A few weeks ago we posted the Topeak Phone DryBag video to Topeak TV, YouTube.com and on our Facebook page. Most found the video very descriptive, but one Facebook fan pointed out that we didn’t get the DryBag wet during the shoot.
Eddie's Toepak Phone DryBag
And this person was quite right, so I shot this video to show just how well made the Phone DryBag is. The zipper enclosure is probably enough to keep the bag waterproof, but the roll top and velcro ensures that your Iphone is dry, safe and secure:
I love riding in the fall when the air is cool and crisp. The colors are brilliant and contrasting, the sounds of leaves crunching under your wheels and the earthy smell of them beginning to decompose. The Team Topeak-Ergon riders have been out enjoying the “off season” and taking pictures. Here are some our our favorites.
First up are from Sonya Looney:
Jeff Kerkove’s submission come from the Foothill trails in Fort Collins, CO:
I have been busy with the camera this fall with some many great opportunities in North Georgia:
Do you have some fall riding photos that you would like to share? Please post them to the Topeak Facebook page and we’ll make another blog post out of them.
We’ll close with a creative product shot from Yuki Ikeda:
The time was five minutes to eight on Saturday morning, the sun was just starting to poke through the hills and trees to a little turn off on South Carolina Highway 28. I was late. I jumped out of the car as the heads of the 20 some other Trans North Georgia riders, the race director and few other supporters all turned to me as I pulled my bike off it’s rack. I attached bags to the front and rear of the bike while my wife, Namrita, filled the bladder in my Air BackPack. I sling the pack over my shoulders, mounted the bike and rolled up next to the others who were all more than ready to embark on this adventure.
Race director & TNGA mastermind, Dave Muse, sent us on our way, well everyone except me. I was still fiddling with my Spot GPS Tracker to get it turned on. I rolled out 50 yards behind everyone else. No worries, it’s a long, long ride and one that I knew well.
I raced and won the 2010 edition of the TNGA in 55 hours and 27 minutes. I recorded 354 miles and 56,000 feet of climbing as we traversed from east to west across the roughed north Georgia mountains. I could have been happy with the win and a course record that would stand for a few years if not more, but the race and route got the better of me and I suffered through the last 30 some hours of the ride. I had this yearning to not only better my time, I wanted to blow it away.
The 2011 edition posed a new challenge, no support. In 2010 we were allowed support at three points along the way: Helen, Shallowford Bridge and Dalton. I used these to the fullest with refills on food, water and a change of clothing at each. This year I was on my own. The biggest challenge would be getting from Helen to Mulberry gap, about a 100 mile span, without any stores to refuel at. I would have to carry most of what I needed in this section from the start and save it for after Helen.
We had one more challenge to think about this year. Tropical depression #13 had become Tropical Storm Lee overnight and would, at some point, move east toward us as we moved west. I was also very aware of the rain something like this could produce. Even if the eye of the storm sat on the coast of Louisiana it would send rain bands into the Jet Stream and it would come to western Georgia on Monday.
Tropical Storm Lee in the Gulf of Mexico
Through the first 5 miles I worked my way to the front of the pack, saying my hellos as I went. There was a lot of new faces and a few returning from last year. Once on the front I went to work. My goal was not to necessarily distance myself from the others, but to not waste time while I was fresh and feeling good. I also wanted to get my head into my pedal stroke which is where my focus was going to be for many hours to come. Mean while I was constantly fiddling with my GPS to get it to show me the route. Luckily I have most of it memorized because it would continue to turn itself off for the rest of the ride.
25 miles in and I was alone. Shey Lindner had followed me and even passed me for a moment while I added some air to my rear tire to the base of the Wilson Mountain climb, the first big one. As it got steep I used my well rehearsed pedaling techniques to spin up the large chunks of gravel on the 20% grades. I would then stand intermittently where I could without losing traction. Back and forth like that all the way up. There was no one in sight as I crested Wilson. I felt great and was excited to be underway.
I was on my own for the next 50 miles. I was keeping an eye out as I refilled water first at the Dillard post office, then at a spigot at a house near the Taccoa River, then again at another house before John Dick Gap. I would keep an eye out for people in their yards and ask to use the hose. Everyone was happy to help and wanted to know where I came from or where I was going. I had to keep the talk short though. I liked being off the front and I was making great time.
The first long stop was Moccasin Creek State Park on Lake Burton. It was packed. It was Labor Day Weekend, the skies were clear and the temps just above 90*. There is a small store at the check-in office where I grabbed a candy bar and an ice cream bar, then I rolled toward the lake and bought a Coke from a machine. I found a bench to sit on and relaxed for a few minutes while I ate and drank. As I was finishing up and going to fill my water bottles, Jason Murrell of TN, rolled in looking for water. I was a little surprised as I felt I was making great time and had not seen anyone for so long. Still it was early in the day, maybe 3:00 PM and everyone feels good at this point. I actually didn’t have a clock very handy. I lost my computer on the drive up to the start and only had my phone for time. Wanting to conserve the battery in the phone I only pulled it out occasionally to call in to MTBCast.com or to make a post on Facebook about my progress.
