Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium (Part 3): Saturday - 'Bust Your Butte'

 Author:  Dwaine Trummert

This is part three and is best after reading "Part 1" and "Part 2" of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium recap.

The second act of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium was labeled 'Bust Your Butte'. This 53 mile gravel route  was decidedly flat. The first 7.5 miles included a paved descent before getting to the gravel. The remainder of the course was basically flat with a few rollers mid course and a small hill at about five miles before the finish. We predicted that a large group would stay together for much of the race.

Saturday broke cool and wet with an unexpected amount of rainfall over night and into the morning. This changed nothing for us, and we executed out breakfast tasks while we watched the rain drip off the corners of Adam's portable shelter. As I ingested my breakfast, I could feel the pre race jitters begin to set in. I knew Adam would be working for me. I could not stop dreading any mistake that would make his work and our preparation go to waste.

While I fretted Adam researched. His reading revealed that "coasties" riding at elevation should expect a reduction in power due to the thinner air at elevation. Efforts up to threshold level would be slightly compromised. Efforts above threshold would be seriously compromised. This fit with our experience up the TT climb. We put this information in our back pockets. Saturday's event would likely involve responding to pack dynamics where we wanted to ride sheltered from the wind as long as possible.

At the start area I nervously single checked and double checked all aspects of my bike and kit. Adam provided words of confidence. He reminded me of the following: We were well prepared for this event. We trained and were bringing our best fitness. We needed only to trust the plan and execute. As he predicted, when we rolled over the start line my nerves settled; and I calmly attended my business as a gravel racer.

This photo is of the Women's class start on Sunday at Sisters High School.

The pace started light. The peloton felt no motivation to work while traveling down the seven and one half miles of pavement. Gravity was doing most of the work. This sector passed without drama save one three second episode. A rider pulled a u-turn out of the center of the peloton. The sound of skidding tires and sight of weaving helmet tops alerted me to danger. A split second later I gained sight of the u-turner and swerved hard left just missing his front tire. The peloton lit up with a cocophony of yells, expletives, and profanity. A moment later the scene was behind us with all riders remaining upright.

The pavement ended, and the gravel hit us hard. The peloton was probably still at least 40 riders strong. The effort level increased. Adam, and I were caught off guard. We had never ridden this fast on roads this rough while fighting for position in the peloton. I thought the pace would settle eventually but was wrong. We learned to get as comfortable as we could with the tight quarters, high speed, and limited forward visibility.

The bikes were taking a beating. Rocks and occasional sticks were getting lifted by the wheels in front of us and bouncing off our wheels, frames, and feet. We silently hoped that all damage remained cosmetic.

Miles sixteen to twenty saw a few rolling climbs and some of the power brokers up front started animating the race. Adam and I knew enough to get towards the front. The peloton strung out a few times, and we stayed connected at each surge. When the theatrics calmed the peloton had been halved.

The powder keg burst at mile 28. I did not see the first move but felt the front group of ten riders slip away. I was not attached to the ten but was riding a strong wheel who seemed keen to bridge. The bridger and I passed Adam as we chased. Adam's expression communicated his situation clearly. He could not hold this pace.

The attack of ten seemed to take place at a sector with the most pronounced washboard we had seen that day. The pace and the washboard worked well to soften the resolve of many who thought of chasing.

I was just able to hold the chaser's wheel as we turned off the washboard and onto a smooth two track road that wound Northeast along the Deschutes River. I was working just to hold the wheel. When the elbow flick came I responded. Verbally. 'Sorry, I don't have it' I yelled forward. My fitness allowed me to stay connected to the chaser just a few more minutes. Soon number was punched, my lungs were scorched, and I could no longer hold on.

Up I sat. While soft pedaling I performed some housekeeping. My vest was stripped, hat was removed, and water was consumed as I watched the chase group grow larger in my mirror.

Adam was a founding member of the chase group which eventually grew to seven riders. The pace was similar to the peloton's before the break. Adam and I quickly learned that we could trust the bike handling of these riders and grew comfortable working with them in close quarters. This was especially good timing as the roads were becoming more narrow and littered with debris.

With riders we trusted and about twenty miles to go we were able to relax a smidge. Limited chatting took place. Adam and I received compliments on our cross skills when a downed tree presented an opportunity to practice our barrier dismount and remount technique. The pace remained brisk, but I worried less that I would get dropped. Adam took a few pulls at the front. I did not.

The final ten miles included a few rolling hills and a minor climb. The pace was tough but no games were played. Every rider put their head down and did the work.

The pace was warming as we passed the '5k to go' sign. The road was the tightest we had seen all day with only a single rideable line in places. Adam and I managed our efforts as we followed the wheels in front of us. At about 3k to go Adam's wheel found a section of sand and nearly washed out. His bike was thirty degrees off course by the time he found the handle, and he had lost his momentum. In that instant, I realized his fate was sealed. Adam yelled 'Go!' and I did not hesitate.

The pace continued to build, and I eventually lost touch with the wheel in front of me. Then a rider came around. I was hurting. But I did not surrender to the passer. I dug deep to hold his wheel and found we were slowly reeling in the wheel I had lost. With a couple hundred meters to go I caught a glimpse of the finish banner through the trees, gave whatever I had left, and picked off the passer before the line.

