Vermont is spelled with a capital “V”, surely no coincidence. With the loads of mountains and climbs available, it had to start with a “V”. I mean, if it was mountainous enough to draw a runaway “loose” nun who left the church for a sailor, it must be good, right? (Great nordic skiing there””Trapp Family Lodge, if you are there in the winter months as well).
Anyways, being a seventh generation “V”ermonter myself, who was raised on a family farm on Rogers’ Hill in West Newbury, VT (which was hand cleared and settled in 1763 by my G-G-G-G-G-Grandfather and still owned by my father) I have a deep love and feel for VT, liberal politics notwithstanding. So when I heard about the 200 on 100 “Dumptruck of Awesome” that was available, I just knew that I had to do it. And not only that, I knew that I had to share this beautiful “Ode to the V in Vermont” with all of my best cyber-cycling-soul mates. Okay, soul mates might be going a bit far there, but you get my meaning.
So, enough with the intro.
Break out the rollers, get on the trainers, find your winter gear; lay off the seconds, nurse that one glass of booze, hold the toasting to one drink, dodge Cupid’s chocolates and shoot the Easter Bunny because training for this bastard started yesterday and you’ll be paying for it on the 28th of June, 2012 in spades!
See you in the pre-dawn hours on the Canadian border with our eyes firmly fixed on the prize of the Massachusetts border. Let’s drive this dump truck like Mel Gibson leaving the compound in a post-apocalyptic world, baby!
Route and location details on the Cogal Event Page.
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@Steampunk
I'm bringing two sets of kit. 1 to change into after I shit myself after being told there's still another 160km to go
@Anjin-san
If you watch the video of Ted King and company, they actually do 335+ k's. The ride, even without getting lost, is over 200 miles (330 k's). More like 11 hours of 30 kph, but I do not think that I, for one, will be able to hold that ave at all for that long. Sure, I can for 4 to 6 hours on flat roads riding solo, but with the amount of climbing, even with a draft, it is going to be one loooonnnnggg BRUTAL day. I bet we go 12 to 14 hours on this puppy.
@Buck Rogers
It'll be a looooong day for sure. But I'm really excited about it - I'm not sure my VMH comprehends the pre-200/100 training requirement (i.e. a bunch of longer rides). Still, I'm sure this is doable if we can manage to work together and not have any "Shining moments". (Thankfully, S. King will be one state over.)
@lesburg
At least your VMH understand training. All I got was: "you're going to fucking die." More derisive in tone than with any sense of concern.
@lesburg
Yeah, had "the talk" with my VMH again this morning about this ride and surprising (not sure why "surprising, she truly is so lovely) she is on board with it and even a bit excited about it. I had spoken to her about it back in December but she had "forgotten" about it.
As for Ted King, hopefully he'll be in France getting ready for Le Tour and not home in NH!!!
@Buck Rogers
I saw the video- those guys were totally cooked when they finished. I think I have ridden something like 2,600kms year to date with about 41,000 meters of vert... I would have to significantly increase my training volume to feel comfortable attempting this one without fear of bonking and ruining the ride for the poor suckers who would have to take care of me (or leave me twitching on the side of the road if I have been a wheel sucker to that point in the ride). That said, very tempting... I'll be in VT the first week of June and will do some scouting...
@Steampunk
Sounds like your VMH and my VMH have the same sense of humor. Although mine added "Are you fucking simple or something?" to the front of it. For the rest of conversation she talked to me like I was Forrest Gump and have an IQ right below that little dashed line on the chart... She will never understand, but she does accept that she doesn't understand after she finishes telling me that I am "in-fucking-sane". I love her.
@Steampunk
"Die" b/c she is going to kill you or b/c the ride will kill you?
@Buck Rogers
Too funny, I told mine I was roadtripping down to the SoCal Cogal. She was enthusiastic, then promptly forgot about it. When I reminded her again 2 weeks out she had no idea what I was talking about.
I have no illusions that I will see the sun rise and the sun set on this ride. I'm thinking 14.5 hours of riding, 16 hours total time. I'm going to get popped off the back quickly, which should give me more time to catch back up.