Willamette Headwaters 600K Ride Report

[Susan Otcenas]

“Michael may lack any sense of scale, but he’s not a sadist”.

This comment, made several months ago by my friend Cecilanne, was looping through my head as I climbed the first few miles of NFD 11 at mile 302 of this weekend’s Willamette Headwaters 600K.

4.4…3.8…3.9…4.2…3.7… I marveled at my ability to sustain speeds that slow, for that long, and keep the bike upright. An hour later, when I’d gone a grand total of 5 miles, I decided that Cecilanne was, in fact, wrong.

But, as usual, I get ahead of myself.

A few months ago, when I heard about the proposed route, I felt both excitement and trepidation at the idea of riding it. I had just finished my first 600K in May, and despite the challenges I had with the weather on that ride, randonesia had already begun to set in. By the time the registration for the 600 opened, I had a few more 200s and another 300 under my belt, and so decided to dive in head first and sign up.

The elevation profile, with more than 21,000 feet, concentrated in 4 major climbs, looks like the teeth of some kind of beast, ready to chew up and spit out the unaware, the undertrained or the complacent. Or anyone having a bad day. http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=171849 (see summary tab). I’m a reasonably decent climber. Not zippy by any stretch, but very steady. So, I was prepared to be challenged, but didn’t feel intimidated by the profile. It wasn’t until 10 days before the event, when I read Michael’s pre-ride report, that I started to question the wisdom of my decision.

“This is a really hard ride…”

“…4 miles of pretty intense climbing…”

“…it's only like 8 miles of intense climbing…”

“…starts off really steep for a mile, and then relents, and then has another steep section, then relents, and one more steep bit. That's the first 4 miles…”

“…crappy demoralizing rollers for the next 10 miles…”

“The wind will be blowing upstream, right into your face. You will curse my name.”

“There is a suckerpunch hill just before you get to...”

So, here’s the thing. Michael is one of the strongest climbers I know. If Michael is using words like “intense”, “steep”, “demoralizing” and “suckerpunch”…. Well then, I’m sure as hell gonna sit up and take notice. And annotate my cue sheet accordingly!

Michael promised us a course of epic proportions… Of spectacular scenery…. Of quiet, in-the-middle-of nowhere, traffic-free forest roads. He even used the word “legendary”.

And he was absolutely correct. This ride was every one of those things. I don’t have the words to describe the incredible beauty of the Aufderheide, the stark lava fields on 126, the breathtaking vistas from NFD 22, NFD 5850, and Straight Creek Rd (NFD 11). I can’t accurately convey the remoteness of the terrain we moved through or the total silence in the forest on NFDs 22 & 5850 where I didn’t see a motor vehicle for hours. I wish I could bottle up the giddiness and sheer joy of descending Quartzville Creek Rd…swoosh…swoosh…swoosh…leaning into turns and not pedaling for miles and miles.

This ride challenged me. It challenged my legs and my lungs. It challenged my descending skills. It challenged my mental toughness. I feel like I met those challenges head on, and I’m really pleased with the results!

And so, I say thank you to Michael for organizing this legendary, epic and (with apologies to Cecilanne) slightly sadistic course.

[Susan Otcenas]

The nitty gritty:

375 miles
~21,500 feet
37hr 46m elapsed
29hr 33m moving
9.9 avg speed elapsed
12.7 avg speed moving
1hr 45m "sleeping"
3hr 15m at overnight control
max speed 37mph
min speed 3.4 (sustained for a shockingly long period of time on Straight Creek Rd. at mile 302...and 303....and 304.... Should be renamed "Straight Uphill Road"
0 flats


The aftermath:
Two sore achilles tendons
One AWOL pinky finger

[OakLeaf]

Holy !@#$ Susan. Way to go!

[jobob]

Awesome.

[Jaclyn]

Great ride report, and congratulations on completing your second 600k. We had a similar experience on our first 600k this year. A friend recommended the Louisville Kentucky 600k. There was some surprise when we arrived (turns out it wasn't because we were strangers, but because we were on a tandem).

Our stats were 363 miles, 22,354 elevation gain, 38:24:02 elapsed time, 33:43 moving time, average speed 11.5 mph.

My captain had a difficult time convincing me to get back out after the overnight control for the final 200k ... it was only the thought of having to do another 600k which convinced me that finishing the 200k was the better alternative.

It was all worth it for the feeling afterwards that we had met the challenge.

Are you planning to enter the lottery to do Paris-Brest-Paris next year? That is our plan - hope to meet you there.

PS The friend - he did the St Louis 600k which had one-tenth the climbing at only 2,500 elevation gain.

[Crankin]

Again, I will say:
I must have the wimp gene.

Congratulations!

[Susan Otcenas]

Are you planning to enter the lottery to do Paris-Brest-Paris next year? That is our plan - hope to meet you there.

PS The friend - he did the St Louis 600k which had one-tenth the climbing at only 2,500 elevation gain.

Yes, I'm planning to do PBP. As understand it though, it's not a lottery. Pre-registration priority is given to riders who have completed at least a 600K this year, with an even earlier deadline for those having completed a 1000 or 1200 this year. Last to be able to pre-register will be those who rode anything less than a 600.

My 1st 600 had ~9000 feet. I can't imagine doing one with only 2500 feet. That would be boring, I think. Pedaling along flat roads for hours on end...ugh.

[katluvr]

Holy !@#$ Susan. Way to go!

DITTO! can't think of anything more to say...other than pure amazement!
K

[Trekhawk]

WOW!
Well done Susan, my legs feel tired just thinking about that ride.

[Tri Girl]

I just honestly cannot imagine the pain/fatigue that sets in on a ride like that... you are INCREDIBLE!!!!!