Willamette Headwaters 600K Ride Report

[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!

[spindizzy]

"Randondesia" *giggle* My stomach lurches at the thought of what you did. Unbelievable! Your "friend" is a sadist - but apparently you like the pain!
Nice work!

[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.

[maillotpois]

Well done! I have some randonesia setting in as well....

[Susan Otcenas]

Well done! I have some randonesia setting in as well....

Hey MP, looking to do another 600K? Or PBP?

Susan

[Catrin]

Wow, that was an incredible ride! You are my role model and I hope that I can at least do a portion of that kind of of climbing someday!

It certainly sounds like you had a ride of epic proportions, Michael didn't fib to you

[Bike Chick]

Wow, Susan! You are constantly amazing me. Awesome job!

[Susan Otcenas]

Michael didn't fib to you

No, no he didn't!

[Jaclyn]

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.

Susan, you are correct. They will register the 1000km riders first, followed a week later by the 600k finishers. The lottery will be for the remaining spaces based on a quota for US participants. And, we still need to qualify by completing the 200, 300, 400, and 600k series next year by June. Fortunately, all of the rando clubs are adding rides and scheduling rides earlier for 2011.

The Ohio club members have been wonderful about giving us newcomers tips and advice. We are lucky that they share their wisdom. They feel we should start with the 84 hour group - have you given this any thought yet?

[Catrin]

Susan, you are correct. They will register the 1000km riders first, followed a week later by the 600k finishers. The lottery will be for the remaining spaces based on a quota for US participants. And, we still need to qualify by completing the 200, 300, 400, and 600k series next year by June. Fortunately, all of the rando clubs are adding rides and scheduling rides earlier for 2011.

The Ohio club members have been wonderful about giving us newcomers tips and advice. We are lucky that they share their wisdom. They feel we should start with the 84 hour group - have you given this any thought yet?

Sorry for the hijack...

I just joined the Ohio club as Indiana doesn't have one. Any chance that you will do the Oct 16 200k brevet? I am a brevet virgin - at least until then

/end hijack

[Pedal Wench]

My first 600K is the Natchez Trace coming up in 3 weeks. I've barely been on the bike in months. I'm scared. Very, very scared.

[Susan Otcenas]

My first 600K is the Natchez Trace coming up in 3 weeks. I've barely been on the bike in months. I'm scared. Very, very scared.

You'll do great! You got plenty of brevets under your belt. I'm told that 600s are easier than 400s. (I've done 2 600s, but never a 400.) The reason is that you get to sleep, and the O/N is typically at 350-360 km or so. When you wake up, you've only got a little more than a 200 to do, and you know you can do one of those!

Did you get your RUSA quarterly yet? There was a good article in there about the mental aspects of doing a long brevet. I agreed with alot of what he said, especially about breaking the ride down into smaller bits when you are feeling challenged. Don't think about the fact that there's x# of km to the finish. Think about km to the next control, or the next turn, or the next lamppost if you must. I definitely find myself doing that at some point. For the last 50 miles of this weekends 600, I just concentrated on distance to the next turn. In 2 mile increments, a ride doesn't seem so long!

[Jaclyn]

I just joined the Ohio club as Indiana doesn't have one. Any chance that you will do the Oct 16 200k brevet?

Yes, we'll be doing the last Ohio 200k in October. We'll be on one of the three tandems that will be there.

Our Ohio group puts on good rides with the greatest queue sheets. Too bad you missed the last one - the picnic afterwards was a wonderful chance to socialize with other rando's. We brought a friend to it - it was her first brevet and she had a great time and is hooked.