We coasted to a stop 100 meters past the line. As we found our wind the riders in the chase group of seven introduced ourselves. We were universal in our appreciation for the collective strength and skill of the group. I commented that it felt not unlike a two and three quarter cyclocross race.

My finish result was solid. I crossed the line 14th of 65 in 2:37:05 for an average speed of 22.0 mph. This finish netted another seven points on omnium scoring. Adam was three positions behind me but not officially scored. I was content with our performance. As two fish-out-of-gravel, we held up well in the road race end of the pool.

We faced a five mile ride to get back to the parking area. We soft pedaled while taking in the natural beauty of the high desert. Tim happened to join us a mile or two in. When mental clarity returned, we debriefed on the race. Tim reiterated our first thoughts. Saturday's event played out more like a road race than a gravel race. Tim shared that he recognized many of the riders from his days racing on the road and that the pace and tightness of the peloton were not unlike a typical road race.

On the way back to the campground we purchased burritos and got started on refueling. After lunch, I found my way into my sun warmed tent and drifted off to sleep.

The remainder of the afternoon was taken at a leisurely pace. We readied our gear for Sunday's event and slowly formed a strategy. Our legs were feeling the effects of two hard days. We had accepted the limitations on our power due to the thinner air. Sunday's strategy would be a polar opposite of Saturday's. On Saturday we responded to the peloton to stay connected and retain the aerodynamic benefits of pack riding. On Sunday we would set our own pace. On Sunday we anticipated a good number of riders would go off the front early. We gambled that over the course of seventy miles and fifty-five hundred feet of climbing we would bring many of them back.

I crawled into my tent Saturday night feeling content. Sunday's race had one requirement. We needed only to 'do what we do'.

Click on the following link to proceed to Part 4 of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium:

Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium (Part 4):  Sunday - "Three Creeks"

Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium (Part 2): Friday Time Trial

 Author:  Dwaine Trummert

This is part two and is best after reading "Part 1" of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium recap.

Tumalo State Park campground offered a Friday morning that was both clear and cold. I prepared coffee via french press and Adam cooked our race day go-to breakfast of oatmeal.

The first race of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium was a simple five mile time trial. The published elevation profile could be summarized as follows: Slight descent into a mile of moderate climbing which transitioned into an even shallower descent that slowly tapered into a nearly flat finish.

We still had two strategy questions looming from the previous day. How much effort to put into the the TT and who would ride in support of whom. These questions stayed on the back burner for a bit longer. While waiting for the sun to warm the air we bumped into fellow coasties Tim and Jen of Olympia who were camping nearby. They had pre-ridden the TT course one day earlier and warned that the road was rocky.

At noon Adam drove us towards the course for a course recon ride. I requested we take the scenic route. Bend is lovely this time of year and there is ample evidence that cycling culture is strong in this area. The parking area was humming with mountain biking activity as we soft pedaled to the TT start area.

Dwaine and his bicycle as we pre rode the TT gravel road. This section is about where we would start later in the day.

The recon was eye opening. The first descent was bumpy and rocky. Line selection to miss the biggest holes and rocks was critical. The road surface was most technical during the climb which fortunately was taken at a lower speed. When the climbing ended the road surface became smoother but now included a number of dust pits where the soft silty soil kept hidden the embedded rocks. The final two miles was the least technical with just a few sections of washboard to be avoided.

Adam and his bicycle during the TT gravel road recon. It was a casual ride. Later in the day it was anything but casual.

As we backtracked towards the truck we inspected a couple of the most technical sections and made mental notes on where the most treacherous rock outcroppings were planted. Once at the truck we finalized important details for the remainder of the day. Race tire pressures were jotted down. It was agreed that burritos would be purchased for lunch. We had collected enough information to firm up our TT strategy.

By the time we reached the campground the TT strategy was solidified. We would race. Hard. We agreed we didn't drive to Bend for a three day event to just 'participate' in the TT. We also agreed this TT course was right in our wheelhouse. It is likely other riders could pedal harder than either of us. But that power is useless if the racer cannot navigate the terrain at speed. The technicality of the first descent required the cyclocross skills we both possessed.

While we prepared for the evening time trial the final strategy question continued to loom. Who would ride for whom? Again, we chose to defer for just a few more hours. The results of the TT would speak to us before the evening ended.

Adam drew a start time of 5:33:00 p.m. Dwaine was up at 6:48:00. While Dwaine was fretting and pacing and calming his pre race jitters Adam was on the course crushing it.

Adam sprinted out of the gate hard. The pre race recon was effective as he flew down the descent never touching his brakes. Once over the wooden bridge he started his climbing effort. Half way up that climb the brutal reality hit hard. The thinner air at Bend's elevation was a greater handicap than predicted. He dialed his effort back momentarily, collected himself, and then resumed the work to finish the climb strong.

As Adam crested the climb he could barely see the impending convergence. Dust filled the air. A slow moving motor vehicle would be caught as they both passed through a narrow dust pit. Just one race pace solution presented itself. Adam charged past the dust stirring monster using the only line available. The right side cushion.

Readers might ask about this 'cushion'. Dwaine chose this label based on 'the cushion' at a dirt track and it meant the very edge of the road. Earlier in the day Adam and Dwaine prerode the course. The soil in and around Bend was unlike what we were used to. Our goal was to learn to see or predict the fast lines. Or at least avoid the bad lines. We learned early to avoid the cushion.

