Alan W Dolbeer
Active Member
Chattooga Century, Summerville, GA. USA
August 13, 2016
This annual, well supported cycling event is a fundraiser with proceeds going to Chattooga High School Sports programs. Four routes, with the 100 & 125 mile routes going up on Lookout Mtn. More relaxed event, not a race, ride as you wish. Great scenery on good roads for the most part. There were a few roads in poor repair where the rider must pay close attention, including one with a steep climb around mile 83.
This was my first organized 100 mile ride since September 2005 (Six Gap C with 10,700’ climbing that year). Not a large rider turnout for Chattooga this year with around 170 riders. I was the only recumbent rider on the 100 mile route, and perhaps the only recumbent rider period. I picked this event as it had enough climbing to challenge me but not become a death march, so to speak. Even so, I was not aware of the three “notable” climbs after Lookout Mtn that I listed below.
Last week I posted with the local cycling club in Rome (Georgia) that I was going to ride but planned to ride solo since the dynamics of the V20 is so different from their upright DF bikes. The club had a good number show for the 100k route, and a smaller group which rode the 100 mile route.
Departing solo from the start at around 7:30am, I felt the excitement of speed on the Vendetta across the rolling terrain and I had to remind myself not to work too hard early on. “Just keep an eye on that HR”, I told myself. I passed perhaps a dozen riders before my first stop at mile 31. Just as I pulIed in to the sag stop, I heard a voice call my name and looked up to see one of our strongest club riders, with three other riders (who I did not know). They had started the ride before me, though I don’t know just how long before me as the ride was show and go, and I never saw him at the start.
The sag stop was a short distance before the 2.5 mile climb up Lookout Mtn, the largest climb on the route starting at mile 32.8 (according to my Garmin data). When we hit the climb, the two strongest riders slowly rode away from me while the two weaker riders fell back behind me. I was working hard but able to keep my HR just below anaerobic threshold.
I planned to pass the water stop at the top of the climb (as I had enough fluids), when the club rider urged me to stop. “Come on” he said, “we will never catch you later if you don’t stop” (this guy is a younger, and stronger rider than I. He even managed to break a high quality crankset during a sprint last year). So I stopped at his urging and topped off a water bottle, then waited for the two slower riders to arrive.
We then continued along the ridge of Lookout Mtn with significantly more uphill sections than downhill. The descent off the mountain, starting around mile 49, was steep, with hairpin turns. The ride organizers had painted warnings on the road well before each hairpin turn. Due to some drizzling rain at the time, the unshaded hairpin turns were wet so I was thankful for the advance warnings. Going down in one of those turns could ruin a rider’s day, to say the least.
We had dropped the two weaker riders on the ridge so it was just the two stronger DF riders and I. One rode down the mountain faster than me, the club rider more slowly, which surprised me. Near the bottom I pulled in at another sag stop. I refilled two bottles, answered the call of nature, and was ready to ride. The two DF riders were eating (I did not eat at the sag stops), so I told them I was leaving and rode on.
Later they caught me and the club rider feigned a complaint, “It only took us 12 miles to catch you!” to which I just smiled. Shortly afterwards we came up on a third DF rider, who joined with us. I pulled the group on the flats, and would pull ahead of them on the steeper downhill sections. I dropped behind them on the “notable” climbs during that section of the ride but would later catch up to them again.
We seesawed back and forth like this until a steep gnarly climb around mile 83. The pavement was broken, and my legs were screaming. So I did what I had never done before on the V20, and walked the top half of that hill. I had ridden up to 14% grades on a recent shorter training ride (Cheaha Mtn. area in Alabama) so this was simply a choice I made due to a lack of conditioning on my part. Not a reflection on how well one can climb on the V20, which is the best climbing recumbent I have ever owned.
As I neared the top I saw the third DF rider taking a break in the shade, but he clipped in and took off before I reached him. However, the bit of walking had reinvigorated my legs and I blew by him a mile or so later. I came upon the other two DF riders shortly before reaching the last sag stop at mile 88.
We pulled in and as I refilled a water bottle, a volunteer pointed at the Vendetta and said (his comment directed to what I think was the girls’ softball team helping at the sag stop) “That is the recumbent bike I told you about.” Evidently the V20 had been noted earlier by others and word had reached this gentleman somehow. IE. Event communications.
