by Joe Farinha

Here is my lengthy… ( it’s long distance) report on an event that although it’s not a Double. It’s a fun event that, I would recommend to anyone who is planning to train for endurance races. ( i.e. FC508, Hodoo500, RAAM, etc)

The Davis Challenge is 12/24 Hr is a low key bicycle race promoted by the Davis Bike Club, with guidance from the infamous Lee Mitchel. The main object is to ride as many miles as possible within the time you’ve registered for. The course is divided in two loops, the day loop is a 162 mile long section of the Davis Double. The night loop is a flat 18.3 mile section around the Winters area. We were surprised to find out that we would be competing against some top notch endurance riders. A couple of RAAM veterans showed up, and there were also a few FC508 veterans present as well. Here is a link with more info about the event: http://www.davisbikeclub.org/Ultra/DBC1224hr.htm

Gary Franck & I decided to ride in this event as a team, just to see how we would do by riding at night, and to ride in the same manner as we would at the FC508 later on this year. Each one of us would ride for approximately as long as the FC508 stages.

Gary was the first rider to leave downtown Winters at exactly 6:30AM. His first “stage ” would be 73 miles long, He would have to climb a couple of tough climbs including Cobb Mountain. The weather prediction for the day was right on target, and it started to warm up real soon. By the time Gary was into his sixtith mile the temperature was well into the eighties. I was driving vehicle support during that time, and leaped frog every 7-10 miles to make sure Gary had every thing he needed. When we hit the rider exchange (second rest stop) we were sitting in 4th place with the two RAAM riders, and Graham (Pythom) Pollock just ahead of us. Gary did a terrific job in always staying in contact with them.

Of course now I would have a tremendous advantage over them ( they were riding solo), and since I was rested, and they were not, I should have been able to reel them in real easy right?, Not so fast!… these are well accomplished,and fierce competitors, and as soon they see someone is gaining on them they are not about to let you pass them without making you work for it. I was finally able to first pass Graham, and finally the RAAM veteran (Brett Walker)

The temperature was now well into the nineties, and as usual I was not drinking enough water, I was also hearing an unusual noise coming from my bike. but thought it was only just a rattle from the cables that were hitting the aero bars I had installed for this ride. I was only about 9 miles from my second reststop, and I was descending at a pretty good clip, when my head tube collar fell from my bike. I immediately stopped, and went back to search for it, while looking for it the two riders I had passed, who where now passing me. I found the collar, and installed it on my bike, but now my head tube assembly had a lot of play on it. I had lost one of the spacers.

I rode ahead anyway albeit a little slower, and rode up to Gary which was parked a couple miles ahead, and we did our rider switch ahead of schedule, so I could take care of my mechanical. I drove to the reststop where the switch was originally to take place There I was able to find help from another support crew, and we were able to fix my problem, but by this time Gary had ridden ahead chasing the 3 leaders.

I caught up with Gay now only a few miles from Winters were the day loop would end, and the night loop would begin, but it was only around 3 PM, and HOT with luckily no more climbs, but also no more shade.

It was so hot that some of the registered 24hrs riders decided then to switch from 24hrs to the 12hr race. ( Graham Pollock was one of them). Gary pressed on to do the first night loop, and I would do two loops when he would return. He was back real soon within one hour! When I jumped on to do my first loop I was rested, and decided to make up some time I had lost. This loop was well marked by Lee Mitchel with good to excellent pavement, so riding at night wouldn’t be a problem. I finished my first loop in under 1hr, and pressed on for our third night loop, but the afternoon heat and pace started to catch up with me, so on my second loop I managed only to do it in 1Hr & 5 minutes. The two riders ahead of us, and now two FC508 recumbent veterans were hot on our heels. Gary jumped on for our fourth loop, and I took a much needed rest. I was cramping bad, and needed something salty, and also some form of liquids. I came to find out there were these huge pots of homemade delicious soup. There were also plenty of goodies, like bread, and cold cuts for us to make sandwiches,cookies,fruit, etc. Gary was back too soon, and I was on the road again. the recumbent were racing each other, and on the process passed us. this was by far my slowest night loop. I was cramping within 3 miles, from the community center, but pressed on sometimes pulling my left leg from the pedals, and only pedaling with my right leg.

We rode through the night and, managed to complete 14 night loops, It cooled down at night, and became very comfortable to ride. The top two solo riders ( David Holt, Brett Walker), and the recumbent riders stayed in front of us for most of the night, and we continued to switch at the completion of every loop, wich was a little over an hour each time. The impressive show of endurance is that the top solo riders ahead of us were matching us, and sometimes even riding the night loop faster than us!

Finally the sun was rising when Gary pulled in at the community center at 6:20 AM, and we had accumulated 420.1 miles, so in the spirit of competition I was not going to let those ten minutes go to waste, and told the race official that I would ride out the remainder of the time and try to reach at least the two mile mark. So I went out to ride our final two miles.

We managed 422.1 miles, and possible would have done a bit better if we hadn’t ridden as we would be on the FC508 format, but it was a great way to learn what we need to improve on.

Gary did great, and is in his usual good form, but I need to improve on my endurance riding. Afterwards we went to the local Coffee place for a big breakfast, and we were joined by most of our friendly competitors, and race organizers.

All in all the Davis Challenge is a competition that I would recommend, and would like to do it again.