Adam lost time processing the choice forced by the dust pit convergence. Adam pushed his front wheel in the soft silt. Adam felt his bike get slideways. But Adam is a cyclocross racer. He collected it, kept the rubber side down, and got back into the pedals to regain the speed lost in the pit.

Fortunately the remainder of Adam's TT was uneventful and he crossed the line in 14:35.2 seconds for an average of 20.5 mph. He then soft pedaled back to the parking lot where I was still fretting.

Adam shared the information I needed to deliver my best TT time. Adam told me he held nothing back. Adam told me at speed he floated over the majority of the rough. And Adam warned me that he could not hold his six minute climbing pace due to the thin air.

Armed with Adams experience I lined up with confidence. I had practiced a few cyclocross starts and launched without wheelspin when I was given the 'go'. I charged into the descent and was able to float the rough and carry speed down to the bridge. My climbing pace was tempered based on Adam's advice. Two thirds into the climb my respiration rate was at maximum but I was holding my wattage. The dust pits were taken without incident. By the time I reached the second descent, I realized my vision had narrowed and lengthened. I saw nothing save a four inch wide path forward that snaked the road from side to side missing the rocks and taking me on the smoothest gravel.

I crossed the line crossed eyed and knew my effort was solid. Strava data later verified just how solid. Adam is a stronger climber but my pacing was more perfect due to his advice. My climb time was three seconds quicker. Strava data also showed that Adam nullified that gain by descending two seconds faster down the second descent. Only heaven knows who might have come out ahead without the dust pit convergence.

My TT clock was stopped at 14:03.6 seconds for an average of 21.3 mph. I coasted to the end of the road but did not soft pedal back to the parking lot. Adam was waiting in the truck. Before I had my bike loaded Adam looked up the results. I was 9th of 44 in the Masters Men class which earned two omnium points. Adam's time was 28th of 43 in Open Men. The TT had spoken. I was honored that Adam would work for me for the remainder of the weekend.

And work we did.

Click on the following link to proceed to Part 3 of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium:

Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium (Part 3):  Saturday - 'Bust Your Butte'

Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium (Part 1)

Author:  Dwaine Trummert

It was over a year ago that we began our trajectory towards last weekend's Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium in Bend Oregon. In January of 2020 my wife Deanne decided it was time for me to add a check to my bucket list of rides. She contacted my gravel racing partner Adam for ideas. Adam contacted our Cyclopath friends Les and Mike who started helping with logistics and Adam and I were soon signed up for the 2020 version of this epic three race gravel event.

Covid-19 scuttled last years race and some of the grander aspects we planned for the weekend. It also provided an additional 365 days of race preparation. We did our best to leverage every day. For 2021 the Bend Omnium became the 'A' event of our racing calendar and we focused our training strategies to target peak fitness for Bend.

Adam and I started our weekend by driving South towards Tumalo State Park campground on Thursday. With the course elevation profile in hand we agreed where it would pay to conserve energy and where to put down the power. We also talked about the depth of the competition. This event was predicted to bring out many highly capable gravel racers.

While Adam piloted the truck I enjoyed my time watching the world whiz past the windows. This was my first taste of Central Oregon. The change in geography and landscape as compared to Western Oregon was stark. Adam spent time in this region in years past and was a fine guide as I took it all in.

My time as a sightseer was interrupted with more strategic conversations. We faced two tough decisions.

The Cascade Gravel Grinder was scored as an omnium. The Friday time trial paid omnium points only down to tenth. Any watts that didn't result in tenth or better would have been ignored by the scorecard. We pondered if it might be wiser to save those matches for use on Saturday.

Even less palatable was the late breaking news from the promoter in regards to start waves. Central Oregon Covid restrictions had tightened and the promoter was forced to split our classes into separate starts. It was always our intention to race as a team. We were faced with a difficult choice. One of us would switch classes and ride solely in support of the other. Covid-19 had again reached out and forced us to alter our plan.

We ride for Cascadia Wheel Co. and take our equipment's comfort seriously.

Before these strategic questions could be answered we arrived at our campground, set up camp, and watched the light fade to night. We practiced our patience and accepted that Friday would deliver clarity towards our best strategy. Click on the following link to proceed to Part 2 of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium: Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium (Part 2): Friday Time Trial

2021_04_17 Puyallup Cyclopaths: Orting to Carbon River Entrance to Mt. Rainier & Back

 

Author:  Mike Hassur

 

Well, it’s been over a year since our group has gotten together for a scheduled Puyallup Cyclopath ride thanks to COVID-19.  We, finally, managed to get together for our first group ride of 2021 this past Saturday (April 17^th):  the “Carbon River Entrance to Mt. Rainier Ride”.  The ride is about 52 miles long – starting in Orting and proceeding through South Prairie, Wilkeson, Carbonado, over the Fairfax Bridge and on to our destination – Mt. Rainier’s Carbon River Entrance.  Here are maps of our route:

1st half of ride:  Orting to Carbon River Entrance

2nd half of ride:  slightly different route from Wilkeson to South Prairie

Our plan was to be leaving Orting at 7:30 AM.  It had been fairly cold (~ 40 degrees) at that hour earlier in the week, so there was some concern on my part that the start time should have been moved back until 8:00 or 8:30 AM to provide more time for things to warm up a bit.  I knew that the forecast was for temperatures in the 60's later in the morning, and I didn't want riders having to carry a lot of clothing that they had shed as things warmed up. In the end, we kept the start time at 7:30 AM, the temp was around 44 degrees and riders under-dressed slightly for that temp knowing that it would soon warm up - and, in fact, that is exactly what happened.

