Comments on: Specialized Ride to Vegas – Cross Winds and Courage

By: willy in pacifica

willy in pacifica — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:19:45 +0000

I feel fine today and it is starting to sink in that I had to DNF at mile 290. I think if I had just gotten off of the bike and taken a few hours of rest maybe I could have gotten out of the valley. But I wore myself out to the point that the math didn’t work for me the way I attacked it.

The winds were still brutal for the last 200 miles that I didn’t ride but that was just usual brutal, not un fricken believable brutal. I have never waned more than to have been on a relay team.

I just cannot tell you how brutal it was because looking at my buddies video just does not do it justice.

OK, so who is up for next year : )

By: willy in pacifica

willy in pacifica — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:12:51 +0000

About every 2-3 miles I would be exhausted mainly due to the stress of everything. I had a deathgrip on my bars and I could not let up to grab a bottle even from my crew. I would have to stop and duck under the drivers side door to get out of the wind. I could keep it up for hours but it was so frustrating working so hard and not getting anywhere. I think if it was daylight it would have been better because I could see at least the little progess I made. But at 4am it looks like you are standing still and a few times I had to suddenly stomp on the pedals just to keep from coming to a complete stop. I was even blow backwards at times and that is when I would have to just panic bail off of the pedals

By: Velodramatic

Velodramatic — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:20:44 +0000

Thanks Jon. The entire group (riders and support) had an amazing chemistry. I hope I get a chance to shoot another one of these.

::M

By: Velodramatic

Velodramatic — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:16:54 +0000

Willy,

That was crazy. Did you have to dismount often or was that you starting to ride again after a refueling stop?

How are you feeling?

::M

By: willy in pacifica

willy in pacifica — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:54:20 +0000

Hey M,

Here is a video of the cross winds in Death Valley. This was after 275 or so miles and about 4am. The winds had to be over 45 MPH and they would just push me all over the road. I had such a death grip on my bars that my shoulders were hurting as bad as my legs were cramping. It was all I could do to keep moving forward at about 4-5 MPH for 60-70 miles straight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YztzW1Ii72o

By: Mario

Mario — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:00:48 +0000

Thanks. I love reading these.

By: Velodramatic

Velodramatic — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:14:16 +0000

Hi William,

Born in Scotland (stayed till I was 8), lived in Canada for 30 years, now residing in San Jose, California with my wife, five cats and three bikes.

::M

By: william

william — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:12:32 +0000

Great shots.
I’m just curious, are you a Brit living in the US or an American who likes to visit the UK?
Wiliam

By: Jon Moss

Jon Moss — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:10:40 +0000

What a great finale and end of a magic trip

Thanks for the photos, emotion, blood sweat and laughter!