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Devil Mountain Double Century 2014
I have been anticipating this ride since last summer when I had enough strength in my legs to dream about attempting it. I have always had a lot of respect for what is involved riding 200 miles but throwing in 20,000 feet elevation gained is really pushing the realms of possibility. And, I know elevation. Rides like the Hard CoeRe 100 and some longer randonuering rides have given my confidence much needed boosts to go ahead and register for and committing to this sort of ride. Before you do a massive ride you either say, "no way" or take it too lightly commenting, "ah, it's no big deal". One has to pluck from both ends of the spectrum of mental projection and mix it into a respectable imagination of what might occur. What also helps are pre-rides of the roads and climbs that you will be encountering. Those are the two things I did and they helped me immeasurably. My mindset was in a good place for this event. I wasn't going to let anything that may have happened deter me from my goal of finishing. Events do occur and when they do you must push on, not get frustrated and try to to be too hard on yourself for mental lapses and gaffs of your own nature.
Morning:
I set my alarm for a 3:00 AM wake up. I did it early and made double sure it was set. It is a dependable electric device. I depend on power to keep my schedule on planned events like work and set bike rides. Luckily I have never been caught out by a power failure but that is always a possibility. My alarm did go off at 3:00 AM and I wasted no time getting out of bed, showering, putting my bike on its rack on my car and making sure I had everything. This is an imperfect process and I have failed myself in the past forgetting a light, shoes, helmet or so many other necessary items for a planned ride. I try to minimize this by putting as much as I can in my car the night before. My mind is scattered in the morning and remembering everything and putting it on the bike is a major stumbling block to my rides. I just draw blanks and screw up sometimes when I need to be focused and get it right. Such was the case on this ride.
I drove to the start of the Devil Mountain Double Century on April 24th, 2014 knowing I had everything I needed. I only had a front handlebar pannier and just my rack in back. Nothing to act a parachute to slow me down. Too many hills, too much of a wind possibility, too many hard miles, too much pain to ride with anything on back. I do have a smaller rack back that I now use moving on from my dual panniers on each side of my rack. I'm learning and my stubbornness is becoming more reasonable. Plus, I don't like to be dropped from a good pace line as was the case on a few rides. Nothing more of a mental face slap than being dropped. And I can be very hard on myself. Start mentally putting yourself down and you lose your edge. Experience is a good, good thing. And now I have a lot of that.
I had plenty of time. First thing I did was register, pick up my number, take care of bathroom business then return to my car. I assembled my equipment on my bike, took off the bike and felt I was ready. Light on helmet, battery in pocket, front pannier set, skull cap on, shoes with booties on. It was a bit cold but that would change as I started riding. I've found that I can take cold weather to a reasonable temperature. When it gets in the 30's, that is where I start to suffer. I don't know my limit but I have pushed it. The temperature was in the high 40's. Not bad.
I took off noting Patrick was headed to the start at the same time. We positioned ourselves and readied for call for everyone to go.letting us go. That came and we waited for the mass of competitive riders to take off first. Who needs that? It didn't take us long and soon we were near the front of the pack. Patrick found Megan and we all were riding together. I looked at my handlebars and my mind recoiled in utter horror! Ahhhhhhh!!!! I have no water bottles!!! Nooooooooooo! That not mentally putting yourself down thing was taking a beating right now. I came clean with Patrick. "You're not going to believe this but I forgot my water bottles". What a statement. No, Patrick would be stunned! Not like me at all. Oh, wait. That is typical of me. What will it take for me to mentally check off everything I need for a ride. I suppose I should bring a check sheet and use it diligently. That will be the only way. I pulled myself together. Patrick suggested I go back the the start and grab my bottles and "catch up". That was out of the question, I knew right there. I needed a bit of luck though. I hate depending on luck.