Jason let me know Shey and a few others were close behind, so I wrapped up my pit stop and was off. As I rounded Lake Burton I noticed an area that looked like it was freshly logged across the lake. “That’s just ugly” I thought to myself and then as I turned the corner and heading west I saw more destruction, but it was not logging. The spring tornado had left a huge scar on the area. It seemed to jump along the hills and mountains snapping trees in half and leveling houses as it went. I made the turn northward onto Wild Cat Ridge Rd and looked left to see a 100 yard wide swath of trees snapped all the way down the ridge across the small valley from me. At the bottom was six trailer homes and farm, completely untouched.
The climb up Wild Cat Ridge and then Trey Mountain are both unusual for north Georgia because they are gradual for the entire climb. Usually there are stair stepped steep pitches through out that in some ways break up the climb and others just sap the energy from your legs. I was still feeling good and trying to keep over all pace over 11 mph knowing it would drop later as I needed more rest. On the descent from the peak of Trey Mountain there was more tornado damage. Someone, the forest service I assume, did a lot of work to clear this road. There must have been a hundred trees knocked over.
I was looking forward to the rest of the descent until it started. The road ends and the Hickory Nut Trail begins…sort of anyway. The trail has not been maintained for years and mother nature is very close to reclaiming this piece of land. It was treacherous at best. The vines would grab at my bars and arms, shredding the latter as they took hold. The small pines were tearing at my arms and face as well. The most dangerous were the unseen rocks buried in years of leaves and distributed randomly throughout the path. Whenever I came to a stop to scramble over a downed tree, which was a dozen times I would have to clear the spider webs and spiders from my face and arms. The combination of spiders crawling on my face and those aforementioned rocks nearly caused an early end to the day for me on multiple occasions.
I was frazzled and web covered when I exited the Hickory Nut trail, but unharmed and ahead of schedule. It was only 5:30 PM which was nearly an hour ahead of last year’s time. I headed for Helen and the sea of humanity it contained. I was 110 miles and 10 hours into the ride most of which was spent alone in remote parts of the forest, but now I was suddenly in a tourist trap with hordes of rotund people and brightly colored tubes (for river floating, the top attraction in Helen). I stopped at a sandwich shop and ordered a foot long, chips and soda. I immediately consumed half of the sandwich and all of the chips and soda. The other half would be saved for later. My next stop was a gas station on the way out of town for Gatorade & gummy bears. All topped off I was off again, still one hour ahead of last year.
The climb up Hogpen is rough. It’s paved, but that does not seem to make it’s relentless 10-15% grades pass any easier. I made the top in time for sun set, but the sun was already behind the western mountains which made for a disappointing view. The descent is aways hair raising. Speeds of 55+ mph are easy to come by and being on a mountain bike with disc brakes and 2.4 inch tire allows one to feel a little more comfortable than on a road bike. I let those 3.5 miles fly by with little effort.
I was rewarded with the sunset I was looking for when I reached the valley floor and I snapped a quick picture. Then it was on to Helton Creek Falls Rd. Half way through this section I saw some guys gathering wood outside of a cabin and did my best to be nonthreatening while asking for water. One of the guys gladly obliged and even added ice for me while the other asked lots of questions about what I was doing. It was here that I realized most people ask about what they are afraid of. In this case it was animals of all sorts: bears, snakes, even ticks. I explained that while I do see all of those occasionally, they are rarely cause for concern.
I donned my light and rearranged my food stores. I had one 200 lumen helmet light and three batteries to last the two nights I planned to be out. That’s almost 24 hours of darkness. The batteries will last 11 hours each on low which is all I need for most of the route. I would turn it to a middle setting for the longer descents. The food I carried from the start was either a sports drink mix, a few packages of Honey Stinger chews or this concoction Namrita and I came up with. I mixed almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil , electrolytes and coffee grounds into a soft flask. It was the consistency of browny batter and tasted better than is sounds. It was too thick to use the bite valve on the flask, so I would open the top and take a pull every hour or so. The rest of my food came from gas stations, fast food places and the one stop at Mulberry Gap.
