Gold Rush 1200K Randonnee Ride Report
July 19-23, 2005
By Jeff Sammons
Prologue:
2005 was my "Rookie" year in the sport of Randonneuring. My interest in the sport started when Jeff Bauer would e-mail us ride reports for his 2004 distance cycling events. Then in January 2005, an e-mail was sent out looking for riders interested in some longer distance cycling events. I got in to this sport telling myself that I would do each of the qualifying Brevets (i.e. 200K, 300K, 400K, and 600K) one at a time, to see if I could do the distance comfortably, before deciding to proceed on to the next harder one. Then, if I qualified, I would ride the 1200K Gold Rush Randonnee (GRR) at the end of the season.
Prior to this, the longest distance rides I did were a few centuries and a couple 200Ks. In fact, it was the summer of 2003 that I got back on the bike after a 16-year absence. My knee gave out while jogging one day and my doctor told me to take up another sport like cycling. In 2004 I bought a new bike, joined the Harpeth Bike Club, and started riding on a regular basis.
In preparation for GRR, I completed the Georgia Brevet series, the Georgia Fleche, the Heart of the South Double Century, the St. Louis 600K, the Gran Fondo 200K, and numerous long weekend rides mostly by myself. Jeff Bauer, Bill Glass, Alan Gossart, and I rode together on most of the aforementioned formal events, although Jeff was generally riding the front and I in the rear with Bill and Alan somewhere in between.
Jeff, Alan, and I were the only participants from Tennessee to ride GRR, so we coordinated our travel arrangements together. There was a group of six participants from Georgia going as well, most of whom I met during the Brevet qualification series. We had a big group that met on Monday evening and went for our last big pre-ride meal.
Day 1 - Tuesday:
The day started off at 6:00 am when my body said it was time to get up. We spent the morning watching Alan assemble his bike as he arrived in California late Monday evening. Then it was off to the "Bike Check" where they inspected primarily for proper lights and night gear. We also had to turn in our drop bags and do a final pre-ride sign in to get our ride packages.
After eating a light lunch, we all tried to get an extra couple hours of sleep, but I think only Jeff was successful at this. I just tossed and turned most of the afternoon since I was all tensed up. The ride started at 6:00 pm in order to avoid the summer heat that was prevalent in the flat valley regions around Davis. We left the hotel around 4:30 pm, as we would be riding our bikes the two miles over to the ride start.
The first leg of the ride took us from Davis to Oroville (102.5 miles) of mostly flat terrain with a water stop around the 51-mile mark. As I thought, this took me just under 6 hours to make it to Oroville despite some mechanical problems with my light mounting brackets. I rode with the fast group to the water stop, then put on my reflective gear, and fixed my light mounts. About this same time, Dan Dickinson rode in to the water stop and the two of us left together for Oroville. I was glad to have someone to ride with that was comparable to my ability, as I new I couldn't keep up with the fast group much longer. We reached Oroville just before midnight where Doyce Johnson joined us. Dan, Doyce, and I had rode part of the Georgia 600K together.
Day 2 - Wednesday:
The next section of the ride went from Oroville to Tobin (41.0 miles) and was the start of a full day of climbing. Since we were riding in the early morning hours, our average speed went way down. We met several riders of the local Davis Bike Club along the way and they filled us in on the weather and terrain we would see over the next few days. Since we were doing a lot of talking, this section of the ride seemed to go quickly. Only later in the week, on our return trip, would we see the full extent of the climbing we did on Wednesday. We arrived in Tobin, a stop in the mountains with a restaurant and some cabins, at 4:26 am. After a quick meal and a fill-up on fluids, we decided to take an hour to sleep.
The trip from Tobin to Taylorsville (60.3 miles) was more of the same, still climbing up the Feather River Valley, but now it was daylight and we could see all the beauty we missed the night before. Before we got to Taylorsville, there was a long, flat section around the valley floor between Greenville and Taylorsville that gave us a break in the climbing for a while. We arrived just before noon where we had another quick meal and a fluids fill-up, and then decided to change clothes and freshen up before the ride to Susanville.
The highlight of the trip from Taylorsville to Susanville (59.6 miles) would be some more climbing to the "Top of the GRR" at 6,340 feet of elevation and then down the Janesville Grade to Susanville. The bad part of the climb would be that we were doing it in the middle of the day, where a record heat wave had settled in to northern California for the week of our ride. It was a long slow climb with a water stop about half the way up. The rest stop volunteer said he was trying to give away an ice cold beer all day but couldn't find any takers until I showed up, boy did that beer taste good! Disappointment waited for us at the top, as I hauled my camera up to the top of the mountain hoping to take a picture of us next to the sign that said "Top of the GRR". But alas there was no sign so we took pictures anyway. Once we were over the top, we had about 8 miles of rolling hills before the descent. It was on these rollers that we came across a fellow cyclist, whose ride appeared as if it was over for the week. We rode with him down the Janesville Grade and left him at a local market to sort out whether he would continue his ride or call SAG Support to DNF (i.e. Did Not Finish). We later learned that he did DNF. We made it to Susanville at 7:34 pm, just before nightfall and filled up on food and fluids again, took showers, and changed clothes. The heat in Susanville was intense when we arrived, so I could see why most of the DNFs occurred at this point of the ride.
