RAMROD 2015
Last Post 08/09/2015 09:11 AM by Nicholas Arenella. 9 Replies.
Author Messages
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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07/31/2015 02:37 PM
Did the RAMROD, Ride Around Mt Rainier in One Day 148 mile ride yesterday (239kms). An absolutely recommended ride, stunning scenery and very well organized.

Got up a 3am, then did the ride day breakfast put on by local Lion's club at 4am. Ride start 5 am sharp, still in dark and cool with some fog on the meadows.

Caught a reasonably fast paceline from the start, then after first food stop (scones) I ended up in an even faster group that was ramping up to racing speed headed for Mt. Rainier Park entrance. As we were getting onto false flat ramps leading up first climb I realized pace was too high and I was about to blow so I let go of group and started riding my own pace. As climb stiffened for the final 12 mile ascent to Inspiration Point I started picking off some guys again that I had to let go, one was completely done at a pullout, another walking to water stop mentioned that his legs were just all twitching weirdly.

At Inspiration Point stocked up sufficiently to make it across the next two climbs. Backbone ridge was quick and followed by a fun descent. Then final climb of day up Cayuse pass which is around Mile 100. Started upping the pace again and caught a handful of riders who were suffering in what was by then brutal heat.

Following the pass dropped down to the final stop where about a dozen of us had a nice social with lots of fruit, coke. sandwiches and cookies. That group decided to ride paceline back to finish for the final brutal 30 miles of headwind, chip seal and rumble strips. But after about 7 or so miles some nitwit completely blew up the paceline. Lucky enough to catch another guy and we rode duo 2 minute pulls each for the remaining part home. By this time I started cursing the combination of chip seal and Armadillo tires, I can handle one but not both, lethal combo. My throat also started to get sore from breathing hot dry air. Water bottles started to empty quickly so you know your core temperature is heading up. Past another guy from that initial paceline who was weaving all over one of the rollers.

Fun descent down Mud Mountain dam and then started dying on the 5 miles to finish which came just in time. 9hrs 45 minutes for the 148 miles so 15.2MPH or 24.3 KPH including breaktime. Got back just before 3pm.

With the fast pace we had shade on most of the climbs but gotta feel sorry for the riders that were out there mid to late afternoon in what was brutal heat. By that time I was sitting in my car, AC and music on full blast snailing my way through Seattle traffic back to Vancouver with a big grin on my face.

Could I have done this 7 days in a row as someone asked and which is something I'll have to do for Haute Route Alps (3 major climbs per day)? Sure, feeling pretty fresh today (rode into work) and of course I'll be riding a heck of a lot easier there than I did yesterday. As Magnus Backsted, one the the Haute Route ambassadors put it, there are no hard climbs, just hard gears. I've been learning a lot this summer about spinning your way out of trouble and keeping a good pace doing so.
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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08/01/2015 01:09 AM
Good work! I've known about that ride forever but never considered doing it. Maybe I will. But at 63 years old or more, I will have to be prepared. And I won't do it if it is going to be this hot. (Doing it in your time to beat the sun? Not a good idea.

Ben
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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08/01/2015 10:38 AM
Hi Ben - plenty of superfit guys and gals your age there but yes it does require training. I was lucky enough to get in lottery this year given that I was already training for Haute Route. Just had to divert a bit to somewhat longer rides over last two weeks.

Let's see if I can refind photo posting skills.

[URL=http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/Jos_Beckers/media/Rainier_0015_zps4d1tsl97.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/Jos_Beckers/media/rainier_0018_zpslqfh4xu0.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/Jos_Beckers/media/rainierpano_zpslgh0hldi.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/Jos_Beckers/media/rainier_0025_zpsciikgbmg.jpg.html][/URL]
longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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08/01/2015 04:02 PM
Great ride report, thanks.
ChinookPass

Posts:809

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08/05/2015 12:04 PM
Well done! That's a funny story about being in a fast group and seeing guys blow on the first big climb.

Cayuse is always a furnace and tempting to stop under one of those waterfalls (which may not have been running this year due to low snow year).

Despite what Maggy says though I'm sure you know that the roads around Rainier are just little ramps compared to the Alps.

Represent us well, OC.

Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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08/05/2015 01:25 PM
Chinook - yup, these topped out at 6%, my local 12.5k training hill averages 7.5% and peaks at 10% which is much closer to Alps. Hill repeats Friday...boring as hell. But I leave in a bit over a week, finally...

No waterfalls on Cayuse...bone dry.
longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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08/05/2015 09:16 PM
I (we) hope you will share some pics from your upcoming epic, as well as your consistently well written prose.
Unsolicited advice from LSD: start slow, finish strong!
thinline

Posts:323

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08/07/2015 09:15 AM
Well done, sir! Best of luck in the Alps. Looking forward to the report.
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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08/07/2015 06:34 PM
Thanks for all the well wishes. The Alps will be the torture session of a lifetime, that's for sure, it'lll be slow all the way; I'll be a Trabant amongst Ferraris. Making the daily time cut offs is the mission.

Report will likely be sometime September after I return. Photo's...we'll see, they may be blurry or none at all. Funny, during RAMROD I inadvertently put a scone in same pocket as camera which ended up being covered in crumbs. So as I was trying to take photos on the fly I kept having to fight crumbs on the lens while riding. It also has been covered in energy bar smudge on other rides. But it's faring better than the blackberry which was out of commission for a week after succumbing to the effects of too much sweat entering the motherboard.

Todays training ride was funny...as I was going up and down Mt Seymour I kept seeing this other guy who was doing the exact same thing. Not the only crazy one out there.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9671051
Nick A

Posts:625

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08/09/2015 09:11 AM
Way to go OC!!

Lately, I've been trying to get some decent miles in. In the last week, two 50's and a 40...but nothing like that!

Nick


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