First 200k ride (well...close enough...)

[JohnKScott]

I am calling it close enough. Original route planned was 130 miles or 209 km. However, I had to abandon at 122 miles (196 km) due to severe weather (tornado warning) It was a mostly flat ride with some rolling and three decent climbs between 65 and 82 miles out. This was a self supported solo effort. Brought a long a minimum of stuff and stopped at convenience stores along the way for most of my food. The plan was just to take it at a nice slow pace and finish the ride. Longest/hardest ride before this was a fairly hilly century so I was confident I could finish this one. And I would have except for the weather. I still felt great when I called for my rescue ride. Felt like I could have done another 50 miles easy. Total saddle time for the 122 miles was 8 hours 3 minutes with 2,216 ft of climbing after smoothing (Garmin registered 3,250 ft). 1150 feet of that climbing was over 3 climbs and about 5 miles. Not a lot of climbing for the distance, but enough to make the ride a little more interesting.

Here’s an image of the route I actually completed. Started in La Crosse, WI, crossed the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chein, WI and then up the IA & MN side just past Brownsville, MN and back to Brownsville again.

http://johnkscott.com/images/TSRR200kmap.jpg

My first stop was Genoa, WI for about 10 minutes after 16 miles just to stretch out a bit.

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr01.jpg

The Lock & Dam at Genoa…

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr02.jpg

A cool looking house south of Genoa…

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr03.jpg

Second stop was at Ferryville, WI at about 35 miles where I had some chocolate milk and mini Oreos and refilled my water & Cytomax. Stupid truck pulled in so you can’t see my bike.

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr04.jpg

After I left Ferryville, I could see I was headed into a little weather to the south.

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr05.jpg

Luckily it cleared a bit by the time I got there and I just got spit on a little bit and had about 7 or 8 miles of wet road to deal with.

Third stop was in Prairie du Chein, WI for lunch at about 58 miles. Had a hot dog, Mountain Dew and some Cheetos. These would come into play later. It was starting to get hot.

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr06.jpg

Crossed the Mississippi into Marquette, IA

Riverboat casino in Marquette…

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr07.jpg

A view from the bridge crossing into Marquette…

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr08.jpg

A cool cliff & foreshadowing of coming attraction…

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr09.jpg

continued...

[JohnKScott]

About 4 miles of easy spinning after this river crossing I hit a hill. Never ridden down in this area before so I didn’t know what to expect. I started going up at a pretty good pace as it didn’t seem like it would be that long. Turned a corner and…uh…more hill. At this point I started pacing myself a little better and was able to manage my heart rate well. However, by the time I got to the top my lunch was revisiting me a little with some chunky burps. I spun easy for a while and had a wonderful descent down into my next stop in Harper’s Ferry, IA at about mile 74. Took a 15 minute break and took on some water (both me and the bike) and availed myself of the air conditioning for a while.

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr10.jpg

Started out again and my tummy felt much better but I wasn’t having anything but water for the next 14 miles which was my next stop in Lansing, IA at about mile 88. Had a chocolate milk and a few of my left over mini Oreos from earlier in the day. Yum!

Just south of Lansing…

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr11.jpg

The stop…

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr12.jpg

Next leg was a short 11 mile ride to New Albin, IA at about mile 99. Stopped there for a short break and a Mountain Dew and took on some water. Still hot. After the ride the weather data said it was 86 with a heat index of 95. It felt every bit of it. Met some of the natives…

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr13.jpg

The second to last scheduled leg was about 14 miles to Brownsville, MN at about mile 113. The town I grew up in from about 10 years old until I went away to college.

http://johnkscott.com/images/tsrr14.jpg

The place where I planned to stop was closed…like for good. Scratch that stop off my cue sheet! The weather was starting to look pretty sketchy at this point and I had about 17 miles left to get home. I decided not to stop at all and push on. My legs were still feeling fresh and I felt great. My butt and feet were about the only things that were giving me any grief at all and those were manageable.

I got a bit over 4 miles out of Brownsville and the weather turned bad FAST. At first it just started raining and it felt pretty good actually. Then I started hearing thunder in the distance and I saw shelf clouds come over the bluffs and the wind changed directions on me. It was at my back and now I was headed mostly at me and a little sideways. I learned later the gusts were up to 70 mph. It was blowing me around pretty good. The rain started coming down in sheets and the lightning got really intense.

I was about half way between Brownsville and La Crescent, MN. Since the wind had done a 180 on me I decided to beat it back to Brownsville and take cover. I was holding a nice 20-22 mph pace headed back to Brownsville until the wind did another 180 on me about a mile and a half out. I battled it out and called for an emergency pick up in Brownsville. That’s where I learned that there was a tornado warning and my Mom (my ride) was stuck in the basement of the YMCA with my daughter in La Crosse, WI. They came and got me a bit later and I got cleaned up and we had a great pizza munch that night!

I enjoyed the heck out of this ride and really wish I could have finished it. I would have without a problem but Mother Nature had other ideas lol.

Now, to plan something bigger for next summer when I visit up in Wisconsin!

[10 Wheels]

Do it again next week.
Nice Pics, Thanks

[JohnKScott]

Heh...wish I could. I don't get too many chances to be out riding my bike all day. The cost of being a family man (not complaining). I did do a century two weeks prior though! Next century scheduled 9/20. Maybe I'll figure a way to slip one in before then :D

Thanks!

[yeamac]

Third stop was in Prairie du Chein, WI for lunch at about 58 miles. Had a hot dog, Mountain Dew and some Cheetos. These would come into play later.:roflmao2::roflmao2:

Thanks for the nice write up and picts.

About the food, I'm not a fan of Hot Dogs, and thanks to your write up I'm certainly never, EVER going to eat one on a long bike ride!

[JohnKScott]

I'm glad you enjoyed the forshadowing :D

I understand what you are saying. I needed something a bit more substantial at that point. I don't think it was the hot dog per se, just the volume of what I had eaten too soon before a strenuous stretch. Next time I eat lunch AFTER the big climb :D

[drewcifer]

thanks for sharing. looks like a beautiful ride!