Day 3 - Thursday:
The route from Susanville to Adin (67.3 miles) would take us across four more mountain climbs, the most notable being Antelope Pass at 5,472 feet elevation just outside of Susanville. In between Susanville and Adin was the Grasshopper water stop, where Kevin Kaiser joined us on our ride. Kevin had contemplated DNFing earlier in the day due to the extreme heat, but decided to rest and recover at the water stop and wait for us to show up. We would fill up on food; the warm cup of noodles was great, and fluids before we left. As it was finally cooling off for the day, we put on our tights, arm warmers, and wind vests for the rest of the ride into Adin. We still had two of the four climbs to complete before we got to Adin. The rides down the mountains were my kind of descents, long and straight, so I went pretty fast even though it was dark out. We arrived in Adin at 2:35 am were we would eat, the home made burritos and pancakes were excellent, fill up on fluids and catch a couple hours of sleep. My original ride plan had me arriving in Adin in 29 hours or 3-1/2 hours earlier so I could get five hours of sleep instead of the two hours we slept. But since we were behind schedule, something had to give so we got less sleep.
We started out in the early morning daylight for our trek from Adin to Alturas (43.3 miles). We had another mountain to climb, Adin Pass at 5,173 feet elevation. As we approached Alturas I was running low on energy, feeling down, and was thinking about all climbing we would need to do on the return trip. I started to consider DNFing for the first time. If I was going to DNF, it would need to be around the turn around point. We arrived in Alturas at 10:02 am and filled up on food and fluids, the fruit smoothies were tasty. I was surprised to see Jeff and Alan at the Alturas rest stop, they really cheered me up. Alan told me once we made the turn around, the trip would seem to get easier. So I continued on.
The short trip from Alturas to Davis Creek (20.8 miles) was down hill for about half the ride and up hill for the balance of the ride into Davis Creek. We made it to Davis Creek just before noon where we had deli sandwiches and ice cream for lunch. My feet were on fire by this time due to all the stomping I do instead of spinning. I asked the rest stop worker if I could soak my feet in some ice water, and shortly thereafter he produced a bucket with ice water in it for me. All of the rest stop personnel were very attentive to the rider's wants and needs. I was still thinking of DNFing and thought about asking the rest stop workers about my options if I did, but decided against it.
We were finally on the return leg from Davis Creek to Alturas (20.8 miles). I finally told Dan I didn't think I could make it any longer and he told me to quit expending energy riding at the front, get on the back, shift in to a lower gear, and start spinning to reduce fatigue. Kevin was even trying to put a positive spin on things saying we just needed to concentrate on the return route in small 20-mile increments. We made it back to Alturas by 2:00 pm and had more food and fluids. This time round, the rest stop worker offered me a Rolling Rock which I gladly accepted and finished off. This stop was at a Best Western Hotel with an outdoor swimming pool. Dan and I jumped in, in our bibs and jerseys, to cool off. By now, I was feeling a little better so I decided to make the trip back to Adin.
It wasn't long after we left Alturas for Adin (43.2 miles) that we got some much needed cloud cover, but also a strong head wind to boot. Seems like the same time the head wind eased up the cloud cover went away. So we were back in the baking sun and I was low on energy and feeling down again. A couple of SAG vehicles went by us on this first twenty-mile stretch and I seriously considered DNFing again. We made it to an intermediate stop about 20 miles out of Alturas called Canby. I was fried at this point, had a SAG vehicle pulled up I'm sure I would have jumped in it and quit. In the back of my mind, I could hear Bill Glass telling me not to DNF until I ate a good meal and got some sleep, so I decided to continue on to Adin after filling up on fluids and eating a bag of chips and some hammer gel. Just outside of Canby, we had to go back over the Adin Pass at 5,173 feet of elevation with the afternoon sun beating down on us. I told Dan, who is a doctor when not riding bikes, if I don't make, meaning pass out, that my emergency contact info was on my Road ID and that I had no known allergies. When we started the climb up Adin Pass, I had a complete reversal in energy and attitude. I went to the front with Kevin and made the climb to the top in no time and then zoomed down the other side. I was feeling great again and didn't contemplate DNFing again for the remainder of the ride. We made it back to Adin at 7:00 pm, ate those good burritos, showered, changed clothes, and laid down for a couple hours of sleep. But there would be no sleep for me in Adin, it was too hot and noisy so I decided to dress and leave for Susanville. Kevin was having similar problems falling asleep so we all decided to leave. Doyce had already left an hour earlier due to the heat so he could get some extended sleep time in Susanville while waiting for us to show up. Doyce was a strong rider and would make it to Susanville faster without the rest of us.
