Stage 5 - Wheeler pass
WHEELER!
Well, I woke up and actually felt great! First night getting sleep and only up once to go pee. I have probably had about 3-4hrs of sleep all other nights. Wanted to rip this hardest day and legs felt ready to go.
My original intentions were to slam a big July, RACE tour de big bear and just get through the Epic so I can get home and race after absorbing it. I had a great day in Big Bear and I kept planning on a "ride training camp" for the Epic but its also fun to try and get to the front...and dig into a little debt. Every time I start to get a way from that original intention the Lord gives me a gentle reminder....
No flats today but crashed twice. We started in TT waves and I let it rip from the start. Within the first 3min I rode through the two groups that left before us. Not really killing myself but prepping for the gnarly 6 mile climb ahead. I looked down at 5min in and thought this is going to be my day...dreaming agin. 9min in I stood to get aways from the next group I passed and my left pedal must have sunk with the shock or something but it caught a rock and I slapped the ground before I knew what happened. My knee took the blunt and my quad was smashed. Entire leg numb and I just sat for a second. Wow. ok. Rolled easy trying to see if I could still ride to the first aid. Sat back and just realized "the race" I was there for... The experience I will never forget and why this "Epic" means so much to me on the climb up Wheeler. The motivation, meaning and entirety as clear as crystal on the climb. Amazing.
Gave pushes, took pics and encouraged everyone I could. Loving it. Wheeler is no joke! The second climb felt like we were climbing right out of some scene from Lord of the Rings.
Ripped the decent without worry of a flat. Noticed my rear "overflating" and the finesse. Learning! When I hit a nice flat section in the trees my left pedal caught another stump. Mile 20 at about 20mph. That hurt. Clipped my legs as I went over the bars and landed on my right hip and side sliding down the trail. Thankfully it was a clear dirt section with no rocks or roots. Amazing for that trail. My pockets emptied all over the trails and me and my upside-down bike all over the trail. I had the wind knocked out of me and was more amazed that the same 3 d-bags rode right around me and my stuff without saying a word. Back of the back racers...?!? Knocked the wind out of myself pretty bad and all my fluids leaked out so pretty faded the rest of the ride just trying to get in.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1138663967