SFR Shasta Mountains 1000K Brevet Bicycle Tour

Arriving in Fort Bragg, late in the evening after 245 miles on Day 2!

As Sarah Schroer and I descend into Hayfork, CA the temperature begins to plummet. The relative comfort of climbing slowly in 40 degree temperatures becomes unbearable at descending speed when the temperature drops to 32 degrees, with near frozen mist in the air. With just a light windbreaker, I begin to shiver lightly at first, then uncontrollably within a few minutes. It's no longer safe to steer the tandem bicycle so we pull over. The only nearby source of heat is Sarah, who has weathered the cold better than me, partially due to being wind blocked in the stoker position. We embrace as she tries to exchange some heat. We are moderately successful, and decide to carry on to the next climb. Fingers and toes are completely numb, and it's nearly impossible to control and shift the bike, but we forge ahead anyway, hoping to cross the valley and begin the climb to warmer temperatures.

This is day 2 of the Shasta Mountain 1000K Brevet, and the plan for today is to ride 245 miles with a whopping 18,000' of climbing. At this point we are asking ourselves how we got here, and why are we doing this?

Earlier in the year, I believe it was Jason Pierce who told us about the ride, saying it was limited to 50 riders, and that we should sign up. Since we'd been thinking about doing a longer brevet (1000K or 1200K), this one sounded awesome! Ride one way from near Klamath Falls, OR (Actually Tulelake, CA), to SF via a mountainous route through Trinity. Sounds like fun!

We signed up, and as the event date approached, we decided it was time to prep. So we looked at the course carefully for the first time... and said, "Uh-Oh." 630 miles with 45,000' of climbing? Really?

The ride was concocted by Eric Larsen, a San Francisco Randonneur Adventure rider. Eric had been working on the course all year, and did a pre ride the week before the event, self supported. He came back with stories of how difficult the route was, long nights on the road, very little sleep, and a 73.5 hour finish time. Hmmm.

But we'll have it easier. For the event, Eric will have staff members carry a bag for us, and provide water stops here and there, but we'll otherwise be self sufficient. Here is how it went:

Preamble

First we have to get ourselves to the Winema Lodge in Tulelake, CA. It is suggested to take the train to Klamath Falls, then ride 30 miles to the start. Well, we can't take the tandem on the train, so we rent a one way van, and invite two friends to share the expense. Our traveling mates are Carl Sanders and Megan Arnold.

Traveling with Megan Arnold, Sarah Schroer, and Carl Sanders is a breeze.

We make the drive to Tulelake, drop our bags and Megan at the lodge, then head to Klammath Falls to drop the van. Carl decides to join us for the 30 mile spin back to the lodge. 

We found a cool bike path to get out of the busy Klamath Falls. Here we yield to some horseback riders.

Seems easy and care free as we roll the 30 miles from Klamath Falls to the Winema Lodge in Tulelake, CA. We have no idea about the suffering we are about to endure. Photo courtesy Carl Sanders.

Unfortunately, we flat on the return, and we decide this is a good omen, not a bad one, as we get our bad luck out of the way before the start of the 1000K.

A flat tire is a good omen. Bad luck out of the way early.

Dr. Schroer examines the patient. Photo courtesy Carl Sanders

After a pasta dinner at the Winema, and some socializing with the other knucklehead Rando types that are doing this ride, we retire to make final prep and get some rest.

The Winema Lodge is actually a hunting lodge. Rooms have 5 single beds each. It can be windy here. Photo courtesy Carl Sanders.

Signing in. I am speaking with Mark Thomas (right), Seattle RBA and 4 time PBP finisher. Eric Larsen (baseball cap), hands out brevet cards. Photo: Sarah Schroer

Day 1

Eric Larsen gives final instruction to the riders just before the start at 6 A.M.

The first day takes us from Tulelake, to Weaverville, 202 mies, via Lava Beds National Monument. We roll out with the group in the morning. A few riders take off fast, but we form a nice mid-pace group of about a dozen riders, while a few drop off the back.

