[zecamara]

I found it...
Going slow. 82mi in, 20:40h Elapsed. I expect to finish around sunrise. Quitting after all this investment is not an option.
Jose

 

[cragnshag]

Way to go Jose!

 

[Moe Ped]

Marc B on Strava reports:

"Bob ended being about 2.5 hours behind Alex. He broke his chain right after WRT, shortened it and then was unable to use his granny gear from then on. He was pretty beat up when we finally made it to Wagon/CF. Alex K finished at 9:45. The other Alex bailed at Pacheco Camp. Sean Allan skipped Burra Burra and went back down wagon after finishing CF. All we know from Jose is that he made it to CF around 3AM and was determined to finish."

Bravo!

 

[BigLarry]

I've been following this thread quite closely, especially since Jose (zecamera) is a very good friend of mine. I got him into mountain biking a couple years ago when he was as big as me, to improve his health and have fun. Jose fell totally in love with MTB (as much or more than me) and rode every day. He lost a tremendous amount of weight and soon became much faster than me. He also quickly developed advanced skills on technical trails, a natural mountain biker really. I've never seen anyone improve anywhere near as fast as Jose did over the last couple years.

Jose was improving enough that I suggested he was approaching a sufficient level to finish this extreme ride, one of the most difficult. As can be seen here, his preparation was excellent, and his motivation is one of the strongest I've ever seen.

During the ride, I've been watching Jose via his SPOT tracks and occasional texts he gets out to friends. I'm overjoyed to say Jose finished this route around sunrise and got home OK. He's probably sleeping now. I'm eagerly awaiting his report after his rest.

I'm very impressed and in awe of Jose's extreme improvement over the last couple years, and his determination to see this to the finish! :band:

 

[Sean Allan]

I've been following this thread quite closely, especially since Jose (zecamera) is a very good friend of mine. I got him into mountain biking a couple years ago when he was as big as me, to improve his health and have fun. Jose fell totally in love with MTB (as much or more than me) and rode every day. He lost a tremendous amount of weight and soon became much faster than me. He also quickly developed advanced skills on technical trails, a natural mountain biker really. I've never seen anyone improve anywhere near as fast as Jose did over the last couple years.

Jose was improving enough that I suggested he was approaching a sufficient level to finish this extreme ride, one of the most difficult. As can be seen here, his preparation was excellent, and his motivation is one of the strongest I've ever seen.

During the ride, I've been watching Jose via his SPOT tracks and occasional texts he gets out to friends. I'm overjoyed to say Jose finished this route around sunrise and got home OK. He's probably sleeping now. I'm eagerly awaiting his report after his rest.

I'm very impressed and in awe of Jose's extreme improvement over the last couple years, and his determination to see this to the finish! :band:

Very Cool. Thanks for sharing that!

 

[Sean Allan]

Yeah, I pussed out. It was lower 90's yesterday and I was pretty worked by the time I got to the top of Bear Mountain. Even though I was nearly an hour in front of my previous time I knew that the wheels were going to fall off at some point, I hadn't been training to do 17000' in the first 70 miles of any ride, yet alone at Coe.
I sat at Pacheco camp for 45 minutes hoping the will to live that had died coming down Pacheco Creek trail would return, alas it was only the fact that I didn't know a way out that made me continue. Kaiser Aetna Rd saw some weird leg crams I'd never had before. They were completely impossible to stretch out or make go away if I was riding and they could quite possibly be the most painful I've ever had.
Sat another 45 minutes at Dowdey and planned my exit. I should have done Burra Burra as the shortcut I did was pretty ugly. By the time I got to the Center Flats/Wagon intersection my feet hurt so bad that I considered a bivy right there ( Note to self, no Sidis next time...)

I sure wish there was a way to lose Center Flats Rd, that is just the suck at that stage of the ride.

Rolled down Wagon/ Lyman-Wilson and was glad to be done. I still managed to get 86 miles and 18,000 feet of climbing on my E-Trex. That will have to be enough for this year.

Congrats to Alex K who uttered that there was no way he was doing that again. I can still hear him stating in his thick accent " there's just too much suffering..."

Bob gets the hard man award. He broke his chain at about 30 miles in and soldiered on the rest of the way with a 30x39 gear. Badass.

Congrats to everyone who started, you lived a good adventure yesterday no matter the outcome.

 

[zecamara]

Suicide by bike - fail!

The short version:

Veni, vidi, bici.

Packed lunch, showed up on time, pedaled 100 miles (43385 revolutions), drove back home. A day like any other...


