Oregon Coast 600K Ride Report

[Susan Otcenas]

If this ride report were a movie script, the director would cue the “foreshadowing music of doom” at the precise moment I decided to leave my Gore-Tex jacket at the overnight control.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let's back up.

I spent weeks preparing for this 600K brevet. Obsessing about the weather. Apparel choices (sometimes having so much at my disposal only complicates the decision). Cue sheet. Fuel. I made lists. I checked them twice. OK, more than twice.

As the days before the event progressed, the weather forecast progressed as well. As in, it got progressively worse. Just as I’d rather have hills than headwinds, I’d much rather have heat than cold & wet. But, this being Oregon, if you don’t ride in the rain, you don’t ride at all. So, as was required, I sucked it up and prepped my Gore-Tex. And my wool. And my MidZero. Booties, gaiters, helmet cover, beanies, baselayers, wools socks, chemical toe warmers. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! And that was just for the 1st day.

Into the overnight control bag (which I would pick up at 360K) went a Windstopper jacket/vest, toe covers, more waterproof gloves, more wool, armwarmers, leg warmers, more base layers, more chemical toe warmers, Sidi dominators.

On Friday night, after my bags were packed, tires pumped and clothes laid out, I set up my facebook page so that I could send text messages from my ancient cell phone to my facebook account. I planned to send location and distance whenever I stopped at a control.

“In forest grove . Prepping bike & trying not to panic.” Saturday at 5:11am via Text Message


35 riders, all male but for myself and ½ of a husband-wife pair from Vancouver BC, arrived at the start in Forest Grove. A gathering of randonneurs really is a sight to see, especially in a climate like ours. Lots of retro-styled bikes with friction and/or down tube shifters. Ginormous fenders with mudflaps that extend to within an inch of the pavement. Huge waxed-canvas handlebar bags with 800 pockets. A herd of sheep’s worth of wool knickers and jerseys. An astonishing assortment of lighting configurations and reflective sashes, vests and leg straps. Plus one dude with a spare saddle strapped to his Camelbak.

At precisely 6am, we were off. I quickly found some moderately paced wheels to suck, introduced myself and asked if it was OK to sit in. Randos, generally being a friendly sort, seemed to welcome me in. I’d met some of these guys on the 200K and 300K I’d done, as well as the 400K I volunteered for. I listened in on conversations, but mostly I kept quiet, content to ride along.

Unfortunately, I’d committed the rando faux pas of having utterly insufficient fenders. Even worse, I’m aware I have utterly insufficient fenders. I’ve not yet found fenders that will work on my new Sweetpea and have been making do with Race Blades. Which do a fine job of keeping *me* dry but do nothing for the riders behind me. So, while I would have been more than willing to do my share of pulling, no one wanted to be behind me when the roads were wet. Which they were. At some points, very wet. I think I made some lame joke about using my lack of fenders an excuse to sit in.

I rode with a group most of the way to the first control, where I sucked down a hot cocoa, refilled my bottles and inhaled a homemade whole wheat teff muffin.

In vernonia. 31 miles Saturday @ 8:02am via text message

From Vernonia, I left with one rider, we caught 2, 4 caught us and the group re-formed. This group hung together for most of the next 40 miles, then fractured as the road tilted upwards for the climb over the coast range. I let the group go at 68 miles, knowing I would need to pace myself for the long day ahead.

The climb was longish, but I was still fresh, and soon enough the road swooped downward. The pavement was dry and the sun was coming out. Such an unexpected sight! I took photos of dry pavement and my shadow, neither of which I'd expected to see. At Olney, mile 83, I ate a peanut butter banana sandwich (I can go 40 miles on a PBB), had another hot cocoa and headed out.

From here, the route followed Youngs River Road towards the coast. This stretch of road is very scenic. Gently rolling terrain, much of it along the river, dotted with farms, and fields of livestock and horses led to the first info control (the answer was "2") and then the intersection with US101. A few more turns and miles took us to Fort Stevens State Park and a long flat ride into the wind, towards the end of the road at the Columbia River and another info control. (Answer = "Area D").

Fort stevens 108 mi Saturday at 1:56 via text message

There were still some dark clouds in the sky, but a clothing change was in order. Off went the Gore-Tex jacket, the reflective vest, and the gaiters. On with my 3 ounce Sugoi Helium Vest. Off I went with the sun on my face and the wind at my back!

Leaving Fort Stevens, I fell in with another rider, Mike. We flew south on 101, which was flat and heavily trafficked until Seaside at mile 125. Turns out Mike was planning to ride straight through the night with only a short break to refuel at the control. I'm in total awe of people who can ride so many miles, so many hours, without a break. I wonder where they pull that reserve of energy from!

From miles 125 to 150, 101 pitches up and down dramatically. The scenery is pretty but the relentless grades really took it out on me. At mile 140 I stopped in the middle of a climb and watched Mike ride away. But just like at mile 68, that was OK with me. I have to ride my own pace, or I'll blow up. Fortunately, I know all these roads on the coast very well, and knew that at mile 150 at Nehalem, the route would turn off 101 and I'd get a break from the hills.

