Tour das Hugel.
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Bryan
Nov 16, 2009, 9:41:15 PM11/16/09
to Lone * Star * Randonneurs
Shellene and I went down to Austin for the Tour das Hugel, which had
never had a recumbent start before this year. She was planning on
riding a smart ride, finishing loop 1 and then deciding to continue at
that point. I was going out to hurt myself, and I did.
We rolled out with a pack of 400+ riders, including a third 'bent. Tim from Austin was riding his Challenge Fujin low-racer. The first loop includes a couple of nice high speed descending areas, if you are willing to take a lane from traffic (7:30ish on Saturday morning isn't that bad for doing that). I was sitting in a pack rolling at about 38 MPH when Tim went outside in his own lane, doing at least 50 MPH. I took the same lane on the next descent, but couldn't closewith him, he was looking strong on the climbs as well.
On the first major climb I dropped my chain shifting into the small ring, and walked to the top. Even at that point there weren't too many riders that passed me on the climb, and a few DFs were also walking. Sadly for me, that was a sign of things to come. After dropping the chain once, my bike decided (on it's own) to prevent that from happening again. I wasn't able to shift into the small ring if I had any pressure on the pedals
This gave me three options, and I used all three during the rest of the ride.
1. Shift without pedaling, hard to do on a climb. This meant shifting early and losing power on the climb
2. Try and power up the hills in my 42
3. Go as far as I could without shifting, stop and walk to a flat spot.
I tended to go with option 2, since I didn't figure out the shifting issue/solution until mile 70 or so (never said I was the sharpest spoon in the drawer)
There were two stops in the first loop, but since I'm rando-hard I didn't bother stopping. Reloaded my water and Spiz at the 40 mile point, and headed out for the evil hills. Riding with and switching positions with a group of DF riders for most of it. I made a short stop at the third rest stop, and then two long stops at the 4/5 stop. These three stops are the best you'll find at any ride. The third stop is at a house, with lots of cyclist eating chairs (the first year I rode this we lost a rider there), and 4/5 is the same stop, where riders can skip the dam hill section (and give up their right to buy a t-shirt). That final stop has brownies, and fresh potatoes, as well as the "normal" rest stop supplies. This year we also had Pickle Juice Sports http://www.goldenpicklejuice.com/ on ice.
When I was climbing up the dam hill, I spotted Tim heading down it, I had passed him while he was at one of the stops that I skipped (the advantage to being prepared to skip stops). After refueling, for the second time, at the 4/5 stop, I headed to the bottom of Big View. The only reason we go down that road is to ride right back up it. When I turned and saw the road I had just came down I knew it was going to hurt, and it did.
After surviving (and walking parts of) Big View, it's just a few more hills to Jester - the finial "real" climb of the ride. I rolled up to Jester, shifted into the small ring and made it 1/3 of the way up before I unclipped. My left knee was screaming, and it wasn't worth killing myself for. When I got to the top I met a group at the unofficial rest stop, including a few who were still on the outbound leg (we climb the backside and descend Jester at mile 60). One of those riders was doing her first Century, my guess is there group finished after 7 PM, but it looked like they were prepared for it (lights on the bikes).
From there, I rode in with a group of about 8 riders and finished at 3:35, for a total time of 8 hours 20 minutes, becoming the first 'bent to finish Tour das Hugel. Shellene was waiting at the finish and pried me off the bike. She rode the first loop, and met some of the randonneurs while doing so. Besides the 3 'bents, there were 4 tandems that started (3 of which finished). I haven't seen the unofficial tally, but I believe that the numbers would be in the 50% completion range - which is normal for this ride.
This is the third time I've done this ride, and the first time I've beaten the beer truck in (it usually shows up about 4 PM).
Best quote: "I'm just going to sit back here and let you pull" A DF rider to me just before we started a mile plus descent, as I was shifting into my 55x11 combo (As Gary G. what it's like following me downhill when I'm pushing that gear) :-)
We rolled out with a pack of 400+ riders, including a third 'bent. Tim from Austin was riding his Challenge Fujin low-racer. The first loop includes a couple of nice high speed descending areas, if you are willing to take a lane from traffic (7:30ish on Saturday morning isn't that bad for doing that). I was sitting in a pack rolling at about 38 MPH when Tim went outside in his own lane, doing at least 50 MPH. I took the same lane on the next descent, but couldn't closewith him, he was looking strong on the climbs as well.