Day 4 - Friday:
The return leg from Adin to Susanville (67.3 miles) would take us back over four mountain passes. We had some "on and off" drizzling rain during this stretch, but not enough to make us stop and put on our rain gear. I was still feeling great, albeit sleepy, and rode at the front most of the way to the Grasshopper water stop. Kevin gave me a few no dose tablets to help me stay awake. At the top of those mountain passes at night it was so quite you could hear a pin drop. It seemed to take forever to get to the water stop, but once we did we got a cup of hot noodles and some hot chocolate. We also learned that Doyce stopped to sleep here, he was so tired he was dosing off on the bike. Prior to leaving, we put on our tights, arm warmers, and wind vests as the night air was getting cool again. Another group of riders had left before us and it was fun watching their taillights inch slowly up the next mountain pass. Still feeling strong, I rode at the front up the next mountain. We descended in to the valley where you could tell there was a good rain early that evening and it was noticeably cooler. We next climbed up to Antelope Pass at 5,472 feet of elevation and then had a long downhill in to Susanville, arriving at 3:54 am. We ate some food, filled up on fluids, and slept for about an hour. My original ride plan had me arriving back in Susanville in 53 hours or five hours earlier so I could get six hours of sleep instead of the one hour we slept. But since we were behind schedule, something had to give so we got less sleep.
We left Susanville for Taylorsville (59.6 miles) early in the morning to avoid having to climb the Janesville Grade when the hot sun was out. While the climb is only five miles long, it has some sections where the grades run from 15% to 20%. Kevin and I rode up the first three miles together, then we came around a corner and Kevin told me to get my heart rate down. Instead, I got off the bike and walked the next half-mile, while Kevin kept riding to the top. I got back on the bike and rode the last 1-1/2 miles where Kevin and I waited for Dan and Doyce to catch up. We stopped at the water stop on the return, but this time they didn't have any beer for me. We filled up on fluids and headed down the mountain to Taylorsville were we would catch about an hour more of shuteye. Dan decided to take his sleep break on top of the mountain and would ride down later by himself. Doyce stopped on the ride down to check out the water at Antelope Lake. Kevin and I made it down to Taylorsville at a little past 1:00 pm. I ate lunch, minestrone soup, ham, and potatoes with ice cream for desert, while Kevin went sound to sleep. Doyce showed up a little bit later and we joined Kevin and several other riders in the sleeping room.
It was just after 4:00 pm when we left Taylorsville for the ride back to Tobin (37.2 miles). This time the ride cut out the long loop around the valley floor. We picked up a few other riders for the ride down, but Kevin and I rode off the front most of the way. Since it was mostly downhill, we made it to Tobin by 6:37 pm. We had some good chili for dinner, filled up on fluids again, put on our night gear, and got back on the bike for the ride to Oroville.
The ride from Tobin to Oroville (40.9 miles) was basically more descending again except for the climb back up Jarbo Gap. Still feeling good, I rode off the front up Jarbo Gap and stopped at the top to put on arm warmers and a wind vest. The descent to Oroville was unbelievably long and straight and would have been fun during daylight hours. But during evening hours with headlights in my eyes from oncoming traffic and worrying about fast descending logging trucks coming from behind me, I couldn't enjoy a fast ride down. We made it to Oroville right around midnight. Our plan was to catch some more sleep here, but Kevin and I decided to leave while Dan and Doyce went to sleep. After a brief meal of salad and lasagna, Kevin and I left with a couple of riders from Orlando.
Day 5 - Saturday:
Somewhere between Oroville and Davis (87.4 miles) was our next stop, the "Secret Control". While we were back in the flat lands again, we left the busy city streets and headed out on to the lonely country roads. I was really surprised at the enormous size of the farmlands we traveled thru, but at night it looked like a vast wasteland. I was also surprised to see the nice new roads running thru the middle of nowhere. I commented to the others, that "it was no wonder that California had no money when they spent it on the roads in the middle of farmland. If this were Tennessee, they would have put down chip and tar roads instead". After seemingly endless riding thru the farmlands, we came upon the "Secret Control". We were all tired and looking for some food and rest, but instead were attacked by swarms of mosquitoes. Needless to say, we had to cut our rest stop short so I missed out on the peach cobbler that everyone said was so good.
We left for the final leg in to Oroville. At this point, my back and neck were killing me from carrying around a heavy camelback all week. I finally had to stop and dump out the water and tie the camelback to my Carradice bag for the ride in. Kevin and I traded pulls most of the way back and finished the ride at 8:45 am for a total of 86 hours and 41 minutes.