Nehalem 150mi very tired but surviving. Saturday at 5:36pm via text message.

Nehalem! Time for a break, the restroom, and a snack. I found Alan and another rider who were part of the original group from the morning. Alan offered me chocolate. Mmmm, chocolate. I offered up pretzels. Aaah, the diet of champions. A very nice local gave me a Reese's peanut butter cup, and wished me luck. I wonder if I looked like I *needed* luck. :-) The two riders pulled out, and were the last I'd see until midnight and the overnight control.

On to one of my favorite coast routes - Miami-Foley Road. It roughly parallels 101 heading south. But it's relatively flat, very lightly trafficked and so peaceful. It also gave me a chance to spin easy and recover from the hills of the prior 25 miles.

Tillamook 175mi feeling better Saturday at 7:31 via text message

Riding through Tillamook, it struck me how many storefronts and restaurants wea closed up, abandoned or for lease. Times have been hard on Tillamook, which is primarily an agrigultural town (lots of dairy farms means lots of Tillamook Cheese and Ice Cream) with a fair bit of tourism (many of whom come for the cheese and ice cream). Sadly, I arrived 20 minutes past closing time at Starbucks, so I had to settle for a canned DoubleShot at the Shell station. Not the same somehow.

Out of my pannier came the headlight, helmet light, reflective vest, Gore-Tex jacket and everything else I'd need for the coming sunset.

South on 101, as traffic died off to nearly nothing. The route turned onto Sandlake Road for the long quiet stretch to Pacific City. After a huge cloudburst at mile 190, the skies clear again and the moon came out. The ocean reflected enough of the fading day and the moonlight that I didn't need my headlights until after 9pm. An occasional car broke the peacefulness, but mostly I had the moon, the ocean and swooshing sound of my tires to keep me company. Relaxing.

Pacific city 199mi its dark and im alone. 25 mi to go. Saturday at 9:45pm via text message.

The clerk who signed my brevet card caught sight of my drivers license and commented that it was good to see an Oregonian. Apparently, he'd been signing cards for a bunch of Californians. I gathered that was a black mark.

It was well and truly dark when I left Pacific City. The route travelled back to 101 again briefly, then detoured onto Slab Creek Rd, where we'd find the answer to another info control (Answer = 12). Having ridden it before, I knew there was a long, narrow, progressively steeper climb ahead of me. And it was utterly deserted. For many miles I climbed with only a few houses along the route. Not one car passed in either direction for the entire length - roughly 10 miles. But seeing the wet tire tracks of cyclists who had passed through recently was calming and made me feel less alone. I stopped to answer the Info control and felt very woozy. My stomach had been feeling a little queasy for a few miles and I knew I just needed to keep it under control for a few *more* miles. Still, it felt like forever until the road finally turned downwards again. The descent would have been a blast in daylight, but in the darkness it required all of my concentration to safely navigate.

Back on 101 again, I plugged along for the final few miles. Motel 6 left the lights on for me. The clerk knew who I was before I gave her my name "You're the only woman on the list..."

Lincoln city 224mi feeling shaky. Time to sleep. Sunday at 12:27 a.m. via text message.

I checked in with the ride organizer, picked up my overnight bag, inhaled some food, and went to my room, where I proceeded to shower, slide into (wrestle my way into) compression tights and socks, and prep my gear for my planned 4:30a.m. departure....

DIRECTOR: "Cue the "foreshadowing music of doom"!" <insert ominous doom-inous foreshadowing music here>

...and placed my Gore-Tex jacket into the bag of stuff for the organizer to take back to the ride start.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

[colby]

A cliffhanger!!! :eek: ;) I've heard this one has a good ending, though. :D

"You're the only woman on the list" - damn straight. Awesome.

[Bike Chick]

Susan, you are leaving us hanging..................I can't stand the suspense.

[sfa]

Aack! Don't stop there! I want to know what happens next! But it sounds like the first day went well, all things considered.

Looking forward to part 2!

Sarah

[NoNo]

I wait with bated breath for the ending!

[indysteel]

Wow; I'm in awe. While I'm nervous about your next installment, I look forward to hearing how the ride ends.

[tulip]

What a great read, Susan! Can't wait for the finale.

[Pedal Wench]

ACKKKK!!!! What happens next????? The suspense is killing me!

[roguedog]

WTH? Do I have to pay for the 2nd show too? :D

Have a good ride..

GO GO Susan O!

[maillotpois]

Wow - this is great!

When you give us your next installment can you also link to a map? I would love to see the route. we went through Tillamook last summer on our moto trip.

[Susan Otcenas]

When you give us your next installment can you also link to a map? I would love to see the route. we went through Tillamook last summer on our moto trip.

Will do. 2nd installment should be done today, with photos!

