Ride of The Valkerie: Lake Tahoe on a Vendetta V20

[Abbott Smith]

We've Arrived at Lake Tahoe Part 1

Yesterday was an epic roadtrip down Washington and Oregon into Northern California and Nevada.

Stopped in Eugene, OR to stretch our legs and let the bikes out to play. The quick six mile ride along the Willamette River near the University of Oregon was wonderful.

Spectacular scenery all day had everything from the wierd, to the sublime to the silly. Perry even found a souvenir.

 

[Abbott Smith]

Part 2

Pushed on into the night and hit Reno around midnight. Arrived at Tahoe around 1:30 and got bedded down by 2:30 Am. 22 hours of anticipation and comraderie. There are some incredible climbs and descents here. The road from the lake to our condo is 1200' straight up in 3.5 miles. Won't be doing that silliness on SigrD this weekend.

We'll settle in today and take an acclimation ride. Tonight is the welcoming dinner and registration.

 

[LarryOz]

Great pictures Abbottt. My uncle and grandmother live in Eugene. Beautiful place- great for bicycles too!
Probably more bikes than cars in that city!

 

[hurri47]

Good to see another user of Footpath. I love that app - it's my go-to for both bike and hike planning. You may have noticed the paid version even exports GPX tracks to Cyclemeter (bike) and MotionX (hike).

-Dan

 

[Abbott Smith]

Good to see another user of Footpath. I love that app - it's my go-to for both bike and hike planning. You may have noticed the paid version even exports GPX tracks to Cyclemeter (bike) and MotionX (hike).

-Dan

Footpath is my favorite route planner. Love how intuitive it is. I have the paid version so I can save more routes. Highly recommend this ap.

 

[Abbott Smith]

Stunning setting for morning coffee. Woke up this morning and soaked up the scenery.

Took a car ride to scout the first climb. Too much construction for the planned assault by bike. Glad we did. Have a much better idea how to tackle it now. Trying to ride it first would have created serious domino problems for the weekend.

Instead we did an 18 mile loop around the South Lake region. A few hills and a chance to get used to the hydration issues of altitude. And a chance to show off SigrD. Even got one of the JDRF mechanics to take a test ride. He flintstoned for about fifteen seconds, put his feet on the pedals and swept her back uphill in the parking lot. Got a touch wobbly but looked like a duck to water.

Here's a couple shots from a trail we found out near the golf course.

 

[Abbott Smith]

Let's Do This

Woke up early. (What else is new?) One of 33 riders with T1d to tackle this ride. I appear to be the only recumbent among the 186 JDRF riders. SigrD turns heads at every turn. Thank you Maria and Jim for such a wonderful bike. Shout out to Lief and Robert for introducing me to this amazing tribe. Today I ride to help eradicate T1d. But I also ride as an ambassador for this tribe. The Bike. The Tribe. The Company I Keep.

And for Charles here are some pictures of yesterday's warm up.

 

[DavidCH]

I am curios with that bit of plastic across the bridge of your handlebars. Is it a pocket for food? Or is it to deflect air and insects from going into your face?

Probably both. Does it take away any view of the road? I haven't put a cyclometer on the V as I think its important not to be distracted with the V as everything happens so quickly but I have been tempted with the RFLKT. Instead of the cyclometer I get all the stats coming through my headphones on every kilometre.

If I am racing someone I do like to see heart rate and speed every 5 seconds LOL!

 

[DuncanWatson]

The bridge of plastic is his event placard. I tend to make copies of mine, the standard handlebar location suggested for uprights isn't very good for recumbents. Abbot's location looks reasonable though. I suspect it is the standard roadie bars that make that work. I probably would put copies of the # on both sides of the rear wheel using the lower triangle there.

 

[Abbott Smith]

The bridge of plastic is his event placard. I tend to make copies of mine, the standard handlebar location suggested for uprights isn't very good for recumbents. Abbot's location looks reasonable though. I suspect it is the standard roadie bars that make that work. I probably would put copies of the # on both sides of the rear wheel using the lower triangle there.

Yep, it's my on bike ride number. After this final tune up ride I had the JDRF bike tent move the lefthand zip tie outboard of my light mount. This flattened the curve and improved my sight lines. The pictured arrangement cost me visibilty of the few feet directly in front of my bike.

 

[jond]

this is awesome stuff abbot.

