I got my last big ride in before Alaska on saturday. With new karma's and a new seat I wanted to make sure the butt could handle another long ride. Last weekend's ride to Atlanta went well but it's just distance, the only climb is rocky canyon to robie creek and out to Luck peak road, then it's pretty flat. It's long but a fun ride regardless if you are doing it one way and camping out up there.
I had not done the horseshoe bend loop since last year and I remember it being harder then expected. It was exactly the same experience on saturday.
The ride up bogus was predictable and actually went smoothly. I didn't get started till after 1:00 and was expecting it to be a real cooker but there was a nice light tailwind which had a cooling effect and gave a little push going up. I rode it at a fast to casual pace and got to the parking lot in just over an hour and half. The backside was a bit tougher as the dust has really built up on that back road. The 4 or so mile climb behind shafer and mores was harder then I remember it. I also realized at the top of this climb that I had forgotten my food bag. No cytomax, endurolytes or food but plenty of water, major bummer. Since I was already into the ride I figured I would tough it out. By the time I got to Harris creek summit, my legs had that familiar wood feeling. Luckily the drop into Horseshoe bend is roughly a 14 mile or so downhill on gravel road from there. It's was a nice coast down but as I got out of the trees closer to town the intensity of the heat became very apparent. The washboard was a bit insane as well.
When I hit hwy 55, I managed to scrounge out a buck or so out of the camelpack and rode into town and bought a beef jerky and refilled my water bottles. It was around 4.45 when I headed out from horseshoe bend and I could see that nasty pass in front of me and really did not want to climb it. There were little heat waves coming off the road and I seriously considered calling the wife for a pickup. My legs were feeling better and I decided to go for it. Actually, suffering up the hill seemed more pleasurable than the certain verbal assault by the wife in the car all the way back to Boise.
The first part of the climb is just getting acclimated to cars and trucks whizzing past you and the grade of the road. The shoulder is wide and the road is in good condition but the grade is pretty darn steep. I was able to struggle along in mid-ring for a little while but the road took it's toll and by the second curve I was standing up periodically to regain momentum. The serpentine section of the climb was just awful. The grade increased and the heat was just unbearable. Every once and a while, it would hit you like a blast, as if you just opened an oven door on broil. Somewhere along this section I dropped to granny and resigned to eeking my way up. The crappiest part of the climb is the fact that the "scenic overlook" is only halfway up the hill. I saw that sign and thought, "Sweet I'm done". Nope, I rounded the bend and could clearly see the road snaking up the horizon another few miles. After that, I stopped looking up altogether and just concentrated on my front wheel as I slowly cranked up the last big section. Someone pulled off the highway and offered me a ride. I thanked him, told him I was training and continued on. He looked at me like I was a moron. Riding that hill in that heat was pretty moronic and I chided myself as to what a bad idea this was.
Just as I was considering taking a break, I saw the familar yellow diamond shaped sign of a truck pointed down a hill with "6% grade" on it. This got the legs going again and I pushed through the last section to the sign. Nothing but downhill ahead.
Sad to say, this 6 mile climb took me 45+ minutes to conquer. The downhill was fun and all but that climb sux. I was home within the hour and completely bushed. It was good from the training standpoint but not enjoyable at all due to the heat. I was able to GPS out the whole ride and created a topo if anyone wants to give the ride a whirl (in the fall when it's like 60 degrees). It's roughly 70 miles and takes about 5 1/2 hours to complete. The dirt sections from bogus down are actually allot of fun and the views are impressive.
The seat worked out well with only mild soreness and the tires are OK climbers but not very grabby in soft stuff.
I had not done the horseshoe bend loop since last year and I remember it being harder then expected. It was exactly the same experience on saturday.
The ride up bogus was predictable and actually went smoothly. I didn't get started till after 1:00 and was expecting it to be a real cooker but there was a nice light tailwind which had a cooling effect and gave a little push going up. I rode it at a fast to casual pace and got to the parking lot in just over an hour and half. The backside was a bit tougher as the dust has really built up on that back road. The 4 or so mile climb behind shafer and mores was harder then I remember it. I also realized at the top of this climb that I had forgotten my food bag. No cytomax, endurolytes or food but plenty of water, major bummer. Since I was already into the ride I figured I would tough it out. By the time I got to Harris creek summit, my legs had that familiar wood feeling. Luckily the drop into Horseshoe bend is roughly a 14 mile or so downhill on gravel road from there. It's was a nice coast down but as I got out of the trees closer to town the intensity of the heat became very apparent. The washboard was a bit insane as well.
When I hit hwy 55, I managed to scrounge out a buck or so out of the camelpack and rode into town and bought a beef jerky and refilled my water bottles. It was around 4.45 when I headed out from horseshoe bend and I could see that nasty pass in front of me and really did not want to climb it. There were little heat waves coming off the road and I seriously considered calling the wife for a pickup. My legs were feeling better and I decided to go for it. Actually, suffering up the hill seemed more pleasurable than the certain verbal assault by the wife in the car all the way back to Boise.
The first part of the climb is just getting acclimated to cars and trucks whizzing past you and the grade of the road. The shoulder is wide and the road is in good condition but the grade is pretty darn steep. I was able to struggle along in mid-ring for a little while but the road took it's toll and by the second curve I was standing up periodically to regain momentum. The serpentine section of the climb was just awful. The grade increased and the heat was just unbearable. Every once and a while, it would hit you like a blast, as if you just opened an oven door on broil. Somewhere along this section I dropped to granny and resigned to eeking my way up. The crappiest part of the climb is the fact that the "scenic overlook" is only halfway up the hill. I saw that sign and thought, "Sweet I'm done". Nope, I rounded the bend and could clearly see the road snaking up the horizon another few miles. After that, I stopped looking up altogether and just concentrated on my front wheel as I slowly cranked up the last big section. Someone pulled off the highway and offered me a ride. I thanked him, told him I was training and continued on. He looked at me like I was a moron. Riding that hill in that heat was pretty moronic and I chided myself as to what a bad idea this was.
Just as I was considering taking a break, I saw the familar yellow diamond shaped sign of a truck pointed down a hill with "6% grade" on it. This got the legs going again and I pushed through the last section to the sign. Nothing but downhill ahead.
Sad to say, this 6 mile climb took me 45+ minutes to conquer. The downhill was fun and all but that climb sux. I was home within the hour and completely bushed. It was good from the training standpoint but not enjoyable at all due to the heat. I was able to GPS out the whole ride and created a topo if anyone wants to give the ride a whirl (in the fall when it's like 60 degrees). It's roughly 70 miles and takes about 5 1/2 hours to complete. The dirt sections from bogus down are actually allot of fun and the views are impressive.
The seat worked out well with only mild soreness and the tires are OK climbers but not very grabby in soft stuff.