[Catrin]

Be still my heart! How can we not be on pins and needles after that cliffhanger ending :) You are a great story teller, for sure!

[GLC1968]

Aw hell - I'd heard a lot of this stuff already and yet I'm still on the edge of my seat reading it today!! :eek: Nice writing, Susan!

[azfiddle]

Also waiting to hear the rest of the story...

[lauraelmore1033]

I remember driving that route 10+ years ago and finding it exhausting--in the CAR! What a ride! Way to go!

[Biciclista]

hey, is this a commercial break or what?
Great tale so far. You seem to not have had so many of the problems that plague others... but you haven't told us THE REST OF THE STORY....


did you sleep? how long?

[Susan Otcenas]

1) At the start, all gussied up for the big day.
2) On the Bank-Vernonia Trail.
3) Drafting the fast boys on the way to Olney
4) A shadow! A real shadow! Totally unexpected.
5) And miles to go before I sleep.

[Susan Otcenas]

1) On the coast. Just shy of 150 miles.
2) Sunset approaches near Garibaldi

[Susan Otcenas]

A link to bikely for a bigger picture view.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/2010-Oregon-Coast-600k

[kenyonchris]

This is worse than the Twilight books! I want to know what happens!

[NoNo]

A link to bikely for a bigger picture view.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/2010-Oregon-Coast-600k

That's one heck of a downhill at 120K!:eek:

[sfa]

This is worse than the Twilight books!

No, it's much better written. Also, the female protagonist in this story isn't a twit.:p

[kenyonchris]

No, it's much better written. Also, the female protagonist in this story isn't a twit.:p

True enough. Although it was like Hemingway in comparison with the movie. My 10 yr old just got through with it (I was reluctant to let her see it and made her read the book first, even that I was not sure about, but her GIRL SCOUT TROOP is going to see the next one so I relented)...she loved the book but even she thought the movie was terrible. TERRIBLE.

Sorry about the hijack. Think of it as intermission entertainment until we get the rest of the story (eagerly awaiting) from SO.

[Trekhawk]

Great pics!
I am looking forward to hearing the rest of the ride report.:)

[indysteel]

Argh!! I was hoping that Susan would have posted the next installment by the time I got home from yoga. Patience is not my strong suit.

[Bike Goddess]

Your fan club (which gets larger with each posting) is awaiting the finale!:p:p

Great story so far, amazing that you can give us so much detail. Awesome!

[snapdragen]

C'mon Susan, get it out...or I'll report you to the admin...oh wait....:D

[Catrin]

Susan...Susan...Susan...Susan :)

[Pika]

I have been checking all afternoon...guess I will peel my eyeballs away from the computer..checking again and again and again isn't working.
what is the definition of insane again...repeating the same behavior and expecting a different outcome..come on Susan..don't make us ALL Crazy:):):)

[Biciclista]

I guess she decided she didn't want to finish the story... sniff...

[kenyonchris]

Im considering watching Twilight. Or not.

[sfa]

Maybe she's tired or something. I can't imagine why, though.

[Pedal Wench]

C'mon -- my popcorn is getting cold....

[roguedog]

i think she's (wisely) re-negotiating the contract after her first edition was so successful :D

she's letting the studios and the publisher hear the clamor for part deux!

[Susan Otcenas]

OK, Now where was I?

Oh, that's right. The foreshadowing music of doom.

In my overnight control bag, I'd packed lousy-weather-but-not-god-awful-miserable-weather apparel, such as my Gore Windstopper Jacket, my Sidi Dominators, booties, etc. I decided that the relatively decent weather experienced on Saturday, coupled with the forecast for a Sunday that was supposed to be better than Saturday, meant that it was safe to drop most of my cold/wet weather gear.

(Cue the music...) So, into my drop bag of stuff I didn't need anymore went the following: My Gore-Tex jacket. My unworn waterproof, uber-warm and dry Pearl Amfib gloves. My waterproof Gore-Tex Sidi boots. My gaiters.

I laid out all my clothing to wear for the morning, repacked my pannier with food & tools, packed my little stuff sack with "extra" ride clothing like a spare pair of gloves, socks, a wool base layer and my waterproof pants (don't ask me to explain the logic on that one. I'm not sure why I didn't drop that too), set multiple alarms for 4am and promptly went to sleep.

5 minutes later (Ok, it was really 3 hours that felt like 5 minutes), my alarms went off. I felt remarkably well rested. And was shocked to discover I wasn't stiff or sore at all. My legs felt fine! I'm fairly fit this year, but those compression tights and compression socks are pretty freakin' amazing. Still, I wasn't moving all that fast, so by the time I got my act in gear, ate a muffin & banana, and dropped off my bag, it was nearly 5:00am.

"Departing Lincoln city. Thought i just got here. 150 to go." Sunday at 4:36am via text message.

I left the Motel 6 with Steve, a rider from Tacoma. Our paces were well matched, so we rode together comfortably, south on 101, then turned inland towards the town of Siletz, 24 miles upriver (and mostly uphill).

