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Take it as easy as possible early on and you'll be fine for all five. I'll be there w/ Mrs. Madturtle. We're camping at Turtle Rock (how fitting...awwww) tonight and probably tomorrow too. Stop by for some post ride beers...we've got a yellow and grey walrus tent.
And I'll be riding a silver allez w/ a green and grey jersey.
Good luck to everybody this w/e. Cheers.
Well, I was talking about doing the Death Ride again a while back, and, well, My little brother got his arm stuck in the microwave. So my mom had to take him to the hospital. My grandma dropped acid this morning, and she freaked out. She hijacked a busload of penguins. So it's sort of a family crisis.
But really, I'm just not in the shape I was last season, and not feeling amped to do it if I can't beat last year's time.
Good luck to all!
Oh man sorry to hear that. How are the penguins? :biggrin:
Saturday morning, Mrs. C. and I (and possibly others) are riding the rim trail from Mt Rose meadows, if you feel like joining us. If it turns out to be a larger group then we'll set up a shuttle; if not, it'll be a quicker out-n-back.Quote:
Originally Posted by onehotchili
Good luck to everyone, this is a really fun ride, keep drinking, eating and pace yourself and you'll get your little pin!
My wife few month's ago took the 5 patch's and pins I got from 2001 to 2005 and made a nice little framed wall hanging that looked great. Bummed that it burned up in the fire, guess I'll just have to ride the dam thing 5 more times :D
Yeah, ride on! good luck to everyone riding the Death ride. I'll be in Downieville rocking the xc tomorrow. Got the mountain bike tuned and dialed.
Have fun!
God Speed to the Death Riders.
TS good luck dude.
I'd need a 10lbs bag of Gummie Bears to finish that ride.
Sounds good - plenty of time left in this way too hot summer.Quote:
Originally Posted by onehotchili
That can be arranged.Quote:
Originally Posted by shirk
Anyone coming out....I am riding a big (64") dark blue "Hunter" steel....I will be easy to spot because I am leaving my rear rack on my bike. In the fancy bike crowd at the DR, I think that will be pretty rare. I have it on for commuting, and was going to remove, but fug it.
So....tall dude, silver helmet, prolly a DR jersey from last year, blue bike with a rack.
Slap an empty beer on the rack just to fvck with the tight ass roadies. Passing people on climbs with a box of beer on the rack would be cool.Quote:
Originally Posted by Huckwheat
So the guy I bought the Ticket from didnt mail his confirmation to me yet. Don't know if I am going to come up tonight, totally blows.Quote:
Originally Posted by Huckwheat
Also want to wish a great ride to those doing it. Never done it myself, but several of my friends have, and I'm familiar with the route. I'm thinking of heading up that way for a hike this weekend. Not sure if that's going to materialize yet, but if I'm there I'll be sure to spend some time on the side of the road cheering people on.
Post ride reports anyone?
Wow, that is a hard ride, never fails to impress (for me at least). My training, or lack thereof, was about like last year. Did some different stuff with keeping pace, and worked hard on my nutrition (but still suffered like a dog).
I did finished all 5 again though......10:40 ride time.....about 13 car to car.
That ride really makes you earn it, but what a great event. Super cool people, amazing route, no cars (for most)....I love that event!
congrats Huck!
how was the heat?
West wind really kicked up in the afternoon in tahoe, did it hit you in the face on the 5th pass?
Oh, and just so you guys know; Arty and I shuttled Corral Loop and then went wakeboarding out on fallen leaf lake. It was NOT an easy day, I am sure it was just as tough as what you guys did. :p
Yeah, I'm totally spent. Riding downhill is really tiring. Oh and that crystal clear 70 degree water was torture.
But did you ever lay on the ground for a half hour trying not to vomit? I DIDNT THINK SO! Who had the better day now?
Actually, thanks to almost no sleep all last week and a night of drinking on Friday, I was close. But still, you win. :D
Congrats Huck!
That's a hella of a ride. I like Shirk's idea of nailing a box of beer on the rack next time :)
Arty & LPH- having fun shuttling big squishy bikes & wakeboarding while the masses were out to suffer on TDR? You probably could hear their laughter from a mountain range away!
Now If "achurros" were on the lunch menu, I could see Arty "trying to hold it in"
whoa..that's insane! ^^ Donner Lake Tri after the Death Ride?! :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by onehotchili
Huck - congrats man!! I was looking for you all day but the only description I could remember was that you were wearing last year's DR jersey...and uhhh, there were a few of these jerseys around.
You had a better ride than I my man. I was only to make 4 passes this year. I was feeling great up and over Monitor, and the bottom half of the front side of Ebbett's, but then my old nemesis, Mr. Muscle Cramp reared his ugly head.
