A blog for (semi) athletic middle-aged men (and women) holding on to (the last vestiges of) their youth by training for and competing in running, cycling, swimming and triathlon events!
2015 was the year I learned that the IT Band is not a nerdy rock group.
I've seen a lot of posts this week about how many miles people ran in 2016 and people setting a goal to "run the year" (2,017 miles in 2017). I don't run much these days (if at all, for fear of inflaming my IT band, as I did in 2015) but this made me wonder how many miles I had ridden in 2016 and what my goal should be for 2017. I jokingly told one Facebook friend I would match her 2017 goal to run 2,017 miles -- on my bike -- but knew that would be far less than I had ridden this year so I need a better goal than that (like resolving to BEEFit)!
So how many miles did I ride this year? Of course I tracked all my rides on my Garmin Edge 810 so was able to quickly look up my total miles for 2016 on Garmin Connect. I was actually surprised to see that I rode 3,737 miles this past year.
This screenshot of my 2016 rides from May to December shows the lead up to Cycle Oregon (Sept. 11-17) and maintenance rides through the end of November.
Without even going back and looking up past records I know that is the most I have ridden in one year. Given that I was close to 4,000, my daughter suggested I could set a goal to ride 4,034 miles (doubling up on 2017). I kind of like that idea but I spent a LOT of time on the bike this year (219 hours, 15 minutes and 52 seconds, to be exact) and am not sure how much more time I want to spend in the saddle! By comparison I decided to look up 2015 miles. This time I was surprised how low they were. I only rode 1,779 miles in a year? How could that be? I didn't think I'd ridden fewer than 2,000 miles in a year since my first Ride the Rockies in 2005.
This screensot of my rides from May to December 2016 paints a very different picture. My IT band injury put me out of commission for nearly five whole months!
So I looked at the calendar more closely and the answer was clear. I only rode NINE times between July 1 and December 1. Remember that IT band injury? Probably not, since I never wrote about it. So here goes...
One week after Ride the Rockies 2015 I was running in downtown Chicago. I love to run along the Miracle Mile and the trail along Lake Michigan. I was cruising along and stepped off a curb and felt something pull in my right hip. I limped along the remaining miles and could barely walk the next day.
The run along Lake Michigan can be a little uneven in spots, which is one cause of IT band injuries (running on an uneven surface)
I tried riding a few times after but had knee pain that was unbearable. The IT band can wreak a lot of havoc when it is not happy! After reading up on it I decided rest was the best road to recovery and literally sat out most of July, August and September. The good news it worked! The bad news is I gained about 20 lbs. during all that sitting, and holiday eating. As a result it took me a lot longer than normal to lose my winter weight this past year. I wrote about why old guys get fat in winter several years ago, focusing on the hibernation theory. This year I think the answer is pretty obvious. I burned 170,310 fewer calories in 2015 (153,160) than 2016 (323,470).
Getting out of bed to ride in winter is hard!
Fortunately I had more time to get into fighting weight before Cycle Oregon in September than I normally do for Ride the Rockies in June. I would have had a hard time hauling my ass over the mountains weighing 235 than I would at my normal 215!
Training for a ride in September meant that I stayed motivated throughout the summer and early fall. Typically I have a hard time getting back on the bike after my big event. This year I was determined not to let that happen and set a goal to ride at least 50 miles per week in October and November, which I did. I stepped that up to 75/week in December.
I like to set up my CycleOps trainer in front of the TV and watch the AFC West Champion Kansas City Chiefs!
So here I sit on January 2, 107, weighing in at 223 lbs., ten pounds less than last year at this time and around my normal for this time of year. I want to get that back under 220 ASAP and hold it there until warmer weather returns and we emerge from hibernation! The question is: which big ride am I going to do this year: Ride the Rockies or Cycle Oregon? Another possibility Jonny Rocker and I have discussed is doing our own ride, either self-supported or supported by our wives. Let me know if you have any suggestions for other week-long rides or planning your own route.