We (14 riders) started along the Foothills Trail toward South Prairie just a little after 7:30 AM.  We rode comfortably (~ 18 mph) and chatted all the way.  At South Prairie, we left the trail and headed up the climb on Tubbs Road that is just to the south of South Prairie.  It's a 0.7 mile long climb with grades up to 13-14% in places.  Some folks rode up faster than others, but - in the end - everyone made it without much difficulty.  From there, it was on to Wilkeson where we regrouped at the parking lot next to city hall.  Unfortunately, the public bathrooms were closed; so we chose to make a slight detour to a wooded area just outside of town for a group "potty break" - sorry, no photos.

From Wilkeson, we started the 2.5 mile climb up to Carbonado.  By the time we arrived at Carbonado, it was starting to warm up.  I stopped to take off my cycling vest and to start my GoPro camera (neither of those activities alone would make me stop, but it got slightly complicated so I stopped).  In doing so, I was way behind the group who were well on their way to the Fairfax Bridge by the time I got going.  Thankfully, Dwaine Trummert came back looking for me; so we had a good visit on the way to the bridge and weren't too far behind the group when we arrived.

Our group took off together for the last 6-7 miles to the Carbon River Entrance (Mt. Rainier).  By this time, it was a glorious morning with temps in the mid to high 50's, no wind and lots of sunshine.  We cruised along at a brisk pace with a lot of visiting and laughter mixed in.  I can't speak for everyone, but I relished this section; because it was exactly this type of physical activity mixed with social interaction that I had missed out on for most of 2020.  I loved it!!

When we arrived at our destination, I was shocked.  The road at almost the very end was washed out.  There was probably only 10-20% of the road width left and some very large trees had been uprooted.  It was jarring to be reminded how things that seemed so "permanent" to me could so easily be undone by nature.

We regrouped nearby on the bridge that crossed the Carbon River for our traditional group photo.  

Cyclopaths on Carbon River Bridge

We took our photo and everyone started the trip back to Orting - except me.  We had taken a fair amount of time to regroup on the bridge and get everyone grouped for the photo; and during all of the time, I forgot that I needed to change the battery in my GoPro video camera!!  By the time that I had installed a new battery, everyone was out of sight - of course.  Even though most of the trip back to Orting is slightly downhill, there is a hill that is close to a mile long just as you begin the trip back.  I was hoping that I could catch up with at least part of the group by the top of that hill.  Fortunately for me, that is what happened.  From there it was lots of fast/fun riding with a few stops to regroup along the way.  We pretty much retraced our route on the way back except for a slight change in the portion from Wilkeson to South Prairie.

When we arrived back in Orting, everyone seemed in good spirits and enthused about the opportunity to ride together once again.  There were many unfortunate things associated with COVID-19, but I do believe that it reminded many of us how lucky we are to have a group with whom we enjoy a shared passion.

Next ride:  Alder Lake Loop Ride on May 15th... can't wait!!!

Gran Fondo Ephrata 2021 Race Recap (March 27-28, 2021 Weekend)

Author:  Dwaine Trummert

Wave starts, Covid restrictions, and a big wind set the 2021 running of the Gran Fondo Ephrata apart from previous iterations. Adam and I were happy to be back on gravel and turning the pedals despite the atypical conditions.

With no gravel races taking place in 2020 we had a lot of time to train and prepare for this race. We discussed how the wave starts, separated by ten minutes and limited to 25 riders, would affect race dynamics. We discussed about how hard we could charge up the hills knowing that rest would come on the descents. We discussed the infamous Palisades headwind. And we discussed tire selection.

Grand Fondo Ephrata 2021 was re-organized to reduce Covid risk. Usually a mass start event, this year competitors were broken out into waves of no more than 25 riders. There were options to ride on Saturday or Sunday with each day being scored separately based on elapsed time. The promoter requested that we not congretate before or after the race. This did not feel the same as a typical gravel event yet our appreciation to be racing again was palpable.

My race day started at four a.m. We rolled out of Adam's neighborhood by ten minutes after five. Lots of driving was necessary to get to Ephrata in time for our nine a.m. start wave. Adam had read online that a rider cut a sidewall on his new 32mm wide Continental GP5000 tubeless tire. This was the exact tire we both had purchased and mounted specifically for Ephreta. I became nervous about our tire choice.

Last year we signed up to represent local bike shop Cascadia Wheel Company. Covid cancelled all 2020 gravel events so Ephreta 2021 became the first event at which we flew our new Cascadia Wheel Company kits.

As we lined up for our start wave we were surprised that our group of 23 would have a vehicle to lead us under neutral roll out. The neutral pace was gentle and we chatted a bit and sized up the other riders in our wave. At least half of them looked lean, fit, and serious. Getting out of town didn't take long and the road started a gentle gradient upward. Soon enough our neutral roll out vehicle pulled over. Out of the vehicle window rang a cowbell and we knew it was time to get to work.

