The ride at Death Valley
BF members. Missed seeing any other BF member Jerseys at this ride.. My first Planet Ultra ride.. I will do others... Staff very attentive..
Death Valley is a fine ride.. My attraction to places like this is the lack of traffic and other human activities associated with congestion.. Planet Ultra had rest stops every twenty miles and a lunch at the 50 mile mark adjacent to historic Scotty's Castle.. We were out there alone with vultures and 350 other cyclists.. A couple cyclists were affiliated with Saturn Cycle team and I understand they did 200 miles in the time some of us did the 100 miler..
The ride starts at about minus 200 feet and climbs to 3050.. The climb is gradual and the descent is great.. I was unlucky with the weather. NOAA weather had predicted clear skies after a downpour two days before.. 40 miles was partly cloudy and the last 10 very overcast and the last 3- I GOT SLEETED upon.. Never has this happened to me in So. Calif.. Guess better than rain , since I did not take any raingear....It was different. Headwinds haunted us almost every mile of the way to and from.. All considered with a 3300 ft. climb and very strong headwinds going and coming, we did the ride in seven hours and 22 minutes.. I was disappointed and without the headwinds felt I could have done the ride in an hour less. Think this is about 12.5 mph. So fair. I did slow down for wet roads on the descent, high winds and for 3 miles up, sleet..
Today, as we left and having had to sleep late- the sun was summer like and I wanted to stay and ride again..
Anyway, the scenery was terrific and Planet Ultra was great.. Would not mind doing this again. Hope to see you BF-erss out there next time..
So my question- with strong headwinds, wet roads, and a 3300 ft. climb; Think that is ok time for 101 miles..? What is some of your better one hundred mile rides on mountainous roads..?