The ‘07 Kokopelli Trail Race, Part III: I Take Leave of My Senses
Before I even started the KTR, I knew there would be three sections that would test my limits: the climb from Dewey Bridge to 5 Mile Mesa (or is it 7 Mile Mesa? I can never remember), the climb from Fisher Valley to North Beaver Mesa, and the climb up to the La Sal mountain.
The thing is, those climbs come one after another, with descents that either are so technical or are over so fast that you don’t have any time to recover.
Consider it: 11,647 feet of climbing, over 64 miles. The below profile chart gives you a pretty decent idea of what the trip is like. (You can see the route and all the stats for this part of the ride by clicking here.)
Which is to say, the second half of the KTR is brutal. And there are none of the easy bailout options that present themselves during the first part of the race.
But at least it’s a downhill finish, right?
Greg, Part 1
For the entire race, I was too cautious about water. My basic rule was that any time I got down to two full bottles, I would take the next opportunity to find and filter water, completely loading up, just in case it took me a long time to get to the next water crossing — or just in case the next water crossing, wasn’t.
Following this rule, I began the first big climb to 5-Mile Mesa (look at mile 0-10 in the profile chart) completely loaded up with water. Within a few miles, I felt like a fool — there was a stream: a much clearer, cooler, more convenient water crossing than the muddy Colorado River I had just filled up at. I hadn’t needed to pack that heavy (and believe me, it felt very heavy gallon of water all this way). Oh well.
Incidentally, there was a cyclist laying down in the stream.
I stopped, pulled my earphones out, and said hi. Greg — for Greg was his name — sat up, said hi, then ducked his head in the water one last time and got ready to roll.
Here’s a biking axiom: a funny, nice riding buddy can reduce the pain quotient of a climb by 35%. And, thanks to my Twin Six Deluxe socks, it didn’t take long for Greg to put the pieces together and we talked about the upcoming special pink edition of the jersey, how it’s possible that the Twin Six guys seem to know every cyclist in the universe, and the fact that Greg’s a Twin Six rider. Love his team bio.
Unfortunately — for me — eventually I just couldn’t keep up with Greg. He tried to slow down for me, but the reality is, when you’re deep into an endurance ride it’s almost impossible to speed up or slow down your pace. The speed you’re going is the speed you’re capable of going.
That’s why, no matter how many times I’ve planned epic rides with friends, once we get on the trail, everyone eventually winds up riding big pieces of the course alone.
It’s as it should be.
Heat of the Day
So I continued on alone as the day started getting hot. Really hot. I wished, over and over, two things:
- For a lower gear
- For my feet to stop hurting so bad
With regards to the latter problem, I finally had a knuckle-headed epiphany. Why, it turns out I was packing a full bottle of ibuprofen! Duh. Four capsules sounded like a good number, and half an hour later I was able to beat the pain in my feet into the background of my thoughts.
It was during this climb that the only Bananarama song I have on my iPod — “Cruel Summer” — got randomly shuffled into play. I actually laughed out loud.
I remembered Al Maviva quoting Eric Rasmuson as saying that climbing isn’t as hard if you just look at your front wheel. So I just stared at my front wheel.
It was no easier.
I passed two cyclists, neither of which was moving. No, they weren’t dead, they were just resting under available shade. At least I hoped they were just resting.
Then between eight and ten Land Rovers passed me, each with a male driver and a female passenger. Weird. Do Land Rover clubs have a men-with-female-companions-only membership rule?
And no, I wasn’t hallucinating.
That came later.
Greg, Part 2
As I neared the summit of 5 Mile Mesa (or is it 7 Mile Pass? I must find out someday), I finished off the last of the water in my Camelbak. By my rule, that meant I needed to stop at the next water crossing and fill up.
I was hot. I was tired. I was a little bit thick-tongued and mentally addled. More than usual, I mean.
Then I saw another rider trying to get some shade under a bush. He stood up as I approached. It was Greg.
“How’s it going?” I asked, slurrily.
“Oh, I’m just looking forward to getting some water,” he said.
“Tell me about it,” I replied, and kept going, figuring he’d be riding with me.
But when I looked back a few minutes later, he wasn’t there.
And then, half an hour later, it occurred to me: he may well have been asking if I had any water to spare, without wanting to come right out and ask.
