Cache Gran Fondo Bike Event 07/14/18

Combine the beauty of Cache Valley in the summer months and a biking event that courses through that valley, and count me in. It had been many years since I had participated in this “race” but it was every bit as spectacular as I remember. I signed up on a whim (any excuse to get out of the St. George heat and to the green rolling hills in the Logan area this time of year) and even paid a little extra for insurance in case I would be unable to attend, thus needing a refund. There was no stopping this girl, however; we loaded my bike in the back of the truck and headed northward to our home town.

Logan is also home of my favorite sporting goods store called Al’s, a long-time business, locally owned and operated. It is always a pleasure to attend “packet pickup” at Al’s, because it often means walking out of the store with more than a packet. There are some great brands and deals to be had at Al’s, and I have always managed to find something that I “need.”

I debated at packet pickup about expanding my horizons, i.e. lengthening the distance of my ride. I was even invited to do so by an Al’s employee and friend, Sheridan, who was planning to ride the 75-mile distance with her parents. However, due to the fact that we had places to go, things to do, and people to meet subsequent to the bike race, I maintained my 50-mile choice.

As always, Todd was willing to arise early Saturday morning and deliver me and my bike to the starting line, which was the Logan Regional Medical Center on 1400 North in Logan. We had a little time to kill before the wave of riders took off every few minutes, seeded according to their projected distance. Low and behold, there appeared Kari, mother of Sheridan, who spotted us from a  mile away. I assured her that I would be far behind but was happy to have her back.

Many riders partook of the breakfast offered them by the race sponsors. I opted for a power bar and a water bottle filled with ice water and C4.

I got in line with my group of 50-mile riders and waited. About 15 minutes after the first group took off, we were up. My “kit” from Red Rock Bicycles (St. George) was definitely bright and cheery, maybe a little more cheery than I was feeling at that time.

We were let loose, and at one point when I looked down at my bike computer, I was averaging 21 MPH and at the front of the pack. I figured I had better hold up a bit and save some of that energy for later down the road, so to speak.

The course took us north and then west, heading out toward the small outlying towns in Cache Valley. The temperature was prime. Cloud cover prevented the sun from probing us with its piercing heat. It did not take long for the pack to spread out, and within the hour I found myself independent on a long stretch of road. It was so relaxing to pedal while taking in a 180-degree view of the surrounding scenery. I will never tire of this place that I call home.

We pedaled through Newton and made a loop around Clarkston, then back to Newton and south toward Mendon. We nearly had the roads all to ourselves, and the course was mostly flat which provided for a reasonable pace.

For many miles along both sides of the road, toilet paper was strewn, looking ribbon-like and out of place along the country road. It was if some teenagers had taken a joy ride the night prior, stealing the precious paper from some unknown source and letting it fly off the roll, nearly taking flight like a kite in the wind.

It was at the port-a-potty line in Newton that the source of all that toilet paper became obvious. Those riders exiting the potties were announcing that there was no TP in them, so my assumption was likely true; I imagine a loaded car of teenagers had a great time distributing that precious paper along the course. Fortunately, it was clean and unused.

At approximately mile 30 out of 54, I was minding my own business, just pedaling along, when I heard the words, “I like your pigtails!” from behind me to my left. And along comes “B.” He had registered with a group of friends but for some reason they had split up, and he was riding solo at that point. He held back his pace and stuck it out with me for the last 24-ish miles. There was no lack of topics of conversation, which made the miles and time pass much more quickly. We finished simultaneously (posted results prove it), both of us anxious to find chocolate milk to quench our thirst. My bike computer displayed 54+ total miles, and our finish time on the clock was 3:24 but we are sticking with about 3:08, right B? Apparently there was a glitch with the timing system such that there was no “chip” time, just overall elapsed time on the clock from when the race started and the 100-milers took off.

Here I am with B displaying our medals, which are really belt buckles. How practical! I mean, what else is one to do with those medals, hang them on the wall???

As promised, Todd was at the finish line waiting for me to come in. We ate and then loaded up my bike and got on with our day.

Another great ride in the books. I will be back next year, Cache Gran Fondo, and maybe I will even be trained for the 100-mile route!

Manitou Incline 07/06/18

That is a pretty fancy name for a set of stairs, eh? I had first heard about Manitou Incline about five years ago from a good friend who lives in the Denver, Colorado, area and has for many years. He sent me a photo of it and offered that it would be a great physical fitness challenge. Knowing that I seek after such things, the dangling carrot was placed before me, and I could not get those stairs out of my mind.

By way of background, I am cutting and pasting here from the “visitcos.com” website. There are many other websites that describe the incline, but these questions summarize what inquiring minds want to know.

HOW MANY STEPS ARE THERE ON MANITOU INCLINE?

Oh, just 2,744 steps – but who’s counting?

HOW STEEP IS THE INCLINE?

