2023-09-09: Les Becker's LOTOJA 2023 Experience

 LoToJa 2023

When I first heard about LoToJa, the ride from Logan, Utah to Jackson, Wyoming, it was intriguing, but in my mind was a non-starter due to the magnitude. It is 207 miles long with 8,800 feet of climbing, like a RAMROD and STP combined. But as I have done more riding in Utah and meeting other riders here, I have learned that it is the iconic ride of the area. It began in 1983 when two riders in Logan wanted a race that resembled the difficult European classics. One of them was the owner of Sunrise Cyclery in Logan and the starting line is still in front of that shop. I think he is still the owner. So it grew in popularity and now it is a USAC-sanctioned race for about half of the 1500 participants and the rest are Cyclosportive riders, like me, distributed into age categories. As the web site states “Cyclists must conquer three mountain passes as they pedal through scenic terrain in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming en route to a finish line below the rugged Tetons at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.”

 

Sunrise Cyclery, Logan, UT

Two years ago I began to wonder if I could possibly do this massive ride. There were many challenges to consider. Conditioning was just one. Also, they recommend personal support crews to meet their riders at the feed zones for quick hand-offs of food and drink. I didn’t have this and didn’t know if the neutral support tables would be adequate/efficient. Also, how do I return to Logan after finishing? There is no shuttle. And would this ride fit with my family’s schedule for being in Utah? After much contemplation, I pulled the trigger and began training and planning in 2022 for the event which is always the first Saturday after Labor Day. I planned on RAMROD and Rainiering to be good training rides for LoToJa, and preparation was progressing. Unfortunately, I cra***ed on RAMROD sustaining a couple stable pelvic fractures. Those healed uneventfully but the really awful neck, hip and back pains, which were largely an activation of existing arthritis took a lot of time and PT for recovery. It was two months before I could ride again and then I wasn’t sure if I would ever become flexible and pain-free enough on the bike to ride intensely. Through the winter I slowly improved and began Cyclopath riding again in early 2023. I saw a podiatrist for my Morton’s Neuroma in my right foot and got good inserts and bought wider bike shoes. My dry eye syndrome sometimes stings to degree that I have to stop my bike and apply drops. I saw an ophthalmologist, got some good advice and prescription drops. And my conditioning began to improve. So, hey, should I try LoToJa again this year? I sent in the registration fee again (prior fee non-refundable/non-forwardable…ugh) and began preparing. Then, in April, a large pick-up truck rear ended Cindy, reactivating severe low back pain that had been treated with major back surgery a few years ago. So the pain and anxiety with driving, especially unfamiliar mountain roads, prevented her from picking me up at the finish line in Jackson. So LoToJa became just a dream, not to be. But I kept riding just because it’s fun. Then our daughter, Molly, who lives in Utah, offered she and our grandson, Carter to be the driver and pick me up in Jackson. It would also give them some time looking around Jackson and seeing this stunning outdoor scenery. Hooray, back on schedule. I just felt bad that Cindy wouldn't be waiting at the finish line for me as she so wanted. In August, the 10,000 feet ride with Mike and Rainiering ride with Mike and Tom Gorczynski were key to getting me ready for the climbs in the Rockies. Conversations with riders I've met in the SLC area were helpful. And Rob Critchfield happened to be in Utah visiting family so was able to meet with me a week prior and gave me a detailed review of the ride as he had experienced riding it several times in the past. That was very helpful also.

                                                                   Me at start line.

Standing at the start line in Logan at dawn on September 9^th with hundreds of other riders gave me nervous anticipation. Waiting to be called into the chute with my ride category, I realized that any one of the many obstacles during planning and training that I dealt with could have brought this whole endeavor to an end. I felt an overwhelming peace that all these issues had worked out to get me here, especially the people close to me who helped so much. In a sense, I’d already met my goal, just to be placed here with this opportunity. My Garmin read 52 deg suggesting I should have worn long sleeve base, but I didn’t feel cold, so was wearing short base, short sleeve jersey & arm warmers with vest in pocket just in case. Our 65+ group of about 15 was released into neutral roll-out at 7:02. I anticipated a slow pace with these “old guys.” Wrong, the paceline was sometimes uncomfortably fast. Soon it evolved into a longer paceline; not sure where the others came from, but seemed loose with mini gaps so I stayed in front 10 or so just to prevent being gapped & dropped. That meant I did at least my share of pulls. Arrived at Preston, at 47 miles and rode past the feed zone as planned without stopping. A few big rollers lead to the long  2600 foot climb up through Idaho wilderness to Strawberry Pass. This was the largest climb of the ride, but the grade was typically 4-5%. This was not stressful especially since my last training rides involved a lot of 10% around Sandy, Utah. On the descent I grabbed onto a group of 4 racers (I think cat 4 racers who dropped off their group drifted back) who went really fast downhill, then into rollers. I got tired so dropped off. Was probably a mistake as I had to ride a lot of solo after that into Montpelier.

