2013 - Trans Pyrénées Cycling Trip

Trans Pyrénées; Sunday August 25 through Saturday August 31, 2013

My dad and I ventured back across the Atlantic for our second trip with Thomson Bike Tours.  This time we rode the trans-Pyrénées route, which spans the length of the mountain range from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.  Our journey began in the town of Sitges, just south of Barcelona in Spain.  After a one day warm-up on the famous Rat Penat, we spent six days riding through the Pyrénées on our way to the seaside town of Hendaye, France.

There is nothing better than riding your bike all day through magnificent countryside and alpine towns before bingeing on French and Spanish food in the evenings.

The ride profiles, embedded below, detail our journey.   In seven days we rode 513 miles and climbed 56,955 vertical feet.  That's a strong week on the bike...

2013 - High Cascades 100

High Cascades 100; Bend, OR - Saturday July 20, 2013

The Tahoe Trail 100k mountain bike race last summer reignited my excitement for off road riding. Last fall I traded in my 14 year old rig for a full suspension 29er and dove in to the many great trails the Santa Cruz mountains have to offer. I decided to take some time off from triathlon after a 5 fun year stint and do an off road race in 2013. My race selection criteria was simple: the race's distance must be 100+ miles and within a one day drive of NorCal.

When I found the High Cascades 100 in Bend, OR I immediately marked my calendar for the Jan 1st registration. The race stood out for a few reasons. First, neither Susan nor I had ever been to Oregon and we were both itching to check it out. Second, the race is small and family run. I was excited to get away from the Ironman-esq big race productions that have lost their soul to marketing. Third, the race features 85+ miles of single track and is one huge loop. If I wanted to race pure mountain bikers on a route that would be nearly impossible to plan myself, this was the one!

I stowed the mountain bike around the holidays before dusting it off at the beginning of March after a decent winter of road miles. I spent the next four months juggling home improvement work while sneaking in trail miles whenever I had extra energy. I really came to appreciate the glorious absence of cars and presence of animals on the trails while quickly recognizing the importance of bike handling skills at speed. I had a few isolated brushes with the ground but fortunately nothing too serious!

The HC 100 was the weekend immediately following the Death Ride. In an ideal world I would have had a additional week in between the two, but c'est la vie. I could never choose just one and am more serious shout fun than results. Susan and I left work late on a Thursday afternoon for our three day weekend up in the Cascades.

Bend is 500 miles north of our house and the drive up there is pretty fantastic. First, you head north through the Central Valley before coming face to face with Mount Shasta (gorgeous!). After Shasta, it is all big woods of Ponderosa pines. This was real logging country with miles and miles of land and super clear streams. Eventually the town of Bend appears with views of volcanic Mount Bachelor and the chilly Deschutes river running running through it.

We arrived just in time for check in and the pre-race talk. The heat warning for the high-nineties temperatures and blinding dust did not scare me coming off of a series of heat waves and perpetually dusty trails back home. I was nervous about the technical nature of the course though and took a keen interest in the tight, curvy, and rocky conditions (I packed my pads). This race would require all of my skills and promised to be just the day long adventure I was looking for. I needed to finish under 15 hours to make it official and planned to do just that while not crashing and ruining my planned hike around Crater Lake the following day with Susan. The pressure was on!

Post check in we hit the river for relief from the triple digit heat. I soaked my legs while Susan showed off by swimming. It was another gorgeous day to be alive with swimmers, paddle boarders, kayakers, and dogs alike enjoying the sun and fun. We ended the party with some pizza and stroll around the downtown area before heading back to our room next to the start line.

My 4AM alarm came quickly. The pre-dawn air was warm and after a few opening words we we off for a 10 mile neutral road start behind the director's truck as he led us up the to mountains. Once we hit the dirt it was game on with deep sand on the ground and thick dust in the air. I followed the director's advice and wore a bandanna to keep my lungs clean. This tactic served me well and is a trick I plan to use again.

The route was (mostly) cut just wide enough for me to fit my handlebars through. The sides of the trail were littered with Ponderosas both big and small, standing and fallen in a menacing patchwork. The surroundings strongly discouraged me from overcooking any of the endless turns. 20 minutes into things I saw the pro who has dominated the race in years past walking out with a broken collarbone. I backed off a bit and reminded myself how awesome it will be to hike Crater Lake in one piece!

The terrain was a lot of fun. The trails were seemingly endless with no straight lines to be found. We passed high alpine lakes and meadows with views of snow-capped volcanic mountains. I loved the loop and couldn't believe just how much riding Bend has to offer as many trails crossed our path all along the way. This is big country ripe for exploration!!

