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Out'n about... just not Climbing => Biking => Henry Coe State Park => Topic started by: mynameismud on October 18, 2013, 02:00:19 PM

Title: This is going to hurt
Post by: mynameismud on October 18, 2013, 02:00:19 PM
How many times have I said those words, should know better.

Will update with a more complete telling later....   Much later.
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: mynameismud on October 21, 2013, 10:06:14 AM
(http://mudncrud.com/gallery3/var/resizes/biking_i/20131019-Hard-COEre-100/P1000934-01.JPG?m=1382330484)

Hard Coe're 100 attempt number two.  Mudworm and I went out on Saturday for her first attempt on the Hard Coe're 100.  She did very well and I did ok.  I managed 87 miles out of 100.  for the second consecutive year the Garmin 800 died just before Dutch’s.  Seems it just does not like running for much over 12 hours.  Next time I will borrow mudworms Garmin 305.  I was really looking forward to this ride.
 
We missed the official ride date in order to attend Outerbike in Utah.  This was a last minute decision on my part.  I came to the realization that I needed some time off in order to maintain my sanity.  Had a great time in Utah we rode 9 days in a row and I rode about 9 different demo bikes.  We thought the riding would help with our conditioning and the weekend after we returned was a full moon.
 
We unpacked from the trip and packed for the ride during the week.  My bike was working fine so I did not want to make any changes.  Just clean the drive train and load it up.  Lots of Gels, a couple bars, an emergency kit, lights, warm cloths.  The weight adds up quick and we had to pedal all this stuff for what we hoped would be an 18 hour ride.  The plan was to ride our own pace, with mudworm leaving and hour or so ahead of time since I had been riding fairly strong.
 
Friday night I had difficulty sleeping and had to get up three different times but I never heard mudworm get out of the tent.  My alarm went off and I thought she had left but she was off changing cloths.  I started to gear up, eating, air the tire, break down the tent.  Before riding off I was sure to double check everything.  It was still dark and there was a bit of chill in the air.

(http://mudncrud.com/gallery3/var/resizes/biking_i/20131019-Hard-COEre-100/P1000919.JPG?m=1382329041)
 
About half way up Lyman Wilson it was no longer chilly.  I had to stop and remove layers.  Almost every layer. Lyman Wilson is the first climb and starts about 3 miles into the ride and goes up about 1,000 feet in a mile and a half.  About half way up I snapped out of my early morning haze and realized a skunk is about 10 feet in front of me and is lifting its tail.  I immediately swore loudly, ducked and swerved off the right side of the trail.  It scurried of the left side into the grass.  After a bit I slowly raise my head, worked my way onto the trail and tried to find the little bugger.  I could hear it in the grass just up ahead, then it popped back onto the trail about 20 feet in front of me.  We starred at each other.  After quite a bit of yelling and hand slapping it started to run up the trail, tail up.  So I stayed back a bit.  After a while it decided to veer off into the grass and I was finally able to continue on with the ride.  A bit later I saw a Bobcat in the grass below an Oak tree.
 
The Sun came up while I was on Middle Steer Ridge, rather beautiful day.  The rest of the early morning riding was uneventful.  I pushed early and often just not feeling the power I had on previously.  After about 5 to 6 hours I rolled into Head Quarters, went to the stash and starting to eat and re-load on gels.  Swapped out water bladders and read mudworms note.  I briefly messed with my derailleur adjustment since I had started to experience weird occasion ghost shifting.  Adjusted my saddle and left 1 1/2 hours behind mudworm.  The next big event is Bear Mountain.

(http://mudncrud.com/gallery3/var/resizes/biking_i/20131019-Hard-COEre-100/P1000924-01.JPG?m=1382331342)
 
(http://mudncrud.com/gallery3/var/resizes/biking_i/20131019-Hard-COEre-100/P1000932.JPG?m=1382330378)

The start of Bear Mountain has sustained grades around 20% for a little over half a mile and is always in the full sun, for whatever reason does not get a lot of wind and the road surface is fairly loose.  Sounds a bit like a tall tale and to a certain extent it is.  The whole climb is 1,200 feet in 2.7 miles but it is the first half the makes you pay and I got beaten down.  At one point while pushing my bike I stood up to stretch back muscles and almost blacked out.  If there was a SAQ wagon at the top I really would have thought hard about loading up the bike.  After topping out there used to be an old scorched Pine but it fell down.  There are some other scorched old trees and that is how I felt.

(http://mudncrud.com/gallery3/var/resizes/biking_i/20131019-Hard-COEre-100/P1000933.JPG?m=1382330428)
 
The nice thing about finishing Bear Mountain is it is a quick ride to Mississippi Lake Trail which is the exact opposite.  Nice cool lake and lots of green vegetation.  A nice place for a swim or to filter water.  I rode on by and quickly came to Pacheco Camp.  Pretty much the half-way point and another note from mudworm, still 1 1/2 behind.  I did not stay long before heading out for Dutch’s and Dowdy Ranch.
 
