Furnace Creek 508

[maillotpois]

Well, I did it. I sent in the application today to do the 508 as a 2 woman team.

http://www.the508.com/

Yikes!

Some of you know the story: I was originally plannign to do it with my friend Stacy, then her life intervened (in a good way) and she backed out. Then she and I discussed maybe doing the brevet series together next year and then a couple of weeks ago she said she thought we should just do the 508 after all! So I had some real thinking to do.

Cost is a factor - you need special lighting for your car and a crew and accommodations. But one of our crew thinks that we may be able to borrow the car lights and we will try to do things on the cheap as much as possible. So I had a talk with DH last night and signed up today.

We are trying to get the okapi as our totem (there are no race numbers for the 508 - only totems).

I realize now I should have consulted with Nanci on animal totems since she's the resident guru on animals/reptiles/birds/etc., but the Okapi is a good symbol of hope as it has recently been discovered in a park in the war-torn Congo where it had been thought extinct. It can also survive on 5 minutes sleep in a 24 hour period, which is fitting to this race, and it can lick its own ears, which is not fitting to the race, but cool.

So I'm committed! (Or should be committed...)

[DrBee]

Wow! That's great! Good luck with getting everything together and on the ride!

It can lick it's own ears??? Now that is cool in a weird way, but still cool.

[caligurl]

good, girl!!!!!!!! i'm gonna try really hard to be at the finish line for at least part of the day (we were shopping last year!) so maybe we'll see you!!!!!!!!!!

[Deanna]

Wow!! I'll be rooting for you. What a great totem. Do you have your support crew lined up?

[tprevost]

I wanna know more about the finish line think CG... that would be SO cool to be cheering people on as they come in!

MP - YOU ROCK! Congrats on your new undertaking!!! That is SO awesome!!!! (and, I will be at the finish line cheering if at all possible!)

Trac'

[maillotpois]

Oh and this is fun - scary, but fun:

http://www.the508.com/route/stagerouteshow/index.html


Deanna, I think we do have crew. My partner had crewed for a woman last year who will crew for us and my partner's boyfriend I think will also crew. For my husband to do it would be a logistical nightmare with the kid. So we're set, I think. My understanding is you are restricted to one vehicle (which is environmentally more happy), so we have to have 2 crew.

[yellow]

Oh, I can see it now....next year, the 508 solo. And then the following year, a double 508 ala Steve Born.

You're a crazy lady. Crazy in a good way. But crazy nonetheless.

[snapdragen]

Awesome MP!

[maillotpois]

Oh, I can see it now....next year, the 508 solo. And then the following year, a double 508 ala Steve Born.

You're a crazy lady. Crazy in a good way. But crazy nonetheless.


You sensed my evil plot.... at least the single solo part!

[Deanna]

I was just looking at the rules--I like that they specifically ban Hummers & Ford Excursions! I'm glad you got an experienced crew person, that was incredibly helpful for my brother-in-law when he did it last year.

What the route maps don't show you is the headwind that seems to have come up the last couple of years. I'm not sure if it's in the same place, but it seems that the riders whose slideshows I've seen had a worse time with that then some of the climbs. I hope it's mellow for you this year.


Edited to include: Does this mean RAAM is in your future too?

[Trekhawk]

Congratulations MP. Cant wait to read that ride report.:D :D

[bikerchick68]

I remember talking to Homey when he was getting ready for the 508 last year... he was explaining it to me... the conversation was:

BC68- So you ride thru the night???
Homey- Yeah.
BC68- But, but, when do you sleep?
Homey- You don't sleep... it's a race. You keep going.
BC68- You DON'T SLEEP???? Are you freakin NUTS?

so congrats MP... you are nuts...:D looking forward to hearing how you kick butt on it!

[SadieKate]

I believe the term is cuckoo.;)

[Nanci]

Yay!! I'm so excited for you!!

Nanci

[mtkitchn]

WOW! Can't wait to hear all about it! Might have to come watch part of it!

[Lise]

WOW. That sounds phenomenal. I'm looking forward to the training reports, hourly feed from the route, and race summary reports!!!

I must learn more about the okapi. To survive on 5 min sleep in 24 hours...sounds like a good totem for a midwife!

The race site looks phenomenal. I'm going to go learn more.....

(PS, this is my 1,500th post on TE. I thought for awhile about how to use it. Thanks, MP, for giving me such a great thing to reply to.) L.

[Tater]

Awesome and wow at the same time! Good luck!

