Stage Six: Baker to Kelso, 34.90 miles. Elevation Gain: 2920'.
"Leaving Baker, you climb a gradual but relentless 2500 feet in 20 miles (Mountain Section Eight). It may be heating up, so drink plenty. A long descent leads to Kelso at mile 418."
Sunday Morning at 10:55 am. Almost 28 hours into the race, and the crew is looking a little tired. They are doing a great job out there. They went ahead of me going into Baker to refuel the van. When I checked into the time station, I took a few minutes to clean myself up, change kits and brush my teeth. I can't tell you how good that felt. I rolled on ahead of them while they hunted down something for me to chew on. I was hoping it would be a double cheeseburger, add bacon...and they didn't let me down. Here they are feeding me and getting me ready for the 21 mile Kel-Baker climb.
The 21 mile climb is not very steep, but it is totally exposed and there just isn't anything distinctive about being one mile further up the road. It looks just like the last mile you climbed, and that mile looks a lot like the previous five miles you climbed. It can also be really hot through here. I felt good, but I had to conserve energy because the last 100+ miles has a lot of climbing in it. Eventually I started playing Pac-Man and chasing riders down. It is fun to do, and it helps to break up the monotony.
In the following video I talk about how I can't stand the 21 mile climb from Baker and the question arises "Then why do you keep coming back?"
After what seems like 10-15 miles of very straight road-- it finally turns.
Here I am passing a 2x Tandem team and we start acting silly with Phil Ligget quotes.
I spent another 21 minutes off the bike in this time station. Added to the 2 hours and 5 minutes I have now spent 2 hours and 26 minutes off the bike. In 417 miles in 30+ plus hours on the bike.
Stage Five: Shoshone to Baker, 56.3 miles. Elevation Gain: 2186'.
"After an easy 750 feet climb up Ibex pass (Mountain Section Seven), there’s a killer, long downhill, then the road to Baker is mostly flat and straight. Watch for Baker’s world-famous, world’s largest thermometer in the distance. The crew should stock up on gas, ice and food in Baker as no supplies are available until the finish"
After a 15 minute stop at Shosone for a complete kit change and refueling the support vehicle we were off. It was 5:30 ish in the morning. I wanted to get to Baker as soon as possible. Baker by sunrise is a really nice goal. Something I had never considered. More importantly is doing the Kel-Baker climb before it heats up. Baker is always hot. There are always clear skies and the sun just beats down on you.
Here's a picture taken in Shoshone at 5:31am
The course description says "easy". And it is fairly easy when you are not tired or sleep deprived. Do you remember when I said that the great tailwinds would later become miserable headwinds? I experienced them going over Townes Pass. Now I am experiencing the headwinds on the way to Ibex Pass.
Here is a picture after descending Ibex Pass. 23 miles from Shoshone 30+ miles from Baker. The winds were slowing me down and it was warming up. I should have switched to my TT bike Portia but my undercarriage was in pain. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A TAILWIND! I kept saying to myself.
This was my lowest point of the race. I'm over the 24 hour point. I haven't slept and we are 350 miles and over 25,000 feet of climbing into the race. Usually once the sun comes up I am invigorated. "It's a new day!"
But this was a lull. I knew what it was. I could indentify it. I have had lulls in my Ultras before. That is the first step in overcoming your lull. Indentify it. Then think what can I do to get through it? What haven't I been doing? What do I need to be doing? Clothing change? Equipment change? Hydration? Food? Massage?
Unlike most people I like to look at how far I have gone rather than look at how much I have left. I do that because I get charged when I realize that I have come 350 miles. That is more motivating to me than I only have 150 miles left.
Coming into Baker
My goal for Baker was 28 hours. I had lost the 2-3 hour cushion I had earlier in the race and I was down to less than an hour. I got in officially at 27 hours and 7 minutes. My average speed had dropped to 14.11 from the start. And the section that was supposed to have a tailwind took me 4:45 at an average speed of 11.84 mph.
Total time off the bike had gone up A LOT on this time station. 1 hour 20 previous now add another 45 minsutes for a total off the bike time of 2 hours and 5 minutes.
Stage Four: Furnace Creek to Shoshone, 73.6 miles. Elevation Gain: 6744'.
"South through Death Valley, the alluvial fans are invisible in the dark, but you climb and descend several thousand feet through Badwater (El -282’) to the base of the exit passes (Mountain Section Six). The first climb starts at mile 300 and climbs about 1000 feet in five miles to Jubilee (El 1285’). A one-mile descent leads to the next climb, about 2300 feet in 9.5 miles to Salsberry (El 3315’). Each climb has sustained sections of 5-5% grade and usually poor road surface; in fact, all of the road is terrible after you pass Badwater."
