Tracy Draper's Blog

Cooler temperatures are something we all are yearning for, aren't we? The blistering heat indexes have been nearly unbearable here in central Florida for the last few days. However, with school buses on the roads again we are reminded that the evenings will begin cooling off soon, and when our rides start in the morning it will feel really nice.

Rolling in with more enjoyable feel to the air comes century season - when there are so many events to choose from that it can make one's head spin. Let's look at two on the horizon: one is a brand new event and the other is in its fourth year. I'm happy to say that I will be at both and I would love to have you there with me.

The inaugural Flagler Fondo is touted as "Something Different." How so? If you take a few minutes to peruse the site, you will see an event schedule that is chock-full of activities. Beginning on Friday, September 15th there will be live music by my good friend, Seba & That Guy , during packet pick up. They will be playing on Saturday from 11am-2pm as well while we riders return to the event start / finish. For those of you who are gluttons for pain and suffering, you will notice not just one century but TWO: one Saturday and one Sunday. That is what I will be enjoying as I use these 200 FLAT, BEAUTIFUL miles to train for my next big event.  Click here to register

How does one train for a mountain event during a flat fondo? Simple: ride faster and trust the wind to be the resistance. Riding along the ocean will certainly provide plenty of wind. Riding back to back centuries will test my recovery plan, hydration, nutrition and mental state.

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And the next big fall event is..... one of my all-time favorites!


The Road Titans 300 is a unique cycling challenge where your legs, lungs, heart and mind are all put to the test. This year will be a bit different than the other three years of Road Titans: the promoters are giving it a more "pro-like atmosphere." Riding peloton-style ride for three days, covering 100 miles a day and 10,000' of climbing, each peloton will have a number of Road Captains to keep the pace moving according to the advertised speeds. There will also be several vehicles per peloton to ensure safety and support: a medical car, a mechanical SAG, a Broom Wagon and a motorcycle to offer water bottle support and to communicate with the Road Captains with any safety concerns.

 Talk about cooler temperatures? The RT300 is in the middle of October, at the time the leaves are in their fall peak colors. The start may be cool, but once the climbing begins the extra layers come off. The roads in the mountains of South Carolina are less traveled than those of other mountain events in the south east, which makes the riding even more enjoyable. Rather than a huge event with a couple of thousand participants, the RT300 has a smaller, more intimate crowd. Does this sound good to you? If so, read more here and use promo code "TRACY" to save 15% off your registration.

Keep this in mind - If 300 miles is a bit too much to tackle, try the 150 version; many take advantage of this to test their limits and return the next year to become a full fledged Road Titan.

Last year I didn't get to make it to RT300 so I am really excited to be back this year as a Road Captain. There are several veteran Titans that I look forward to seeing again and catching up with while we are off the bikes. Over Labor Day weekend I'll be going to train in the Titan roads with some other Titan chicks and I can hardly wait for that. Stay tuned for pictures of Sassafras mountain, Caesar's Head and the big, wicked Sunday climb... I have heard of it but it's new on the route since I have been up there - so I hear it calling my name. 

The countdown to cooler temps has begun and I certainly hope to see you at one of these two events... or both!

We will have to wait and see if positive lessons have been taken away by R&L Carriers, but at the time of this writing - and after a few conversations with the Company's Safety Department - I do feel as if I did the right thing to report this driver.

Google imagesHe was called in to tell his side of the story at the Lakeland, FL office of R&L Carriers. This morning I spoke with Dewayne, from this local office, who told me this:
- This particular driver has been with them 30 years
- He has one of the safest records, with no accidents
- He reported that by the time he saw me, he was in the curve and had no other option but to cross the line and that's when he saw the green truck (credit goes my red blinkie light on the seat post and colorful attire)
- He did offer an apology

The Company has also apologized several times, which doesn't make everything OK, but does offer admittance of wrong-doing, both at the Corporate and local levels.

I reiterated that we (cyclists) are on that road any given day of the week and that their drivers need to be reminded of that. To simply say, "By the time I saw her it was too late" is no good reason for what he did, however I do not believe he acted with malice. I believe he simply made a poor judgement call. Dewayne agreed, particularly when I reminded him of what other catastrophic consequences could have come from this.

Next I will follow up with certified letters to the Company, asking that this complaint remain on file and giving permission for this incident to be used in Driver Safety training meetings in the future.

After that, a call to DOT is in order to see if we can get some more "Share the Road" signs on this stretch of road. Additionally, a call to the Orange County Sheriff's Office to bring awareness to situations like this in their jurisdiction.
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Seeing as I how I have made poor judgement calls on many occasions during my life, I hold no ill-will towards this driver or the Company.

Some have asked, "Why on earth would you go talk to the driver? Don't you know he could have had a gun?"