---------------------------------------------------------
The long, uncut rambling:

I got first place in stupidly heavy backpack - 25lbs is not fun going up. Gotta ask how others do with no backpack at all. I can see reducing some, but for my first ride I wanted to survive the night lost in the wilderness.

Forgot to turn on my SPOT at parking lot, then stopped for a minute on the way to Lyman thinking I could just catch up during the climb. No way Jose. HR beyond red line, and they keep getting smaller and smaller...

7:01AM first light


Sunrise at top was a nice reward, also not chilly anymore, last glimpse of the peloton as they turn around some hill.

7:07AM Sunrise



Fun singletracks I had never been to, stopping to check on the VR 360 camera every so often, take a picture here and there.

7:34AM Up to the Moon:


7:46AM Last glimpse of civilization


8:16AM Nice singletracks


9:41AM Forces of Nature


Noticed my frame water bottle was gone by mile 17, not going to look for it. Thanks for the gracious souls that arranged rocks at creek crossings like curbs, very easy to spot the trails.

9:44AM Curbs



Finally recognized trails close to Hoover Lake, part of my HQ recon loop of weeks prior. In those 3 weeks Hoover Lake went from puddle to dry.

10:46AM Hoover "Lake"


It was also much easier this time going down and up and down and up towards HQ - not only I knew the trail but didn't climb Bear Mountain on the way to it. Maybe the pack took an hour nap at HQ, maybe the chicken BBQ line was long, I would see someone coming down to Flat Frog as I was going up. Strava Flyby later showed I was 2hrs late for Alex and 1:30 for Bob. Definitely another league...

11:12AM The hills are alive...


12:04AM This trunk seems to be making an OK sign


Getting to HQ I was salivating for the BBQ Chicken I was grilling in my mind for miles, but sold out (next year pay attention to the numerous prepay postings about it). Had to do with a sourdough dinner roll I brought, rice krispies from the store, and had my first Gatorade ever. Refill 3L camelback, another two 1L bottles (that backpack was getting too light), walk around the Tarantulafest. The cheapskate in me gets satisfaction of the $2 I saved by parking at Hunting Hollow - these suckers paid $8 for the fest.

Off I go downhill to Flat Frog, which goes in the 'right' direction vertically too. Hobbs is civilized grade, but legs start threatening cramping if I extend them in a certain way - very odd, but pedaling in a certain way avoids the issue, so up I go to the long delight that is Middle Ridge descent, ignoring the voices in my head saying "you payin' for this downhill". Very happy at the bottom, legs got their rest and seem to be back in working order. Who's afraid of the big bad bear?

3:10PM Reddish trees downhill


4:14PM What is that house on top of hill before Bear Mountain?


Yet the temperature is nearing 100F in my Garmin, and water doesn't seem to be doing the trick, legs are back to pedal if I do perfect circles, I now am at the mouth of The Bear and find a little shade before I walk it up. Last time, on HQ recon loop, I was full of myself, went straight to it, cleared the first section thinking 'not that hard' until turned the curve and saw the real thing. This time I was going to eat and rest before hiking up.

4:29PM Bottom of Bear


At one point in the middle, a shady trail section had perfect grade (>30%) to lay on my back and nap for 5min. Continued on, some time actually on the bike, but limited to 15% grade - I was certainly running with less cylinders, now estimating 22 to 24hrs elapsed time, but not quitting. First, because quitting from there would mean figuring out some shortcut back that in my inexperience could turn out to be a bushwacking nightmare and instead of the 50 miles would be 30 back to the car - I might as well serve the rest of my sentence. Second, I would HAVE to come back another day to finish it.

Refreshing walk-in-the park descent to Mississippi lake where a picnic table was reserved for me. Eat another Boudin sourdough dinner roll, another rice krispy, watch a camper set his tent by the lake, sky already with tints of orange.

6:42PM Mississipi Lake


7:39PM Giants


Heritage trail was fun at daylight, but now with handlebar light is a whole new experience.

7:38PM Blair Witch Biking Project


Crossing a dry creek into Pacheco Trail makes for a grass-eating faceplant as I misjudged the entry ramp and the bike threw me off like a horse refusing an obstacle. I was cleaning my teeth of dry grass pieces for a half mile along the trail. Luckily I knew how Pacheco was bumpy at points and remembered one not quite filled rut and watched for it, avoiding another potential earth kiss.


Got to Pacheco camp, no one around but a dark frog running from the light.

8:06PM The Prince of Pacheco


Up Coit Rd I remember Menso's prophecy - sunset really resets at least part of the leg batteries, they stop rebelling and I am not walking any little grade now.

