200 on 100
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.
@roger
@King Clydesdale
North Adams gets my vote as well. Proximity to the pike is a good thing. Haven’t been out that way since a friend of mine graduated from NASC back in the mid ’90s.
@Buck Rogers
I’ll be right there with y’all.
@MJ Moquin
North Adams for me as well. My wife and I thru-hiked the Long Trail in July 1999 and we started at the Canadian Border and finished in Noth Adams. Seems right to finish there on the bike as well!
At least the extra 6.5 kms into North Adams from the border are downhill.
I’m in! Added my info to the spreadsheet.
The details haven’t been totally worked out, but I should be there with an extra sag car that will drive back up north at the end of the ride.
Welcome aboard 2000db! We’ve been doing a bit of behind the scenes communication via email dealing with much of the logistics, and if you don’t find yourself included in those relatively quick let us know here, so I can get you in on it.
Since the email address is buried up above here it is again
2muchon100@gmail.com
Summer is here in Boston today and I’ll be taking a rip right after all this goofy volunteer is over.
@CanuckChuck
OK, I know why the intrepid trio from last summer took a detour towards Newport: it appears that Newport is where route 100 officially starts, at route 105. Do we need add this 16km detour to the route, which is already at 355kms because of the finish in North Adams, making in an even 371kms? Personally, I’m OK with sticking to a more direct route from North to South which focuses on route 100 and is at least 322kms in length.
@CanuckChuck
Fuck that! We start at the border and roll straight to the southern border on Rt 100 as far as I am concerned. It is going to be a pure wallow in the pain cave for the final few hours no matter how she rolls so I would not screw us at the start any more than necessary.
@Buck Rogers
I’m gonna have to go with Buck on this one. Would feel cheap to shorten the route. Especially at the beginning.
Hey y’all
Robs been talking me into this day of pain. I’ll be glad to pull because I’m an idiot. I look forward to meeting you all and sharing this crazy experience.
@Tim
Well if you’re a friend and riding buddy of Rob’s, you’ll probably be able to pull the whole way!
Love to have you along, you know, misery loves company!!! See in just over two months!
@Tim & @Buck Rogers:
Seconded. It occurs to me that hiring the dump truck of awesome might provide some nice drafting shelter…
@Tim
Hey all Tim is a true hardman and a bucket o’ fun to boot – he is going to be a great addition and me thinks the engine that will keep the train going for the last push to Massachusetts.
Youz guyz is nutz, FFS! That’s a pant load of climbing and ass hauling. You will earn your place in the Velominati Hardman’s Hall of Fame for this stunt. I will use all my investigative resources (beer advocate.com) to find the best beer and food for the post-ride recovery session. You will be Gods.
And don’t skimp on the fluffer-nutter sammies. They got Ted King through it.
@Gianni
Gianni you should post up now that you have been tempered in the furnace of Roubaix – Epic – what ever happens! We need your keen mind and wit and it looks like a very smart and fun crew that you would kill if not on the hills then with your rapier like ripostes.
I have been mulling over the most likely scenarios and above mentioned how the night before had elements of the “Shinning” then the first 150k will be “Easy Rider”, the last bit will definitely go towards “One Flew Over the Cookoo’s Nest” and I have a feeling that there will be more than one McMurphy at the end….
@Gianni, @Rob
A handy tool for seeking out post ride recovery drinks and food.
@Tim
Welcome to the madness Tim. Dont feel alone, theres a little bit of idiot in all of us.
Rode 200k’s in the last 24 hours. Rode just over 85k yesterday afternoon in 96 degree heat without shade. Sooo hot here in Texas! Then rode just over 115k this morning with a high of 90 degrees but with some shade on the route. Yeah, I know, doesn’t count as a 200k ride but trying to get some mileage in. Man, I hope that it is not too hot as the heat sucks the life out of me more than the hills!
Going to shoot for 200k straight in two weeks. Now time for some “recovery” drinks!
@Rob
Rob, you smooth talking bastid. My so called keen mind and wit usually disappear around 120km and then I just get less happy until I stop. I’m not man enough, there. I said it.
I’m totally psyched you guys are doing this though. When I first put the 200 on 100 post up I never would have guessed it would lead to this. Silly me. I’ve underestimated the craziness of Buck. You, I would never underestimate.
It’s good to have a serious ride to get fit for. The only way this will be enjoyable is to be very fit going in.
This KT Spring Classics madness made me ride like a beast this winter, not that it helped too much. Still, it was fun training.
Any reason you guys are planning this ride for June 28th? A Thursday? June 23 rd is the date the 200on100.org site is planning?