Good questions: Let's continue this lesson briefly and wrap it up.
1) When I saw that the driver had gone into a public parking lot others around, I felt like he was not going to do anything rash
2) Because I knew I could keep my cool, I felt it was safe to converse - not confront
3) Since he was at the opening up the back of the truck and appeared to be pretty harmless, I called out to him from a safe distance. I would not have approached him while in the cab of the truck; I would have only taken photos of the tag, etc. Had he acted aggressively in any way, I would have left the scene.

If / when you find yourself in a similar situation, perhaps this experience will come to mind. Remember that if you are out of control, your chances of being heard are very slim. Who wants to listen to some who is hysterical? Not me. Not very many other people that I know either.

Take Away
- Stay cool
- Make sure it is safe to have a conversation  - screen the surroundings, are others present? are you safely off the road?
- Take video of the conversation if possible, however that could possibly incite the one you are trying to speak with
- Report to the authorities immediately
- Take photos of the tag and get company name, if a company vehicle
- Still remain cool; we can act with emotion and remain in control
- Tell others; social media can work to our favor if we respond with tact and self-control

I invite your feedback. Perhaps we can share experiences and continue learning from these unfortunate incidences.

Yesterday morning's ride was spectacular: the group, the terrain, the weather... all mixed together with fluidity. It was "one of those rides" that you wish would last all day. On the last leg, however, two of the guys I was with wanted to ride a little faster than I did (truth be told - I was enjoying the morning so much that I didn't really want to work as hard as they were!), so once we hit the new, beautiful smooth pavement of CR48 I tapped out of my pull and said to them, "If you drop me, don't worry - I'll be fine." So they did and I was.

I slowed from 22+mph to 19, fighting the wind on my own - but that didn't matter. I found cows to moo to, flowers bobbing their bright yellow heads against the wind and a clear sky above me to enjoy. I was having myself a wonderful little time.

Until...
Where the offense occurred on CR 48E, near Zellwood, FLJust a couple of miles down the road there is an intersection and I would have to take a left turn, where the tailwind would follow me and push me home. However, leading to the intersection is an open S curve - first to the left, then to the right. A double yellow line is there, warning drivers not to pass because it is difficult to see oncoming traffic. I could see a green pick up truck on-coming, in his own lane. All of the sudden there was a huge roar behind me and to my left. Flashing through my mind was an image of a head-on collision between these two vehicles and I instantly threw my left hand behind me as if to tell the 18-wheeler driver "DO NOT PASS". He apparently did not care about my warning because by the time I blinked he was beside me on the double yellow line in the curve, flying at (I estimate) 60+ mph. The green truck was in the grass and for a millisecond, we were three wide on the two lane road with no shoulder. As the big rig flew on by I threw up both arms in disgust, shouting my typical "YOU IDIOT!" reaction at him at the top of my lungs. I was pushed all-too-close to the white fog line that is just feet from woods, where I would likely have lost control and crashed, had I not been paying attention. The green truck swerved back onto the black asphalt and the big rig was out of sight.

By the time I got to the stop sign, less than a mile away, with my heart still beating at a high rate, I saw the perpetrator truck driver turn his rig to the right and head down a Dead End road. The adrenalin surge had begun to settle down underneath my skin so I decided to see where this jack-a-roo was heading. I just may need to go have a little chat with him.
R&L Carriers EmployeeI have had enough experiences with ding-dong drivers to know that to have a highly emotional confrontation does no one any good. I would need to be calm and clear - with a message for him to listen to, not react to. To confront face-to-face does little to help the situation, but to converse - to come beside someone - is the better way to do.

I snapped a photo of his rig from the road so I could identify the company he drives for: R&L Carrier. From there I rode into the parking lot of the St. John's Water Management Apopka Field Office, taking a shot of their sign, and another photo from the rear of the truck. The driver was opening up the back of the container so I helped myself to taking his photo as well.
When I was about 20' from him with the sound of gravel crunching underneath my feet, I politely - but firmly - said, "Good morning, Sir."  He whipped around to look at me as quickly as a sloth would. He just stared. So I repeated the salutation and added, "Did you realize you almost took me out back there as you ran another truck off the road, Sir?"

His stoic face said it all: he did not care one iota. So I reiterated the dangerous activity that could have cost human life. His response was mind-boggling.

"Well, I seen you was OK..."

"Excuse me, Sir? You crossed a double yellow line in a curve with oncoming traffic, ran a truck off the road and near-bout took me out!"

Again, in his best English grammar he repeated, "Well, I seen you was OK..."

In disbelief, I began shaking my head, trying to help him see how absolutely asinine his actions - and excuses were.

I tried another angle. "Sir, I am an ambassador for safe cycling, and I just want to help you understand that you broke the law back there and it could have had very serious consequences."  He then found another line to repeat calmly, "I wish y'all wouldn't ride on these here roads."