About half of the group showed some intent and we quickly ingrained ourselves into the fold. A short while later we turned off onto a gravel road headed up Davis Canyon where the climbing became real. We knew the course profile and the first fifteen miles were dominated by two successive climbs. Two riders immediately showed interest in breaking away. Brian Atwood went off the front convincingly. He was being chased by Ryan Los. They were both out of sight before we completed the shorter of the two climbs.

Adam set the climbing pace of our chase group and it worried me. I often fret that I will let myself go too fast too early. Adam informed me he was watching his power meter. I knew I could trust him and gave my blessings for his pacemaking. Only after the race was over did I learn he had done his homework. His goal was to put us both at threshold for the twenty minutes of serious climbing.

Adam's pace proved to be too much for all but Conrad Kornmann. Conrad and I had competed elbow to elbow in previous cyclocross seasons and Conrad was at least our equal in climbing speed. Our trio continued at pace right over the top of the second climb at mile fifteen and into the gravel descent two miles later.

This first gravel descent on Baird Springs Road revealed just how important tire selection is at a gravel event. Conrad wheeled away on the steeper sections while Adam and I used 100% concentration and all our cyclocross skills to keep our bikes flying straight during the fastest sections of the descent. 'Sketchy' was the best adjective to describe the handling characteristics. I later apologized for recommending a 32mm road tire.

The lower half of Baird Springs Road brought a more gentle gradient and our reunion with Brian. Now four strong, we worked together as best we could. Pacelining on gravel roads can be challenging. That challenge was compounded by the increasingly strong side winds. Add in some 'sketch' from our tire choice and we were at the limit keeping our bikes in line.

Mile 33 brought some welcome relief. We turned North onto State Route 28. The shoulder was smooth and aiming our bikes North brought the wind to our backs. We did not taper our efforts. Brian took amazingly strong pulls. I skipped a few turns. We also rode past Ryan who had stopped, while leading our start wave, to repair a flat.

We arrived at the food and water stop in record time. Literally. Adam and Brian now share the Strava KOM for that eight mile section of State Route 28.

The food and water stop marked the turn off Highway 28. The sun had revealed itself and we indulged in an extra minute to remove base layers. Food and water was quickly stowed and we remounted. Conrad's stop delay equaled ours but Brian had escaped up the road. As a group of three well matched riders we were optimistic as we faced the next challenge.

Most years Palisades Road looms long and dark over GFE riders. Nineteen miles of false flat with geographically focused headwinds. Instead we were surprised to receive a gift. The warm wind was now blowing at our backs and we sailed toward the terminus of Palisades at an averaged speed of 24 mph.

Palisades Road is also where Conrad pulled the plug. I heard him comment "I'm completely worked" and watched as he dropped off our wheels. Adam and I missed him but continued on. Not long after Conrad's departure we caught sight of strongman Brian. We patiently reeled him in and rode together as we approached and prepared for the transition.

As the road changes name to 3 Devils Grade Road it also alters its personality. The climbing starts with a short and steep pitch where I chose to walk. This was a controversial decision. The walk lasted just 100 feet but by the time we remounted Brian had gapped us well. My choice to walk was premeditated but not fully proven.

The lower speeds of climbing allowed us to discuss our options for catching and passing Brian. We knew where he was strong and where we were strong. We knew the layout of the course including where the final climb would occur and when we would face another headwind. We discussed how we might work the finish if we were competing against a lone competitor. And I asserted that, if necessary, I would work the lead out position to allow Adam the sprint win. Adam was not convinced of this decision.

From mile 61 to 71 we relentlessly worked our plan. These miles were half paved and mostly flat and allowed us to share the work. Taking steady turns at the front we slowly erased the gap between ourselves and Brian. At mile 71 we passed Brian and he did not seem eager to follow our wheels.

Mile 72 marked a 90 degree turn where the course turned due South. The winds had been revving up all morning and we were now taking them nearly head on. The landscape was mostly flat and treeless. The gravel was chunky enough to warrant caution. Drafting in the echelon formation meant the following rider was sometimes forced into the deeper chunks. We anticipated the headwind and figured correctly that Brian, working alone, would not be able to fight his way back to us. We did not anticipate the destruction of the field that would unfold before us. This five mile stretch was littered with exhausted riders from earlier waves that were at their ends.

Adam and I felt our darkest moments over those five miles and 22 minutes. The level of suffer convinced me it was twice as long. Our watts remained intact but our spirits were visibly bent. Strava says we maintained a 14 mph average but we were hurting in every possible way.

In the emotional darkness brought on by the headwinds we each made an internal decision which we did not share with the other. Earlier in the day we anticipated that being ahead of all competitors in our wave going into the headwind would allow us to stay ahead. We knew we could ease the pace and maintain that lead position. Silently, however, we made the same calculation. Continuing to push at 100% to the finish would maximize our race against an unseen competitor. The clock.

Mile 77 brought a turn to the left, a smoother road, and a change in geography. We were starting our last climb and the undulating terrain provided a buffer from the strongest gusts. We were given some relief from the relentless bouncing of the previous five miles. The communication of our silent decisions to push relentlessly to the finish was non verbal. Adam went quiet yet his consistent pedal stroke spoke volumes. I repeatedly threw curse words at the wind while maintaining my solid climbing pace.