As you leave the Furnace Creek Time Station there is a slight climb. It's funny to say that you are climbing UP to sea level, but here is a video of me doing just that. The desert floor is an amazing place. You are below sea level often, and you can look around you to either side and see mountains towering over you. You feel dwarfed when you realize how small you really are in relation to nature and it's incredible majesty.
Here is an example of the grandeur of Death Valley. You are a couple of hundred feet below Sea Level and yet you can look up and see Telescope Peak at over 11,000 feet elevation and even Mt Whitney at over 14,000 feet. So the lowest and highest points in the western hemisphere. Awesome. Just Awesome.
I HAD ONE MAJOR GOAL: I WANTED TO RIDE THROUGH THE NIGHT. In the previous years I was not able to keep Mr Sandman away. In 2006, I was so tired I couldn't pedal in a straight line. I was falling asleep on the bike-- yes it can be done. We pulled over and I could hear the crew snoring. It's even more difficult on you psychologically becasue you hear the whir of bikes and their follow vehicles passing by as you lay on the ground.
In 2007, my crew got into it with Mr. Sandman and they bowed out gracefully by asking me to pull over in Badwater. Once again I could her the crew snore. The way I see it -- The score was Mr. Sandman 2 Crew/Racer 0.
BUT not in 2008 baby. WE ROLLED THROUGH DEATH VALLEY LIKE IT WAS COOL.
Yes, of course I was fatigued. Yes, of course I was sleepy. Your body wants to shut down when it's 2am. Isn't that when normal people are sleeping? But you have to keep pushing, you have to keep pedaling and you have to stay on the bike. You have to commit to your goals, and my goal was ride through the night. I think it is the natural progression in an Ultra cyclist's development.
Here I am passing a 2x team Garuda. And I get a bonus there was someone else in their lights. Brandy nails it and calls it a Two-for!
Here is how my crew was staying awake. Hey, whatever works. This video was Sunday 1:29 am.
After many hours of rolling through time stations and only having taken 38 minutes off the bike in 252 miles, I was finally starting to slow down. Err.... I mean stop. This picture was taken at 2:08am Sunday morning. Race Total Time 19:08 hours of racing and about 295 miles into the race. I passed Badwater and looked over and said, NO I'M NOT STOPPING HERE (2007 stop) I have to keep pushing. But finally, I was too exhausted to keep up the pace. I pulled over and thought, I have to play it safe and not crash, just take a few minutes off the bike.
Here I am stopped to eat a Salmon sandwich and get a quick massage on my legs.
I was hurting now. I was sleepy, my legs were tired and it was that magical hour where your body wants to protect itself and shut down. It's amazing how time flies when you are off the bike. 15 minutes just like that!
Back on the bike. I think there was a bike change for the two climbs Jubilee and Salsbury here, or maybe later. I can't remember. The climbs aren't steep, but you are just exhausted. I was however, excited to know that it was still night time. I have climbed these climbs in the daytime the two previous years. I remember passing Missing Lynx the 4x Men's Fixed Gear Team on one of the two climbs, but can't remember which one.
After the two climbs there is a decent downhill and then the right turn onto HWY 127 towards Shoshone.
My goal in reaching Shoshone was 24 hours. I made it in 22 hours 22 minutes. My time off the bike was 38 minutes plus 42 minutes for JUST this Time Station. My new total off the bike is 1 hour 20 minutes in 326 miles and 24,670 feet of climbing.
Time Station #4 Total Miles Date Time Total Time Avg speed from Start Time Avg speed TS Shoshone---326.4---10/05---05:22---22:22:00---14.59----06:54:00---10.65
Stage Three: Trona to Furnace Creek, 99.2 miles. Elevation Gain: 7538'.
"Just north of Trona (mile 160) there is a 1000 foot climb up the Trona Bump (Mountain Section Four); the descent from there into the Panamint Valley is winding and may be fast with a tailwind. Some of the road ahead is very rough, but it used to much worse. At mile 200 you’ll begin the 13 mile, 3800 feet climb up Townes Pass (El 4956’) (Mountain Section Five). The climb up to 2000 feet is gentle, then there are steep grades of 10-13% to 4000 feet; the last few miles are gradual. It will be chilly at the top and you have a fast 17-mile, 5000 foot descent to Stovepipe Wells, where it may be hot! Desert rollers take you to Furnace Creek."
It was still very windy and luckily still a tailwind. Check this out.
I was so excited leaving Trona (TS#2) that I couldn't contain myself. You see, I have never made it to Townes Pass in the daylight. We launch from Santa Clarita at 7am. We arrive at the base of Townes Pass at about mile 200. We MUST put lights on the bike and crew vehicle at 6pm. There is about 12,000 feet of climbing to get to Townes Pass. In 2006 I had stomach problems. In 2007 I was on a Fixed Gear. But here I am in 2008 getting ready to see Townes Pass in the daylight. I was being fueled by the very real possibility of climbing a portion of the 13 mile climb in the light.