"Well, Sir, we do and we will continue to because this is only one of two ways to get to the hills, and both are on busy highways."

"Why don't they put a bike path on them then?" He mumbled in a thick southern accent.

Finally - a breakthrough!

"We would love that, Sir, but right now that's not an option. How about if you just slow it down next time you come upon a cyclist when there is a double yellow line in a curve? Don't you see how bad that could have been back there? It's your job to follow the laws of the road - just like it is ours. I was following the law. You were not. You were in waaaay too big of a hurry to get here."

I continued preaching from my little soapbox since I had his attention, "No hate, Sir. We're on the same team, I'm sure... we don't want to see anyone killed or hurt on these roads now, do we? Just like you today - there are cyclists who break the law, and you probably get mad at them, but tyically no one is going to get killed by a cyclist being a jerk, except for themselves."  

On that note he agreed, but there was never an apology or admission of guilt. I thought of calling the authorities to come out take note of this incident, but then it would just be my word against his, since I had no video proof.  Or at least that is what the Lake County Sheriff's Department has told me on the occasions I have called a near-miss incident in to them.

Instead, I have a call into the St. John's Water Management Authority to find out more about who this uneducated, uncaring, dangerous driver is. I will post this blog on R&L Carrier's FB page and any other social media I can find of theirs. I will probably also get some cameras for my bike. For now, however, I wish to share this story to help others who may find themselves in similar situations - because we all know this kind of thing is a regular occurance on the roads that we ride on.

Hopefully there will be an update in weeks to come with a positive outcome from all of this. Until then - please ride safely, be on guard and try to have a conversation - rather than a confrontation - if you find yourselves in a similar situation. We are all ambassadors on the bike if we are safe and smart with our riding!
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Bicycling.comWith Six Gap and Road Titans 300 on the horizon, I thought this article will be a good one for those attending one - or both - events. A nice refresher!

Certainly there is an art to coming off a mountain on two wheels while keeping them both on the ground.  Our recent escapade in the north Georgia mountains were quite educational.  Most hills here in central Florida are fairly straight so there is little art to it: just roll down, feather your brakes, make sure no one is around you and enjoy the short-lived thrill ride. Not so in the mountains. Nuh-uh.  It can be a deadly descent for many reasons. Mountain roads deserve utmost respect. We were told that Brasstown Bald was too steep to descend and that our group would be shuttled down. However, one of my friends was going to ride down so I asked if I could join in. His advice was this:1)  Alternate my brakes to avoid overheating the rim and causing a blow out. 2)  Keep my speed down because it's easy to let the bike get away and lose control.3)  Stay on my side of the road, especially in turns. Crossing the yellow line could mean death if I met a car.After a hard swallow to force the lump in my throat away, I decided that I could do this. Once we made it safely to the bottom without incident we were told that a woman had died just the week prior because her front rim got too hot and exploded her tire. What a tragic story to hear. Here are a few more tips about descending that were taught that weekend:Keep a good amount of distance between you and other riders (~150 yards.)Stay off of the paint if the surface is damp.This is no time to race: enjoy the mountains and respect the terrain.In big rides (like 6 Gap, for example) take extra precautions. Be ultra conservative.Call out as you start to overtake a rider.Focus on the road ahead and debris, cracks, rocks, etc.Know the road. If it is your first time on it, be extra careful and don't let the thrill overtake common sense.Break before the curve, pedal through it.Note the speed limit signs into curves; gauge your speed accordingly.For a really good, short video on descending, click here.  To quote our mountain guide last weekend, Chris said, " Just because a person is a strong rider doesn't mean that he has great descending skills.  And last but not least never ever race a fat boy down hill."  He's right on both accounts!* * * * *Just for Fun! The video shown here is from YouTube and is a racing team going down Brasstown Bald. Note how cautious even they are.

Under the Cheaha Challenge Big Tent for Food, Conversation and Listening to the Bands If you have been reading the past three posts about my experience of the amazing Cheaha Challenge Ultra, you have more than likely already arrived at a conclusion of some sort - perhaps even a judgment - of my mental state. It almost goes without saying that I had a FANTASTIC time and that I do plan on returning in the future. Despite the stormy start at packet pick up, the grueling grind of climbing the steep portions of Alabama's highest mountain, I can tell you that riding the Ultra was just a portion of a wonderful time.

The event Director, Brooke Nelson, is one of the most organized, passionate and professional event leaders that I have dealt with. Surrounded by a few hundred volunteers, she knows how to put on a great show! Most people have no idea what goes on behind the scenes at events like these, but with my experience of directing the Mount Dora Bicycle Festival, organizing the Ride Across USA, and putting on a couple of triathlons / cycling events in the past, I have nothing but respect and awe for Brooke and her team.
Brooke - duh - the only girl in the photo
I highly recommend that you give this Cheaha Challenge a try. Remember, there are shorter rides - and one that leaves the mountains / hills out of it. A few of my friends have said that they want to go next year. Save the date: May 20, 2018. The event has been running for 25 years now, and it shows.

