1000K brevet starts this Friday!

[GLC1968]

I figure it will be harder for me to quit when the going gets tough if I know that someone might be watching me SUCCEED.

There, fixed that for you.

And you know that there will be LOTS of people following your progress, right?

You'll rock this, my friend. I have every faith in your mental fortitude (or maybe just that you are mental).

[indysteel]

What GLC said! Good luck, Susan. I'm sure you will make us proud!

[bellissima]

That is a long ride! Good luck

[Veronica]

I'll be expecting your traditional fabulous write up and pictures.

Enjoy the ride!

Veronica

[Susan Otcenas]

Thank you ladies!! I knew I could count on you to make me feel more positive. I will try to tweet at every control where there's service, so that you know I'm still alive. (Jeff sure appreciates knowing I'm OK, too )

I'm off to the hotel!

[salsabike]

Hey! Say howdy to my spouse---he'll be riding that! And, by the way, he's a really good, mellow guy and would be happy to have you ride with him if/whenever it works during this brevet. I mean, he actually said that this week.

[Susan Otcenas]

Hey! Say howdy to my spouse---he'll be riding that! And, by the way, he's a really good, mellow guy and would be happy to have you ride with him if/whenever it works during this brevet. I mean, he actually said that this week.

Hey Salsa - I met him at check-in tonight! I was looking forward to meeting you too, but he said that you are doing a tri tomorrow. Hope it goes well for you!

It would be great if my pace fell in with someone else's but I suspect that over the course of 1000K folks will get pretty spread out. Riding at night - especially the first night - with someone would be super, though, because it really is out in the middle of nowhere. The last 90 miles with no services! There's a staffed control 30 miles into that stretch at Clallam Bay at 186, but after that, nothing until Port Angeles at 246. I figure 5 solid hours in the dark, sans services. I'm just hoping to have enough water to get through that! 3 bottles is all I can carry.

Had dinner with the other 2 gals doing the 1000. Both came up from California. One call seems pretty zippy, the other definitely slower, so I may not see much of either of them out there.

7:30. Time to get to bed! I have a 3:45 am wake up call. Lights camera ACTION at 5am!

See ya on the flip side...

Susan

[salsabike]

Hey Salsa - I met him at check-in tonight! I was looking forward to meeting you too, but he said that you are doing a tri tomorrow. Hope it goes well for you!

It would be great if my pace fell in with someone else's but I suspect that over the course of 1000K folks will get pretty spread out. Riding at night - especially the first night - with someone would be super, though, because it really is out in the middle of nowhere. The last 90 miles with no services! There's a staffed control 30 miles into that stretch at Clallam Bay at 186, but after that, nothing until Port Angeles at 246. I figure 5 solid hours in the dark, sans services. I'm just hoping to have enough water to get through that! 3 bottles is all I can carry.

Had dinner with the other 2 gals doing the 1000. Both came up from California. One call seems pretty zippy, the other definitely slower, so I may not see much of either of them out there.

7:30. Time to get to bed! I have a 3:45 am wake up call. Lights camera ACTION at 5am!

See ya on the flip side...

Susan

Good riding to you, Susan! You'll do great.

[Velocivixen]

I can't wait to read your updates. Very inspiring.

[Susan Otcenas]

Hey! Say howdy to my spouse---he'll be riding that! And, by the way, he's a really good, mellow guy and would be happy to have you ride with him if/whenever it works during this brevet. I mean, he actually said that this week.

Chris was sooooooo awesome to ride with. For sure they would have finished earlier if I hadn't become a boat anchor in the last few miles. We stopped with only 20 miles to go because I simply couldn't stay awake. I took a table nap while Chris and Steve raided the (closed) starbucks cafe at the 24 hour Safeway in Yelm and made coffee. I apologized for needing the break, but Chris said not to worry: they wouldn't leave me. And they didn't! They were so fabulous. (And, I understand he has a blackmail worthy photo of me taking that table nap. I sure hope I wasn't drooling....)

Oh, and btw: for anyone who read my first 600K report last year and remembers that I was saved by a guy named Steve on the second day... yup, the very same Steve. Seems I can't accomplish a new distance record without Steve along for the ride.

Susan

[GLC1968]

Will Steve be in France? If not, maybe you should buy him a ticket. It might be a worthwhile investment!

[Susan Otcenas]

Will Steve be in France?

Yes, he will! So will Chris.

[salsabike]

Chris was sooooooo awesome to ride with. For sure they would have finished earlier if I hadn't become a boat anchor in the last few miles. We stopped with only 20 miles to go because I simply couldn't stay awake. I took a table nap while Chris and Steve raided the (closed) starbucks cafe at the 24 hour Safeway in Yelm and made coffee. I apologized for needing the break, but Chris said not to worry: they wouldn't leave me. And they didn't! They were so fabulous. (And, I understand he has a blackmail worthy photo of me taking that table nap. I sure hope I wasn't drooling....)

Oh, and btw: for anyone who read my first 600K report last year and remembers that I was saved by a guy named Steve on the second day... yup, the very same Steve. Seems I can't accomplish a new distance record without Steve along for the ride.

Susan

It's a classic photo! You'll love it. You should post it here whenever he sends it to you. And I can't believe it was THAT Steve. How funny!

Randos seem to me to be a pretty great bunch of folks.

[maillotpois]

Randos seem to me to be a pretty great bunch of folks.

That is SO true. Since I started back doing brevets this year I have made so many wonderful riding friends - all so collaborative and helpful. These are people who will never leave someone behind, especially in the dark, etc. It's such a great community. And here in CA a lot of that rando community spills over into the people who do double centuries, so we're doubly lucky.