After completing nine of the past 12 Ride the Rockies cycling events I decided to explore new terrain this year and headed west to Go for Gold on Cycle Oregon. As my brother and I researched various rides around the country I often wondered how each ride would compare to Ride the Rockies. If you are looking for a life-changing adventure, both Ride the Rockies and Cycle Oregon are great events, well supported by amazing staff and volunteers who pull off the logistics of moving 2,000 riders from stop to stop, providing aid stations along the route, Support and Gear (SAG) vehicles, bike maintenance, medical support, and accommodations, but if you are trying to decide between the two there are some key differences to consider.
Looking for epic climbs? Ride the Rockies has them! Hint: so does Cycle Oregon.
Ride the Rockies features stops in popular Colorado mountain towns like Telluride (Leslie and I at the start of RTR 2013).
The Rocky Mountains make a nice backdrop for the music stage at the overnight stops on RTR.
I have only done Cycle Oregon once but the 2016 ride ride did not disappoint in the scenery department. From the rugged Pacific coast up the Rogue Rover Valley into the remote Klamath Mountains, the views were jaw-dropping at every turn. This video from Cycle Oregon 2016 offers a bird's eye view of the amazing diversity of the landscape along the coast and coastal range of southwestern Oregon.
In talking with other riders who have done Cycle Oregon in the past, I'm certain it delivers in the scenery department whether riding around Mt. Hood, the Willamette Valley or pretty much anywhere along the coast! So, if you are looking for a scenic ride, you can't go wrong with either Ride the Rockies or Cycle Oregon. But there are several key differences between the two rides. In general, Cycle Oregon provides more of an "all-inclusive" model while Ride the Rockies is more of an a la carte experience. As Cycle Oregon Ride Director Steve Schulz said, "All you have to do is show up and ride. We take care of everything else."
For the most part, that is accurate. You also pay for it. The fee for Cycle Oregon 2016 was $985. The fee for Ride the Rockies 2016 was $495, almost half the price. What makes Cycle Oregon so much more expensive?
Food
Food is one of the biggest differences between the two rides and likely accounts for the majority of the difference in the registration fee. Cycle Oregon provides all the meals -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- as well as snacks and water stops along the route. RTR also provides snacks (fruit, chips/pretzels, etc. along the route but food at the designated lunch stop is provided by vendors who travel along with the ride selling everything from burritos to burgers. While this provides more options there can also be long lines for food during peak times. RTR also works with local charitable organizations to provide a community dinner but there is a charge for that as well (with proceeds going to the charity). I typically go out to eat on RTR, preferring a good steak or burger to the typical pasta and poultry offered at the community dinners.
I was concerned that the meals provided on Cycle Oregon might not measure up to my expectations. After all, the options on the registration form said "Vegetarian" and "Non-vegetarian." :) But the food was actually pretty good and included plenty of animal protein (there was one line for vegetarians that was never full and several lines for "non-vegetarians" that were always full but not long). Let's just say that it provided sufficient sustenance and was convenient. The bottom-line is that eating out is not an option on Cycle Oregon, at least not this year, given the remote location of most of the overnight stops, but I'd prefer more food options if given the choice.
Accommodations Both RTR and Cycle Oregon provide a designated overnight location with spots for camping, shower trucks, and port-a-potties. On RTR this is usually a school, which is also open for "indoor camping" (in hallways, doorways or packed in the gym like sardines). I tried this one night on my first RTR and hated it. It's noisy, cramped and there is zero privacy. I much prefer to sleep in a tent. The other option is to pay for hotels, which many people do on RTR, where most of the overnight locations are resort towns with lots of hotel options. Hotel options were very limited on Cycle Oregon this year -- two of the nights there were no hotel options anywhere near the overnight location.
Several of the overnight stops on Cycle Oregon were nowhere near hotels or restaurants, like this overnight in Camas Valley.
