Devil Mountain Double Century Report - yowza!

[maillotpois]

What a great report Sarah !

It's fun reading your descriptions of my stomping grounds.

We need to do a group ride out there again, Palomares is really nice if you haven't already ridden 180 miles and climbed about umpteen zillion feet in a blast furnace And the descent is a lot of fun in broad daylight when your teeth aren't chattering.

Well, I'll take you up on that and we can ride there sometime so I can actually SEE where I am going. It was like riding into a cave - huge (seemingly) mountains on either side and going into the darkness that seemed to have no end at all.

[jobob]

That had to have been so creepy !

Have you every ridden out that way before?

[crazycanuck]

Holy Moly!

MP-YOu're one amazing chickie..

Wow is all I can say! I'm just trying to put in perspective of the Australian terrain..Man do i ever live in a flat country..

What's your next adventure?

C

[maillotpois]

That had to have been so creepy !

Have you every ridden out that way before?

No, Jo, I hadn't really. I think we did Calaveras the other direction for Mt. H challenge 2 years ago. but I had never ridden Palomares, Niles, Norris. creepy is right.

CC - next adventure? something tame! I have pretty much decided not to do the 600k I was planning for the end of the month. the DH gets worried with me out all night. and I don't "need" to do it. I have several more double centures planned, and of course the Death Ride.

I am mostly super happy to be back on the bike (I was off the bike 6 months last year for medical reasons and had no idea what my form would be when I started riding again. turns out being forced off the bike was a good thing in the long run as I have a renewed motivation.)

[jobob]

I am mostly super happy to be back on the bike

That's the thing that keeps me from really pushing myself - I don't ever want to be in a situation where I'm miserable on my bike. I want to always be super happy, or at least reasonably happy, on my bike. That's why I bailed out in the middle of my last two brevets - well, for the second one, it was that and the fear of winding up in an oxygen tent, but that's another matter.

It's like there's that next psychological & physiological step that I'm just not willing to take. Fear of the unknown - in this case, how my mind and how my body would react to severe stress.

Basically, I'm afraid that, if I ever did a truly exhausting ride like the one MP did (or, at least, one that would be as exhausting for me, LOL), I'd throw my bike in the garage and never want to ride it again. And that would be really sad, because I love riding so much now. I don't ever want to lose the luv.

Of course, that puts me in a bit of a dilemma, doesn't it? I won't know until I try, yet I'm afraid to try.

Eh, it's not like I'm that worried about it, I'm just pondering some deep thoughts (gah) on a rainy morning. Sooner or later I'll take that next step - tho it'll probably be little gradual baby steps rather than one big jump - it'll probably just take me longer than some.

[maillotpois]

I've gotten burned out before and had to take time off. But I think as long as you're still curious about how the long rides will feel and what they are like, you are okay.

I firmly believe that it (burnout, disillusionment, not wanting to ride again) is not going to happen in one ride. The most that will happen is you'll want to take afew days or maybe a week off. Then you'll be wanting to ride again. Especially given how far you've come and how enthusiastic you are. And I believe you still have a lot of untapped potential.

[tprevost]

Wow Sarah! What a fabulous report!!!! You rock woman!

[Starfish]

Wow, thank you for taking the time to write such a great report. It is so inspirational!!

[Aggie_Ama]

Wow! I just read your report, I cannot imagine the toughness it took to complete that ride. Great job, I am thoroughly impressed.

[SadieKate]

Nice article out in today's Sacramento Bee. Mention of the goat but no picture of him or MP.

http://www.sacbee.com/384/story/182734.html

[Zurichman]

Maillotpois and jobob just read your ride reports and your comments jobob. I remember when you 2 use to post on BJ. Great ride report and have it on my radar for next year. It would be my 64th birthday present to myself. I couldn't think of a better present as I luv to climb. The kicker is I live in Pa. so that is very early in the season for us to get ready. The training shall begin.


Keep riding like a girl maillotpois, you kicked some serious butt on this ride.

Zman

[maillotpois]

Uh wow. Thanks.

This report is from 7 years ago, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. (More recently I knocked 3 hours off my 2007 finish time in 2011 and am hoping to repeat that performance next year).

I hope you get out for it - it is a great ride.

[maillotpois]

Well, that was weird.

Yup.

[Zurichman]

Ok so it was late at night when I read the post. I just googled DMD and this came up. Congrats on lowering your time. I'm in for sure but have to figure out how to train for it as it's really early for us cold Northerners.

Zman

[maillotpois]

No worries - I got a chuckle out of it when it popped up. When I've done DMD, I find a 400k about 2-3 weeks before is invaluable. And the more climbing the better. I know it can be challenging for East Coasters.