Chinook

Every Spring a window opens for cyclists who take their climbing seriously. The Washington State Department of Transportation works Monday through Friday to prepare for the Spring opening of Highway 410 over Cayuse and Chinook passes. They graciously allow non motorized access for the one or two weekends after the road is cleared of snow but before the road is opened to auto traffic.

Adam and I chose this past Sunday to ascend Chinook. The original plan called for me to pick him up on the way to the intersection of Highway 410 and  Crystal Mountain Blvd. Typically cyclists park just outside the closed gates of Mount Rainier National Park and enjoy the car free section of road that includes both Cayuse and Chinook passes.

On Saturday morning I received a text asking if I was open to a slight change of plans. Adam wanted to change our start location to create a little longer ride. He suggested Orting. 

I took a few minutes to consult a map. We were familiar with the most excellent Foothills Trail that connects Orting to Buckley. We were familiar with the back way around Enumclaw that included the Mud Mountain Road climb. We've ridden the section of Highway 410 that passes through Greenwater towards Mount Rainier although usually in the opposite direction. Never had we connected all these dots and miles into a single out and back ride. We decided to give it a try.

Weather forecasts indicated we should expect a temperature range of 35 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Rain was likely. Sunshine was likely. Our clothing choices were not simple. My handlebar bag was stuffed with extras.

We were pedaling away from Orting by 7:30. There were few surprises for the first twenty miles. When we turned right onto Highway 410 we found that vehicular traffic was delightfully. We rode at a solid zone two pace. Our first photo was taken just off the highway. We stopped to alter clothing layers and dig out more pocket food. The ride was progressing swimmingly.

Adam was just hanging out in the woods.

Our pace was still solid as we rode through Greenwater. We planned was to refuel in Greenwater on the return leg. We took mental notes of the few options and kept on pedaling.

This elk was OK with posing for a photo. The rest of the herd, which crossed the road just in front of us, was a bit camera shy.

After 48 miles we reached our grail. Gates at the entrance to Mount Rainier were firmly closed. Cyclists were invited to enter. Beautiful mountain views laid ahead. Challenging climbing laid ahead. Zero traffic laid ahead.

Stop we did not. Enjoy car free roads in Mount Rainier National Park we did.

As predicted the temperature began to drop. As predicted the experience was spectacular. The road was quiet. The views of Mount Rainier, though infrequent, were breathtaking.

As we approached Cayuse Pass the feel changed. The temperature dropped substantially and fog dominated. We had climbed into the clouds. We were now solidly into the Cascade Range. Our work against the pedals kept us warm but we knew that would change for the descent.

Our arrival at Cayuse Pass brought no change. The fog was thick. Visibility was poor. This portion of the highway is also known as the Chinook Scenic Byway. Our scenery included only the pavement and snowbanks that were within 100 feet. 

Shortly after Cayuse we met the first set of descending cyclists. All four were wearing ski parkas. This gave us pause as we contemplated the cold temperatures awaiting us. We had already discussed alpine weather patterns and the need to be cautious. We started formulating a plan to maximize our warmth.

With less than a mile of climbing to go we watched as a bright and shiny Larue T80 snowblower  revealed itself from the fog. This was our sign to execute. We stopped just long enough to kit up with all our additional layers, document a patch of yellow snow, and snap a photo. The final push to the top, wearing every layer, would hopefully allow us to bank some body heat.

WSDOT owns some mean looking machinery. This Larue T80 self propelled snowblower can swallow bikes and riders whole.

As planned, we spent little time at the top of Chinook Pass. Greetings were exchanged with four other cyclists who were present. A few photos were taken. A bike was hoisted. And then we sped back into Western Washington.

Actually, we did not speed. It was the slowest descent off Chinook every recorded by my Garmin cyclo computer. The fog was thick. There were occasional rocks and icebergs in the road. Cyclists still ascending were tough to see until the final moment. And we were cold.

At the summit of Chinook Pass my camera caught a cyclist hoisting his bike over his head while his partner took photos.

Just below Cayuse Pass the air warmed and we were free of the fog. I put some pressure into the pedals to build warmth. The end of the park came too soon.

When we exited the park we had 28 miles of Highway 410 to navigate. There as a slight headwind. To my surprise, well over five hours into the ride, Adam found some extra watts to burn. I gladly dropped into his slipstream and he stayed on point the majority of the distance towards our next milestone.

