bikerteam
Five Star Member
Exceed Your Limitations
Posts: 630
|
Here's my ride report for yesterday's "heat fest 200k"... As Greg said and I 100% agree, this is by far the most challending 200k in our area Much harder than Muenster. I have ridden this route at least 4 times, and climbed Cherry Pie Hill at least 10 times, so I started the ride very well mentally prepared. My intention was to ride with my good friend Dennis Cook. As many of you know Dennis isn't particularly fast, but he is a consistant rider, a great ambassador for the sport of Randonneuring and a lot of fun to ride with. He will encourage you, help you and sacrafice himself to ensure you finish. So if I have the opportunity I will always ride with Dennis. The ride starts out going 8 miles west on highway 180, from Mineral Wells to Palo Pinto. Mineral Wells is at approx 840'. We climbed to approx 1,100', then a long descent back to 850' in Palo Pinto. From there it's a 3 mile steady climb to the top of Cherry Pie Hill, aka CPH at 1200'. I had extreme breathing problems these first 8 miles, and almost turned back. I was gasping to breath like I was having a severe asthma attack. I stopped at mile 8, which is the turn off at Palo Pinto towards CPH and took a hit off my inhaler. At this point I told Greg to keep going as I was going to wait for Dennis. Using the inhaler worked as I didn't have breathing problems the rest of the day. I rode on and off with Dennis and 3 other 200k riders to the first control in Lipan at mile 37. Dennis likes to take long breaks, ie 15-30 minutes. We stopped again 10 miles later in Tolar as there is no store at the turnaround. We all left Tolar together, though at the first downhill I'm off riding alone all the way to the turnaround. A few miles before I reached the turnaround Greg was coming back. After Greg, I was the next rider of the 200k gang to hit the turnaround at the half way point. I waited for Dennis and the other 3. On the return trip, like Greg, we stopped at a "non control" store in Tolar then at the real control in Lipan. Since I would reach each stopping point first I'd wait at least 10-15 minutes before everyone arrived, and after waiting at least another 15 minutes we all left together. Lipan is at 785'. From there, it's a long climb, mostly rollers, but more up than down. We reached 1,135' just before interstate 20. After crossing I-20, it's a long descent for 3 miles to Santos, which is 850'. The climb out of Santols takes you back to almost 1,100' then a descent back to 800' 4 miles prior to CPH. I literally waited at that store for 30 minutes for Dennis and gang. When he arrived he told me he flatted hitting a seam going over a bridge outside of Santos. Another 15 minutes for them to rest, and we climbed CPH. Not a bad climb, but the heat index and reflection off the concerete going 5-7 mph, the temp was probably easily 125 degrees. It's an approx. 450' climb to the top of CPH, or the equivalent of at least a 40 story building in 1.5 miles. From the top of CPH, it's a 3 mile descent to the town of Palo Pinto at 850'. From Palo Pinito, it's 8 miles of rollers, with two long climbs to the finish back at Mineral Wells. After finishing the ride, and putting my brevet card in the baggie, I checked Greg's card to compare our finishing time. Even though I waiting 30-45 minutes at each stopping point for the other 4 200k riders, I only finished 30 minutes after Greg at 10.5 hours. I thought he would have finished 1.5-2 hours ahead of me. From a recumbent perspective, it's hard riding a very challenging, zero flat, all rolling course with DF riders. I would either be way ahead on the downhills, or see them catchup some on the uphills, and ultimately wait for them to catch up at the controls. For anyone who has never ridden this very challenginig course, you'll have another chance in September, as LSR is palnning the 10th anniversary of RUSA ride using most the same roads.
|