Vision Quest

[JamR]

This years VQ started off nice by me getting to sleep in this year since I pre-registered the night before. Looked outside and the skies were clear, but after checking accuweather.com and discovering that there was a chance of a short thunderstorm around noon; I tossed my rain shell in my truck and took off to the event.

I started near the back of the pack since I take a long time to warm up and did not want to hammer from the start. As soon as we turned right off the paved road onto the dirt road I knew the climb to Beeks Place was not going to be the usual fun climb. Since the road had been bladed earlier in the week and with the rain the day before; the entire road was a thin layer of mud. Nothing so deep that it couldn’t be ridden; but enough to quickly make the tires grow 2 times their normal size.

All in all though I was having a pretty easy time keeping my momentum, and my legs felt fresh. My biggest concern was when another rider would slip up or come to a stop in front of me; I would ride where I needed to in order to avoid putting my foot down in that muck. I did not want to start having cleat problems this early into the ride.

One we got past the first three miles and started climbing the fire road, the mud became less pronounced and I was able to keep a steady middle ring cadence. I got to Beeks Place in around 1:15 and still felt fresh, so I decided to take a 5 minute break to lube the chain and grab a snack. The weather was holding, the legs felt good, and it seemed like this was going to be a nice day after all…….(no such luck!)

I started a fast roll on the first downhill after Beeks Place, and just before bottoming out of the descent, there was a small rut crossing the fire road. Nothing to speak of…….about 8” wide and 8” deep. Unfortunately I didn’t see it until the last second and barely had time to lift my front wheel over but my rear wheel hit hard and solid. I cringed at the sound and tried to keep pedaling but only got about a half stroke before my rear wheel seized up against my brake. I get off the bike only to see my rear wheel is 4” out of true, but was pleased to discover that there were no visible dents or dings in the tire bead and the tube was holding air.

A couple of quick stomps on the rim and I get the tire reasonably straight and spinning free of the brakes; the time on the clock is still only 1:30…..so life is good again and I resume the climb up to Motorway.

Everything’s starting to click again…..the legs are fresh, the tires still in one piece, plenty of time on the clock, nice weather, and 2 Red Bulls in my backpack……what more could I ask for. The next 5 miles are easy and uneventful and I’m still in the middle ring clicking off a comfortable pace when I come to the second to last climb before Motorway. I drop down to the small ring and decide to do some spinning and suddenly feel a squishy wobble under my saddle. The rear has completely flatted. Ok, no panic….I had been half expecting this ever since my encounter with the rut, so I quickly put in a new tube and started pedaling again.

Motorway was fun as usual and I reached the Maple Springs checkpoint with some relief, but still confident with only 2:52 on the clock. I grab some fruit, lube the bike, down a Red Bull, fill up the Camelback with water, top off the air in my rear tire and get back to work spinning.

The next part for some reason is the worst part of the race for me. I completely despise the paved road at Maple Springs. For some reason this 3 mile section always seems to feel steeper than it is and seems to go on forever. I found myself in the small ring spinning slowly for the last 1-1/2 mile, and did not feel comfortable until I reached the fire road. Once I reached the gravel I quickly recovered and started a steady pace and cruised about 1 mile up the trail until I felt the same squishy feeling from the rear wheel. Crap….another full flat. I again put in a new tube (my second of three that I carry) and pump it up to full pressure this time, and get back on my climb; but now starting to feel a little burn in my quads from the stop and go, and now starting to push a little harder and getting into the mindset of picking up some time.

I get to Main Divide with no problem and stop to check the rear tire. It’s holding air, so I down another snack bar and start the climb trying to mentally prepare for the loose gravel I know is up ahead. I Just get into the first loose section and the tire goes completely flat again…..I can’t believe it, since I usually get no more than 3 or 4 flats per year. Each of the other times I checked the tires for thorns before putting the new tube in, so this time I pump up the flat tube to see where the hole is. I discover what looks like a small double pinch on the underside of the tube. I start inspecting the rim and finally discover that the trim was cracked on the inside during the hit at Beeks Place, and the motion eventually pinched or cut the tube.