Like I said, I was thick tongued and addle-brained.
Greg, if you’re still alive and you read this, please accept my apologies. I didn’t get the clue, or I wouldn’t have left you to die, under a bush, at the top of 5 Mile Mesa (7 Mile Pass, whatever). I still had two bottles, and if you would have asked, you could’ve had one.
Detour
An interminable hike-a-bike down a boulder ravine (interminable because the hike was long, the day was hot, my feet were in pain, and I was beginning to feel really exhausted) brought me into Fisher Valley. I was now down to one bottle of water, and was beginning to worry. Would I run out of water before the next water crossing? I thought there was one just a few miles away, but couldn’t be sure.
On the other hand, I could see that the ranch in this valley was currently watering its alfalfa fields, mocking me.
I decided to take a side trip toward the ranch and pick up some water there, rather than trust there’d be a water crossing on the trail.
The thing is, the longer I rode toward the ranch, the further it seemed to get away from me. And the hoped-for irrigation ditch never materialized.
So, after ten minutes (or fifteen or twenty — hard to say) I gave up and headed back onto the trail, figuring I’d trust to finding water where everyone else did.
Nothing like putting in a few extra miles on a 140 mile bike ride.
Time for the Big Climb
Sure enough, after a quick climb (well, “quick” may not be the correct adjective) and descent, I came across the water crossing, just where I remembered it. So the detour really was a waste.
And there were two riders, sitting at the stream. We talked a bit while I filtered. One of them was named Jesper, and he was currently lamenting that he had picked too steep a gear for his singlespeed.
“Oh, and the fun’s just beginning,” I said.
“Have you ridden this trail before?” he asked.
“Not in this direction, but the uphill we’re about to do takes about 45 minutes when you go downhill.”
“How long of a climb is it?” Jesper asked, visibly worried. And rightly so.
“It’ll be nine miles before we get any kind of break at all.”
As it turns out, you’re climbing pretty much nonstop for about fifteen miles (check out mile 22-37 on the elevation profile).
Better get started.
I Do Not Think I See What I Think I See
It was during this climb up to North Beaver Mesa that I began to hallucinate.
Yes, really.
I started seeing things on the side of the road that would turn out — as I got closer — to be nothing more than rocks, logs and flowers.
The following day, as we drove home and I relayed this to my friends, Adam Lisonbee chimed in, “I was hallucinating on that stretch, too!”
We compared hallucinations:
“I saw a lawnchair,” said Adam. “I was so disappointed when it turned out to be nothing but some wildflowers.”
“I saw an ice chest,” I said. “I had no problem with raiding it either. I was really ticked off that it was just a stump.”
“I saw a real estate sign,” Adam said. “I was thinking, ‘How come North Beaver Mesa is for sale?’”
“I saw people sitting on the side of the road. They always turned out to be trees. And I saw an armadillo. And a hedgehog.”
When it comes down to it, I think I may have hallucinated more than Adam.
So…Tired…Must…Sleep
Amazingly, the climb to North Beaver Mesa eventually ended. At the top, there was Adam, sitting in a stream (since he confirmed he was really there, I believe I can confidently say this was not a hallucination). Adam saluted, I asked for a bullet to kill myself with, and Adam replied he had already used the only one he had.
We were very funny.
A five mile descent on pavement (mile 37-42, if you’re looking at the elevation profile) brought me to the final big climb of the day, up to the La Sal mountains. This climb was on pavement, has multiple switchbacks, and was just incredibly boring.
You know what the problem with “boring” is when it’s Saturday afternoon, you haven’t slept since Thursday, and you’ve been on your bike for eighteen hours?
You get sleepy. Verrrrry sleeeepy.
I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. I was turning the pedals, but my head kept snapping forward, and my bike was veering all over the road.
The hallucinations were getting more common, too. I saw a train of 8-10 Miatas coming down the road. Once again, each car had a male driver and a female passenger (usually looking bored).
Or were those real? Hard to say.
Somewhere along the way up, it occurred to me: maybe the music was making me sleepy. I pulled out the iPod headphones, and that did seem to help.
A little bit.
When I finally got to the top of that road, knowing that it was all downhill from there (seriously, check out the profile from mile 50 to the end of the race), I laughed aloud.
