Gallatin Valley Rambler 200k

Jason Karp, RBA for Montana, always does a nice job designing excellent routes.  The Gallatin Valley Rambler 200k, held on April 29^th, was no exception.  Using the Karp residence as a central control, the route is essentially two out-and-back loops, first to the west past Three Forks and the second to the southeast around (and then through) Bozeman.  Squeezed in between each loop was an excellent lunch stop organized and prepared by Jason’s wife, Brenda.  She had grilled cheese sandwiches, roasted pepper and tomato soup, and a nice selection of cookies to keep us going.  There was no need to eat at convenience stores during this brevet.

(Riders gathering at the Karp residence)

Unlike my previous brevets in Montana with (at most) a half-dozen riders, a group of 10 participated in the Rambler, with riders coming from Bozeman, Molt, Missoula, Helena, and Jackson (Wyoming).  The weather may have been a factor, as we enjoyed mostly clear skies, light winds, and cool temperatures.  It was certainly a contrast to the preceding day, with rain/skeet/snow squalls common throughout the valley.

Like many brevets, most of the group stayed together early on.  I’ve come to place high value on this part of the ride while warming up the legs and lungs for the day ahead.

(Heading west on Dry Creek Road)

Jason incorporated two short jaunts off Highway 205 as part of the west loop, one to Missouri Headwaters State Park and another toward Buffalo Jump State Park.  I especially enjoyed the latter, as it included some climbing (something I enjoy).  The view overlooking the valley was well worth the brief effort.

(Entrance overlook to Buffalo Jump State Park)

The west loop landscape was dominated by agriculture.  Irrigated crop and alfalfa fields were common, with occasional grass pastures providing new growth for an assortment of livestock.  Some of the livestock included pack animals, as we passed a few pastures with mules.

(One of the many tilled fields with sprinkler irrigation)

(Mules!)

This was my first brevet with a recumbent randonneur.  Lane, from Missoula, expertly guided his Schlitter Encore through the 13 controls over the 10+ hour ride.  I was impressed by how efficiently he managed the many starts-and-stops, particularly through the streets of Bozeman with dual 650b wheels.

(A fascinating machine…)

(…that looks to be an incredibly comfortable ride)

I’ve been intrigued by recumbents lately given the challenges I have with upper back and neck strain during long rides.  The recumbent riding position decreases back/neck strain considerably.

Lane offered the opportunity to try his recumbent at the end of the brevet.  Fortunately, a large parking lot was available across the street from Jason and Brenda’s home, so I gave it my best shot.  With excellent guidance and encouragement from Lane, I was able to make a loop around the parking lot on my fourth try.  The experience left me intrigued to learn more about recumbents.

One aspect of riding in Montana that I particularly enjoy are the people I get to ride with.  Friendly and thoughtful are two words that immediately come to mind.  My experience with a rear flat near the end of the ride underscored my positive feelings towards these great group of people.

(Rear flat within 10 miles of the finish…)

(…and the group I was riding with stopped and waited.  Nice!)

The Gallatin Valley Rambler 200k is an ideal early-season brevet.  Starting and ending in Belgrade, Montana, the route covers a significant portion of the Gallatin Valley with limited climbing, mostly quiet roads, and a visit to the Missouri River headwaters, all surrounded by 360° of beautiful snow-capped mountains.  It is a great way to start the randonneuring season.

(Bridger Mountains in the background)

Ride Report - Chief Joseph 300k

Jason Karp, Montana’s RBA, selected a Spanish derivation of the word ‘Mountain’ (la montaña) as the brevet ‘Word of the Day’.  It proved to be an accurate representation of what I was to experience for most of the next 17 hours.

Beginning in Bridger, MT on August 1^st, we departed promptly at 6:00 a.m.  Myself, along with four Montanan’s (three of whom were riding their final brevet prior to Paris-Brest-Paris) left the Bridger Hotel along Main St. and headed south to Belfry passing fields of wheat, freshly cut hay, and grazed pasture.  It was a great way to ease into the ride.  The valley of Clark’s Fork afforded us a comfortable air temperature, and it would be the only time during the day when we’d enjoy cool conditions at this lower elevation (<4000 feet).

(Rolling out of town)

(Montana wool)

Prior to leaving, the morning couldn’t have been more stressful.  I uncharacteristically overslept, giving myself less than 30 minutes to prepare and eat breakfast, change into cycling clothes, and complete a final check of my gear and bike.  I made it in time, but not before worrying Jason’s wife, Brenda, who knocked on the hotel door at 5:50 a.m. (“Yes, I’m just about ready…   …sorry!”).  I rolled out of my room just in time for the group photo.