@Dan
Yeah, less traffic on a weekday. We also looked into joining the group on the 23rd but with the size of our group, and the size of that group, it was a bit large for all the logistics.
Believe it or not, we are up around 15 strong and about 2 months out. Charter and lodging for North Adams, MA will have updates real soon.
@Gianni
It was just wishful thinking that you’d show! You have an excuse being half way around the world not to post up. I had forgotten that you were the instigator – should have realized that you probably planed this just to sit back and watch the show/suffering…
There is no way this will ever be “enjoyable” or at least not after the 250 km mark but it has been an awesome whip cracking inspiration that has made me fitter than all get go – not that that is insurance against my ultimate suffering.
The Keeper’s was awe inspiring and chapeau to all of you for pounding the cobbles and shrinking the climbs, all in April, when no mortal has business being fit.
@roger
Tim and a mate are coming in too – both excellent additions to the roster. I have visions of this grand tour like double pace line eatting up the miles – my only hope is that I am able to sit in!
@roger
15 strong! Nice. If we have to start to double up at the B&B, I call big spoon!
@Rob
Same here, I too hope I am able to sit in.
@CanuckChuck
When did Buck start going by Big Spoon?
So here’s a few numbers to consider:
Ride Start: 5:05
Sunrise: 5:07 (North Troy, VT)
Sunset: 20:36 (North Adams, MA)
Daylight hours: 15.5
Distance: ~358km
Assuming a 10 minute pitstop every 50kms or so, a couple of more substantial 30 minute meal stops, we would need to average 27km/h over the entire distance to finish by sunset in North Adams, MA, 20:30. Riding time: 13:25 hours, total time: 15:30 hours.
@CanuckChuck
@Buck Rogers
HEEEEERE’S Johnny!!!
Would you look at that, seems like a natural fit.
I’ve been off my bike for a couple of weeks by now, waiting for my stupid knee to heal. Everyday I remind myself that I should really be training for this.
@CanuckChuck
Stop? Why would we do that? I’d imagined breaks after each 100k, but I guess we’ll ultimately see when we’re on the road.
@Steampunk
I’m just trying to model what a 13+ day in the saddle might look like and that means in terms of pace to finish with some daylight left. Obviously, number and duration of stops are TBD.
@2000dB
Hope that gets better soon? Overtraining or mechanics and will you be good for the distance/hills?
@Steampunk
@CanuckChuck
It seemed from the video that the opportunity for stops are thin on the ground so that may determine the schedule? And warning the last time I pushed someone doing that was the last time I do that!
@Rob
It’s a bit of a random injury that didn’t even happen while riding but evolved into a tendonitis.
I have very little pain left so I might go and start testing it on the rollers today.
@Steampunk
Yeah, I’m with Steamy on this one. Breaks every 100k, but no mnore than a few minutes, 15 at most and then only the three times. The longer you sit around, the more you cramp up and lose the rhythm.
@itburns
Damn, itburns! I thought that we had agreed not to mention that after the Austin Cogal!!!
@CanuckChuck
Sunrise is supposed to be V after V that day. Also one of the reasons that isd our start day, so, we have an extra two minutes of daylight going for us.
@2000dB
Yeah, I have a bit of knee pain as well. Came back too strongly after the month off the bike when I rode the 200k in the 24 hours. Still riding but keeping an eye on it. Should be okay by the end of June, though.
Well I just put Brian on the spreadsheet. He doesn’t offer much wind block but he’s great fun. And plenty fit. He needs the mileage for an ultra ironman in September .
@Buck Rogers
Bingo. It will be nice to get out of the saddle to fuel up, but too much time off will lead to stiffness and cramping…
So Tim, Brian and I just had a small dry run – 130 km, 2000+ meters, 3 big climbs and smaller for a tough ride on a beautiful day. Brian finished with the big boys in 3:40, Tim was close, 3:50 and I limped home in 4:08. In my defense or excuses, excuses I was on a 1983 Ish Bianchi made steel old girl friend but she has old school gears that made me a bit sluggish. Tim by the by is on some new wonder bike with, wait for it… electric (OMFG) shiters.
This was a new Grand Fondo in the Bershires and before the climb started I had the real pleasure of having a quick chat in the peloton with Eric Zabel, who posted up to help John Eustice (discussed elsewhere in a past article). He was a sincerely nice guy and although I do not easily get “star” fever it was just neat to say hi on the bike and meet and see the man ride – effortless grace.