I knew I’d make it.
Fast Finish
After a hard day of climbing, ten miles of fast, easy downhill feels so good. I didn’t pedal at all. Just coasted. It was time for gravity to pay me back.
And it was still light — barely — which was good, because I had used up all my batteries earlier in the day, back when I thought I’d do this race in 18 hours. Oh, the naivete of youth!
And then I was in the parking lot. Botched Experiment found me a chair. Mark Albrecht brought me some ice cream sandwiches (the best food I have ever had in my life). Kenny looked relieved and said my wife and sister Kellene had been calling, wondering if they ought to send out Search and Rescue.
I finished 25th (or so) out of 60 (or so) starters and 35 (or so) finishers. Mid-pack at best.
And, without question, this was my proudest mountain biking moment, ever.
Comment by Adam | 05.24.2007 | 7:36 am
The miatas were real! Or perhaps we had the same hallucination? Oh, and I called into a Moab area Real Estate agent to make an offer on N. Beaver Mesa, they laughed at me. I felt like Pee Wee Herman, when he asks to see the basement of the Alamo….
Comment by dpcowboy | 05.24.2007 | 7:39 am
Great Story, E….thanks….especially the part about the real estate sign. Very, very funny.
Comment by mark | 05.24.2007 | 7:44 am
I met Fatty for the first time when he finished the KTR. My immediate reaction was “how can a guy who writes so well be such a bumbling doofus in person?” He was slurring his words and generally acting incoherent.
We did a recovery ride together yesterday, and I was glad to see that the real fatty is very personable and well-spoken. The KTR must have really taken its toll. The sad thing was that on our “recovery ride” all of three days after this epic he was riding his single speed and taking it extra easy just so I could keep up.
I move we officially change his name to “the cyclist formerly known as fat.”
Comment by bikemike | 05.24.2007 | 7:48 am
this has been such a long (wonderful) story , i’m beginning to wonder if i’m hallucinating it. can a man of seemingly normal human abilities, take on an effort of super-human proportions?
i’m guessing the answer is a heartfelt and glorious, yes.
congrats mr. fatty (not your real name anymore) we’re very proud and jealous. well, not really jealous, so much as just tired. my feet hurt just reading your description.
Comment by jill | 05.24.2007 | 7:48 am
Wonderful. Congrats again.
Comment by Congo | 05.24.2007 | 8:05 am
Its a trilogy! A trilogy of truly epic, Lord of the Rings proportions. One of the other posters compared you to Frodo. Maybe this Adam guy is Gollum? He seemed to spend a lot of time in water. Probably eating raw fish.
Have you sold the movie rights yet? Who’s going to play Fatty? John Goodman was waiting for a call until he saw the jersey photos.
Comment by MAJ Mike | 05.24.2007 | 8:09 am
The image of John Goodman in bike shorts is more mentally troubling than the idea of doing a 140 mile mountain bike race unsupported with an accidental 4 speed. I was eating lunch but I am not sure I can continue.
Comment by Jynical | 05.24.2007 | 8:31 am
Yeah, I think a name change is in order.
Congrats again! I’m just beginning my cycling journey and
I feel really sappy and fortunate to have stumbled upon
your blog a few weeks ago. Inspiring. Good on ya. :)
Comment by TeeBone | 05.24.2007 | 8:34 am
Guess what I saw at the Wednesday night race at Sundance last night. A real life honest-to-goodness Fatcyclist.com Jersey. How about that!
Comment by Al Maviva | 05.24.2007 | 8:47 am
>>>>I remembered Al Maviva quoting Eric Rasmuson as saying that climbing isn’t as hard if you just look at your front wheel. So I just stared at my front wheel. It was no easier.
Ahh, there’s the problem. That was the wrong quote, dummy! Eric Rasmuson is a dude I went to high school with – total stoner, hot rodded ‘79 Thunderbird, kept his Marlboros in his T-shirt sleeve. Sure, he said that, but it was only about climbing up onto the hood of the Thunderbird to drink Pabst, and smoke some butts. (He had terrible vertigo problems, old Eric, and could only climb up onto the hood if he was looking at some object on the ground that wasn’t moving).