The Greenwater General Store came as a welcome relief. My body was eager to stand up straight and shake out the kinks in my back and neck. A quick purchase of water and pocket food was made. Not just any pocket food. I chose a two pack of Grandma's brand chocolate chip cookies. At 170 calories each these two cookies contained the calories I needed to push the pedals for the remainder of the ride.

The low point of the ride was found between Greenwater and the turn off to Mud Mountain Dam. The rain finally caught us. Our bodies ached. The traffic was no longer light. Putting the final 410 leg behind us became our immediate goal. 

I went to the front and did some work. Adam let me suffer for about five miles before he upped the pace and let me have some rest. After four miles I came around to start my final pull. That pull also lasted four miles and ended at mile 100 where we turned onto Mud Mountain Dam road. We sat up. I openly contemplated our ability to pull six hours and nearly 100 miles into our adventure. Our conclusion: We are pretty damn fit.

The final twenty miles were on familiar and friendly roads and trails. These miles were taken at a more social pace as we were able to ride side by side again. As we counted down the miles till we would arrive at our pickup trucks the numbers from this ride started to sink in. Six thousand feet of climbing. 120 miles. Seven and one half hours in the saddle. About 6 and one half hours of pedaling. 196 weighted average watts. Solid.

 

Back in Orting. A photo the the two SSMFs who tackled the Orting-Chinook-Orting route.

The Orting-Chinook-Orting route is not for everyone. Our training volume and schedule placed us in a position to tackle this challenge. The WSDOT snow clearing operation made it a possibility. It was a day well spent.

Palouse to Cascades Trail

When the most recent Puyallup Cyclopaths ride was cancelled an opportunity was created. Adam and I had planned to attend the Cyclopath road ride. We pivotted quickly to fill the day by returning to the Palouse to Cascades Trail for some smooth gravel adventuring. Patrick, a fellow cyclocross and gravel racer, joined us. 

Adam and Patrick were looking cool for the camera as we took in the views from one of the elevated trestles. When the builders converted these trestles from rail to trail they kindly installed guard rails for the pedestrians and nice gravel for the cyclists.

Patrick disappeared into the distance as my camera took the time to capture one more frame. These trestles provided the most spectacular views from the trail as it passes between the Western terminus and Snoqualmie Pass.

Twenty seven miles from the start and the tunnel was in sight. Adam was caught 'gearing up' for the two mile cave sector with an extra layer and a mouthfull of nutrition. The tunnel was cold and dark just as we expected and we were prepared with an extra layer of clothing and our brightest lights. For added spookiness there was a noticeable tail wind which elevated our speed and made the ride eerily quiet.

Snow stopped our progress just East of Hyak but not before we caught sight of Keechelus Lake. Our previous trip included a private helicopter landing on a rock outcropping just off shore. No such luck this time.

 

The cold air blowing out of the East end of the tunnel was felt hundreds of meters before the entrance. We pedalled through with just a few interuptions. My Garmin continually reported that we were 'off course' and Adam continually joked that we missed a turn. I stopped just short of the tunnel exit and snapped a photo just as Adam and Patrick had returned to the warm sunshine of Western Washington.

We finished our ride before noon with 62 miles of perfect gravel having passed under our tires. We enjoyed this ride on the Palouse to Cascades Trail more than the first and plan to be back again this Summer.

Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium Sunday 'Three Creeks'

This is part four and is best after reading from the beginning: Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium recap.

Race day came early for me. I was out of my sleeping bag and breaking camp before my alarm thought it wise. My nerves remained calm. I was heeding my own advice and 'trusting the plan'. I knew the day would be long and hard. We planned to 'do what we do' and which was going to put some hurt into my legs and soul. But, unlike Friday and Saturday, I knew exactly what to expect and exactly what we were capable of. The knowledge gave me comfort.

The Three Creeks course  had us up and down the hills in and around Sisters Oregon. The town takes its name from the nearby Three Sisters mountains. The elevation profile for the ride looked more like five sisters. With the exception of the five mile run in and out of the hills we would be climbing or descending the majority of the day. We rationalized that the five climbs and 5500 feet of elevation would be, more or less, equivalent to five trips up our local training climb.

The start of the Women's race was sunny but not yet warm.

