Gran Fondo Ellensburg 2018: Ride Report

The Vicious Cycle Gran Fondo Ellensburg was a great day out. It followed the same rhythm of prior years’ (see ride reports for 2017, 2016, 2015). Thanks to Jake for creating superb routes and organizing great events, keeping it real and safe, and cheering everyone on from his moto and truck.

On my drive from Bothell to Ellensburg I got a bit worried – on Snoqualmie Pass it was 38 degrees and raining. More like skiing weather. But, the weather was good, except for a small hail squall at the top of the climb.

We started and about all I can say is that pack was nervous. Speeding up and slowing down. We moved along, into a 19-mph headwind. Two guys – not the usual monster riders from Audi – took off. I thought “good luck.” That move did not seem like a good idea. Perhaps 10-15 minutes later, they were back in the pack.

A nervous pack heading into a 19 mph head wind at Gran Fondo Ellensburg 2018.
From Vicious Cycle Facebook.

I was way back in the pack and I slowly moved forward. As usual there was a bit of excitement on Airport Road, just after we go through 970. Someone hammered it on the hill. Lucky for me, I just followed someone who was determined to make it back to the pack. By Cle Elum, at a stoplight, the front group was down to about 25 riders. One bottle, one rice cake, and one banana down.

We left Cle Elum, headed to the big climb. As we approached the big climb I heard a pileated woodpecker and got a glimpse of him or her on a telephone pole, pounding away. On the first steep, short climb before the climb proper, the group, as in past years, exploded.

Once on the climb, I was strong but slow. I found my pace and rode. I felt good but lots of riders were up ahead! Thomas Baron went flying by me.

Almost at the top of the climb, after almost 5 miles of climbing. Soon I would encounter a short hail squall.
From Vicious Cycle Facebook.

Once at the top of the big climb, I grabbed two bottles and road along the ridge and road well on the way down, missing the massive potholes. All and all, I felt good on the bike.

Then, after some more climbing, I started the descent, with Ken Parsons just behind me. All was going beautifully. Being gentle, I thought I was on a good line when bang-blah-pisssst and that was that: I ripped a big hole in my brand-new Compass Bon Jon 35 mm tire. Super bummer. I guess I hit a rock. Ha.

I put a tube into the tire and blew it up with my CO2 cartridge and away I went. Five minutes later, under hard breaking on a corner, I managed to bang up my front rim and my front tire lost air. Double super bummer. The good news was that the tire continued to hold air – so I blasted some more air into it and that seemed to work fairly well but the tire felt soft.

(Lesson: On rough gravel, don’t break hard and turn at the same time; put more air into the front tire. Interesting discussion at Bicycle Quarterly - Blog).

So, I got back on the bike and continued. All was good. I rode conservatively and as best I could, dealing well with the ups and down. The washboard was brutal. Just tried to be efficient and gentle. Nevertheless, the back wheel was frequently washing out and slipping on the turns.

After the ride, I found out that my front tire had about 20 psi and my back tire at about 55 psi – not the best combination but I guess one learns to ride with the wheels that you have. The front rim was a bit bent where I hit that rock, so I used pliers to bend it back and all is well now, more or less.

I got to the aid station, filled one bottle and took off. The second climb was good – felt strong and I rode well. I kept hoping I would see someone on the climb but I was on my own all the way up and all the way down. Speaking of the downhill – I survived it, riding conservatively and thankfully there was no drama of any kind such as speeding blue pick-up trucks.

Once on the road, I found that the 55 psi in the back tire had its benefits – I seemed to have fast tires. Once I got some big views, up ahead, I saw two or three riders and tried as best as I could to close in on them. There was a superb tailwind and I rode my biggest gear, a 48T x 12, for much the way back to Ellensburg.

Riding mostly in my biggest gear (48T x 12) to the finish with a tremendous tail wind.
From Vicious Cycle Facebook.

I rode by a couple of riders and found myself on the wheel of Thomas Baron. I said, “let’s work together and get going.” That didn’t work out so well. On the next little hill, he promptly dropped me! I almost got back on terms with him three times (I think my wheels were faster than his on the road) but I never quite made it.

Then, when we got back to the Iron Horse Trail, he took off big time. His wheels where likely much faster on the gravel than mine. Well, and of course, he was just a lot stronger than me.

Anyway, it was another great vicious cycle adventure, riding, focusing, and enjoying the pleasures of the amazing landscapes.