After a week off from writing up my day by day description of the Death Valley ride, I am ready to start again. Kind of. One of the reasons why I have posted anything (apart from having loads of work to do) is that, for the life of me, I can't really remember what happened on this day.
I can see, from my itinerary, that we travelled from Panamint Springs to Furnace Creek. I can also see from Ali's GPS tracker that we did 55.54 miles, in nearly 8 hours, burning 3,308 calories at an average temperature of 20 degrees C (ooh quite hot then. comparatively. Although, that said, I can see from his graph that it was freezing cold at altitude). We travelled over Towne Pass at a shade under 5,000, after 14 miles of cycle relentlessly uphill (again).
Oh hang on a minute....yes I do remember this. I think this was the day that I started having faith in myself as a cyclist and believing that I did, in fact, have a wee bit of stamina.
I remember that that morning, I had my one and only twinge - a slight pain in my left knee cap (which I kept quiet about, given that Hamish had fallen off his bike the previous day and was being incredibly stoic). I also remember that our guide, Adrian, had said that Towne Pass was the highest point of the trip during what was probably the most difficult day cycling. In fact, as this all comes back to me, I realise I probably blanked this day out of my mind for a reason.
This was the day that we had a gentle start and then began our 14 miles, broken by a fruit stop halfway. This was the day that I accidentally walked.
I wish the photos would do this hill justice. They all make it look like the hill is a bit of a walk in the park, but it wasn't until you looked behind you did you realise just how steep it was. Incidentally, if you've read my previous post, you'll realise that I stopped looking very far ahead of my front wheel - hence not realising how steep it was from looking ahead.
I found the first 7 miles really pretty difficult. We had these little cycle computers on our bikes. I refused to have my computer showing the number of miles covered, just in case the amount still left to do at any one time depressed me. Instead, my was kept on speed. I remember that this hill was me at my slowest - around about 5 miles per hour. And I can remember a winding road, with bright silver crash barriers going on for what seemed like forever.
After about half an hour and around about 5 miles into the first climb I stopped for a breather. I didn't usually do this, because I know me - if I feel like I can stop anytime, I will. Anyway, I had a breather and a chat with Andy and Padraig. And almost without thinking we were talking and pushing our bikes. In all honesty, I don't feel too bad about that now - it was a hell of a hill and quite hot work. Nonetheless, After about 3 or 4 minutes it dawned on me - I was walking. I guess if I had been really conscientious, I would have cycled back downhill to where we started and then cycled up it again. Well, I didn't - that would have been silly. However, I did make a promise - I wouldn't do that again.
The fruit stop was great - lots of people found it hard and, as a result, there was loads of encouragement and cheering as people found their way to the fruit stop. I think it may have been Andy who even descended to hand out sweets en route, before cycling back up -what a hero (show off)! we were also cursing Claud who had set the fruit stop up after 8 miles, rather than 7 (See?! I knew there was a reason I didn't keep the distance showing on the cycle computer!)
As the fruit stop went on, lots of people had phone coverage and there was a succession of message alert beeps and conversations with loved ones. Pesky O2/AT&T were useless though... It was one of those times for me though that i was very conscious that the more time went on, the sooner it would be before i had to ride the further 6 miles uphill.
As it happened, I started off again with slightly more in my legs than I thought I would and, as we cycled up the winding road I found a rhythm. So much so, that after a particularly steep section where various people were stopping for a "photo opportunity" (breather) I thought 'well I'll just carry on for a bit'. So I did. And, having done that, at the next layby, I decided to go just a bit further. In the end, something had just clicked - my speed stayed constant, my legs just pumped up and down and I just kept going. After all of the cycling so far, fitness wasn't a problem and, all of a sudden, I could see I was reaching the top. Ok, so I did get overtaken by Stu - but I kept him in sight and although I didn't chase him down like I wanted to, I closed the distance and felt a million dollars for getting to the top without stopping. It took me that 6 miles to realise that I did have some stamina and maybe I was feeling vaguely comfortable on a bike. That 6 miles also remains as one of my favourite things about the trip.
After 14 miles uphill, we had 15 miles down. Fantastic! It was getting warmer all the time as we descended and, with such a steady descent and such a straight road, I even managed to film some of it on my iPhone. (I was hoping all the while that I wouldn't need the brake - I was holding the phone in my right hand, and, if you read my earlier posts, you'll understand that squeezing the left brake at 30 miles an hour would be disastrous).
It was a long old stretch afterwards on relatively flat roads which I'll always remember for the huge RVs, especially the one pulling a Jeep Wrangler, with a Quad Bike in the boot. So cool.
Furnace Creek was just gorgeous compared to the previous night. It is an oasis, but more to the point, it had a hot shower, a bar and a great dinner awaited. I skipped the pool (the need for a beer was more pressing) and drinking a cold bud in front of a firepit, talking rubbish was fantastic.
I also got to see my other cool bit of wildlife - a coyote. Before I left, Imy told me I would see one. I said I thought it was unlikely as they were shy, scared of humans and hunted at night. Apparently not. It turns out Furnace Creek carpark is the place for Discerning Coyotes to eat their newly killed bird. Very cool (feral and mangy or not). When I told Imy all this I got told off for not listening to her in the first place.
A big day that day followed by a fantastic dinner (I would have probably eaten the coyote's leftovers though). I remember a ridiculously happy looking waiter there. I'm not sure anyone can really enjoy their job that much can they? If he does, lucky guy. (In case anyone at work read this, there was no hidden meaning there...!). Didn't tip him though. Smug sod.