200k Brevet- In God's Country

I haven't ever completed a race write up just for an organized bike before, but I have decided to do so with this ride, so when I miss San Francisco, I have something to come back to read and enjoy to help me remember the beauty/greatness/and how easy it really is to get back out there.

When I lived in San Francisco, I would go on long rides about every other weekend.. Almost all year long!

I made my bike friend, Mark, on my very first organized ride out there; the Marin Century. And for the most part, he would map out our rides. We would stick in San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma or Napa Counties and the elevation profiles would vary but we always had good scenery.

So... I have missed the rides. I brought both bikes home when I moved back yet, I haven't ridden either of them. Actually, Alejandro isn't even put back together yet!
When I decided to go back to San Fran, I knew a ride was a must. Really, there isn't any other better way I would ever want to spend my time out there than with a bike ride!

Mark suggested a 200k brevet. It wasn't the one we did last January ... But it was with the same club, The Santa Rosa Cycling Club.

Brevets aren't just something you go out and do ... Is it? We had only done one other one, and technically since I rode my bike to the start of the Marin century... I have only completed that distance two other times. .. But this time the elevation profile was doubled.

When in need of an endurance fix, I sometimes will say ok to anything ... And ... That's what I did... Yes to the Brevet.

In spin classes, I told my 'students' what I was doing. And the question would be ... Would the last few months of no long rides, but 45to 60 minute classes, of burst of energy, resistance climbing with break aways ... 4 to 6 times a week.. Would that be enough to keep me in shape and ready for the Brevet? Or would I crash and burn?
I said, if I crashed and burned, I would come back with a resistance 10 ride for the whole class. They will be happy to learn, that won't be happening.

So, I rented a bike from Windsor Cycling. A carbon fiber bike that was nice, but .. It's about 5 lbs heavier than Alexander. I have some amazing bikes, so I guess it's good to know that even on an ok bike, I can accomplish greatness.



I fit my Rent-a-bike in my rent-a-car

My flight out to San Francisco was a disaster. I got there many hours after I was supposed to, and after the bike store was closed. Luckily mark picked up the bike and dropped it off at Tommy and Erin's. The downside was I wasn't properly fitted to it. I could have used a longer stem for the handle bars, so my position was extremely aggressive in that respect for the entire ride. And when I set my seat, it was too low. I raised it once before we started but it was still way too low. I think I was thinking it was ok because of my foot positioning when I was getting in and out ... But the wheels were a little bigger than mine as well... Which meant I was higher off the ground than what I was used to.

So, Mark and I met at the Starbucks in healdsburg before the ride, And made our way to the start. I was picked on a bit from the race director ... Coming all the way from Wisconsin!!' But I will take that... Pretty badass! He told me he would pick on me throughout ... Which he did.. He mentioned it in the pre race announcements.

Just a little after 7am ... Off we went. We started off a little slower than usual, like we got stuck behind a slower group.. So within the first few miles we took off and got positioned somewhere behind the front back.. But not quite with them.

The first part of the ride, we have done many times before. It was in Healdsburg out to Geyserville with the wonderful scenery of Alexander Valley. As we went I took in all the beauty. We didn't go up pine flat but we were on the road for a short while, bringing back memories of other rides. We were on one of my favorite stretches with the vineyards, and maybe about 8 miles in we went by a coffee shop that I love! We would make it our mid point on rides and stop there and get some coffee. I remember the first time we incorporated the coffee shop in our ride, I was feeling sluggish and worried I was going to slow us down... As we all have bad rides. Then I got a coffee there, and I took off!!! The energy was regained and we had a great second half of a ride. It was the start of using coffee to help me get through long rides!

As we made our way to Cloverdale, we had our warm up elevation. I was happy we weren't getting passed, but with my saddle positioning so low, My lower back was killing me. I knew I couldn't last the entire ride like that, so about 26 miles in, in Cloverdale we made a quick stop for me to adjust my saddle. It made a drastic difference but, the residual pain was still kind of there.

We also had been dealing with a strong headwind. At one point, it was flat and we couldn't get faster than 12mph because of how strong the wind was .. And we were working hard! (And for perspective of how slow a 12 mph flat is, the last 200k we did... We averaged just over 17mph... With about 5,000 ft of climbing. .. And on the open flats we were going between 20 and 23 mph So we aren't slow distance riders).

We got thru Cloverdale and turned on 128 where we got our first set of climbing. I had to laugh as Mark thought that section was going to be flat. ... Actually I wasn't laughing at all.. I was more or less focused and wishing he were right, but I remember what I saw on the map.

