{"id":46,"date":"2008-03-05T07:50:28","date_gmt":"2008-03-05T15:50:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/?p=46"},"modified":"2008-03-05T09:00:30","modified_gmt":"2008-03-05T17:00:30","slug":"death-valley-double-century-ride-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/?p=46","title":{"rendered":"Death Valley Double Century Ride Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

March 1, 2008
\nby Barry Schwartz
\n<\/em>
\nI signed up for the Death Valley Double Century in December thinking I would have plenty of time train. I was 10 pounds overweight and I had not ridden a long ride since the death ride (July). Due to the excessive rain in January and February, I was only able to get in a few good weekend rides. I was able to ride my trainer and go to Spin classes during the week. I did lose 12 pounds which I thought would help a lot on the hills.<\/p>\n

I started checking the weather forecast for Death Valley about a week before the ride. It said some wind on ride day, March 1, and very windy on March 2. I checked every day and the forecast continued unchanged, 16 mph winds. By Thursday I was checking the hourly forecast. Wind started at 6 mph in the morning and was up to 16 by 2:00pm.<\/p>\n

Six riders, me and five from Pleasanton left at 5:30 am for Death Valley. The riders were Gary Boal (former ACTC member) and his friends Jim, Bryan, Pam and Jerry. Jerry has a great van that has six seats in the back (2 DVD players) and 2 seats in the front.<\/p>\n

The ride starts in waves of 50 riders. The fastest leave at 6:00, then the next fastest at 6:10 and finally those not as fast at 6:30 (the century riders leave after the double). We choose the 6:10 start time (Jerry and Pam were doing the 100 mile so they were not departing until 6:50). I was outside waiting to start and saw Joe Farinha and Barry Burr. While Jim was pumping up his from tire the stem broke. New plan was now to start at 6:20.<\/p>\n

Finally, we start out at 6:20. The first leg of the ride is from Furnace Creek to Badwater (272 feet below sea level). It is 17 miles of slightly rolling hills. The wind was light the temperature perfect, no jacket just arm warmers. We tucked in behind a Tandem and with a pace line of about 10 we were in Badwater in no time. Gary and Jim dropped of the line somewhere along the way so Bryan and I waited at the rest stop. The Tandem left before we could get rolling.<\/p>\n

The next leg was from Badwater to Ashford Mills with 27 miles of rolling hills. The four of us left the rest stop hoping to catch the Tandem. We chased the tandem for about 5-10 miles before catching them. After we caught the tandem, the wind really started to pick up. The paceline slowed to a crawl with the Tandem doing all the work and 10 to 15 riders sucking on there wheel. About 5 miles from the rest stop the rolling hills start to get more serious. The paceline disintegrated and the tandem was abandoned (it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a cruel sport) due to its lack of uphill climbing speed. The wind also seemed to have let up a little bit.<\/p>\n

From Ashford Mills to Shoshone the road goes over 2 mountain passes, Jubilee and Salsberry. Salsberry pass is at 3315 feet. The climb is about 17 miles of 4 to 5 percent grade. About one mile from the rest stop the road makes a 90 degree turn to the left. As soon as we turned the wind was no longer an issue, it may even have been helping. Bryan and I sailed to the top in no time. Then it was downhill to Shoshone. Bryan and I were the second and third riders from the 6:20 group to get to the rest stop. We saw Joe Farinha at the rest stop and after about 10 minutes Barry Burr pulled in. I waited about 20 minutes for Gary to show up and then another 10 before we were ready to roll.<\/p>\n

This ride is an out and back. Shoshone is the turn-around point. So it was back up to Salsberry pass. This time the climb wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t so kind. The last 2 miles the wind was in our face and it really sapped my energy. I was able to recover on the long descent to Ashford Mills. It was my kind of descent, shallow grade, no sharp turns and the wind in my face keeping the speed manageable. No braking required.<\/p>\n

To my dismay, but not to my surprise, when I got back to Ashford Mills the wind had changed direction (head wind again) and picked up in intensity. Bryan and I waited for Gary and then left with 3 others in a paceline. We all shared in the work on the way back to Badwater. At first we were picking up riders in the paceline. The paceline was getting longer but only Bryan, Gary and I were taking turns pulling. After a while the riders started dropping of the back. By the time we pulled into Badwater it was down to just Gary, Bryan and me.<\/p>\n