To learn a bit more about it, visit their website: http://www.cheahachallenge.com/

The Cheaha Challenge is called " The Toughest Ride in the South ."  Harder than Six Gap? The Ultra is for certain. It's a close call on the Century route. What makes it so hard? Try adding two climbs that contain 19% grades at mile 90-96, another climb with 13-14% grades at mile 100 THEN finding yourself at the foot of Chimney Tower Peak. My Strava records multiple pitches of 15-19% for portions of that. For those of you who have done Six Gap, think of it this way: Complete Six Gap's 104 miles then ride over to and up Brasstown Bald. BAM! Ouch. I groan just thinking about it. Cheaha wins the right to call the Ultra the Toughest Ride in the South for sure, in my professional opinion.

Some people have already asked me, "What's next?" Why, the Road Titans 300, of course! This year I am honored to be an Influencer for RT300, which means I help promote the event and be a Ride Leader. This will be my third time as a Titan. In 2014 I was fresh and strong after the Ride Across USA. In 2015 I was weakened by the stroke just weeks prior to the event, and I rode with the C peloton for "as long as it felt good."  The Mount Dora Bicycle Festival was held on the same date as Titans in 2016, so it pained me to miss it, but I had no choice, since I was the Director for MDBF. This year I will train hard and I plan to be in prime condition in October.

What is Road Titans 300? It's 3 days of 100 miles a day and about 10,000' of climbing each day. There is one KOM segment on the daily climb, and the winners (M/F) get a cash prize, Titans helmet (it's really cool) and free entry for the next year. If you are not quite up to that, there is a TR 150 - half the distance and climbing, but still 3 days. The scenery and temperatures will be delicious for the dates we will be there: October 13-15, 2017. Typically the fall foliage is at or near its peak. Finishers get a really cool medal and a yummy meal at the end (and beer for those of you who like it!)

The Director of RT300 is a personal friend of mine and puts on a really terrific event. Full roving SAGs for each of the three pelotons, awesome Rest Stops and really great camaraderie within the group. Many of us stay at the host hotel and have a good time visiting in the afternoon / evening each day. The temperatures were cold one year (in November) so Director Jan Michael Ramery has a bonfire built for us at a Rest Stop before the day's big climb. In 2015 he had a giant vat of catered macaroni and cheese at the final Rest Stop of the day. RT300 is very much a challenge, but rewards come throughout the day.
If you are interested in joining me in October, use my promo code: TRACY as you register and you will get 15% off. The price goes up each month so register sooner rather than later for the most savings. I also plan on hosting a RT300 Training Camp in early August on the very roads we will ride in October, so please email me if you are interested in that. TrainingWithTracy@gmail.com

In closing this series, please remember this: You are as successful as you want to be. Dream it, plan it then LIVE IT! 