At mile 79 Sheep Canyon Road transitioned to pavement and we sighed in relief. From previous GFE events we knew the remaining course well and how that translated into the finish game plan. We simply needed to execute. Some gentle climbing was completed before a fun and restorative descent off the plateau. When the road flattened we turned right onto Road B and starting taking turns into the wind. We emptied the last of the tank for four miles which put us within sight of the Ephrata High School and the Vicious Cycles finish trailer.

We had stayed away from strongman Brian. We had burned every match. We approached the finish alone in side wind echelon formation with me just off Adam's hip. Our Cascadia Wheel Company jerseys were properly zipped for the finish line photographers. Adam might have been contemplating the timing for a proper sprint. He might have been anticipating that I would start the show and he would respond. I left no doubt of my intention. I reached over, shoved him ahead, and commanded "Go". Out of the saddle he went as I worked to follow his wheel. We had clinched first and second finishers of our start wave.

The following numbers verify the magnitude of our effort. 88 miles. Elapsed time of four hours and 51 minutes. Eighteen mile per hour average. Five thousand feet of climbing. Twenty mile per hour winds. Adam's power meter reported a normalized average power of 235 watts. We were utterly spent.

After all waves had finished and times were tabulated we learned that a second Sunday team from Tenspeed Hero had put in a serious effort. Leigh Thurgood and Mike Robson worked together to finish one and two in their wave in four hours 55 minutes.

With all Sunday waves finished we realized our first ride representing Cascadia Wheel Company, postponed for one full year, resulted in first and second place. Over a year of preparation had come to fruition.

Over the long drive home we unpacked what we did right at Ephreta this year.

It started last year. We began training with a common goal. Adam guided me to refine my training model. I challenged him to longer and tougher gravel training rides. We each put in enough time training on Zwift to wear out our indoor training equipment. Preparation for Gran Fondo Ephrata 2021 was not haphazard. We've discussed training loads, equipment, strategy, and tactics for months. Last Sunday was our opportunity to share the product of the work we've put in over the last fourteen months.

Teamwork and communication might be our strongest weapon. Neither Adam nor I have the leg strength to solo our way to a GFE victory. We've refined how we train and race to compliment the other. Adam is correct when he summarizes us as a cycling team: "Dwaine is conservative and I am aggressive." We've learned when to 'race to finish' and when to 'race to win'. We've learned to trust. On Sunday we didn't stop talking out the tactics and options until the finish trailer was behind us.

Once home Adam analyzed some data to calculate where we gained time and where we lost it compared to Leigh Thurgood and Mike Robson. His data sources were imperfect but they gave us a rough picture.

We gained one minute 45 seconds over the initial two climbs. Adams power meter reported he averaged 290 watts over the 14 minutes of most serious climbing. In retrospect I'm even more thankful I trusted him to pace us properly.

We gained three minutes over fifteen miles flying down Baird Springs Road. This gain wasn't from pedal power. Our cyclocross experience and tens of hours training in Capitol Forest allowed us the comfort to fly over that gravel on sketchy tires in a side wind and know we could keep the bikes straight enough to come out the other side.

We lost time over the last ten miles of gravel. We managed about 13.5 mph. These miles were when we were at our worst including the killer headwind section and final 550 foot category 4 climb. Despite the time loss our conviction to maintain 100% effort to the finish likely minimized the magnitude of the loss.

We gained one minute over the final four miles to the finish. This effort lasted twelve minutes. Our decision to burn every match was evident in the power data file. Despite 85 miles of punishment we were still taking 300 watt pulls and averaging 17 mph into a serious headwind. I was amazed that we could still pull that well given how loudly our bodies were screaming for us to quit.

Adam and I had a spectacular finish at GFE this year. We are quite proud of this achievement. But we did not achieve it alone. I've helped Adam become a better cyclist and he's returned the favor. We've received support from our families. Our online training community, AKA 'Sweatfest', has encouraged us to train at new levels. Cascadia Wheel Company put the jerseys on our backs and kept our wheels rolling. This is my 'Thank You' to everyone that has helped us along the way.

Scouting the Willapa Hills Trail

Author:  Dwaine

Adam and I are Puyallup Cyclopaths cut from a slightly different cloth. We own pickup trucks. We ride our bikes in the gravel. We ride our bikes when it's cold. It should be no surprise that our riding season has not yet ended. Last weekend we took the opportunity of a dry Winter day to explore and report on the Willapa Hills Trail.

The Willapa Hills Trail is a converted railway bed that extends 56 miles from Chehalis West towards South Bend. The Washington Parks Willapa Hills web page gives some details. It is paved for five miles at its Western end. The gravel is described as 'improved' for the next twenty miles and mostly 'unimproved' for the remainder of the length towards the ocean. As a converted railway it is mostly flat and straight.

What it does not detail is the definition of 'improved' nor does it give clues on if the 'unimproved' section is passable via the gravel style bicycles that we so dearly love. Adam and I chose a dry and cold day to do some firsthand exploration.

We met in Chehalis and were rolling before 9 a.m. A local dog walker warned us of ice on the trail and we observed frost or ice on most of the many bridges that repeatedly crossed the Chehalis river.

As expected the first five miles were paved and rolled quickly by. When the trail transitioned to 'improved' so did the scenery. The 'improved' gravel was about as smooth and perfect a non paved surface could be. The scenery would swing between open farm fields and wooded river banks.