Not long after, it started to sprinkle. Then drizzle. Then shower. I once read somewhere that the Eskimos have something like 1000 different words to describe snow. I often think that those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest have nearly as many words to describe rain. Over the next 24 miles, we experienced roughly 95% of those types of rain. 12 miles before Siletz, the heavens opened and unleashed a torrent of rain mixed with ice pellets that went on and on. I was completely drenched instantly. It was at that moment that I realized the terrible error of judgement I'd made at 1:00am.
Within a few minutes, I lost all feeling in my hands. My forearms started to stiffen from cold. Shifting became very difficult. I entered an alternate universe; one where I wanted nothing but long climbs so I could stand and work as hard as possible to try to generate some heat. With each small descent, any heat I'd generated was soon lost as I chilled all over again.

I told Steve how miserable I was, and that I feared I would soon become dangerously hypothermic. I began to consider the very real possibility that I would DNF in Siletz. Steve stayed remarkably calm, and talked me through my fear. I'm not sure how he was managing to ride, because he was in shorts. Bare legs! And short fingered gloves! We picked up the pace to stay warm, and made plans to stop in Siletz (which was *not* a control) where we knew there was a cafe that had opened at 5am.

Mile after mile, the thought getting out of the rain, and warming up with a hot bowl of oatmeal and a steaming mug of cocoa at was all that sustained me. Finally, we arrived in Siletz, and pulled up in front of the cafe, looking like a couple of drowned rats. 4 locals were standing out front. "Hate to tell you this but the cafe is closed today. The cook is ill". I slumped over my handlebars and nearly dissolved into tears. The men kindly directed us down the street to the local market, which has just opened for the day.
We stumbled into the market, where I bee-lined for the instant cappucino machine. I usually steer well clear of this stuff, but at that moment, I needed a huge cup of hot, sugar-laden liquid, and I needed it fast. With my first cup in hand, I asked the clerk if it would be OK if I just stood in front of the machine and drank a few cups. I promised to let her know how many cups I drank. She didn't even blink an eye, and said no problem. Then, the other store employee offered to turn on the huge overhead heater so that we could stand under it and warm up. My hero! Oh my goodness, that was just what I needed. I planted myself under the heater for a solid 15 minutes, drinking cappuccinos and thawing out.

I finally told Steve that he should go on without me, that I was still considering a DNF. He encouraged me to ride with him the 7 miles to the next control. After some hesitation, I agreed. This moment was a turning point for me. Steve was right. Having pulled my "extra" dry gloves and some other layers out of my pannier, I warmed up over those 7 miles. By the time we reached the control, where we caught up with several other riders, I'd recovered.

We left the Logsden control as a group of 5, along with Mark, Jeff and Ken. Beyond Logsden the road rolled up and down, then finally turned to gravel. A steep, muddy, rocky climb led to a steep, muddy rocky descent that left Jeff with a flat at the bottom. He and Mark hung back while Steve, Ken & I continued on. Miles and miles passed, through the coast range, the small hamlets of Summit and Nashville and finally onward to Dallas, the first town of any size since Lincoln City. Along the way, the temperature rose, and the pavement dried up.

"Dallas 318 mi. soup! " Sunday at 1:40 pm via text message.

The three of us decided to take a real break in Dallas and have lunch. Given the cold and wet, we were all looking forward to some hot, salty soup. Soup, crackers and bread rolls from the Safeway deli were just what the doctor ordered.

While at Safeway, Roger rolled in, looking really tired. He is 1/2 of the husband/wife pair from B.C. His wife had started struggling 100km before Lincoln City the day before, and the 2 of them didn't arrive in Lincoln City until 4:00am! He left his wife in Linoln City at 5:30, having gotten no rest at all. I was amazed he was still riding.

Our threesome rolled out of Dallas, heading into the wine country and roads that are familiar to me from various winery rides I've done in the area. I knew we were in for 35 miles of steeply rolling terrain. Fortunately, while steep, none of the climbs are overly long, and the scenery is spectacular. We passed a couple dozen wineries along the way, but sadly the tastings would have to wait for another day. Eventually Roger caught up to us again, and the 4 of us finally arrived at the last control together.

"Dayton 350 mi. 25 to go. Home turf." Sunday at 5pm via text message.

From here, I knew I was home free. I know the roads from here to the finish like the back of my hand, no cue sheet required. I called Jeff and told him to expect us around 7pm. While there are a few smallish rollers on this section, there are no climbs. And the winds were generally at our back. The closer we got to Forest Grove, the faster we rode. We passed my friend Catherine's house, and I called out her name and waved. Pre-ride, I'd told her I might stop if I were alone, but having arrived at this point, there was no way I wanted to lose my momentum.

