This year the so far biggest participation of a total of 623 riders in all fields, from that 330 riders signed up for the 180k.
Py will not talk much about the special and epic nature of this ride again, read all his D2R2 reports or enjoy this excellent review by Rapha CC.
However, Py did at no time saw big crowds as he registered the evening before. Also arriving for a little breakfast snack and coffee early was good, also no lines any where. Then getting the bike ready. Just a very few people were around and started out with the very first and small group of just some 12 riders -- signed in for the 6am start. For the timed 180k field was this time no sharp start time set as they intended to spread the field out -- starts from 6:00 to 6:30am for 180k. Recognizing a few riders of the previous year.
Rolling out easy and picking up a decent warm up pace toward the first incline. A beautiful day started, a slight chill in the air, buy bone dry. The sun is not yet up at the start but enough light to see. Arm warmers were comfy -- all the way to the first water station. A good small group stayed together and happened to have a perfect local leader (on the Cervelo in the red jersey).
He actually put the D2R2 180k signs up -- so he must know where to go! Just enjoy the video below -- footage ends with end of camera battery power. They stayed all time close together and climbed about the same -- good work and going crazy, many more miles to come. Just very enjoyable riding. Py did not told yet, but they have been about the first on the road all the way, just two riders took off temporarily. That was good, as you never know how the already loose dirts looks like after a few hundred bikes went over it. Water stations were just about getting ready as they stopped just very briefly for refills. On the way, one of several covered bridges:
Heath: 36.6mi / 2h36
Green River Covered Bridge at 64.8mi / 4h34.
(picture from 2009)Refilling/fueling bottles, grabbing a sandwich (to go) and off they went... not even a picture. While heading out and being half way in this dark covered bridge Py did not took attention to the big gap between the two wooden paths as he watched out for his friends ahead and dropped his front wheel down and with one stupid instinctive counter steer right into the about 1/2 foot tall edge of the wooden path this took him down and ended up in no more then a little road rash and a twisted brake lever, easy readjustable. Arggrrr. Upset about his own stupidity he got up in no time and caught up to the others -- too much in an hurry -- just finding them slowly going up this hill and having some snacks and sandwiches on the go -- OK, that was the plan. Getting out his sandwich and trying to unwrap this too well packed thing... but it was a great sandwich, just took a number of small bites and about all the way up this hill. From then on he suffered a bit from his mishap and possible slight impact on some weird upper leg muscles now tending to cramp at hight power outputs -- this limited his power output for about half to an hour until back to normality. And thus he had unfortunately a hard time hanging on. Slightly demotivated he made his way on his own. Wondering, no other riders yet catching up? At least not for a long time.
Here he took a short break and grabbed some fuel out of his back pack and also stowed away the now useless extra weight on his helmet (camera). At the beginning of the climb up to Patten Hill one rider from earlier caught up to him, he must just have taken a little longer break. Climbing Patten Hill in a very steady way... what a great day to do this, dry, partly sunny and just very nice and comfortable temperatures all day long!
Arriving at Patten Hill: 97.2mi / 7h14
Still pretty calm and no yet busy at all -- just the first hand full of riders stopped by so far!
A visit of the portable bathroom -- he really should have done this before the climb..... but did not and also took all empty food wrapping up there to dump them properly. Also he had plenty of extra water (one full bottle left on his pack) -- just having last years in mind, as water got short on the long way from Green River. Not today, so just carrying about 3 or 4 extra pounds up hill... as also the bottles on the bike were far from empty.
From here, just easy finishing it up. At this point other riders mixed in from shorter routes.
Finish: 112mi / 8h03 (note: this is moving time -- add about 30 minutes for his total)
***
Here is the video Py put together covering scenic views and key turns of the D2R2 180k. He tried to make it feel and look more real, so it starts out a bit slow until some actions takes over, watch it all and enjoy! Next year he will try to capture more or the second half, as the battery -- even trying to conserve it via camera shut off's in between -- lasted for just little under 4 hours total into the ride. Missed to capture the Green River Bridge and being little more into fast in and out mode to beat leg fatigue and keep moving.
Other photos, way later after us...: by bikeride
and a few more by Darren.
If you like this video, here is a littler longer edit in really high quality -- you may need to be patience and let if pre-buffer to play uninterrupted - enjoy:
Py's GPS D2R2 data:
And finally:
BIG THANK YOU TO THE D2R2 TEAM
of the Franklin Land Trust and all the volunteers.
And
most important thx to
all the great cyclists, "our happened to be group leader"
making this event and day so great and enjoyable once again!
Almost sure again, see you all for the D2R2 2011.
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