Rando Pace Line in the early morning of Day 1

At first Sarah and I sit at the back, and later we go to the front and do some pulls. On a downhill section, we peel off most of the group and we tow the 4 remaining riders to the first big climb to Medicine Lake, including our friends Megan Arnold, Jason Pudu Pierce, and Patrick Herlihy.

Early morning pace line. We'd see little of each other after this short spell on Day 1. Photo courtesy Carl Sanders.

Riding with a small group in the early hours.. Photo courtesy Patrick Herlihy

There are four riders up the road stomping it. Craig Hicks, Carl Sanders, Bill Brier, and Mike Sturgill.  Fast company. But we've got over 200 miles to cover today with about 15,000' of climbing, so we set an easy pace up the climb, stopping for a wardrobe adjustment.

Patrick Herlihy, Megan Arnold, and Jason Pierce, topping the climb near Medicine Lake.

At the top of the climb there is a fast section before Medicine Lake. Here we tow Patrick, Jason, and Megan. Photo courtesy Patrick Herlihy

At Medicine Lake, they've got some food spread out for us, but we just grab some water and go. We descend from Medicine Lake fairly quickly, good enough for a Strava KOM, although there are plenty of sneaker potholes, so some caution is in order. We catch Carl Sanders, who rides with us on and off to Mt. Shasta, before forging ahead on his own. Bill Brier, Craig Hicks, and Mike Sturgill are up the road.

As we roll into Mt. Shasta, we have a nice view of the Mountain between the trees. Photo: Sarah Schroer

At Mt. Shasta, we have a terribly inefficient stop, as trying to get junk food at a hippie market just isn't working out. But we do enjoy a nice sandwich. After taking a wrong turn, and having to backtrack, we stop for a second time at a gas station to get the portable food we need. About 45 minutes of fumbling, time we can ill afford to lose.

Our plan for this ride is to ride relatively swiftly during the day, in an effort to move along the course well enough to maximize sleep and minimize night riding. We start to become concerned that our plan is slipping.

We then begin the huge 3700', 12 mile climb up to Parks Creek Summit on Forest Rd N17 out of Mt. Shasta. Eric warned us about this climb, and I'm glad, since we are mentally prepared. We've now got 130 miles in the legs, and this climb has some long, steep sections. The fatigue is settling in. It's a real grind, and the climb goes on forever, just as Eric said, but we finally meet Charlie Fornier at the Summit. He's got water and light snacks for us.

Enjoying the views of Mt. Shasta as we make our way up the N17 climb, we decide a short break for a selfie with the namesake mountain of this ride would be prudent.

The descent on N17 is awful. Wheel eating potholes everywhere. Mine field. My concentration is at a super high level, dodging the potholes and trying to keep the wheels of the tandem out of trouble. You can get away with hitting a few potholes on a single bike, but not on a tandem. Hit something big and it's almost a sure thing you'll destroy a wheel. The pressure of managing this is tiring. Half way down, we see Eric working his way up the climb, marking the bad potholes with spray paint. His markings really helped on the lower half. We make it to the bottom safely, and then get on smooth Hwy 3, for a fast and easy run to Trinity Center. Whew! Kevin is there with refreshments. Unfortunately, from here we have 3 more big climbs to Weaverville. We make it over the first climb, but then it's time to put on the reflective gear and turn on the lights. The rest of the ride will be in darkness.

We arrive in Weaverville at 8:34 PM, check in the hotel, and Tim Mason has ordered some Pizza. We shower, then head back to the check-in room for some food and a beer. After that, back to our room to prep for Day 2, and lay our heads on the pillows.


Day 2

Today is 245 miles and 18,000'. We decide we need to start early, so after a wake up call of 3:30 AM, we hit the road at 4:45 AM. We are painfully slow in packing and getting ready. I frankly don't see how we can possibly pull this off. The legs are completely trashed, butts are sore, and we're already in a state of extreme fatigue. You know how you feel after a really hard Double Century? Don't even want to look at your bike the next day? That's how we feel.

But we forge ahead toward Hayfork, up and over 3 big climbs, before heading toward Fortuna, and finally to Fort Bragg.