Our campsite at Bandon-by-the-Sea on Cycle Oregon 2016
My brother and I booked a room overlooking the ocean in Gold Beach (where we spent two nights in the middle of the week) but camped out the other five nights in our own tents. I used to camp every night on these rides but putting up and taking down your own tent every day takes a lot of extra energy so it's nice to take a break from the routine and sleep in a bed with your own bathroom, shower, etc. Another option is the tent and porter service (aka "valet camping") offered on both rides if you want to shell out several hundred dollars ($450 this year on Cycle Oregon) to have a tent ready and waiting with your luggage (both rides carry one bag per rider from stop to stop).
Camping within site of the beer, food and music tents is a bonus. No busses!
One thing I loved about the accommodations on Cycle Oregon is that the beer tent and entertainment were always located at the campsite (and were open from 12 noon to 10 p.m.). On RTR they are often at a separate location requiring riders to either ride on a shuttle bus or walk -- neither of which are ideal, especially late a night after numerous adult beverages! It was really nice to be able to stumble back to our tents when the music stopped and the beer tent shut down.
Shower trucks and Port-a-potties
Cycle Oregon scores a win in this category with superior port-a-potty and shower truck logistics. Whether it was simply having more shower and potty space per rider or the way they were spaced out around the camp, we rarely encountered a line for either.
Port-a-potty logistics on these rides are amazing. I like the way Cycle Oregon spread them around the campsites rather than lining them all up in one or two locations like Ride the Rockies.
Mileage and Elevation Gain We rode 431 total miles in seven days on Cycle Oregon, an average of 61.5 miles per day. This is pretty similar to the RTRs I have done, which usually average around 65/day. I was on the longest RTR in history in 2013, which totaled 545 miles in seven days (~78 miles per day). Frankly, that's too much time in the saddle for me to be able to fully enjoy the ride. I've also done an RTR that featured more than 30,000 feet of elevation gain, which is too much climbing for me. By contrast, Cycle Oregon 2016 was around 26,000, which is closer to the average for the RTRs I have done and is much more doable. The thing that caught me off guard on Cycle Oregon was the steepness of the climbs. These two videos offer a glimpse of the steep Forest Service roads we traversed on Day 2 and Day 5.
The climb up Weaver Creek Road featured grades of more than 15% for two miles. It is the toughest stretch of road I have ever ridden (yes, even in the Colorado Rockies).
The descent from Bear Camp on Forest Road 23 made the 15-mile climb to the top worthwhile! Sorry for the shaky video. Blame the Forest Service.
Suffice it to say Cycle Oregon provided every bit as much of a climbing challenge as most of the RTRs I have been on. But the one thing Cycle Oregon can't compete with RTR on is ALTITUDE! Check out this climb up Loveland Pass (elev. 11,990) on RTR 2014...
And just for fun, here is the descent on Lookout Mountain into Golden, Colorado, later the same day...
Scenery As you can see, both Cycle Oregon and Ride the Rockies offer amazing views of some of the most beautiful areas of our country. I definitely enjoyed the views along the coast during Cycle Oregon, which is something the Colorado Rockies don't have to offer.
On the other hand, the Rocky Mountains offer simply stunning views...
The bottom-line is that if you are considering a weeklong cycling adventure this summer, you can't go wrong with either Ride the Rockies or Cycle Oregon. My plan is to check out the RTR 2017 route when it is announced on February 4 and decide whether to register, but I'd love to come back to my home state this year and complete my 10th Ride the Rockies.
One week ago today Jonny Rocker and I crossed the finish line of Cycle Oregon 2016, having ridden 431 miles in seven straight days of riding, gaining nearly 26,000 feet of elevation (according to my Garmin Edge cycling computer). In case you missed the first two installments of my travelogue, here are Days 0-3 and Days 4-5. And now, for the rest of the story...
Click to enlarge
Day 6 (Friday, September 16): We woke in Indian Mary Park on the morning of Day 6 ready for what looked to be a relatively easy 66 mile day. I know better. The sixth day of a week-long ride is never easy (check out my Five Tips for Surviving Multi-Day Cycling Events). The miles -- 322 to this point -- and the big climb on Day 5 were taking their toll on my body. The usual suspects began to complain: my left foot, lower back, right shoulder, and the 3-pound mass between my ears!
