FLCC> Ride Report - Brasstown Bald - U.F.O.

Fri Mar 21 20:42:53 EDT 2008

Charles,

Thanks to your write-up, I feel like a celebrity.  For my part, Steve Sloan and I are going out to Albany tomorrow morning to race in the Cake Lane Series.  I signed up with the intention of getting the 2 points I need for my Cat 3 upgrade.  Instead, I volunteered to move up to the 1/2/3 race per the organizers request so they could open more spots for wait listed riders.  54 miles this early in the season in a field with an uneven number of Cat 1s and 2s is seeming pretty daunting this evening.

Joe> Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:15:19 -0400> From: cph1 at cornell.edu> To: flcc at icycle.org> Subject: FLCC> Ride Report - Brasstown Bald - U.F.O.> > Very lucky to be in Helen, Georgia for the weekend. High of 64 today,> bright sunny skies. I left Thursday morning in a snowstorm, can't say> I'm too heartbroken about being far from home today.> > Ride today was 5.5 hours, and included three major climbs, elation at> making it to the top of what may be the steepest road I've ever> climbed, and the agony of the third climb taking over an hour when I> was completely bonked.> > Being on vacation, I didn't leave until the temp outside had climbed a> bit. I headed north out of Helen wearing a wool jersey, shorts and> arm warmers. The road out of town runs next to the Chattahoochee> river for a while before starting the climb about 1500 feet up Unicoi> Gap, I'm feeling good and don't even have to resort to the new 28> tooth cog I had just put on the bike yesterday. Descending down the> other side of the gap there's a group of 4 shaved leg road riders> followed by a pace car coming up the other side, the first riders I've> seen for a while, I'm wondering who they were as I turn left to begin> the gradual rise to the base of Brasstown Bald.> > Another rider coming towards me waves from a distance and then looks> straight ahead, Phonak jersey, square jaw, expensive glasses, I swear> to myself that I just saw Floyd Landis riding in the other direction.> Shaking off my psychosis, I look back just as I start the gradual rise> about 1/4 mile away and notice the phantom Floyd just at the edge of> my vision, turning around at the corner to come back my way. Well> Floyd or no Floyd, I'm feeling good so I get a good cadence going as I> move up the risers.> > So a couple of turns before the base of the climb, sure enough, Mr.> Phonak is gaining on me fast. I'm doing my best impression of> someone-at-the-rivet-trying-not-to-show-it, as he pulls up next to me,> hands on the top of his bars, not breathing heavy at all. "Howdy" he> says and I turn realizing that it is actually Floyd, not my> imagination: jersey, helmet, jaw, grey bike with the logos removed,> the whole bit.. He asks how I'm doing, I stammer something, he nods> and rides away from me quickly, like, like... well he rides away from> me like a Tour de France winner riding away from a 35 year old cat 4.> I'm still pinching myself, wondering why I didn't say more and realize> that he likely didn't want to engage in the same old regular guy to> super-biker conversation that he must alway get. I spin as best as I> can, but he's away from me well before turn to Brasstown comes into> view.> > Ok, Floyd F. Landis just rode away from me and I'm looking up this> mountain saying, 20% grade? They must be kidding, everyone says 20%,> but can it really be... Well check out the ride profile from the Tour> de Georgia: (http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=3969). I> really never knew they made roads that steep. Damn. I think I> divorced Linnie and proposed to my meager 28 tooth cog halfway up. If> I had access to a triple half way up that climb, I likely would have> traded my entire bike for it. As I start up all I can think is> where's the sky? It seems to be entirely filled with road, straight> up and away from my front tire. Think the very steepest part of the> turn on Blakesley only straight and 3 miles long. Three miles and> maybe 1700 feet total gain? If it had been any steeper it would have> needed a fricken escalator.> > So I'm doing track stands on my 39/28 slowly going up the switchbacks> as I approach the first mile marker at 12 minutes into the climb, a> speedy 5 miles an hour by the back of the envelope of my blood> deprived brain. Ok, I think, maybe the second mile isn't as bad. All> I want to do is not get off and push, maybe avoid doing the back and> forth weave would be nice too. Around a corner I look up and the road> is straight up for about 200 meters.> > I don't think my first car could have climbed that grade. There's a> rider resting at the top wearing a bright yellow rain jacket, I grit> my teeth and roll slowly up. Mid-way I try the weave with no luck,> the turns on each end of the weave are so steep I'm about to fall over> and I realize I won't be able to restart. Straight up it is, I just> manage to catch the rainjacket guy who informs me the section we just> did was called the wall (does every ride have a wall?) and that it's> easier from here. He also has a triple with a 36 on the back, I think> it was bigger than the front ring... Mile three is not as incredible> steep and we make it to the top together.> > >From here, it's back down and through a valley to a roadside grocery> and more water. I run into the 4 person team with the car again.> They ride for some tavern in Athens, Georgia and are all younger> looking and skinnier looking than Joe Bailey, shaved legs, sidi shoes,> carbon bikes, chase car, the whole bit. Leaving the skinny cats at> the store I roll back a ways to catch the start of climb #3 and the> road back to Helen. My legs feel about 25 lbs heavier than normal and> every part of me is starting to hurt. Ok, well how bad could this> climb be?> > Well, check the road profile (which I didn't have at the time) and> you'll know what I didn't. It's a cat1 climb, 1500 odd feet, ungodly> grade at the end. I've never had a longer hour on a bike. Every turn> I'm thinking, it must finish just around the corner...ok, maybe this> corner... but no, another long grade. I manage not to walk it or> weave it, but damn was I slow. I could have walked faster. The guys> downtown on their huge three wheel bike contraptions could have gone> faster than me. I was on the edge of cramping the whole time (why do> I do this to myself? Why not take up knitting?) but managed not to> cramp just as I finally made the summit.> > >From there it was quick descent and some insult to injury rollers on> the way back to Helen and a hot shower. Now I'm sitting by the river> on the deck eating and drinking everything in sight. No further Floyd> sightings, but there's always tomorrow...> > -Charles> > _______________________________________________> FLCC mailing list> FLCC at icycle.org> http://icycle.org/mailman/listinfo/flcc_icycle.org
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