As we finally made the turn into the parking lot at the finish, I let out a WHOOP! My first 600K! We were welcomed by other riders already in the lot, and proceeded inside to get our cards signed. I gave Steve a big hug and thanked him. He'd stayed with my the entire day and I knew I very well might not have finished without him.

Jeff, Catherine & Rick were waiting for me with flowers and hugs all around. It was really cool to have a welcoming committee!! Thanks, you guys!

"Done!! 375.1 mi . time for a beer!" Sunday at 7:22pm via text message.

Beer and Cajun Tater Tots. Yum. Recovery meal of champions! :-)

++++++++

Stats: finish @ 37:09, ride time 27:51, sleep 3:00, odometer 377.2 mi (officially 375.1), avs (moving) 13.7mph, avs (elapsed) 10.1mph, flats: 0.

++++++++

Two days later, I'm recovering well. My legs are sore, but already much less so than they were yesterday. I'm already looking forward to more events this summer, and trying to decide if I have the capacity/ability to do rides even longer. PBP holds a strange allure for me, but I really wonder if I could manage a ride twice this distance. Stay tuned!

[Tri Girl]

HOLY COW!!! :eek:

Congrats on your 600K. I can't EVEN imagine doing that! 375 miles here in the plains sounds tough enough, but on the coast with MOUNTAINS. WOW!!!!

I absolutely loved your report. The suspense (glad I didn't read it until today so I didn't have to wait for part 2), the humor, the ups and downs (literally and figuratively).

Thank you for sharing your amazing adventure!!! Congrats again!!!:D

[bambu101]

Susan, you are amazing! Congratulations on a truly epic ride, and a wonderful report! You are an inspiration!

[Catrin]

OMG! Many kudos to you, all of that and mountains at the same time! Now look at the time, I am 5 minutes late leaving for work but I just had to finish the story! If my boss complains I will show her the story of your amazing trip and adventure :)

I hope you get a good deal on the movie rights for it would make a good one :p

[crazycanuck]

:cool: You're one amazing chicka for doing a 600k...Do you have time to qualify for the PBP???

With that determination, does this mean you'll be doing an IM as well?? ;)
Cool...:cool:

[Becky]

Freakin' amazing. Thanks for such a great story :)

[Veronica]

Hooray! You did it! Doesn't it feel freakin' awesome?! :D


Veronica

[OakLeaf]

Wow. Just wow. Susan, you rock!

[NoNo]

That's amazing! You are a strong, brave woman. While slowly moving up a hill Sunday, I was passed by a man wearing a Boston-Montreal-Boston 1200K jersey. It made me shudder.

[sfa]

Wow! Good for you for sticking with it! Thanks for sharing your story with us!

Sarah

[Chicken Little]

Wow, that was a great read. It will be easier to get on the bike this morning because of you!

[indysteel]

I agree; what a great read! I made a beeline to my computer this morning with the hope that you'd posted the second installment....and I was not disappointed. :D

I am so glad you stuck with it and that conditions improved such that you could finish the ride more comfortably. What a fantastic effort. You have my utmost respect and admiration!

[maillotpois]

Great read!!

Congrats on pulling through your low moments - it's tough not having the right gear with you, etc. Been there (not on my 600). Anyway, in future you might consider getting a trash bag from a store, gas station or restaurant. Put it under your outer jersey or vest so it doesn't act as a sail.

and you're not crazy for thinking of PBP. I was thinking about it as well right after mine. I still occasionally consider it, but the logistics/cost of the trip are more daunting to me just now. If you can do it, give it a try! You will be able to qualify for sure - you need to stick a 400k in there somewhere, but they don't have to be sequential I don't think.

[Biciclista]

wow, great story. And you were able to do a really important thing. SLEEP.
i think you could do the 1200km ride. you've got the stuff.

[PamNY]

Wonderful story! You did good.

[roguedog]

Nicely done, Susan. You should be proud of yourself and gloat deservedly. It's an amazing accomplishment.

And here's to the Steve's of the world; those who come outta nowhere, don't know us but help us along down the road, changing our tires, fixing our dropped chains and whatnot, or just givin us enough words of encouragement to give a gentle lift to get us over the hill.


Here's a beer to you both.
<beer> (why don't we have a beer emoticon?)

Cheers!

[jobob]

That was mahhhvelous. :cool:

[kenyonchris]

I did a triathlon in numbing cold like that and it was MISERABLE...I can imagine trying to do it when sore and tired. GOOD FOR YOU!!!
Congrats and enjoy the recovery!

[GLC1968]

My husband and I did our ride in that same rain/ice storm that almost did Susan in...it was MISERABLE for us and we were warm and fresh when we started.

That girl definitely has a will of steel! :)

Well written report, Susan. Thanks so much for sharing it with us!

[Susan Otcenas]

Congrats on pulling through your low moments - it's tough not having the right gear with you, etc. Been there (not on my 600). Anyway, in future you might consider getting a trash bag from a store, gas station or restaurant. Put it under your outer jersey or vest so it doesn't act as a sail.



Thanks!

