Who's done it, who's in for it? Anything I need to know?

There's a bit of climbing.

I'm trying it for the 2nd time. Last year I broke my bike without even doing the first pass. I'm a slow climber, so I'm one of those that will start early, aiming to get to the top of Monitor just as the first rest stop/sticker station opens.

This blog has a good write-up of what the experience is like.

JB

I am in it for the first time. I will also start very early.

Some other blogs:

https://www.freewebs.com/bvy/My%20adv...vin%20Rudy.htm

https://www.actc.org/stories/2004/deathride04_js.htm

In it for the first time myself. I have undertrained so far... while my friends are doing quite a bit of training. As long as I am smart I should be able to finish no problem. Oh yeah, I need to hurry up with the compact crank install....

I did the ride for the first time last year and bagged the bugger. Here's my ride report I sent out to family and friends. I'll be there this year. Good luck.

I'm screaming down Carson Pass, having the time of my life, picking up speed, letting gravity take me home. 35, 40, 45, 51 mph...I can't look any more. I got to concentrate on the road or I might die....

It all started at 4:00am with U2's Theme from Mission Impossible waking us up. We get up, take our time having breakfast of Oatmeal, Banana's and a Bagel. I get a cup of Major Dickinson from John Neil and I'm so ready. Jack is ready to go by 4:30. "Good luck, get outta here...He's takes off.

At 5:35, we roll out. Damn, it's cold on the descent down into Markleeville. Even though I'm wearing a capilene, jersey, windbreaker and arm warmers, I am shivering. So much so, my bike is getting the wobbles. The first little hill takes the chill off. I'm holding myself back on purpose. I keep telling myself, this is an endurance ride, not a race...take your time. John Neil rolls by and say's to start stretching. I do and it feels good. There are people out in Markleeville cheering us on and at the turn towards Monitor Pass.

I'm with Andy and our friend Eric from Reno. Welp, here's the start of 5 passes. From here on forward, it's sit and spin. Monitor wasn't bad at all. It starts out at 9%, then 10% and finally finishes at 7%. Took a little over an hour. As you go up, the riders begin to thin from the big bunch on the bottom.



At the top, you stop at a check point and get your sticker put on your bib, so the organizers know how many passes you grab. I need to fill up my water bottle, so as I lay down my bike I notice Jacks bike on the ground. I call out his name, and hear my name coming from the porta-potties. I wait and he tells me he is off to the backside of Monitor. Jack is in for a long day.



The descent down Monitor is fast and swoopy. No tight turns, just long and flowy. I'm picking up speed when I see John Neil from our group off to the side changing a flat. I think about getting a flat at 45 mph and start to slow down. I realize I don't have my pump with me. You always forget something...

After a quick refill of H20, I start the climb and promptly pass Jack. It's going to be a long day. Halfway up the hill, the Boyscouts have a refueling station of water and Cytomax. They call out "what do you want?" and you toss them your bottle. They toss it up to the next person "relay style", that person tosses it to another and then you have your water bottle back, without having to slow your pace. Unbelievable support.

Monitor is beginning to get a bit warm and the road is one big line of cyclist.


At the top I refuel and Andy, Eric and now Mark have all come in. We make our way down the bottom and turn left to Ebbett's. It was at the rest stop before Ebbetts, where I took a drink of Cytomax. The stuff is the suxxor! Never again will I put that in my body. For some reason, I was dreading this climb. I don't why, I just was. The beginning of the ride spanks you with a 10% spot, but it's only for a few hundred feet, then it's mostly 7%, save for the hairpin turns, but those were not bad. Hell Hamilton is worst than Ebbetts.

The support was great.



I came upon a young rider with his Dad heading up Ebetts. Very cool.



The top off Ebbetts was a zoo, the girls handing out the stickers were wearing angel wings. They would also give you a stick of red licorice.



We all regrouped on the bottom of Ebbetts. I can only stay for about ten minutes or my legs will get tired, So I take off. Even though this climb is about 7 miles with 1600 elevation gain, to me it was a tough climb. My stomach started to feel bloated and I couldn't find my rhythm. It just didn't flow. I get to the top and blow down to the other side where the lunch stop is. I make it into the lunch area at 12:00. Knowing that I need this nourishment, I have to force myself to eat. Let's see, watermelon, grapes, two slices of turkey, a slice of ham, and a hot cup of veggie soup. These guy's know what is good for you and the soup did the trick. At 12:30, Andy and Mark come in. Along with Jim Roberts. I tell Jim I am leaving at 12:45 and he's up for that.

After replenishing myself with spf 45 sunscreen, Jim and I take off to go tackle pass number 5. We've gone so far about 72 miles and we still have another 55 to go till we finish. It's getting warm and the breeze is picking up. As we ride pace line style, others join in. Soon our paceline is about ten deep and each rider helps pull. We get up to about 25 mph. The group falls apart on the small hill up to Markleeville and then another one begins on the descent into town. Everybody and their Mother is out in support for the riders in Markleeville. For a brief two seconds I pretended I was in the tour. A few more hills and we descend into Woodfords. Carson Pass is the last hurdle.

We pull up and Julie asks if I want her to hold my bike while I refuel. Did I mention how amazing the support was?



We leave the rest stop and climb up 8 miles to Picketts Junction into a head wind. Jim is cramping bad, so to give him some relief, I tell him I will pull. We blow by a group of three, who join us. After about a mile, one of the riders takes over pulling. This guy was perfect. He must stand at 6'4'' and was the best windblock I could ask. He kept the cadence just right. Soon we were at Picketts. The adrenaline from everyone is infectious. We all know the end is near.