I got just a bit just then. I saw an open min-mart at an all night gas station. I would get 2 water bottles and hope they would hold in my cages. It took forever to get the cashier to come in and pay for the water. I envisioned myself leaving a few bucks on the counter and leaving but soon came to my senses. A portly and out-of-shape gentleman soon was ringing me up. He asked about my ride and was stunned that I was riding 200 miles. He would have had heart palpitations if I had went into details on the ride. Then even more time lost as I tried to revive him. I spared him and took my water and soon I was riding off trying desperately to catch up. I was in the far back by a mile or two. Not good. Despair filled my mind. How could I do something so stupid. Water. You will never be able to ride multiple miles on air. The thought was their though. I felt somewhat relieved to at least have the water but twist off caps while riding? I'll only be able to drink at the rest stops. That won't cut it. I tried to demolish my ego a little more (not that I am big on having enough) then shook it off. I need a bit more luck. SAG. That could be the key. The SAG was there as we were riding all at the beginning. If I could see one of the SAG vehicles stopped I might luck out and get a water bottle from him. It was dark and lonely. I pushed away depressive thoughts. Not long after imagining that scenario I saw the sam SAG vehicle stopped and setting up cones or something. I posed my question trying not to hope too hard and jinxing my wishes. He said, why yes. I have a water bottle. Here. He apologized for it being empty. I told him that was OK and thanked him for saving my ride. I took off with great relief.
I rode until something seemed wrong. I looked at the street I was on and it said El Cerro. I had passed Mt. Diablo Scenic Route by maybe three miles. OH. Time to kick my ego again. I turned around still not sure and then pushed, backtracking hard. I was looking at every street, looking for Mt. Diablo Scenic Route. No, no, ye…no, no. It started looking more right. Country road. I haven't hit this turn from this side ever. Always from Blackhawk Road. And it was dark. Finally I found it. Much relief. No riders still. I was far behind. As I climbed South Gate Road I started seeing riders in the distance. That was a huge relief. I was good. I first passed a tandem. Maybe the ONLY tandem on the ride. I can't imagine someone, anyone, riding a tandem no this ride. Well, maybe my friend Brian Lucido and Janet Wagner who are legendary tandem riders. This pair didn't look legendary. Sometimes these traits are hard to detect. I did not see said tandem the rest of the day. I passed others. Then others. I was going at a good clip. I chatted to a few on the way up. Greetings or more. One guy had a 1982 Trek and asked me about mine. I told him it was a 1977. He said his was a 1982. We talked a bit more, me a bit reluctantly since I had to go, man. On to the top. Maybe my quickest time climbing Mt. Diablo. I am really getting used to this climb. I enjoy it. An old friend. I know where everything is and know when I'm getting close. Point to point has been shortened in my brain. The fear has been taken away by experience. I passed fellow randonuers Mike Gao, Metin Uz, Patrick and Megan Arnold near the top. Patrick asks in the bubble of a doppler if I had got some bottles. I didn't catch that right away but seeing them made me feel better. Despite my folly I was in good standing to catch up. Still, in my mind I thought it would be a bit hopeless.
Soon I climb the final bit to the lookout. Fellow randonneur Rob Hawkes greets me by name and takes my number. No DNF for me yet. I had no thoughts of that anagram all day. Not even close. I had food, quickly, pounding down liquids, bananas and potatoes, etc. I filled my bottle and asked for two scoops of manderin-orange perpetuum. A bathroom stop and I was on my way. I was a bit scared of the ride down. i knew the road but the cold would probably really hurt.
Not too bad on the way down on Summit Road but North Gate Road: a different story. I was flying! My hands were unbelievably cold. Then the cold kept coming, and coming. More, more. My hands were beyond numb. They were scratching the surface of unusable. I was a bit scared. I keep flexing them. I would take one hand off to shake it and my handle bars would wobble. Flex, flex. Keep your hands useable. Get though this. It is such a fun downhill. Not this time. I just wanted it over with! On and on.
Finally more reasonable downhill. I was passing the gate and then, alas, made the turn on Oak Grove Road. I was in a group. A bit disoriented. Somebody asked if I knew the route. I pointed to my cue sheet and gained confidence and shot off passing everyone. I turned on Ygnacio Valley Road. The road is one of my nemeses. A slow climb with a lot of traffic. I l put my head down and pedaled. Fast. I was on a mission. Hopeless, most likely, but, nevertheless, a mission.
I crested the hill and soon flying down. I was in Clayton and then Marsh Creek Road. Marsh Creek Road is traffic heavy and narrow. I dispensed with that soon and was zooming on Morgan Territory. I passed more riders and then more. Then, I was passed. I never know what that means. In this case it was fast riders. Not human probably. One was fellow randonneur Carl and the first thing he said when I only felt someone approaching was, "how was the fleche?". I told him it was one of another fellow randonneur's routes planned by Max: it was brutal but awesome. He road on.