Evil - the elevation monster who eats cyclists at CheahaThe walking wounded became more plentiful. To hear moans of pain out of another Ultra riders was commonplace. My own thoughts began to eat at my confidence, and I harbored a question  of "What if....?" secretly for a short time. The ping-pong of positive self talk laced with the reality  of my aching legs alerting me that they were tired was wearing on me, so I had to put a stop to it and take a whole new attitude of "wait and see." Thankfully my legs were not cramping, just quite tired.
Not too far back in the course I had seen a man with a limp walking his bike up the back side of "Oh Shift!"  I asked if he was OK and his reply was "Yes, but I'm cramping badly." As I climbed past him I offered to help by saying, "Do you know any stretches? I'm a personal trainer and I can show you some if you like." Stating that he didn't want to "mess up my race" I assured him that it was no race at all for me and that I would be glad to assist. So I did. His quad was pretty locked up but he was grateful and I was back on my way moments later. It actually did me good to stop and stretch my legs as I showed him a few. The devil met us near the top of Cheaha
By now it was close to 2pm and we had just two more climbs: Whites Gap and the killer Chimney Tower climb. We had powered our way through 114 miles and over 11,000' of elevation. Now with just 10 miles to go, coupled with of another 1,000+ feet of elevation, it was just about time to see how deeply we could draw from our storage tanks.  The sun was out and temperatures continued to climb as we did. Closer and closer we drew to the infamous climb. I started to question how my legs would behave for me. Two blocks to go…. I went to the elevation profile for this climb on the Garmin and it just went up, up and up for the entire screen.  A portion of it showed almost straight up. Gulp. I took a deep breath as Mike and D pressed upward. Just before the KOM timing mat, I stopped for about a minute to stretch my quads, calves and hammies because I had already felt them beginning to tighten. Did I have anything left? I wondered.
It’s do or die – time to climb! Mounting Goldilox on a 15% grade was a little tricky so I opted to roll downhill for a few feet to ensure a good clip in. Off I went! Within the first 100 yards I found a man walking up, pushing his bike and making strange sounds. Next, I rounded the first bend... and I saw three men spread wide across the road (with others descending and shouting at them to move over). I sternly called out “on your left” and hoped that there was not another descender coming headlong into my path. I stood up and passed them as quickly as I could, raising my heart and respiratory rates. All clear. Apparently their judgment was impaired or they just didn't care if someone crashed because of their lack of common sense. While mad, I had to channel that frustration into power on the pedals instead of stewing. More walkers. More groans. I kept reminding myself that "this is no Pikes Peak", but it certainly felt worse than any portion of my favorite mountain. Hand down - this evil climb was harder.
The climb had a short respite after the first half-mile, but it didn’t last nearly long enough for any of us, I don’t think. Synchronizing my breathing with pedal strokes helps me pace on climbs. More walkers. More descenders – some smiling with relief to be done. Others shouted encouragement. Some looked just plain angry. These helped keep my mind off how loudly the legs were screaming vile things at me. That worked momentarily, but then - all of the sudden the heat got to me. I felt a little light-headed and my lungs were screaming for oxygen. The final turn cam into view – and it brought with it the frightening climax of this hill. 
Drone footage of the Chimney Tower Climb, courtesy Cheaha Challenge Facebook page 
I had heard tales about this corner. It should have some terrifying name because once you make the turn all you see is the road going straight up. And I mean straight up. We Floridians view Sugarloaf Mountain kind of like this, except Chimney Tower is at least several Sugarloafs sewn together at the steepest point. I drew in a deep breath and felt a little dizzy then I did something that I hardly ever do: I found a piece of shade at the scenic overlook on the left hand side of the road and I pulled over to cool off. I felt as if I had cheated, and that bothered me. However, had I continued straight up that road with my front wheel skipping off the pavement, I could have failed to complete the climb. And that was not an option. The cyclist ahead of me had the same idea so I went a little further uphill from him to unclip and drain my water bottle over my arms, face, legs and head. He was standing over his top tube, elbows on the handlebars gasping for air with his torso heaving with each breath. I could feel his pain.
Within seconds of the water hitting my skin I felt better. Perhaps it was more psychological than physiological but I didn't care. I was going to defeat this stupid piece of rock in eastern Alabama. I gazed at the top, focusing on getting there. Using a tool that I teach climbers, I divided the climb in three sections and had a mini celebration when I passed the first 1/3, then the second 1/3. The final third was oh, so hard, but the college kids from Jacksonville State University who were cheering me on made it somewhat bearable. I could see the Birmingham Boys at the top taking in water and giving high fives before they started to shout "Come on Tracy!" to me. The front wheel skipped again. It is an unsettling feeling, but over as soon as I realize what happened. Leaning my shoulders toward the handlebars and giving each revolution all that I had finally paid off and I was over the KOM mat. There was still some hill to climb to get to my friends, but the mental battle was won. 
Just a few more pedal strokes and I was at the tent, being served by cute, young southern  college boys who brought me ice cold water, offering food and pats on the back. Their accents were amazing. I just wanted to hear them talk. It took me back to my childhood days of living in the Deep South and it was heart-warming. I felt giddy. Demetrius and Mike - the Birmingham BoysWhen I turned Goldilox around and looked back at the climb from this perspective, I was taken aback. Wow. How did we do that? There were others who were now coming up the summit - more walkers than riders. One in a Ranger jersey. Some looked defeated while those who pedaled their way looked as if they had been in the battlefield for days. I could relate.
After a few minutes of celebration and photos, the three of us decided that we had had enough and wanted to get to the Finish Line. Down, down, down we went.... and every bit of pain I had felt left my body on the slopes of that dastardly climb. I was in my element now - descending at high speeds and loving every second of it. I shouted to those who were going up, "It is SO WORTH IT!" as I flew
by the walkers and riders. Those who complete the climb would know just what I meant.

With two miles to go Mike, D and I were all smiles and laughs back to the Finish Line.

Tomorrow: Part 4 - Final Thoughts
Quadzilla - the Mountain Slayer. Evil the elevation monster was not going to win!