Instead of that quote, you should have been thinking about the Michael Rasmussen quote about looking at the front wheel while climbing. He’s a UCI ProTour rider, a former pro mountain biker of some note, and a really skinny guy. You listen to him instead of Eric Rasmuson, it will totally work for you.
Just like you shouldn’t listen to roadracing advice from flexible action figure Stretch Armstrong, or bike training tips from Hoagy Carmichael.
Comment by Bob | 05.24.2007 | 8:49 am
Great story. Which, do you think, would be a greater accomplishment — unsupported Kokopelli in one day or a sub-9 Leadville?
Comment by Tg | 05.24.2007 | 8:58 am
Elden, congratulations on the super-human effort! I called you Elden, because after seeing you in the jersey photos, I just simply can’t call you fatty anymore.
Comment by BotchedExperiment | 05.24.2007 | 9:04 am
TeeBone, that was me and I totally DOMINATED all those pro weenies in the Expert catagory. . . did you see it? Or maybe I was hallucinating.
Speaking of hallucinations, Kenny had some too. I’ll let him tell them.
Regarding Fatty’s name change: He should continue as the fat cyclist, because at any time, he’s only two weeks from a 25 pound weight gain! Eating is his super power, and I’ll prove it by the story I have to tell in my next (meta blog) comment.
Comment by JET(not a nickname) | 05.24.2007 | 9:31 am
Truly epic! And a great write up to go with it. Nice job FC!!
Comment by Boz | 05.24.2007 | 9:42 am
Concrats on a GREAT performance and an excellent telling of the tail. Like A.L. williams used say “do it till the job gets done, then talki about it”. Words to live by, kinda.
Al – FC was confused in the heat – That was Eric Rasmuson out on the trail – having a smoke. He actually told FC to follow him and stare at the back wheel of his T-Bird. Just a slight misunderstanding, ya know, with the heat and all.
Comment by BotchedExperiment | 05.24.2007 | 9:44 am
I planned on doing the KTR, but got sick and had to skip it. Wow, I really got lucky there because I was woefully under-prepared to ride that race. So instead of riding it I went along with Fatty, Kenny, and Adam, to be shuttleboy.
I got to the slickrock trailhead parking lot (the finish of the KTR) at about 9:00 Saturday morning. It was already hot. By 11:00 I was back from riding slickrock and parked Fatty’s truck next to some guy’s FJ cruiser and strung a tarp between them, so I’d have some shade. The thermometer on Fatty’s truck said 88 degrees.
When the owner of the FJ wanted to leave, I re-located and continued my vigil. At 2:30, the thermometer said 93 degrees. About 2:50, a rigid singlespeed rider, Ed, came in. He had left Loma, Co at 9:00 the night before to avoid the BLM drama. He was over-heated, slightly sick, and really happy to be finished.
At 3:00 Kenny wheeled in. He looked fairly shattered. I’ve never even seen Kenny looking slightly tired, so it was a surprise to see him with symptoms of heat exhaustion and so nauseated that he could only sip cool water. I think (and hope) he’s going to write-up his race, but I think he might have had the toughest KTR of anyone, considering he did it on a rigid singlespeed in 15 hours, with one cleat missing for the last 4 hours. Remember, he was climbing for at least 3 of those hours, and climbing with a cleat missing on a singlespeed means that you are basically pedaling with one leg.
Comment by BotchedExperiment | 05.24.2007 | 9:47 am
Over the next 5 hours, about 20 riders came in. Virtually all of them finished totally wiped out. Most came in and had trouble coherently giving their name and starting time to the woman who was recording them. Some could only lay down on the pavement while cool water was pored over them. Virtually all of them were sick, and none of them wanted any food. That is, until Fatty finished.
Fatty came in looking VERY dirty. He was slurring words, but insisted he felt OK, but he was hungry. Within two minutes of riding up, he was eating. He ate an ice-cream bar, cookies, Doritos, and he drank sodas. I already can’t remember all the stuff he ate, but literally, it was whatever was in sight. I was in awe. I was dumbfounded. I was flabbergasted. I had just seen about 25 VERY strong riders finish and although some of them nibbled this or that, I don’t think any of them were hungry, and none of them had eaten anything even close to what I was seeing Fatty do. The difference was striking.
