Pre Race TR: 24 hours of Drummond Island.

[Andy_B]

[clearing thoughs]I do not think that I have ever been so nervoius with a little over 31 hours to go until the racers meeting. I'm not sure why, maybe because I still need to build my bike up along with a front wheel. Maybe because this is my 1st race, after my last big crash.

I've done 12 hours solo, but can I do 24 hours solo?

I have every thing packed, just need to finish cooking some gnocchi, get a 4 pack of red bull, a 6er of coke and some ice. Maybe some eggs, milk and bread for french toast for lunch after im done.

All of my gear is lined up and ready to be packed, spare parts, tires, tubes and air, helmet, shorts, knickers, jeresys, fleece vest, gloves, lights(charged), socks and shoes? Check.

Ahh, Sleeping bag , sleeping pad and a chair. Check.
Heater. Check.
Waterbottles. Check
Hammer Gel. Check
Heed. Check.
Chargers. Check.
Chargers. Check.
Blinky Light. Check
Flash light. Check
Power inverter. Check. Better double check.
Tool box. Check.
Bike Stand. Check.

Ahh Fuck it.
[/clearing thoughs]

[Dromond]

Drummond Island? Worry not, I'll look over you.

But seriously; good luck, and don't hurl. That's what I would do.

[FrankZappa]

How come I can't remember where Drummond Island is? Hints?
Shit, my mom lives on Harsens Island & I've heard (& prolly been to) Drummond.

[Pedro]

Just go out there and fukin Ride and have a good time!!!!!

[Andy_B]

How come I can't remember where Drummond Island is? Hints?
Shit, my mom lives on Harsens Island & I've heard (& prolly been to) Drummond.

Drummond Island is off the eastern tip of the UP.

[climb2ski]

good luck on the race.

[Andy_B]

24 Hours of Drummond Island.

What started out as a 4 person 24 hour team, turned in to a 24 hour self-supported solo attempt just a few days before the race.

I arrived at the ferry dock around 6:15 pm on Friday night, looking a crossed the bay at the island, sipping on some coffee.

From the dock, the island looked docile, a few houses dotted the beaches to the north, and to the south it was empty, only cypress trees, pine trees and a rocky shore line. Looks peaceful, I think to myself.

I get to the resort a few minutes after seven, and take a look around the grounds. Nothing, nothing but trees, rocks and a few random furry locals lurking in the shadows of the cypress swamp, they did not even give me a second glance, and they just kept on eating.

Around 8pm, another member of my disbanded 4 man team rolls in to the lot alone.

We start to set up our pit, under the glow from our head lights. Unloading and setting up our tent, tables, bike stands, and the whole nine.

Next up, dinner, choices are slim pickings’ on the island; we have two lovely places to choose from, one is onsite and it’s known as pinners, no, not that kind of pinner, but that of a bowling alley. On the menu, all you can eat cod for 11.95, plus soup and salad. Sounds good to me, 11 pieces later I am stuffed to the gills.

Race day: After a good nights rest, sleeping in my truck. I am up and moving around 7am, I go to boil some water for coffee, cook some oatmeal. Shit. I forgot my water. I run back to town, as I glance in my mirror’s I see town fading away, getting smaller and smaller. Fuck, I must have blinked and missed it.

The race starts at high noon; the weather is nice, 65 degrees and slightly over cast. The gun fires as the official clock flips over at 12:00. Off we go. 23 hours and 59 minutes to go.

The course was just less than 7 miles, 3.5 miles of brutal single track, about 2 miles of brutal two-track, the rest was pavement and rocky fields that reminded me of the Mt. Snows down hill course. The single track was tight, bar width at best, loose shale, moss covered roots and rocks, and the two-track was loose shale.

The pace was moderate, the fully rigid single speed worked well, for the first 20 miles or so, but my arms needed a break. I opted for my single speed with some front squishiness, for the next 20 miles. Only bring the rigid out for one last lap before dark.

7:30pm, time to light up, change into a dry kit and re-fill my water bottles for the last time.

8:00pm, back on the bike, lights burning. I could not believe how dark it was in the single track, as I make the turn on to the first section of two-track I turn my helmet mounted light off and my bar mounted light to low, no need to burn juice. As I start my second night lap, I get crossed up and am forced to dab, I planted my foot between a moss covered rock and a root, pain is now shooting through out my knee. Shit.

I knew I was in for a long night.

I mange to stay on the bike and hit my 12 hour goal of 15 laps by midnight, I was up 3 laps on second place.

I took a break for about an hour, and had a Red Bull and Motrin cocktail, in hopes of easing the pain in my knee, as luck would have it, it didn’t work.

I head back out at 1am, after second place, had just left for his matching lap. We played cat and mouse for the next 5 hours. In hopes of getting back my 3 lap lead, I would sneak out the back of my tent to the course check in and head out. After getting my lead back to 3 laps, and suffering a battery failure, I needed to get some sleep.

6:00am, I curl up in my sleeping bag, in looking forward to a getting a few hours of sleep, only to start back up again in the morning light. I wake-up to the sound of another team cooking breakfast, as I crawl out of my sleeping bag only my knee is stiff, swollen and bruised.

I saddled up on more time; I didn’t even make it to the course check in, before the pain was too much. After 16.5 hours on the bike and some 140 miles later, I was unable to pedal my bike. I was done.

Over the next 4 hours I sadly watched as my lead disappeared. Only to find out, third place called it quits around 1:00am. I was safely in second place. Happy to have made it that far and looking forward to some solid food, I packed up my gear and headed to the awards ceremony.

As I caught the 3:10 ferry back to the main land, I smiled as I watched that menacing island, getting smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror.


The Pit.


Wow. 147bpm


1 lap down


I have some more pics, just need to up laod them...

[Daywalker]

140 miles? On a singlespeed?

Wuss.