Tell us your sad sad tale of SAG woe

[singletrackmind]

Not yet. A lively combination of luck, preparedness and idiotic stubborness. I'm just too plain stupid to quit.

I wouldn't opt for a ride I knew I could absolutely not do whether I could sag or not.
Nowadays I ride with a little guy so my mileage is pretty short and it's good to know SAG's available if he needs to quit. For him I'd sag.

[Geonz]

Not yet.

I think early on when you're not sure what you're capable of... but you suspect you're capable of more than you think you're capable of (and yes, that is a paradox and I think it even has a special name), then it makes sense to use the SAG as a motivator to keep the "but what if I can't" voices under control. It also means you can push a little harder if you want (tho' I never have... I"m all about pacing and finishing with plenty left).

Oops, once I *sort of* did, in that I rode out *to* the rest stop I was doing the shift on, and there were 20 mph headwinds so I opted not to ride back. It didn't look anything like fun.

[crazycanuck]

On last year's Karri Cup 105km Mtb event it was 38C I dídn't make through stage 3. I think it was also because I was still getting used to the Western Australian heat

I heard that quite a few people fainted on stage 3, not because it's the hilliest stage but because it was 38C and no shade

At this year's Karri Cup it was only 25C

That's the only story i have..

C

[Hammer]

I posted the full account in my multi-day tour thread. A friend and I decided to try the 100 miles instead of 75. Maybe we shouldn't have. We figured that we'd just keep pedaling forward and finish eventually. The SAG wagon was circling the route more frequently. I believe that we were among some of the last riders.

91 miles in I hit a railroad track wrong and crash. My friend swung wide to not hit me and went down too. So, while we didn't SAG... we did earn a ride in the ambulance.

We had finished 100 miles two days earlier and 70 the day before. We probably had no business doing the 100 on that day. The 75 mile route took us across those tracks too. Who knows. We thought that slow and steady would treat us fine.

[DirtDiva]

SAG doesn't tend to be a feature of a mtb ride with your mates, but I'm not above begging for a tea and cakes stop...

[smilingcat]

Does an ambulance ride count as SAG?? I was doing okay but just wasn't drinking enough water on that hot summer day. I think I bonked at around 80mile mark and was dropped without any fanfare. So much for being in the lead pack... So what do you do when you get dropped like that?? Well I decided to enjoy the scenery and I sat up looking at the wonderful view, the red tail hawk in the sky and a coyote in the distance. I wasn't paying much attention on the road. Well... the concrete curb was an inch or two higher than the black top. When I realized, too late, my front wheel glazed the step and I went flying. Shattered my collar bone. It felt like a long time before I got a ride in an ambulance...

SAG SAG on death ride 1991. Cold wet day!!! By the time I got to the top of Monitor from Hwy 395 (second pass), the mist had turned to drizzle or sleet depending on your altitude. It was cooo---l--lllddd. Couldn't really feel any of my fingers. Still, I mushed onto Ebbetts (third pass) made it to the pass and got my little dot on the number. There it was sleet and SNOW. No winter gear. The road had iced up too. Can it get worse? Well I was taking a shelter under a canopy. A canopy ready to collapse from too much water collected on the roof. This big dude seeing that there was too much water decided without telling anyone or asking anyone, pushed the roof of canopy to empty its ice cold water. Sheet of ice water poured over the edge. Well I was soaked even before then so I don't know if I got any of that water.

I heard that over 900 people SAGed. I also heard that a guy who was determined to finish and went down Ebbetts, went over the edge cause he just skidded on the ice. He was okay though. I was so cold, and probably in the worst shape, so I got to sit in the front seat huddled around the heat vent and promptly went to sleep. Back at turtle rock I changed into warm dry cloth, had some hot chocolate.

Oh I did bail out of two other ride. But I didn't SAG.

And no I don't plan on SAGGing or DNFing a ride.

Smilingcat

[Aggie_Ama]

Not on an organized ride yet, but I know even the most prepared cyclist may have her day. I have had two rides (Tri County Hill Hopper '05 and Shiner GASP '07) that the SAGs looked oh so inviting. On the Hill Hopper the name says it all, towards the end DH was nudging my back up the hills. I was crying (pain) and pushing on. Finished the 76 miles and felt every one of them.

Shiner this year was the result of headwind, humidity and poor training. The SAGs looked really inviting (and full) the last 10 miles but I somehow willed myself along. I don't know that I have ever been so sore.

I have three times needed someone to come get me. Twice when I had so many flats I ran out of tubes (2 the first time, 3 the second). Once when we got caught in the path of a severe storm in the middle of the country.

I would never plan to SAG a ride. I got furious when a former co-worker didn't ride Day 2 of the MS150 because "I never planned to ride two days this weekend". On the other hand we are probably going to do a Century at altitude this fall, since we are only 1,300 ft above sea level I know I may be biting off more than I can chew and may need the SAG. I PLAN on riding 100 miles though!!

[mimitabby]

last summer on tandem we took on a very challenging hill on a 80-90 mile ride.
At one point we stood up to go up a hill (not the big one) but we were in the wrong gear. so my weight went the wrong way and i wrenched a knee.
By the time we'd gone over the worst part of the hills, my knee was really hurting and scaring me. SO at the next rest stop, with 12 flatter, windy, hot miles to go, we decided that i'd had enough.

Nope, no regrets. And for the next month, i was careful and my knee healed.

You did the sensible thing!

[maillotpois]

Wow smiling cat - that Death Ride sounds like a COLD one!!!