Following the ride, the Davis Bike Club put on a large banquet for all the riders and volunteers and handed out awards and certificates of completion. After nodding off at the banquet, I headed back to the hotel for some much over due sleep.
Reflections:
The Davis Bike Club, sponsors of this ride, and their volunteers were absolutely fantastic. Besides being incredibly organized, everyone involved was focused on providing the best experience possible and offered support and encouragement throughout the ride. The food at the rest stops was excellent and they constantly had SAG vehicles out on the route to help riders in need.
Prior to the ride, I formulated a ride plan that said I would finish in 80 hours and get 11 hours of sleep. Obviously, I woefully underestimated the difficulty of the ride and spent more time at the controls than planned. Had someone told me in the beginning that I would be riding 750 miles over 3-1/2 days and getting less that 5 hours sleep, I doubt I would have undertaken this ride. I do find some comfort in the statement by Dave Bundrick that this ride was the hardest of the nine other 1200Ks he has ridden in the past.
Will I do it again? Well, I've already got my sights set on Boston Montreal Boston next year followed by Paris Brest Paris in 2007.
For more information on GRR, go to their website at: http://www.davisbikeclub.org/goldrush/
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Three States of Fleche Ride Report - Jeff Sammons
Three States of Fleche Ride Report
April 30, 2005
By Jeff Sammons
Our team consisted of:
Bill Glass – Captain
Jeff Bauer
Alan Gosart
Jeff Sammons
Vida Greer
Bill, Jeff Bauer, and Alan are all experienced riders at distances greater than the route we traveled, and this was the same route that Jeff and Alan rode for last year’s Fleche. This would be the longest ride, for both Vida and myself, in distance as well as our first 24-hour ride. In terms of distance rides, I’ve done several 200Ks, a 300K, and a double century this year. So a 400K Fleche didn’t seem out of reach.
The week before the ride, the weather report looked promising, we would have warm temperatures with a little rain mixed in. However as the days progressed, the weather reports kept getting colder and wetter. Most of the rain had ended early Saturday morning before we started. When we left that morning, the roads were still wet and we had a little drizzle to contend with for the first few hours.
Bill wanted us to arrive no later than 7:10 am so we would be ready for a 7:30 am start. I was late getting ready the week before for the Georgia 300K Brevet and departed hastily, leaving behind my glasses and not getting my lights working. So, I was determined to get to Bill’s house early on Saturday so I would be ready when it was time to go. I had everything packed and ready to go Friday night. Jeff Bauer advised me to take a complete change of riding clothes so my Carradice bag was packed to the brim. I even had to carry some extra items in my Camelback to fit everything in. With the exception of Vida, we were all ready to go at 7:30 am. Although Vida indicated she would be there for the ride, she hadn’t arrived and we didn’t know how to contact her. So we started without her.
Our route started at Bill’s house near the Highway 100 Terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway and wound up in Chattanooga 24 hours later after brief stays in Alabama and Georgia. Hence, the name “Three States of Fleche”. The ride down to the first control headed southwest down the Trace. We made a brief stop on the Trace at the Garrison Creek rest stop. Since my feet were getting wet from the wet roads and drizzle, I stopped to put on my shoe covers trying to keep dry. It was there that Vida joined us and explained how she went to Bill’s old house for the ride start. According to the RUSA rules governing Fleches, since Vida didn’t start at Bill’s house, she wouldn’t be an official rider. We rode another 47 miles down the Trace before we turned off and then headed east to Summertown and our first control at 75.9 miles. We stopped at a convenience store and ate lunch.
Since Alan rode the route last year, he was our navigator and official timekeeper. During the ride, he kept telling us how we were doing in time compared to last year’s team. Although Bill brought along his GPS unit, he hadn’t programmed in the ride coordinates, so it didn’t provide any good information except for recording the route for next year. It was about 38 miles to the next control, heading east to Lewisburg. It was during this stretch that we rode past the 100-mile mark in about 8 hours total time. It was also our only sighting of the sun, albeit for only a brief moment. We stopped at Wendy’s in Lewisburg and ate again.
The next leg of about 38 miles would take us east thru Shelbyville and then on to Tullahoma. Vida’s mother lived in Shelbyville and we all thought she would bail here. After a phone call to mom and some encouragement from the team, she stayed the course and went on with us to Tullahoma. We made it to the Wendy’s in Tullahoma in about 12 hours and 152 miles after we started the day. Bill and Alan’s wives met us for dinner. Bill and Alan seem to have a fixation with Wendy’s restaurants, seems we are stopping there during each of the rides I’ve been on with them. It was dark outside by the time we left, so we put on our reflective gear, lights, and some heavier clothing. Bill gave each of us a “Tirefly” which is a small devise that fits on your valve stem and flashes light as the wheel turns. I told Bill that I couldn’t tell if these attracted dogs more or kept them away.