Every time we would climb, we would start to see and catch up to the yellow jacket guy. He really didn't want us to catch him, you could see him constantly turning around to see where we were. See... In a long ride like this.. I would think you would want people to catch up and make friends ... But I guess that's just the Midwest personality in me. We did eventually catch up to him... And that's when it was apparent he didn't want us to catch him... And he worked hard to take off.

We made our way to our first check point about 54 miles in Booneville. I got a Starbucks double espresso energy. We chatted with a few others.. Who picked on me for wearing shorts ... Which I debated wearing and had other options with me but we started off already at 50 degrees .. So I decided to stick with the shorts. I reminded them .. I'm the Wisconsin girl.

There wasn't a bathroom at this check point, so a mile up we stopped at a winery/brewery and then made our way... To the hard part.... The big climb!

I changed my garmin screen to watch our elevation profile change as I knew around 2,000 feet we would get relief.

I actually had a lot of fun on the climb. I eventually stopped to take my jacket off.. And tan in a racer back tank. I decided to play one of my spin class songs ... On speaker phone ... Telling mark it will help is get up the mountain. You could see the switchbacks ahead and others slowly climbing. This also meant you could see what was ahead. We had a bridge to go over that was daunting to see ahead, but when you got there, it was just so beautiful and awesome!
Then came the consistent 10 to 12% grade climb stuff. These are the kinds of climbs that you just have to pace yourself and get through so it was one of our chatty moments.

Mark knew once we thought we were to the top, there would be more, and its a good thing he mentioned it, because there is nothing I dislike more on a ride than thinking I'm done with the climbing to only have more!

The down was fast.. And cold .. But I didn't want to put on my jacket ... As I wanted my tan, and I didn't want to waste time constantly putting it on and taking it off. The next check point was about mile 74. In Ukiah.. I have never been there until now.

Those 20 miles with the steep climb took about 2 hours to complete. But my attitude had changed. I think the nerves of will we get this done before sunset were there especially with my back hurting and the uncertainty of my ability on a road bike. Once we had about 50 miles left and knowing some of that was relatively flat and that headwind .. If it didn't shift or go away.. Should be at our back!

So, I had half a wrap and some coke, and off we went. We got a nice stretch of flat. I will have to defer to Mark to know our speed at that point, because my watch only showed average mph, but we were finally making up time. The only thing is, with 9,000 ft of climbing .. I knew we still had more climbing left.

We made a quick bathroom stop and turned on what would be our final bit of climbing. Everytime we would go up and hit 1,000 feet .. We would go down a little but then go right back up. The road was narrow and bumpy with sharp switchbacks, but at least not busy.

There were two guys who passed us when we were stopped for the bathroom, and as we climbed, we caught up to them. Again.. I don't know what was up with this ride.. 200k riders are usually awesome and friendly! But maybe when the level of difficulty is taken up a notch with double the elevation, only the competitive people are left. When we caught up to them, they ignored us and so I think we slowed our pace down because there wasn't much opportunity to pass ... And if we did .. They would work hard to pass us and the roads weren't ones I wanted to get competitive on.
As we went down some step stuff with sharp turns .. You could see the two guys stopped so I started to slow down. One of the guys flipped off his bike. I'm glad to say he looked like he was ok, he crashed in semi soft landing .. But I have to say ... That was karma for not letting us pass.

The last 15 miles felt like it took forever. At one point we had a yellow/red light which was in an area we know cops bust bikers, so I decided to stop while mark was thinking I was going, so we had an abrupt run in but not bad, just telling that we were getting tired. Then in our final climb, my bike chain fell off so it was time to get greasy.
As we rode back into Healdsburg, my stomach was feeling so bloated and gross.. I think the poor bike fitting had me hunched over too much. But .. Still... I did my best not to take the ride for granted.
Unfortunately when we finished there was no time to hang out, as I had to get my rental bike turned in.

My Rent A Bike

10 hours of greatness. I can feel a little better that the I haven't lost my endurance, and many shorter spin classes a week keeps me in shape.
I'm thinking if I can get things figured out and more of a steady income maybe next winter I will just fly Alexander out there and get back for two or three rides... I need to figure out how I can be home and happy with my family, but I can keep San Francisco my second home! Somehow I have to make it happen!

The rest of my trip was just as wonderful. Because I needed my endurance fix, it didn't stop with the bike ride. Sunday morning Cheryl and I managed a strong 18 miles. .. Well .. Hunger pains hit me at one point .. But we still made it through.

Seriously .. The Bay Area is God's country!


Top of the long climb!   Beauty!