Day 19: Gunnison to Salida on the Alp de Monarch stage climb

Miles Today:67.5
Total Miles: 1397 (1/3 of the way to the Atlantic!)
Avg Speed: 15.6
Max Speed: 40
Total Time: 4:19
Flats Today: 0; Total flats so far: 8
Weather: Overcast and 50's in the morning warming later. Little wind to deal with.
Ibuprofen: 3 for aching morning back.
Pictures are here.
Note: Posted a day late because Internet Access in Salida was not working so posted from Pueblo.

This was the last real mountain stage of our ride. For the most part, I have been doing pictures, experiencing the country, the people and all that goes with it. Hammering has been limited to pace line work pulling or occasional late in the day pushes to get to where we are staying to end the day's riding. Donner pass was one exception where I worked hard and was able to crest first on that day . I was able to out climb Tom who is always first to the hotel. And by a stroke of good fortune (for me :-) ) Sean from UK lost a chain on the last mile or two so I beat him up too.

My goal today was to see if I could crest Monarch second behind UK Sean today. Things were going to have to work just so if that would happen. This stage had a classic TdF profile over about half the TdF stage distances. Leaving Gunnison, Rt 50 had a slight incline to it for the first 33 miles out and then the 9 mile 3000' plus climb to Monarch would begin cresting at 43 miles before the last 20 miles down to Salida. Our SAG stop was at the 28 mile mark, about 5 miles before the climb.

As expected, Tom left first this morning as most mornings and he wasted no time cranking down the road. I was able to get off earlier than usual because I was intent on doing that AND, I had no hotel flat for the first time in 4 days. Going through Salida I passed most of the riders that had left before I did by keeping a steady 17-18 mph pace. I rode with Sean UK for a bit and then he picked it up more than I cared to go just then. Jack caught up with me and the two of us worked together changing lead until he peeled off at 20 miles for a pit stop -- which I did not have to make because I was careful to drink only decaf that morning for just that reason. :-)

A couple of miles before the mandatory SAG stop at 28 miles, I noticed another rider way behind me. Periodic rear view mirror checks showed that he was steadily gaining ground. Jack this fast? No, it was Sean our mechanic who got his turn to ride today. Sean is 25, races and weighs about $1.50 and goes at whatever speed he wishes. He passed me and rolled into the SAG stop before I did. Sean UK was already there bantering with Gerard and Tom was on his way out as I pulled in, making only a cursory stop. He knew that with Sean UK behind him, the only chance was to get going asap. I did the routine of taking gloves off, pit stip, cleanse hands, sign in, down a Clif bar and some water. I did not refill to minimize the weight I had to carry up the climb.

Then I pushed off just ahead of the Seans. They soon passed me with Sean the wrench leading and UK Sean close on his wheel bent on catching Tom asap so they could honk at him as they passed. Since it was still flat, I thought perhaps I could hang on for a while and conserve some energy I would need for the hill while making up time on Tom at the same time. Sean kept it at about 19-20 into a mild wind and grade up for 5 miles to the place the road began to tilt up noticably. Tom was well within range now having started the climb, which fueled the Sean's pace on the grade.
I dropped off at that point, resolving to ride within myself at my pace. It's all to easy to overextend, break and then take forever to recover back to equilibrium -- especially with the thinning air. The rythm for me on this 6% average grade was to ride about 8mph in my lowest gear (34x27) and then shift up 2 or 3 gears every quarter mile or so to stand for 10 or 15 strokes. This helps the back, stretches the legs and keeps the speed up. The signal to sit is when the wind starts running out. The Seans soon caught Tom and just stayed there with him. Not sure what the conversation was as I was still 300 yeards back. I figured that I could gradually gain on Tom if I just stuck with my plan and sure enough, the gap began to close.
Before long, the Seans continued up the hill beyond Tom. About 2 miles into the 9 mile climb my gap to Tom had closed and I was passing him. I asked him why he climbed standing in his high gears and he told me it was what he always did -- easier on the knees. The Seans and I continued up at about the same pace for a while. Then Sean the wrench begain opening some distance and my distance to Sean UK began to narrow until we were riding in tandem for some time. At about 5 miles in, Sean noted that his legs were no longer responding to his brain so he stopped for a break. I continued to trudge up, now at closer to 6 mph than the 7.5 I had been. But now I had a gap between Sean and me and if I could keep up what I'd been doing, maybe, just maybe I could hope to crest ahead of him. I continued to do my sit in the 27 and then stand for 10 strokes 3 gears up. WIth 2.5 miles left, Sean was about 200 yards behind me but I was starting to lose enerrgy. The Clif bar had worn off and I was running low on fuel.