The next ride segment would take us east another 25 miles to a small town called Alto, then up a 3 mile climb to Sewanee, a college town, and then southeast for 27 miles to South Pittsburg. During the ride to Alto, one of the guys mentioned to look up and we saw a sky full of stars. While that meant no more rain that night, it also meant that the temperatures would be dropping. At the top of the climb, it was noticeably colder and since my shirt was soaked with perspiration from the climb, I was getting chilled quickly. We stopped at a small market and went inside and changed clothing. After we left Sewanee, fatigue started to affect me. I had been traveling for business the days prior to the ride, so I didn’t get adequate rest that week. I didn’t think it would be possible to fall asleep while riding, but I had to shake myself and eat some gel to keep alert. All I could think about was making to the next control so I could get a short five-minute nap. Before we made it into South Pittsburg, there was a 3-mile decent. Bill, Jeff, and Vida went flying down it while Alan and I went slower. I think I rode my brakes most of the way down. Unfortunately when we made it to the control, it was already closed. So we sat out there in the cold and I didn’t get any naptime. A short while later, a policeman stopped by to see what we were up to. I think he thought we were all crazy when we told him what we were up to, but he never said so.
It was only 23 miles to the next control, but first we had to cross the Tennessee River, ascend a more moderate 3-mile climb into Alabama, cross over into Georgia, and then descend those 3-miles into the town of Trenton. We stopped at the local Huddle House restaurant and ate breakfast and finally caught a few minutes of sleep. We left the restaurant in time so we could make to the 22-hour control. It was then that I noticed my rear wheel was wobbling. Upon further inspection, I noticed that I had a couple of loose but not broken spokes. Bill started to tighten them up, but Alan didn’t want to chance loosing any time so we just released the rear break and continued the ride.
The end of the ride was now only 23 miles away in Chattanooga. Alan noted the temperature had dropped down to 39 degrees just before the sun came up. The final leg of the ride took us back across the state line into Tennessee. It was nice scenic ride in the early morning hours. We had a couple of small climbs and made it to the end of our route in the allotted time. As we rode over to the hotel where Bill’s wife was staying, we passed Team MBC as they were finishing their route. We made it to the hotel, showered, ate more food, and then departed for Nashville. Vida commented that we all made the 253-mile trek without a single flat tire.
April 30, 2005
By Jeff Sammons
Our team consisted of:
Bill Glass – Captain
Jeff Bauer
Alan Gosart
Jeff Sammons
Vida Greer
Bill, Jeff Bauer, and Alan are all experienced riders at distances greater than the route we traveled, and this was the same route that Jeff and Alan rode for last year’s Fleche. This would be the longest ride, for both Vida and myself, in distance as well as our first 24-hour ride. In terms of distance rides, I’ve done several 200Ks, a 300K, and a double century this year. So a 400K Fleche didn’t seem out of reach.
The week before the ride, the weather report looked promising, we would have warm temperatures with a little rain mixed in. However as the days progressed, the weather reports kept getting colder and wetter. Most of the rain had ended early Saturday morning before we started. When we left that morning, the roads were still wet and we had a little drizzle to contend with for the first few hours.
Bill wanted us to arrive no later than 7:10 am so we would be ready for a 7:30 am start. I was late getting ready the week before for the Georgia 300K Brevet and departed hastily, leaving behind my glasses and not getting my lights working. So, I was determined to get to Bill’s house early on Saturday so I would be ready when it was time to go. I had everything packed and ready to go Friday night. Jeff Bauer advised me to take a complete change of riding clothes so my Carradice bag was packed to the brim. I even had to carry some extra items in my Camelback to fit everything in. With the exception of Vida, we were all ready to go at 7:30 am. Although Vida indicated she would be there for the ride, she hadn’t arrived and we didn’t know how to contact her. So we started without her.
Our route started at Bill’s house near the Highway 100 Terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway and wound up in Chattanooga 24 hours later after brief stays in Alabama and Georgia. Hence, the name “Three States of Fleche”. The ride down to the first control headed southwest down the Trace. We made a brief stop on the Trace at the Garrison Creek rest stop. Since my feet were getting wet from the wet roads and drizzle, I stopped to put on my shoe covers trying to keep dry. It was there that Vida joined us and explained how she went to Bill’s old house for the ride start. According to the RUSA rules governing Fleches, since Vida didn’t start at Bill’s house, she wouldn’t be an official rider. We rode another 47 miles down the Trace before we turned off and then headed east to Summertown and our first control at 75.9 miles. We stopped at a convenience store and ate lunch.
Since Alan rode the route last year, he was our navigator and official timekeeper. During the ride, he kept telling us how we were doing in time compared to last year’s team. Although Bill brought along his GPS unit, he hadn’t programmed in the ride coordinates, so it didn’t provide any good information except for recording the route for next year. It was about 38 miles to the next control, heading east to Lewisburg. It was during this stretch that we rode past the 100-mile mark in about 8 hours total time. It was also our only sighting of the sun, albeit for only a brief moment. We stopped at Wendy’s in Lewisburg and ate again.