My only ever ride in the SAG wagon was at El Tour de Tucson in 2005 when I crashed out at mile 1 (idiot who didn't know how to ride in a pack locked his brakes in front of me, fell down and took me out - that's the last time I start that race mid-gold pack), and rode 40 miles with terrible back pain before deciding to call it quits. I sat in the SAG station waiting for the van, on the verge of tears because I was so disappointed not to finish, but I knew it was the right thing to avoid serious bodily damage. And the upside was I got back to the finish in time to see Floyd Landis come in. And have some beers. And ask DH "What took you so long?? I've been here for hours!" when he came in shortly over 5 hours.

Of course last year I couldn't do El Tour, so this year it's one of my goals. See if I can break 5 1/2 hours.

[lauraelmore1033]

I SAGed it on day 4 of a 7 day tour of California. I had a fever, nausea and a sore throat, so it seemed like a good idea at the time--especially since temperatures were supposed to be in the mid 90s that day. We had a rest day the next day and I was feeling almost human for the day of riding after that. I don't think I would consciously choose to sign up for a ride thinking I could SAG if I needed it, but I think I would have misgivings about signing up for a ride that didn't offer it. On the tour I just mentioned, SAG support was advertised, but the woman doing it was not being paid (and was therefore, usually hard to find because she was off doing her own thing). She was, in theory, available if you called her on the cell phone, but we were in pretty remote areas with spotty to no cell service. This kept the price of the tour low,and in the end, everything turned out just fine. But I might have thought twice about signing up in the first place since it had been my first tour. I would actually choose to tour again with this outfit now, since I know what I can do on a multi day tour.

[Crankin]

I don't do a lot of multi day rides, but on our first tour, which was a weekend in Stow, VT. I crashed going down a 20% grade on the first day. I got right up and finished (it was a very short but extremely hilly ride) but I ended up with a huge bruise on my thigh and hip. I was SO sore,if it hadn't been for the jacuzzi in our room, I would not have been able to do the next 2 days. But, I did not do the MT. Mansfield climb the next day, which was 7 miles. It was October and as we started going up the Mountain Rd, it was getting really cold, which made my leg even stiffer. I was also concerned about the downhill part, having been spooked the day before. The roads were slightly wet and I don't like downhills very much to begin with. So, I got in the van and took it back to the inn. In fact, most of the other riders were tri-athletes from the midwest and had never seen a mountain. My husband and 2 other people were the only ones who did the climb. I didn't feel bad at all.
On our tour in Austria and the Czech Republic, we did choose the shorter option rides on 2 days. No sagging involved, but I knew my limits and wanted to enjoy the other parts of the tour, too. There was unbelievable climbing on this tour, so I don't feel bad.

[bmccasland]

I have SAG'd (what is the past tense of SAG?)
- after a crash when the person in front of me slammed on her brakes going up hill on a rotten road. I DID ride my bike the mile and a half to the next rest-stop, tho. Went home, showered, and THEN went to the ER for x-ray and stitches.
- after asthma attacks - the worst was on a MS-150 a couple of years ago when they took my bike away from me... but no ride to the hospital
- and when I was fairly new at long-haul biking and had mechanical problems, but didn't know it, so I was fighting my bike, and had trouble breathing.
- and on day 2 of the MS-150 last year when I didn't rehydrate after day 1 (the bottled water vendor was a no-show) and woke up with a migraine. I rode 30 miles with it until I was defeated.

And somehow on most of this, the same wonderful lady, Janet, was the driver that picked me up.

Is it a bad thing to get to know a SAG driver, reall well???

So call me a whimp, I suppose. I drive myself into the ground, but there is a point where I admit defeat and cry Uncle, or Janet

[7rider]

So call me a whimp, I suppose. I drive myself into the ground, but there is a point where I admit defeat and cry Uncle, or Janet

No shame in taking the SAG when you need it. As they say, “Discretion is the better part of valor.”

[Celeste]

Well, I am a SAG gal too. I can only push myself so far before I just am not having any fun at all.

- SAG #1: TNT Chappel Hill training ride...long one of 65 miles. My first at hill training. It was hot and I was sweating, but having chills at the same time even some nausea. Decided I was not feeling right and should SAG in to the finish. Wise choice as I found out later that I was beginning to dehydrate.

- SAG #2: Tahoe Century ride 2007. Had to SAG up at first rest stop after the tuff switch backs. I was in the wrong gear, had to get off or fall off. Trying to get started again, my foot slipped off the pedal and the big cog sliced my leg open. I did get going again, but had blood running down my leg and sock filled with blood. My head felt weird even after eating and drinking. That woozy feeling lasted most of the day. Sagged up from first to second stop. Hmmm, nerves?

- SAG #3: Tahoe Century ride 2007. Once gain, still feeling woozy, chose to SAG up the Spooner hill. My SAG driver was so concerned about me she wrote her personal cell number on my leg with a ball point pen. If I was in need of help, I was to call her and she would come get me. They tried to get me to SAG all the way in...NO WAY. I wanted to do as much as I could. So I did. Even though I should have had stitches...oops.

-SAG #4: Tour de Braz ride 2007. One week after Tahoe we did a century with the other half of our TNT group. I fully completed 85 miles in the boiling heat. Had to sag up a bit, about 12 miles, once I felt those familiar goose bumbs of dehydration. But I did finish under my own power.

No, I never sign up intending to SAG. I want to finish. But sometimes my body says otherwise. With my leukemia, I have to be very careful of what my body tells me.

It is very difficult for me to stay hydrated even though I drink constantly during the ride, days before the ride and after the ride. I feel this causes me most of my SAG issues.