[Fredwina]

I'm going to be part of the crew for team Golden Drasenji (Bernie "Homey" Barge and Nicole Honda)

[maillotpois]

wow.

It is absolutely chilling to read my original post. I went into the hospital the day after I wrote that w/pulmonary emboli and 508 is out for this year. I was very disappointed and I hope to do it next year.

Fredwina - have a GREAT time. you have an amazing team!! I rode most of my 600k with Nicole, and Bernie is an absolute sweetheart. you should have so much fun. tell them I will see them next year.

[maillotpois]

I'm going to be part of the crew for team Golden Drasenji (Bernie "Homey" Barge and Nicole Honda)


So... Fredwina we want a full report!!! I saw the finish photos, and Bernie and Nicole looked great. I want to know how it was!!!! How were Nicole's knees and Bernie's hamstring???

[Fredwina]

From another thread here.
Homey from Bike Journal had pulled his hamstring playing softball, and rode his first stage at a 12.0 average. I got an hour's sleep on Saturday. I was sitting in passenger seat and Jae (Nicole's DH), would punch me every I started to fall asleep, so I could pass something to Nicole, who road 170 miles at night. we finally got Homey back at full speed after leaving death valley. I wound driving all but the last 10 miles Sunday night. we finished about 11:30. Finally, I could go to the bathroom without finding the appropriate sized creosote bush! Nicole was smarter than moi and wore a large skirt (Maybe our Great-Great Grandmother were right with their Fashion sense) Got a thirty miler in Felt real good. Now, to disabuse myself of the crazy notion of entering the 508 in a different category than this time....
I would doing "domestic" duties at first(mixing Drinks). as I said, We should have brought more waterbottles and mixed in advance. I was driving the Support vehicle on Bernie's first stage(number 2). he was definitely not a happy camper. We decided to change the rotation and have Nicole ride stages 3 and 4. Jae had learned how to do Nicole's massage, and that got her through just fine. She was dropping folks left and right on the Townes pass climb. We start to catch the solo riders here. Jae also started massaging Bernie, and that paid off . I wound finally getting about an hour's solid sleep when Nicole started the climb out of death valley. We got Bernie back on the bike at Shoshone. Since it's mostly, we thought it be good test. The only bad thing was that he threw up :( . we got to baker, and I made a grocery run, while Jae and Dennis took care of the control. Nicole did great on the moonscape pavement Road into Kelso. I wound up behind the wheel for most of the final 100 into Twenty nine. we ran the van in follow mode most of the. Bernie and Nicole got lei'ed at TS 7 . Me, I got a lousy can of pineapple juice :p . It turned dark for the final push into 29. A lot of folks use this road as a shortcut between the Colorado river and Palm Springs, so it was trafficy. At about 10 to go , Bernie pulled over. We fed him, and Jae took the wheel for the Final push into town. We finished just before midnight, with a total time of 38:21. we had thought were were going to do 36, so not bad. Got to bed about 1 and woke at 6. Got to Emily O'Brien finish on Fixed, as well as the last Official finisher. Had breakfast with Team Werewolf (Tim Woudenberg, Jim Kern, and I can't recall the rest of his crew's names) before heading back.
It was fun! I made some mistake, but it was my first time working an ultra as a crew (vs. being an official). We'll have to wait and see what next year brings!

[Bike Goddess]

Fredwina- I crewed for team Mahi Mahi last year with another cyclist - Linda. We were supposed to have another member with us and another car -Roberts girlfriend, but we missed her at Stovepipe Wells and never saw her until the end.

So, I completely understand what you all went through on this race. It is very tough and this year I believe you could only have ONE support vehicle. Kudos to you for driving as much as you did. I got a total of maybe 4 hrs sleep last year on that ride and I was pretty rummy going home on Monday.

Homey sick again? Poor guy- he was a DNF last year because he got terribly sick. Good for Nicole to pull it off!

Thanks for the report! You did good girl!!!!!!!:D :D :D :D :D

[Bikingmomof3]

OMG I am so excited for you! I love your totem. :cool: Keep us posted.