After a bout of freezing near Hayfork, we warm up a bit on the next climbs as the sun rises higher in the sky. Halle F-ing Lujah! The roll into Fortuna is fairly easy, with some downhill runs, and less climbing. It's an absolutely gorgeous road, and I am constantly reminding myself to enjoy the scenery, and not get too caught up in the stress of keeping to our schedule.

Happy to be rolling along the gorgeous Hwy 36 toward Fortuna after the near hypothermic episode.

We stop for a burrito in Fortuna at an Aztec grill imbedded in a Chevron Station, as the Mexican place we planned to visit was closed. It was fine, and far more efficient than our stop in Mt. Shasta! But we are only at mile 116, not even half way, and time is ticking!

We go over the Fernbridge, and arrive at a control in the middle of nowhere. There, Andrea Achilli waits for us with water, snacks, and baked goods that his wife has prepared. How awesome is that! Andrea lets us know that the next miles should be swift, with a few bumps and a good tailwind. Although the bumps were rather large, and the tailwind was rather weak, we do make decent time.

Stopping at the Control at Fernbridge, we ask Andrea to snap a photo of us.

The Avenue of the Giants is a fun run on the bike, fabulous being among those big trees in the open air.

The cruise through Avenue of the Giants is quite pleasant.

We stop in Miranda for a potty break, more chamois butter, snacks, and liquid. Then on to the Control in Garberville, where we lose a little time trying to find Tim, so we can report in and have him sign our brevet cards.

At times we avoided Hwy 101 by taking the old road. Double bridge here. Photo: Sarah Schroer

Next is a section I do not enjoy. As darkness falls, we have a very sketchy section on Hwy 101. Very busy, lots of cars in both directions, trucks, no shoulder to speak of, debris on the side of the road, etc. I'm actually terrified. Although we have good bike lights, they are absolutely worthless with car headlights in my face. We get through this section safely, this last bad part is only about six miles, then we turn onto Hwy 1 at its Northernmost point. It gets quieter from here.

Rolling along Hwy 101, not my favorite part of the ride. Good shoulder here at this tourist trap with an odd collection of figures. Photo: Sarah Schroer

We start with a good, stiff climb on Hwy 1 as it heads from Hwy 101 toward the coast. The lunar eclipse is in full swing now, and Sarah and I discuss trying to figure out where the moon is as we make our way up the twisty climb in the trees. And then, there it is! The blood red moon is in full view, if only for an instant. Unfortunately, no time to stop.

We crest the climb, begin the descent, and we catch Mike Sturgill. Mike sits on our wheel as we make the long descent... much longer than we imagine. Sarah and I decide to refrain from putting on our warm gear until the second, and final big climb to the coast. For the second time today, I am freezing, and this descent seems to go on forever. It's odd how you dread the climbs, and love the descents, but when it's freezing cold, the thought process is reversed.

At the top of the second and final climb, we say goodbye to Mike, as we stop to layer up, while he forges ahead. The wardrobe adjustment is a slow tedious process due to cold hands and fatigue, but we finally get it done.

The final miles are down the rolling coast to Fort Bragg, and they seem to pass by very slowly, although the coast line is spectacular in the moonlight. We finally arrive in Fort Bragg, check in with Tim at the Motel 6, then we get back on the bike to head for Safeway. It's the only thing open now, as it's after 11 P.M.

Our dinner tonight. Souper Meal, bagels with cream cheese and salmon, and, of course, beer. Photo: Sarah Schroer

After some dinner we hit the hay, probably around 12:30 A.M. We decide on a wake up call of 5:30, with a goal of being on the road by 6:30, for the final 180 miles down the coast to the Finish in San Francisco.



Day 3

We roll out of Fort Bragg at 6:40 A.M., after struggling a bit with a bad floor pump. Eric lets us know that half the riders have left and the other half are trying for a bit more sleep.

If the soreness in the legs and butts was bad on Day 2, there is no describing it on Day 3. Rolling out of Fort Bragg, the task ahead seems impossible. The legs can barely turn, even without any pressure on the pedals. Climbing seems out of the question. We know what Hwy 1 is like. Up, down, up, down. And this will go on for 135 miles before we turn inland at Pt. Reyes Station, and make our way to San Francisco. Mentally, the task seems overwhelming, but we just focus on bits of the course, the next few miles, the next stop.