With my pre race jitters in check I was able to socialize a bit before Sunday's start. I also wondered a bit with my camera and gravitated towards a certain vintage vehicle. My affinity for coffee and  Volkswagen vans drew me in. The best part was the asking price of zero dollars for a cup of coffee. Thank you Autobahn Coffee.

I could not look away. Fresh coffee and vintage VW van. I was smitten.

 

Sunday's start was chilly but warming was forecast as the day and climbing progressed. Adam and I agreed we would hang with the lead group for at least the run in to hills. The course gradually shifted from flat to climbing in the first ten miles and we found the pace to be acceptable until about mile twelve.

Our on course roles have evolved over time. I am likely to utilize the map feature on my Garmin and make sure the team experiences no navigational surprises.  Adam is likely to utilize the profile feature on his Garmin and his power meter and coach us on climbing pace. We settled on a sustainable pace and let the lead pack climb away from us. But they did't. They put in a surge to create a gap but did not follow through to pull away. We continued to climb with them in our sights. This left us just outside the top ten and feeling good about our chances of success.

The middle miles of the race were not noteworthy. We climbed at our pace and slowly displaced a rider here and a rider there. We bombed down the descents. We also lost a few positions. My choice to stop at the first aid station for water let a few riders sneak by. We also lost a position at aid station number two although that stop was not planned. My rear water bottle choose to become a trail torpedo on a bumpy descent. This forced me to stop and beg for a donor bottle.

The middle miles also brought some mental fog. All of my being was concentrating on sustaining the climbs at my upper power limit or descending at pace or navigating the course. I was communicating poorly enough that Adam took note. When he attempted to share ideas with me I responded that he needed to use smaller words. I was using all my synapses getting around that course in the fewest seconds and there was no mental capacity left for auxilary use.

Adam was in charge of pace but he kept tabs on me. I used the word 'OK' if I could sustain the pace for the duration. Adam chose the word 'hot' to indicate the pace was over threshold when it was my turn climbing at the front.

'Trust' was my favorite. As we've trained and ridden and raced together we've learned how to get around a gravel course. There are times when extra effort is well rewarded in fewer seconds. If Adam was leading and surged for no obvious reason I responded with 'hot' and 'trust'. This meant he was pushing me over my threshold but I trusted his reasoning and could sustain on for a while. This usually occured in the final minute or two before cresting a climb.

If Adam was leading and surged with a rider ahead I kept mum. At these moments it was our job to spin right on past showing nothing but strength as a signal that we were uncatchable. Each of of these efforts hurt the legs. Each of these efforts netted another position at the finish line.

Our race turned upside down at mile 56.1. We were two thirds up the final climb. We were riding in a group of about five. Not all were in our class. The lead rider made a right turn onto a narrow two track road right and was surprised as it turned to sand. This rider failed to negotiate the sand from the saddle. I used my cross skills to slip by. I put in a surge to create the fifteen second gap I needed to find the perfect tree and make water. A passing rider then informed me Adam had dropped his chain and was struggling to lift it.

I soft pedalled for thirty seconds as I studied my mirror and hoped. In those thirty seconds my mental fog was replaced with clarity of purpose. I needed to prepare to solo the next thirteen miles to the finish.

Before I hit the top of the climb at 57.0 miles I had created a mental checklist and started ticking off the boxes. My Garmin display was changed to elevation profile so I could time my push over the top. I took inventory of water and nutrition to discover that my donor water bottle was empty and my front bottle had also chosen to trail torpedo. The third aid station was just a few miles ahead and I would have to stop.

I charged down that hill towards the aid station and my water bottle refill.

My frantic entry into the aid station sent the message that I was in a hurry. A helper quickly filled my single bottle while I found two Goos. As I began to pull away from the table I thought to take one last look back for Adam. But there was no need. He had chased me down and was patiently waiting on the opposite side of the road. I was dumbstruck that he had closed the gap and my remark of surprise was met with laughter by the aid station workers. I was pleased that we were back together, just ten miles from the finish, and providing levity to those within earshot.

Adam did a lot of work to close that gap and I returned the favor by taking long turns on the front. As the miles ticked off we caught sight of a single rider up the road. We were stronger but had let him slip by during the dropped chain affair. We watched the gap shrink and the miles tick off. Adam started doing more work at the front.