With about 5K to go to the top of Ebbett's on the front side, I felt a twinge in my left adductor muscle, "Uh-oh shit. that feels like the beginning of a muscle cramp. hydrate. hydrate. hydrate."
but of course it was too late.
I made it to the top of Ebbett's just as the inside of my left thigh seized. I could barely clip out of the pedal fast enough to massage the cramp out. Uh...major pain.
But thankfully I was at the top and thought, "hmmm, crap what should I do? If I'm cramping now I'm hosed. i can't turn around now though."
So I downed tons of liquid, V8 juice, a bazillion bananas, stretched as much as possible and said, "Well fuck it,, it's only 5 miles down the backside and 5 miles back up and then I'll least have 4 passes under my belt".
so I cruised down the backside of Ebbett's spinning lightly to keep my legs moving a little. No problems with cramping, but of course I was barely working. Then I get to the bottom, stretch a little, to get ready for the climb back up, clip back in and start spinning up. I didn't make it 5 pedal strokes without the inside of left thigh seizing up again (adductor)..."FUUUUCJKKK!! crrrrammmpp! GET IT OUT !GET IT OUT!!"
So now I'm thinking "how the hell am I going to make it back to the top with my muscles cramping?"
and then it hit me. each time my muscle cramped I was in granny gear and just spinning. Hmmm..."What if I stand and use the middle ring all the way up? Gonna be hard, but if I don't cramp, what else can I do?"
so I worked the cramp out, clipped in, shifted into the middle ring, and started climbing out of the saddle. "hmmm...this seems to be working." It was working at keeping the cramps out, and I was putting down an awesome pace in the bigger gear, but it was working me overall. A about a quarter of the way up, the climb flattens out for just a bit and I thought, "Well, I need a rest, let's just spin this flat section to catch my breath, and i'll get back into to mash mode as soon as it steepens again."
So I sit down and start spinning and within 10 seconds my legged cramped up the worst it did all day. "SHIT AHHH! CRRRAMMP! STIOP CLIP OUT CLIP OUT MAKE IT STOP!". i barely pulled off the side of the road and and couldn't even swing my leg over my bike 'cause it was completely seized. I stood there, bent over the handlebars, literally biting down on the brake cables in pain, trying to massage out the bulletproof muscle cramp...
Random rider #1": "Shit man are you ok?"
me: "ARRGGHHHHH"
Random rider #2: "got a cramp?"
me: "FFFUUUUCKK YOOOuuuuuu...."
Passing rider #3: "you need anything?"
me: "GOD. GET GOD AND TELL HIM TO FUCK OFF"
and it kinda went on like that for a few minutes until the cramp eased up. There are teeth marks in my brake cable from that episode. A nice reminder of my '07 Death Ride. If a SAG motorcycle came by at the moment, I probably would have taken it, but there wasn't any, and i just told myself..."OK. do NOT sit back down. Stay in hard gear and stand all the way up."
So that's what I did. Shifted back into the middle ring, and stood and mashed all the way to the top of Ebbetts. I can't believe that by standing I was fine, but sitting and spinning in an easy gear would cause insane muscle cramps.
So I made the fourth pass, then descended down to lunch and tried to refuel just so I could survive the ride back to the car near Woodsford. I had to stand the entire way back to Woodsford, but at least i didn't cramp. In a brief encounter with insanity, I considered going for Carson, but realized I'd have to stand the entire way up there, I knew it would have been foolish and one of the most un-fun things to do. So I stopped. ughhh....not a fun experience at all.
Mrs. Shoe rode super strong at least. She would have gone for five, but she waited for me at lunch and decided to end a 4 with me rather than push on solo. She was feeling really strong. Psyched that she had a good ride.
So after that...time to put this damn road bike away for awhile. Fuck you road bike. Fuck you muscle cramping. :the_finge
Oh man Ron.....that really sucks.....good write up though. That is really crazy after all your training and previous rides. There isnt much rymn or reason to some of this stuff. The hot day really took it's toll on lots of people. I rode with a guy who came from Sonoma with 6 dudes, their strongest guy got worked and had to stop at 3 (and I know their second strongest knocked it out in like 8 hours).
Glad the Mrs. had a good day (since it was her idea). And like OHC said, still a strong day of riding.....can't knock a 10k day.
You still doing the crazy Auburn thing....with hill climb etc?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Huckwheat
ehh....I don't know. Maybe.
I'm sorry but I can't stop laughing- eventhough that sounds absolutely horrendous. oh wait, there is again, some laughter.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces
damn, sorry buddy. wish the ride worked out better for you. that ride seems aptly named.
mrs. shoe = rockstar so she gets some of these :yourock: :yourock:
and tyrone gets plenty of these for pushing through the pain :yourock: :yourock: :yourock:
next time, 10 lbs of gummy bears?:fmicon:
Tyrone, You ever try using an electrolyte supplement like E-caps or Elete Water?