This section sped by as well. As often happens our conversation wandered onto pickup trucks. Adam is considering a change and we debated the pros and cons of various choices. Gas versus diesel. New versus used. I could go and on. Our truck conversation was interupted by our arrival into Pe Ell at about the 22nd mile.

Pe Ell is about where the 'climbing' started. Please imagine air quotes around the word 'climbing'. Other than the bridge aproaches the grade never exceeded two percent.

Mile 27 brought the hugely anticipated change to 'unimproved' gravel. We were quite pleased that the road was still flat, smooth, and fast. The improved section had included crushed fine gravel. The unimproved did not. We kept trucking along.

Our next waypoint was near Pluvius Hill. We had climbed about 550 feet since leaving Chehalis 28.5 miles earlier. This is where the trail begins to ever so gently descend towards the ocean. This might be called a pass or summit by some. That is worthy of debate. But on this ride we noticed only a slight change in speed as we pedaled on.

My initial route planning included another waypoint at mile 32. But just before we got that far we were treated to a drastic change in scenery. The typical mixture of lowland Western Washington conifers and decidious species changed to a single species of birch. The sun was shining to the forest floor and we stopped for the only photo of our day:

The Willapa Hills Trail follows the same basic route as WA state Highway 6. In a few places the trail requires riders to cross this two lane country highway. But at mile 32 trail users are afforded the luxury of passing safely under Highway 6. This was our chosen turn around point and the closest we would get to the Pacific Ocean on this day.

The ride back was uneventful. Since the sun had been out for a while the temperature was up to about 40 and we stopped in Pe Ell just long enough for me to get my jacket off. Some time after the three hour mark we were feeling some serious fatigue. The conversation continued to be engaging but our legs were starting to talk a bit on their own.

After four and a quarter hours we completed the 64 mile ride. Being nearly flat meant we were spinning for almost every minute of the ride. I felt the effects at the end and once my bike was safely leaned up against the grill of the Vanagon I found a sunny spot in the parking lot to sit, stretch, and rest.

Hopefully next Spring Adam and I can complete the trip to the Ocean. When that happens you can bet I'll report our findings right here.

The Year 2020 in Review: COVID-19, Cycling and Positive Memories

Author:  Mike Hassur

Aah, 2020… what a year it’s been… lots of unpleasant memories (COVID-19, isolation, social distancing, wearing a mask, social unrest, etc.).  Nothing good about 2020… right?  WRONG… there were, at least, a few 2020 bright spots in our lives this year, and I would like to share some of mine. 

One of my biggest disappointments of the year was having to cancel all of our planned Puyallup Cyclopath (PC) Rides for 2020 because of Coronavirus concerns.  As usual, we had met in February to decide on our official PC ride schedule.  We’d come up with a schedule of rides (some old standards and some new) that looked to be both challenging and fun (2020 PuyallupCyclopath Ride Schedule); and, then, the Coronavirus came.  I touched bases with a few of my physician friends, and the consensus was that cycling in a fairly large group was probably not wise.  Having to cancel our rides was disappointing to me on a number of levels.  I like the physical nature of those rides, I like the locales in which we ride (i.e. the mountains), and – most importantly – I like the people with whom I share those rides.

Well, that sucked!!  So, what to do now?  I decided that I would have a summer of solo rides located primarily on the Foothills Trail starting at the Puyallup Trail Head (with the occasional “social distanced” ride with one or two other riders sprinkled in as well).  I had been doing spinning class at the YMCA over the winter on a regular basis and riding my rollers some, so I was in decent shape.  I began to get outside for a couple of rides in late February; and on February 22^nd, I did a 23-mile ride and averaged 18.0 mph.  I was pretty pleased with that average speed, and it made me think “since I can’t ride with my buddies and visit (visiting being one of my favorite things to do on a ride), maybe I’ll focus on my average speed during these solo rides and see how it goes”.  By March 1^st, I’d done a few more rides including a 25-miler at 18.2 mph.  On March 3^rd, a 40-mile ride to Buckley and Wilkeson at 17.6 mph.  On the following day, the same 40-mile ride resulted in 17.8 mph; and now I’m starting to think now, “hey, this could be fun”!!  After a couple of more rides, March 9^th produced a 31-mile ride (just past South Prairie and back at 18.9 mph (tantalizing close to 19 mph).  The next day (March 10^th): 34 miles at 19.7 mph (“what the heck – this is really fun and sort of close to 20 mph”).  March 11^th was sort of like throwing cold water on my enthusiasm - literally.  I did a 30 mile ride to South Prairie and back.  It was cold and starting to rain as I approached South Prairie which meant that I was wet and really cold all the way back to Puyallup – so much so that I couldn’t stop shaking when I arrived at my van, and my peripheral vision was “strobing”.  A March 16^th 49-mile ride with Les Becker down into the Nisqually area rekindled my enthusiasm.  Late March had quite a bit of rain, so my riding was mostly some hill repeats in our neighborhood in case I had to abandon quickly.  April brought better weather; and on April 1^st, I did my 34-mile ride past South Prairie at 19.5 mph (still sort of close to 20 mph, but no cigar).  April 9^th brought a 51-mile ride (including Wilkeson, Carbonado, The Fairfax Bridge, Buckley and back to Puyallup) at 18.2 mph.  I was encouraged.  The average speed was down a little, but this route was longer and had considerably more climbing.  April 11^th brought a ride entitled (on Strava) “Whew, that was fun!!”  It was my normal 34-mile ride just past South Prairie, but I managed to average 19.9 mph (I’m thinking “darn it, I almost got to 20 mph”) – enthusiasm skyrocketing!!