We had lunch in Badwater and started back to Furnace Creek. Joe and Barry B. joined our paceline with about six or seven others. After lunch I seemed to catch my second wind. I felt very strong and broke away from the paceline with Bryan for the last 6 miles back to Furnace Creek.<\/p>\n

It was starting to get dark at Furnace creek. I turned on my lights which I had picked up at Badwater and was feeling very strong and ready to tackle the last 50 miles. It was just 25 miles out to Stove Pipe Wells and 25 back with no major climbs. The wind had really taken its toll on a lot of riders as many of the double century riders were calling it quits at Furnace Creek, including Gary and Jim.<\/p>\n

Bryan and I left Furnace Creek just as it turned dark. The wind seemed to have died down. However, the rest stop had a signup indicating to be cautions because there were 60 mph wind gusts possible. I thought the sign was a joke; the wind couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have been more than 10 mph. So off we went. The first 5 miles were as calm as can be. And just like someone turning on a light switch the wind started. It came mostly from the side but also a little from the front. It was relentless. The sand was blowing, my bike was being pushed into the center of the rode, I felt I was riding at 45 degree angle to keep from being blown over. Bryan pushed on ahead of me as I struggled in the wind. I knew there was a slight climb of maybe 600 feet elevation gain that lasted 3 or 4 miles. I started climbing, the wind kept blowing, and I kept shifting to an easier gear. I think I was in my granny gear after what felt like an hour. However, it was too windy to look down to see what gear or what speed I was going.<\/p>\n

I knew I was going slowly. I just kept hoping the road would take a 90 degree turn to the left because 1) that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the top of the climb and 2) the wind would be at my back. No such luck, every time I looked up I just saw the taillights of a few bikes in the distance and at higher elevation which meant more climbing. The wind continued, the blowing sand continued, the endless howling in my ears continued, where was the top of this monster. I saw a sign by the side of the road, surely good news, \u00c2\u00bc mile to the top. Nope, it was an elevation sign \u00e2\u20ac\u0153100 feet below sea level\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. All that work in granny gear and I had only climbed 100 feet. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s it I quit. I get off my bike, my spirit broken, and leaned over my handlebars. After about 30 seconds I realized it may be along time before a SAG comes by. OK it back on the bike again and push on to Stovepipe Wells.<\/p>\n

Somehow I make it to the top of the climb turn right and what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s my reward, more headwinds. The intensity wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t as strong but the direction was wrong. Its was mostly downhill to Stovepipe Wells, I could see the lights, I felt better knowing I had gotten over the hill. When I get to Stovepipe Wells I almost missed the stop. The canopy that has the lights on it had blown over so there wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t much to see. After that 25 mile leg I was done. Although I think my legs had the energy for more my heart was no longer in it. I hoped in the SAG when it arrived and had to take a DNF. Bryan continued to ride on. He finished the ride and said the last 25 mile back to Furnace Creek were not bad, tailwind all the way.<\/p>\n

The following table shows the wind speed as reported by weather.com for Furnace Creek on March 1, 2008<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Time<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Temperature<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Wind
\nSpeed<\/td>\n

\n

Wind
\nDirection<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

6:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

52<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

13<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

W<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

7:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

51<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

WNW<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

8:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

57<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

WNW<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

9:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

67<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

12<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

W<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

10:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

73<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

24<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

WSW<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

11:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

73<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

21<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

W<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

12:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

74<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

22<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

WSW<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

1:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

75<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

33<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

W<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

2:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

71<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

40<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

W<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

3:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

67<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

37<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

WSW<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

4:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

65<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

44<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

W<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

5:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

61<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

33<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

WSW<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

6:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

57<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

28<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

W<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

7:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

55<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

33<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

W<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

8:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

54<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

29<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

WSW<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

9:00<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

53<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

24<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

WSW<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

March 1, 2008 by Barry Schwartz I signed up for the Death Valley Double Century in December thinking I would have plenty of time train. I was 10 pounds overweight and I had not ridden a long ride since the death ride (July). Due to the excessive rain in January and February, I was only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ride-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rides.actc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}