Well, it's been a
Not really any bad news, even though my time went from 6hr 10mins the last time I did it, to 7hrs 27mins this time. Well hey, the course was 6 miles longer this year because it had to be re-routed due to road closures. I figured I'd be a bit slower as I didn't get out on many long rides beforehand because our winter lingered on forever, but not that much slower. My getting-into-near-fondo-shape plan consisted of climbing the stairs at the 17 story Paulsen Center during lunch, and at least one 25 mile bike ride. And a 4-5 hour meandering fat bike ride in the snow at Riverside State Park.
Cutting to the chase, here's my Garmin of the Gran Fondo Ephrata 2017.
Here's the quick glance version:
A couple weeks before the ride I came across One Up's 42t Sprocket x16t combo - the 16t replaces the 15t and 17t on your 10-speed cassette and you add the 42t. In my quest for lower gears, that seems like the ticket. I almost ordered it, or a wider range cassette, but decided it was too late to play around with changes. Also almost ordered the Maxxis Re-Fuse 40mm tires, as they look smoother than the Kenda Flintridges on my Vaya. Looked like the course might have more pavement this year, but again decided to stick with what I have. The Kenda Flintridges roll fairly well, and have many miles left on them.
(more TireTalk diversion: why doesn't WTB make a 700c Horizon? Excited for Clement's new 50m X'Plor MSO tires for the Fargo. No to the supple Compass tires - Don't trust their sidewalls or tubeless tech, their 700c not wide enough.)
Here's some of the 200-250 riders at the start. Usual assortment of road and cross bikes, some mountain bikes, and more gravel oriented bikes and tires this year. I should've started an hour or two earlier with the unicyclist.
Instead of climbing up into the hills at the start on the northwest end of town, we were escorted on the canal road towards the Southwest end of town. Which meant we rode past the old homestead on C Street where I grew up. We used to skate in the canal in winter, throw rocks across it in the summer. My sister drove my folks up to the bridge to see me off:
 |
| Hi Mom & Dad! |
 |
| not completely last at this point, but off the back as they say |
My legs and lower back were aching for the first 2-3 hours and then settled into a tolerable level of numbness and uncomfortableness. (First thing I did after I got home was order a shorter stem, and raise the seat height to get more leg extension. I think I lowered the seat too far last year; and been thinking of a shorter stem for awhile. These two adjustments probably just put me back into the same position as before {LAUGH OUT LOUDLY}, but it does feel better and at least I'm getting more leg extension..)
After Martin Rd, we rode on the outskirts of Quincy, and then to Overen Road - part of the detour and a new road for me. Fun to ride, it connects to about the mid-point of Baird Springs Road. Missed riding the whole downhill. Love going too fast downhill. I usually make up a little time on Baird Springs and I pass riders, but most were further ahead at this point.
The tunnel at the bottom of Baird Springs Rd.
Below, this is maybe the infamous Stuhlmiller Rd, which gets lots worse. This year as I passed riders fixing flats on this section, I smugly said to myself "glad I'm riding tubeless." And then hoped I didn't get to test my tubeless setup.
A couple riders from the Moses Lake Bike Shop, good guys to ride with.
After this, the battery in my gopro died. I had run it as video off and on until sometime on Martin Rd, then took random pics after that. I had two extra batteries, but I hate to stop and never replaced it. I could've used my phone, but that would've required stopping and digging it out of my pocket.
(camera talk sidebar: new point and shoot in the house: Nikon Coolpix A900 to replace my old bulky Coolpix. Didn't research the A900 much, and was interested in the Panasonic Lumix ZS50 at first but some reviews influenced me against it. Probably crappy photos but oh well. Great thing about the size of the A900, ZS50, and similar flat, rectangular shaped point and shoots, is they fit in the Revelate feedbag. Will be easy to reach in and pull out for quick shots on the fly. And it's wi-fi/bluetooth. I can get real good to great shots with my iphone 6s, but the little cameras have more options and better zooms without having to use up phone battery life.)
After Stuhlmiller, we turn on to Hwy 28 for the stretch to the Palisades Rd where there is a supported rest stop. This stretch seemed to take forever, and I was getting hungry. None of the treats I carried in my frame bag seemed appetizing. Finally, made it to the turn to Palisades got my fill of cookies, mini gyro rolls provided by Pita Pit, small PB&J, fruit, more cookies. I rested a bit, more than I usually do, and admired a light turquoiseish-blue bike laying on the ground by mine. It had WTB tan sidewall tires, maybe Horizons but I didn't look close enough. (See 1st Martin Rd pic above - went thru the vid and found it).
And I got a Coke. Prefer Pepsi or Dr Pepper, but I'm not complaining just glad to get a shot of sugar and caffeine. I'm going to start carrying pop on all my longer rides, as I start craving it after a few hours. I started out the Fondo with coffee in a small hydroflask, and thats has been helping lately, too.
So, now I'm plugging along on the road to the Palisades, and I hear a bike behind me. They don't pass. We ride along a bit more, and still they don't pass. Wait, are they drafting off me? Maybe because there's somebody on my wheel, I keep a steady and little quicker pace. I figure out they're not really drafting, just riding the same pace. Eventually, the rider pulls alongside me, we exchange greetings, and ride together for awhile. Her riding partner/group is back a bit, and we pass each other off and on the remainder of the ride.
Eventually, we get closer to the Billingsley Ranch, and a support vehicle pulls up alongside me. He's picked up a rider and their bike, and asks me how I'm doing. Oh, great, tired and aching! I realize he's checking to see if I need a ride in, and just how far back I am. No way, I'm going to make it!
The Three Devils hills are next and I make it up the first couple, but in a first for me, I stop and walk up the last long one. Oh well, I heard you can conserve energy by walking up a hill instead of struggling on the bike.
Cutting this short - Finally make it to Sheep Canyon Road. My sister and parents never got my message that I was going to be later than I told them, so they are up there looking for me. Mom, being a mom, asks her late 50's son if I want a ride. No way - I am not going to skip the super fun Sheep Canyon downhill. And it was a blast.
<Insert abrupt end here> ok I finished, and got my Dusty's cheeseburger. Well worth it.