I might have stopped somewhere, except we were in the middle of nowhere. The 24 miles between Hwy 101 and the town of Siletz has not one single commercial business. There were a few homes and if I'd been more on the edge, I might have stopped and begged for mercy.

The other thing about not having the right gear in hand is that it's personally very embarrassing for me, given what I do for a living. I realize it was an error in judgement, and not that the gear I own is poor or insufficient, but nonetheless it's very embarrassing. :o

That said, I *am* going to do a post about some of the AMAZING pieces I wore that were comfortable and appropriate for so many miles in the saddle. More than one person has asked me how my butt survived the trip and were shocked to hear that I wasn't saddle sore! It's one of the reasons I think maybe I *could* do PBP. My legs were sore Monday, but my butt was fine and could have survived another day in the saddle.

[Susan Otcenas]

Congrats on pulling through your low moments

BTW, I have YOU to partially thank for that. Several times I remembered your wise words - something that hurts now may not hurt later.

SO true!

[Biciclista]

BTW, I have YOU to partially thank for that. Several times I remembered your wise words - something that hurts now may not hurt later.

SO true!

Susan, your lack of sore butt AND your ability to sleep are why I think you could do the PBP

[snapdragen]

Susan, you are a rockstar! :D:cool:

[Susan Otcenas]

Susan, your lack of sore butt AND your ability to sleep are why I think you could do the PBP

The guy I rode with from mile 110 to 140 said he was going to ride straight through because he found it impossible to get any rest when he stopped. He would just toss and turn if he tried to sleep, so now he doesn't bother to try.

Not me. I went out like a light.

Still, though, when I think about doing DOUBLE what I just did, on completely unfamiliar roads, it's very intimidating. I felt like the familiarity with the terrain was a huge advantage.

[colby]

Great story! So glad you stuck in there and finished. You probably would have kicked yourself for the DNF. Hooray for convenience store espresso machines. ;)

Congratulations. Recover well!

[Susan Otcenas]

1) Steve, my savior
2) Wine country
3) My trusty Sweetpea
4) Proof
5) One tired, but happy, Susan

[Susan Otcenas]

1) Roger, Steve, Ken
2) Jeff brought me flowers. Major bonus points. :D
3) Looks like I got a few extra bonus miles.

[jobob]

Nothing like a brevet ending at McMenamin's in Forest Grove, which is high on jobob's list of Happiest Places on Earth. :cool:

[Grog]

Susan, you are amazing. Congratulations! I'm speechless!! (Great write-up too!!!)

[colby]

Not long after, it started to sprinkle. Then drizzle. Then shower. I once read somewhere that the Eskimos have something like 1000 different words to describe snow. I often think that those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest have nearly as many words to describe rain.

I forgot to comment on this, but you are so right. A friend of mine has used the 1000 words for snow/rain analogy on me. Once, we traveled to San Francisco together, and it was semi-raining on and off, what I'd call drizzle and showers, not a downpour or anything. She would say, "it's raining" and I would say "it's not really raining... it's more of a drizzle." We'd go outside later, and I'd say "see, it's barely raining, more like a mist" and she'd reply "it's raining." Eventually it did start to actually rain with some effort, and I said "see, these drops are big, now it's raining" and she'd reply "it's POURING RAIN now, what's wrong with you people." ;)

[azfiddle]

Wow- thanks for sharing your epic adventure. It's a remarkable accomplishment.

[Bike Chick]

You are awesome, Susan! Aren't you glad you did it? Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

[Susan Otcenas]

I forgot to comment on this, but you are so right. A friend of mine has used the 1000 words for snow/rain analogy on me. Once, we traveled to San Francisco together, and it was semi-raining on and off, what I'd call drizzle and showers, not a downpour or anything. She would say, "it's raining" and I would say "it's not really raining... it's more of a drizzle." We'd go outside later, and I'd say "see, it's barely raining, more like a mist" and she'd reply "it's raining." Eventually it did start to actually rain with some effort, and I said "see, these drops are big, now it's raining" and she'd reply "it's POURING RAIN now, what's wrong with you people." ;)

Precisely! :D

[Biciclista]

The fact that you can sleep will protect you somewhat from the biggest problem that faces people that do these long rides, inattentiveness due to fatigue. You were talking about how you of all people should have worn the right gear... but you like any one else become vulnerable and can make bad decisions when you are sleepy..
So what you need to do is develop methods to insure that you will not "drop balls" - forget important gear or be in a position to make critical decisions while your critical decision maker part of your brain is out to lunch. I won't pretend i do long rides myself, but I have watched my husband (who is by nature a true scatterbrain) develop routines that he uses for his big rides, (like pre packing and using lists) that have really saved his butt. On the other hand, too many times I have seen the best of them make really stupid little mistakes (like leaving their brevet cards with the candy wrappers and then throwing it all away).
You do have what it takes, Susan. sure, it was easier because you knew the territory. But as you do more of these rides (and I know you're going to) you'll develop confidence. There's a reason you have to qualify before you do the PBP.. ;)

[Pedal Wench]

I'm so happy you finished with a smile on your face! You're an inspiration!