Looking forward to some singletrack, found the CORE 100 rock art at mile 61, really a treat! Not alone anymore, some ancient civilization honored the same Gods! Thanks Charles (hope to ride with you sometime).

8:28PM You are in the right track...


8:29PM Moonrise, beautiful red a phone camera can't capture


Phoneline was nice but front brake started to squeal - I know that sound, it says "change pads 20 miles ago". Oh well, let's brake with the rear a bit more. Somehow the last time I was at Dutch's it was a lot faster (daylight, mile 20 or so from Bell Station), but interesting Blair Witch's MTB Project ride. Thanking the Hard COEre founding fathers for the GPX file, I was able to find where the heck the trail went a couple of times.

10:23PM Eerie shadows at night


10:40PM Yellowjacket Pond


Kaiser Aetna (be wary of a road named after hospitals or health providers) was now justifying all the ill reputation I didn't understand the last time I was there (again, daylight, fresh legs), and 'only 2 miles' to Dowdy is my motivation. Only 1.8 miles. Only 1.7miles... Replace first light battery. Finally downhill to picnic tables, water is working, it feels like dinner table was set specially for me (thanks Moe Ped), and I enjoy my last dinner roll and corn pops like a feast from Heaven (hopefully not the Last Supper). I close my eyes for a minute while munching, but GPS insists it was over an hour...

Off I go to Burra Burra (thinking the burro is I for being here at 1AM) and get to the jewel of my Strava, 6th overall on Center Flats on my recon ride (of course daylight, mile 10 or so from Bell Station recon ride), what the heck, who made it steeper? Is my shift cable breaking, granny not engaging? Walk much of it, glad to hear phone notifications, another little island of cell signal and I post to MTBR a little sign of life. My goal of finishing under 24hrs is now looking bad, I blame on the 1hr long eye blink at Dowdy. Still motivated, by sheer stubbornness and too-far-to-quit-now logic.

2:49AM The Hare (as seen from Tortoise's camera)


2:55AM The Fox (all fauna coming out now that is cooler)


Sunrise rehearsing somewhere, no need for light, it seems that I am indeed finishing this. The last 500ft climb with some >20% sections at mile 95 seems cruel, but whatever the last climb was it would be in bad taste. The descent all the way to the pot of gold is a pleasure, even though it would be faster with working brakes (by now the rear is gone, I can feel the rotor holes on the lever), as non intuitive as that sounds. At the bottom of the last descent, I can hear Chariots of Fire at every turn, tum tum tum tam dam at every creek crossing, standing up and pedaling like the Italian peloton is just behind me. It was a long day (and night) for that little high, but totally worth it!

6:35AM Sunrise (again!)


Thanks to all that helped creating Hard COEre 100, curating it, scouting, maintaining the trails, getting water back to Dowdy, posting advice, inspiring pictures and blogs, cheering in all forms (specially rock art). It might be a small number of 'dysfunctional fellows', but as Lennon would say "I'm not the only one".

Guilty schadenfreude learning that I podiumed. Any other ride and this tortoise would never have had a chance among the hares...

Everest Bonus has been proposed, but I'd point out that the Hard COEre 100mi already surpasses an Everest climb by a lot (11.5kft from base to top is what I could find, but couldn't locate a Strava log, GPX file or even a climb description with actual climb totals), and is even more than altitude difference base to summit of Denali (19.4kft). And applying the "Coe Factor" to the almost 20kft we even go beyond the traditional sea-level-to-summit 29kft. And they have it easy, no 100F, sherpas to carry their stuff, better looking camps than Pacheco, etc. Of course we do get a bit spoiled with oxygen...

Brake pads autopsy (notice how the piston made through the rear pad aluminum, all eaten by the rotor)


Notes for next year (where I will be 50% more experienced as a mountain biker):

Lighter backpack.
Smarter more compact efficient food, way more.
Magic potions not water.
Maybe good patch kit (for tubeless?) instead of two tubes.
A half dozen links of chain and two pairs of magic links instead of full spare chain.
Bring hanger along, they don't help back in the garage.
Sleep more than 3 hours the night before.
Leave coffee in car, better to drink it ice cold (people pay for that!) than snooze for 2s (equals one lane to the right) on 101 again.
Maybe start at 2AM for a chance of joining the finish party, also nice to have "pacers" come by every so often and speed me up for a bit.
New brake pads no matter how they look.
Turn SPOT on at parking lot.
Neuralyze 2017 suffering.
No helmet VR cam, too much stopping to pamper it.
Maybe rent a light bike, no need for the weight of my cheap trusty FS.
TCX file with earlier turn cues and useful info (faceplant ahead, next top at 2155ft, sunset here last year, 100F here last year, stop complaining). TCXs on Garmin are better because I can scroll to see how far a certain trail is and the Edge doesn't try to make its own route from OSM.
WTB Pure saddle was perfect, best pick out of the 13 in test ride set.
Shorter posts. Write, then cut 90%. Cut to half of that.

