Riding the Nor’easter

More like pushing against the nor’easter

This past weekend was another tough weekend for RAAM training. Winter took off the months of December and January but has decided to fully participate in February and March.

I had three consecutive 14 hour rides planned for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, a late season nor’easter blew in Friday night and dumped 12-14 inches of new snow. I was just finishing up my first 14 hour ride when it started to snow a strange mix of snow, sleet and ice that was unrideable. Within an hour the road was a slippery mess.

After falling for the second time, I decided to call Lisa for a rescue. I really didn’t want to call, mainly because I didn’t want her to have to drive out and get me. I had already seen two cars off the road and felt really guilty about asking her to come out during the storm. If something happed to her or the kids I would feel horrible. I finished up the day with 90 minutes on the trainer.

Reluctantly, I took Saturday off. Competing with the cars for a few inches of road is difficult enough when the roads are clear, give them a good covering of fresh snow and the competition could become deadly. I made up the missed ride on Monday, and hope that the added intensity/speed from being rested will make up for the gap in the spacing.

Even with the new snow I saw the first real sign of spring. No, it wasn’t a bright red robin in a tree or flowers sprouting from the ground; it was a winter starved skunk standing in the middle of the road at 4:15 am feasting on some unfortunate victim of a hit-and-run. I had just enough time to dart to the other side of the road and pray they he didn’t feel the need to spray.

I did make it up to the White Mountains and over Gonzo’s pass all three days. I have been hoping to ride the loop and hit all five gaps, but it occured to me that Bear Notch isn’t open during the winter. That little oversight could have added a big loop of bonus miles to my ride.

I think I am running out to things to say to myself during these rides; my internal dialogue has been reduced to lines from old movies. I spent at least an hour mulling over a line from Spinal Tap, “Our amps are better mate, they go all the way to 11, 11 is better than 10.” And in the movie Zulu, the Welch solders start singing Men of Harlech to counter the chants of the Zulu warriors.

“Men of Harlech onto glory

This shall ever be your story

Keep these burning words before ye

Welshmen will not yield”

This chorus (or some mumbled version as I didn’t remember all the word) looped through my head for a good two hours. A warning to the crew, if I start singing this song during RAAM, I may be preparing for a Zulu charge.

All in all it was a successful training weekend. I completed all my scheduled rides and my legs felt good. Unfortunately, I think I got a sinus infection from the road salt. On Sunday the roads had dried and they were covered with a fine white coating of salt, and every time a car or truck would drive by, they would kick up a big cloud of salt dust. At the end of the ride my sinuses were on fire.

We have TW07 gear on the website. If you’re interested in ordering go to http://teamwalker07.com/gear.htm. We will only be taking orders for a couple of weeks (and there won’t be a second order), so don’t wait if you would like some TW07 gear.

To date we have raised just over $5,000 for Special Olympics New Hampshire. To donate go here http://www.firstgiving.com/TEAMWALKER07

Return to: http://teamwalker07.com/

All Signs Say it's Still Winter in NH

(Thank You Sir, May I Have Another!!!)

This past weekend was another of my long training weekends. My plan was to ride on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I had a total of 38 hours planned for the three days, but an early winter storm rolled in on Friday and covered the roads with 8-10 inches of fresh snow. I decided to push my schedule forward by one day, riding instead on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. (I rode a 13, 13 and a 12)

I was also going to try and meet up with John Jurczynski, the cyclist from Holderness who is also doing RAAM this year. But the roads were pretty slick all weekend, so I decided to use my cross bike instead of my road bike and keep my loops a little closer to home.

(Top of Gonzo's Pass, Day 3)

I did make it up to the Whites on Monday. I rode up to Lincoln and then climbed up over Gonzo’s pass. How many cross bikes do you think have made that trip? My mind is a little foggy (38 hours in the saddle will do that to you) but here are a few incidents that I do remember:

-Even with the cross bike, I managed to crash once. On Saturday morning I was riding on back roads to limit the odds of getting run over by drivers maneuvering thru the fresh snow. At 5 in the morning, the snow covering the dirt roads was firm and great for riding, but by 11, it had warmed up and the once hard riding surface turned into a slippery mess. I skidded in the loose snow and fell off the bike, landing with a roll that could get me a job on The Fall Guy. No real damage to me but I did break my good Lume Light (hope it’s just the bulb.)



- I was riding up North Rd, which is a dirt road that runs from Warner to Sutton. A Lexus SUV with Rhode Island plates was coming the other way; it stopped and the driver leaned out the window and asked “Is this Route 100?” North Road is a fine dirt road as dirt roads go, but it’s still a dirt road so I’m not sure how he thought it was a state highway. I couldn’t even think of a Route 100 anywhere in the area, so I asked him, “Where are you trying to go?” He replied “Stowe.” To which I asked “VERMONT?” I told him how to get back to the interstate, and it wasn’t until he left that I realized I had missed my first and only opportunity for a real Bert and I moment. Instead of giving him directions, I should have simply said “Oh, you can’t git tha from he’ah.”

(That's why I ride. Like my new wheel set in the backgroud (low spoke count)?)

- On Monday evening, I was 37 hours and 40 minutes into a 38 hour planned workout, 20 more minutes of peddling I would be home. A pickup trucked passed me, and then pulled to the side of the road. I watched as the driver got out, came to the back of the truck and watched me approach. I thought here comes another confrontation with an irate driver. He asked me “are you from Salisbury?” I stopped and told him I was. He then asked me if I was that guy doing that big race. Apparently he had heard the story on NHPR and figured I must be the guy. He wished me good luck and told me to “give em hell.” I rode the rest of the way home with a smile on my face.

- I got home at the end of day one, rode up to the side door of my house and stopped. Unfortunately, my left foot wouldn’t clip out and I fell over and landed in the snow.

I have decided to go to Alabama at the end of the month to race in the Heart of the South 500. It will be another good test of my fitness and it will be a good opportunity for some of my RAAM crew to get some practice. Terry, Dave, and Brian G are coming down to crew. Thanks guys.

In two weeks it will be triple 14 hour rides.

Return to: http://teamwalker07.com/