Just after the 3k to go sign we were left with our last navigational challenge. We needed to turn right onto the gravel Edgington Road which would be the finish straight. Adam was leading. His plan after the right turn was to pull me a ways down Edgington and then send me off to finish the deed. It almost worked.

We slowed enough to see that there was no traffic. We did not slow enough to see the ditch. Adam straightened up and hopped but sacrificed the fast line. I unclipped and took the turn and ditch with one foot out moto style. I looked wreckless. My wheels skidded in and out of line and my foot was swinging wildly. But I was able to hold my line and exitted the corner with momentum. I put my head down and set my resolve to close the 100 meter gap to that next rider.

Over that last two kilometers I was closing. It was unclear if I would make it. With just a few hundred meters to go he looked over his shoulder. My proximity motivated him to find a few more watts and he stayed ahead by four seconds.

Adam rolled over the line just moments after me and we congratulated ourselves on a race weekend well done. A bucket list event well done. There was a finish line cooler. In it I found the most satisfying can of beer I can remember.

The clock says I raced 69.1 miles in 4:24:39 for an average speed of 16.0 mph. I was scored 14 of 45 in my class for Sunday's race. This also earned another seven points on omnium scoring where my final result was also 14th. We did not win. We did not finish on the podium. We did put in a solid effort against a strong and talented field of gravel racers.

The remainder of our time in Sisters Oregon was filled with warm and fuzzy thoughts.

We set off slowly towards Village Green City Park for boxed meals and the awards presentation. As we left the finish line Tim informed us that Jen had won the Masters Women's class. We gave her a grand cheer when we met up with her on the way to the park. The four of us found a sunny patch of grass to eat and chat. Halfway through our pulled pork sandwiches Tim shared the most rewarding compliment Adam and I might ever receive. He told us how impressed he was with how strong we have become and how well we rode together. That comment made every minute of suffering and preparation worthwhile.

This photo was taken before the race. I was excited to see Tim and Jen and their new adventure van. I did not know Jen was on her way to victory.

I am filled with gratitude towards the many people who made this bucket list race weekend possible.

Adam gave in many ways. As my teammate he has supported my cycling in a direct way for a number of years. His guidance allowed me to build the strength to compete near the pointy end of the race. His comradarie provided the motiviation to stay true towards our shared goal.

My wife Deanne initiated this adventure over a year ago with the idea of a bucket list event. Then she allowed me the time and space to train. I couldn't have done it without her support.

Adam and I also wanted to say thanks to: Kelsey and Joey at Cascadia Wheel Company for equipment support, Mike and Les of the Cyclopaths for comraderie and encouragement, Chad at Breakaway Promotions for exercising patience and diligence as this event was repeatedly disrupted by Covid-19, and the Sisters High School wrestling team for volunteer support at the on course aid stations.

Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium Saturday 'Bust Your Butte'

This is part three and is best after reading parts one and two of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium recap.

The second act of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium was labeled 'Bust Your Butte'. This 53 mile gravel route  was decidedly flat. The first 7.5 miles included a paved descent before getting to the gravel. The remainder of the course was basically flat with a few rollers mid course and a small hill at about five miles before the finish. We predicted that a large group would stay together for much of the race.

Saturday broke cool and wet with an unexpected amount of rainfall over night and into the morning. This changed nothing for us and we executed out breakfast tasks while we watched the rain drip off the corners of Adam's portable shelter. As I ingested my breakfast I could feel the pre race jitters begin to set in. I knew Adam would be working for me. I could not stop dreading any mistake that would make his work and our preparation go to waste.

While I fretted Adam researched. His reading revealed that coasties riding at elevation should expect a reduction in power due to the thinner air at elevation. Efforts up to threshold level would be slightly compromised. Efforts above threshold would be seriously compromised. This fit with our experience up the TT climb. We put this information in our back pockets. Saturday's event would likely involve responding to pack dynamics where we wanted to ride sheltered from the wind as long as possible.

At the start area I nervously single checked and double checked all aspects of my bike and kit. Adam provided words of confidence. He reminded me of the following: We were well prepared for this event. We trained and were bringing our best fitness. We needed only to trust the plan and execute. As he predicted, when we rolled over the start line my nerves settled and I calmly attended my business as a gravel racer.

This photo is of the Women's class start on Sunday at Sisters High School.