I had a short picnic at the top of the Wolf Pen climb. I was worried I would not make it across Duncan Ridge without running out of water, but that didn’t prove to be a problem. I did find the spring up on the ridge, but someone (probably the forest service worried about liability) pulled the pipe so one could not get clean water from it. Half way across I came across a bunch of young guys who had guilty looks on their faces when I rolled up with a spot light on my head. They had two VW beetles in the middle of nowhere at 10:00 at night. One looked like it my be stuck or broken down. I announced my presence in some way to let them know I was not the law, asked for water which they didn’t have and moved on. Soon they came blazing by my stirring up dust for the rest of the descent.
I found some water at the Cooper Creek campground and moved on quickly. I wanted to make the halfway point at Shallowford Bridge before 1:00 AM and I was pace to do so. Out at Highway 60 there is a store with a Coke machine out front and I stopped. I found a quarter and one dollar bill in my Mondo Pack and feed them in to the machine. The dollar was returned. After the tenth attempt I had resigned to not getting my sugary caffeine fix when I saw a couple of people standing at the other end of the building. This was a little surprising since is was nearly 11:00 PM and I felt like the only person awake for miles. I walked with my bike down to them and inquired about change for the Coke machine. They didn’t have any, but directed me “over yonder” toward a structure behind the store and camp fire next to it. “This could get interesting” I thought, but I really wanted that Coke.
I wander up to the edge of the fire light and saw 4 adults and 3 kids sitting around the fire and a picnic table. I could see a lot of empty beer cans as well. Again I inquired about change for the Coke machine. “No, I cain’t do that” came from a round bellied man with no shirt across the fire. I pleaded my case a bit more and again he says “cain’t do that feller, but I can give you a dollar.” “Oh, I have a dollar, but I need coins for the machine. The dollar bill thing seems to be….”
“I cain’t take your money, but we’ll give you a dollar. Who has some coins for the man.” he says to the group and hands begin to dig into pockets.
“I really just need a quarter” I say. By this time the group’s spokes man had walked over to me and I could see his weathered face, greasy gray hair and way more of his belly than I wish I had. He nearly lost his step as he got close and blamed it on a rock though I suspected that the Bud Lights had more to do with it. But in the fire light I saw nothing but warmth in his face and all the worries I had about approaching a random camp fire surrounded by rednecks in the backwoods of Georgia vanished. I was given a quarter, then a Powerade from their cooler and asked twice to promise that I would be careful in my journey because God loves me, “he loves us all!” They were surreal, but genuinely friendly people.
I was into familiar territory which is why I probably took the wrong turn, that and I was 15 hours into my ride. It was near Rock Creek Rd and the Chattahoochee National Forest fish hatchery when it happened. I questioned the turn in my head, but for some reason didn’t look at the GPS again for a mile and half (up hill of course). I happened to pass someone with camping trailer, loads of lights and a football game blaring into the night in place that I have never seen anyone camped. They hooted and hollered to me as I passed by and then again as I turned around. I gave a holler back and a “go Bulldogs!” just to be safe.
It was in the next hour I had my two run in with odd animals. The first was a bat with a broken sonar. I often see bats swooping down into my lamp lights chasing the bugs who are attracted. This guy flew straight into my face and careened off my jaw. I never even flinched. I’ve had so many swoop in close and nothing happens, but for some reason this one hit me. He must have been feeding on the mosquitoes that were feeding on my friends back at the campfire (one too many Bud Lights). Next up was what I think was a mink. I heard somewhere that there used to be a mink farm near Doublehead Gap Rd and of course some will escape and breed. I had never seen one though. Cute little fur balls.
I arrived at Shallowford Bridge around 12:30 PM. It’s about 175 miles into the route, so it’s my unofficial half way point. I was now 16.5 hours into the ride and I’m was still ahead of my 10 mph goal, but I needed to rest. This was where things went real bad last year. When I moved on from here last year my stomach rebelled and I eventually passed out in a barn along the route. I never fully recovered from that and limped all the way to the finish. I decided to stop and sleep until 2:00 AM and then make it to Mulberry Gap for breakfast. I crawled onto a trampoline in front of a friend’s house, hung my food bags as high as I could in a tree and slept, sort of.
I don’t sleep in the woods on my own very often. It’s a little unsettling and leaves me feeling very vulnerable. I think this is natural for a city dweller. It’s one of the reasons I tried to push through the first night last year, but I knew that I had to rest if I wanted to make better time this year. So I tried. I dosed off a bunch of times, but never really slept. I was up with the alarm at 2:00 feeling a little better than when I laid down.
I rolled out slowly toward the Aska Trails, letting my legs loosen up from the sleep. I also brought my focus back to my pedaling. Alternating the sitting and standing and feeling for that swing of the leg that lets me know I’m being as efficient and effective as I can. So many riders think there is some sort of rhythm to settle into and yet I find that the consistent changes in techniques is what works the best for me.