Okay, I guess I was being fueled by more than just that thought. I had left Trona ahead of my crew who were patiently waiting in a long line for that carne asada burrito that I requested. They eventually caught up to me and I was able to enjoy some real, HOT food. Mmmm...meat.
Here we are about a mile from the Right Turn to Hwy 190 switching bikes and turning on our lights.
There are a couple videos that follow and I'm sure you can see the excitement in my face.
Six miles from the summit of Townes Pass I'm still happy. I feel great my legs are tired but I feel great. Stomach is online and processing just fine. Legs are tired but heck I just did an 11 hour double century with 12,000 feet of climbing.
So you remember those great tailwinds? Now I am climbing Townes Pass and they are HEADWINDS.
In the following video Brandy and Ticia tell me to pick up the pace otherwise I will get passed on Townes Pass by a 'bent.
The climb is hard enough already, but fighting that headwind was really tough. I thought of years past where I had to stop. In 2006 I couldn't stay awake--- it was much later in the night. In 2007 on the fixed gear, I simply couldn't turn the pedals over. I kept seeing the turnouts on the side of the road, but I just kept digging deeper and committed to not dismounting, not pulling over, not giving in to the mountain. And I didn't. I crested the mountain without having to pullover. There was one time I was blown off the road but I don't think that counts.
And finally a pass on Townes Pass
At the top of Townes Pass it can get cold it was in the 40's.
Thank you Nathan Sports for the Flash vest THESE THINGS ARE FREAKIN' COOL. AND SHOWERS PASS FOR THEIR VERY LIGHTWEIGHT BUT VERY WARM JACKET.
Now that I am suited up with a very technical piece from Showers Pass I begin the 17 mile descent on to the desert floor. Once on the desert floor the temperatures are nice and warm even at night.
It rained on me when I was riding through Stovepipe Wells. I've never been rained on in Death Valley. What a nice treat. The air was warm but the water droplets were very cold.
Brandy stuffing ice in the Speedfil
Up until the beginning of TS#3 I had been off the bike only 7 minutes. From Trona to Furnace Creek I was off the bike 31 minutes bringing the total to 38 mins off the bike in 252.8 Miles not too shabby.
My goal for getting into TS# Furnace Creek was 18:00 total time. I got in at 15:28 Still have a cushion to make my 40 hour goal.
"From California City, head north over flat desert terrain to the Johannesburg climb at mile 110 (Mountain Section Three). You’ll climb 1500 feet in seven miles; the desert climb is steeper than it looks and grows progressively steeper. Drink plenty; each year some riders overheat here. After Jo’burg, you’ll ride over a series of pesky rollers before a long fast descent to the road to Trona. The crew must gas the vehicle and get ice and drinks in Trona as there is no gas overnight until Shoshone and no services until Baker"
I was feeling great, having surpassed my Stage 1 goal. All I kept thinking was, "I am putting money in the bank for later" The tailwinds were still blowing and I was still making good time. I knew eventually that those great tailwinds would be miserable headwinds. In 2006, I started to have stomach issues on this stage. No stomach issues this time, so keep the press on.
I was still on the P3C - Portia. I didn't find the early climbs too difficult on the P3C, so I will ride this bike again on the first two stages.
One of the many things that makes this race so difficult are the long, long, long stretches of road with nothing to distinguish where you are. Just look how far back you can see the long straight road.
What do I eat on the 508? Everything, if my stomach is good. Here Brandy is making Turkey sandwiches on ONE slice of bread with hamburger sliced dill pickles. Carbs, protein and sodium. YUM!
Notice how I am leaning into the crosswind
When I got to Trona I changed in to my Kenda kit. The Sho-Air shorts had already started to chafe me. As I mentioned before, my stomach was feeling good so I asked for a carne asada burrito from the Trona stop.
I spent 7 minutes off the bike in this time station including changing my kit. Total time off the bike since the start 7 minutes. Mile 153.8 and only 7 minutes off the bike.
My goal was to get into the time station in 9:30 Total Time I got in 8:22 Total time. Thank you tailwinds.
Official Time Station data
TS #2 Total Miles Date Time Total Time Avg Spd Start Time TS Avg Speed TS Trona----153.8---10/04---15:22---08:22:00---18.38---03:46:00----18.63
I am an Ultra Cyclist and father who completed 2- Person Race Across America (RAAM) in 2007. I have finished Furnace Creek 508 SOLO FOUR consecutive years in 2006, 2007 (Fixed Gear)2008, and 2009. I am a Trans Iowa finisher and a Super Randonneur. I am a cycling coach with clients ranging from endurance cyclists, to triathletes, to beginners just entering the sport of cycling.
Email: vireo508@gmail.com
Website: www.epictrain.com
Posts
(2).jpg)