The Manitou Incline gains 2,000 feet in elevation from start to finish. The average grade for the trail is 45 percent and, in some places, it is as steep as 68 percent.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SUMMIT THE MANITOU INCLINE?

Depending on your fitness level and pass it may take under 30 minutes to over an hour or more.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE MANITOU INCLINE?

The Manitou Incline was originally built as a cable car to carry materials to build pipelines on Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain. After the pipelines were finished, it was turned into a tourist attraction to bring guests to the top of the foothills for a spectacular view of Colorado Springs and the eastern plains.

A rock slide damaged a section of track in 1990, so the Manitou Springs Incline was closed down. The rails were removed, but the railroad ties remained in the form of a massive staircase. Locals started using it for a challenging workout. Until February 2013, a portion of it was private property and it was illegal to hike up the ties of the old cable car line. Now, due to cooperations among private and public entities, it is legal to climb the Incline. It is known as one of, if not the most, popular and challenging, hikes in the Colorado Springs area.

The photos honestly don’t do it justice. Have you ever climbed steps that boast a 68% grade? I hadn’t either. There were areas where I literally crawled up, with my feet on one step and my hands on the one above it. Otherwise, I feared I would lose my balance and fall backward down the mountain.

How this all came to be goes like this:

With Independence Day falling on a Wednesday this year, by taking just one day off work (Thursday), Todd and I could have a five-day weekend (neither of us normally work Fridays). I got this idea in my head about driving our Honda Goldwing motorcycle to visit friends and family in the Denver area. It’s about 750 miles each way, and we mapped out a loop course so that we would have fresh scenery every mile.

We secured plans with said friends and family, then headed out on the Wednesday holiday. We first went north on I-15 and then cut east toward Richfield, then to Grand Junction where we spent our first night in a motel. The second day, we continued east and took a detour to have lunch in Aspen. The $60 for two salads was a tad bit much, I thought! From Aspen we took Independence Pass which was an INCREDIBLE stretch of curvy, scenic highway, best maneuvered on a motorcycle.

We arrived in Denver just as a major rainstorm had also made its way there, and we got soaking wet in the downpour. It’s all part of the experience, though driving on wet roads on the freeway can be scary and dangerous. We met up with some friends for dinner then made our way to Parker to spend the night with my Aunt Jean.

Friday morning found us heading south toward Colorado Springs, then Manitou Springs just outside the Springs border. As we approached the mountain, the realization hit me that I had maybe bitten off more than I could chew.

I secretly had a goal of reaching the top in under an hour, having read that the record time is 17:45 set in 2015, held by a man by the name of Joseph Gray; the woman record holder is Allie McLaughlin with a time of 20:07. I was hoping to no more than triple her time.

Todd had good intentions of tackling the incline as well; however, after about 800 steps and feeling lightheaded, he turned back around and headed to the motorcycle to wait for me. I only knew this because he sent me a text message; I had long since gone up ahead of him (with his blessing, of course).

At first the steps were spread farther out and the ascent was more gradual. I noticed that the step count was burned into the railroad ties, depicting every 500 or so steps. The weather was on the warm side, and we did not start our ascent until around noon. Also, I did not take any water, believing that this 1-mile climb was not deserving of the burden of carrying extra weight. That is not the first time I have made a poor choice! It was not long before the heat and steep grade got to me.

I passed many others who had stepped off the incline to catch their breath. I, too, stepped aside on a few occasions to catch mine. At one point near the top, I felt so lightheaded that I was certain I would pass out. I quickly moved to the side and found a rock to sit on. I began to lie down on it, but quickly remembered that I should put my head down between my knees, which I did. After a few long minutes, I felt well enough to press on.

I reached the top in almost exactly 60 minutes. I remember that there was sweat coming out of every pour on my body, most notably the backs of my hands. I was grateful to have my phone with me so that I could notify Todd of my success as well as to take photos. Please note that my capri leggings were filthy dirty from my dirty hands rubbing on them.

I mingled with a dozen or so other young folks at the top, then jogged the 3-mile zig-zag trail back down the mountain to the parking lot. I think I may have been smiling the entire time. Mission complete!

We explored the little town of Manitou Springs, had lunch, and probably bought a souvenir T-shirt to prove it. We saddled up on the motorcycle again and took a ride up to the top of Pike’s Peak (which I highly recommend also). We spent one more night in Colorado Springs, then southward via Ouray and Silverton. We wound up in Cortez (where we had an awful motel experience), then all the way back home Sunday via Page and Kanab. It was 109 degrees that day, and I will not soon forget that experience on the back of a motorcycle, feeling like a rag being tossed around in a very hot dryer with extra time on the dial.

If you are ever in the Colorado Springs area, I highly recommend checking out Manitou Incline — but go early in the morning (if it’s summer) and take water! It’s as easy as putting one foot in front of the other. Just do it!