CycliStats - Rides Report

CycliStats™ - Rides Report

Gary German

(All Bikes)

To:

BTC - Day 1.  Colorado Springs to Evergreen.
Started at 7:15, finished at 12 noon.  Tough
ride, due to 3 hard climbs, and the heat (95 or
so).  Had some problems with leg cramps for
the last climb, but worked them out OK.
Rode with Fred Collins (Breckinridge), and
Rick (near Dallas), and Jarrett (NJ).  New
personal best for top speed....going down to
the 2nd rest stop.  Overheard a guy from
Jersey talking to his girlfriend after the ride,
describing the sounds of the Rockies..."it was,
like, totally quiet...no birds, just the sounds of
your bike...it was amazing."  Guess he'd
never heard a "silent" natural world before.

BTC - Day 2.  Evergreen to Idaho Springs, via
Mt. Evans.  Epic climb up Mt. Evans.  Left at 6
am, summited at 12 noon, in camp at 2 pm.
Had all the signs of hypoxia above 13,000
feet (dizziness, muddled thinking, upset
stomach, tingling in finger tips and lips).  But, I
made it!  Smart strategy for the ride - left
early, smart about food and water.  Above
13,000, stopped every mileor so for pics, and
water.  Kept within my zone (around 132) all
day.  Big question in camp..."did you make
it?"  Heard there were snow flurries on top
after I left around 12:30.  I had rain for the last
4 miles, but this was after the technical
descent.  Risked a lot, by raising my seat
about 1/8" about 10 miles into the ride.
Seemed to help with climbing.  Saw two cell
phone Barbies on the approach to Mt. Evans.
One was talking on a cell phone by the
roadside..."yeah, we're riding out bikes up Mt.
Evans...yeah, right now...no, really!".
Incredible.

BTC - Day 3.  Idaho Springs to Frisco.  First
13 miles, easy.  Then 5 miles on I-70
(yuuuck!).  Climbed Hwy 6 over Loveland
Pass.  Very beautiful alpine scenery.  Got
good pics.  Tough going up the last 4 miles,
due to tired legs, elevation, and 4.5 beers the
night before.  On the downhill from Loveland
Pass aawas a "speed trap" with 30 mph limit.
Downhill fun...passed a semi, loaded with new
cars, on a left hand switchback.  Another semi
was coming up the road, but I had the legs,
and the downhill, to sprint from 25 to 40+ and
get around the semi with room to spare (but,
still pretty darned exciting!).

Friday, November 07, 2003

Gary German

(All Bikes)

To:

Rode from Frisco up to high school, and back.

BTC - Day 5.  Frisco to Salida.  Felt strong
today.  Climbed Hoosier Pass (11,540 feet),
passing lots of folks.  Was able to push HR
into the 130's and 140's.  Lots of downhill
today.  Traded pulls at 25 mph.  Partly the
same route as the last day of the '01 tour.  It
was windy and hot in Salida (98 degrees),
after early morning 40's in Frisco.  Met
"Twain" from Carson Valley, NV.  Reports of
several bikes stolen (or, attempted) overnight
in Salida.  I didn't hear it, but when I got out of
my tent to go to the bathroom, a cop lit me up
with his cruiser's spotlight.

BTC - Day 6.  Salida to Canon City.  Legs
kind of heavy today (no pop, but OK speed).
Pulled 2 miles for a largish group.  Mostly
downhill for the first 30 miles or so.  Climbs up
the back way into Royal Gorge were steep
and hot and bumpy.  Lots of crashes - 1 hit
and run on 50, 3 riders down in a group, etc.
Very hot the last 15 miles into Canon City
(approx. 105 on arrival in Canon City).  Late
thunderstorms brought temps down a bit.
Note: it has rained every day of this tour.

BTC - Day 7.  Canon City to Colorado
Springs.  Left early (5:45 am), to help "Vic"
catch a flight.  Caught up with him at the first
rest, but he was not comfortable drafting.
Arrived around 9:30 (before the gear truck).
Rode with some guys from Wisconsin, trading
pulls in a group of 4.  Lots of short steep hills,
especially near the end.  Even with the early
start, it was still hot on arrival.

414.90 miles

28:32:48 time

14.534 mph (avg)

32,096 feet climbed

21,766 calories (=6.2 lbs of fat)

Friday, November 07, 2003