Training Log Archive: igoup

"Pike's Peak - the most epic climb in the US"
https://pjammcycling.com/climb/11.Pikes-Peak

* Total time = 7hr 12min, including all breaks long and short.
* Total moving time = 4:44:31
* Strava Manitou to PP = 5:13:23, which includes all stops. I'll take the time due to my many little breaks and even my stops at Crystal Res and Glenn Cove. However, I don't think I should have to take credit for the ~25min wait at the tollbooth.
* Stava Pikes Gateway to Summit = 4:07:54. That's a fair representation of my effort. However, if I subtract my long breaks at Cyrstal Res, Glen Cove and Devel's Playground I could subtract about 40min. However, those were useful breaks. However, however, if I did subtract those 40min then my time seems fairly respectable on the old guy leader board. Whatever. The KOM is ~1:38 by Hammish Bond, who coincidentally is a multi-Olympic gold medalist rower from New Zealand. He's 5min ahead of the next guy. Only 22 under 2 hours.

* Started riding at 0620 arriving at the tollboth around 0712 and got in line. Got started around 0740 I would guess. The other big "non-riding" break was a flat on the way down at approx the 11.5mi mark. A bit of a slice tire so I used a boot to cover it and replaced the tube; had a hell of a time getting the tire back on. Probably took 20min.

* Pass two fleets of downhill tourists. They haul big heavy mountain bikes to the top and folks get to cruise down for a while. I don't think they go all the way to the bottom. I got some encouragement from the second group..

* In and out of Manitou Springs and Rt. 24: The storms last night left a lot of big rocks stones and gravel in the road. Rt 24 is nutty. It is often right up against cliffs leaving blinding turns with zero shoulder such that I was a sitting duck for early morning traffic. I tried to hustle through those sections or wait until traffic passed. I wouldn't want to ride this at anything but an early hour. On the other hand, it was blazing fast on the way down and I hit 81kph. Tough to enjoy while having to be super attentive to traffic; I was glad to exit into town.

* At the gate I was told the road was closed at the 13mi mark due to all the debris and snow from last night. However, I was hopeful by the time I got there it would be cleared. On the way up I saw a road cleaner machine brushing and the shuttle buses going up so that was a good sign. Turns out the mile 16 Devil's Thumb lot was a muddy mess so all buses were leaving from mi 13 Glenn Cove. Anyway, by the time I got to Glen Cove the road was open and so I go up.

* I took short breaks at mi 6 Crystal Reservoir and mi 13 Glen Cove purchasing 1 bottle of H20 at the former and 2 at the latter. Also just rested a bit.

* Traffic going up was pretty mellow. I never felt under any stress. Vehicles would come in groups but then I would be alone for a good amount of time. Everyone was very respectful as well and I occasionally got some encouragement.

* It's uphill from soon at the traffic circle in Manitou Springs. Based on the climb up to Wolf Creek I wanted to keep my HR down and was able to keep it in the 140s pretty much up to Glen Cove. Steep sections would raise it but I'd take a break, recover, and keep going. I wasn't in any hurry and did not want to have pooping-out issues later on. My first glimpse of the peak saw everything above treeline dusted in white; I thought, "Oh boy! I hope I get to go up there!" but also, "Oh, boy, oh, shit, that's a long way." Took my short break and Crystal Res and got back going. Kept at it until Glen Cove just keeping my HR under control and reminding myself to look around. Only 6 more miles to go but I knew this was really the start of the seriousness. Brutal switchback from 13 to 16. There was no way to keep my HR out of the 150s so the new goal was to keep it less than 160. Had to stop on a lot of the turns to catch my breath. Instead of just being bent over the bars I tried to use those moments to look around and enjoy the views. Right to left came with a tailwind and left to right with a headwind. The latter was less fun. Had a few times where one or the other would cramp on the inner thigh but they didn't persist. Between the breeze, no trees and snow, I was getting a bit chilly at times. Worked on staying positive, picking a turn or spot to ride to, and I told myself that if I made it to mi 16 Devil's Playground then one way or the other I would get myself up to the top, even if it had to be 100m at a time. Finally I rolled up to the deserted parking lot that was filled with so much activity yesterday. I pulled out a jack and hat and took some pictures of the snow. There is a relatively gentile section before the final 2 mi push to the top. I didn't have much left in the tank but I knew I get up there. I count 15 breaks separated by what felt like repeated wind sprints.

* At the top and after some recouping, I chatted with a guy who had hiked up. He offered to take my photo in front of the summit sign and I received some cheers from the folks in line to get in the visitor's center. Walked out to where the crowds were less, put on my long sleeve shirt, jacket, hat, and full gloves. Had a bar and some drink then got going.

