I certainly got my money’s worth on the VT 200k. 130 miles, 12.5 hours. A bit slower than I had hoped and planned – but I had a strong first half until something went awry with food intake and stomach. My plan was to ride a stronger second half – the route had the big climbing out of the way by Bristol in the first 40 miles. After the midway point I bloated up and had a hard time taking in water and fuel. I suspect it was some fructose in a bottle of juice I drank at the midway point. I struggled on – reduced to a pretty slow pace over any elevation change – but it was beautiful day to spend on the bike. Early in the year for me too, to take on more than a century in one sitting.
We had 9 starters, and I’ve yet to verify brevet cards – but I’m fairly certain we had 7 finishers. We had 1 DNF due to mechanical, and Greg turned around somewhere after the first control as he was having no fun climbing after a weeks worth of late nights getting a large project finished up.
I took a total of 2 photos, nothing really worth posting other than the line of cyclists at our first control, and a shot of the mountains from the top of any number of ridgelines we crossed. There were ample photo opportunities on the inbound leg – but I kept my head down and the pedals turning.
Thanks for organizing the ride! It was hard, I suffered quite a bit from an upset stomach on the last 25 miles as well, but all in all a really nice ride! And I think we finished in just around 10 hours.
Here’s some pictures from yesterday. I posted them on the Old Spokes Home facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150159362606485&set=a.10150159362556485.290011.130919616484&theater
I had a bonky 200K this weekend as well! As long as you get to the finish alive and under the limit it’s good training mentally for hard times.
=-)
Vik
Nice job finishing Mike! Glad I didn’t stick it out though, today was a 14 hour on site built in cabinet install extravaganza for me. Congrats on a early 200K!
Good work Mike. I look forward to riding with you on the 300k.
Man. Sounds challenging … great job!
@Per -
Thanks for the image links. No FB for me, so the email worked great!
@Vik –
I was thinking of your death march post on my last 30 some miles, and then I read your recent report! Wow. Glad you are OK.
I had a song stuck in my head though – David Gray ‘A Moment Changes Everything’ or something… and it was true. I’d ride along, and I’d go through waves of feeling good and then feeling miserable. 2 days later, no complaints.
@Greg -
Sorry to see you turn back, but you were climbing slower than me, and I’m always the slow guy – so I think you made the right choice! Glad to hear that you finished up the big project OK.
@Wil -
No wind for me. Felt like a wuss finishing the ride with a blue sky, nice breeze, and highs in the 50s, compared to how you finished with 20-30 mph winds and crap temperatures…
@Ap -
Was a challenge, and thanks. Need you to come up here and photograph for me, I was too tired to bother.
Thanks for organizing the ride. Definitely worth the trip up from Connecticut. Very scenic. Bianchi Guy (name I forget) was super strong. Hope to be back up for the 300K.
Thanks Bill. Will gladly have you back! Thanks for making the trip…