On the first major climb I dropped my chain shifting into the small ring, and walked to the top. Even at that point there weren't too many riders that passed me on the climb, and a few DFs were also walking. Sadly for me, that was a sign of things to come. After dropping the chain once, my bike decided (on it's own) to prevent that from happening again. I wasn't able to shift into the small ring if I had any pressure on the pedals
This gave me three options, and I used all three during the rest of the ride. 1. Shift without pedaling, hard to do on a climb. This meant shifting early and losing power on the climb
2. Try and power up the hills in my 42
3. Go as far as I could without shifting, stop and walk to a flat spot.
I tended to go with option 2, since I didn't figure out the shifting issue/solution until mile 70 or so (never said I was the sharpest spoon in the drawer)
There were two stops in the first loop, but since I'm rando-hard I didn't bother stopping. Reloaded my water and Spiz at the 40 mile point, and headed out for the evil hills. Riding with and switching positions with a group of DF riders for most of it. I made a short stop at the third rest stop, and then two long stops at the 4/5 stop. These three stops are the best you'll find at any ride. The third stop is at a house, with lots of cyclist eating chairs (the first year I rode this we lost a rider there), and 4/5 is the same stop, where riders can skip the dam hill section (and give up their right to buy a t-shirt). That final stop has brownies, and fresh potatoes, as well as the "normal" rest stop supplies. This year we also had Pickle Juice Sports http://www.goldenpicklejuice.com/ on ice.
When I was climbing up the dam hill, I spotted Tim heading down it, I had passed him while he was at one of the stops that I skipped (the advantage to being prepared to skip stops). After refueling, for the second time, at the 4/5 stop, I headed to the bottom of Big View. The only reason we go down that road is to ride right back up it. When I turned and saw the road I had just came down I knew it was going to hurt, and it did.
After surviving (and walking parts of) Big View, it's just a few more hills to Jester - the finial "real" climb of the ride. I rolled up to Jester, shifted into the small ring and made it 1/3 of the way up before I unclipped. My left knee was screaming, and it wasn't worth killing myself for. When I got to the top I met a group at the unofficial rest stop, including a few who were still on the outbound leg (we climb the backside and descend Jester at mile 60). One of those riders was doing her first Century, my guess is there group finished after 7 PM, but it looked like they were prepared for it (lights on the bikes).
From there, I rode in with a group of about 8 riders and finished at 3:35, for a total time of 8 hours 20 minutes, becoming the first 'bent to finish Tour das Hugel. Shellene was waiting at the finish and pried me off the bike. She rode the first loop, and met some of the randonneurs while doing so. Besides the 3 'bents, there were 4 tandems that started (3 of which finished). I haven't seen the unofficial tally, but I believe that the numbers would be in the 50% completion range - which is normal for this ride.
This is the third time I've done this ride, and the first time I've beaten the beer truck in (it usually shows up about 4 PM).
Best quote: "I'm just going to sit back here and let you pull" A DF rider to me just before we started a mile plus descent, as I was shifting into my 55x11 combo (As Gary G. what it's like following me downhill when I'm pushing that gear) :-)
GoLong09
Nov 16, 2009, 10:35:00 PM11/16/09
to Lone * Star * Randonneurs
Great story, I've read up on this ride and it certainly is nothing but
challenge after challenge. Riding hills with gear issues - dang -
just makes my legs hurt thinking about it. Rookie question - Whats a
DF rider?
Danny Sarine
> also had Pickle Juice Sportshttp://www.goldenpicklejuice.com/on ice.
challenge after challenge. Riding hills with gear issues - dang -
just makes my legs hurt thinking about it. Rookie question - Whats a
DF rider?
Danny Sarine
Bryan
Nov 17, 2009, 6:21:42 AM11/17/09
to Lone * Star * Randonneurs
Sorry 'bout that, I wrote that for 'rbent and then posted it here as well. DF is Diamond Frame, what 'bent riders call those funny looking bikes that everyone else rides.
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Vickie Tyer
Nov 17, 2009, 2:54:30 PM11/17/09
to Bryan, Lone * Star * Randonneurs
So just how long did that DF rider hang on? Just a few seconds? And how long did Gary hang when he tried?
That's an awesome story, thanks for sharing.
Vickie
Stay on the bike....... pedal, pedal, pedal.
Bryan
Nov 17, 2009, 5:43:29 PM11/17/09
to Lone * Star * Randonneurs
I dropped the DR rider in about 5 pedal strokes :-) As for Gary, I wasn't able to drop him, but I'm pretty sure both of us were hurting when we hit the Palo Pinto sign.
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