[Fredwina]

Thanks all!
BMO3 - We had a conference call to decide what a Golden Drasenji looked like.
With the totem, once you pick one, it's yours for life. So we had merge Homey (Basenji) with Nicole (Golden Dragon)
BG - I think part of why I wound doing so much driving was that Nicole was mad that the "boys" kept on giving me kitchen duty

[Fredwina]

BG - Forgot to mention - we were kidding that he is "cursed" when it comes to this Race.
Now, to the article
As many of you know, I’ve been planning on doing some beyond century Rides for 2007. I was on the Forums section of BikeJournal.com and got an invite from “Homey”, Aka Bernie Barge, from Paso Robles, to be a part of his support creek for the 508.
His partner, Nicole Honda, was from San Mateo. The support was Jae Honda (Nicole’s husband), and Dennis Salguero from Pasadena.
On the 508, team use totems instead of numbers. Once you are assigned one. You have it for life. Bernie and Nicole had both done the race solo, as teams Basenji and Golden Dragon, so our totem was Golden Drasenji, Half Dragon and half puppy. I got to the Hotel in Valencia on Friday night. We had a “real” team meeting (vs. a couple of conference calls) and found out Bernie had pulled his hamstring playing softball. We then adjourned to our rooms and slept.
Saturday morning, I helped Jae get the Support van ready. He had customized a one ton van for the race (helps to be married to a mechanic). He also had me drive it, so I could get comfortable with the beast.
Stage 1: Valencia to California City 82 miles
We started at 9:00. Nicole was the first rider off. We drove 24 miles and waited for Nicole to show up. I was the “feeder”. I was mixing drinks (Try Gatorade mixed with Cytomax, and Big dollop of GU thrown in. Yes, in the bottle) We would leap frog her, get out, cheer her on, asked if she needed anything and pass out what she asked for last time. We went up past the Willow Springs raceway, and past the Airplane Graveyard at Mojave, and arrived at the first stop. Time 5:06(keep in mind, the clock runs in these events, even if you are stopped) 16.4 mph average.
Stage 2 California City to Trona 70.25 miles
Bernie had decided to lower his saddle to help his hamstring. This backfired, as he got a saddle sore, and didn’t help the muscle pull. I was now driving the van. We went though Johannesburg and Randsburg. About 10 miles from Trona, we had to switch to follow mode as the Sun started to set. We drove behind Bernie, and He used the van lights to see. There was a loudspeaker on the front of the van, which we used to play music to keep the riders from falling asleep. Trona even has a bike Path! Time 4:40 Average 14.but Bernie claims it was 12. He normally does the stage at 22. We stopped and put gas in the Van, and got ready for the night. Dennis wanted some Red Bull, but the store only had Rock Star.
Stage 3 Trona to Furnace Creek 99 miles
I was back mixing stuff and rifling through the coolers. When I wasn’t busy. I tried to sleep. During the night, we handed stuff out the Van’s window. The stage climbs from 1600 feet to 2800, and then descends to 1500 feet before going over Townes Pass (4956). Nicole was going strong, and was dropping riders left and right. We started seeing a lot of the Solo riders here (they left 2 hours before us). We then went down into Death Valley and stopped at Furnace Creek at 3AM. The whole time, we would occasionally stop and massage Bernie. Time 5 hours 30 minutes average 18 mph.
Stage 4 Furnace Creek to Shoshone 74 miles.
We decided to have Nicole ride this stage, even though we were not sure if it was permitted by the rules. We were going to get clarification, but the officials at Furnace creek were not sure, and we had no cell service to call Twenty-nine Palms. I was the navigator. I sat in the front passenger seat, and Jae would poke me to wake me up when Nicole needed something. Right before the ascent of Jubilee (1285) and Salsberry (3315) passes (6am), We stopped. I got to sleep in the bed. I woke shortly before Nicole summited. She was having problems with the crosswinds on the descent. We arrived at the next rest stop in Shoshone in the morning. We had run out of Rock Star during the night, and the store had none. It was also Bernie’s time to ride. Still had no cell service.
Time 7 hours speed 7mph. It was late, but we had no choice but to get Bernie ready to ride.
Stage 5 Shoshone to Baker 56 miles
I was the Navigator again. Bernie was doing considerably better. This stage is almost all down hill. He did have to stop and throw up. We leapfrogged him at first, but after his stomach problems. We went back into follow mode. Baker has bike paths, too! At the time station, I ran across the road to restock the groceries. More Sprites, more lunchmeat and condiments, more Red Bull, and we were ready to go. We got the Ok for our strategy, provided Bernie would ride the last two stages. Time 3 hour 15 minutes average speed 17 mph
Stage 6 Baker to Kelso 56 miles.
This stage featured a 20-mile false flat with 2500 feet of gain followed by a 1500 feet descent. The main problem here was the Moonscape like pavement. I was the Navigator, as Dennis drove and Jae got Bernie ready. time 2 hours 45 minutes average 20 mph.
Stage 7 Kelso to Amboy 33 miles.
I was driving again. We followed Bernie up a 12-mile – 2000 feet climb, and down a 50 mph descent. The traffic picked up. All Riders who make to Amboy get a lei. I got a can of Pineapple Juice. Time 2 hours 30 minutes. Speed 13.2mph
Stage 8 Amboy to Twenty-nine Palms 56 miles
Per our agreement with Chris Kostman, the organizer, Bernie rode the final stage. I was 6:00 when we left Amboy, and the highway was surprisingly busy. I was driving again. Bernie had to ride up Sheephole Mountain (1500 feet in ten miles) in the dark. The plan was to swap drivers on the descent, as it is harder to drive the van close enough on the curves, but not to drive over the rider. Bernie was feeling very good at the summit, and wanted to push on. At 10 miles from the hotel, He bonked. We stopped and got him going again, and swapped drivers. At 11:30 we finally arrived! We had pizza and champagne, and piled in to one motel room at 1:00. I got to go to the Bathroom without finding a large bush first! Nicole was smarter than moi and wore a large skirt (Maybe our Great-Great Grandmothers were right with their Fashion sense) Time 5 hours 20 minutes. Speed 11.8
Monday morning. we watched the final riders arrive. Among them was Emily O’Brien, who rode the entire event solo on a fixed Gear! We had breakfast with the other teams, and headed home.
Would I do it again? You bet! I had been an official at an Ultra race before, but this my first time working as a crew. Who knows, maybe next year, Team Yellow Shark could be showing up at best Western parking lot at 6:50 am on Monday….

