| Pros: | Cons: |
|---|---|
| Long miles | |
| Outrageous climbing | |
| Extreme altitude | |
| Too-fit competition | |
| Thunder and lightning | |
| Snow and sleet | |
| Cold wind | |
| I'm getting sick |
So, why then?
You know the answer...
Because it's there!
(cough-cough)
The word epic is tossed around too casually. I'm as guilty as anyone. 100 mile fast group ride with some wind? Not epic. Figueroa loop? Pu-leaze! 80 miles at Devil's Punchbowl? No ...well, maybe if it's 100 degrees, you'd be approaching junior epic.
But consider this...
Day-1 Everest Challenge profile:
Day-2 Everest Challenge profile:
And, as if that wasn't enough material to construct a truly epic race weekend, consider this dandy weather forecast we have for the climbs! Going uphill might be almost tolerable. But riding down? If the cold doesn't kill us, the icy roads will.So where does this leave me? I am going for sure. Promised J-Rop I would. Plus I can't yet have my new teammates discover what a wimp I really am. But I'm still flip-flopping on which race to do. P/1/2 will have Crispy Walker, Lindsay, Jesse Moore, Jon Eropkin, and Joe Wiley. All gnarly dudes who eat glass for breakfast, floss with a chainsaw, then go out and snap the legs off prissies like me. Hey, I got my 1 already ...now I don't need to ride with those monsters anymore. So howz about the Masters? Unfortunately, they've got grizzled old aliens like Dave Zimbleman (gazillion-time Nat champ) and Mark Schaefer (fastest time at 2007 Lotoja) plus a few Vegas desert rats like Chicken Anderson and an on-form Bruce Balch. Oy vey, can I just ride the public event? Gots 'til Friday afternoon to decide I guess.
11 comments:
Marco-
I think they have an under 13 year old girls class :)
Did you see the email from the race Director? Race is still on but they may shorten day 1 and lengthen day 2. In any case, truly gonna be uber-epic.
YEA BABY!
We are all complete morons. Let's go ride 2 consecutive 7 hour days up some of the highest mountains in the continental US right in the middle of a fierce and abnormally cold snow storm. I think they are just going to heard all of us that actually show up into a paddy wagon and take us away.
IN!!!
I am going to wear a 35 lb backpack and enter the clydesdale division.
And.... Cat 1??? me too! Congrats!
~ boots
I may be committed to an assylum for it, but I'm still in. And assuming it doesn't kill us, we should all have good stories for our blogs on monday... if we aren't still sleeping anyway.
boots- You are probably kidding about the backpack, but I'm seriously considering wearing a fanny pack with extra clothes stuffed in it. For me, this isn't going to be so much a race as it is a test of survival and determination (and intelligence?) Congrats on the upgrade to you too--in my book, you earned it for Ojai alone!
Steve- Bring every piece of cold-weather gear you own! Actually, every time I check the forecast, it looks better. Sunny and high of 75 degrees for Big Pine on Sunday. Of course, they're still calling for snow on the mountains!
I'll have a SAG vehicle following our group. So all you got to do is get dropped with me and we'll be sipping coffee during the ride and getting handups.
Couldn't help but notice the reference to getting your upgrade. CONGRATS MARK!! You worked hard and raced harder this year to accomplish that. Well done!
Druber
Remember the Gavia! I'm lookin forward to the Snowmen on bikes photos! Good Luck
Marco - way to go on the upgrade - impressive!!
One more congrats on the upgrade. Pulling it off at --- ahem -- your age is all the more impressive! One of these days you might ruminate on the differences of racing (physical and mental) at 16, 26, 36, and 46. -Eric F
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