As dawn breaks, the sun peaks below the fog and we are treated to some spectacular vistas early in the ride. Unfortunately, this does not last, as a high fog sweeps in, and drab light prevails for the remainder of the run down the coast. The good news is that the road is dry and visibility is good. The bad news is that we are facing a strong headwind, where often along this stretch one will experience a tail wind. We try not to stress about it.

An early morning Panorama of the California Coast near Fort Bragg.

Spectacular views on the coast in the early morning hours.

The miles tick by slowly, and we decide to stop in Gualala, which is about mile 60. It's nearly noon, and the fatigue is making us sleepy. Coffee, tea and a sandwich is on the menu. This takes some time, but we've got to take care of ourselves at this point. A daylight finish, as we had originally planned, isn't going to happen.

The stretch of Hwy 1 between Fort Ross and Jenner is rugged and spectacular, with the road rising high above the ocean.

Now on to our next stop, the control in Bodega Bay at mile 107. We arrive in the mid afternoon, and again, the fatigue is bad, so we sit, and enjoy some home fried potatoes and more liquid. This is our last control of the day, and Kevin is there to take care of us.

While we were criticized by those following us for sitting down, at this point it was necessary to take a break.

At this point my butt is so sore, I can't sit for more than a minute or so, without excruciating pain. So we are constantly standing and sitting, even on the flats. The legs are also extremely sore, so each cycle of standing and sitting is so painful, the legs lock up, and the tandem wobbles down the road. Nothing dangerous, but we're starting to look a bit sloppy out there!

Hwy 1 before Pt. Reyes Station in the late afternoon.

From here we do the last bit of Hwy 1 to Pt. Reyes. I would say generally speaking the traffic along Hwy 1 was a bit annoying, and I don't think I would make a habit of riding on this road for long stretches. I do it occasionally, but usually in smaller doses, perhaps 10-20 miles. Today we've done 135 miles, and I can say I was glad to say goodbye to this lovely highway once we reached Pt. Reyes Station!

We stop in Nicassio for a potty break and to put on our evening gear, reflective vests, jacket, and we turn on the lights. The final stretch into San Francisco will be in darkness.

Second to last stop at Nicasio. On with the lights, windbreakers, and reflective vests, just before sundown.

We make one final stop in Fairfax for an Odwalla Smoothy, then forge ahead to SF. Time seems to stand still as we work our way across the scenic Golden Gate Bridge, with SF lights in the distance.

Although we figure we can make the finish from Fairfax without stopping, a cool Odwalla smoothy sounds awfully good.

We arrive at the finish in the good hands of Tim Mason and Deb Banks. It's 9:18 P.M. This 1000K ride has taken us 63 Hours and 18 minutes. We are the 5th bike in.

At the finish, finally. Now there's a happy pair!

As restaurants are closing, Sarah gets on the phone and orders some Thai food. I quickly jump in the shower, then head down on foot to pick up the food. I can barely walk.

At the finish, Marina Hotel. Clockwise from lower left, Craig Hicks, Sarah Schroer, Deb Banks, Jon Beckham, Tim Mason.

The Shasta Mountains 100K Brevet is done and dusted, and so are we. But we still have to get back on the bike, with our bags over our shoulders, and make our way to BART, and back to the East Bay. Then another short ride home. Craig Hicks joins us for the trip home.

This was an unbelievably hard ride. Major kudos to those who completed it, and I think there were perhaps a dozen and a half who did so. I will never forget the epic beauty of this ride, the ups and downs, both physically and emotionally. A big thanks to Eric Larsen and staff for having the vision for this ride, and taking the trouble to execute the vision. And a big thank you to the staff, without whom we may not have been able to finish in a timely manner.

Davis Bike Club Antelope Lake 600K 2014 Brevet Report

The R60 Crew (l to r) Jose Plascencas, Patrick Herlihy, Andreas Schultz, Sarah Schroer, Paul McKenzie, Max Polleto. Elapsed time for the 600K ride was 23 hours 07 minutes. Immediately after the photo was taken, most of us collapsed on the ground.