After ten minutes we are off. We fly though Hope Valley and make are way up Carson Pass. The wind is in our face again, but the big guy is doing a great job. Other riders are descending and I can't wait to be one of them. Our pace is about 6.5 to 7 mph as we grind pass other riders. Soon, we round the final turn and there are people along side the road again supporting us. Cow bells are ringing...amazing. We pull into the parking lot and get our 5th sticker and 5 pass pin. I'm asked what flavor of popsicle do I want?



Crunch Bar sounded perfect.



Jim and I sit under the tent and enjoy the ice cream. Everybody is stoked to be there. We leave at 5:00 and like a horse going home to the barn we fly down the mountain. I hit an all time personal speed record of 54.6 mph. It felt good to be one of the people flying down the hill while others are still climbing it. Jim and I make it back to Turtle Rock Park at 6:00. Total ride time was 12hrs, 22 minutes. Total wheels spinning was 9hrs, 58 minutes. My average heart rate was 136 with a max of 180. Google Earth can be found by clicking here.

Will I do this again next year? Yep, you bet. I'm hooked. By the way...Jack made 4 passes...with only three rides for training since the beginning of the year...What a stud or sicko.

That was a fabulous report, BenRidin.

Good luck to all of you, especially you JB - hope the second try's the charm.

Thanks, Jo. Riding with BenRidin around Morgan Territory re-confirmed that I'm a real slow climber - to get all 5 passes I'll definitely need to start early!

JB

I've finished it four times (knee problems had me quit after four passes once). Bring low gears and pace yourself. Keep shoving the food down. The first four passes are easy; the last one is a lot tougher. The saying is that the second half of the ride begins after the lunch stop.
Here's my blog entry from last year:https://ericm.lne.com/blog/?p=78

I'll be there. Only been training on a real bike since mid-April, but I'm feeling pretty confident. Just wish this terrible weather + smoke wasn't making training so hard. I'm picking up some pretty good speed on the hills where I used to be a grind-it-out type. And my endurance/recovery is pretty good, so I think it'll be a good combo.

I'm in for my first time. Thanks for the great 2007 ride report Ben. Starting early (like double centuries) always pays off.

Mike

If I can complete a century sometime this summer, then I'll make a serious consideration about getting my name in the lottery for the death ride next year.

Reading some of the Vertical challenge posts I feel like I'm totally under training. I've ridden over 100 miles almost every weekend and done as much as 14,000 feet of climbing on one ride back in April. I've been trying to hold my peak off, but I'm afraid I might have peaked on Saturday. Whatever though... You'll see me there either having a great time, or having a great time suffering.

You sound ready to me.. only one way to find out, get out there and ride all day!

Forecast for Markleeville has been revised, from a high of 82 to a high of 79... sounding pretty good!!

I'm pretty excited. I'm going to go up to Silverwood Lake this weekend to get in some last minute altitude training.

1 more week!!! Starting to plan my supplies and packing already so that when I get up the morning of, I'll be able to grab and go. Trying to start at 5am.

So I'm thinking of hunting down a ticket for this...

This will be my first Death Ride, I think I'm ready training wise. But I'm a real creature of habit when it comes to pre-ride meal. What do you guys eat for breakfast. I'm planning a 5:00AM start with friends from my local club, that doesn't give much time for breakfast. I really don't want a Powerbar or ClifBar for breakfast.

I'm suspecting cold cereal with fruit and muffin or bagel and OJ. Just wondering what your power breakfast consist of.

Thanks,
jw

My routine was fairly simple. Small apricot with a bottle water...Prepare a Noah's "Everything" Bagel...Sip some Major Dickinson while the bowl of oatmeal is being prepared...Enjoy the Oatmeal.

This took approx 1/2 hour. 15 min before the start, I ate a small banana.

Good to go. Good luck.

BR

jwill911, I'm doing the same thing, trying to figure out how to make a quick meal. I lose most of my time getting ready in the morning.. so I'm planning on having everything ready to go, and food that I can eat in the car on the (30 mile) drive to the start. Gonna try energy bar, a little hammer gel, some protein, etc... not sure yet, but I need something readymade.

I'm also planning on starting at 5. I figure even the 5:30 starters will be starting to park around 5, so hopefully I can park by 4:40 or 4:45.

If it hasn't been said too many times already: don't forget to take pictures! It'll take the pain away on the climb! :-)

yeah, hoping to get a bento box and borrow a pocket camera.. i'm getting lazy though and it's getting late...

Early starters don't forget your lights. The CHP does check. I think that you can drop them off at the clothing dropoffs.

Last year I had breakfast at TRP (the one put on as a fundraiser). That worked pretty well although I would recommend skipping the sausage unless you are sure that it won't make you ill later.

When I have stayed in south lake tahoe I've had a cup of motel coffee and choked down a couple bagels on the drive over. That's not quite as good but it works.

Eating a solid breakfast and getting a start on digesting it before you start riding is important.

Lights: I have a CatEye 5 LED which I usually keep in strobe mode unless it is totally dark and have a LED rear light.

Clothing: I plan on arm and leg warmers, with vest to start. I'll probably just carry the vest and arm warmers in my jersey pockets in case I need them later but will drop the head light, and leg warmers off for later pickup.

Breakfast: Still working out the details but thanks for the input.

Nutrition: I'm going to carry Hammer Gels, Bars and, Perpetium powder pre-measured to mix in one bottle and the other plain water. I also use Enduralytes since I don't like or can't stomach Gator or other 'aide drinks when they get warm.

If'n I can keep eating and drinking I think I'll be alright.

Good luck to all. Can't wait.
jw

A friend was looking to sell hers - do you want me to check and see if it is still available?

JB

PS - rooms are still available in Topaz and S. Lake Tahoe

That would be much appreciated! Thanks.