Just under 12 hours after I started, and a little over 11 hours of actual pedaling, I rolled back into Bend and finished the race. I was basically alone on an epic ride for the last 4-5 hours and enjoyed the phenomenal scenery and BMX-type riding with periodic water and peanut butter and jelly refills. I made it through without any crashes and sharpened my technical skills. While I would have been more "competitive" on a less technical course that emphasized fitness over skills, I was pretty psyched for the experience and to see what great trail riding is like. This was both my longest day on a bike and the most engaging. There was no margin for error so spacing out was not an option.

Susan and I split my post race veggie burger and pasta before jumping in the car to head south to Crater Lake. We hit the Lake just in time to watch the sunset and again remind ourselves how lucky we are to explore gorgeous places like this. The next morning we hiked around the Lake and traded stories from our hiking/biking adventures the previous day before we jumped in the car to head back to CA with another unforgettable weekend in the books!

An alpine lake near Mt. Bachelor 

Crater Lake

2013 - Death Ride

Death Ride; Alpine County, CA - Saturday July 13, 2013

My dad and I discussed riding the famous “Death Ride” for a few years.  I heard about the ride from a few people and frequently see cyclists sporting the distinctive skeleton-styled event jersey out on the roads.  Last December we secured two spots and my dad booked his trip to visit us and make a weekend trip up to the Sierras. 

This ride is a big one, covering 129 miles and climbing about 15,000 feet.  The event features five climbs over three passes, beginning with climbing Monitor pass and Ebbetts pass from both sides before finishing with Carson pass.  The route centers around the starting line which supports the “ride” format quite well.  Unlike a race, participants ride without timing chips or an official time.  Stickers are awarded at the top of each climb to track everyone’s progress.  Riders who climb all five passes are invited to purchase an expensive finisher’s jersey that has a big skeleton on it and sign a commemorative banner that is hung at Alpine County’s Chamber of Commerce.

The race starts about 45 minutes south of South Lake Tahoe, so we stayed in South Lake and awoke at 4AM for a 5AM start.  We decided to ride at our own pace.  I wanted to do all five climbs while not shelling myself before a big mountain bike race the following weekend, whereas my dad looked to complete three climbs while breathing in all of the thin air he could.  We were registered and rolling just in time for the sun to greet us with fantastic scenery.

The ride is very pretty and covers some very well maintained roads through the high country.  The climbs were all fairly gradual, but passing people was scary given the clogged roads!  There is nothing like seeing thousands of cyclists of varying ability simultaneously ascend/descend windy mountain roads.  Fortunately, as the day progressed and the crowds faded, I relaxed a bit and enjoyed the ride.

The “ride” format was great as it removed all pressure and featured many well stocked aid stations with food as opposed to gels.  Never before have I enjoyed mid-ride ice cream and eaten my weight in PB&Js, no crust, at every turn.

The rolling buffet came to an end after nine hours in the saddle and five passes.  I signed the finishers’ banner but, surprise surprise, decided to pass on the jersey.  The best part of the weekend, by far, was getting to share this time in the Sierras with my dad.  He accomplished his goal of three climbs and we both enjoyed poking around the Lake Tahoe for the rest of the weekend while planning our next adventure together.  

2012 - Tahoe Trail 100k

Tahoe Trail 100k Mountain Bike Race; Truckee, CA – Sunday July 22, 2012

My long awaited entry into the world of mountain bike racing finally came in the form of the Tahoe Trail 100k held at the Northstar ski resort in Truckee, CA.  Two weeks before the race I was unaware of its existence.  At my post-wedding brunch, my friend Gordo mentioned he was heading to race in Tahoe as a sharpener on his way to racing Leadville in August.  The comment got my wheels spinning… 

Mountain biking has captured my imagination since childhood.  I have always found the combination of nature and two wheels irresistible.  As a kid riding my first Huffy, I pored over mountain biking magazines and dreamed of the day when I would be old enough to drive to the trails on a regular basis.  As life evolved and my interests shifted, I purchased a road bike for the convenience of easy access to riding.  My road cycling led me to road racing and then on to triathlon.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Given this backdrop, I have been itching to reacquaint myself with my old bike and get back on the dirt.  So far my longest mountain bike ride was only about 20 miles.  That needed to change, and needed to change quickly.  What better way to jump in than a race? 