Rest stop at the historic Wolf Creek Tavern (currently closed for remodeling)
Actually, my hot foot, back and shoulder pain didn't flare up as much this year as they have on previous rides (I'll never forget the day we rode the Three Bitches on Ride the Rockies 2014). My body held up pretty well but the mental issues began around mile 32 after we rode within two miles of our final destination for the day (Glendale High School) then rode in the wrong direction another 16 miles for our free* lunch.
*all meals are included in the Cycle Oregon registration fee.
First cell reception in more than 24 hours!
My RTR buddy Woody would call these "bonus miles" (miles added to the route for no particular reason other than to add miles). For the next 16 miles all I could think about was how much I did NOT want to be on my bike at that time! But Jonny Rocker charged on ahead of me and I knew if I turned around and headed back to Glendale I would never hear the end of it (after 52 years I'm still trying to "keep up" with my older brother!).
Chief Miwaleta Park at Galesville Reservoir
The lunch spot at Chief Miwaleta RV Park and Campground on Galesville Reservoir was actually worth the trip. We ate a leisurely lunch at a picnic table by the water and watched several cyclists go for a swim (which seemed like a bad idea since we still had to ride 16 miles back to Glendale and wet cycling shorts are kind of like a soggy diaper). The ride back was a lot better than the ride out and my attitude shifted from a camel trudging across the desert toward a mirage to a horse headed back to the barn!
Unofficial rest stop at the Azalea General Store.
I think this placard on the outside of the Azalea General Store sums up the attitude of a lot of the folks who live in this remote area of southern Oregon.
On our final night of camping in tent city we chose a location near the main stage and beer tent, but had to hoof it quite a ways to get to the shower trucks (and spend another night in a hay field). We were determined to make it to the end of the band for the first time since the opening night -- and we did (but only because we were able to watch the last few songs from our campsite)!
Relaxing with a cold one at our campsite on the final night.
For our last night of camping we chose a spot strategically located near the Main Stage, food and beer tents!
Choosing a camp spot is both art and science on these rides. Our approach was to ride around the area (park, school, etc.) upon arrival to scout for a site. Once we found a good site we'd go pick up our bags and ride back to the site with our backpacks on. Most riders bring their gear in large duffel backs and settle for the site nearest the luggage truck, rather than drag their gear to a nicer spot. We may expend more energy but prefer to get away from the massive tent city!
Packing up camp for the last time on Cycle Oregon 2016
Click to enlarge
Day 7 (Saturday, September 17): I have to admit I bitched a little about the bonus miles on Day 6 but the organizers of Cycle Oregon nailed it on the final day. The 43 mile glide down Cow Camp Road was the perfect victory lap at the end of a tough week of riding. I picked up where I left off on Day 6 mentally and hammered the final 10 miles into Myrtle Creek with Jonny Rocker and several other riders in my wake (at 6'4" I create a decent slipstream :).
One last Team Beef selfie
Ice cold chocolate milk at the finish line. Yum!
The obligatory finish line photo!
I may have underestimated the amount of climbing we would do on this ride, having completed nine Ride the Rockies. Cycle Oregon 2016 was a tough ride. Crossing the finish line felt every bit as satisfying as any of those rides, though it lacked some of the emotion of saying goodbye to good friends. Jonny and I pretty much did our own thing and didn't really forge any lifelong friendship like my Team Bar2Bar buddies from Ride the Rockies. But Rocker did say he would consider RTR 2017 after succesfully completing his first week-long ride! A big shout out to all the staff and volunteers who pulled off an amazing ride. I have been asked several times if I would ever do Cycle Oregon again and the answer is a resounding YES! From my viewpoint the week went off without a hitch, the route was amazing, the food was good, and there were never any lines for the showers or port-a-potties! Bravo. Ride on! Daren