I made to Dutch’s with daylight.  My Garmin 800 died on the fire road to Dutch’s and I had a few misgivings whether I missed the trail since my ghost shifting had gotten real bad and I had spent a fair about of time staring down at my gears trying to figure out what was causing it.  At one point I looked at the other side and notice the quick release lever was flopping around so I pulled over tightened my rear axle bolt 6 turns and clamped it down.  Somewhere early in the ride ( maybe my crash in China Hole ) something must of knocked the lever loose and I never noticed.  Kind of embarrassing that it would take me 40 to 50 miles to notice that.  But, hey not more ghost shifting.  I made it to Dowdy no problem but had lost about 20 minutes on mudworm.  Got a bit lost at one point on Burra Burra but did not lose too much time getting to Center Flats.
 
Center Flats is hard.  It is mostly rolling hills but then there are these short steep kickers that just suck the life out of your quads.  I walked them all.  The last one is just cruel.  I topped out here and had to make a decision.  No map, no queue sheet, no gps course.  I did not have a clear mental picture of what to do around Coit lake and Kelly lake.  Bear Mountain and Center Flats the two primary cruxes of the course had really done a number on me so I took the easy way out and turned left knowing it was a short ride back to the parking lot.  On the way out I ran into mudworm is she was looking as strong and determined as ever.  Quite inspirational, she was focused and ready to go.  I noticed one of her lights were out so I gave her my fairly fresh light. (mudworm's note: I had a fresh battery in my bag, but didn't bother taking it out yet.)  We rode to the Vasquez turn off then I watched her ride away.
 
I dropped down Lyman Wilson and about half way down locked up both brakes and came to a dusty frightening stopabout 10 feet from a very familiar looking skunk.  Thankfully it got just scared enough to run down the trail 20 feet before turning and staring out me.  Seems it would not move just stood there and stared.  Must have been going "what you again"?  After what seemed like about five minutes it starts waddling down the trail.  I rode very cautiously behind it.  For about a mile!  I barked, yelled, jumped up and down on my bike, through small rock, nope that thing was staying on the trail and I was not about to try and get too close to hurry it on.  Finally it turns out into the grass but I was not to excited to ride past that spot and see exactly where it was.  A bit later in the middle of nowhere I ride past a big toad.  What the heck?  I had to let it know that there are no ponds around here.
 
Finally made it back to the car and just had time to get everything packed up and run the engine long enough to getthe car good and warm when mudworm come rolling in.  Whoo Hoo, so far, the sole woman to finish the Coe 100 and the third best time overall.

(http://mudncrud.com/gallery3/var/resizes/biking_i/20131019-Hard-COEre-100/IMG_2109.JPG?m=1382326774)
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: JC w KC redux on October 21, 2013, 02:07:32 PM
Congrats to you both! Funny read - esp  Pepé Le Pew.
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: F4? on October 21, 2013, 03:23:32 PM

Looks like you are a tad short of 100miles
(http://mudncrud.com/gallery3/var/resizes/biking_i/20131019-Hard-COEre-100/IMG_2109.JPG?m=1382326774)
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: mynameismud on October 21, 2013, 04:00:24 PM
That is a winning number and good enough for a Mug
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: Brad Young on October 21, 2013, 04:05:01 PM
That is a winning number and good enough for a Mug

And besides, isn't he the one that suggested (for the girls and I) that almost 100 PCT miles was as good as 100 PCT miles? I vote that we give him credit.
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: mynameismud on October 21, 2013, 05:50:46 PM
that is a pic of mudworms' gps after she completed the ride.  My gps had 87 miles on it so I will be going back out in a couple of weeks to try and redeem myself.
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: F4? on October 21, 2013, 06:42:29 PM
I thought this forum had standards?
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: F4? on October 21, 2013, 06:45:35 PM
PS, this guy says "hi"

(http://www.supertopo.com/photos/20/52/326693_12896_L.jpg)
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: mynameismud on October 21, 2013, 07:00:28 PM
I thought this forum had standards?

your on it....
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: mudworm on October 22, 2013, 12:37:32 PM
Well, what d'ya know. Mr. Mud has offered beat-my-wife mug on MTBR.  >:(

(http://www.mudncrud.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=68829&g2_serialNumber=2)
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: F4? on October 22, 2013, 01:29:07 PM
Quote
Well, what d'ya know. Mr. Mud has offered beat-my-wife mug on MTBR.  Angry
Priceless!
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: mynameismud on October 22, 2013, 02:13:18 PM
Awesomeness

first good laugh of the day
Title: Re: This is going to hurt
Post by: mudworm on October 22, 2013, 09:56:37 PM

(Art by Charlie/Skyline35. Photo courtesy of Mr. Mud.)

On my ride, I scared away about three dozen wild boars, I flirted with Mr. Pepé Le Pew... and I discovered the joy of night riding.

I rode from before sun rise (oh wait, that’s the full moon above the fall foliage)
IMG 2094    

to way past sun down.
IMG 2107    

I finally finished pedaling when the GPS registered almost a full 100 miles.
IMG 2109

I did not crush the course, nor did the course crush me. I am sorry there is no drama, but I still have a story to tell even if it sounded rather mundane. As usual, it is a long story, almost too long to paste here as a post, here is the link: a mudworm's Hard COEre 100.