On June 14, 2014 Sarah Schroer and I rode the Davis Bike Club Antelope Lake 600K Brevet on the tandem. The pressure was on. We'd already completed a "Civilized 600K" The Santa Cruz Surf City 600K recently, a ride in which we made all attempts to be comfortable, taking long stops to refresh, a sit down dinner and breakfast, a shower and kit change, and a comfortable, if truncated, night of sleep. Not this time. We were not going for comfort. We were going for speed. Sarah needed a sub 24 hour performance to achieve the "R60" status, an award to riders who complete a full brevet series, 200K, 300K, 400K and 600K in just 60% of the allowed time. As it turns out, R60 in a 200K or 300K isn't terribly difficult, but it gets exponentially more challenging as the rider goes to 400K and then 600K. I wasn't nervous about the Santa Cruz 600K. I knew it would be hard, but fun. But this one? Not so much. Fear and trepidation were upon me. We had a goal, a difficult one, and it was by no means a sure thing. What if we failed? What if we did not make our goal? Well, we had our rough patches, but succeeded, and Sarah and I rode strong for twenty three hours and seven minutes, completing the ride well within our goal, and achieving R60 status for Sarah, the first woman in the U.S. to achieve that goal. We succeeded with hard work, a never say die attitude when things became excruciatingly difficult, ample pre event planning, a finely tuned strategy, and frankly, a little help from our friends... our fellow riders and the volunteers. Here's how it all happened...

Sarah and I exchange the usual stream of emails prior to the event, getting everything planned. Lighting, bike prep, bags, what are you going bring for clothes? What about food? How many calories? What will be available on the course? Making time estimates and goals. Spreadsheets. Adjusting them to compensate for night riding, temperature, terrain, etc. etc.

With the night start (8 PM Friday night), how do we deal with sleep? Sarah and I decide to make it to Davis pre-rush hour on Friday, then try to nap in a park before catching dinner and rolling over to the start. This plan works reasonably well. We arrive in Davis around 3 PM, nap for two hours, head out for dinner, then get the bike and gear ready, finally heading over to the start to get ready to roll.

Sarah and I try to catch a nap in Davis for a couple of hours before we head to dinner and the 8 PM start. Parents, cover the eyes of your kids, as this photo is "R" rated, with Sarah sporting a bit of skin! Unfortunately, we elected to lay down next to the bathrooms, so the occasional loud flush of commercial toilets interrupted our sleepy bliss. The ultimate irony of this photo is that I happen to be wearing my Giant Bicycles "Pushing the Boundaries" T-Shirt. I am later to truly understand what this slogan means.

After a nap and some dinner, we sorta look more or less ready to ride 600K! Photo by a fellow rider we flagged down.

Here I think I am trying to impress the lovely Denise Primrose with how many gadgets I have in my cockpit. We used three separate Niterider light systems. One MiNewt on low all the time, with a big ass 4x battery, a Niterider Pro 750 to be used on bright only for fast downhills, our "High Beam", and a Lumina 700 as a backup. Photo: Sarah Schroer

With R60 Ace Patrick Herlihy (foreground left). Patrick completed the Santa Rosa 600K just a week prior... in 100 degree heat... on a single speed. And yet... here he is. Photo: Sarah Schroer

Just prior to roll out. Riders start to realize what they are in for, and look pensive, while Sarah flashes one of the best smiles in the business.

Dan Shadoan gives final instructions, with a good dose of needed humor. A 600K isn't always funny, so a little humor and light heartedness goes a long way.

Dan Shadoan gives instructions, with a good amount of humor, and we are on our way. I've known Dan since the early 90's, and we've had many a battle on long rides in the past. It is so nice to connect with him again.

