Training Log Archive: bigginsIn the 1 days ending Jun 6, 2009:
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Saturday Jun 6, 2009 #
road bike 11:45:00 [3] 186.0 mi (15.8 mph)
Eastern Sierra Double Century.
The original route started in Bishop at about 4k, then climbed north up to Mammoth (9k), did a loop around Mono Lake, then back down a different side to Bishop. The problem was the weather was calling for wind and rain all day, with the snow line down at about 7000 feet. So they changed it to a totally different route that ended up 15 miles shorter, but added a bonus 3000' of climb.
So 30 miles of easy rolling roads down the Owens Valley to Big Pine, then a 15 mile 3500' climb up a long empty canyon towards DV. Started getting colder and windier towards the top, then it started raining, then it started snowing. Was pretty chilly when I crested the top, then had a super steep 10 mile descent down the other side through more rain and snow. My hands were so frozen I couldn't tell if they were even on the brake levers, let along how much I was braking with them. The road was really crappy and bumpy, and I was shivering my ass off the entire time. Pretty totally miserable. Hit the end of the paved road down on the other side, then got to u-turn and do it all backwards. Coming up the back side was crazy steep (and 4000'), but the storm had blown through so it wasn't snowing anymore, just cold (somebody said 36 degrees on the summit). Back down the canyon on the first side, which was a whole lot shallower than the back side. Still too steep to just let loose and roll, but I wasn't smoking the brakes on this one.
Then back in the Owens Valley floor, up to Bishop for lunch, then north for an 80 mile out and back. Ten miles of easy hills, then 20 miles of gentle climb straight into a wicked headwind. I was in a pack of three guys and it was all we could do to hold about 6 mph. (then it started raining again) Suffered through that, then had an easy 10 mile climb up past Benton, which for some reason was totally out of the wind and almost nice. Back down the hill through Benton, then 33 miles of the sweetest tailwind-fueled ride home ever. I was in a pack of five and I'm pretty sure we did it in under an hour. It was pretty insane.
So a good ride, legs felt ok-ish even with all the climbing (12500' total), and mostly just my butt hurt by the end. The weather definitely sucked a lot (even though half of it really was sunny), and its a shame we didn't get to do the original route, it supposed to be one of the better ones in CA. Also Heed mixed with diet pepsi is gross. route
The original route started in Bishop at about 4k, then climbed north up to Mammoth (9k), did a loop around Mono Lake, then back down a different side to Bishop. The problem was the weather was calling for wind and rain all day, with the snow line down at about 7000 feet. So they changed it to a totally different route that ended up 15 miles shorter, but added a bonus 3000' of climb.
So 30 miles of easy rolling roads down the Owens Valley to Big Pine, then a 15 mile 3500' climb up a long empty canyon towards DV. Started getting colder and windier towards the top, then it started raining, then it started snowing. Was pretty chilly when I crested the top, then had a super steep 10 mile descent down the other side through more rain and snow. My hands were so frozen I couldn't tell if they were even on the brake levers, let along how much I was braking with them. The road was really crappy and bumpy, and I was shivering my ass off the entire time. Pretty totally miserable. Hit the end of the paved road down on the other side, then got to u-turn and do it all backwards. Coming up the back side was crazy steep (and 4000'), but the storm had blown through so it wasn't snowing anymore, just cold (somebody said 36 degrees on the summit). Back down the canyon on the first side, which was a whole lot shallower than the back side. Still too steep to just let loose and roll, but I wasn't smoking the brakes on this one.
Then back in the Owens Valley floor, up to Bishop for lunch, then north for an 80 mile out and back. Ten miles of easy hills, then 20 miles of gentle climb straight into a wicked headwind. I was in a pack of three guys and it was all we could do to hold about 6 mph. (then it started raining again) Suffered through that, then had an easy 10 mile climb up past Benton, which for some reason was totally out of the wind and almost nice. Back down the hill through Benton, then 33 miles of the sweetest tailwind-fueled ride home ever. I was in a pack of five and I'm pretty sure we did it in under an hour. It was pretty insane.
So a good ride, legs felt ok-ish even with all the climbing (12500' total), and mostly just my butt hurt by the end. The weather definitely sucked a lot (even though half of it really was sunny), and its a shame we didn't get to do the original route, it supposed to be one of the better ones in CA. Also Heed mixed with diet pepsi is gross. route