Indiana Cure Chasers Conquer Death Valley 2010

Once again, another awesome performance from the Indiana Cure Chasers in Death Valley.  Despite the 105 degree temperatures the 19 member team completed about 1800 miles, having raised over $90,000 for diabetes research.  Everyone crossed the finish line with a smile on their face (and I have the photos to prove it).  Thanks to all of you for making my tenth year one to remember, you are all incredible people and my heros.

Rain Rain Go Away

Great ride today by Bob, Dan, Kate, Kate, Gary, Tony, Kevin, Scott & Sam!
Total miles ridden = 810
Miles in the rain = 600
Miles Alex drove = 140
Photos taken = 110
Cookies eaten = 50
Times up Knightstown hill = 45
Number of hours to warm up = 3
Number of helmets Dan needs = 2
Reasons we are riding = 1 (To Find a Cure)

You guys are awesome!  I'll post the photos shortly.

Great Turnout!

My post is not as timely as Michael's so this is a bit out of order, but I did want to share the photos and also say how great it was to see everyone on Saturday, even though a few of you I only got to see for a short time.  Sorry we didn't have a better turnout with the youth ambassadors, but I was glad Cooper came to provide us with some inspiration - Thanks Mark.

Playing in the Rain

Sam and I left before the sun was up this morning, a little later than we intended, but we were on the road, by shortly after 7am

It was a brisk 52 degrees, with light precipitation when I left downtown, but by the time we got going, it started out as just wet roads.

We headed south on Mann Road and I am not really sure where we were when the sun actually came up as it was to overcast to tell, but I think we were at the top of Centenary hill.

By the time we arrived at the Marathon station on 67 just before Robb Hill, it seemed like the weather was going to clear off, so I didn't bother to turn my rain jacket right side out when I snugged it down to my waist. We were trying to work on less than 3 minute stops and would have been out of the Marathon quite easily and back on the road in 4 but Richard, the guy manning the cash register was enthralled by my headlight. A cycling enthusiast himself, he said that he had never seen one quite so bright and had seen us coming from way down the road on the other side of 67. So I enlisted yet another Nashbar recruit and gave him all the info on my little Blackburn light.

So after about a 12 minute stop, we were back on the road and ready to climb Robb Hill.

We made it over the top in good order, but it started to spit rain again, so I had to struggle back into my inside out rain jacket, which I managed to do, but not without a lot of genuflection :)

Sam and I were very plesantly suprised to find a lot more climbing on the other side of Robb hill which pretty much continued well to the other side of Wilbur on 142 when we exited the wonderful tree cover and entered the land of abominable wind. Fortunately we only had a few miles of this before we made the turn around at the white house in the middle of the cornfield, next to the herd of escaped cows.

We stopped for a quick photo op (fortunately Sam took the phone pic as my Nikon seems to have ate the other pic - but I did find the pics that vaporized from my last rain ride with Kate E. - see Blood Sweat and Rain post )

So we got turned back into the wind full force and the sky looked ominous. The hills seemed to just fly by on the way back and either they were a lot easier on the way out or I just didn't notice because I was talking the whole way (which made me even happier that Sam was with me or otherwise it might have looked like I was crazy)

Next thing I knew, we were cruising back down Robb and were pulling into the Marathon to fuel up (yes they do have bananas) and got our stay there lengthend again by Richard. (quite a nice and interesting chap actually)

So in my haste to depart I left the water I bought sitting on the ledge outside the station. (If any of you go by there and see it, feel free to help yourselves, I don't really need it now) and fortunately did not really need it this morning.

The traffic was really pretty light until we were almost back, which made the early departure seem like that much better of an idea.

We averaged about 13.5 and this was a very pleasent 50.7 mile ride, I may do this for a double to get one more century in before I have to give up my bike. Excellant choice of venue Sam!!

Aside from not having a 7 mile climb, the topography was very comparable to what we will ride in DV. Great training circuit.

Well that's it see you all this week I hope and I will be at Southwestway on Tuesday again for the last time until Death Valley.

Keep those cards and letters coming!

Michael

Hope Ride

Michael, Sam, Tony, Alex, Bob, Dan, Kate W., Scott (Kate and Scott not pictured as they were dealing with bike issues before the start) did the Hope Ride on Saturday. Thanks for joining the MPCC Bikers group in an effort to get $1,000 donation for the Mary Rigg neighborhood center located on the westside of Indianapolis. I don't think we were the biggest team but it was well worth trying.We had many new friends join us on this ride, Marcy who knows many of you all from the Nebo ride. Penny, Christina, David, Brent of the MPCC bikers team. Dan, Lana, and 3 others riding with the JDRF Cinicinnati team who we shall be seeing in Death Valley.