The Aska trails is the first single track since the hellish descent down Hickory Nut trail and I knew it would be a lot more fun. The climbs are very steep, but the descents are big grin causing rippers. A few times the added weight of the gear on the bike would have me pushing the limits of traction on the edges of the trail, but I managed to keep it up right. All too soon I was out of the single track flying down toward Cherry Log at 45 mph on more dirt road.
I refilled with water in Cherry Log and gave a quick thought to the Waffle House that was six miles off course and then went back to work. I passed by the barn I slept in last year and felt the relief of overcoming that milestone. By sunrise I had passed through Cashes Valley and up into the Cohutta Mountains via Watson Gap. It seemed so much smaller this year with good legs vs being totally shattered last year.
The next stop was the Johns River campground which was oddly empty. Last year there were a dozen occupied camp sites. I couldn’t think of any reason for this, but it may have been because the spring was dry. I was counting on that spring, but the summer has been so dry in the western half of Georgia that this spring at the base of a huge mountain was bone dry. There was a creek with surface water next to it, so I broke out the iodine tablets and loaded up two bottles. I knew I would run dry before Mulberry Gap with only one more creek to get water from. I really try to avoid the creeks because of the chance for things like Giardia and the iodine is rough on your liver. I didn’t carry a filter.
From the camp ground the route climbs and climbs and then climbs some more up to Potato Patch. Earlier in the year I launched a successful move here during the Cohutta 100, but I didn’t 200 miles in my legs then. Despite some dark moments I made good time and only had to walk a couple of the steepest sections near the base of the climb. Thankfully the climb is followed by 20 minutes of some of the best descending in north Georgia. The top half is forest road, but the second half is the Bear Creek trail which I know like the back of my hand. With most of my food stores burned up, my bike was feeling light and nimble. I bombed down to the Pinhoti trails.
I made that sharp right hander onto the Pinhoti and my legs protested at the steep grade, but I rallied to keep from walking. The thought of being so close to Mulberry Gap was keeping me going. Mulberry is like an oasis in the forest. Great food (not gas station munchies), real bathrooms, clean running water. I could take a shower and sit in the hot tub if I so desired. As I rode on I was making a check list in my head of what I wanted to do when I arrived so I wouldn’t lose track of time and be temped to never leave.
Arriving at Mulberry Gap
It was all I hoped it would be. I arrived to cheers and a hug from Namrita. I was quickly off the bike, out of my shoes and gloves, and seated in front of a plate of eggs that would ordinarily feed 5 or more. I ate it all. I later learned it was a dozen eggs and 1/4 lbs of cheese. I topped it with loads of salt and finished it with a sliced peach. Delicious. I rearranged my bags and threw out all my empty bags and wrappers from the previous night. One of my bags of powder had been punctured which took an extra 10 minutes to clean up. I made a brief bathroom stop to clean my face and hands and then I was off again. Just under one hour. It would have been so easy to just make it three or four hours, but I was close. Close to the end.
The thousand yard stare over a plate of eggs.
Namrita and a friend rode with me up to Tatum lead. It was nice to have someone to talk with while riding. It had been since the first few hours of the ride since I had been with anyone else and it was going to be another 14 to 24 hours of riding alone before I would be done. My legs still felt good and those eggs were not having the negative effect on my stomach I would have expected. I actually cleaned all the switchbacks up Pinhoti 3.
I bid farewell to Namrita and turned up the stupid steep gravel road of Tatum Mtn. I walked some and was thankful for another long descent once over the top. I bombed down to the ATV trails and then the rollers which pass Pebbles Lake. I heard after the race there is some new single track being built to bypass this section. That would be awesome. In Ramhurst I stopped at the first gas station I came to and loaded up. I had an ice cream bar, Coke, beef jerky and refilled my bottles with Gatorade. The next hour across the valley I was sluggish, but I knew I needed the calories before heading out in to the woods again.
This wide valley separates the big mountains of the middle and eastern portion of Georgia from the smaller ridges and valleys of the western part. The geological formations of each are very different and the result is short steep ridges to the west. The good news was that all the big long climbs were out of the way. The bad news there was still plenty of short steep ones to tax the legs.
On the far side of the valley I stopped in Dalton. I was looking for the Starbucks to get caffeinated, but it had closed down. I went into Mc Donald’s instead. Some how I ended up ordering a fruit smoothy instead of something caffeinated, but when my order was ready the lady behind the counter offered me an iced mocha she had made up by accident. “Yes please!” I finished the smoothy and about half of the mocha before going across the street to the gas station. I loaded up on water, gatorade, Pringles, a candy bar and some more beefy jerky. If I managed my resources right I would not have to go off course to reload. I had also purchased some gels and chews at Mulberry Gap, so I was loaded. I finished the mocha and rolled out, weighted down with all the water and food.