So here’s the point of posting this, there are roughly 7 1/2 weeks to 2 much on 100 and I am planning a flat 210 fast ride on Long Island on the 3rd of June plus long rides before that. Then I think just short rides up to the weekend before and rest or small ring rides for the last 3 days. What are others doing and how is it going?
One last thing was that today I got in a group that was not working well and it added to the work load. Hopefully we will be a well oiled 2 up paceline that embodies casually deliberate for steady and productive progress?
You learn a lot about other riders when in a paceline. Fingers crossed you are two tidy parallel lines of awesome. Working together makes a good day on the bike even better.
@girl
True and your form is laid bare too!
Paceline: yes. But I envision an awkward first hour as we find a collective rhythm.
I’m finally starting to build. I’m looking at a 100k solo ride on Thursday, and adding distance over the next couple of weeks. The Ontario Cogal is May 27; 202km with some tough climbing. Thereafter, just lots of riding.
@Steampunk
…which is to say I’m resigned to riding myself into form as we roll through Vermont…
@Buck Rogers
I was just going from what Wolfram Alpha returned when I queried it. I would think we would start at V past V regardless of the official Sunrise.
So with a revised stopping schedule of 1 hour off the bike over the course of the day, we need to ride at an average pace of 25km/h to finish during daily hours (a pace of 26.4km/h gives us a hour of daytime to spare). Maybe I won’t need to buy a 300 lumens light after all.
@Rob
Similarly, I plan to do a flat 210km on June 3rd, followed by 80 the next day. That will be my longest weekend. Other weekends, I’m alternating between rolling 100kms and climbing 100kms (~2,000m). I’m going to top it off with 160km with 3,750m the weekend before (had already committed to that event before the Cogal) and then pray that I can recover in time for VT.
@Rob
Damn, those are some strong times. But if I understand it correctly, this was a large pack ride? Was this a GranFondo event? That always throws things off for times. I can average around 29 to 32 kph solo over varied terrain with some climbing normally but in a race we’ll be at least 8 to 12 kph faster with the pack. Still, they sound like the van guard of the ride to me!
@CanuckChuck
I hope to do a long ride this Thursday (The Leakey Death Challenge Ride–172 K’s in the Hill Country with a supposed SHIT-TON of climbing, to paraphrase my Best Bike Rides–Texas book) but they are predicting flash floods with massive thunder and lightning storms here all day Thrusday. But, then again, I rode to work today and they are predicting the same today. I am good with riding in the rain but the flash floods/lightening stuff does intimidate me a bit.
After that will be steady rides of probably no more than 100k in length and then the 210k Paris-Roubaix Cyclo on June 10th and then massive taper until the actual ride on the 28th.
Good news is that the knees are feeling better but now I have tweaked my right calf a bit. But, this is par for the course with me. I swear that I always become a hypochondriac whenever training for a big event and then things turn out fine.
I’m following this thread with interest.
It reminds me of a joke by Steven Wright;
‘Everywhere is within walking distance. If you have the time’
The average of 26.4km/h sounds acheivable with the climbing and distance taken into account. Good luck to those taking part.
@CanuckChuck & @Buck Rogers:
I should preface what follows by saying that I have never ridden this far in a single day before, but I can roll happily and comfortably on uneven terrain at 25kph for 6+ hours. Like Buck, I’ll typically average ~30kph on solo rides and not be at my limit. To wit, I’m less concerned about the pace than I am the time/distance. If the group is fairly well-coordinated, I would imagine that 27-30kph wouldn’t be out of the question at all.
BFGs feeling good. Weight and power are where I want them, and I seem to be climbing well for my weight. But I haven’t had the opportunity to really test my legs on a longer ride in quite some time. Hoping to fit in some 100-150km solo rides over the next couple of weeks. The real acid test will be my form at the Ontario Cogal, but I’m hoping to be able to push both pace and distance in the interim.
Ladies, I need to know what time you can be at North Adams on Wednesday to catch the bus. Thank you men.
@CanuckChuck
@Buck Rogers
Sounds like reasonable training for the insanity. I’m simply planning on getting up as early as I can and riding as much as I can for as long as I can. Daily. Not sure it’ll be enough, but it’s my best shot.
@roger
What’s your preference? I’m shuttling a few peeps up to the finish on Wednesday, and I suspect that we can be there when we need to be there. Is the bus/van big enough for all + bikes (except @xyxax, whose bike will have to be towed up north, naturally)? That is, do you foresee one trip to the start, or more than one?
It is a big yellow schoolbus, just like the one that picks up your children, so room wont be an issue. Cant say it wont smell like piss and vomit, however