Start Line / credit BillyDWhen the alarm went off at 5am on Sunday, I quickly went to the weather app. What I found was incredible: the storm system had indeed moved to the east and the rain chance at the start time was now a measly 5%.  After a quick whispered prayer I went straight for the coffee pot and started gathering everything needed for the Challenge.
We arrived at the start at 6:30am under overcast skies. The temperature was in the upper sixties – a delight to me. Before we knew it the time came to line up and review the rules of the Fondo. Besides the Ultra Challenge – a 124-mile course with over 12,000’ of climbing – there were other distances offered. The top 3 male / female age group winners would get a berth in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in France this August. People came from many different nations an about half of the USA to compete for that honor. There were also distances of 84 miles, 62 miles, 44 miles and 24 miles to provide something for all levels. While the crowd swelled to hundreds and hundreds of cyclists, it was apparent that many opted out with the uncertain forecast.
After announcements, an enormous American flag was unfurled just ahead of us from a fire truck as its crane lifted toward the sky while the Star Spangled Banner was played on a trumpet. Beautiful. Touching. Exciting! My heart pounded as nerves began a dance within. I tried not to shake, but am not so certain I was successful. I always think of our service members during the playing of that sacred song and I especially thought of our son in the Middle East this time. I had positioned myself in the front row because I didn’t want to get stuck in the rear of a mass start. 
“Ready, set… GO!”  came over the loud speakers from the Race Director’s tiny body and we were OFF!
Everyone managed to keep the pace reasonable until about 3 miles in, and then the hammer dropped hard. Quickly pacing up to about 25mph, I chose to drop back because I wanted to finish this thing. I had determined early on that I would go and have a good ride, pushing myself but saving some legs for the last climb. I was not out for any QOM award and there were no age group or overall awards for the Ultra – only for the top 3 climbing times for male / female. Part of me just wanted to make new cycling friends, stop at each Rest Stop (I heard they were wonderful) and just have a fun day. Then the other part of me didn’t quite feel right taking the easy way out. Which one wins out remains to be seen at this point.
Our group of 50 +/- riders was in a nice double pace line and we were rolling along nicely when I saw something terrifying: a cyclist about 30 people ahead of me was flying through the air tangled up in his bike and landed in a drainage ditch. I saw his face hit the water and the entire group kept going. I could not not stop and help him. Hitting the brakes hard on Goldilox, I was able to stop not far from him, laid Goldilox on her side in the high, wet grass and ran to him. He was writhing in pain and grabbed his left ribs. Having successfully renewed my Red Cross First Aid training just 3 weeks ago, I tried to recall the order of what to do. I told him I was First Aid certified and wanted to help him. He wanted to sit up and I said, “No, please… stay still. We don’t know how injured you are.”  Just then I looked up to see another cyclist who had come back to help. I pointed at him and said,’ You – call 911!” Just then dozens of Fondo Century riders flew past in their own groups, a few shouted “Is he OK?”  I thought, “Well if you really cared, you would stop ding-a-ling!”
Encouraging signs were along the routeMoments later, while the other helper (Mike) was on the phone with 911 two Cheaha event support vans pulled up to help. By that time I had gotten the name of the cyclist who was on the ground: Javier, from Mexico. He said he was a doctor and was OK. The First Responder said, “Oh no – you’re the worst kind of patient.” Our naughty patient then insisted on sitting up without allowing them to check him out. His helmet was found to be cracked pretty badly but he retorted that “It was already like that” when he came. There was no way of helping this guy. Mike finally got off the phone and we mounted our bikes, shaking our heads at what just occurred. The group that we were with was now ahead of us about 15 minutes up the road.
We hadn’t ridden for thirty seconds before the bad patient came flying around us, dropping us like nobody's business. Good riddance, Doctor! I hope you qualify for the World Championships!  To myself, I said, “I hope not to find him in a ditch again today.”
Ten more miles up the road my new riding buddy and I turn onto the Cheaha Mountain Skyway, near where our Ride Across USA team had a heckuva day in the saddle three years ago. (I won’t get into that, but you can read about it in Live It .)  As we entered the Skyway, we merged right in with Mike’s group from Birmingham. AL I got to meet the whole crew and we had a good time for the next little while.  The climbs splintered the group shortly thereafter, as is usually the case.
There was a 3-mile climb KOM competition that started just below the summit of Cheaha Mountain, highest point in Alabama. The overall average isn’t too scary, but there was little relief on the climb for resting. A hundred yards or so before the summit is a sharp left turn with a steep portion leading up to the KOM end. The event organizers provided free transport to the top for friends / family – a really nice (although underutilized) perk this year. Dozens of spectators were given cowbells to cheer the riders on to the Rest Stop. It was festive and fun indeed! Ultra and Century riders got the privilege of doing this loop twice, so I had hoped to get back to this spot to see BillyD again before the transportation hauled our cheerleaders back off the mountain at 12:15. I succeeded. We had overcome climbs named "Oh Shift!", "Not Again" and were about to go down the very dangerous "Bob's Backside" next. 
At the top of the Three Mile ClimbI met the Adams Gap time cut off an hour early and was feeling pretty good about how the ride was going. Most of this time on the mountain was riding solo as the Birmingham Boys all found their paces to climb. After hitting the summit twice I was excited about the upcoming descent off the mountain. The roads were 90% dry by now and I just let the new Zipps rip. It was so much fun. The climb back to the top of Alabama was frustrating, however, as I felt I was losing air in the back tire. I hoped there would be a pump at the top, and my hope became reality. Because of the rain, I had pumped to 90psi, rather than the normal 100psi so that I could have better traction on wet roads. I didn't like how it felt at this time, however, nor did I like how slowly I was climbing. I tried not to let it get to me because I still had over half of the course to complete. Shooting BillyD a talk to text, I asked him to find a pump for me as I neared the top again. He came through yet again!