At that point, I asked that if the Lord would, would He give me the energy to finish this thing for His glory. And that is just what He so graciously did. I literally felt a surge of strength, my pace picked up again to 7.5 as I thanked Him for his provision even in this, the smallest of things. Meanwhile, Michelle drove by in the white SAG van and started yelling out the window cheering me on. I could tell she never would have thunk that I would be the leading rider (apart from the staff) at this stage of the climb. Michelle stopped up the road a bit and so did Sean the wrench, so for a little while I was leading the whole thing. Sean then resumed and soon caught me again and settled in behind encouraging me to keep it up. I told him to get himself and his bike around me which he soon did. But I kept him in view for the last mile or so as he crested and I followed a few hundred yards behind, well ahead of Sean UK who was some good way ahead of Tom.

Dave, Cathy, Tom, Ted and the rest of your group -- thanks for the training miles you let me log with you this Spring to stretch me -- they certainly paid off. Especially some of those long rides into those stiff Ohio winds. And Dan, thanks for the friendly competition on our Monday and Wednesday rides, especially charging up the hills forcing me to try to stay on your wheel.


When I got to Salida and checked in, I found I was going to be in with my doubles roomie, Jim tonight. Jim had very gamely set out to conquer Monarch today but I knew it would be a long hard day for him with the problems he was experiencing with his heart beat and his pacemaker. When he arrived about 3:00 he told me that he had taken his pulse climbing up Monarch and even with the exertion involved, it was 56. Clearly something was seriously off. He planned to head for the nearest medical facility to have things checked. The facility here in Salida had no means with which to test his pacemaker. The best they could do was take an EKG. After checking with the insurance provider etc. Gerard drove Jim to the Salida Hospital ER where he spent the next few hours. Jim called me after supper to let me know that the doctors wanted him to seek immediate medical attention but relented to let him get home first if he did not exert himself.

So, bottom line is, that Jim will be sagging to Pueblo tomorrow and leaving the tour Saturday in Pueblo to fly home. A friend he is meeting there, will drive his bike home and Jim to Denver to catch a flight. Dr. Sean UK thought that it was a pacemaker malfunction when he saw the EKG results. Still a chance that Jim may be able to rejoin before the end. I was very impressed with Jim's view that God had allowed this and knew best -- though it's been his dream to cross the country on a bike since he'd been 12. When he was finished sharing with me I asked him if he minded if we talked to the Lord about and so we prayed together. It was a bittersweet time.
Jim has become a good friend. We shared a number of experiences, have much in common professionally as we grew through the formative years of computing with similar careers and share a love of biking and the outdoors. I have appreciated Jim's connection to God and in the way he lives out his life. Jim also reminded me so much of my good friend in Columbus, Dave Mondiek. Both have such an engineering approach to life, ride Merlin bicycles which they keep fastidiously clean and well maintained, know all about the strengths and weaknesses of all items bike related and both really enjoy those long endurance rides. Jim completed 6 double centuries in one year for example. Right up Dave's alley. I was very much hoping to have them meet each other and ride together for a stretch when the tour goes through central Ohio.

So, tomorrow the beat goes on. It's a 95 mile ride to Pueblo with an optional side trip to Royal Gorge for anyone interested that tacks on 15 or so more miles and a very steep pitched climb. Not sure about that -- we'll see if I go there.