Ever ridden 519 miles in 2 days or less? Me neither. But I have ridden with a strong cyclist from San Diego who will be tackling this feat this weekend in Utah. Oh, and a minor detail: 30,000 feet of climbing awaits. Let’s put that into perspective. The Race Across America covers 3,000 miles in anywhere from 9-12 days for top riders, and climbs 100,000+ feet. The biggest day of climbing for me has been breaking through the 14,000-foot barrier (Garmin GPS) at Climb to Kaiser over 155 miles. The longest distance for me: 200 miles in Solvang earlier this spring.
Much respect to all ultra distance cyclists who power themselves through fitness, mental strength and passion over distances and terrain that bring fatigue to mere mortals in cars. Wishing the best to Troy Malone, riding buddy, climber, and friend. If you have a chance, send him a shout out on Twitter @troymalone. Thanks.
Related posts:
- One mountain, one objective This post originally appeared last year on my personal blog. As some may (or may not) know, I try to “peak” for a ride called Climb to Kaiser. I first did it in 1984. It took another 20 years for me to return and experience the carnage in the Sierras....
- Hot rhymes with not Riding in extreme heat. Cyclists in Central California, Arizona, Florida and other roasted climes know the drill: start early, end before lunch. Or ride in the dark. Whatever you do, avoid the day’s scorching zenith. I’ve ridden in some nasty warmth (the final 30 miles of the 155-mile Climb to...
- Wendy’s single and a side order of hallucination Matt Longson is my hero. Straight up. The man completed the Hoodoo 500 last weekend. In under 48 hours (official race cutoff), he pedaled 519 miles, climbed 30,000 feet and endured 30+ mph winds. He stayed on the bike when he didn’t want to. He rode when most (and many)...
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- The road to satisfaction When you pedal in wet and cold conditions and refuse to surrender, there’s a quiet satisfaction. Saturday was one of those rare days in San Diego. The forecast was catastrophic by local standards. Precisely what was needed for a Palomar Mountain group ride planned weeks ago. The official 70% to...