The Team Topeak-Ergon gear for TNGA 2011
I crawled up to Dug Gap and then to the radio towers at the top. I stopped twice on the way to let my stomach settle. I needed those calories and the last thing I wanted to do was taste them again. At the top I got excited. I had enough day light to make it to Snake Creek Gap and maybe beyond to John’s Mountain before dark. Last year I had stopped for the night in Dalton at the Days Inn because I was wrecked physically and scared to take on the rock gardens in the dark. It proved to be the right move to win the race, but it’s not how I wanted to go this year.
I only made it to Snake Creek Gap, but it was enough. The previous 17 miles were the toughest of the whole route. Short, but very steep climbs and rock gardens that go on for miles. I was fairly comfortable in the saddle prior to starting this section, but after I was beginning to feel raw in the nether regions. Sliding and jostling on a saddle causes friction and I try to stay on top of using Chamois Butt’r to keep this in check. I try to hold out on using petroleum based products down there as long as I can and I think I waited to long. I also have first aid cream with lidocaine if it gets real bad. I remounted my light and headed off toward Pilchers Pond and Johns mountain. It was 8:00 PM.
As I walked up the ridge before John’s Mountain I began to do the math. It was just after 8:00 and I now had 65-75 miles left. I moving at about 10 mph in the hills and the last 15 miles was flat. I was thinking “if all goes well I could be done between 3:00 and 5:00 AM. Well under my goal of 48 hours. All would not go well.
After John’s Mountain I took another wrong turn, but caught it after a mile or so. I think I did the same thing last year. There is a trail to the left that parallels the road. I didn’t catch it until the road veers right off the route. Luckily I was watching the GPS this time. Next up was finding water. I was just about out.
I came across two twenty-some-year-old guys in a pickup driving up the linear feed plot that makes up the western end of the Pihoti coming off of John’s Mountain. They asked if I had seen a cell phone while coming down the mountain. I laughed. It was dark and the feed plot was at maximum growth for the year. Not a chance. Then one of the guys made a comment about how he “wouldn’t ride a bike out here at night without a gun.” I never asked what he was so afraid of that would require a gun, but the thought stuck with me for while.
I had burned through 130 oz water in six hours. It was still warm though it was cooling with night fall. It was now 11:00 PM and all was quiet. There is a grouping of houses where the route crosses East Armuchee Rd, but they are not inviting at this hour. I rolled out and back on the road looking for some place to either get water from a spigot or ask for some. I saw neither. I was standing in the middle of the road pondering whether to go off course, continue on (where I knew there was only one creek) or think of something else. I decided to head off course toward where I knew a store was about 5 miles up there road. Then I happened to catch the faint orange light of cigarette begin drawn on from the front porch of the first house I had passed. I yelled hello from the road and then went closer and asked for water.
“Sure thing.” He directed me to the hose on the ground where I had stopped and to the facet handle around the corner without getting up. I turned on the water and went about refilling my bottles and bladder. There must of been six kittens wandering around me, curious and thirsty. “Kinda late for a bike ride isn’t it?” …and the explanation comes again. He just nodded as if this was perfectly normal and went about smoking his cigarette. I finished up with the water , turned it off and avoided kittens as I rode away with a thank you. I had some more rearranging of gear to do, but it seemed easier to do it on the side of the trail than to continue an awkward conversation.
I made it over Strawberry Mountain and across to Narrows Rd when suddenly the sky opened up and the water fell out. I was soaked instantly so I didn’t bother with the rain jacket I had and just kept moving. It was flat or up hill for the next few miles. The heat from that effort kept me warm. Visibility was becoming a bigger issue. As I ascended Taylor Ridge I gained about 600 feet and as the rain came to a stop the fog rolled in. The over grown brush was heavy with water and hung over the trail and when I did break free of that the fog just reflected my light back at me. Visibility was down to15 feet or less.
Half way up Taylor Ridge I did something pretty stupid. I stopped to refill my bottle from my bladder and add some powder and spilled one. A full bottle of the life giving substance just ran down the hill with all the other water from the sky. Doh. I now had one less bottle to count on later.
The trail gave way to another linear feed plot. I don’t know it’s name but there is one plant that really thrives in these plots. It’s about 2.5 feet tall with small leaves, but grows in thick. It adds a little bit of resistance, but I don’t think that was what was making me sleepy. It was like riding in dream. The green growth blanketed the ground, the thick forest on either side and the fog & blackness filling in the gaps made for a very surreal environment. I was constantly checking my GPS to make sure I was on route because everything looked the same. Finally after 6 or 7 miles of this I was falling asleep on the bike.