[spindizzy]

I read through your post yesterday and have thought about it on and off today. What an accomplishment! I am so amazed at your mental strength. Your ability to get it done, and you listening to Steve when he was helping you at a low moment - right place, right time, right words..karma...

Congratulations!

[Bike2work]

Susan,

My thinking is that if you completed the 600k last weekend you can do PBP. That 600k route is by no means easy. Remember the Arch Cape climbs? Remember the rain? Remember the climbing on the second day? And you did all that with two and a half hours to spare.

That's what I love about Randonneuring the most. The time limits are challenging but reasonable, and it doesn't matter when you finish as long as you finish within the time limit. It's not a race. Which is great because we get enough of that locally with Race Across Oregon and the Ring of Fire.

For my son Alex and I we did a rather relaxing pace because Alex was having difficulty with nutrition, got our seven hours of sleep in Lincoln City and finished maybe a half hour after you did.

We got rained on too on Sunday but not nearly as bad as you did. But you recovered, learned from it, finished the ride with time to spare and, I'd guess, along the way became even more hopelessly addicted to this wonderful crazy sport. Like I am.

Yep, if after that you're still thinking about PBP then you're probably ready to tackle it.

Keith Kohan

[Susan Otcenas]

Hi Keith,

Thanks for the reply! I saw you and Alex come in just after our little posse finished up.

Seven hours sleep! I'd like to be you when I grow up. :) Hope Alex was feeling better when you finished. I never got behind in my nutrition (I'm really careful about eating enough) but I certainly had my moments when my stomach was not thrilled (mostly between 11pm & midnight on Saturday). I have some friends who seem to have cast irons stomachs. They can push and push and eat anything in sight without trouble. My friend Richard worked his way through 2 pounds of salami on Race Across Oregon a few years ago. I was his crew chief and while everyone else was looking for bland oatmeal in the middle of the night, he was chowing down on salami on artisan bread. :eek:

Thanks for your words of encouragement. I'm planning to do the full summer series, finishing up with the MacKenzie-Aufderheide 600K. That one looks to be a fair bit harder than the Oregon Coast 600K, so if I survive THAT, then I'll probably sign up for PBP.

Susan

[Pedal Wench]

Thanks for your words of encouragement. I'm planning to do the full summer series, finishing up with the MacKenzie-Aufderheide 600K. That one looks to be a fair bit harder than the Oregon Coast 600K, so if I survive THAT, then I'll probably sign up for PBP.

Susan

I wanna be YOU when I grow up. Never mind the fact that I'm way older than you, and I don't really wanna grow up ever! :)

[Susan Otcenas]

Hard to believe a year has passed.

So, this year I am the ride organizer for this brevet, which will happen this coming weekend. As such, I did the pre-ride for the event this past weekend. Solo. :eek: I wrote up a ride report, with lots of photos of the route, if anyone is interested. It's a very pretty course. And I had mostly sunshine this year! Woot!

http://susanotcenas.blogspot.com/2011/05/oregon-coast-600k-pre-ride-report.html

[salsabike]

Solo! Wow. Can't believe you had to do a 600 pre-ride on your own. I know it's happened before but still....sheesh. Glad you had the sun!

My husband Chris has qualified for PBP and tells me you post a lot on a rando thread, so I knew you were training for it too. Hope you guys meet when you're there! I'll be there too but just for the museum/cafe part. :)

[maillotpois]

Wow - a solo 600k. Impressive. When I did my last one I was solo during the day but hooked up with a group for the 9 pm to 5 am stretch and was SO relieved about that. My 600k is 5/21-22 and I have a group of 3 others lined up to ride together. That midnight to 4 am stretch would be pretty grim alone.

I can't wait to read your report - I have to get dressed for work right now, though!!

[Biciclista]

hhahahahaha i like where you say you're out of shape and then proceed to finish a 600 kilometer ride.
great ride and great reporting too.

[indysteel]

hhahahahaha i like where you say you're out of shape and then proceed to finish a 600 kilometer ride.
great ride and great reporting too.

Yeah; I LOLed at that, too. Great accomplishment (among your many), Susan. I'm always in awe. Great ride report, too. DH and I spent a bit of time--not enough--on the Oregon Coast last year; what a gorgeous place to ride 600k!

[Velocivixen]

From one Oregon chick to another - you ROCK! I want to grow up to be like you (newby here). Nice job all around.

[azfiddle]

Wow Susan- just wow. I think my longest ride to date is 73 miles.... not even close to 373! I enjoyed your blog post.

[Susan Otcenas]

Solo! Wow. Can't believe you had to do a 600 pre-ride on your own. I know it's happened before but still....sheesh. Glad you had the sun!

