Took
off straight from work Friday night and got to the grass track race and gravel
expo around 7:30. There wasn’t much
happening, as it seemed everyone was ready to get some good rest for the
night. I got myself signed in and went
for a little ride around town with Bonk King and Kurt, then settled into my car
for the night.
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| Signed In |
.
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| Sleeping Quarters |
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| Spring Valley before the start. |
As the sun came up Saturday morning I started checking
the weather and eating breakfast. I was
hoping to leave the frame bag behind, but since it was a chilly morning I would
need somewhere to store my jacket later in the day. There were a couple people milling around, I
recognized Jeremy K from Trans Iowa, he was going all over in a big hurry like
the race was about to start any minute. I
made my way toward the start line, I didn't really see anyone I knew so I bought a water bottle and waited for the start.
Chris Skogen led us out of town and to the first gravel
road. The first ten miles or so were
pretty mellow; everyone was just riding a steady pace and enjoying the tail
wind. The easy going ride didn’t last
long, we got to the first decent climb and there was a small attack. Since I refuse to learn to pace myself, I of
course didn't get dropped, but my heart rate monitor was screaming at me. In fact for the first forty miles it would
not shut up, I eventually made the intelligent (sarcasm) decision to just turn
it off so I wouldn't have to listen to it anymore.
The leaders were straight up crazy. I have never ridden gravel roads so aggressively, they attacked every hill, ground down the straights, and sprinted on the down hills. Most riders rest on the down hills, these guys were doing just the opposite. We'd lean way over the rear wheel, put our heads down, hit 40 mph, then slide sideways in the loose gravel into the corner at the bottom. My heart rate was higher at the end of a down hill than at the top of the up hills!
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| The BKB holds a tough pace. |
Luckily I got a flat tire. I am not being sarcastic, this flat tire saved my race. I was in the mindset to do everything in order to ride with these guys. I have no doubt that I would have ended up just like Trans Iowa a few weeks ago. If anything I wish the flat came sooner. The flat tire forced me to break up with the leaders and ride my own race, but much damage had already been done.
Someday I will learn to pace myself, Almanzo was not that day, but I did receive another lesson.
I fixed the flat, and rode for a couple hours with an older guy that was not afraid of talking. Which was nice, most of it was just entertaining chit chat, but I got some good nuggets that I put in the brain for another day.
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| Almanzo has more stray horses than dogs. |
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| Almanzo Water Crossing |
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| Oriole Rd. |
I will remember Oriole Road for a long, long time. Notice everyone walking in the picture? Yeah I could only be so good. I could go no further. I pulled over in the ditch and laid down. I just wanted to sleep, but everyone going by kept waking me up.
They would say "hey is he OK?" or "Check that guys pulse."
I understand their concern, but I just needed to sleep for a minute. I was so close to the finish, but I saw no other way to do it.
After my sorry excuse for a nap, I walked up the hill and took another break. I needed some food, but I looked in my bag and knew that nothing would go down well. So I just stood there for awhile, then started pedaling. I pedaled and pedaled and pedaled, it seemed forever, but finally it was done.
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| Macho Man Stands Tall |
"you can't win, if you don't finish"
That sounds nice, but you can't win if your taking it easy either. It's a fine line to travel, I will keep traveling it, until someday I get lucky.
-David
