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
Yeah, but I live in south Texas which is as flat as a pancake and I do not have to worry about riding in snow! You'll be fine, esp as you have hills and if you start hitting 300k/week, you'll rock. I will never be doing more than 200k/week with my work and family committments.
@CanuckChuck
Woops. It's there now. Thanks. So is Shropshire and Ontario.
@frank
Thanks Frank!
@Buck Rogers
This has been a pretty special year for me. I go back to teaching in September, and I fear that might eat into my riding time. Still, I've learned that if I can finagle my teaching schedule, I can leave a long morning or two open for riding.
Bike now primed for this, too. Just upgraded all components, new bars and tape, and the new wheels look sweet. If I were a weight weenie, I'd be boasting about how I shaved roughly 1kg off the bike, but I'm not so I won't. Just need to make sure the engine is set for the longer effort.
this is looking more and more enticing, but the idea of doing TEN 30kph hours makes my hands sweat a bit. That is a lot of fucking riding!
@Anjin-san
It is that! I hate to be a naysayer but I have been wondering about this ride for a good while now. I don't know if people know what they are biting off here. I think it would have been smarter to do a hundred each days over two days. And that's still some riding.
Good luck though chaps I hope my fears prove to be groundless.
@Anjin-san
Just think of all the time your descending.
@RedRanger
...and then climbing again.
@paolo
Thinking about the consequences? No way. Rule 5 will get us to the finish! (Or the SAG wagon, we thought ahead)
@Anjin-san
I don't know about 10 hours. I'm thinking it might end up more like 12, and I think everyone will be ok with that. We have the daylight, we might as well use it.
@paolo
Ah, but what would be the fun in that? If I knew this would be easy, what would be the point in driving all that way to do it? No: it's the challenge, the suffering, and the camaraderie built on the road that I'm looking forward to.