Timing-wise, the race couldn’t have been better positioned.  Susan had to work and I had exactly two weeks open before starting my new career.  Game on!  I spent my first morning wrapping up a few projects before hitting Waterdog Park for an hour on the single-track.  Things were going well for the first 20 minutes until I tried to take a turn too fast and went down.  So much for a confidence-boosting first day!  Fortunately, I was only a little scraped up and the bruising on my hip didn’t hurt when pedaling.  As I bandaged myself that night I silently prayed this small spill would count as time served as far as mountain biking injuries are concerned!

For the next eleven days I rode my mountain bike varying distances on a mix of roads and great trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  The more I explore the area, the more excited I am to live here and see it off-road!  With similar excitement for the weekend, Susan and I hatched a plan to leave for Lake Tahoe Saturday morning and stay on the mountain at Northstar ahead of the race on Sunday morning.

Since neither Susan nor I have spent time at Lake Tahoe, we were both excited to see what all of the fuss is about.  After an easy 3 hour drive up into the Sierras, we were soon aboard kayaks and savoring the thin air, clear water, and huge views of the Lake.  We enjoyed the beach scene and took a dip before heading back to the ski resort for the pre-race meeting and an easy spin to the mid-mountain lodge.  We capped off the day with a nice dinner in the town of Truckee before heading to bed.

I woke up refreshed and ready to have fun on Sunday morning.  With triathlons I can reasonably predict how the day will go and what all I need gear and nutrition-wise.  This race was another story.  I was pretty nervous about my technical descending skills and whether or not I would make the 8 hour time cutoff.  I packed my Camelback with enough gear and water to last me a week on the trail, cutoffs be damned!  My simple goal was to finish safely and have some fun along the way. 

All packed up, I headed down mountain to assemble for the rolling start.  I positioned myself mid-pack and was excited to hear the gun signaling the start of the race.  The course began on pavement that led us further up and into the some trails on mountains.  Once on the trails, the course was extremely dusty from the combination of dry trails and tons of riders.  For the majority of the first lap I could barely see the riders ahead of me.  Fortunately I navigated around a few spills and safely got out of the way on the fast descents.

The second lap of the two lap course proved to be the most enjoyable.  By this time the field (and dust) thinned and I was able to ride at my own pace both up and down the hills.  At this point, I relaxed quite a bit and really took in the experience and my surroundings.  As I descended safely into the finish area, I felt extremely grateful to finish in one piece and participate in this event on such short notice.  I finished all smiles in 5:45, well ahead of the 8 hour cutoff.

I really enjoyed the mountain bike racing experience.  My fellow racers were extremely friendly and the venue was first rate.  The mountain location was ideal as Susan went for a long hike while I raced.  My appetite for this type of racing was only heightened by this weekend and I’m now looking for my next off-road endeavor.  Unfortunately, I was neither fast enough (via qualifying) nor lucky enough (via lottery) to score a spot to Leadville at the post-race slot allocation.  That’s not a problem though - I’m confident the combination of bikes and trails will keep me satisfied no matter what off-road adventure comes next!

2012 - Classic Climbing Challenge

My recent move to Northern California has been exciting on many different levels.  One of my favorite features of the area is the great number of cycling opportunities.  I can now ride 10 minutes from my door to begin a Cat 2 climb through a forest of redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  This is very different from NYC where it took 45 minutes just to ride out of Manhattan!

Over the past two months I have enjoyed exploring my new home the best way I know how: via bicycle.  The variety in terrain, ecosystems, and climates is unlike anything I have ever experienced.  My curiosity to explore new routes, coupled with a compulsion to climb things, has given me plenty of ways to spend my free time.

Enter the Classic Climbing Challenge.  Through Strava, a website where users upload their endurance exploits to share and compare performances and routes, competitors were given 47 days to climb 105,213 vertical feet (2,239 ft/day).  I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to do some climbing and see how my rides stacked up against the other ~11,000 participants from around the world.  By the end of the 47 days I climbed 107,284 feet, putting me in 522^nd place.  The winner, who lives in Alabama, edged out a guy from the French Alps by climbing 468,661 feet.  Now that’s serious…

2010 - French Alps Cycling Trip

French Alps - August 2010

In August my father and I ventured over to France & Switzerland to spend a week riding through many of cycling's famed regions and climbs before joining a professionally run tour (Thomson Bike Tours) for a supported ride from Geneva, Switzerland to Nice, France. To date this was the toughest of our father/son excursions and definitely one of the most fun as we got to experience many of the places we see on TV each July during the Tour de France. A summary of the trip's statistics and quick highlights is in the picture below (click to enlarge) followed by some pictures of us and the trip profile and map. If you're considering a similar cycling trip I highly recommend the Thomson group as they are serious about their cycling!