RAMROD 2024 !!! THAT WAS HARD !!! Over 10,000 ft of climbing over Cayuse Pass & Inspiration Point.
Started at 5:30AM and finished just before the cutoff at 7:50PM. I was peddling for 12.5 hrs and rested for a little over 2hrs. Started out in the dark fog with extra layers. I got a bit of light in the valley about ~7:15. My toes and fingers started to thaw about 8:30. First sighting of the mountain ~8:50. First ray of sun actually hit me about 9:10. At that point I was about halfway up Cayuse Pass getting warmer and slower. Started playing mental math games in my head to keep motivated. 4 hrs of climbing left then 35 miles of downhill then 40 miles of flatness with nothing in the tank, that equates out to finishing at 8 PM (Which I did) The closer I got to Inspiration Point the steeper it got, the slower I got. 10 mi away 5mph = 2 hrs of climbing. 8 miles away 4mph = 2 hrs of climbing. 3 miles away 3mph = 1 hr of climbing. Oh, LOOK, half mile before the top the grade shallows to less than 3%. I can make that then re-assess. 30+ miles of downhill and I drop like a rock, faster than a lot of the other bikers and the cars. If it weren’t for that, I would not have made it. For the last 50 miles, one Lake Washington loop left. 30mi like work to home. 25 half LK Wash. 20-10 was up hill again and forever. 15 mi, 13,8.5,7,5.5,3,2.5 Finish.
Mayte was there for me at the finish line. I laid down in the grass and dirt for 30m, stomach pain since 10AM legs like rubber, heart rate was never too bad. Legs gave out before my heart this trip.
Hardest bike ride I have ever done. Course, I was not in the best shape all time either. (Interesting the difference of the elevations graph between distance view and time view. I spend a lot of time climbing.)