At the final Rest Stop coming off the mountain with a Tour de France theme, I re-met Mike and “D” (Demetrius). We were just over ½ way done with over 6,000’ of elevation and 68 miles behind us. Only 55+ miles to go. I tried not to think of that as my legs were starting to say some unkind things to me at this point.
Going over the Top of Alabama The Rest Stops were fantastic. The southern hospitality from these sweet home Alabama folk was endearing. I could barely get a foot unclipped before someone would be walking toward me with their hand out, asking what I wanted in my bottles! Man, I missed the south.
There were still seven significant climbs to focus on at this point as the temperatures began to rise. Time would tell how I did on the timed portions, even though I didn’t really feel like I was a contender. I really wanted to save my legs for the final climb up Chimney Peak Road – so I did. The three of us would stay either in pace line or within sight of each other. The guys were faster climbers than me but I could catch them on the descents – or just after. Truth be told, I think they sat up for me a few times. 
BillyD made some new friends in the Cheer Zone As we neared the century mark, we turned onto an out and back road that added about 10 miles to the route and offered a nasty, nasty climb. Bain’s Gap is what it is called. I called it Disdain Gap by the time I was through with it. I loathe it after having met it. It made me so angry near the summit that I almost cursed! Going up one side of it, I kept telling myself that it was nothing compared to Pikes Peak but my mind was stronger than my legs at that point. They felt like jell-0. I prayed for one more gear, but the 28 is all I had. Fearing for my safety, I passed several men who were all over the road then realized that I should go as slow as I possibly could without falling over. Perhaps that is what they were doing too. I could see the top of the 20% grade, but it was not coming close enough soon enough. Darn it! Gritting my teeth and digging deep, I committed almost everything I had to get this stupid hill behind me…. At least for the next few minutes until I had to scale it from the other side.  Thankfully there was a Rest Stop at the end.

My actual Garmin data from Strava. Bain's Gap is here at mile 90-100. I despise this Gap. At first I thought eleven Rest Stops on a 124-mile ride was excessive when I surveyed the route and cue sheets the first few times. As I planned the stops that I would visit during the event, I wanted to get to the top of Cheaha (mile 42) prior to stopping. I wanted to get a good start on the route and clock as a mental boost. The clock is running from start to finish and while I didn’t think I could contend for KOM I wanted to see where I could place in my age group and overall women’s standing. When I was riding solo it was easy to pass a stop, but if I wanted the company of my new hombres and pace with them I needed to follow their lead… so we stopped every single time for the rest of the ride. Ultimately, the short rest was good, but it did eat up a lot of time on the clock. They were good company and fun to be around, so it was not a hard choice to make. 
Check back tomorrow for Part Three: Screaming Legs

Rear tire was less than 70psi for the second 3 Mile Climb 

The forecast for the weekend was rather ominous: 90% chance of thunderstorms with just a few days where the weatherman could possibly pull a string or two and work some magic. Well, that was what we all hoped for. I signed up for the Ultra - 124 mile challenge with over 12,000' elevation. A century just isn't a challenge anymore. I had no idea what I was getting in to.
Several of my friends who said they were going to go backed out one by one, for a variety of reasons, but I imagine the strong threat of storms had something to do with their decision to not make the multi-hour drive to middle-eastern Alabama. Who would want to take such a chance, anyway? Descending such steep grades could be tricky enough, let alone adding rain to the equation. My mind was made up, however, and BillyD and I were going because the Ultra was just part of a nice weekend that we had planned. Plus, there is always room for the hope that something would change in the weather department. 
With Goldilox and all her gear loaded into the Civic, we headed toward Mom’s house in LA (Lower Alabama) for a visit from Friday through Saturday morning. When we left Mom’s at 7:30am to drive 4.5 hours north the forecast was still pretty gloomy. I wondered if the start would be delayed, since the early part of the morning is when the storms were expected to hit? Time would tell.
We arrived at our friends’ house in Oxford, AL at lunchtime on Saturday under beautiful skies and warm, humid air. The Denneys and I met on the Ride Across USA in 2014; they are huge supporters of our military and supported our team in various ways. We have stayed in contact since then and our friendship has grown. Ever since we met, Joel and Nancy have invited us to come stay with them so that I could partake in this exciting challenge. Finally, I accepted the invitation and the rest is recent history.  Meeting Joel and Nancy Denny - the beginning of a sweet friendship in 2014