Jose

 

[BigLarry]

The short version:

Veni, vidi, bici.

Packed lunch, showed up on time, pedaled 100 miles (43385 revolutions), drove back home. A day like any other...

...
Shorter posts. Write, then cut 90%. Cut to half of that.

Jose

Wow Jose! What an amazing effort.

I loved every bit of your post. Very apt and amusing. I could feel your pain and push. Nice pictures too. Do not cut it ever. People can choose not to read parts as desired. If you made the effort to write it up carefully, post it. It's all good.

Excellent ride and post, Jose! :thumbsup: :rockon:

Oh, and please get more sleep next time.. (Ha Ha at next time.)

 

[Moe Ped]

Wow Jose! What an amazing effort.

I loved every bit of your post. Very apt and amusing. I could feel your pain and push. Nice pictures too. Do not cut it ever. People can choose not to read parts as desired. If you made the effort to write it up carefully, post it. It's all good.

Excellent ride and post, Jose! :thumbsup: :rockon:

Oh, and please get more sleep next time.. (Ha Ha at next time.)

What Larry sez! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Glad you're considering a repeat!

 

[Jack Burns]

Seriously entertaining posts here. Jose, that was poetry. Thanks for writing that up.

Cheers to life!

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

 

[Moe Ped]

4:14PM What is that house on top of hill before Bear Mountain?
View attachment 1161633

That belongs to one of the park's in-holders.

If you remember the news story of a guy who lost a bunch of original Einstein papers during the 2007 Lick Fire; that's the guy.

Obviously he has rebuilt the cabin the papers got burned up in. I think the person who started the fire had to pay (or their insurance did) $750k for the loss of the cabin and contents.

 

[zecamara]

Thanks for the info. Is there a book or website with the history behind the trails, their names, interesting portions of the park, etc.?

I brought back 20GB of a 24hr timelapse (1/sec) VR video. Need to process it, extract some frames at least and upload to Google Street.

Maybe further compacted to a minute or two will be watchable. Not sure about the night portions, though, they don't do justice to the park.

I wish going the route was more reversible - sure The Bear will be way easier, Center Flats just the same, but many long descending singletracks would be gone, I think it would not work ccw.

 

[adagioca]

Web site has been updated with this year's results including Strava link.

Whether you finished or attempted, major kudos. This is one serious ride that most people won't even contemplate doing myself included. You have my utmost admiration.

 

[alex-henson]

Hey I'm the Alex that bailed at Pacheco. Good to meet some of you folks on the trail....you're all beasts!

In retrospect I believe my mode of failure was improper management of electrolytes/water coming over Bear Mountain. I was dry heaving and couldn't eat/drink without getting really naseous by the time I hit Pacheco. Once I chose to exit I couldn't move for more than 5-10 minutes before getting weak/nauseous and needing to stop. When home and replenishing I wasn't able to put a full meal down until Sunday night. Fitness wise I dont even seem sore though so the whole thing confuses me a bit.

Anyone had similar issue and know if more electrolytes were the solution in your case?

Either way it was awesome to attempt and have made progress compared to the last time I tried.

Thanks to the trail support for the water and thanks to the end of ride food! And thanks to all you riders for the inspiration!

Can't wait for my next attempt!

 

[zecamara]

I know my usual 'just bring one bottle along for the ride', not a sip out of it and no food for any <3hr rides wouldn't work there, and being my maiden voyage I drank a lot, carried 5.75L of water (Yes, that was about half of the extra weight, 12.6lbs) and just some Hapi Mixed Crackers and sourdough dinner rolls for something salty. Didn't want to lift that little cover of the SPOT emergency button. Gatorade at HQ probably helped, but I am dying to hear from the veterans what is a proper nutrition and drink to carry. I saw Menso's recap but it looked like he was restricted to sponsor's products (it apparently works). And how the heck you go without a backpack - the only soreness in my body was my shoulders and back from the humpback biking.

Maybe they stash bottles and roasted chickens behind bushes, instead of carrying it

Don't wait - creeks are still dry, temperatures are getting better. Pay your $6 entrance fee, go for another loop.

 

[alex-henson]

Ok interesting to hear. That's a lot of water! I had 4liters on board leaving HQ. Had small amounts electrolytes in half of my water and had consumed a tablet worth at HQ, but thinking it maybe wasn't enough.