Any way I yelled Tyrone out at what I thought was a maggot jersey, while i was making my way up monitor Pass for the 2nd time.
the ride ended up being a bit harder then I expected, Mostly I think the sun zapped me, i am not used to riding in the sun like that Usually im in the woods. A granny gear would have been nice too, the slow grind up carson really hurt, but I enjoyed the Ice Cream up top. Door to Door It was about 10:20 for me, But I Indulged at lunch, took a big dump and ate my Ice Cream at carson with some riders that I met on the climb, who were very cool.
I too was delirious afterwards and couldn't eat after the ride so headed to a hotel room, showered, then got a pizza.
nope never tried the e-supps, but I will be now. was talking to a guy at the top of Ebbett's who showed me the Elete drops. Seems like a great idea...and I know have a batch on order :)
Congrats, Pedro, on finishing all 5! I didn't hear any shouts on the descent down Monitor...prolly 'cause of the wind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces
Elete water is nice, thats all i used yesterday but If I am racing, I always have the electrolyte pills from Hammer nutrition. Sometimes my stomach will turn on me and I don't want any energy drink, or even water with the elete in it. I can always swallow the pills, and if you start cramping you can pound a few more and fight it off.
I think thats great that your wife can turn the srews on you man, I wish my woman could, we would get to spend a lot more time together. At least she rips on the slopes!
Damn ty, that sounds like a good time!! Sign me up for next year!!:D
Congrats guys, that's no small feat
Mr Shoelaces, that's nice work getting as far as you did, especially if you were fighting cramps.
My buddy Craig is a strong rider with great endurance but he also occasionally suffers from cramps. He swears that quinine tablets are very useful. I don't cramp so I can't vouch for them, but he's not big on phony pseudo-remedies so it might be worth trying.
Don't forget the magic fig. Figs have more potassium than bananas. Cramps usually come from lactic acid buildup, or deficiencies in sodium or potassium. The quinine helps buffer the lactic acid. Most electrolyte drinks carry the weight of sodium. Get some potassium and you're hooked up.
yeah man she's the one who got me onto the road in the first place! she's got way more love of the long road ride than I ever will.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedro
I'd love to blame it on the heat and the head wind going up Carson but I have a suspicion a little more training might have been the way to go for me. I managed to finish all five but in about 45,000 seconds...That's a really long time to be on a bike seat, and my taint still hasn't forgiven me.
I was having an awful lot of fun for the first 3 passes but started really feeling it on the backside of ebbetts. And the heat going up woodfords canyon didn't have much sense of humor...it was serious. The wind blowing down carson even more so. At this point my legs were pretty numb and I wasn't thinking too clearly so pushing through another few miles for a silly pin and an ice cream pop seemed to make perfect sense.
Mrs. MT made it made it up to the top Carson a little while later a mere 3 months after purchasing her 1st road bike. She worked her ass off training for it so I couldn't have been more excited for her. And then she proceeded to beat me on the downhill back to Woodfords.
TS, Mrs MT was telling me about some dude cramping and almost falling and swearing and then riding and repeating the whole thing on ebbetts, wonder if it was you. That's a ballsy performance; way to stick with it. Climbing like that is impressive on it's own but I'd of been scared shitless descending ebbetts wondering if I was going to cramp up again at 30-40mph :eek:
And finally, sanity prevails. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces
Great effort, sir. That sounds a lot harder than the beer curls I was doing on the boat. Still, you missed my glorious crash yesterday. It was one of those crashes where you get airborne in some fucked up position (in my case, flat as a board staring straight up at the sky), have that moment of "This is kinda cool," which is then followed by "Oh wait..." and then a splat.
hah...if this dude was bent over the handlebars and biting through the brake cables while swearing and then standing and climbing out of the saddle as he passed her, then there's a good chance it was me :DQuote:
Originally Posted by madturtle
props to both of you and holy crap...Mrs. MT has only been road riding for 3 months?! :eek:
way to push through ty and MT, damn sounds like a tough one out there.
I bet that heat claimed alot of victims.
Wow...sorry to hear about all the cramping...I also live by the electrolyte tabs (I use the Hammer ones) on any hot/long rides. Congrats to all who made it, sounds like it was quite the battle this year.
I too am shocked by the 3 months for Mrs MT, that's absolutely amazing.
Nice work on the Death Ride everyone. Sounds absolutely epic. What a trip.
I had a blast at Downieville. I finished pretty well too.