The pace started light. The peloton felt no motivation to work while traveling down the seven and one half miles of pavement. Gravity was doing most of the work. This sector passed without drama save one three second episode. A rider pulled a u-turn out of the center of the peloton. The sound of skidding tires and sight of weaving helmet tops alerted me to danger. A split second later I gained sight of the u-turner and swerved hard left just missing his front tire. The peloton lit up with a cocophony of yells, expletives, and profanity. A moment later the scene was behind us with all riders remaining upright.

The pavement ended and the gravel hit us hard. The peloton was probably still at least 40 riders strong. The effort level increased. Adam and I were caught off guard. We had never ridden this fast on roads this rough while fighting for position in the peloton. I thought the pace would settle eventually but was wrong. We learned to get as comfortable as we could with the tight quarters, high speed, and limited forward visibility.

The bikes were taking a beating. Rocks and occasional sticks were getting lifted by the wheels in front of us and bouncing off our wheels, frames, and feet. We silently hoped that all damage remained cosmetic.

Miles sixteen to twenty saw a few rolling climbs and some of the power brokers up front started animating the race. Adam and I knew enough to get towards the front. The peloton strung out a few times and we stayed connected at each surge. When the theatrics calmed the peloton had been halved.

The powder keg burst at mile 28. I did not see the first move but felt the front group of ten riders slip away. I was not attached to the ten but was riding a strong wheel who seemed keen to bridge. The bridger and I passed Adam as we chased. Adam's expression communicated his situation clearly. He could not hold this pace.

The attack of ten seemed to take place at a sector with the most pronounced washboard we had seen that day. The pace and the washboard worked well to soften the resolve of many who thought of chasing.

I was just able to hold the chaser's wheel as we turned off the washboard and onto a smooth two track road that wound Northeast along the Deschutes River. I was working just to hold the wheel. When the elbow flick came I responded. Verbally. 'Sorry, I don't have it' I yelled forward. My fitness allowed me to stay connected to the chaser just a few more minutes. Soon number was punched, my lungs were scorched, and I could no longer hold on.

Up I sat. While soft pedaling I performed some housekeeping. My vest was stripped, hat was removed, and water was consumed as I watched the chase group grow larger in my mirror.

Adam was a founding member of the chase group which eventually grew to seven riders. The pace was similar to the peloton's before the break. Adam and I quickly learned that we could trust the bike handling of these riders and grew comfortable working with them in close quarters. This was especially good timing as the roads were becoming more narrow and littered with debris.

With riders we trusted and about twenty miles to go we were able to relax a smidge. Limited chatting took place. Adam and I received compliments on our cross skills when a downed tree presented an opportunity to practice our barrier dismount and remount technique. The pace remained brisk but I worried less that I would get dropped. Adam took a few pulls at the front. I did not.

The final ten miles included a few rolling hills and a minor climb. The pace was tough but no games were played. Every rider put their head down and did the work.

The pace was warming as we passed the '5k to go' sign. The road was the tightest we had seen all day with only a single rideable line in places. Adam and I managed our efforts as we followed the wheels in front of us. At about 3k to go Adam's wheel found a section of sand and nearly washed out. His bike was thirty degrees off course by the time he found the handle and he had lost his momentum. In that instant I realized his fate was sealed. Adam yelled 'Go!' and I did not hesitate.

The pace continued to build and I eventually lost touch with the wheel in front of me. Then a rider came around. I was hurting. But I did not surrender to the passer. I dug deep to hold his wheel and found we were slowly reeling in the wheel I had lost. With a couple hundred meters to go I caught a glimpse of the finish banner through the trees, gave whatever I had left, and picked off the passer before the line.

We coasted to a stop 100 meters past the line. As we found our wind the riders in the chase group of seven introduced ourselves. We were universal in our appreciation for the collective strength and skill of the group. I commented that it felt not unlike a two and three quarter cyclocross race.

My finish result was solid. I crossed the line 14th of 65 in 2:37:05 for an average speed of 22.0 mph. This finish netted another seven points on omnium scoring. Adam was three positions behind me but not officially scored. I was content with our performance. As two fish-out-of-gravel we held up well in the road race end of the pool.

We faced a five mile ride to get back to the parking area. We soft pedaled while taking in the natural beauty of the high desert. Tim happened to join us a mile or two in. When mental clarity returned we debriefed on the race. Tim reiterated our first thoughts. Saturday's event played out more like a road race than a gravel race. Tim shared that he recognized many of the riders from his days racing on the road and that the pace and tightness of the peloton were not unlike a typical road race.