And so there you have empirical evidence that when it comes to food consumption, Fatty is waaayyy out on the edge of the bell curve.
Comment by fatty | 05.24.2007 | 9:53 am
thanks botched. now all i need to do is figure out how to use my superpower to fight crime.
Comment by fatty | 05.24.2007 | 9:56 am
al – michael rasmuson. got it. i think eric rasmuson was a guy i knew back in college. clearly, my brain hasn’t yet fully recovered. don’t know for sure that it ever will.
Comment by MAJ Mike | 05.24.2007 | 10:24 am
I suggest that you ride up behind the evil-doers, sandwhich them between two large, cardboard-like panels of chocolate cake-simulated material and consume them in a single mighty bite like you did with those ice cream sandwiches.
Comment by Tom | 05.24.2007 | 10:40 am
good job, fatty.
( i too support the motion to change your name)
Comment by Al Maviva | 05.24.2007 | 10:42 am
Fatty – nice ride, seriously. Congratulations also on beating Kobayashi in the Competitive Eating portion of the competition.
Comment by Clydesteve | 05.24.2007 | 11:06 am
Great story, eldon, and thanks to Botched we now know about your superpower. Don’t let Ironman know!
Comment by Mocougfan | 05.24.2007 | 11:15 am
Very enjoyable to read. Well written. Al….Did you notice how he took a long story and broke it into 3 readable stories.
Comment by Mocougfan | 05.24.2007 | 11:16 am
Great stories. Well written. Al…. did you notice how he took a long story and made into 3 readable stories. Just a thought.
Comment by Mocougfan | 05.24.2007 | 11:25 am
I love it when I double write. Stupid computer.
Comment by Jeffy | 05.24.2007 | 11:50 am
I’m astounded, yet again, by the epic accomplishments, witty commentary, entertaining responses, and the body/appearance transformation I find here. Wish I could compete in one of the categories…dang y’all are humbling (not humble though!). Jeffy
Comment by Brewinman | 05.24.2007 | 12:37 pm
Kudos Fatty(no longer an apt description)!
Sorry I missed you at the finish, would have liked the opportunity to meet the man behind the myth! (And I really would have liked to see you eat all that stuff, wow-it boggles the mind!)
Comment by Brewinman | 05.24.2007 | 12:39 pm
Geez-my last post seems awfully excited. Sorry, my exclamation point must be stuck…
Comment by KT | 05.24.2007 | 12:47 pm
Astounding, and I am firmly convinced that you’re insane.
Not the psycho-insane, but the “I’m going to go ride my mountain bike through the wilderness by myself with no supplies but what I can carry, and get out of there alive” sort of insane. It’s a good insane.
Inspiring! :) And I’ll go thirds or fourths on changing your name. No way are you fatty at this point. :)
Comment by Mrs. Coach | 05.24.2007 | 1:23 pm
Can’t change the name. FC just rolls off the tonue (or the keyboard) the initials just need to change their meaning. That way when he uses his superhuman powers and morphs back into the original FC we don’t have a lot of confusion.
Here are some suggestions:
Funny Caucasian
Fervent Cake-eater
Follicly Challenged
I know, they’re pretty lame. But I was just getting the discussion started.
Comment by LanterneRouge | 05.24.2007 | 2:13 pm
Frickin’ Conehead?
Comment by LanterneRouge | 05.24.2007 | 2:17 pm
Faintly Conventional?
Comment by LanterneRouge | 05.24.2007 | 2:18 pm
Formerly Coiffed?
Comment by MTB W | 05.24.2007 | 2:20 pm
Well done! The Thrillogy ends in grand fashion, conquering the trail, delusions (so did you have a conversation with one of history’s greats?), self-doubt and resulting in redemption and triumph. You should post this under Epic Rides instead of Pointless Ramblings.
Forget I said 8:56 for Leadville. You are in excellent shape and have lost buku (sp?) weight with more than 2 of months of training to go. I think you may break the 8:50 mark if you keep this up.
Comment by Mocougfan | 05.24.2007 | 2:23 pm
FC–Fit Cyclist?….No to dumb. I like Freaking Conehead better
Comment by Born4Lycra | 05.24.2007 | 2:58 pm
Did anybody get any pictures at the finish?