 

This was my first food stop and where I had a drop bag sent. I emptied my pockets and drop bag into a pile and put all the Nature’s Bakery bars into the drop bag to be sent to the finish since I was finding them hard to swallow with a dry mouth with the temps now in upper 70’s. I put all the Quaker 100cal bars and gel packs, ones I brought and ones from the food table, into my pockets. Another good decision. Traffic control was superb and somewhere past Montpelier after approximately 80 miles was the first time I had to pause for a stop sign or signal light. Soon I was riding up Geneva Summit, a 1,000 ft climb. Next was the last and toughest climb, 1400 ft up Salt River Pass, elevation 7630 ft which had plenty of 8% grade in unshielded  80 deg sun. I passed a number of struggling riders here. When I heard heavy breathing and saw a vacant agonized, look on their face I would ask if they were OK. This reminded me of Cayuse Pass. It then dropped down to the town of Afton and a feed zone. I don’t recall stopping there, but I must have picked up some more gel packs. What followed was my least favorite section of LoToJa. The 34 miles to Alpine followed US 89 through Star Valley, rural nondescript agricultural land with many trucks and farm related businesses along the very straight busy highway, with jarring rumble strips in places. I rode a guy’s wheel for about half of this and solo’d into cross winds the rest of it.

 

A few general notes. Starting temp was 52 deg but didn’t feel real cold so I bravely wore just short sleeve base with short sleeve Cyclopath Jersey, vest and arm warmers. This was a good choice and I ditched the arm warmers & vest in the drop bag in Montpelier. Subsequently almost over-heated in 80 deg on Salt River Pass but crested the top just before got in trouble. Regarding food, I mentioned dry mouth and settling on just Quaker bars and gels. I resupplied a few times with Hammer gel packs from feed zones.. Hydration included a couple bottles of Skratch from small packets I carried but was mostly Hammer Heed from feed zones and I didn’t cramp. I did see many of the racers and two or three times I fell into a group, usually drafting from the back so not to interfere. I’m not sure where they came from as I thought they were all released prior to me, but probably some cat 5’s had drifted back.

 

Just prior to rolling into Alpine, Molly texted me saying she was driving back to Alpine from Jackson. At the time I couldn’t respond without losing a wheel. Did she think I was done in and needed a ride? Forty-seven miles separated me from the finish line, but I felt quite up to it and when I got to Alpine called Molly with my intentions. After grabbing some hydration and gel packs from the neutral feed, I headed out of town and soon saw Molly & Carter waving at me from a roadside parking area. It was quite reassuring as they cheered me on. From here the terrain changed dramatically into pure majestic wilderness. The Snake River was in a deep gorge below and tall forested or rocky peaks on both sides gave shady relief. The two-lane winding highway had new, smooth pavement with ample shoulders, although the traffic was sparse. From here on, the grade was gentle uphill with some level. Most of this I rode solo and the bike rolled at a good clip without too much effort. Molly & Carter pulled over at a couple viewpoints overlooking the river and cheered me again as I rode by. I was so thankful for their support. This was the most enjoyable, rewarding part of the ride for me. Then about 8 miles from the finish, a volunteer support person was handing out bottles of Coke on the fly and of course I grabbed one. But that was a mistake since I really couldn’t drink Coke while riding and half of it ended up as a sticky mess on my cockpit. A brief view of the Tetons presented itself on the final stretch toward Teton Village, the finish line. By then I was in a group of equally satisfied riders with lots of spirited chatting. Crossing under the finish arch, I almost wished it wasn’t over. Total ride time 12 hr, 44 min which was 4^th out of the cumulative 21 riders in groups of 55+ yrs and up. Goal accomplished.

Reflections after a ride like this always involve analysis of whether and where I went too fast or too slow. I never felt totally spent like happens on RAMROD, so perhaps could have gone faster. Bottom line, though, is I really enjoyed this very well organized ride and finished before dark, so was a success.

 

Safe riding,

Les

Volunteer Park Criterium Race Recap - By Dwaine

Getting to the venue was my first challenge of the day. I had never been to Volunteer Park and parked way to far away. I was feeling rushed when I finally arrived at our Fell Swoop team tent. There was just enough time to talk race strategy and take a short warm up ride with Jonas who knew his way around the neighborhood. 

