2013-08-17 VT Challenge [notes from the ride]

The Vermont Challenge one day 74 mile ride was outstanding!

For Saturday there were 4 options 20m, 62m, 74m and 100 mile route.  I was hoping that the 100 started at 6:00am, but rides started at 8:00 and 8:30.  I was under pressure in needing to leave Vermont before 3:30pm in order to make it back for a friends surprise birthday party @ 7:30, so the 100 was definitely out of the question.  I may have been able  to take the cue sheet and just shot off alone, but I wanted some type of company on the way....(I hate singing to myself!)  "If Ed sings in Vermont and there is no one around to hear him....does he sing really...really  well????"
The 74 mile route and 62 mile route were exactly the same except for where you parked to start.  The 74 mile route parked a few miles up the road from where the 62 started.  the 74 started 1/2 hour before the 62 so that they could ride together. The 74 route felt pretty flat.  I was anticipating getting abused by steep climbs all day, where everyone would have to get off and walk the bike, but in reality, the que sheet was simple and a long portion of the ride was flat. The climbs were long but manageable. The descents felt very long, straight and manageable. In 74 miles the roads were wide, the cycle path was wide, the roads were straight to the point that there were hardly ever any blind corners.  As a rider you always saw where you were going at least 1/2 mile in advance.  I stopped to smell the roses (pine trees as well as horse and cow manure) plenty of times along the way. I stopped to watch the horses graze in the pastures, and I stopped to watch the wild moving shadow patterns created on the mountains as the sun and clouds projected onto them.  I slowed or stopped to ride over every covered bridge that I came across, (the old wooded bridges have always fascinated me).  The views of what appeared to be a never ending river were great from the road, but were twice as beautiful from the peep holes on the bridges. 

I was back to the truck a bit after 2 and still had 1 1/2 hours before having to start driving home. Several riders said that the route had been changed in order to avoid the steep climb to Killington....so you know that I could not leave Vermont without feeling what that was all about!  I took to the Killington access road and cycled up to where the ski slopes start.  It was steep, but never felt overly abusive.

The key for me was to take it slow, I knew in my mind that it was not a race and in my heart I knew that I was going to do it no matter how long it took. If I started to hear my legs, neck, butt and arms scream, I would turn up my head phones loud enough to not hear what my legs were screaming out at me. 

After 70+ miles, my butt was sore and my legs were asking for a break, so I cranked the headphones to a slower paced, but loud and rowdy Jasons Aldeans'  the only way I know  "That’s the only way I know... Don’t stop 'til everything’s gone... Straight ahead, never turn round.... Don’t back up, ....don’t back down.... Full throttle,... wide open
You get tired and you don’t show it..... Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more
That’s the only way I know"    I was at the top before I knew it.  I sang loud enough for the walkers, joggers and other cyclists to hear me....the crazy stares that I received gave me that personal chuckle deep inside which fueled that fire that I needed in the last 2 or 3 miles.

I recommend this ride to anyone that is in 50-60 mile riding shape.  the ride is great, but you should ride and train regularly before this ride in order to get to the point where this 60 or 70 mile ride is enjoyable rather than abusive.  At the "end of ride" lunch I did see riders that could barely walk.  There were cyclists that were sagged  back (and that is truly expected). There were a few riders who requested sag back from each rest stop, but we all know that one can't just show and go without physical, mental and nutritional preparation.  This ride had about 4,500 ft of climbing but did not feel (leg-wise) much different than the climbs around sleeping giant or the climbs leading to the Lyman Orchards.

I would love to do the 62 or 74 again during the leaf changing time..... that must truly be the most beautiful ride and best time to do it.   

take a look at the photos on the following blog.  I will update the photos with captions when I have some time.