My husband Chris has qualified for PBP and tells me you post a lot on a rando thread, so I knew you were training for it too. Hope you guys meet when you're there! I'll be there too but just for the museum/cafe part. :)

It's my own fault that I rode it alone. I didn't look too hard for companions. I find it difficult to ride with other people for so many miles. I end up either feeling rushed or held back, sometimes both emotions in the space of a few minutes. ;)

This 600K completes my SR, so I'm good to go too. I still plan to do at least one more 600K and may do the SIR 1000K in June. It's on my training plan. I see Chris is signed up for the 1000K as well.

Would be fun to meet up in France (We arrive on 8/17 and are staying at the Mercure). Jeff is coming along as well. His plan is to consume as many calories, preferably in the form of baked goods, as I burn off. :-) After PBP, we are going to Chamonix for a week. I will relax and ride my bike as my legs allow (and eat lots of baked goods! and drink lots of wine!), while he climbs Mont Blanc.

[Susan Otcenas]

That midnight to 4 am stretch would be pretty grim alone.


I've never been out that late on a 600K. 1:30 is the latest. I've been alone at night on all 3 of my 600Ks. But, when I did the Coast ride last year, I remember being able to see the wet tire tracks of riders who had gone up the road before me, and just that little thing made me feel like I wasn't alone.

On the 400K I did a few weeks ago, I was out 22:50, until 3:50am. I rode the last 100 miles with 2 friends, and it made a huge difference. (I had been having a low moment before we hooked up at mile 150. It had been raining the ENTIRE day and I was cold and not a little bit miserable.) We kept each others spirits up, paced each other, told stupid jokes at 3 am to stay awake etc. We also polished off an entire large pizza at 11pm at mile 200. :D

[salsabike]

It's my own fault that I rode it alone. I didn't look too hard for companions. I find it difficult to ride with other people for so many miles. I end up either feeling rushed or held back, sometimes both emotions in the space of a few minutes. ;)

This 600K completes my SR, so I'm good to go too. I still plan to do at least one more 600K and may do the SIR 1000K in June. It's on my training plan. I see Chris is signed up for the 1000K as well.

Would be fun to meet up in France (We arrive on 8/17 and are staying at the Mercure). Jeff is coming along as well. His plan is to consume as many calories, preferably in the form of baked goods, as I burn off. :-) After PBP, we are going to Chamonix for a week. I will relax and ride my bike as my legs allow (and eat lots of baked goods! and drink lots of wine!), while he climbs Mont Blanc.

Oh, wonderful! I believe we're coming on the 15th, doing the package trip thing, staying at the Gril Campanile. So I'll be hanging about in Paris during the ride--have a friend who lives there, but happy to spend time with Jeff if he's interested, and won't be in the least offended if he isn't. We spend a few more days in Paris after the 25th, and then go visit my brother in law and his wife in Oslo for five or so days.

Chamonix is GORGEOUS. I spent a day there in the rain in 1992 and even in that weather it was beautiful. That all sounds fabulous!

Chris noticed you'd signed up for the 1000. Have you guys actually met yet, or just read each others' names a lot?? :)

[maillotpois]

When is the 1000?

[Veronica]

Are you going to have more blog entries? :) Should I book mark your blog?

Nice write up. Almost made me think about doing long distance again.

Veronica

[Susan Otcenas]

So I'll be hanging about in Paris during the ride--have a friend who lives there, but happy to spend time with Jeff if he's interested, and won't be in the least offended if he isn't. ......

Chris noticed you'd signed up for the 1000. Have you guys actually met yet, or just read each others' names a lot?? :)

Jeff is going to be on course. I reserved hotel rooms along the way (2 nights in Loudeac and one in Mortagne au Perche) so he will have my gear, check in to the hotels, and meet me at the controls to help me find my way to the hotels. I know that most people just crash in the facilities that PBP provides, but I will be so much happier with a real bed and a private shower.

Nope, I've never met Chris. I hope to meet him on the 1000K. I've signed upf ro it but am not yet 100% committed to actually doing it. I will see how my energy levels and training are at that point. I want to do it as a sort of dry run for PBP, but we'll see...

[Susan Otcenas]

When is the 1000?

June 17-19. It's the one the Seattle folks are putting on. 600K around the Olympic Peninsula, then 400K down to St Helens and up past Mt. Rainier. I've not ridden any of the roads on the 600, but many of the ones on the 400 are familiar to me.

[Susan Otcenas]

Are you going to have more blog entries? :)

That's the goal. I've done alot of write-up in the past year that are scattered around (some here on the forums, some on my personal FB page, etc.) I may start by putting up some of those to get them all in one place.

[maillotpois]

June 17-19. It's the one the Seattle folks are putting on. 600K around the Olympic Peninsula, then 400K down to St Helens and up past Mt. Rainier. I've not ridden any of the roads on the 600, but many of the ones on the 400 are familiar to me.

Drat! I was half considering this, but I have a target ride on June 18.

Sure sounds beautiful.