I only have 1 tube left and need to make a decision to go forward or go back. I decide to chance going forward, and I repair the crack by covering it with 4 scab patches to hopefully keep it from damaging my last tube. Unfortunately the starts and stops are taking a toll on my legs; and when I squat down to work on my rim, both hamstrings cramp up big-time. I stand up to stretch out the hams, and both quads immediately seize. Great…..I squat down and I seize up, I stand up and I seize up. I drop the rim and walk in circles for a few minutes until the cramping stops, and continue a process of working on my bike and walking circles for about 20 minutes.

Finally with the bike back in one piece and back to pedaling, the cramps completely disappear and the rest of the climb up to the peak is moderate and comfortable, but getting decisively colder. I get to the top and drop my bike for a stretch and another snack bar, and start talking to the aid person in the truck; only to find out that its 37 degrees up there and the word is that the cut-off time has been moved up an hour due to the conditions of the course. I actually took this as good news since at this point I just want to get to a warm place and chow down on 3 or 4 burritos; so I call the wife and tell her that I’m calling it a day, and I only have 8 miles of downhill and 4 miles of fire road back to the finish line so I’ll be home early……no such luck.

I forgot about Upper Holy Jim, and after walking through the first tech section, the rest of the descent down Upper and Lower Holy Jim was a combination of trying to ride the tech sections while being stuck in my cleats or walking them. I stopped at one point and took off the shoes to bang the mud out of the cleats and lube the cleats and pedals. This worked only up until dabbing-out on one of the switchbacks where the cleats again became clogged. I finally resigned myself to run/walk down Upper Holy Jim knowing that I could dip my feet in the stream at the entrance to Lower Holy Jim. I did just that and the cleats clicked in with a sweet snap………that lasted about 10 yards when my legs failed me on the first climb section and I stepped off to push the bike up the first hill.

I finally accepted the fact that I would be living with muddy cleats until I got down to the bottom, and forced the cleats into the pedals hoping I would be able to clip out if needed. The rest of the ride down turned out to be fun and uneventful, but my arms and shoulders were starting to feel the fatigue. Had a nice time on the way down and cleaned 17 of the 19 switchbacks, then came to the first stream crossing!!!!!

I wasn’t expecting to have to climb down a 5’ rock section to get to the stream. For a second, I actually considered just tossing my bike into the stream and losing the extra weight since I figured one of the stream crossings would take it from me anyway….(I seem to have experience in that sort of thing). But I held onto my bike and did the next 1 mile in a series of pedal/walk stream/pedal/walk stream, until I got to the checkpoint where I was informed that I missed the cut-off time.

I profusely thanked him for that information; downed 2 free Clif Bars, and rode the muddy 4 miles out to the finish line stopping to talk to some friends along the way who were relaxing on the side of the road. I rode straight to my truck, and 20 minutes later was sitting in the parking lot of the Taco Bell listening to music and downing 2 bean burritos………….life was good again.

I recommend this event highly to everyone. It’s not an event of speed, but an adventure of self-discovery. As you ride through it, you look around and you can clearly see everyone pushing through their own personal challenges. I saw people who were pushing their bikes up the hills in the early stages of the ride, yet still determined to finish what they started with the thought of turning around not even entering their mind. Whether you made it to Beeks Place or all way to the finish; everyone who entered and rode came out a winner.

I’ll be out there pounding again next year. So far 2 years and 2 DNF’s; but both times were great adventures……….and that’s what mountain biking is all about.

[LBmtb]

Awesome write up, Adam

I like the bean and cheese burritos at Taco Bell too, although I cant remember last time I had one.

[mytrustysteed]

Thanks for that JamR, I needed to hear that last bit! Great write up and yes a great adventure!

[EBasil]

You guys are animals.

When I read your thought about tossing the rig into the water I got coffee in my nose, you bastard!

[pshloss]

Just got an e-mail from Chris Vargas who is the VQ/CC race director. They are shortening the cutoff times by 1 hour next year, but the early start is free. You can get the 1 hour back if you do 24 hours of trail work for them. Trail work, here I come...It's about time I gave back anyway. Any way you slice it, it's going to some hard training for me to be ready for the VQ.

[Schecky]

It's phenomenal that you all got as far as you did!
Great write up Adam.

[LBmtb]

Thanks for the permission to use the write up Adam. It's now in the articles section complete with a authorized Warriors Society logo. Direct link ot the article: http://www.socaltrailriders.org/articleVQadam.htm

George,

You have my permission and thanks!

Chris

[Evel Knievel]

Congratulations to all those who put on ,assistted and participated.