[maillotpois]

Wow - thanks for the great report!! I could really picture it as you described it, especially since I know both your teammates!

Barring any other health problems, I'm shooting to do this next year. We'd planned to do it as a team this year, so I'll either do it as a 2 woman team or, depending on how the year goes, maybe as a solo. We'll see.

Anyway, thanks - I love reading the reports from crew for rides like this. Your reports are generally more lucid than the riders' reports!

[Veronica]

Funny, I've been thinking that if I can do PBP, I can do the 508. :p

V.

[Fredwina]

Anyway, thanks - I love reading the reports from crew for rides like this. Your reports are generally more lucid than the riders' reports!
MP,
I had sent the article to the crew to proofread. Apparently, I wasn't too Lucid between Furnace Creek and Shoshone! (I had left out our working over Nicole's bad knees)
I'm probably going to back in 2007, at least as a crew. I'm waiting till June - July before deciding i'm crazy enough to ride it.
Veronica, I was also thinking that it would cheaper to do the 508 than PBP. And I don't even have to leave my home county for most of the ride!:cool: Hint: San Bernardnio County is the largest county in the U.S. It's larger than 9 states! Of course, then I would have put with Folks asking why anyone would want to ride their Bike to Trona, Kelso, or Amboy :rolleyes:

[maillotpois]

I was wondering abuot Nicole's knees. She struggled mightily at the end of our 600k from what I understand. I'm just so happy she made it. They really did great!

[jobob]

:eek:

someone rode the 508 on a fixie ?

:eek:

[Fredwina]

:eek:

someone rode the 508 on a fixie ?

:eek:

Two people did! and there was four rider Relay team on Fixies:
This is emily / Archaeopteryx. She did the last 508 on a fixed gear as well:
http://the508.com/2006web/shows/2006show32/pages/DSC_0022.html
and:
http://the508.com/2006web/shows/2006show12/pages/DSC_0141.html
not the best angle, But I believe the photographer was trying to show she was on a fixed Gear

[Bike Goddess]

Last year, Robert (Team MahiMahi) was passed on Towne's Pass by Emily in the middle of the night (about 11:45). At the time he didn't know who she was. By gosh, when he looked, she was on a fixed gear bike hammering away! He passed her going down the other side towards Stovepipe Wells (yes, you can go faster with a regular road bike on most downhills, and, especially on THAT one -he went 50+ mph in one spot!!!). We then saw her from time to time as we headed to 29 Palms. She came in about 1/2 hour after we did. I talked to her briefly. Amazing gal- quite petite! Her bike was quite heavy which just added to my admiration of her skills and stamina. I believe her family was her SAG.

I wondered if she was doing it again, so thanks Fredwina for the update AND the pics. .