Gran Fondo Ellensburg 2016, Part II

This year's Vicious Cycle Gran Fondo Ellensburg was terrific. Just like last year! Clear skies. Excellent temperatures. Not much wind. By elegant course design, the rhythm of the ride is beautiful. Great organization. And, the end-of-the-day vegetarian burritos and chocolate milk were very satisfying. It was great to be among so many fit and skillful riders and to have an opportunity to focus and ride hard. 

The Raleigh Super Course - After Gran Fondo Ellensburg 2016 

Leaving a 4:50 AM, after a bowl of cold oatmeal, yogurt, a banana, peanut butter & honey toast, and coffee, the drive from Bothell to Ellensburg in the old green Saturn was relaxing. West of Snoqualmie Pass, I encountered some mist and clouds, and then it became sunny just beyond Keechelus Lake. 

The landscape in the Kittitas Valley and the view from the Indian John Hill overlooking the Yakami River was stunning - brown, dry, but also seemingly green and verdant, mountains with snow, and the Yakami river. How is it that landscapes can be so psychologically impactful? 

My thoughts turn to why is this hill called "Indian John?" And, how did this landscape shape human experience three-hundred years ago and how did human beings use and change the landscape? Today, irrigation canals seem to defy gravity and criss-cross the landscape. In 25-50 years will water be flowing in these canals? 

I'm grateful to be able to visit and experience a little of this landscape on my bike. 

Gran Fondo Ellensburg Profile (see course map).

My memory for the ride is foggy, mostly, I think, because I was in focus mode. The rhythm of the ride was precisely like last year (see previous post). For the first 30 miles I stayed in the group, trying not to take any wind and trying to be safe and polite. Then, came the big hill (about 6 miles at an average of about 8.5%). I rode at my limit, if a little too hard at the beginning. After the big climb, riding along the ridge was utterly beautiful, with lovely views of the Cascades.

Working the Super Course on the big hill in a 34x32T. From Vicious Cycle on Facebook.

I recovered quite well on the way down. At the bottom of the first major downhill - just before the climb up to the gate - the road veers left and there is a bit of a creek bed among some trees. Like last year, I almost ate it in one of the two huge potholes that I saw. I barely dodged the first pothole and somehow jumped the second. For next year, I must remember to go slower on this part of the ride. 

The downhill to the second gate was all good (around mile 46 I think). The tires were good and I was able to control the bicycle quite well. 

Then, 5-10 minutes later, bad luck struck. I was going fast on fairly smooth gravel but unfortunately I hit something big - probably a rock - and my front tubeless tire started to hiss madly. Not a welcomed sound. I kept riding. After 100 meters, the tire got to the point where there wasn't much air. I could no longer corner safely. So, I stopped pulled out the valve stem and put in a tube. As I was doing so, six or seven riders went by. I appreciated when some of them asked if I was okay. 

This unfortunate flat tire is a bit mysterious. I'll have more to say about it in a later post because I think I learned something new. 

I got going again and tried to get back into a rhythm. The washboard and corners to aid station #2 were difficult, as expected, but I negotiated these downhills safely. My chain fell off at least three times but I was able to flip it back into place. I suppose this is one of the advantages of friction shifters! Adam VanDyke flew by me on one of these corners and I marveled at his fast and secure line in and out of the corner. I filled two bottles and started up hill #2. I was able to ride the climb - loose gravel and all - strongly and took the long twisty downhill conservatively, passing David Delfs at perhaps 1/3 of the way down. 

Once on the pavement I felt good and I tried to find a hard but doable pace. With perhaps 18 miles to go, David Delfs and Frank Colich came up to me. Frank got us organized, and we worked well together, taking 30 second turns, until the finish. Like last year, the wind was generally behind us and from time to time I needed the 48x12T (my hardest gear). Just like Leavenworth, Frank out-sprinted me at the finish! 

I really appreciated being with Frank and David for the final stretch. It was extremely satisfying to ride hard and efficiently together with such strong and skillful riders. (Frank was one of the riders that had passed me earlier when I was fixing my flat. Unfortunately, later in the ride, somewhere after my flat, he was slowed by a fall and had a nasty-looking cut to his arm.) 

I finished in 5:42:50 about 5% behind the winner, Stephen Mull, who came in with a time of 5:26:01. Here are the Results. How much time did I lose with the flat tire? It is hard to know.

So, all goals met for Gran Fondo Ellensburg. Except for the flat tire, the Super Course did well. I had decent gearing on the climbs. The 34x32T was great, although the jump from 34x25T to 34x32T was a bit much at times. I would have liked to have had a 34x28 too! I had good traction on the climbs, good feelings on the downhills and on the corners, and I think I was fairly efficient on the pavement. I conclude that the Trigger 33 mm tires at 40 psi front and 45 psi back were probably pretty good overall choices. I was able to ride the first climb hard, and I was able to ride the second climb and the last 30 miles hard. And, I think I managed my limits on the downhills well enough. 

Most of all, I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in this ride; to ride with people like David, Frank, Adam, and Jonathan; to be outside on beautiful terrain; to feel and hear the air rushing against me; and to be alive. 

Gran Fondo Winthrop is in 14 weeks and I'm looking forward to returning to the beautiful Methow valley.

Front Wheel. Notice that the tubeless tire and rim are covered in sealant and dirt. After a fairly ordinary bump on a rock, the tire lost air and I had to stop and install a tube. What happened?