Ya when I woke feeling good this morning my first thought was I'm going back in a week or two....but with a new baby I get one to two of these rides a year max....and I'm already at two this year....

 

[cragnshag]

I have yet to carry a pack on the HC 100, because I hate wearing a pack when I ride and I would most likely take stuff I don't really need. I try to keep the stuff to a minimum and have it all on the bike. It helps to have the SWAT compartment in the frame to stash most of my stuff. I have 2 bottles on the handlebar and one on the frame, about 2 liters total. Not enough water as I need/want between HH and HQ, but OK for other legs. I chug about a liter right before the start at HH and also at HQ, PC, and Dowdy before leaving there. From PC to Dowdy and from Dowdy to HH I only fill 2 of the bottles. I have one bottle with gatorade at the start and at each of the water stops. I get the nausea and cramps, of course, but I think it's more heat related than anything else. On really hot days like Saturday, you get cooked no matter how much you drink. Last year was 15 deg cooler. I had the same amount of water (but more fitness) and I finished 5 hours sooner. If I ride the HC 100 again on a day over 90 deg, I might bring a 4th disposable bottle in a biking jersey.

OK, here is way too much information:

Here's what I bring:
-1 ultralight tube (riding tubeless, very rarely get a flat at Coe)
-1 patch kit
-basic lightweight tool kit including chain breaker and about 6 links (except this time I forgot to refill my spare links and it cost me my granny gear after WRT DH. Stoooopid!)
-One small bike light- a Lumina 700. Good for 4 hours on low. I turn it off when I hike-a-bike or ride really slow up hill so I don't run out of battery life.
-pack of pills: 4 Advil, 4 Naproxen, 4 Tylenol, 8 mix n' match opioids.
-mini bic lighter
-4 iodine tablets (I use three at Pacheco camp to treat water and one for backup in case I have to drink pond scum elsewhere in the Park.
-2 granola bars, 6 bite-size spam musubi rice balls, gatorade powder enough for 3 bottles. I'm usually too nauseous to eat much anyway, so I don't run out of food.
-1 phone (pixel 1st gen) on airplane mode the whole time, no extra battery. Still had 30% after 18 hours running Strava.
1 paper towel, just in case...
-I wear a long sleeve lightweight white biking shirt and "loose" lightweight white compression tights under my shorts. No need to bring sunscreen and keeps the PO off my skin. I slather on sunscreen on my face and neck in the morning before departing.
-lightweight windbreaker tied around my waist.

Everything above fits in the SWAT compartment, small frame bag, or my shorts pockets.

No other clothing or comfort items. If I get stuck out overnight and I need to get warm as a last resort, I can always make a emergency small fire to stay warm (following proper procedures/tactics to keep from burning the place down). Easier and safer are using the many concrete crapper buildings scattered around the park for a quick bivy. Probably they would not smell too bad because they see very little use.

My working theory is that every extra pound you take (that isn't strictly necessary to get you to the finish line) is an extra pound of cargo you are hauling to the top of a 20,000' mountain and will greatly contribute to your suffering. When you think about it, you don't really need much. From rock climbing lore "if you bring bivy gear, you will use it". Going light has it's risks, but the risk is not life-or limb, maybe just you don't finish or you sleep in a one-room concrete hotel, but you won't starve, freeze, or dry up in one day. And if you do get truly stuck out there, the locals will come find you within a day.

 

[Skyline35]

Very low humidity on Saturday. The Cordoza Ridge weather station recorded 20-30%. I don’t know the science of hydrating in low humidity conditions but on my meager Coe ride, I felt thirsty all the time which is unusual for me.

Jose, loved the write-up and photos. And, man, you are tenacious !!!

///Charlie

 

[zecamara]

Bob, thanks for spelling all that out, it certainly helps. Did you have a FS bike? What brand and model of frame bag you use?

I don't mind much having the camelback to drink from, it is just that I was about 15lbs above the dumb level. (Hey if I had started 3AM I could have given you a few links of the 106 I had - moron here was carrying a full chain!).

Cloudy in the bay area today, if it wasn't for work, kid to school etc. I was so tempted to go for another run: 20F cooler, 20lb lighter, new brake pads...

When do creeks start to fill and become impassable - at first rains?

 

[zecamara]

Orange Seal Forever! Tubeless tubeless tubeless...

Look at this little souvenir that I brought back from my HQ recon ride, only noticed the day after at home:



When you pull it out:



Yes, that tire was asking to be replaced for hundreds of miles. I said I was cheap...