On the way back to the campground we purchased burritos and got started on refueling. After lunch I found my way into my sun warmed tent and drifted off to sleep.

The remainder of the afternoon was taken at a leisurely pace. We readied our gear for Sunday's event and slowly formed a strategy. Our legs were feeling the effects of two hard days. We had accepted the limitations on our power due to the thinner air. Sunday's strategy would be a polar opposite of Saturday's. On Saturday we responded to the peloton to stay connected and retain the aerodynamic benefits of pack riding. On Sunday we would set our own pace. On Sunday we anticipated a good number of riders would go off the front early. We gambled that over the course of seventy miles and fifty-five hundred feet of climbing we would bring many of them back.

I crawled into my tent Saturday night feeling content. Sunday's race had one requirement. We needed only to 'do what we do'.

This race recap continues as part four of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium Sunday Three Creeks.

Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium Friday Time Trial

This is part two and is best after reading part one of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium recap.

Tumalo State Park campground offered a Friday morning that was both clear and cold. I prepared coffee via french press and Adam cooked our race day go-to breakfast of oatmeal.

The first race of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium was a simple five mile time trial. The published elevation profile could be summarized as follows: Slight descent into a mile of moderate climbing which transitioned into an even shallower descent that slowly tapered into a nearly flat finish.

We still had two strategy questions looming from the previous day. How much effort to put into the the TT and who would ride in support of who. These questions stayed on the back burner for a bit longer. While waiting for the sun to warm the air we bumped into fellow coasties Tim and Jen of Olympia who were camping nearby. They had pre-ridden the TT course one day earlier and warned that the road was rocky.

At noon Adam drove us towards the course for a course recon ride. I requested we take the scenic route. Bend is lovely this time of year and there is ample evidence that cycling culture is strong in this area. The parking area was humming with mountain biking activity as we soft pedaled to the TT start area.

Dwaine and his bicycle as we pre rode the TT gravel road. This section is about where we would start later in the day.

The recon was eye opening. The first descent was bumpy and rocky. Line selection to miss the biggest holes and rocks was critical. The road surface was most technical during the climb which fortunately was taken at a lower speed. When the climbing ended the road surface became smoother but now included a number of dust pits where the soft silty soil kept hidden the embedded rocks. The final two miles was the least technical with just a few sections of washboard to be avoided.

Adam and his bicycle during the TT gravel road recon. It was a casual ride. Later in the day it was anything but casual.

As we backtracked towards the truck we inspected a couple of the most technical sections and made mental notes on where the most treacherous rock outcroppings were planted. Once at the truck we finalized important details for the remainder of the day. Race tire pressures were jotted down. It was agreed that burritos would be purchased for lunch. We had collected enough information to firm up our TT strategy.

By the time we reached the campground the TT strategy was solidified. We would race. Hard. We agreed we didn't drive to Bend for a three day event to just 'participate' in the TT. We also agreed this TT course was right in our wheelhouse. It is likely other riders could pedal harder than either of us. But that power is useless if the racer cannot navigate the terrain at speed. The technicality of the first descent required the cyclocross skills we both possessed.

While we prepared for the evening time trial the final strategy question continued to loom. Who would ride for who? Again, we chose to defer for just a few more hours. The results of the TT would speak to us before the evening ended.

Adam drew a start time of 5:33:00 p.m. Dwaine was up at 6:48:00. While Dwaine was fretting and pacing and calming his pre race jitters Adam was on the course crushing it.

Adam sprinted out of the gate hard. The pre race recon was effective as he flew down the descent never touching his brakes. Once over the wooden bridge he started his climbing effort. Half way up that climb the brutal reality hit hard. The thinner air at Bend's elevation was a greater handicap than predicted. He dialed his effort back momentarily, collected himself, and then resumed the work to finish the climb strong.

As Adam crested the climb he could barely see the impending convergence. Dust filled the air. A slow moving motor vehicle would be caught as they both passed through a narrow dust pit. Just one race pace solution presented itself. Adam charged past the dust stirring monster using the only line available. The right side cushion.