I got to the next checkpoint. They moved it from where it was before in a better spot and closer to the start of "the Plunge" a super long downhill where speeds can reach into the outrageous 50's. I stopped and it was cold and windy. Bathroom break, more food, more water and perpetuum. On my way. Fast, fast. Wind in my face. I am slowed by a truck who cannot pass a slow rider. I pass both after a bit of a wait and soon am flying again. F-L-Y-I-N-G! Wow. Never fails to disappoint.
I am down on level ground now and take the right on North Livermore Road and all the flat farm roads and on my way to Altamont Pass. The word is that Altamont Pass/Patterson Pass, one headwind, one tailwind. Altamont's turn for a tail wind. I was flying. The riders behind me were soon gone. I was again passing people. Then, a group catches up. It is Max and his posse! He greets me warmly. I had seen him coming down Mount Diablo and we yelled out to each other then. I had been thinking he would catch up to me because he is one of those non-human super fast riders. I mean how does he do it? I pushed real, real hard and finally caught up to his pace-line. I held on from Altamont Pass Road to Patterson Pass Road. Then, during a particular hard climb on Patterson Pass Road his group, down to three pulled ahead. I just didn't have it in me to stay with them. I still pushed though. The wind was fierce. The climb was made that much harder. Then, something really, really good happened. I caught up to Patrick and Megan. They were gutting up a really tough climb. Wow. I was stunned and elated! I greeted them and fell in with the climb. We chatted. I seemed to have my C or D or even F material all day long. Usually I can be pretty witty but everything sounded stupid. Well, hopefully I didn't annoy too much. Good to be with friends.
We were soon on Mines Road. Climbing breaks any group up. Everyone climbs at their own pace. It was important for us to keep together. Patrick did a herculean job of leading as usual. Such a good smooth pace. One of the best. If someone had an issue or lagged we would soon get it together again and help out. Patrick had one flat, maybe a thorn or something already. Part of the reason I was able to catch he and Megan. I told him I was pleased with that and he shot some puncture voodoo my way. I immediately recanted the statement. But now, Patrick got another flat. We all stopped. I helped with the flat on the side of Mines Road where it started to climb. I think Patrick likes to change flats himself, and then catch up with the group. I am the opposite. Someone has a flat and I want to be there for them. That's what I do and sometimes, maybe to my detriment. Megan continued on, well conscious and comfortable with Patrick's disposition. I stayed behind to help. Its what I do. Patrick noticed the tire was completely worn through on one spot. He thought he had laid a skid sometime in the passed but couldn't figure out when. It was as if someone had worn it manually with sand paper. Odd. Patrick asked to use my pump, "since you're still here". I got it out, he pumped up the tire, I put his damaged tube away for him and soon we were riding on toward the Junction, a biker's favorite food stop.
After much pace lining and climbing we finally got to the Junction. I was ready to stop. It was a bit hard to stay up with the pace line. A friend had joined for part of the ride up and was chatting away with Megan. Patrick and I in front occasionally commenting on things. Me hanging on. Lunch was good. Fellow randonneur Eric was one of the SAG support team. He had his top down and yelled out to me on Ygnacio Valley road. "Go Roy!" That always feels good. Thanks Eric! We talked with him a while, he telling us a bit of his Fleche randonneuring adventure. Fascinating and I look forward to reading that. Bound to be a best seller in my eyes.
We took off again, me summoning the courage to ride on knowing that there was a good amount of riding just to get near the climb to Mount Hamilton. Oh, oh. So, we ride. And ride some more. I'm feeling better. Patrick and Megan talk with each other. Me interjecting an occasional anecdote, mostly missing. Maybe I should just make silly noises. No matter. We ride and soon we are climbing. We note the numbers in the road that tell us we are getting closer. 11, 10, 9, etc. Useful for me since even though I zero my gps unit after 3 or 4 miles I show 40 miles for mileage. Oh. Its OK. I will just be doing addition and subtraction all day long. No big deal. Anyway, it keeps my mind active. Mile 5 means the climbing starts in earnest. So, we climb. It gets steep at times. It lasts long. It hurts. None of us lets on. We suffer quietly, no moaning. Maybe an occasional heavy breath of air is released. Finally we reach 3, then 2, then 1. We have done it. Climbing the backside of Mount Hamilton with over one hundred miles and 10,000 feet elevation gain in our aching legs. We are happy. I ask if we could stop at the top so I can stretch my back. Patrick says it is best if we continue on. He's right, of course.