* Coming down was a blast. Looking ahead to a turn and seeing only sky behind it was super exhilarating. "Wooo hooo!!" inducing. I couldn't get up too much speed due to all the switchbacks but I got going fast enough to accelerate, brake, swing around the turn, repeat, repeat. Looking down to upcoming turns also got some "Wooo hooos!" Passed some pokey cars a couple of times. Other times I got stuck behind vehicles and tried to remind myself to use the opportunity to enjoy the views. At Glen Cove I made the car brake temp lady measure my rims. At first she thought I was joking and just sort of waved the temp gun at my wheels but I made her precisely aim it at my rims. Only 110F; I was hoping for higher.

* The couple of small short hills on the way down. They almost killed me. I was so tired my legs had no more up. I had to stop getting out of Crystal Reservoir and eat or I thought I might tip over.

* I'm not really the best climber and didn't set any speed records. Nevertheless, I seem to enjoy the challenge of these climbs. I don't think I could prepare much better without getting really OCD (e.g. long stretches on a trainer with high load). Best thing would be to move to the mountains, which is a much more attractive goal.

* All and all, I enjoyed the challenge, it was a great experience, and both the ups and downs were exfiltrating in their own ways. I'm very happy with the whole adventure.

ps: No beans were had during this climb. However, beans were present in my prre-ride samosa and chicken curry at Babu's.
pps: Typos will be fixed later or never. I'm back in Dallas and tired.

Scenic 4 hr drive from Creede to Manitou Springs. Ate lunch at the Sahara Cafe. Started my recon of the route from the traffic circle. About a 10k to the PP gate. Drove up the the 16mi mark and parked. A new summit lodge is under construction and so the only way to the top is via shuttle. They did a decent job of not cramming the vans to honor SocD. It's a messy and dusty construction site at the top but it is still easy to find places to enjoy the views. There was a line to get in the old summit building because people have to have the PP donuts and whatnot. I skipped that. Back at the shuttle stop I walked out to the Devil's Playground rocks, took in the view and looked back up to the top. It's fair to say I was and am feeling a little intimidated. There were clouds around but I didn't think much of it. Back at the 13mi mark there were park employees measuring brake temps. Mine were at 266 and the guy said best gear down because reaching 300 is not good. I hadn't thought I was braking all that much. The rest of the way I used my paddle shifters to use the engine to help with braking; I've had the car for 9+ years and I think this is the first time I've used them. A little while later it started raining and then pouring. Checked into the hotel and got everything ready for the morning including cleaning and lubing the Cervelo. Ate dinner at Babu's Indiaan & Napali restaurant getting everything spiced at level 1 out of 5. It is now 2000 and it has alternated between rain, pouring rain and dime sized hail since. It is supposed to clear up over night; fingers crossed. There is a slight chance for rain and snow at the peak tomorrow afternoon; I hope I'm up and down by whenever it decides to do that.

Gear: Regular riding kit with my short sleeve Bryne as a base. Pack with hat, full finger gloves, booties, tights, long sleeve shirt, jacket.. 3 bottles one in the pack... assorted bars and blocks... extra tube and hand pump. The latter because I have no idea how CO2 cartridges might behave at high altitude.

Another nice ride up at Rio Grande Reservoir. I would have like to go farther up the valley but I compromised with Sam. He dropped me off and went down lower. I climbed and then bombed down. Met up with Sam for a bit then he got back in the car and I kept bombing all the way back to the main road. Fun. I'm antsy to do a bit more riding and exploring on my own though. I'd like to get farther and higher. Maybe next year.

Easy ride mostly taking photos. A substitute for rest day.

Not the ride I had planned but it worked out great. We parked at Love Lake not know what the roads we be like. We started climbing on 523, which was very bumpy and rocky. It was a bit too much for Sam so he went back to the car and headed off for an alternative route. I had already planned to ride all the way beck home so this was fine.

Just kept spinning and bouncing my way up and diverted to FS 524 to its end. I chatted with an older couple who had passed me in there truck. They were from Alamosa and going for a hike.

Went back down to the intersection and decided to continue up 523 a bit. As sometimes happens I can looking around the next turn for the end that kept postponing itself until I topped out at 11.5k ft.

Now the long dive bomb home with was a bit gnarly at times due to all the rocks. When I got to Love Lake there were now 3 ATVs and a few other trucks; people up relaxing and fishing. The way they watched me go by I don't think they were expecting a bike to be coming from higher up. The section from Love Lake down to Sayer Ranch was smother, twisty, and through a forest fo aspen; this was the most fun downhill part and I had fun with little slides around the turns.

After that it was the slight downhill ride back to Wason Ranch. I missed when power squeezing a gel into my mouth and it went all over my arm, leg and bike. Gels and bikes do not go well together.

That was longer and harder than I had planned but it was great. However, I'm going to have to start being a little more conservative and resting my legs.

After lunch Sam and I rehung a gate heading into a pasture and cleared beaver debris from a little culvert. Apparently, the beaver is not satisfied with the half dozen little ponds that are already there and wants to enlarge one of them. Par for the course though these days; everyone is up sizing homes, vehicles, RVs, etc.