[Chief Joseph 300k participants (L to R): Ken, Karel, Ken, Jason, Mark]

It was an ambitious loop, ascending Bear Creek Hill before passing through Red Lodge, over Beartooth Pass, into Cooke City (over Coulter Pass), back over Coulter Pass going east, then southeast over Dead Indian Pass before turning north on Wyoming Hwy 120 for the last 43 miles.  The day would include 14,000+ feet of climbing, with a maximum elevation just shy of 11,000 feet.  Our time limit was 20 hours, meaning we’d have until 2:00 a.m. Sunday to complete the brevet.

We were fortunate to have nearly perfect riding conditions over Beartooth Pass, with clear skies, a light breeze, and temperatures ideal for a hard climbing effort.  For me, this climb (and an all-too-brief descent) was the highlight of the day.

(PBP riders Karel, Ken, and Jason leading the charge up Beartooth Pass)

(Almost to the east summit)

(Brief stop at the west summit)

[Karel adjusts his GoPro for the descent (click here to view)]

(One of many high elevation lakes on the other side of the pass)

(Motivation to keep pedaling, fast!)

(Onward to Cooke City)

The climb over Coulter Pass proved to be the most difficult part of the day.  With temperatures in the high 80s, no breeze, and an absence of shade along the road, my pace slowed considerably.  Karel, who had been riding strong all day, pulled ahead to arrive in Cooke City first.  I wasn’t too far behind, joining him at the Exxon C-Store for lunch (deep-fried hotdogs!) and a well-earned break.

(Main thoroughfare in Cooke City, MT)

I loaded up on water before leaving, realizing there would be at least 4+ hours of riding in high temperatures before the next checkpoint.  I’m glad I did!  It turned out to be a hot afternoon.  I backed off my effort accordingly, stopping periodically to rest and enjoy the wonderful scenery.

(Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River)

(Meadows!  Trees!  Mountains!  Sky!)

(One last crossing over Clark’s Fork before climbing Dead Indian pass)

(After the final climb, an amazing descent on Chief Joseph Scenic Byway)

The final leg was along Hwy 120, which sloped slightly downhill nearly all the way back to Bridger.  We lucked out with a moderate tailwind, which allowed for a decent pace into the evening (18-20 mph).  The only challenge was avoiding the rattlesnakes that came out on the road after dusk.  I dislike snakes, but they played an important role in the last 2.5 hours.  I had no problem staying alert.  Thanks snakes!

(Moving quickly north, dodging rattlesnakes along the way)

(One last push of calories and caffeine in front of the Silvertip Lounge, Belfry, MT)

(Arrived!  17 hours 7 minutes and 194 miles later)

The Chief Joseph 300k was a capstone cycling experience.  For the distance travelled, I have a hard time imagining a more scenic, exhilarating, and challenging ride.  Jason Karp pushed us hard with this route, and his wife Brenda provided timely support with food and drink in the last 40 miles.  While I’m in a definite lull this year with my randonneuring, I am happy having completed this brevet.  For me, the cycling year is complete.

Kudos to Jason and Brenda for setting the stage for unforgettable day.  They are a great team.  (Jason’s review of the ride can be found here).  I’m also indebted to my wife, Susan, who had good eats and cold water waiting upon my return. 

(Relaxing the next day in Medora, ND)

Ride Report - Roe River 400k

The 400k brevet is generally considered the most difficult in the Super Randonneur Series.  The increased distance over the shorter brevets can be difficult to manage physically, particularly later in the ride.  While there are 27 hours allowed to complete a 400k, my perception is most randonneurs push to finish the ride without stopping to sleep.  Such conditions can contribute to a cumulative fatigue that can be challenging, particularly for cyclists new to the sport.

As Susan, Sarah, and I left Bismarck for Helana, Montana on July 18^th, the challenge of the 400k weighed heavily on my mind.  Was it worth the risk to drive 10+ hours to ride this ‘new’ brevet distance?  Assuming I could make it through the day, what traffic risks would I face by riding during the wee hours of the morning?  And finally, how would my body respond to the smoke that covered much of Montana from fires in Canada and central Washington?

Looking back, these questions/concerns seem justified, but were non-issues.  The Roe River 400k turned out to be an excellent experience thanks to good planning, excellent support, and favorable riding conditions.  And with a finishing time of 20:58, it may perhaps be the fastest 400k I’ll ever ride.

Beginning in north Helena, the route followed I-15 to Wolf Creek for a long clockwise tour on mostly quiet, two-lane roads through Augusta, Fairfield, Simms, Great Falls, and Cascade before returning to Wolf Creek for the final 30 miles back to north Helena.  It was a challenging route, with about 9000 feet of climbing and significant distances between controls.  Jason Karp, Montana’s RBA, mentioned the route was PBP-like, minus the tree-lined roads.

