5th Annual Tour de Skyline

Hurtin. Home last night from the RATS 5th annual Tour de Skyline.

What is the Tour de Skyline?

The Tour de Skyline (TdS) is two-day ride from Front Royal to Waynesboro (day one) and back (day two) along Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. Said another way, TdS is two days, 220-miles, 20,000 feet of climbing, and too much fun. Even though TdS has a nice three-letter acronym, it's much more casual than you would think. Roads are not closed, there are no aid stations, and there are certainly no t-shirts.

This year was a big year for TdS...with 50 or so people signed up to go. Kona Kev did an excellent job in organizing the whole event. We were going to have 2 SAGS (Kevin's truck with Peter, the massage guy, and the Bonzai van driven by Andy and later Frank). And also a few cars.

The weather was not looking good (rain and only about 60 for a high...where it would be at least 10 degrees colder in the mountains). I had been checking the weather all week and looked like it should clear up around 12 on the 1st day. Then when I looked at the radar that morning it looked like we were going to be rained on the entire 1st day and now also a chance on the way home. Ughhh...I don't do well in cold but tried to stay positive. Matias, Andrea, and I headed out from Reston about 6am to be at Dickey Ridge Ranger station ready to go at 8am.

We arrived at the Ranger Station where everyone was getting ready and seeming quite positive for the crummy conditions. We took some pics and were rolling. I had put on as much clothes as possible and felt pretty comfortable. It was raining and very very foggy (visibility of maybe only 100 feet in some spots). The ride starts out climbing so I quickly became hot. People started to settle into groups. I stayed toward to front with about 6 others. My legs were feeling solid...a very good thing for the start of a 110 mile ride today. Only thing not so great was the conditions which seemed to be getting worse. We hit a few downhills, which were pretty scary in the rain and fog. I got cold. At about mile 20 Andy drove up and told us the police were kicking us off and the ride was being canceled. WHAT?! Hmm Part of me was sad...and the other part was thinking yea this is going to get pretty miserable. We turned around. Some pretty steep downhills...I got really cold...cold in my bones and was so glad we were turning around. A mile or so later another group flew by and yelled "Its OK we can keep going, turn back around!" WHAT?! Andrea and I looked at each other pained. We were both so cold. We turned around not sure what was going on...caught up to this group and they said we were riding to the 1st rest station at mile 24 and would then be shuttled to the halfway point and then try and ride the rest into Waynesboro. EEhh. During the ride to mile 24 I became FREEZING. We arrived at Elk Wallow (mile 24) and there was the Bonzai van ready to shuttle some to Big Meadows (mile 50). We threw our bikes in back and about 8 of us jammed in. Andrea and I huddled in the front near the heater. We were both cold and miserable and unsure of what was going on and unsure about how we could continue at all with cold and wet clothes.

Somehow everyone managed to get to Big Meadows (mile 50). I changed into normal dry clothes but was still chilled inside. The weather report was that the bad conditions continued to the end. A lot of guys decided to chance it and continue. I was done...so was Andrea. We decided to SAG it and start fresh on day 2. SAGing was somewhat fun but I was disappointed to not continue. Once we were past about mile 60 things really cleared up and warmed up a bit. Oh well. Everyone made it to the hotel in Waynesboro safely around 6pm. We showered, dryed our clothes, and all headed to Scotto's for dinner. I really hoped for good weather the next day. They were calling for a 30% chance of rain and highs in the upper 50s.