The next leg of about 38 miles would take us east thru Shelbyville and then on to Tullahoma. Vida’s mother lived in Shelbyville and we all thought she would bail here. After a phone call to mom and some encouragement from the team, she stayed the course and went on with us to Tullahoma. We made it to the Wendy’s in Tullahoma in about 12 hours and 152 miles after we started the day. Bill and Alan’s wives met us for dinner. Bill and Alan seem to have a fixation with Wendy’s restaurants, seems we are stopping there during each of the rides I’ve been on with them. It was dark outside by the time we left, so we put on our reflective gear, lights, and some heavier clothing. Bill gave each of us a “Tirefly” which is a small devise that fits on your valve stem and flashes light as the wheel turns. I told Bill that I couldn’t tell if these attracted dogs more or kept them away.
The next ride segment would take us east another 25 miles to a small town called Alto, then up a 3 mile climb to Sewanee, a college town, and then southeast for 27 miles to South Pittsburg. During the ride to Alto, one of the guys mentioned to look up and we saw a sky full of stars. While that meant no more rain that night, it also meant that the temperatures would be dropping. At the top of the climb, it was noticeably colder and since my shirt was soaked with perspiration from the climb, I was getting chilled quickly. We stopped at a small market and went inside and changed clothing. After we left Sewanee, fatigue started to affect me. I had been traveling for business the days prior to the ride, so I didn’t get adequate rest that week. I didn’t think it would be possible to fall asleep while riding, but I had to shake myself and eat some gel to keep alert. All I could think about was making to the next control so I could get a short five-minute nap. Before we made it into South Pittsburg, there was a 3-mile decent. Bill, Jeff, and Vida went flying down it while Alan and I went slower. I think I rode my brakes most of the way down. Unfortunately when we made it to the control, it was already closed. So we sat out there in the cold and I didn’t get any naptime. A short while later, a policeman stopped by to see what we were up to. I think he thought we were all crazy when we told him what we were up to, but he never said so.
It was only 23 miles to the next control, but first we had to cross the Tennessee River, ascend a more moderate 3-mile climb into Alabama, cross over into Georgia, and then descend those 3-miles into the town of Trenton. We stopped at the local Huddle House restaurant and ate breakfast and finally caught a few minutes of sleep. We left the restaurant in time so we could make to the 22-hour control. It was then that I noticed my rear wheel was wobbling. Upon further inspection, I noticed that I had a couple of loose but not broken spokes. Bill started to tighten them up, but Alan didn’t want to chance loosing any time so we just released the rear break and continued the ride.
The end of the ride was now only 23 miles away in Chattanooga. Alan noted the temperature had dropped down to 39 degrees just before the sun came up. The final leg of the ride took us back across the state line into Tennessee. It was nice scenic ride in the early morning hours. We had a couple of small climbs and made it to the end of our route in the allotted time. As we rode over to the hotel where Bill’s wife was staying, we passed Team MBC as they were finishing their route. We made it to the hotel, showered, ate more food, and then departed for Nashville. Vida commented that we all made the 253-mile trek without a single flat tire.
Three States of Fleche Ride Report - Jeff Bauer
Three States of Flèche Ride Report
April 30, 2005
By Jeff Bauer
Last weekend, I rode a 24-hour ride known as a flèche. This was my fourth flèche ride, and my third in middle Tennessee.
A flèche is team ride of 24-hours' duration, subject to specific rules determined by the Randonneurs Mondiaux. A team may consist of three to five machines (a tandem counts as a single machine) and at least three machines must finish together to receive official credit. Each team must choose its own route and may not ride with any other cyclists. A minimum of 360 kilometers must be covered inside 24 hours, with no less than 25 kilometers to be ridden in the final two hours. Flèche routes are point-to-point or a large circuit since any particular stretch of road may be used only once during the event by the team. In French, flèche means "arrow", so the traditional method is to ride from one point to another, like an arrow flying into the bullseye.
Our team consisted of the following members:
Bill Glass (captain)
Alan Gosart
Jeff Sammons
Jeff Bauer
Vida Greer
A flèche is not a race. The point is to keep everyone on the team together in pursuit of a common destination. This year the destination for the Georgia flèche was the Chattanooga Aquarium -- the same as it has been in years past. In addition to our team, three other teams would be participating.
As the weekend approached, we were all watching the weather for signs of rain. The temperatures were already somewhat cool, but the probability of rain appeared to recede just before we started our ride.
We were missing one rider at the start, but had to begin at the designated 7:30 time. Our first 70 miles would take us past Garrison Creek where we stopped to use the restroom facilities (mile 17). It wasthere that Lynn and Vida showed up. They had showedup at Bill's old house. We started the ride from his new house, just a mile or so up the road. At this point Vida was officially disqualified from the ride, but resolutely decided to continue riding the remaining 235 miles with us anyway.
