mudman22

Today was ULCER--Utah Lake Century Epic Ride. 107 miles of cranking good times!

This was my first organized ride, and all I can say is "what a blast." I've been riding since the the last week of May, and no doubt, I'm hooked.

6:07 moving time, 6:30'ish total time. Stopped at about six rest stops for water, and quickly got back on the bike. Ate a Clif bar each hour in the saddle.

The organization was excellent on this ride. Plenty of rest stops. Spray-painted turn markings, hazard markings and also signs for turns. (And to think I was worried about getting lost.) Highway patrol did an escort for the first portion of the ride, and there were plenty of state troopers sweeping the course.

First time I've ridden over cattle guards. Good thing the slots run perpendicular to the road . . . (I did a double take when I saw the first one.)

Scare alert: There were two crashes right in front of my wheel. Years of motorcycling experience probably saved my ass a couple of times. I stopped to pick up a racer's bike and make sure everybody was OK, after a rider t-boned another person who decided to swerve and stop to the left of the group. One rider went flying and it could have been very ugly. Guy's derailleur was ripped off. He seemed ticked that his race was over, but way to pick a place to stop . . . The other crash was a guy catching a road seam on an off-ramp, and going down right in front of me as the group was turning. Fluke accident, but he seemed to be OK. In the first mile when we were still in a pack, somebody dropped his sunglasses and could have easily taken out a bunch of people with braking and swerving.

Other than the carnage, this was an incredible event. If anybody is on the fence about trying a century, my advice would be to just sign up and go for it.

If it is any consolation or inspiration to people who may be just getting started as cyclists, my first ten-mile ride several months ago was more painful than this century. You know that lung-searing pain that accompanies a new form of exercise? It goes away after the first few weeks. Next century, I'm going to push it harder and maybe recapture that feeling (and go faster).

jamesdak 

Sounds like a great time. I'm planning on at least one century a month until the weather gets too cold. Tuesday the pros doing the Tour of Utah when be riding right by my house. Can't wait to see how the "real deal" rolls.

mudman22

Cool! Which other centuries are in our area?

FactVord

Good job mudman! Sounds like you had a blast

jamesdak 

Best way to find event is to go to a LBS and get copy of the free Cycling Utah paper. It's done monthly and has and area in the back that lists all the different racing/touring events. Road and Mountain Biking are addressed. I find it more comprehensive that any of the larger clubs websites in terms of listing races.

I'm up north in the Ogden area so I'm concentrating on rides in that area.

Bquillero

Great job and ride report. But you didn't report on the most important stat... How much time did you spend in the drops??? the suspense is killing us!

mudman22

Hahahaha----probably about 15 minutes or less in the drops--mostly during the last quarter of the race.

The first half of the race was spent in small groups or pacelines. As the field spread out, the second half was mainly solo.

johnbryer

I thought about doing this, but the thought of riding past the big landfill down there changed my mind. Glad you had a good time. I climbed up Big Cottonwood instead.

mudman22

Big landfill? You mean Provo?

I'm definitely going to do Ulcer again next year. Might even try that ride that goes up all four major canyons in one day--or at least the 2 canyon option. https://ithinkicanyons.com/

12,000 vertical feet, 110 miles in one day. That would be brutal in a fun way. Hardest to easiest climbs, ending near my house.

Blackdays

Great job!