I’ve tried not to make a habit of this, but I have fallen asleep on the bike two other times. I haven’t crashed yet, but I’m afraid of it. The rain had soaked everything pretty well, but I found a steep hill side to call my bed for a while. I pull on my rain coat to help keep some heat in and pulled out my bivvy sack. It’s basically one of those emergency space blankets sealed up into a sleeping bag. This was all the sleeping gear I had. I ate as much beef jerky (i.e. protein and salt) as I could handle, chugged some water and then curled up in the bag to get some rest. It had been 24 hours since I last slept.
Inside the bivvy I pulled out my Iphone, enclosed in the Smart Phone DryBag, and pulled up the radar to see what I was in for. It looked like it might be dry for a while, but it was hard to say how fast the storm was moving. Then I checked this great page on the National Weather Service page called the hourly weather graph. As the name implies, it shows all sorts of stats for a particular area by the hour. .1 inch of rain predicted between now and 5:00 AM, then .25 inches from 5:00 to 8:00 and then 1.5 for the 3 hours after that. I wanted to be done by 8:00 for a number of reason and more rain was one of those. I set my alarm for 5:00, with the idea that I could finish within 3 hours in the rain. I emailed Namrita and Dave, the race director, to let them know not to expect me until 8:00 AM and then pulled that bivvy over my head and slept soundly.
I was awakened by the rain again, but it didn’t last long. I checked the clock and it was 3:30. I slept again until about 4:30 when the water pooling on top of the bivvy sack was making me very cold. I imagine I slept enough to slow my metabolism as well, which was not helping. I laid there for another ten minutes concocting a plan to keep warm and finish this thing. I had a razor blade in my HandleBar DryBag. I would get out of the bivvy, go to the bike and get the razor, then cut holes in the bivvy and wear it like a poncho. Then I would relube the nether regions and fianlly I’d eat a bunch of the almond butter paste (caffeine and calories) and drink one full bottle to get hydrated while I rolled out. I looked like the great pumpkin with the bivvy on and the excess all pulled up in the waist strap of my Air BackPack, but I was warming up and my legs were feeling good.
I questioned whether to carrying on passed the next road crossing was wise. The rain was just sprinkles or maybe just blowing off the trees and I was warmed up now. I knew there would be a very slow response if I did get into trouble being so remote and with this weather. That’s saying I could summon help. There was some real single track coming up, so the potential for crashing was higher. On the other hand, I rarely doubt my handling. I was still on my first battery for my lights, but I swapped that to a fresh one for this final leg and ran it on high. I had plenty of food and water (though not enough to get to the end since I spilt the one bottle). I had no real good idea what the weather was going to do and that was a big factor. I decided that if I saw Dave or Namrita at the highway crossing and they had bad news about the weather I would call it a good try and go home, otherwise I was going to finish.
No one was at the crossing and even better, there was some trail magic. There was a half full two liter Gatorade bottle sitting next to the dirt road. There was an empty Gatorade bottle next to it and grocery bag with some Honey Stinger waffle wrappers. I decide this had to have belonged to some mountain biker, though I couldn’t figure out why it was left behind. Maybe it was Brad Keys who had passed through a few days before on the TNGA route, but why would he lug these big bottles up here when the store is a mile downhill from here. I will never know the answer. I smelt the Gatorade and it was OK, so I took a small sip. Still OK, so I filled a bottle and moved on.
The rain started lightly as I ascended to the radio towers over Mack White Gap. I called Dave at the top to let him know was moving and still aiming for 8:00 AM. The called dropped a few times so I texted him, he confirmed he was heading to the finish and I was on my way. I picked along slowly at first because it was rocky and slick. I didn’t want to twist an ankle or worse and have to crawl out to the road. Then as the trail smoothed I I began to push hard. It was time to get angry and use up whatever energy I had left. I charged the climbs.
Mother nature had another plan. The skies opened up and the trail became a stream. I was still charging, but traction was becoming more of an issue. I had to sit more than stand and all the water was not helping my rawness down below. Still I had no choice, I was committed to getting to the end now. I stopped once to apply the lidocaine knowing I was going to do damage and just not feel it any more. So be it. Once back on top of the ridge line the water began to form deep pools that would both slow me down and wash away my lubricants. Thankfully the Continental X-King 2.4 performed superbly for the whole route. It’s a little more than I needed for the dirt roads, but it added plushness and traction everywhere. I needed both of those now more than ever.
I made it near the turn off to the Highpoint parking lot when the sun was high enough to not really need the light anymore. I knew it had to around 7:15 maybe later. I was going to have to really cook it on the descent and last flat 15 miles to make 8:00 AM. I pushed hard over the last climb and took chances on the descent. It was steep, slick and gnarly. I was having fun again.
