First Raft of Rider Stories!

Have a look a rider stories from

• Colin and Julie Stokes (CA)
• Guido Van Duyn (BC)
• Val Phelps (TX)



Rider photos and more stories to come!

-jle

Photo: "Idalia Sunrise" © 2010, JLE

From Autumnal Chill to a Sunny Conclusion!

Early Saturday riders out on the margin of the plains experienced blowing drizzle, blowing rain, and, yes, even some blowing snow!  Meanwhile a mere 50 miles west up at 10,000 ft. in Rocky Mountain National Park, folks were basking in sun in 80-degree weather (as reported by my wife Pat birding at altitiude ... rubbing it in, I might add).  Ah, the surprising drama of upslope and inversion!

Here Chris Hanson (Redondo Beach), Rick Isham (Ft. Collins), and Joel Lawrence (High Point, NC) evidence cool/moist weather attire at their finish:

... while not all that long after, Matt Settle sails into the finish in bright sunlight:

As in 2009, it's an honor to welcome another 1200k organizer: Matt has held his Shenandoah 1200 for three consecutive years.  I can vouch for this rewarding event by having ridden it this past June.  By dint of finishing the Last Chance, Matt has now earned the prestigious RUSA Coast-to-Coast Award.  Merely impressive at first glance ... but harder than it looks!

With that, it's off to the post-event big feed at Carrabbas' restaurant, and the earnest business of recounting trials, tribulations, and fun moments, while stuffing yourself with tasty food.

Thanks to everyone ... I'll be posting a comprehensive report soon.

à bientôt,

-john lee

"Hardest Ride I've Done"

Tom LaVallee and Mark Lowe had a great first 1200k, looking still fresh as they rolled in early Friday evening.

This despite battling troublesome headwinds on the way in.  Mark said it may have been his toughest ride ... of course this was just after the finish.  Nice job!

-jle

Drizzly Start to Day 4

A cold front that moved through overnight brought cloud and drizzle, a contrast to our typical aridity.  First daytime finisher Francesco Mognetti celebrates in a snazzy Italian-American finishers jersey.

Francesco is a veteran already this year of the Sofia-Varna-Sofia (Bulgaria) 1200k and the Mille Miglia (1600km, 1000 miles) just last month in Italy.

Congratulazioni, Francesco!

-jle

Salutary Conditions and Some Soup!

Riders on the third day were greeted by more of that onerous southerly Plains wind ... but then just after dawn a wall of cloud rolled past.  The weak cold front behind it brought generally following winds just in time to waft riders over the big rollers west of Anton. 

First-timer Colin Stokes, pausing after about 25 miles of this terrain, asked, "Do these rollers ever quit?"

At Byers, chef-de-controle and Arizona RBA Susan Plonsky is putting on a welcome feed of soup, made-to-order grilled cheese, and other cyclist-delighting delicacies, setting folks up for a nice final century.  

Meanwhile, Vernon Smith and Paul Foley take time out to catch up on some isometrics.

-jle

Andrea Koenig Sets Women's Record

Andrea Koenig finished the LC at 18:07, a new women's record of 63:07. Catherine Shenk set the previous record of 63:14 in 2008. Koenig was the 4th finisher. When she learned in Byers that she had a shot at the record she time trialed a 5½ hour century, despite temps in the mid-80s.

When John Hughes talked with her she was very excited, "Pleased to be done and wanted to get out of these shorts and shoes." According to Charlie Henderson, her crew, she didn't even look tired. This culminates Andrea's season, which she's taken one step at a time. Looking ahead she wants to do her best at Paris-Brest-Paris next year. 

Chapeau!

It was windy!

Tim Feldman stopped by the finish line to welcome finishers and fill me in on his ride. Tim reported that yesterday the headwinds were so strong that it took him and two other riders 3 hours to cover the 30 miles from St. Francis to Idalia yesterday afternoon. "This walloped me!" Tim said. He continued riding, hoping the wind would die down after sunset as it sometimes does. After a restless sleep break in Atwood he left for Byers; however, he decided to abandon en route because of sleep problems and the lack of any open facilities after dark on the 180-mile stretch to Byers.