We fly down Mount Hamilton. Down the curvy road. It is only my second time down this but my memory of this road is pretty good and I know where to back off and where to let it fly. That and watching Patrick but mainly Megan in front of me. You can learn a lot just following someone on a twisty downhill. What speed is correct. Watching Patrick can be a mistake. He is so good at descending that you have to be careful. I have ridden with him a lot and have to take it easy. He really is such a master of the descent. I am very impressed with Megan's descending powers also. We are able to stay together the whole way down and all the way to the Crowthers Road Rest Stop #5. Rest stops are planned perfectly on this ride. Not too close and not too far. You really need them where they are placed. Hat's off to the Quackcyclists for this! The Crowthers Road Rest Stop is literally someone's house. Extreme gratitude going out to them for their kindness to so many riders giving so much to accomplish such a daring fete as a Devil Mountain Double Century. What was really weird was walking into the house and using their bathroom. We linger a bit longer contemplating Sierra Road: near 4 miles of extreme percentage climbing. Fear creeps into our bellies and we all shake it off.
We ride out of the rest stop. It is a steep climb to get back to Crowthers Road. Patrick and Megan moan in unison as we climb. It helps! We fly down Crowthers Road and the handful of streets that lead to Sierra Road. We ride fast. We push to hit it as fast as we can get there. No lingering, no trepidation. It has to be done. Let's get going on it.
Soon we are making the turn on Sierra Road. Most climbs start off slow and sneak up on you. Before you know it the percentages start hitting the 8's, 9's, and soon the teens. Sierra Road won't have any of that. It hits hard almost immediately after the turn from Piedmont Road. I have ridden Sierra Road many times now (I enjoy it as a climb. I like climbing, the steeper, the better. A reason to do the Devil Mountain Double). And, there are bits of lower pitched rest, but really, it is a slugfest the whole way. Near 4 miles of outrageous steep. Engulfing. I have been anticipating this climb since I grasped the totality of the Devil Mountain Double. The phrase, "Sierra Road at mile 155" has been whirling in my head since that time. So I know about it. But this, this was something else. We stay together. We have been joined by another rider. That is good. I later found his name is Zoltan and his strange accent is hungarian. Wow. Cool. As we are 3/4 of the way up I see a glimpse of the Quackcyclists crew. I wonder if it is someone being helped by a SAG vehicle. We come around the bend and we are being cheered boisterously with cowbells and whistles! A group of 10 or 12 of the Quackcyclist volunteer staff are on the side of the road cheering us loudly and with so much emotion that our ailing legs pedal harder and we all feel an emotional lift! Patrick raises his arms in the air and I slap the hands of the cheering throng as I ride by! So, so good. And a total surprise. We practically float to the top and soon we arrive at the Pet The Goat Checkpoint.
There is a goat there. A stuffed goat that you can pet. I am somewhat disappointed but feel a bit silly for imagining they might actually bring a goat up there and leash it. One of the staff asks about my bike. He has a commuter bike that is similar. Some early 1980's model. A coupled of the crew lift my bike and cannot believe I rode a bike so heavy with such tall gears on this over-the-top ride. I feel pretty good about it, ego raised after the debacle this morning where it took a hit. I get hot chocolate and it is good. I take some bars for later. I have been stock piling them from every rest stop. My middle pocket is literally bulging. Sort of like a biker's trick-or-treat moment. We eat, we talk, we joke. The staff are very impressed with us and it makes us glow with proudness. But we must push on. And we have a lot of downhill now. Down.
Soon we are flying again. The thing I've noticed about this course is the flat out long and fast downhills. Large climbs must mean long downhills, right? Well, you earn it but you do get it. And we were flying. Curvy, and balls to the wall speed. We all wanted to "be there" so we pushed hard. Patrick, again leading us expertly. I found I did quite well on the curvy Calaveras Road. I kept thinking that the curves were near identical. They were so close and soon was able to anticipate for maximum speed and efficiency. No problem keeping up with the killer pace. Zoltan hung in there just as well. That went on and on and personally, I did not regret any of it. So much fun trying to beat the clock. There was hot dogs at the next stop. I don't eat meat much, let alone mystery mean like hot dogs but when you have been eating "bike food" all day things like hot dogs seem to rise to reverential states. So, that is what pulled us faster. They mentioned hot dogs at the Pet The Goat check point and that is what goaded us to an intense ride. We passed riders on the straight bit of Calaveras Road like they were picket fences. Then it was the last Rest Stop at Sunol Train Station.