I had to stop a mile into the flat paved road and take the bivvy off and relube. The bivvy was like a parachute out there there in the wind. I passed the ironically named South Carolina Cemetery and then turned on to the old rail road bed that takes me to Highway 20. I expected to fly on this part because I did last year. I was going to slide up on the rivet, bring my hands to the center of the bar, put my head down and do my best Cadel Evans winning the Tour de France impression for miles until this thing was done. Instead there was two to three inches of water running down this narrow little lane with no where to go to get out of it. Water creates a lot of resistance and again removed my lube. Instead of the 18 or 19 mph I did last year through here I was going 10 at best. I was not going to make 8:00 AM.
Finally after what seemed like forever and a day I hit GA Highway 20 and turned west. It’s 3.2 miles from there. I did my Cadel impression and attacked. I stood on the rollers to give my taint a break and then attacked aero style again. Then I saw & heard them. Dave, Namrita Sofie and Iz (Dave’s daughters) cheering next to the Welcome to Alabama sign. I gave one last kick and crossed the line. The time was 8:34. My official ride time was 48:34. 6 hours and 53 minutes better than last year. I’ll take it.
You can follow Topeak-Ergon racer, Eddie O’Dea, on his blog at: http://eddieodea.com
Next week – from the 12th to 16th – we’ll be at Interbike, the largest bike industry trade show in North America. We’ll be meeting with dealers and distributors, and introducing over 40 new products. Please drop by booth 20005 to see our newest gear.
Beginning Sept 3rd at 8:00 Team Topeak-Ergon’s Eddie O’Dea set out to cross the state of Georgia along the Trans North Georgia route with 22 others. They started under blue skies and 60 degree temperatures, but the highs for the day would be in the high 90s. TNGA is 350 miles with over 56,000 feet of climbing and consists of a combination various grade forest roads, single track and some pavement. Eddie immediately took to the front of the race and never looked back. “In my head I was only racing the clock to beat my time from last year.” Eddie set the course record in 2010 at 55 hours and 27 minutes.
Mean while on the coast of Tropical storm #13 became Louisiana Tropical Storm Lee and began creeping northeastward. The TNGA riders were making their way westward and the two were bound to meet somewhere in the next few days. “I knew about the storm and knew Monday (Sept 5th) was going to be messy with lots of rain if not a full on tropical storm” said Eddie after the race. “My goal was to be finished before it hit western Georgia.” It didn’t quite work out that way.
Sunday morning he made a brief refueling stop at Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike Get-a-Way in Ellijay, GA about 4 hours ahead of his pace last year. “I literally ate a dozen scrambled eggs and a peach. It was delicious.”
Sunday afternoon he was on pace to finish in the early hours of Monday morning before sunrise. He made it passed the infamous Snake Creek Gap section of rocky singletrack before dark and was advancing toward John’s Mountain as nightfall came. “With the technical part of the route behind I was sure I could push through the night and finish around 4:00 AM. Then the rain started around 1:00 AM. It was heavy for 30 minutes, but there was little wind. The real problem was the fog/cloud that was sitting on top of the ridge I was riding. I couldn’t see more than 10 feet. I was also operating on 1 and a half hours of sleep over the last 40 hours of riding.” Eventually the slow moving and lack of sleep caught up to him and he crawled into his bivvy for a few hours of rest.
“Thankfully I had my Topeak Iphone DryBag and a decent cell signal so I could email my wife and the race director that I was stopping for awhile and I could check the weather.” He set off again around 5:00 AM after 2 hours of rest. “The storm intensified during the last 20-25 miles. I actually cut my bivvy sack into a poncho to keep warm.” Eddie made it out of the final single track section at Highpoint State Park only to find the old railroad bed turned trail that would take him to the finish was now draining 2-3″ of water. “Last year I was doing a time trail through there at 20 mph, this year was a real struggle to hold 10 mph while slogging through the run off. I was very happy to hit the last 5 miles of pavement so I could just get into an aerotuck and get the ride over with.”
Eddie crossed the Alabama state line at 8:34 AM for time 48 hours and 34 minutes beating his previous record by nearly 7 hours. “I did a lot of little things to improve my time over last year. My carbon Grand Canyon was 3lbs light than the bike I used last year, I reduced the gear I carried and used some new Topeak bags to consolidate everything. I used the new Ergon GS2 grips which really helped my hands which made the last 100 miles a lot more fun. With the help of my wife, Namrita O’Dea, who is a sports nutritionist I improved my nutrition on and off the bike and even started the race 6 lbs lighter than last year. I also worked a great deal with WN Precision to improve my pedaling techniques which allowed me to carry a faster pace on the climbs and there were a lot of climbs. Add to that I was seriously motivated to prove that this route could be done in 48 hours or less.”