We all started out together but ended up separating within the first 5 miles. There were several people that started out same time as we did which might have caused the disconnect. Bob and Dan later informed Michael that it was due to us passing on the left side of the road going up hill. We don't seem to recall that part but are sorry nonetheless. Michael, Tony, Marcy, and I stayed together most of the ride. We ran into Bob and Dan several times at stops and once when we were headed the wrong direction with a group of at least 30 riders ;o). We actually made a few wrong turns during the course of the day. We encountered several bike snobs at our first wrong turn, one guy would not respond to Marcy despite having to stop at the T right in front of us! It was classic! We did ride a short distance with the MPCC group which was working out well until we had bike troubles. Tony had problems with his bike chain and seat while I ended up riding on a flat for who knows how long of the ride. A big thanks to Michael for putting on a clinic changing my tube! Tony and I were very impressed! Also a big thanks to Tony for noticing that my tire was flat!

Marcy and Michael finished the century while Tony and I chose a shorter route after lunch and ended up with a total of 85 miles. Michael rode strong even without sport legs!

The weather was very pleasant despite being very cool at the start. We were expecting a flat ride however there were some small inclines here and there that kept us awake! I also felt like we were heading into the wind the last half of the ride but I am pretty sure that is not accurate ;o). We definitely had some head wind but also had some breaks.

Ride Happy!
Sam

Water? Who needs water?

On Saturday, Kevin, Mark and I decided to skip the hour+ drive to Hope, IN and do 100 miles starting closer to home. We met at Coxhall Gardens and set out on the 100-mile route for the organized MS ride that was held last weekend.

The morning started out chilly - around 49 F - as we pedaled north on the well-marked route. We kept a pretty good pace as we headed north and east, being helped along by a light tailwind that we didn't notice until we turned south and west. We took a short break at the Sheridan airport (did you know there was an airport in Sheridan? neither did we...), and shed our arm warmers since the temp was rising, but couldn't use the "facilities" because it was closed.

The MS ride is extremely well-marked and the organizers did a remarkable job of keeping the route off the main roads and away from civilization. This is great when the ride is supported with stocked and staffed rest stops... not so great when you are following the route on your own. So... we took a short detour from the route in Sheridan to stop at the familiar Speedway gas station for a quick water refill and a bathroom break.

We headed toward Kirklin, a route (and dogs!) we know well. We turned around at the Fire Station (the usual spot) with 44 miles complete and about half-full water bottles. As we headed out of Kirklin, we turned on a route unfamiliar to us. We drained our bottles as we rode another 30 miles in the vast corn fields of northwestern Boone county without seeing a place to stop... few houses and no gas stations or stores and roads so remote they didn't even register on my Garmin.

We stopped briefly at the Elizaville Christian Church to get off the bikes and with hope of finding an outdoor spigot or hose... with no luck. We pedaled on another 10 miles until we came upon the Boone County 4-H Fairgrounds near Lebanon, which happened to be hosting a dog show. We were pretty hot, tired and thirsty by the time we finally rolled in at 85 miles. Thankfully there was a food wagon where we got a quick bite and drinks and were able to fill our water bottles.

From there we rode Perry Worth road - not our favorite, since it parallels a busy and noisy section of I-65 - into Whitestown (NOT Knightstown, which I kept calling it), where we refilled again, and then back to Zionsville. We split up at the usual spot on the west side of Carmel and I got home showing 106.5 miles on my odometer.

It turned out to be a great, well marked ride with some new places none of us had been before. And we all felt good about completing 100 miles a few weeks in advance of Death Valley... we just need to plan our water stops better next time!

Tuesday's ride - No observatory!

Michael is a much better writer than me but I figured I would add a quick note about our ride this past Tuesday (9/14/10).

Gary, Michael, Ted, Tony, and I headed out around 6 pm. Ted just joined our group three weeks ago since the DV ride had an opening for him. He suggested that we go on without him as he was planning to ride slower that day due to not being on the bike much recently.

Gary, Michael, Tony, and I rode out to Brooklyn and decided to try the Robb Hill climb instead of observatory. I headed out for a ride alone last Sunday since I was not able to join the group on Saturday. A group of riders picked me up along the way and showed me the route to Robb Hill. The route was fairly simple however I did manage to miss a turn Tuesday night ;o). We got back on the right path and found the climb. I had to stop for a pitstop at the gas station before we headed up. I told Gary, Michael, and Tony to go on and I will meet them at the top. Michael and Gary explored the other side of the hill which appeared to be a similar grade to the DV climb so we figured it would be good to include this climb on future rides if possible however the nights are getting shorter so it would have to be one of our weekend rides. Robb Hill is longer in length compared to observatory but not as steep.

In the end, I clocked a total of 32 miles at 16.3 miles/hour. We never caught Ted on the way back. He was however in the parking lot and ended up riding a similar pace.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the Hope ride tomorrow!

Ride happy!
Sam