He indicated that the finish was 13 miles away and no large climbs remained. Encouraged, I left the sag stop alone, because the two DF riders were eating again. The third rider had bypassed the sag stop while I was there, and was looking none to strong when I went by him a short distance further along the route. He looked tired and uncomfortable. Poor guy should have been on a Cruzbike.
The 13 miles to the finish was flat to rolling, and no climbs large enough to really hurt me, but the clouds were gone and the sun was hot. There was a stiff headwind at this point, which really favored me on the V20, and I enjoyed the extra cooling effect from the wind. Riding this last section I was able to make really good speed to the end of the ride finishing ahead of the two stronger DF riders I had been riding with earlier. I call them “stronger” because if I would have been on a bike like theirs, I am certain I would not have been able to hang with them. Much less finish the C route ahead of them.
I was pleased to finish well with as little conditioning as I have and be able to push myself hard during that last 13 miles. No pain from being on the bike, just some fatigue, then muscle soreness the next day.
Perhaps I will return for the Chattooga Century next year, particularly if some other Cruzbike riders are interested in joining me for the ride?
Stats:
Male age 57, weight 143lbs.
101 miles
4,610 Elevation gain
Moving Time 5:51:39
Elapsed Time 6:09:42
Avg spd 17.3mph
Avg HR 153 bpm
Max HR 183 bpm
Notable Climbs:
1. Lookout Mtn 2.5 miles long at mile 33, grade 8%.
2. Hwy 193 at mile 66, 0.8 miles long at up to 8% grade.
3. Dug Gap at mile 70, 1 mile long at up to 8.7% grade.
4. Mile 83, 0.9 miles long at up to 10% grade, poor pavement.
Nutrition: 1.5 Cliff bars which I ate ½ bar at a time while riding.
Water with Hammer Endurolyles Fizz tablets in two bottles. A third smaller water bottle which started with only water. Then I mixed with half water, half Gatoraid in the smaller bottle at the sag stops. No issues with stomach during the ride.
August 13, 2016
This annual, well supported cycling event is a fundraiser with proceeds going to Chattooga High School Sports programs. Four routes, with the 100 & 125 mile routes going up on Lookout Mtn. More relaxed event, not a race, ride as you wish. Great scenery on good roads for the most part. There were a few roads in poor repair where the rider must pay close attention, including one with a steep climb around mile 83.
This was my first organized 100 mile ride since September 2005 (Six Gap C with 10,700’ climbing that year). Not a large rider turnout for Chattooga this year with around 170 riders. I was the only recumbent rider on the 100 mile route, and perhaps the only recumbent rider period. I picked this event as it had enough climbing to challenge me but not become a death march, so to speak. Even so, I was not aware of the three “notable” climbs after Lookout Mtn that I listed below.
Last week I posted with the local cycling club in Rome (Georgia) that I was going to ride but planned to ride solo since the dynamics of the V20 is so different from their upright DF bikes. The club had a good number show for the 100k route, and a smaller group which rode the 100 mile route.
Departing solo from the start at around 7:30am, I felt the excitement of speed on the Vendetta across the rolling terrain and I had to remind myself not to work too hard early on. “Just keep an eye on that HR”, I told myself. I passed perhaps a dozen riders before my first stop at mile 31. Just as I pulIed in to the sag stop, I heard a voice call my name and looked up to see one of our strongest club riders, with three other riders (who I did not know). They had started the ride before me, though I don’t know just how long before me as the ride was show and go, and I never saw him at the start.
The sag stop was a short distance before the 2.5 mile climb up Lookout Mtn, the largest climb on the route starting at mile 32.8 (according to my Garmin data). When we hit the climb, the two strongest riders slowly rode away from me while the two weaker riders fell back behind me. I was working hard but able to keep my HR just below anaerobic threshold.
I planned to pass the water stop at the top of the climb (as I had enough fluids), when the club rider urged me to stop. “Come on” he said, “we will never catch you later if you don’t stop” (this guy is a younger, and stronger rider than I. He even managed to break a high quality crankset during a sprint last year). So I stopped at his urging and topped off a water bottle, then waited for the two slower riders to arrive.