The morning was damp and misty. Overcast skies and 55F temperatures aren't bad for riding. The NatchezTrace Parkway is a nice cycling section, since there is no commercial traffic and no turns to miss. Along the route we would periodically regroup at the historic landmarks (Gordon House, Meriwether Lewis) which had restroom facilities.
After riding down the Natchez Trace for 60 miles, we exited at marker 381 and rode a few miles toward Summertown. At the Phillips 66 store, our first control, we had the clerk sign our brevet cards and filled up on food and beverages. I had a microwaved ham and cheese sandwich just for something hot to eat.
From this point onward we stayed closer together, so we wouldn't miss any turns. I had the cuesheet on my handlebars, but some of the roads were unmarked. We used the same course that Alan designed last year, though it would be the first time Bill, Jeff or Vida had rode this route.
Our next control was a Wendy's in Lewisburg (mile114). Some of us ordered baked potatoes, always a safe food for randonneuring. The weather was looking pretty reasonable. Slightly windy and chilly, but nothing too bad. We had the usual fare of dogs chasing us. Light traffic and no major incidents.
We arrived in Tullahoma (mile 152), just around sunset, around 8 pm. We joked about having less than 12 hours to complete the final 100 miles. Our third control was another Wendy's. We were joined for dinner by Sametta and Susan (Bill and Alan's spouses). This was the point last year that Tom Cayton was forced to bail due to illness. Sametta gave us a progress report on the other flèche team from Tennessee (which included Tom). It appeared that they were ahead of schedule. Just before we left the third control, captain Bill gave us each a light to attach to our wheels. As we rode into the night, you could see red, while, and blue flashes strobing from our rear wheels. Surprisingly, I didnot find this distracting.
For the next 30 miles we wound through country roads towards Sewanee. The last section becomes a 2.5 mile climb with a steep grade. I rode up it last year on my fixed-gear bike and it wasn't much fun. This year, even with gears it was still no breeze. We regrouped at the top of the climb then made our way to a University. It closed at midnight (we were now on the Eastern timezone, I believe), so we had 30 minutes to stop. I added another base layer to prepare for the chilly evening.
For the next 24 miles we followed up and down rollers along the ridge, then a 3 mile descent into South Pittsburg. Upon reaching the Conoco Station there, we found that it had been closed up, locked from the outside. A local cop stopped by and mentioned that this market was no longer open 24/7. We were all pretty well set with food and water, and the next control was only 23 miles away. Jeff Sammons' rear wheel had gone out of true. Bill fixed this by tweaking one of the spokes and loosening the rear brake.
Vida's light went dead, so I attempted to install my backup light, a Cateye LED. The light wouldn't hold, however, and eventually broke off the mount when she hit a bump. She rode to the next control within the beam of our bike lights.
The next section took us across the Tennessee River into Alabama, then up a 3 mile climb with multiple false summits, a 10 mile ride along the ridge, then a winding descent into Trenton.
In Trenton, we first stopped at the Huddle House. Being the only occupants at 4:30 am, we took over half the tables with our gear. After dining, some of us took quick power naps or just lay down with our eyes closed. About 6:30 eastern time, we departed the Huddle House and had our cards signed at the last control, a Golden Gallon/Citgo just down the road.
As the dawn approached, I started taking off my night gear. Even before the day starts to warm, the sun coming up over the mountains promised a pleasant, though somewhat windy ride into Chattanooga. We had one brief climb and descent into the city, then wound our way to the Aquarium. On the way back to the Hampton Inn, we spotted the other Tennessee team led by Cary Way, ahead of schedule. They met us back at the motel to swap ride accounts and share breakfast in the lobby.
Overall, a pleasant 24 hour ride. Congratulations to Jeff Sammons for completing his first flèche and his longest ride. Also kudos to Vida Greer for completing her longest ride, despite missing the start. I enjoy the flèche format and hope to ride on a team again next year.
Jeff Bauer
Nashville, Tennessee
April 30, 2005
By Jeff Bauer
Last weekend, I rode a 24-hour ride known as a flèche. This was my fourth flèche ride, and my third in middle Tennessee.
A flèche is team ride of 24-hours' duration, subject to specific rules determined by the Randonneurs Mondiaux. A team may consist of three to five machines (a tandem counts as a single machine) and at least three machines must finish together to receive official credit. Each team must choose its own route and may not ride with any other cyclists. A minimum of 360 kilometers must be covered inside 24 hours, with no less than 25 kilometers to be ridden in the final two hours. Flèche routes are point-to-point or a large circuit since any particular stretch of road may be used only once during the event by the team. In French, flèche means "arrow", so the traditional method is to ride from one point to another, like an arrow flying into the bullseye.