The course is not your typical four corner crit. Except for the finish straight, the course is always winding and includes a long and shallow descent followed by a long and shallow climb. Z-Dog informed me my bike handling skills would pay dividends.

Our field, Men's 35+ cat 3/4, was only about 25 deep. Teammates shared with me that this would make moving up the field easier than if we were in a 40 rider field. Our start was mellow enough but my first lap was, at times, harrowing. The racing line was starting to dry but, on my first lap, I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time on at least two occasions. Disaster was avoided and on subsequent laps my line choices proved immensely safer.

Fell Swoop showed up with five riders total. We were all in on working for our designated leader, Z-Dog. Our job was to help him facilitate his best possible finish. Sticking to our race plan I followed a couple moves during the race. But nothing threatening ever came together. It was especially nice seeing other Fell Swoopers ready to patrol the front after I made these efforts and needed a few minutes catching my breath.

At about nine laps to go I finished a short effort to close a gap and realized my heart rate was higher than I hoped. For the next six laps I shrunk myself as best I could and hid within the wheels.

My job, for the finish, was to assemble three Swoopers on my wheel and then take them to the the front.  At the end of the 'three to go' lap I found Z-Dog. I then yelled up to Juaquin, who was ahead of me, to slow down. At that moment the fifteen riders in front of me seemed to sit up and I was able to move Z-dog and myself forward within the peleton.

As we started the flat finish straight I could see the gap I needed to lead us through. It was tight and I may have bumped another rider. He certainly wasn't happy about my proximity and I felt a big shove forward. I yelled 'thanks' and put down a steady effort that took me forward. I yelled at Juaquin to assemble behind me as I took over the front.

In the moment I was quite pleased with putting myself and my team mates exactly where we planned to be. This same lap was also a $20 Taco Time gift card prime lap and I accidently won that too.

For the next three quarters of a lap I lead the race and put in just enough effort to keep the field strung out. I checked over my should down the hill and could see Juaquin's Fell Swoop jersey on my wheel. I just hoped there were two more Swoopers on his wheel. At the base of the climb I put down some real power, burnt all the matches, and flicked my elbow before reaching the flat. The peleton stormed by and I smiled knowing my domestique duties were well fulfilled.

The results will show me DFL. The results will not show how much fun this race was. Nor will it show how well we raced as a team. Not a single rider got off the front without a Fell Swooper in tow. An admittedly partial spectator, Z-Dog's girlfriend KT, complimented our team tactics.

And how did our team do on that last lap? In the moment I was so far back I couldn't even see the finish. I had to wait to hear the stories from the other Swoopers to learn how the final lap turned out. Juaquin put in a big effort on that final lap but it was no good. Jonas and Z-Dog had gotten separated from Juaquin at some point and Z-Dog was only able to sprint to about tenth place.

In summary, except for the final lap, it was a near perfect day of racing with my Fell Swoop teammates.

2023-05-21 Gran Fondo Leavenworth (Dwaine's Account)

Author:  Dwaine Trummert

Gran Fondo Leavenworth 2023

Leavenworth was my 'A' race for this Spring. My training was tailored for this event, and I had a strong desire 

to right the wrong that I created last year at this race. My racing team "Fell Swoop" was well represented with

five riders of varying abilities.

The weather was warm, and I started in my summer kit. A third water bottle containing three scoops of Tailwind 

drink powder - but no water - was tucked into my back pocket. The neutral roll out seemed slower than usual this 

year, and I planned to stick next to team mates Thomas and Josh. That plan ended when I needed to stop and 

dismount after my chain dropped on the first shift of the day. I spent the next four miles inching my way forward 

in the slowly crawling peleton.

As we approached Eagle Creek road, I advised Josh on how the race promoter Jake would honk the horn on 

his big BMW motorcycle to release us. I was rewarded for my helpful advice. The right shoulder opened up 

before me, and I glided up to the front row just as we were let loose. I waited for two riders to take charge and 

then I latched on. This excellent position allowed me to sag climb the first few rolling hills.

The pace started hotter than previous years. I was spending too much time over threshold and dropped myself before the road turned to gravel. After the race Thomas informed me why the pace started so high. Pro cyclist Cole Paton was setting pace on the front. He eventually broke free, rode solo, and finished first by 24 minutes. Letting that go was the right choice for me!

Anthony gave me a wheel to ride until the road turned to dirt and then he wished me good luck. Like Anthony, I set my own pace on the climb and it was taken without drama. On the first half of the climb, I lost a few positions. On the second half, I made up some positions.

