Long can be good, too

[Brian Hanson]

I just finished a great 300k in Whatcom county (furthermost north/west part of WA state), and my ride goal for 2013. It was my longest ride, and my first 300k. The first 60 miles led to a 5000' climb to "Artist's Point"flic.kr/s/aHsjA7EhD5 nestled between Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan. It was brutal but beautiful climbing up to the clouds and snow!  From there, we headed back down on an amazing (and fast) descent the way we came up.  I stopped to take some pics I missed on the way up, filled up on coconut water, and then headed north through blueberry and raspberry fields to the Canadian border, and West to Peace Arch Park at the border crossing and the Pacific Ocean. After a nice jaunt along the coast, we headed back home. I suffered on the last 100k with a left knee that wasn't cooperating, and a front derailer that broke after the Baker climb, but I mustered that last 50 miles and enjoyed the feeling of pulling in after a full day of awesome scenery in perfect weather! 

Pix proved it happened:  http://flic.kr/s/aHsjHhzZyg

Brian Hanson

Seattle, WA

[Tony DeFilippo]

Brian, congratulations on making your ride goal for the year! All the better given that you had to battle some to get there. What happened with your front derailleur and what do you have in mind for an encore?

Tony

[Deacon Patrick]

Awesome!

With abandon,

Patrick

[WETH]

Congratulations on the accomplishment of the day and the season! Your photographs really capture the beauty of the area.

[dougP]

Brian:

Great photos!  Snow in August?  Wow!  Thanks for posting.

dougP

[Dennis Hogan]

Brian - congrats on your first 300K - you are no longer a 300K virgin in the immortal words of Peg W. of SIR - at least that's what she told me after I did the Hot Springs 300K a few weeks ago with her and Narayan (sp) a fellow SIR. Your pics are great.
Dennis in PDZ

On Sunday, August 4, 2013 7:08:33 PM UTC-7, stonehog wrote:

[Christopher Chen]

Brian:

I am simply astounded.

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[hsmitham]

Brian,

Thanks for sharing and wow! What a ride.

~Hugh

[Pondero]

In spite of all my training avoidance tendencies, and celebration of the short ride, I admire and envy your accomplishment.  Bravo!...and thanks for the fantastic photos!

[Patrick Moore]

Beautiful and impressive!

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Albuquerque, NM

[Mike]

Brian, congrats on finishing and thanks for posting the pictures. Looks like an incredible ride. I love the 300k distance. While it can be challenging, with some luck and some prep it can also be a really nice long day in the saddle. 

I take it this was with SIR? Looks that way. I someday hope to do their 3 Volcanos 300k, seems like a dream route. 

--mike

[Brian Hanson]

One too many chain sucks broke the outer plate. I would like to work up to a longer multiple-day ride some day. More just riding in my future.

Brian Hanson

On Aug 4, 2013, at 7:24 PM, Tony DeFilippo <vpi...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Brian, congratulations on making your ride goal for the year! All the better given that you had to battle some to get there. What happened with your front derailleur and what do you have in mind for an encore?
>
> Tony
>

[Brian Hanson]

Yes - it was with SIR, and was extremely well run.  The 3 Volcanos ride is definitely on the list!

Brian Hanson

--

[Manuel Acosta]

Brian congrats! 300k always seems easier then the 200k for some reason.

On Sunday, August 4, 2013 7:08:33 PM UTC-7, stonehog wrote:

[Tony DeFilippo]

Hey Brian,

Thanks, another thing to add to the 'inspection' process I guess. I haven't put enough miles on a FD to get the outer plate fatigued yet.  I'd take wearing out a piece of gear like that as a kind of satisfying... at least once I was able to complete the ride at hand!

I hear you on the multi-day ride. My own goal in that regard is to do the ~70mile C&O Canal trip from my place to Harpers Ferry, WV... spend the night in a B&B and then come back.  Trying to talk my wife into it!

Tony

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[john]

Brian, I'm curious about your saddle choice for the long ride. Over on your blog you discussed softening a Pearl saddle with success. I can't quite tell from the pictures, but it looks like you chose to ride a SAA for the long ride. Is the Pearl still working for you? Not as well as you'd like? I'm curious about the break-in, and longer term use.

Thanks for the pictures and words; they are inspirational.

John

On Sunday, August 4, 2013 7:08:33 PM UTC-7, stonehog wrote:

[Brian Hanson]

I put the SAA on as I had done a 200k earlier this year with no ill-effect.  I have the Pearl on another bike, and at this point think it would be fine for the long ride, but didn't want to move it.  The SAA is awesome out of the box with the only downside that it stretches - I've tightened this one a couple times already, and it's even the Titanico X model built for clydesdales (I weigh in at 160lbs).  I think these saddles are a bit like good tires - they have a limited lifespan.  It may stop stretching, and I'll be good with it for the next 10 yrs - hard to say.  

Brian

Seattle, WA

Brian Hanson

Seattle, WA

--

[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

Congratulations on the 300k! It sounds like a good time, and your pics are gorgeous, but I'll stick to my "short rides" for now. 

--Smitty

[shawn m.]

Fantastic! What a ride and great photos, too. Many congratulations on reaching your goal. Now, what's this "training" thing I hear tell of? That's where the whole randonneuring thing breaks down for me... :)

Seriously, though, well done.

Cheers,

Shawn M.

Seattle, WA (Fremont)

On Sunday, August 4, 2013 7:08:33 PM UTC-7, stonehog wrote:

[Paul Germain]

Hey Tony,

You might consider staying at the Harpers Ferry Youth Hostel:

http://www.hiusa.org/harpersferry

(Actually across the tracks from the C&O Towpath in Knoxville, MD - a short ride of about a mile.)

$20 bucks for a bunk, showers and breakfast. (Private room & camping available, too.)

Great folks and interesting company!

Paul Germain

Midlothian, VA

Tony DeFilippo <vpi...@gmail.com> Aug 05 11:40AM -0400  

Hey Brian,
 
Thanks, another thing to add to the 'inspection' process I guess. I haven't
put enough miles on a FD to get the outer plate fatigued yet. I'd take
wearing out a piece of gear like that as a kind of satisfying... at least
once I was able to complete the ride at hand!
 
I hear you on the multi-day ride. My own goal in that regard is to do the
~70mile C&O Canal trip from my place to Harpers Ferry, WV... spend the
night in a B&B and then come back. Trying to talk my wife into it!
 
Tony

Paul Germain

www.GermainArt.com
germa...@aol.com

[Michael Flournoy]

On Monday, August 5, 2013 11:40:36 AM UTC-4, Tony DeFilippo wrote:

 My own goal in that regard is to do the ~70mile C&O Canal trip from my place to Harpers Ferry, WV... spend the night in a B&B and then come back.  Trying to talk my wife into it!

Tony

Last summer I spent a few days in Harpers Ferry with the wife and bikes. We stayed at a B&B right in the "heart" of Harpers Ferry.  http://hfstonehouse.com/

A good place and a great location, the town is built on the side of a steep hill and this house is almost at the bottom and very near the walk bridge across to the C&O. We found it was nicely quiet during the week but bustling on the weekend. Personally, I would spend 2 nights and not rush it too much. There is also a hostel in Harpers Ferry, http://www.teahorsehostel.com/ , it looked nice but it's at the TOP of the HILL. : )