What happened to Greg, Jesper and the unknown rider?
Who did Adam shoot?
Questions Questions
Great story and performance FC.
Well done Botched – great to know the tops are out there being seen already. Did it generate any conversation?
Comment by LMouse | 05.24.2007 | 3:03 pm
MTB W, I believe it is “beaucoup”. And you are so right about this Epic Ride. This is one of those moments that will be a point of reference for FC. Every other cycling experience can be measured against this one. From this point on, no matter what he faces on a ride or in a race, he can say to himself, “Well, at least it isn’t as bad as Kokopelli, and I finished that.” And if anyone complains to him about any ride, he can now say “Hey, don’t tell me about suffering. You should have seen what I went through at Kokopelli.”
Sort of like me and my divorce……..but don’t get me started.
Comment by KatieA | 05.24.2007 | 3:22 pm
*round of applause*
Great story to what sounds like an awesome ride. I am officially jealous, as we have none of these 140mile-beatiful scenery-all day and night kind of rides around here.
We have koalas. But that doesn’t really make up for it.
Comment by Dave Nice | 05.24.2007 | 3:31 pm
Way to go Fatty! A few topcaps should be in your mailbox sat or tues…..
That was quite a ride! Nicely done!
Comment by LMouse | 05.24.2007 | 3:57 pm
And he came out eating! What a champ!
Comment by DOM | 05.24.2007 | 4:20 pm
Excellent ride and tale.
FC–Freaking Chromehead?
Fantasticly Crazy?
Flippin’ Cyclepath? (I kinda like that one)
Comment by Lins - Australia | 05.24.2007 | 4:39 pm
Consider yourself a shining example as to what healthy weight loss is all about: you’re fit, have heaps of endurance and your ability to recover is aided by being able to start eating and drinking at finish of ride. That’s where your “super power” comes into play.
Well done FC. A great ride and a great read.
Comment by LanterneRouge | 05.24.2007 | 4:58 pm
Fastidious Carthaginian?
Comment by ridethewomble | 05.24.2007 | 4:59 pm
Paging Dr. Lammler, paging Dr. Lammler.
Yes, my Swiss friend. It is time to coat your hands with Assos cream, and to spalm the balls of the superior rider.
…and don’t give me some tired story about some epic x meter climb in Der Schweiz. I’ll take Milka bars and wheels of tasty cheese over muddy, Giardia-laced Colorado River water, any day.
FC – Wow. …and here I’m afraid to enter the Shenandoah Mountain 100. That’s just an easy piece, innit?
Comment by Caloi-Rider | 05.24.2007 | 5:25 pm
Awesome, Fatty. Just like the epic ride reports of yore. Not only was I gripping my keyboard in anticipation of the (somewhat anticlimactic) ending, but the comments got me laughing aloud like a complete moron.
Comment by Jose | 05.24.2007 | 6:14 pm
From the first reading I was really concerned about your little experiment with the duration of the batteries in your lights. You were really lucky to have enough sunlight to finish. That would have been a great ending of the story, no headlamp, no lights and finishing strong. Great ride, I feel like I did it myself!
Comment by Adam | 05.24.2007 | 7:01 pm
Who did I shoot?
Well I tried to shoot myself, but it didn’t work, because afterwards I was STILL on the trail, with many miles left to climb.
Comment by Born4Lycra | 05.24.2007 | 7:24 pm
FC said
And, without question, this was my proudest mountain biking moment, ever.
I’d like to add so far it’s mine too!
Adam I was sort of thinking there might be one less BLM gentleman wandering around annoying innocent well intentioned cyclists.
Comment by John | 05.24.2007 | 9:15 pm
Now that’s a luxury body.
Comment by Highwaymunky | 05.25.2007 | 12:25 am
Well done fatty, Excellent story really well written. Blogging at it’s best.
Comment by Steven Hanley | 05.25.2007 | 12:33 am
KatieA, I guess you live in Sydney, I am fairly sure there are in fact quite a few really interesting rides you oculd do into and through various parts of the Blue Mountains just out the back of Sydney that would get the KM count up to over 200 KM in one ride.
I live in Canberra, however I ride with Sydney mtbers a fair bit and know they talk about all manner of interesting trails (some of which I have ridden) in the Blue Mountains.
