SEND YOUR THOUGHTS MY WAY TOMORROW

[RDD]

I promised Susan I'd take her to France next summer.
But I'm doing it the hard way and plan on riding Paris-Brest-Paris 2011 with my brother Mike.
Then off to Bordeaux for some R&R.
But in order to qualify I need to complete some longer brevets this year so I can get any early date for entry applicaiton ( the organizers are talking quota's based on country and miles riden in 2010).
Well tomorrow is a 400K (250 miles). It is up in the mountains with 27,000 feet of climbing involved.
I have 28 hours to complete this.
Anyway it will hurt and if you have time tomorrow send some positive vibes my way as I'll feel them when most needed.

Here's a link to the route map/elavation ( bottom of page):
http://www.bicycleforlife.org/rusa/stat ... _roan.html

PS I have been training( plenty of miles and no wine) and have dropped 20 lbs so it's not like I'm ill prepared.

[JimHow]

Go Rob Go!

I need to get to France myself....

[jal]

Keep the prize - the week in Bordeaux - as a holy grail shining in the distance calling to you. All the positive energy and karma emanating from us will be aimed at you tomorrow. Go get them Rob!

[Houndsong]

Rob, you're welcome to come to Colorado and help me knock off the Ride the Rockies tour. It would be a couple days of warm up for you and lifetime scrapbook event for me.

[Jay Winton]

I promised Susan I'd take her to France next summer.
But I'm doing it the hard way and plan on riding Paris-Brest-Paris 2011 with my brother Mike.
Then off to Bordeaux for some R&R.
But in order to qualify I need to complete some longer brevets this year so I can get any early date for entry applicaiton ( the organizers are talking quota's based on country and miles riden in 2010).
Well tomorrow is a 400K (250 miles). It is up in the mountains with 27,000 feet of climbing involved.
I have 28 hours to complete this.
Anyway it will hurt and if you have time tomorrow send some positive vibes my way as I'll feel them when most needed.

Here's a link to the route map/elavation ( bottom of page):
http://www.bicycleforlife.org/rusa/stat ... _roan.html

PS I have been training( plenty of miles and no wine) and have dropped 20 lbs so it's not like I'm ill prepared.

how did it go?

[RDD]

You ahve good days and bad days on the bike.
I had a bad day.
Woke with a headache, upset stomach and chills.
Tried to ride anyway.
But ten minutes into ride and I could tell I wasn't going well.
We blasted thru the foots hills to the base of the first climb at 20 mph.
Then I spent two hours climbing the next 12 miles in hot relentless sunshine.
I had forgotten how unforgiving the mountains are.
Climbing is a lot different than rolling over the flats.
You have to grit your teeth, grab the bars and try to keep the pedals ticking over.
Sooner or later you find a rhthym you can manage.
But there's no rest for long long long strecthes of time.
I still couldn't get warm and my stomach was in knots all morning.
So at the top of the first pass I climbed off the bike rather than hurt myself.

Little did I know that Claire was at home sick in bed.
We both ate a previous meal at the same buffet. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Anyway there are more rides so this wasn't the end of the world.

[RDD]

You ahve good days and bad days on the bike.
I had a bad day.
Woke with a headache, upset stomach and chills.
Tried to ride anyway.
But ten minutes into ride and I could tell I wasn't going well.
We blasted thru the foots hills to the base of the first climb at 20 mph.
Then I spent two hours climbing the next 12 miles in hot relentless sunshine.
I had forgotten how unforgiving the mountains are.
Climbing is a lot different than rolling over the flats.
You have to grit your teeth, grab the bars and try to keep the pedals ticking over.
Sooner or later you find a rhthym you can manage.
But there's no rest for long long long strecthes of time.
I still couldn't get warm and my stomach was in knots all morning.
So at the top of the first pass I climbed off the bike rather than hurt myself.

Little did I know that Claire was at home sick in bed.
We both ate a previous meal at the same buffet. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Anyway there are more rides so this wasn't the end of the world.

[JCNorthway]

Another day, Rob. Sorry this one did not work out for you.

[DavidG]

Better luck next time Rob. Hope you feel better. You were smart to stop rather than taking a chance at getting hurt.

[RDD]

Well this week end was do or die.
If I wanted to really up my chances to ride Pairs-Brest-Paris now was the time.
I did it.
1000K (+ 14 bonus miles as I got lost) in 70.5 hours.

The best part?
It was wine related. Fate had me join up with a fellow from NJ at a hard baked cross roads in NC.
We helped each other complete the event.
We started talking wines. He has a collection of California's best (insignia,Harlon,Bind etc.......)
So we are planning to ride Paris-Brest-Paris together then heading to Bordeaux with our supportive wifes.

[JimHow]

You da man!

[dstgolf]

Congrats Rob. 1000k in 70.8 hrs!! I used to do a lot of riding and I thought 100k in a day was alot. I couldn't fathom that amount of time on the bike. I'd be concerned about killing my pudenadal nerves sitting in the saddle for that long and never being able to get it up again!

Well done. A little crazy but well done.

Danny

[RDD]

Congrats Rob. 1000k in 70.8 hrs!! I used to do a lot of riding and I thought 100k in a day was alot. I couldn't fathom that amount of time on the bike. I'd be concerned about killing my pudenadal nerves sitting in the saddle for that long and never being able to get it up again!

Well done. A little crazy but well done.

Danny

DannY:
I'm a master at fit on the bike.
I can take one look at you and put you in the proper position.
I do have some saddle sores. I didn't pre-treat those areas well enough.
Other than that I have no issues what so ever.

[Daytonnc]

I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of Rob. He did a fantastic job. We opened up a 1985 Vieuve Cliequot (spelling?) to celebrate last night. Paris here we come!

[DavidG]

Congratulations, Rob! That's an amazing acheivement. For anyone. Not to mention for an old coot like you!

Sounds like a bit of good luck running into another wine fan on the trip. Pasteur said chance favors the prepared mind. Guess it favors the prepared body too. I look forward to reading your notes about Paris-Brest-Paris and the wine adventures after.

[JCNorthway]

Congratulations, Rob! That is quite an accomplishment. As a recreational rider (like 15-30 miles at a time), it is actually hard to fathom doing that kind of a ride.

Jon

[Jay Winton]

congrats to you. Sorry the game didn't have a better outcome.

[RDD]

congrats to you. Sorry the game didn't have a better outcome.

It was a great game.

[RDD]

Congrats Rob. 1000k in 70.8 hrs!! I used to do a lot of riding and I thought 100k in a day was alot. I couldn't fathom that amount of time on the bike. I'd be concerned about killing my pudenadal nerves sitting in the saddle for that long and never being able to get it up again!

Well done. A little crazy but well done.

Danny

Danny:
Without providing too much information, I wanted to let you know my nerves are intact.