We then continued along the ridge of Lookout Mtn with significantly more uphill sections than downhill. The descent off the mountain, starting around mile 49, was steep, with hairpin turns. The ride organizers had painted warnings on the road well before each hairpin turn. Due to some drizzling rain at the time, the unshaded hairpin turns were wet so I was thankful for the advance warnings. Going down in one of those turns could ruin a rider’s day, to say the least.
We had dropped the two weaker riders on the ridge so it was just the two stronger DF riders and I. One rode down the mountain faster than me, the club rider more slowly, which surprised me. Near the bottom I pulled in at another sag stop. I refilled two bottles, answered the call of nature, and was ready to ride. The two DF riders were eating (I did not eat at the sag stops), so I told them I was leaving and rode on.
Later they caught me and the club rider feigned a complaint, “It only took us 12 miles to catch you!” to which I just smiled. Shortly afterwards we came up on a third DF rider, who joined with us. I pulled the group on the flats, and would pull ahead of them on the steeper downhill sections. I dropped behind them on the “notable” climbs during that section of the ride but would later catch up to them again.
We seesawed back and forth like this until a steep gnarly climb around mile 83. The pavement was broken, and my legs were screaming. So I did what I had never done before on the V20, and walked the top half of that hill. I had ridden up to 14% grades on a recent shorter training ride (Cheaha Mtn. area in Alabama) so this was simply a choice I made due to a lack of conditioning on my part. Not a reflection on how well one can climb on the V20, which is the best climbing recumbent I have ever owned.
As I neared the top I saw the third DF rider taking a break in the shade, but he clipped in and took off before I reached him. However, the bit of walking had reinvigorated my legs and I blew by him a mile or so later. I came upon the other two DF riders shortly before reaching the last sag stop at mile 88.
We pulled in and as I refilled a water bottle, a volunteer pointed at the Vendetta and said (his comment directed to what I think was the girls’ softball team helping at the sag stop) “That is the recumbent bike I told you about.” Evidently the V20 had been noted earlier by others and word had reached this gentleman somehow. IE. Event communications.
He indicated that the finish was 13 miles away and no large climbs remained. Encouraged, I left the sag stop alone, because the two DF riders were eating again. The third rider had bypassed the sag stop while I was there, and was looking none to strong when I went by him a short distance further along the route. He looked tired and uncomfortable. Poor guy should have been on a Cruzbike.
The 13 miles to the finish was flat to rolling, and no climbs large enough to really hurt me, but the clouds were gone and the sun was hot. There was a stiff headwind at this point, which really favored me on the V20, and I enjoyed the extra cooling effect from the wind. Riding this last section I was able to make really good speed to the end of the ride finishing ahead of the two stronger DF riders I had been riding with earlier. I call them “stronger” because if I would have been on a bike like theirs, I am certain I would not have been able to hang with them. Much less finish the C route ahead of them.
I was pleased to finish well with as little conditioning as I have and be able to push myself hard during that last 13 miles. No pain from being on the bike, just some fatigue, then muscle soreness the next day.
Perhaps I will return for the Chattooga Century next year, particularly if some other Cruzbike riders are interested in joining me for the ride?
Stats:
Male age 57, weight 143lbs.
101 miles
4,610 Elevation gain
Moving Time 5:51:39
Elapsed Time 6:09:42
Avg spd 17.3mph
Avg HR 153 bpm
Max HR 183 bpm
Notable Climbs:
1. Lookout Mtn 2.5 miles long at mile 33, grade 8%.
2. Hwy 193 at mile 66, 0.8 miles long at up to 8% grade.
3. Dug Gap at mile 70, 1 mile long at up to 8.7% grade.
4. Mile 83, 0.9 miles long at up to 10% grade, poor pavement.
Nutrition: 1.5 Cliff bars which I ate ½ bar at a time while riding.
Water with Hammer Endurolyles Fizz tablets in two bottles. A third smaller water bottle which started with only water. Then I mixed with half water, half Gatoraid in the smaller bottle at the sag stops. No issues with stomach during the ride.
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