Readers might ask about this 'cushion'. Dwaine chose this label based on 'the cushion' at a dirt track and it meant the very edge of the road. Earlier in the day Adam and Dwaine prerode the course. The soil in and around Bend was unlike what we were used to. Our goal was to learn to see or predict the fast lines. Or at least avoid the bad lines. We learned early to avoid the cushion.

Adam lost time processing the choice forced by the dust pit convergence. Adam pushed his front wheel in the soft silt. Adam felt his bike get slideways. But Adam is a cyclocross racer. He collected it, kept the rubber side down, and got back into the pedals to regain the speed lost in the pit.

Fortunately the remainder of Adam's TT was uneventful and he crossed the line in 14:35.2 seconds for an average of 20.5 mph. He then soft pedaled back to the parking lot where I was still fretting.

Adam shared the information I needed to deliver my best TT time. Adam told me he held nothing back. Adam told me at speed he floated over the majority of the rough. And Adam warned me that he could not hold his six minute climbing pace due to the thin air.

Armed with Adams experience I lined up with confidence. I had practiced a few cyclocross starts and launched without wheelspin when I was given the 'go'. I charged into the descent and was able to float the rough and carry speed down to the bridge. My climbing pace was tempered based on Adam's advice. Two thirds into the climb my respiration rate was at maximum but I was holding my wattage. The dust pits were taken without incident. By the time I reached the second descent I realized my vision had narrowed and lengthened. I saw nothing save a four inch wide path forward that snaked the road from side to side missing the rocks and taking me on the smoothest gravel.

I crossed the line crossed eyed and knew my effort was solid. Strava data later verified just how solid. Adam is a stronger climber but my pacing was more perfect due to his advice. My climb time was three seconds quicker. Strava data also showed that Adam nullified that gain by descending two seconds faster down the second descent. Only heaven knows who might have come out ahead without the dust pit convergence.

My TT clock was stopped at 14:03.6 seconds for an average of 21.3 mph. I coasted to the end of the road but did not soft pedal back to the parking lot. Adam was waiting in the truck. Before I had my bike loaded Adam looked up the results. I was 9th of 44 in the Masters Men class which earned two omnium points. Adam's time was 28th of 43 in Open Men. The TT had spoken. I was honored that Adam would work for me for the remainder of the weekend.

And work we did.

This race recap continues as part three of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Saturday 'Bust Your Butte'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium

It was over a year ago that we began our trajectory towards last weekends Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium in Bend Oregon. In January of 2020 my wife Deanne decided it was time for me to add a check to my bucket list of rides. She contacted my gravel racing partner Adam for ideas. Adam contacted our Cyclopath friends Les and Mike who started helping with logistics and Adam and I were soon signed up for the 2020 version of this epic three race gravel event.

Covid-19 scuttled last years race and some of the grander aspects we planned for the weekend. It also provided an additional 365 days of race preparation. We did our best to leverage every day. For 2021 the Bend Omnium became the 'A' event of our racing calendar and we focused our training strategies to target peak fitness for Bend.

Adam and I started our weekend by driving South towards Tumalo State Park campground on Thursday. With the course elevation profile in hand we agreed where it would pay to conserve energy and where to put down the power. We also talked about the depth of the competition. This event was predicted to bring out many highly capable gravel racers.

While Adam piloted the truck I enjoyed my time watching the world whiz past the windows. This was my first taste of Central Oregon. The change in geography and landscape as compared to Western Oregon was stark. Adam spent time in this region in years past and was a fine guide as I took it all in.

My time as a sightseer was interrupted with more strategic conversations. We faced two tough decisions.

The Cascade Gravel Grinder was scored as an omnium. The Friday time trial paid omnium points only down to tenth. Any watts that didn't result in tenth or better would have been ignored by the scorecard. We pondered if it might be wiser to save those matches for use on Saturday.

Even less palatable was the late breaking news from the promoter in regards to start waves. Central Oregon Covid restrictions had tightened and the promoter was forced to split our classes into separate starts. It was always our intention to race as a team. We were faced with a difficult choice. One of us would switch classes and ride solely in support of the other. Covid-19 had again reached out and forced us to alter our plan.

We ride for Cascadia Wheel Co. and take our equipment's comfort seriously.

Before these strategic questions could be answered we arrived at our campground, set up camp, and watched the light fade to night. We practiced our patience and accepted that Friday would deliver clarity towards our best strategy.

This race recap continues as part two of the Cascade Gravel Grinder Omnium Friday Time Trial.