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2003 Death Valley Double Ride Report
(See also my photo album from this ride)
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Quick stats below, full report coming later after I'm caught up....
Day 1:
- left home at 7:50, arrived in Furnace Creek at 5. stopped for
breakfast at patterson, gas at kettleman's junction, ice cream in
Tehachape, topped off gas in Mojave, b'room break in Trona.
- Lovely drive on 178 over Emmigrant's pass and down into death valley.
- Soso dinner at 49ers Cafe of lasagna, saw lots of bikers including a
fellow I gave some endurolytes to on TOTF a few weeks back.
- After waiting a while in line to check in, I got my stuff together
and retired a little before 9pm.
- Kostman announced that Badwater was closed so the stop there would be
moved a few miles closer and there would be no bathrooms.
- This was a little surprising that they hadn't known this, as that
information is on DV's website....
Day 2:
- woke at 6:15, mass started at 7
- initially rode out with Kristin and Susan before Susan caught a fast paceline and vanished
- rode mostly with Kristin to near-Badwater, got yelled at by park ranger for peeing ("This is a national park!") - and I'm supposed to go WHERE exactly? Bathrooms at badwater proved open anyways.
- caught a nice paceline out of Badwater and hung on it to w/in 7 miles of Ashford Mills
- long walk to bathroom, biked there on gravelly road and forgot my hydrapack there so had to wlak back to get it
- funny staffers in drag at ashford mills
- rode w/kristin to the base of the Jubilee climb, then lost her on the way up
- felt pretty good, so I went moderately hard on the low-grade climb
- great views all around as I rose. didn't really llook like a climb, but it definitely was.
- nice italian family stopped to let some riders fondle their ice packets, very kind, spoke no english
- got to top of jubilee before too long and kristin arrived not long after, she'd be figghting off a cold recently and decided to just do the century. I should have done the same and had some company on the way back, but i continued on
- short but steep descent off of jubilee to start of salisbury climb - this climb pretty much broke me - it was very hot (100+, max of 106), and had no wind to speak of, just still, warm air. Continued nice view tho Saw 106deg on my watch at one poinit, ugggh.
- arrived at water stop and was told that I'd missed the cutoff (not really enforced, but there was now virtually no chance of finishing the entire ride within the alloted time). Decided to just turn around and descend ssalisbury and jubilee and see how I felt from there. The thought of another 5'ish miles of death-by-low-grade-hill was not appealing!
- fun descent of Salisbury was amazingly short given how long it had taken me to ascend it!
- after short, but rather steep climb, re-arrived back at the top of Jubilee and enjoyed a long and fairly fast descent.
- pulled into Ashfford Mills and replenished my water supplied, pondering what to do.
- as no SAG was around (nor had I seen any anytime recently), I decided to head towarrds Badwater, some 28 miles away.
- very hot (104 max, 102 most of the way), consumed tons of water. not eating enough, but tummy felt icky.
- determined that the next sag car I saw, I would flag down, but didn't see any at all :(
- passed several pairs of riders trying to shelter in the mostly unavailable shade, waiting for a sag to come by
- van came by the other way, and only after it flew past me did i realize it was a ride van, but they never even so much as slowed down - grrr.
- eventually a south-bound van stopped and asked me if I need anything. I glibly repleid "a ride to Furnace Creek", and to my pleasure, they obliged.
- turned out theyy weren't even official sag, just a guy whose wife was riding, and a rider he'd picked up earlier, who was keeping him company. i was very grateful they'd come by and had room for mee!
- picked up on emore rider en route to badwater, then got there. the driver's wife was there, wanting a ride home, so our most recent pickup departed, while I continued in the car and received a ride straight back to furnace creek
- met sarah who was in the hotel room, and we drove to badwater to pick up my forgotten lights, then drove artists drive at sunset, having another decent, but not great dinner at the 49ers cafe (I had a bacon cheese burger).
- arr. @ ashford mills (2nd time) at 13:25
- picked up by friendly unofficial SAG at 3:22 and called it a day.
- ~4500' climbing total
- 6:57:00 riding timee
- 42.6jmph max
- 12.8mph avg
- 89.42 miles total
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Ride Stats:
| Distance: | 89.42mi |
| Total Time: | 8h 22m |
| On-bike Time: | 6h 57m |
| Average Speed: | 12.8mph |
| Average Speed (including stops): |
11.3mph |
| Maximum Speed: | 42.6mph |
| Total Climbing: | ~4,500ft. |
Overall Ride Rating (out of 10):
| Difficulty: | 7 |
| Support: | 4 - not nearly enough SAG vehicles/water/etc. |
| Food: | 6 - no frills but adequate |
| Route: | 9 - unique location unlike anywhere else I've ridden |
| Weather: | 2 - too damned hot! |
| Overall: | 6 - this has not been a very good year for me for ultra rides! |
| Last modified
15 August, 2006 PDT
Copyright © 2008 Adam R. Paul |
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