4/14/2020:  Mike at Fairfax Bridge just past Carbonado...
52 miles/18.0 mph

After a couple of more 19.0 mph rides in the 30-34 mile range, April 21^st brought a 51-mile ride at 18.7 mph (pretty much the same ride that I’d done on April 9^th except that this one was 0.5 mph faster…).  April 24^th saw a 52-mile ride at 18.6 mph, and April 26^th was a 58-mile ride at 18.1 mph (I’m thinking “take THAT Coronavirus – you’re not going to ruin my summer”). 

           

  

4/26/20 Calfee and Mike at Fairfax Bridge 

For the sake of brevity, I will simply list some of the rides that built up to probably my best ride of the summer which occurred in June:

April 29^th… 35-mile ride at 19.8 mph. 

May 5^th… 58-mile ride at 19.2 mph

May 7^th… 34-mile ride at 19.1 mph

Finally, on Sunday May 10^th on a ride that was purposely short (only 20 miles, because it was Mother’s Day); I managed to average 20.2 mph!!  Mother’s Day with Kathy and the boys and that ride (even though it was short)... COOL!!

May 13^th… 68-mile ride (almost 2,000’ of climbing) at 18.6 mph

May 15^th… 34-mile ride at 18.7 mph

May 17^th… 35-mile ride at 19.2 mph

May 19^th… 56-mile ride (1,200’ of climbing) at 19.0 mph

May 24^th… 75-mile ride (2,300’ of climbing) at 18.1 mph (a little visiting on this ride as I rode from Orting to South Prairie with a friend from spinning class)

May 26^th… 32-mile ride at 20.1 mph

May 28^th… 44-mile ride at 19.0 mph

May 31^st… 30-mile ride at 19.4 mph

June 2^nd… 39-mile ride at 18.3 mph (stopped at various points along the trail to pick up trash… it’s a nice trail, and I figure that we all should contribute to keep it that way)

June 3^rd… 51-mile ride (~1,300’ of climbing) at 19.4 mph (getting a little faster on those longer rides)

June 8^th… 66-mile ride (1,900’ of climbing) at 18.8 mph

June 12^th… 34-mile ride at 20.4 mph (fastest ride of the summer so far)

** Note:  For all of May and June, I had the feeling that I just couldn’t wait to see what the next ride had in store… **

June 14^th… 65-mile ride at 15.0 mph (last ride with Leon… this ride was about visiting and enjoying the ride together – which we did… it was not about going fast)

June 16^th… 34-mile ride at 19.6 mph

June 19^th… 54-mile ride at 20.2 mph with 1,000’ of climbing (I considered this my best ride of the summer when both distance and average speed were taken into account.  I got a LOT of satisfaction from this ride.)

June 28^th… 37-mile ride at 20.2 mph 

 Mike & Belching Beaver post-ride hydration 6/28/2020 

At this point of the summer, I was wondering “how much faster can I go on rides of 50-60 miles, or how much further can I go with avg. speeds in the 20 mph range”.  The answer was “you are pretty much at your limit (at least, when riding solo)”.   Although I had quite a few more rides of 19 mph or above (and some at more than 20 mph), I never quite matched that June 19^th ride in the latter part of Summer and into the Fall (I did have one ride on July 12^th that averaged 20.7 mph, but it was only 26 miles long).

Though my performance plateaued after than June 19^th ride, my enjoyment did not.  My largest group ride of the summer was on July 3^rd with Scott W, Kyle D and Martin K.  We did repeats on the climb up to the Sunrise Visitor Center on Mt. Rainier.  We went early, so there wasn’t much traffic (i.e. it was easy to “social distance”).  Click on the link below to see video of our descents:

7/03/2020 Descent from Sunrise Visitor Center (Video)

 I had the opportunity to enjoy The Climb with Les Becker on a couple of occasions with lots of visiting both times; and Dwaine T., Adam A. and I had a great ride out to the Carbon River Entrance to Mt. Rainier and back with lots of visiting and me trying to keep up.

Adam and Dwaine and the Carbon River...

Finally, I’ve had the opportunity in the past couple of months to do more “two man rides” with a number of different Cyclopaths (in addition, Martin K. and I have done a number of enjoyable rides together recently).

A special “shout out” to Dwaine T. who has gone out of his way to travel from University Place by bike (and, more recently, in his new “1980’s vintage VW Vanagon”) to Puyallup in order to meet me for numerous rides).

 

Dwaine's pride and joy AND make-shift coffee shop... if you knew the amount of
work he has put into it, you would understand why he's so proud of it...

So, whether it was the performance gains that I enjoyed in the spring and early part of summer, or the opportunity to do more “2-3 person rides" with my friends in the latter part of summer and into autumn, or BOTH; my “outdoor cycling season of 2020” was special.  It was very different, very challenging, very satisfying, very memorable and very interesting in terms of how I had to approach it as compared to any other year that I can remember.  Thank you to everyone who played a part in it.

If any of the rest of you had positive cycling experiences this year and want to share them on our blog, let me know.

FINGERS CROSSED FOR 2021...👍👍