Link enough of them together and you have 234 KM or mtb riding. Sure there may be less single track, but there are some mighty spectacular views.
I must say though doing a ride that long on a mtb in one day is damn impressive, just like solo 24 hour mtbers but with more interesting variety of terrain. As an example the Highland Fling 100 KM event held a 100 Mile version last November also and that is only 2 hours drive south of Sydney (and the route had some good single track as well as views and trail variety)
Comment by TimK | 05.25.2007 | 4:52 am
What I find “Freakin’ Crazy” is that you will probably go back and do it again next year to beat your time. Anyone want to start a pool? FC crosses the line at 16:45:21 in 2008 weighing in at 125 pounds at which point he eats 75% of his body weight in junk food. I’m surprised you didn’t hallucinate about vending machines.
Have enjoyed the story and comments immensely. My favorite, other than Botched’s recount, would have to be Mocougfan’s slight dig at Al Maviva: “Al….Did you notice how he took a long story and broke it into 3 readable stories.”
Keep the name – let the new school readers try to figure out the irony.
Comment by Rob | 05.25.2007 | 5:16 am
Dude you rocked that! Man those hallucinations suck, I’ve had em hiking 2 x, in the grand canyon on epic marches.
Cheers on finishing that monster!
Comment by Dave Harris | 05.25.2007 | 5:34 am
Awesome ride and writeup, thanks for sharing your tale.
Comment by MTB W | 05.25.2007 | 7:33 am
Wow – did anyone else see that 1996 TDF Champion Riis just admitted he took drugs from ‘93 – ‘98, including during his Tour victory? He even offered to return his jersey.
Comment by sans auto | 05.25.2007 | 8:12 am
Slim,
I just had to report that I got to wear the FC jersey on my commute yesterday. I think it comes with genuine FC superpowers. It was the first commute in months where I wasn’t honked at, sworn at or flipped off. I even had a guy in a car slow down to let me in… Unbelievable. Although it could have been that the jersey made me faster, I think it may have just made me look faster. Or they thought that I must be pretty darn tough if I had 201 knockouts under my belt.
I’m afraid to admit the truth. It also could have been that I wore a teal long underwear top underneath the jersey with purple gloves (where did the cold weather come from?). I think it was my fashion that literally made people stop in their tracks.
I would also like to complain about the eating superpowers that come with that jersey. I got home and ate the remaining 5 pounds of euoplocephalus cake from my son’s birthday, a gallon of ice cream followed by four generous servings of dinner. Thanks alot Fatty, I am going to weigh more than you by the end of the month.
Comment by Badder | 05.25.2007 | 8:24 am
Well Fatty, I hope you weren’t taking EPO because 10 years from now you will be pressured to admit it and you will be tarnished for life.
Comment by Mrs. Coach | 05.25.2007 | 9:28 am
sans, what the heck is “euoplocephalus cake”?
Comment by Lowrydr | 05.25.2007 | 11:03 am
Fantastic Centurion+ that should put the fear into them Fatty. Great article. Maybe you should supmit it to MTB Mags.
Comment by flash_ck | 06.4.2007 | 1:09 pm
Fatty, I love reading your blog. Your adventures are both candid and hilarious to all of us that struggle with and inherently love cycling. I wanted to let you know though in case you have not yet seen it that you need to use the option on Motionbased.com to adjust your elevation for gravity. I might be telling you something you already know, but since I only discovered this recently for my Edge305 when my route didn’t seem to make sense, I figured maybe you hadn’t seen it yet either.
Anyway, cheers and even though I never post, your wife has more prayers out there from more people than you guys might realize. You’ve definitely created an online family.
Pingback by Fat Cyclist » Blog Archive » Property Value | 12.4.2008 | 12:52 pm
[...] here, who I always think fondly of as the guy who had food and ice cream waiting for me when I finished the Kokopelli Trail Race a couple years ago — is about to move into town, and we talked a little bit about the house [...]
Pingback by Fat Cyclist » Blog Archive » Hewwwoh, Wabbit. | 06.30.2009 | 10:43 am
[...] him for the first time in real life, I was not exactly lucid — I had in fact just finished riding my bike for 20 hours and was on the well-charred side of [...]