Our team consisted of the following members:
Bill Glass (captain)
Alan Gosart
Jeff Sammons
Jeff Bauer
Vida Greer
A flèche is not a race. The point is to keep everyone on the team together in pursuit of a common destination. This year the destination for the Georgia flèche was the Chattanooga Aquarium -- the same as it has been in years past. In addition to our team, three other teams would be participating.
As the weekend approached, we were all watching the weather for signs of rain. The temperatures were already somewhat cool, but the probability of rain appeared to recede just before we started our ride.
We were missing one rider at the start, but had to begin at the designated 7:30 time. Our first 70 miles would take us past Garrison Creek where we stopped to use the restroom facilities (mile 17). It wasthere that Lynn and Vida showed up. They had showedup at Bill's old house. We started the ride from his new house, just a mile or so up the road. At this point Vida was officially disqualified from the ride, but resolutely decided to continue riding the remaining 235 miles with us anyway.
The morning was damp and misty. Overcast skies and 55F temperatures aren't bad for riding. The NatchezTrace Parkway is a nice cycling section, since there is no commercial traffic and no turns to miss. Along the route we would periodically regroup at the historic landmarks (Gordon House, Meriwether Lewis) which had restroom facilities.
After riding down the Natchez Trace for 60 miles, we exited at marker 381 and rode a few miles toward Summertown. At the Phillips 66 store, our first control, we had the clerk sign our brevet cards and filled up on food and beverages. I had a microwaved ham and cheese sandwich just for something hot to eat.
From this point onward we stayed closer together, so we wouldn't miss any turns. I had the cuesheet on my handlebars, but some of the roads were unmarked. We used the same course that Alan designed last year, though it would be the first time Bill, Jeff or Vida had rode this route.
Our next control was a Wendy's in Lewisburg (mile114). Some of us ordered baked potatoes, always a safe food for randonneuring. The weather was looking pretty reasonable. Slightly windy and chilly, but nothing too bad. We had the usual fare of dogs chasing us. Light traffic and no major incidents.
We arrived in Tullahoma (mile 152), just around sunset, around 8 pm. We joked about having less than 12 hours to complete the final 100 miles. Our third control was another Wendy's. We were joined for dinner by Sametta and Susan (Bill and Alan's spouses). This was the point last year that Tom Cayton was forced to bail due to illness. Sametta gave us a progress report on the other flèche team from Tennessee (which included Tom). It appeared that they were ahead of schedule. Just before we left the third control, captain Bill gave us each a light to attach to our wheels. As we rode into the night, you could see red, while, and blue flashes strobing from our rear wheels. Surprisingly, I didnot find this distracting.
For the next 30 miles we wound through country roads towards Sewanee. The last section becomes a 2.5 mile climb with a steep grade. I rode up it last year on my fixed-gear bike and it wasn't much fun. This year, even with gears it was still no breeze. We regrouped at the top of the climb then made our way to a University. It closed at midnight (we were now on the Eastern timezone, I believe), so we had 30 minutes to stop. I added another base layer to prepare for the chilly evening.
For the next 24 miles we followed up and down rollers along the ridge, then a 3 mile descent into South Pittsburg. Upon reaching the Conoco Station there, we found that it had been closed up, locked from the outside. A local cop stopped by and mentioned that this market was no longer open 24/7. We were all pretty well set with food and water, and the next control was only 23 miles away. Jeff Sammons' rear wheel had gone out of true. Bill fixed this by tweaking one of the spokes and loosening the rear brake.
Vida's light went dead, so I attempted to install my backup light, a Cateye LED. The light wouldn't hold, however, and eventually broke off the mount when she hit a bump. She rode to the next control within the beam of our bike lights.
The next section took us across the Tennessee River into Alabama, then up a 3 mile climb with multiple false summits, a 10 mile ride along the ridge, then a winding descent into Trenton.
In Trenton, we first stopped at the Huddle House. Being the only occupants at 4:30 am, we took over half the tables with our gear. After dining, some of us took quick power naps or just lay down with our eyes closed. About 6:30 eastern time, we departed the Huddle House and had our cards signed at the last control, a Golden Gallon/Citgo just down the road.
As the dawn approached, I started taking off my night gear. Even before the day starts to warm, the sun coming up over the mountains promised a pleasant, though somewhat windy ride into Chattanooga. We had one brief climb and descent into the city, then wound our way to the Aquarium. On the way back to the Hampton Inn, we spotted the other Tennessee team led by Cary Way, ahead of schedule. They met us back at the motel to swap ride accounts and share breakfast in the lobby.
Overall, a pleasant 24 hour ride. Congratulations to Jeff Sammons for completing his first flèche and his longest ride. Also kudos to Vida Greer for completing her longest ride, despite missing the start. I enjoy the flèche format and hope to ride on a team again next year.
Jeff Bauer
Nashville, Tennessee