 

The steep part of the descent also unfolded without drama. My forearms felt like I found every stutter bump in the road, but the rubber side stayed down. A new rattle, coming from the back end of my Hakka MX, made itself known. I chose not to stop but did give the rear thru axle a look to make sure it wasn't backing out. Once the road flattened a bit I started putting down some power. Moving up the field on the dirt would allow me to lock into a faster group on the pavement.

I took the right turn onto the paved Mad River road at full tilt. While the riders around me sat up to look around, I got into the drops. I saw two strong looking riders up the road and put in some work to bridge up to them. I made the catch, and the three of us quickly dropped into rotation. This group grew to about ten by the time we reached the Entiat aid station.

I'm never the strongest pedaler in a bicycle race. So I have to be crafty and make FAST pit stops. At the Entiat aid station, I needed to fill the two bottles on my bike and the third in my back pocket. As we approached, I moved to the front of our group and rode straight to the water jugs. While nine other riders waited in the water line, I was already soft pedalling toward Swakane Canyon.

Entiat to Swakane Canyon is ideal for working together in a paceline. I rode slowly letting riders catch me until we had three. My team mate Josh was one of the riders to join me. He took the first pull, and it was long. Thanks man!

What hasn't been written about the Swakane Canyon climb? It is THE defining feature of Gran Fondo Leavenworth. It is hot and dusty and rocky at the bottom. The climbs pitch up and then down. No rhythm can be found. I let the riders around me go up the road. As with most years, I walked the steepest pitch and do not regret that decision. My long hours of training this Winter and Spring started to pay near the top. I was able to maintain my modest power output despite the fatigue. Riders were finally coming back to me.

The final mile of the climb is prime time for cramping. Somehow, I crested just as my cramps arrived. Each time I used my legs to absorb the bumps on the descent, I could feel the cramp twinges coming on - but this I could manage. My descending speed was impacted at first but at least I was still moving. By this point the rattle on my bike was near constant, but everything was working so I raced on.

 

When the descent turned from winding to straight, it was time to find a dance partner. Richard Beukema passed me, and he looked like a good wheel to follow. Once on the pavement, Richard started working. I took a few turns on the front but was clearly not at his level. Our group eventually grew to four. By the time we passed the Old Mill Tavern before the final right turn under the railroad tracks, we had agreed not to sprint to the finish line. We took our positions based on who did the most work. Richard was in front. I assumed third wheel in the group and was scored 23rd.

After I crossed the line, I waited for Josh to finish. I was pleased to be ahead of Josh, but that was enabled only by the MTB race he completed the previous day. I also took a moment to find my rattle. My cassette was coming loose!

Over the next 24 hours, I looked back at my day. On one hand, I was pleased with my performance. I had certain tools available. My bike, my knowledge of the course, and my fitness. On race day, I think I put those tools to work as well as was possible. On the other hand, I wasn't that pleased with my performance. I took a pretty big swing at increasing my training this year without measurable improvement. This year's finish time ranked third of the four times I've completed this course.

Overall, Gran Fondo Leavenworth was a spectacular day. Fell Swoopers rode strong and placed well. We had great weather, great organization by Jake and his team, and a course that never fails to challenge. I'd like to write more, but I need to get to the garage and tighten up some drivetrain parts...

2023 Cascadia Super Gravel - by Dwaine

Last Saturday with Tom and my Fell Swoop teammate Josh and I raced the 100 mile Cascadia Super Gravel. We started at 7 a.m. under clear skies and not too chilly temperatures. Josh was racing with his friend Jason and they wanted to start a little faster than I did. I let them go early and hoped to eventually work my way back up to them. Tom and I were about the same speed and stayed within a minute of each other for the first hour.

Josh and Dwaine _before_ the long suffer.

My plan to eventually reel in Josh was foiled at mile fifteen when my rear tire went soft after I nicked the sidewall. I stopped to add air a couple times hoping the sealant might eventually clog the hole but on my third stop I knew I needed to invest the time to install a tube.

Once back underway I figured my race was over. I had lost over twenty minutes with the multiple stops. I resigned myself to the fact I was on a really long training ride. To motiviate myself I started counting how many riders I could catch and pass.

At mile 29 I crested the highest climb of the day and was still feeling great. I was concerned that the steep final pitches of this climb might push me into the red but my legs were taking the effort in stride.

There was a navigational problem at mile 37. My Garmin instructed me to make a hard right onto a climb. But there were 'wrong way' signs on this climb. A few other riders were also confused at these signs. After a quick survey of the situation I announced I was going to trust my Garmin and I started up the climb. I quickly came to course markers showing I was on course. As I climbed I thought through the situation and came to the conclusion that some prankster had rearranged the signs just to create mayhem.

