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| Not "Single track" but fun riding! |
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| Moooo |
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| Top of Fleecer Ridge |
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| Beautiful MT. |
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| Elk Horn Hot Springs with Josh |
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| What other race has ranch life delay? |
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| Big Sky |
With a new attitude, a new fire burning, and just enough rest time to allow my knees and other aches to recover a bit, I knew what I was going to have to do to get back on track for my 18ish day personal goal. I needed to hammer. Realizing early on that I needed more sleep than I thought I would, I needed to make up time during daylight hours. TD is interesting in the fact that there are no stops, stages, checkpoint, or limits in general really. Rider X may be able to pedal at a slow steady pace from Banff to Mexico without ever sleeping. Rider Y may be able to ride hard for 12-16 hours a day, stop, and sleep well, be passed and then catch and pass Rider X the next, only to be passed again while they’re sleeping the next night. In this simplified explanation I am certainly Rider Y…Ride hard, recover well, repeat.
Going into the race I thought I would be able to push through long nights and cover a lot of extra ground. Due to weight and recharging issues I decided to change up from my normal lights that I ride at home, so I had significantly less light going forward, and after riding all day and then eating dinner, I was tired. With so much less light and energy, I found my pace would drop so far it often was not worth moving. If I got 4-5 hours sleep, I could wake up and cover the same ground in half the time, and do it much safer. I was fine riding by light before sunrise, because I was rested and had that “new-day” drive.
Due to having lost time in Ovando, I knew I was going to have to put in some extra to get back on track. I couldn’t just keep pace with those around me, I had to try to keep pace with those out front and pulling away, if not try to CATCH them. My brake pads were running thin from long descents and wet weather, and not a single shop in Butte, MT had the pads I needed. Thankfully I was carrying spares, and with dryer weather ahead, I should be able to get the race out of them, and I did. On my way out of Butte, I spotted my buddy Josh on the side of the road fixing a flat. I waited up for a few minutes so we could put on some miles together. We did get separated on our way to Fleecer Ridge, which I had heard was holding some more snow, but to my surprise was dried out by the time I got there. I did has a bit of a push up the last bit to the top to save some energy, but conditions allowed for a full ride on the downhill. Fleecer Ridge is STEEP, and given the secluded nature and the fact that I was riding alone, I probably shouldn’t have ridden it, but the adrenaline of riding steep DH course-like trails on a full rigid touring rig was worth the risk. I had an absolute blast bombing down, and regrouped with a few riders below in Wise River for lunch. That evening I made the cruise to Elk Horn Hot Springs in absolutely gorgeous weather, on primarily pavement, which was actually a pleasant change of pace. Josh and I shared a room in Elk Horn Hot Springs. Unfortunately our time schedule was going to allow for lounging in the springs, but the memory foam mattresses, burgers, milkshakes, and sandwiches for the road made for an excellent choice in stopping point.
Enter washboard. Day 8 was a long one, about 190 miles. I had a bit less climbing, sunny skies, and a big smile, the perfect combo to make up some ground. In the morning I started with a FAST road descent, pretty fun cruising at 35mph before down with a small bike light!! Back to dirt roads I found myself held up by some cowboys and cowgirls moving a few hundred head of cattle down the same road I was traveling…. the only road around for miles. Although the time 30-40 time delay was annoying, I was fun to watch. I’ve grown up around farming…east coast style. To watch real ranchers work a heard was a really neat experience, and At one point I actually helped out by just following them down the road while the crew controlled the sides and front of the heard. Soon, the road was clear, and I was on my way to Lima for lunch.
The rest of the day was spent swerving all over the road like a drunken fool just trying to find a line that wouldn’t continue to make my seat pound my ass like hammer and anvil. It’s hard to explain what washboard feels like. “Its just a bunch of small bumps.” THAT DESTROY YOU. As soon as you think you begin to get to a nice cruising speed, you are shut down and shaken out of riding position, and all efficiency is gone, back to the drawing board. Many times, there is no smooth line, so you’ll spend miles on end standing while pedaling, just to be able to absorb the conditions with something other than your butt and wrists (or elbows and shoulders if you happen to drop into aeros.) Trying to stay positive I focused on the classic Montana big sky I was riding through. I was truly beautiful, and I really wanted a lawn chair, and a beer to sit and enjoy where I was, but every time I am in a lawn chair with a beer I’m thinking about riding. To finish the day off, I had some fun “1.5 track” through four wheeler/ xc ski trails to wind up at the Sawtelle Resort. Is it weird that I remember the meal I had in almost every town I stopped in? There comes a point in this race where just to get to the next place, I began imagining the menu and what I was going to order, often just hoping strongly I can get a chocolate milkshake, because what’s a ride without a milkshake recovery??? A huge grilled chicken salad and a burger later I got a good nights sleep after a long days ride.
ID & beyond, soon to follow!
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