Wednesday, May 17, 2017

160 mile Unsupported BALLS gravel grinder ride from and back to Madison. Weather was tough...cold, wet and rainy.

All photos but the last one provided by Tyler Ubinger.
Rode the 9:zero:7.

Just under 12 hours, 37 degrees at the finish after 3-4 hours in a light rain. 10-15 head/cross winds.

Friend Tyler and I took off counter-clockwise as the5-6 other guys that showed up went clockwise. We then met out on the trail neat the 1/2 way mark.

Tyler is in training for the Tour Divide race. Tyler and his sponsors are using it as fund raiser for the Madison Boys and Girls Club. I'm looking at picking him up around the 4th of July at the finish, in Antelope Wells, and getting him to an airport. I'll stay out west a couple of more weeks then and get some riding in.

Needless to say, he's in much better shape than I am, but that wouldn't have made any difference as he's just faster anyway and after 4-5 hrs before the 1/2 way point he took off. We had talked about this and I didn't want him to wait for me. I know he wanted to get some solid training in.....that said, I passed him at about the 3/4 point....as he had pulled into a fast food restaurant for an hr. and I pedaled on without stopping. If I had seen his bike I'd had pulled in as well!!
 Tyler's bike left, mine right.

I wore Keen sandals on flats with some medium wool socks and my feet never got cold. My hands were a different story....when I got back to the Heep I couldn't squeeze the connector to get my helmet off.
Core had probably dropped a few degrees.
Glad I had updated me seat....no problems coming from that area.


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