D2R2 2009

70 miles on a bike usually doesn't take 5 hours and 42 minutes, but put
those 70 miles over the backroads of Western Mass and VT and they sure do.
D2R2 was a major goal for me. It kicked my ass in 2007 and I was looking
for redemption. No photos this year.(wish I did bring the camera
as ther were some amazing bike...next year) No fooling around.
Day started shrouded in fog- a truly grim and mysterious
way to start. The first 13 mile leg was tough, but familiar. Water stop
at a Hansel and Gretel house in the middle of nowhere. Phase 2 was a lot
harder . Got lost twice. Had to walk twice. Ran out of water(3 bottles).
Rest stop 2 came just in time to keep me from jumping in a river. PBJs and
whatever else I could cram down my throat. Baked potatos? Someone needs to
explain that to me. Eating a hot starchy gut bomb in 90+ degree heat???
Killed 2 bottles of water just sitting there. Refilled all 3 and rolled
out. River Road was up next, Shadey downhill run along a river. Very
relaxing. Maybe too relaxing as I missed my turn and continued on til I hit
some civilization (maybe the last time Colrain gets called civilized...). All I had to do to get back on track was climb back
the way I came. Only on a totally scorched by the sun main road. This 2
mile run up Colrain road was a nice prep for the patten hill/peckville rd
suckerpunch that awaited me. Dragged my ass up to the apple orchard rest
area. Saw an RB-1 there and a guy who made the climb on a fixed gear
(38x19). Damn. This ride really lets you know who is beast on
the bike. Also heard the best retort to a person who was whining for
bananas.... "sorry this isn't a banana orchard........" zing.
Last phase home was kind of anti-climatic except for a fear of getting
lost. That is until the Hawk's Rd descent. Rutted, washed out, with tons
of loose fist sized rocks. This thing was a real sting in the tail (not
unlike the last dirt climb)
So got lost three times, crashed once, walked three times. back again
next year with a lower gear and a couple less pounds.
The support on this ride is killer. For 50 bucks you get breakfast, all you
can eat at the rest stops, and a burrito and a beer at the end. Most of
the races you do are 2/3rds of that price and you are lucky to have porta
johns and neutral support.....
This is a ride I hope goes on for many years-at least long enough for me
to try the 170K