Vision Quest 2006

The plan for this race was to try and ride at a pace that I could keep if I had to do the Vision Quest for eight straight days. The 8-day Ironbike race in Italy this summer will be similar to eight VQs in a row but the hike-a-bike in Europe is a little different from that of Horsethief. Louise was down from Northern Cal again to participate in her first VQ. We arrived shortly before the start, enough time to get ready and head to the start line. It’s so tempting to go with the lead group at the start that I used my mp3 player to help me think of this as more of a training ride rather than a race; was just going to do my own thing like Lynda and I planned.

It was good to see many familiar faces lined up, too many to name. Once we started I was following along watching Monique lead out the entire group—she’s faster than the last time we rode together in the same race, the 12 hours of OC almost a year ago. A short while later Manny came flying by dancing on the pedals a little like lance flying up Mt. Ventoux. I rode with Monique to Motorway and said "hi" to WS club members and friends that we passed along the way. We didn’t talk much as she had the tunes going as did I. Part way down the Motorway, after the big double track washout, I realized she was no longer right behind me. Calvin, one of my teammates, was waiting with a couple of bottles and a gel flask at aid one. A quick stop and I was on my way again.

Riding down Motorway still half asleep (photo courtesy of Hollywood)

I was hoping Monique would catch up to me so I’d have some company on the climb, but that never happened. I learned later that she had the first of three flats right after we hit the Motorway. Caught George and John Mylne on the way to the peak. Almost crashed several times on Upper Holy Jim and I had a blast on LHJ. I caught up to 3rd, Austin Carroll, but just then my headphone was ripped from my ear so I had to stop. After the last stream crossing in this section I caught up to him again. I had to stop to grab a couple more bottles and take off the arm & leg warmers so I lost a couple minutes. I made my way to the hike-a-bike and found that I had to walk more than I had to the previous two years. I was loosing time and 5th, Guy Sutton, had caught up to me by the top. He passed me and got to the final singletrack decent about a minute before I did. So I was trying to catch up all the way back down to aid 2. Right before the aid station I saw Austin a couple hundred yards ahead, now 4th. I put the hammer down to catch him and in the heat of the chase I forgot to "stay right & slow it down" on all of the stream crossings to the finish. Last year I almost crashed when I hit the stream crossing so fast that it slowed me down...went halfway over the bar. Anyway, at the second stream crossing I went fast and to the left; there was a big pothole. I crashed hard at full speed. I lay there for a while in pain tangled in my bike before I could get up and look at the damage. My elbows were scraped, my right thigh hurt, my new right bar end was ground down pretty good. When I tried to put a tube in my tire I saw that my front rim was trashed, bent and the sidewall was ripped. I tried to borrow a front wheel from a guy that wasn’t more than 20 feet from where I crashed but no luck, “Maybe if this was a world cup race but this is just the Vision Quest.” I had no choice but to ride the flat to the finish. That was the longest 3-4 miles I've ever ridden. Many riders passed and in the end, I finished 7th. Apparently, only two VQ riders passed me (George and John) and the rest were Counting Coup riders. Though I'm disappointed with crashing I think I found a good pace for the Ironbike and I’m very happy with the new S-works. Now it’s time to get some new parts for the bike.

Thanks to all the volunteers and the organizers for a well run event!

Special thanks to:
Teammate Calvin Mulder who was support for both Louise & I at both aid stations and who drove my truck from the start to the finish.
Teammate Jeroen Bosboom who helped me out at the finish; I was in a lot of pain and started to stiffen up. He kept the pizza and diet coke coming.
Teammate Andy Lightle for giving me a Newcastle when I needed it. Several VQs have made this man wise beyond his years. Wise enough to know that a nice cold one does far more than ibuprofen after a good ride.
Tim from Switchback Cyclery for building up the S-works the Thursday before the race so I had something to ride. Frankensteina, the bike I had been using since the 12 Hours of Bootleg, was no longer fit for racing.

My teammates' reports

Preliminary results and writeup