(left to right: Edgar & Gary ready to start)
( a rare action shot of Glenn - usually he is too fast for cameras)
(left to right: Gary & Alan - cooling off at the top of Horn Mt.) 
(left to right: Chris, Neal, Alan) 
Last week we had the 4 Gap Sufferfest, but I was having a fairly good day despite the challenges and others not so much. Today was a different story and perhaps the Sufferfest should be applied to my ride today or maybe Neal's ride but more about that later.
Who picked this route anyway? Oh that's right. I am the knuckle head that picked the 80 mile route including Horn Mountain in 90 degree temperature. It's my route and I can suffer if I want to. Well that was not my intention, but I did struggle with a few things with heat being the major factor for this day. For Neal it was a loose dog that foiled his ride around the 23 mile mark. I was in front so I didn't see the dog come out. I never saw the dog, but I did see Neal do an Endo (head over the handle bars for the non-cyclists). Neal ended up with some road rash on his arms, back of his shoulder and perhaps other places, but he also hit the pavement hard in his torso that seemed to impact his deep breathing pattern, which is very important during hard climbing. I love dogs, but I hope that dog is having some deep breathing problems tonight. Maybe enough to leave a memory of chasing cyclists is not a fun thing to do. Glenn ended up with tire damage from braking to avoid Neal during the crash so they both took better discretion and headed the 23 miles back to the car. I was just glad to hear that Neal will be looking forward to the next ride. Some new bar tape and some Bactine to clean the wounds and he will be ready again. (June 10th update on Neal's condition is a few cracked ribs and collapsed lung. So our thoughts and prayers are with Neal as he recovers)
The remaining team members left to face Horn Mountain just a few more miles up the road were Gary, Alan, Edgar, Chris and me. We did this ride a few weeks ago as described in a previous blog entry. On the previous ride the weather was a little cooler and my legs were having a better day. Today was a different story as we approached this somewhat steep 2 mile climb. Right off the bat I knew it was going to be tough. My heart rate started climbing very quickly before we approached the steeper sections, but once we approached the steep sections I could feel not only my heartrate was jacked up, I was sweating excessively and my core temperature was too high. This time I stayed on the 28 cog and struggled all the way to the top of this short hard climb. Such a drastic difference from the week before when I climbed 4 much tougher mountains than this with a lot less struggle. My mind was messing with me to stop, I started feeling little twinges of pre-cramping, but I stayed down on the saddle to the summit. When I got to the top Gary, Alan and Chris were already there and I could not react or respond to them. All I could do is bow my head on the bar while my legs trembled and hoped that my core temperature would lower a bit. I was actually feeling chills on my back and arms at this point.
The downhill is a very twisty section with hard switchbacks, but at the bottom it straightens out a bit and one can really amp up the speed, which we all did for a number of miles. My legs still were not feeling right from the climb and my heart rate was still racing so much that the Garmin alarm was sounding. I thought it was someone's phone until I saw that it was my computer. After a few miles we left the Pocket, a section of road that parallels with a creek and has a nice canopy shading the road, to a what would be mostly open road for much of the ride back. The sun was in full force and I continued to struggle in the heat as I believe Edgar and possibly Chris were feeling the effects of the heat as well. We stopped at a convenient store off of highway 156, which was 51 miles into our ride, that had a nice shade tree and some picnic tables that provided a place for me to settle down a little and for all the guys to refuel.
As we set course to finish the remaining 30 miles we were on open highway and were able to get a good paceline going. I thought the worst thought possible. At least it always seems to happen to me when I think, "I'm doing pretty good today. I may be struggling a little, but I am not cramping." Because everytime I have that thought not more than ten minutes later I start getting cramps. I think the first severe cramp happened around mile 56 and was very painful. I was riding next to Edgar when it my right quadricep and calf felt like they were pulling away from each other. It was all I could do to stay on the bike and I have learned from past experiences to drop down to the lightest gear and spin as lightly as possible, endure the pain and wait or hope it subsides very quickly. That is much better in my opinion than getting off the bike because my past experiences with cramps have been a lot more painful situation. For the remaining miles I had to do my best to stay down on the saddle and climb each little hill in my smallest gear. Standing was a certain invitation to a full devastating cramp. I just kept hammering the fluids, though I knew that fluids and electrolytes were not the problem. It was not all bad since we were now in familiar territory with gently rolling hills and some near flat sections. I was still able to open up the engine in those sections and hold a low to mid 20's pace. With Gary and Alan having a pretty good day despite the heat and were able to stay out ahead of the rest of us. I think Edgar, Chris and I were just looking forward to finishing the ride at this point and it was good to hear Alan formulating the flattest route back for the remaining 15 miles because the 3 of us were struggling a bit more. Once we came to the main intersection near the T/A Travel Center (truck stop) Alan and Gary were probably already back to the cars, but I know I was relieved to be on this last flat section to the brewery parking lot. A day of struggling prompts these thoughts below.
Cycling is one of the greatest things I have ever stepped into. One it has improved my overall health and sometimes it has compromised it a little with some crashes, but I know Neal, who has to treat some road rash now will agree that staying off the bike is not an option. I don't really want to be that guy that strives to have the best lawn in the neighborhood or that guy who's biggest thrill is waiting for college football to return. I want to be that guy out on the road with friends that share the same determination to meet the challenges of cycling. To overcome the bad days, to endure the discomforts, to face almost every form of weather, to sneer at injuries, to top the mountains and to go the mileage that make non-cyclists say, "how many miles did you ride today?" in their disbelief. I want to be that guy that has the power to go back and help a struggling friend get back up to the pack and be accepting and appreciative of the help when someone comes back for me. These are the best days out on the road with friends that are willing to endure the same hardships and have the same determination regardless of personal performance. Who are not content to sit at home a channel surf, but are out striving to improve and who are out enjoying the friendship of those in the peloton. To all those I ride with I might not say much while we are in a fast paceline and you may not want to hear my chatter anyway, but know that I enjoy riding with you.
Today was a day my performance was off a bit, but it was still a great day of cycling despite how the last picture looks below. Though I think it somewhat humorous now that it is over.
(Sequence of events left to right: Always happy at the start, Riding strong early, Dying later)
(Sequence of events left to right: Always happy at the start, Riding strong early, Dying later)
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