Woke up the next morning to clear skies! I was feeling really sore and a bit drained of energy from being so cold the previous day. Leave time was on one's own...but a pretty big group of us (Matias, Andrea, some other strong riders, and I left at 8am. Five miles of climbing to do before we even entered Shenandoah National Park...huh. I was feeling pretty good and actually almost overheating. Once we got into the park I started feeling a bit tired (great feeling at the start of a 110 mile ride...shoot). My whole body just felt wiped and sore. The previous day had completely drained me. It was going to be a long day and I was probably going to be sick after this. I was keeping with the group but felt the pace might be a bit fast and not sure I would be able to hang. Why do I always think I can ride with the big boys? Some days I can...but this was a long and difficult freakin ride. About mile 90 a rather large climb started and I got dropped. Beep. The mental battles were to begin. I told myself...you have 90 miles to go..if you don't think positively this is NOT going to happen. A few miles later on a downhill something fell off of me and Bananas and busted into a million pieces. hmm hope I did not need that...I went back...it was just a light. Doug Steele (man of mystery) came around the corner and we rode together for awhile. We caught up with the group at the next rest station (mile 80). They were heading out. Doug and I left shortly after. Then Doug decides to drop me non a downhill. I am not much of a riding partner (passing on the uphill and dropping on the downhills). Alone again. A few miles later came up on the Bonzai van...people were putting on more clothes...so I was back with the group again. Mile 70...dropped again. Damnit. A few miles later, Andrea caught up...she had been left behind at the van. We were both tired and decided to stick it out together. We then came up on Dave, Marty, and John. We all rode together then. I was seriously hurting. My legs were past sore and now just hurt to touch. And my upperbody was a mess (from the stress of being so cold). It hurt to keep my head up. And I was cold. I decided around mile 60 I would be done at Big Meadows (mile 50).

We rolled into Big Meadows and met up with the guys we had started with and found Matias...he looked cold and like he was hurting too...looked like his eyelashes might be frozen. Poor guy...everyone was looking rough...I decided to get some food and see how I felt. I got some vegetarian chili, gluten-free pretzels, coffee, diet pepsi, and felt a little better and decided I would continue...if it came down to it I would get in the SAG. Andrea and I headed out on our own...Matias was a little behind, but he would catch up. I was feeling a bit refreshed...musta been that chili. I was a little nervous...on the drive the day before we saw lots of construction from about mile 45 to mile 35. Some off-roading might be going on. Matias quickly came up to us and passed us. Then we were on our own. Came up to lots of construction...which watching and dodging made this part of the ride go more quickly. Then the tunnel around mile 35...tunnel vision on a bike...makes me nauseas. I got hungry again...had a new gel (Clif Vanilla)...this was the best gel I have ever had. We were nearing Elk Wallows (mile 24)...I started preparing myself for the 3 mile climb out of there. My legs were in pain but my spirits were lifting as we only had about 20 more miles! We stopped for a quick bathroom break at Elk Wallows and were off and climbing. We hit mile 23...still climbing...mile 22...still climbing...I was going to fall over and I did not care. My legs hurt. I did not look up. We rode with our heads down. Each bend we rounded I thought it would be over...no...kept on climbing. Finally it was over and we were coasting downhill. I was so happy. Now only about 14 miles to go. I started to feel nauseas and was seeing spots...I slowed a bit and told Andrea I was not feeling to great. But then the real downhills started and I could just coast...and tried to think positively and snap out of it. We were both so happy the last 5 miles. Then we were done. My legs were beyond done. Hope I did not do any serious damage. Well...what does not kill me only makes me stronger.

Day 1: ~30 miles and pulled out
Day 2: 110 miles

Andrea, thanks for riding with me...would have been ugly without you. Kevin, thanks for organizing. Matias, thanks for the motivation and the laughs. Bonzai, thanks for the SAG. Riding on Skyline is one of the most gratifying feelings. A lot of times I was thinking this is crazy and why am I doing this...I am never doing this again. But each time I say these things I always come back for more :) Each time I ride on Skyline I realize that so much of the sport we do is all about mental toughness. I am going to make an effort to work on my mental toughness in my future training and racing...I think this could be a huge factor in ones performance. Especially mastering pain and fatigue by keeping focused and controlling negative thoughts.

Up Next: missing Jim McDonnell this year, Lake Placid training/fun trip May 29, 2008