The next ten miles were lonely. From mile 15 to 37 I had caught 15 riders. From mile 37 to 50 I caught zero.

But daydreaming while riding was not wise. The promoter of this event had created a route using many of the less frequently ridden roads. I learned it was best to keep a very close eye on the Garmin map for unexpected turns.

I finally caught sight of another rider as we approached the long hike-a-bike section at mile 50. I was surprised at the length of the hike-a-bike. Strava reports I was at walking speed for about 14 minutes. The hike-a-bike was good for my catch score. I passed two at the beginning, one of which was Tom, and three more as we emerged from the woods onto the A-line climb.

As I approached the aid station at mile 67 I was really pleased that my legs were still putting out decent power. My stomach wasn't so happy with how many carbs I was shoving down my throat. My catch count had climbed into the low twenties. And it was getting warm.

Miles 67 to 75 were lovely. It was generally downhill. I couldn't add to my catch count as the course was shared with riders racing the 50 mile event. But I could at least say 'Hi' every once in a while.

At mile 75 the 100 mile course turned West onto the paved D-line road and I was riding solo again. My stomach was really starting to grumble. I kept stuffing the food in anyway.

The fatigue finally caught up with me at mile 85. After almost eight hours I started to loose steam. I chose to walk a couple of the steepest pitches. I cut my final food ration by half hoping to make a truce with my angry gut.

I wasn't the only rider suffering in these final miles. I managed to put three more riders behind me between mile 85 and 95 bringing my total to 26.

At mile 95 we were back on a short stretch of pavement that lead to one more gravel climb and the single track finish. I had only a thirty second gap on my previous catch which provided the motivation to keep pushing all the way to the finish line. I crossed that line after 8 hours 57 minutes. I was pleased as punch with this time.

After finding fresh clothes I sat down and chatted with Josh and Jason. I hadn't seen them since the start but it sounded like they had a great race. Josh even admitted to accepting some of the Bacon that was being cooked at the mile 67 aid station. They finished four seconds apart in 8 hours 42 minutes. Josh was scored eleventh and Jason twelfth. I was not scored at all but my time would have put me in thirteenth.

I waited for quite a while for Tom to finish only to find out he took a nasty fall and then a trip to the hospital. So while I had a good day on the bike, as a whole, the Cyclopaths did not.

03-19-2023 - Ephrata Gran Fondo Race Recap

 Author:  Dwaine Trummert

I had a good day at Ephreta this year. My race recap will not cover
every detail but instead the key moments.

I positioned myself near the front as the neutral roll out ended so that I
could sag the climb a bit. I chose to push the climb a little harder
than previous years and was flirting with blowing up at times. I
maintained a respectable pace but could see many riders floating up the
road without me. I finished the final climb with my heart rate pegged
hoping I could hide in the wheels of the good sized group I was with.
Nope. I dropped myself from these riders to get my heart rate under
control and latched onto the next wheel that came by.

The downhill Baird Springs Road gravel was fast and dry. My group had
grown to four, and we took turns pulling down the hill and were making
good time.  Along the highway, our group eventually doubled in size as we picked up a
few more riders including my teammate Alan.

No one in our group pulled off for the rest stop at the base of
Palisades Road. Another group latched on and we were soon numbering
nearly 20. Our paceline was long as we took turns pulling into the
slight headwind up the false flat of Palisades road.

Our group of 20 gentlemen was blown to bits on the first pitch of the
Three Devils. Some riders dropped anchor, and some flew off the front. I
ended up near two riders who had shown they were strong and consistent,
and the three of us ground our way to the top. We chatted a bit once we
were back to flattish ground. I introduced myself to Lindsay and Graham,
and we took turns into the wind for the next ten miles or so. We also
agreed on a one bottle stop at the "mile 60" aid station.

About 20 miles from the finish and just as we turned back onto gravel, my
legs started barking. I told the guys I had to skip a turn - then
another. Soon, it was all I could do to hold the wheel. The next 45
minutes, I was head down and full suffer.

Amazingly I didn't get dropped on the final climb. We had picked up two
more riders, and all five of us shared the work back to the finish line.
We crossed the line in a group, and I was scored 27th out of over 200
riders.

With the help of many strong riders in good sized groups, I was able to
lower my personal best finish time by about 10 minutes. I set many
Strava segment PRs along the way including up the first set of climbs. I
also felt that this event was the most work I've ever done. There were
no lulls in the pace. It felt like it was 'Go, Go, Go' all day long. My
legs were rubber.

The weekend was capped off with an unofficial Fell Swoop team dinner in
Ephreta where five of us told our stories and filled our bellies with
Mexican food. Good times.

Race Photo (Dwaine second from right)