Once again the largest brands in cycling will converge in Friedrichshafen, Germany for the EUROBIKE trade show August 31th to September 3rd.
This truly global cycling trade show is the annual exhibition where dealers and consumers get to see the newest and most innovative products for the coming cycling season.
Topeak will be displaying their latest products designed to make cycling more enjoyable.
The Leadville 100 is one of the largest mountain bike events in the USA. This year, in the absence of Dave Wiens, Alban Lakata and Yuki Ikeda toed the start line of this 100-mile race with 11,700 feet of elevation gain. In 2010, Yuki placed 11th overall and looked to improve his time. Alban Lakata came to the event with one thing on his mind, to win.
Lakata had a strong race, finishing 2nd overall to Todd Wells. “I had a flat tire early and was forced to chase and burn energy to get back in the race” stated Alban after the race. “I plan to be back. I want to win. I want the record.”
Yuki finishes a respectable 27th
Yuki Ikeda also had a strong race. “I made my personal record of 7:17 because of the competition and also I had a great support, so I was able to focus on racing.” Yuki finished in 27the overall and set a PR for course time.
With Dave Wiens not racing this year, Dave coached both Alban and Yuki through their preparations for the event as well as supported them in the aid stations on race day.
With a 7 minutes advantage Alban Lakata crossed the line
The Albanator shows his hand, becoming the Austrian Marathon Champion for the fifth time, and also taking the Hill Climb Champion’s title.
Alban Lakata showed a home crowd again what he is made of. Within a week, he took home two gold medals and a silver at different Austrian national Championships. It was an illustration of how adaptable he is, and that a marathon rider has the power and the skill to dominate hill climbs, and cross country competition.
Alban is the National Champion for the fifth time
The weather in Lurnfeld, Austria was typical of the European summer of 2011. The celcius readings were in single figures and in the mountains the marathon course was awash with rain.
Lakata however was not put off by this. From the gun he rode with Jakob Nimpf and formed a gap over the chase group. The lead they had was able to be extended continually. By the fourth feedzone, the former World Champion moved into the lead. Taking the win for the fifth time, Lakata had nearly 7 minutes lead on second place. “The weather for the marathon was extremely bad. I think that my experience though gave me the decisive advantage on the day, and helped me not give in to it. The conditions we faced are the sort that can easily get the better of the rider, or the bike. I was lucky – everything fell into place.” Lakata said as he took the double victory.
Free Road & Trailside Repair Skills Workshop with Dorothy Nichols
Not everyone wants to be their own mechanic, but you should know some basic bike related repair skills that could save you from a long hike home. Join Topeak’s Dorothy Nichols for a one hour session on trail/road side repairs and a look at latest tools and pumps to keep your bike rolling. Let’s face it… the only thing worse than a mechanical while riding is not being able to fix it. Prepare to Ride.
On August 1, 2011 an estimated 100 riders will embark on one of the hardest multi-day mountain bike races in the World. With roughly 470 miles to cover and over 60,000 ft of climbing, this event takes racers from Denver, CO to Durango, CO through some of the most rugged and remote terrain that Colorado has to offer. With no entry fee, no prizes, and no support, riders are required to complete the course totally self-supported re-supplying only in a few pass-through towns like Leadville, Buena Vista, and Silverton. Competing this year are Sonya Looney and Jeff Kerkove of Team Topeak-Ergon USA.
“This is my second attempt at this course. Last year I had a good ride until the wet weather took its toll on my feet forcing me to withdraw from the race. I feel as prepared this year, so now I just need good luck and execution.”…Kerkove stated in the comfort of his home leading up to the event.
Sonya Looney has also committed to the race. “This is, by far, the greatest challenge I have ever chosen to do in my life. Anxiety aside, I feel prepared and excited for the challenge and have been training since January for this event. My preparation is solid; I just hope luck is on my side. My goal is simply to finish, as there have only been 2 women to ever complete the full course. Finishing the Colorado Trail Race will be one of the greatest accomplishments in my cycling career and life.”
The Colorado Trail Race is a non-stop race. Starting on August 1, it is every man and women for themselves. Riders are expected to take 4-10 days to complete the course. “My goal is to make it to Durango in between 4 and 5 days (course record is 4 days 3 hrs). That is a solid pace, but weather and luck will play a huge role”….Kerkove said when asked about his race plan.
Riders will wear SPOT tracking devices. Friends, fans, and sponsors are encouraged to follow the race in real-time at www.trackleader.com/ctr beginning at 6:30 AM on August 1, 2011. Please obey the ‘Look but don’t touch’ policy, which require riders to be on their own and receive no outside support from friends, media, or supporters.
Below are the links and information needed for the LIVE tracking of the 2011 Colorado Trail Race.