Nancy made us a fantastic lunch then Joel drove us over many miles of the Ultra course. Some of the climbs looked intimidating – even from the vantage point of the front seat of a big Chevy truck. After an hour or so of scouting out the route, it was time to go to packet pick up. On our way, Joel told us about the Chimney Tower climb – the most feared one – that was close to the packet pick up location. As we drove up it, I kept telling myself that “this is nothing compared to Pikes Peak.” Steep? Yes. Daunting? Yes. But impossible? Not at all. The biggest fear factor is that it comes at mile 119. That is what put a little question mark in my confidence.
Start / Finish Line Saturday afternoonClouds thickened in the sky and rain began falling on the area west of Jacksonville, AL. BillyD and I went to the campus of Jacksonville State University where there was a flurry of activity for several hundred cyclists. Catered pasta dinner would be served at 5pm under the big tent so we worked our way over just as the bottom dropped out of the clouds. Torrential rain fell for over an hour with whipping winds, crashing thunder and sky-cracking lightning. While we waited for a break in the storm we found lots of nice folks to pass time with. Joel and Nancy came to join us at the table when   a break in the downpour, came so we left for another look at one more climb nearby. It is called Bain’s Pass and I don’t care if I never see it again. More about that one later.
The forecast changed slightly, and storms were to begin at 4am and last through mid-morning. At least the roads would be dry (hopefully) by the time we got into the mountain.
Thunderous explosions woke me up throughout the night several times. All I could do is pray that the system would work its way east of us. I don’t mind riding in the rain, and to have a wet start wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. “It actually may keep my core temperature down” is what I told myself as I dozed off to sleep Saturday night. Whatever happens with the weather is what we will have to accept, right?
Check back tomorrow: for Part 2: Answered Prayers and an Early Crash

Cyclists will ask me from time to time for advice on climbing. While there are many other much better climbers than me, I have gotten to do a few neat climbs on two wheels, and perhaps some of what has helped me get to the summit can help you as well.
   Attacking a hill is like attacking a pit bull: you can most certainly do it, but it's going to hurt. Why not just relax and let the hill come to you? Find the right gearing to simply get to the top of the thing. If it's a race, that is a whole different ball game, but if you are racing in the hills / mountains, you already know these tips.  Good luck with that one! Credit: Google images Climbing in the big ring is for the pros or elite athletes, not weekend warriors or those who ride 2-3 days a week. If your strength isn't adequate to meet the demands placed on your muscles, tendons and ligaments you will come away with possible injury. Micro tears can occur, tendonitis or strained muscles / ligaments. It's just not worth the risk to stroke the ego and boast about "big ring climbing" if you're hurt later, is it? 
 Train on climbs before an event. Practice dividing the climb into thirds: once you pass the 2/3 mark, then give it a little gas by dropping a gear and standing or by simply spinning faster.  Ouch! Pintrest image  
A final tip for today is to learn to push past the crest. I recommend 15 hard pedal strokes once you are over the crest, then recover. Do this a few dozen times and you will become a better climber. * The time to do this is not in a group ride, but on your own training ride or with others who are also training with the same goals.  FYI - pictured below is what happens when our muscles are strained. This is highly preventable by riding with your brain engaged, rather than your hormones. :D


More Google credit

April & May 2017
Thursday, April 20 at David's World Cycle (Tavares location)I will be presenting on the topic of "How to Reach Your Goals"







































Saturday, April 22 - Beginner Roadies Workshop I'll help you get stronger, climb hills better and learn group riding etiquette so that your cycling skills are sharpened. Pre-registration required (click here for registration forms). Limited space available, 4 person minimum. Cost - just $30! Bring a friend and get $5 credit on your next workshop.

Sunday, April 30 - Intermediate Hill Climbing Workshop 
I'll teach you cycling-specific strength training exercises that will help you get stronger and climb better. Additionally, we will review many climbing techniques and tips to help you conquer the hills, not just get to the top of them. Yes - we will go to Sugarloaf and Buckhill!Pre-registration required (click here for registration forms). Limited space available, 4 person minimum. Cost - just $45!Bring a friend and get $15 credit on your next workshop.
May 2017Saturday, May 13 Women on Wheels - Peloton Cyclist Club Click here for registration information. PCC members are free. Guest passes available.This is going to be a fun, engaging time with the girls. After the ride we will come back to my house for a bonfire (if permitted), an inspiring talk and dinner under the oak trees.