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Rapha 10,000 Gravel Ride
Last Post 06/02/2022 12:21 PM by Cosmic Kid. 13 Replies.
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Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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05/30/2022 08:20 AM
So Rapaha put on a gravel ride out in Stockton, IL (close to the Iowa border)….needing some long gravel miles (and more importantly, hills) I drove out for it. Plan was to simply work on my pacing and nutrition and not “race” (even though it WS technically not a race, we all know it would be🤪)

Best laid plans and all that….4 miles in we come down into a gulley to what was clearly gonna be stream crossing. They had warned us that there was a section of babyhead gravel and I knew this was gonna be it….I back off to give myself room and sure enough, it was carnage. Guys hitting the deck, flats all over, etc. one woman had to go to the ER for stitches.

I get through it unscathed, give it a little gas up out the gulley to close the gaps that had opened and we are then just riding easy, waiting for everyone to get back on….one guy I ride with was there but the buddy he came out with ride up and said he had a flat, so they stopped. Next thing you know, there are only 5 of us at the front with a huge gap….we’ll schitt. I did NOT want to be there!! But I kinda had no choice so off we went. Just told them to roll steady, not kill it and if anyone catches back on, they catch back on.

So we are rolling pretty steady, but I can tell these guys have more watts on the climbs than I do….sure enough, an hour into the ride (73 miles total) I get dispatched on a road climb with a pretty steep beginning.

Now it is windy AF (20mph winds) and I am stuck in no man’s land with 55 miles in front of me. Rather than just revert to my original plan to proper pacing, I tried to keep it rolling at a decent pace. Big mistake. Really suffered from about mile 25-40. One guy passes me before the water stop at mile 35 and there was no chance I was getting on his wheel…he was riding really strong. A few more guys ride past the water stop while I am there, as well.

Get going again and start to feel a bit better after a few more miles and a short tailwind section. Pick off most of the guys who passed me at the water stop….but damn the wind just wouldn’t stop. Was pretty much a head or crosswind the entire day. Between that and the climbs it just wore me down.

Go though a town at mile 50…shoulda stopped for a coke, but I pushed on. Paid for it in the last 10 miles or so, but I had a big enough gap on those behind me that no one caught me.

Long day…73 miles, 5600 feet of climbing, 50/50 gravel-asphalt. But a really fun ride and nice to get some actual hills in. The Climber feature on the Hammerhead computer is pretty cool….

Now need to work on some VO2 max efforts and drop a few more lbs…I have about 4 lbs that I just can’t get rid of and I felt it yesterday.

Next up is a 100 mile gravel ride outside of Indianapolis in about 3 weeks…more climbing ahead!!
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
huckleberry

Posts:824

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05/30/2022 11:59 AM
"Shhh. Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits..." E. Fudd

And alas, the unintentional hunter becomes the hunted ; )
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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05/31/2022 09:06 AM
Nicely done!! That gravel speed is way beyond me.

But hills? I give you “hills: https://strava.app.link/Oeu66rqOtqb

For my ride, I was done in for with 95 kms to go. The rest was pulled out of magic hat. The only people I talked to were ferryman and a rancher (who asked about the ferry). The Strava segment for the “BIG” climb out of ferry has 8 people on it, there’s a reason for that. I am top 8 LoL. When you don’t know if you’re going to come out the other end, those are best rides.
Habanero

Posts:257

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05/31/2022 01:01 PM
Nice job CK! That sounds both painful and fun which I like. Regarding "group rides" Smudge is on point!
Dale

Posts:1767

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05/31/2022 08:09 PM
But hills? I give you “hills:


I saw that on FB That's an idiotic amount of climb. Well done!
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/01/2022 09:11 AM
That's an idiotic amount of climb.


Agreed...that was insane! Nice job, OC.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
Habanero

Posts:257

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06/01/2022 01:17 PM
OC - that would have crushed me! Nice job!!
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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06/01/2022 11:24 PM
Thanks guys. And yes, idiotic is right Dale.

Grand Canyon has nothing on Fraser Canyon. OK, more tourists and better treats.

Today was much saner but equally spectacular. Good thing cause legs were still sapped: https://strava.app.link/4JgP2C6swqb

What we still need to establish though is whether CK used his handlebar bag. Or his aero bars. Or both?!
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/02/2022 07:17 AM
What we still need to establish though is whether CK used his handlebar bag. Or his aero bars. Or both?!


Neither….but I did use my top tube bag.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
Dale

Posts:1767

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06/02/2022 08:05 AM
Fanny pack... we need to know if a fanny pack was involved.
Dale

Posts:1767

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06/02/2022 08:13 AM
Today was much saner but equally spectacular.https://strava.app.link/4JgP2C6swqb


This is listed on Strava in miles and feet... inexcusable
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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06/02/2022 09:40 AM
That’s your own settings Dale. I see CKs rides in kms and meters.
Dale

Posts:1767

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06/02/2022 10:00 AM
That's weird. Last time I pulled up your ride it showed in proper cycling units.
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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06/02/2022 12:21 PM
Fanny pack... we need to know if a fanny pack was involved.


Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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