 (Daybreak, south of Wolf Creek)

 (Big Sky!  Highway 434, heading north to Augusta)

(Time to refuel at the Augusta Trading Post)

(Anheuser-Busch grain storage in Fairfield)

 (The great falls in Great Falls)

(The Roe River...   ...in all its 201 feet of glory)   

Conditions for the ride were ideal for the clockwise route; at least for nearly all of the first 165 miles.  A moderate- to strong south/southwest wind aided the riding effort, and provided a co-benefit by clearing the smoky skies by the time we left Great Falls for the return to Helena (a leg that proved difficult given the significant headwind, though the clear, star-filled sky more than made up for it once we were riding in the dark).  Much like the Fishtail 300k, I found the traffic courteous with the exception of a couple sub-five foot passes (one of which  involved a Montana state patrol car).

My riding companions for the day included Jason and Ken.  We rode together for nearly the whole route.  Similar to the 300k, I was the fortunate beneficiary of their strong riding, quick wit, and positive focus when we were all suffering.  Additionally, we seemed to be ‘in-sync’ throughout the day, sharing a similar riding pace for nearly the entire ride.

 (Riding companions for the day - Jason to the left and Ken to the right)

Aside from one flat early in the day and a few interesting wildlife interactions, we enjoyed a smooth, uninterrupted ride.  As for the latter, we shared the road with a confused antelope near Cascade (who, fortunately, ran away from us), and I nearly ran over a rattlesnake while daydreaming along the frontage road north of Wolf Creek.  Ken and I were also chased by a pug for about 50 yards early in the ride (I can handle being chased by that breed of dog…  …a non-threat, even at 10 mph).

This was my first brevet where I did not break for a sit-down meal, though we took ample time in Augusta, Simms, Cascade and later in Wolf Creek to refuel with food and drink.  The stop in Wolf Creek, with much thanks to Jason’s wife, son, and mother-in-law, was timed perfectly given we had been on the road for over 18 hours.

My pace dropped off considerably after midnight, perhaps a reflection of the cumulative physical/mental fatigue brought on by the 400k distance.  The final climb back to Helena even found me walking my bike for a short stretch (and goodness, did it ever feel good to walk for a while!).

Other miscellaneous reflections…

·       Issues with my right knee were managed nicely by ibuprofen.  Only four tablets were needed during the ride.

·       Tightness/pain in my upper back came and went throughout the ride, suggesting an underlying psychological driver to this physical response.  Also, I felt better on this ride than the 300k.  Accordingly, a switch in Nitto stems prior to the ride (resulting in a more upright position) had the desired effect.

·       Riding along the Missouri river was a wonderful experience, despite being constantly pelted by an array of flying insects.  I’m fairly certain I could repeatedly ride the stretch from Cascade to Wolf Creek and never tire of the scenery.

·        Helena is a good destination for the family.  I returned to a positive review of the downtown and surrounding countryside.  We’ll return in the future, hopefully for a longer stay.

 (Looking down on the Missouri)

(Now along the Missouri river, somewhere north of Wolf Creek)

With completion of this 400k, I’m now a 600k brevet from Super Randonneur status for 2014.  My work schedule won’t allow me to return to Montana to complete the series, which will pass over Beartooth pass on Labor Day weekend (that will be a ride for another year!).  Instead, I’ll be off to Minnesota mid-September for the Tour d’Twin Cities.

All for now.  If you’d like to read another excellent ride review by Jason Karp, I encourage you to visit belgradebobcat.blogspot.com.

Ride Report – Fishtail 300k

Three weeks after the Northern Pancake 200k I headed west with the family to Laurel, Montana for the next brevet of the season.  Starting with three other riders at 06:00 in the parking lot of the Laurel Walmart, the weather was perfect for what was to be a great day in the saddle.

The route took us to Columbus along the Yellowstone River then south to Fishtail, Red Lodge, and Belfry, before turning north to Bridger and then back to Columbus via Joliet and Hwy 421.  It was a wonderful ride with great roads, scenery, and riding companions.

(Riding with Jason Karp, Montana RBA, with the Yellowstone River to our left)

(First control at Fishtail General Store)

(En route to Red Lodge, with the Beartooth Range to the south)

(Highlight of my day…  A quick lunch with Susan and Sarah in downtown Red Lodge)

(Refueling with Jason and Ken in Joliet)

(Leaving Columbus on the last leg to Laurel...  ...now the Yellowstone River is to our right)

Overall, a great experience.  I’m hopeful we can return to Montana for the next brevet of the season in mid-July.

For additional photos and a more thorough ride report, see Jason Karp’s webpage.