 

[Abbott Smith]

It Was A Dark and Glorious Day

The day dawned warm and hazy. The smoke from the fires south of Tahoe kept the heat in.
Perry and I ended up cut out from most of the JDRF herd at the start and ended up starting in the second wave.
SigrD handled the first climb up to Emerald Bay with aplomb. Unfortunately I was having trouble with the altitude and smoke. You can see how obscured the views were because of the smoke.

The JDRF is an incredible organization. They don't just sponsor rides. They change lives. They are all in for those of us living with T1d. I didn't realize just how all in they were until Sunday's ride. The green jerseys represent coaches. The three coaches you see here shepherded me the entire ride. They stopped when I needed. Walked with me and encouraged me every step of the way. They and the JDRF medical director ( safety vest) made the difference every step of the way. They helped turn a very dark day emotionally and physically into one of the seminal experiences of my life. One year ago I asked for help. In the ten months since that fateful day I've discovered two tribes that have changed my life: JDRF & Cruzbike. I don't have a clue how I got so lucky but I'm not letting go.
This idiot is my friend Perry. For thirty years he's put up with me and he exemplifies the meaning of friendship. He's there for my successes and my trials. Through it all he's in my corner. He hates having his picture taken. Which of course lets my inner imp out to play even when I have nothing left.

Shortly after this point in my day I spiraled into a dark place. I was 30 miles from the finish, still had the longest climb of the ahead of me and I was blown. I'd already had one BG incident jump me out of the blue. I hydrated with electrolytes for seven days before the event and was taking in electrolytes and food all the way. It wasn't enough. I was suffering from altitude induced dehydration. I had a headache, cramps, nausea, lessened appetite and had developed a stitch in both sides from the smoke and altitude. My legs were shot. I'd ridden the last 15 miles feeling like crap.

All I had left was a serious case of stubborn. So I grabbed hold of that stubborn and held on for dear life. This was my day. T1d didn't get to have it.
Through it all SigrD did everything I asked of her and more. She kept me safe. We had our moments where she really got to shine. But my engine just wasn't there on the day and I didn't get to demonstrate her whole potential. Sorry.

 

[telephd]

Good on ya Abbott for a gutsy showing!

 

[Abbott Smith]

Eventually for safety's sake I had to abandon the final four miles of the longest climb. It was the right decision. Strapping SigrD onto the SAG hurt. She broke a water bottle cage in the effort.



They dropped us at the top of the climb where we reconnected with Perry. From there it was another 12 miles to the finish and we made it. For me it was a personal victory. We rode 68.25 miles with 4,500' of climbing at an altitude between 6,000-7,000' and we did it safely. And we did it on a day where I had a miserable day physically. (The JDRF medical staff is working with me to adjust my hydration and electrolyte regimen because this ride revealed that I secrete saline at a very high rate. I did what I was supposed to do but my physiology will require a modified regimen.)



But at the end of everything it was about T1d not just me. This young man has T1d too. He met me at the finish line and asked for my autograph. I told him that he can do anything he dreams.
We've got his back. We work together. We are the JDRF and this disease does not get to win.

 

[ratz]

Triumph comes in many forms and that post is overflowing with it.

 

[MrSteve]

This post is in lieu of a, "MEGA-Like."
You and your friends rock!

 

[Charles.Plager]

Eventually for safety's sake

As cool as we often think it is to fight through decisions like this and keep going, being smart enough to listen to reason when your Adrenalin is telling you something else shows great wisdom.

Well done.

Charles

 

[DavidCH]

Hey Abbott, SigrD and you did absolutely Great and I mean that with a capital G. I enjoyed seeing your pictures too. I am amazed after a ride how much minerals and salts come out when I wash my gear. On a long climb like that it must be really really difficult to judge. Sure you can hydrate like crazy at the bottom of a climb and keep the water bottle not so full as you have to drag that weight up the hill. But if its a dirty great big mountain ... you will get caught out for sure. Now I do know some riders that will do that difficult bit of the ride before to see how much they need on the big day. Now its not so hot in Spain I am planning some long runs. Your story has inspired me. Just got to find some angels to ride with.

 

[Bentas]

Hey Abbott
great story and pics ,you just motivated me to get off the couche and tackle some hills, enough said.

 

[jond]

plus 1 ratz. wow what a story of triumph friendship caring and sheer gutsy efforts. heck i am so inspired by your deeds abbott. thank you for sharing such a moving wonderful good story of simple cycling. i am hanging on to abbott. first class stuff mate.