We pull off onto Main Street in Sunol. Wow. I don't think I have ever been there. Really a cool area. There is oldness and architecture. Maybe some great food and nice feel. I should stop one time on a ride during the day to really get a feel for this place. The rest stop is staffed by very appreciative volunteers. Seems as we get closer to the finish, the staff is more reverential to us, honoring our hard efforts to get this far. This is the last Rest Stop and we have a warm, emotionally uplifting light shone on us. One of the staff notices my real light is dim. I meant to change the batteries but hadn't had the chance and forgot, etc. He offered to change it and I whole-heartedly thanked him as I said yes, please! I had two hot dogs with a generous helping of mustard and ketchup, sweet and sour american style. I also downed a cup of miso soup. All just what i needed. I felt so much better. Eating. I guess you need it! So different from my Henry Coe rides of minimal or no food, just water. Road riding is so different. I am transforming.
We push off once again. Megan asks Zoltan if he wants to join us for the rest of the ride. He says yes. I am glad. Niles Canyon Road, Highway 84 is next. We pace line fast to get it over with. Cars pass, we stay together. I wonder how long it might take. I am pleased that the answer is not long. Soon there is a warning of a right hand turn and a road. That proves to be Palomares Road. We go under a rail overpass and I quickly downshift and we are immediately climbing. We have a long climb. Steep at first. Everything is relative and perspective is a good thing. Sierra Road looms large in our minds still. We see this climb as no big deal. We take turns talking to each other. I get to know Zoltan a bit. It is his second Devil Mountain Double. He knows. He doesn't ride as much as Patrick and I but he does know how to ramp up to this ride. Last year he was exhausted near the end. This year another story. We both feel good. The climb doesn't bother us. We creep to the top making sure that we keep together. That is one thing we will do. Keep together no matter what. Too dark, too many things can happen. Plus, SAG is all busy with the back end of the ride. We go to the Pet The Goad Check Point and only half the riders were at or past that checkpoint. It was going to be a long night for them and painful and long for those riders.
At the top we get ready to scream down the hill. Flying once again in the dark. Down, down until Patrick notices Megan isn't with us anymore. Zoltan and I soft-pedal for a while. We want to move and stay warm and not stand in place. After a long while, Patrick and Megan emerge. We take off again but soon loose them. We wait again. Soon we all catch up. Megan is OK. Long ride has caught up with her. No surprise there. This ride is truly brutal.
We get to Palo Verde and take a left. Then East Castro Valley Road. Then a longer bit: Crow Canyon Road. We all talked about the last climb. It is 4 miles and some steep bits. No bump for sure. Patrick emphasizes the hurt we are in for but Zoltan downplays it. We then take a right. Finally, Norris Canyon Road. I'm not sure but I think we all cheered. It was quite a sight. The last bit. The climb was pretty impressive. I didn't feel too bad and we all were able to stay together. I commented on the vegetation, particularly the wispy plants on the side of the road. Megan says they are horse tails. Simply amazing. I say that this must be a good ride during the day. Patrick assures me that it really isn't a big deal. I tell him I won't bother then. The climbing finally peaks with an obvious real summit. A wonderful and fast downhill ensues. We are all smiles and we know it is all downhill to the end. Closer, closer.
We hit civilization. A freeway is close. We climb a short section to get over the freeway. The last official climb Megan says. We turn on Bishop Drive where the start was. Food is waiting. We are greeted with a female volunteers' cheer. Is it true? Are we really done? We carry out bikes to the lower section of the Marriot Hotel where we are checked in and heartily congratulated. Fellow randonuer Metin Uz greets us and we all regale our stories. So much to tell. I beg off to purchase a jersey. For something this amazing you have to wear it. We eat, relax and stare. So good to complete this. So difficult in the cold and wind. All in all, an epic adventure. I love epics!
Page Views: | 371 |
Departed: | Apr 26, 2014, 4:59 am |
Starts in: | Danville, CA, US |
Distance: | 209.7 mi |
Selected distance: | 209.7 mi |
Elevation: | + 19212 / - 19318 ft |
Max Grade: | |
Avg Grade | |
Cat | |
FIETS | |
VAM | |
Ascent time | |
Descent time | |
Total Duration: | 18:09:42 |
Selection Duration: | 65382 |
Moving Time: | 15:25:16 |
Selection Moving Time: | 15:25:16 |
Stopped Time: | 02:44:26 |
Max Speed: | 54.0 mph |
Avg Speed: | 13.6 mph |
Pace: | 00:05:11 |
Moving Pace: | 00:04:24 |
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