! Once we crossed into Arkansas, though, it smoothed out, again. Our highest elevation reached today was 2678 feet. The Ouachita Mountains are the highest in middle America and have no connection to the Rockies or the Appalachians. Our elevation, right now, at the Queen Wilhelmena Lodge, is our highest for the rest of the trip. Tomorrow we descend about 2000 feet!
BIKE: Neuvation road bike; start time: 7:39; end: 16:58; avg:12.5; max: 48.6; climb: 7503; miles: 98.86
PARTLY CLOUDY; wind: E 3; start temp: 68; min: 64; avg: 79; max: 95; end: 73
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2004193222

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« Last Edit: Sep 26^th, 2017, 6:57pm by square_corners »

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square_corners

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #24 - Sep 27^th, 2017, 6:07pm

Queen Wilhelmena Lodge to Arkadelphia
9/27/17
Day 18, Pac Tour Southern Transcon: A day after the toughest day of the tour, I was somewhat wasted. My 'get up and go done got up and went.' I got it done today but with none of the usual flair. All the climbs were an ordeal and we had plenty of tough ones, 3 or 4 of them again reaching that ignominious 11%! That level of steepness is getting old. On the bright side, there was rain in the area today, but not on us. For the second time on the tour, it rained on the fast guys. One of them said we should have been either faster or slower. James was grinning from ear to ear as we speculated that it rained on the fast guys! Beautiful morning in the mountains today and not chilly. We had probably a dozen climbs after leaving the hotel before the long descent into Mena. Then it flattened out for awhile before more mountainous adventures took place, adventures being those ridiculous climbs. Fortunately, there was no significant wind. Scenery was nice but it was mostly close in forest on either side of the road. We passed some logging operations in the hardwood forest and a logging truck being loaded. But no full logging trucks passed us - only empty ones. Again, not much in the way of photos - a few in the mountains is about it. Very glad it was just around 100 miles today, not bloody 118!
BIKE: Neuvation road bike; start time: 7:47; end: 15:58; avg:15.3; max: 39.5; climb: 3888; miles: 99.52
PARTLY CLOUDY; wind: W 5; start temp: 66; min: 61; avg: 80; max: 106; end: 90
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2008780619
This morning the Garmin decided to switch to Indoor Training, without telling me. I got 1.6 miles down the road when I noticed the mileage was not recording. I stopped the Garmin, noticed "Indoor Training" and switched it back to "Race" - restarted the Garmin and all was well, but that kind of thing is very annoying. The Garmin will switch screens with no apparent input from me. Hate that.

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jrob_bent

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #25 - Sep 28^th, 2017, 8:04am

Quote from square_corners on Sep 27^th, 2017, 6:07pm:

Queen Wilhelmena Lodge to Arkadelphia
9/27/17
Day 18, Pac Tour Southern Transcon: A day after the toughest day of the tour, I was somewhat wasted. My 'get up and go done got up and went.' I got it done today but with none of the usual flair. All the climbs were an ordeal and we had plenty of tough ones, 3 or 4 of them again reaching that ignominious 11%! That level of steepness is getting old. On the bright side, there was rain in the area today, but not on us. For the second time on the tour, it rained on the fast guys. One of them said we should have been either faster or slower. James was grinning from ear to ear as we speculated that it rained on the fast guys! Beautiful morning in the mountains today and not chilly. We had probably a dozen climbs after leaving the hotel before the long descent into Mena. Then it flattened out for awhile before more mountainous adventures took place, adventures being those ridiculous climbs. Fortunately, there was no significant wind. Scenery was nice but it was mostly close in forest on either side of the road. We passed some logging operations in the hardwood forest and a logging truck being loaded. But no full logging trucks passed us - only empty ones. Again, not much in the way of photos - a few in the mountains is about it. Very glad it was just around 100 miles today, not bloody 118!
BIKE: Neuvation road bike; start time: 7:47; end: 15:58; avg:15.3; max: 39.5; climb: 3888; miles: 99.52
PARTLY CLOUDY; wind: W 5; start temp: 66; min: 61; avg: 80; max: 106; end: 90
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2008780619
This morning the Garmin decided to switch to Indoor Training, without telling me. I got 1.6 miles down the road when I noticed the mileage was not recording. I stopped the Garmin, noticed "Indoor Training" and switched it back to "Race" - restarted the Garmin and all was well, but that kind of thing is very annoying. The Garmin will switch screens with no apparent input from me. Hate that.

Reminds me of my toughest ride ever, across the MO Ozarks. 200+ miles of one after the other 8%-22% grades. Never able to get enough momentum to ride up the next steep hill. 50 miles seemed like 150! The next hardest was AR. Taller hills, but not as often. It sure seemed to me they were just as often though. Both trips wore me out!

I hate anything Garmin!

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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square_corners Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 2230	Re: Pactour Southern Transcon Reply #26 - Sep 28^th, 2017, 5:53pm I've ridden across Missouri back in 1999 - roller after roller, at least 10% and the weather so hot the tarmac was melting making our tires stick to the pavement That didn't improve our ability to get up those hills! Each day in Missouri was misery, about 130 miles each day and 8000+ feet of climbing each day as well!
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square_corners

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #27 - Sep 28^th, 2017, 5:55pm

Arkadelphia to Monticello
9/28/17
Day 19: Our ride today was comparatively easy. We had less climbing, nicer roads, and seemed flatter than the total climbing turned out to be. We did have a headwind but that didn't come into play much until the last 10 miles or so. There were loads of log trucks on the road. Fortunately, none of those drivers were recklessly coming too close, plus the roads had good shoulders, giving us the opportunity to stay farther away from the main lane. We had a dry cool front come through overnight, switching our wind to NE and then East for the riding. The humidity dropped quite a bit as a result making for a sunny, low humidity day!
BIKE: Neuvation road bike; start time: 7:46; end: 15:58; avg:15.9; max: 31.8; climb: 2802; miles: 98.46
PARTLY CLOUDY; wind: E 8 - 12; start temp: 64; min: 63; avg: 77; max: 99; end: 86
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2008780619

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« Last Edit: Sep 28^th, 2017, 5:59pm by square_corners »

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bob wand

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #28 - Sep 28^th, 2017, 10:03pm

Quote from square_corners on Sep 28^th, 2017, 5:53pm:

I've ridden across Missouri back in 1999 - roller after roller, at least 10% and the weather so hot the tarmac was melting making our tires stick to the pavement That didn't improve our ability to get up those hills! Each day in Missouri was misery, about 130 miles each day and 8000+ feet of climbing each day as well!

When I rode coast to coast across Missouri, We had 22 rollers in one day and they were too far apart to get any kind of rhythm.

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jrob_bent

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Re: Pactour Southern Transcon
Reply #29 - Sep 29^th, 2017, 7:58am

Quote from square_corners on Sep 28^th, 2017, 5:53pm:

I've ridden across Missouri back in 1999 - roller after roller, at least 10% and the weather so hot the tarmac was melting making our tires stick to the pavement That didn't improve our ability to get up those hills! Each day in Missouri was misery, about 130 miles each day and 8000+ feet of climbing each day as well!

That was my experience too. I only rode about 60 miles a day. I was carrying way to much gear, about 60 pounds. Ha. By about the 3rd day, I left about 25 pounds in the trash! Each day after I left more weight behind until I only had around 20 pounds.extra.

Enjoy the rest of your tour. I hope the roads have improved in MS since I road there.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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