With RBA Dan Shadoan at the start. We've battled a few times on long rides in the 90's, with Dan coming out on top more often than not. Dan had pacing down back then, when most of us didn't even understand the concept. Photo: Sarah Schroer

It's odd starting a ride at dusk, but it makes the rather drab, flat, farm land, somewhat appealing. The pace is fast. We average about 22 mph for the first 50 miles to the first control in Sutter. There we sign in and refuel. The group is still quite large, as many riders are able to sit on the pace line, while a half dozen or so of the strongest riders do turns at the front. Sarah and I chip in with some strong pulls, but there is enough talent in the field that we are not expected to do all the work. The bugs are out in force, and it's difficult to breath without getting a mouthful of bugs, especially when on the front.

Rolling out of the start at dusk. Just 597K to go!

The sun has set and we prepare for night mode. There are a number of big, strong, Lads in the bunch, so the tandem isn't forced to do all the work.

Sutter Control at mile 50. A rather drab spot, but an incredibly enthusiastic crew that understood we were in a hurry and did everything in their power to help us through. The bunch is still quite large at this point, so getting all the cards signed and everyone fed in a hurry was a monumental task. Amazing job, guys! THANK YOU!

Sarah handles the brevet card signing at each stop, and reminds me to sign in. I focus on keeping the bike running, lights working, and trying to keep myself alert and ready to keep us safe and fast. Great team work.

After Sutter, the pace slows a bit. There is an incident in the peloton, a front wheel into someone's rear quick release, with a result of some broken spokes. Sarah and I avoid the mishap, but the field is broken up. Some stop to help, others roll on. Sarah and I roll on but soft pedal to allow others to catch once things get sorted out.

Next stop is Oroville, a hotel room at the Budget Inn, an appropriately named run down establishment, staffed by and extremely enthusiastic and friendly volunteer. The herd has thinned a bit, so things are a little less hectic. We refuel and get on our way. So far the 85 miles of the ride ride have been dominated by the biggest, strongest brevet riders, and, of course, the Tandem. Most of the other riders have been shelled. I can't help but notice that two very strong female solo riders are still with the group, Cheryl Becker and Lisa Susan McPhate. Pretty incredible, since the pace in the dark has been nearly 22 mph!

There are over 60 riders participating, and by now we are down to the fastest 25 or so. We begin the climb up to Jarbo Gap Summit, a long ascent, that rises to over 2200' from the Central Valley.

Unbeknownst to us, behind us, perhaps an hour later, sometime in the 2-3 AM time frame, there is an incredible drunken, meth induced, redneck incident involving rider Chuck Shroyer. I'll just provide a photo of Chuck at the start, and let him tell his story in his own words...

Chatting with "Don't Fuck with Chuck" Schroyer at the Start. Photo: Sarah Schroer

Well this time I had it all planned out I love this route and was looking forward to a great ride. Great weather and a full moon, I should have planned on it being Friday the 13th.

It started out great a little fast 22mph pace but I was able to hang in there for 21 miles, at this point I dropped back and rode with a little slower pace line. We keep it up to Orville the 90 mile mark. After a short break I joined the first group leaving and found they had a pace that fit mine quite well.

The first big climb we stuck together most the way to the top a 3000ft climb. Nearing the top I was falling back some but felt good. As I passed the lookout, which was on the other side of the street I could hear a very loud person screaming at me and saying he hated cyclist and this was his road. I ignored and keep riding. I know that there was two girls coming up behind me, I then heard the loud person state that he had a 22 pistol and was going to shoot the next rider.

As the two girls come by one was on the phone to 911 telling them what was happening. Just then a car come flying by me and up the road and pulled up next to the front group of riders I assumed it was the loud individual. The car then pulled out and did a u turn back towards me and the did another u turn and waited for me.

As I road by there was a man and woman in the car screaming at me stating that one of the girl riders pulled a gun on him and his wife and he was going to kill somebody. I politely told him and his wife to F**k themselves and started to ride off. He then stated that if I rode on he would run me over.

Rather than confront his car from behind I told him to get out, he did and came over and struck me in the head. He was about 26 years old and 5ft 9in, I decided that it did not need to go any farther so I took him down hard. I held him on the ground and told him stop, he did not stop but continued to try to hit me, at which time I slammed his head into the street until he decided to give up. This is where it gets dicey , his wife jumps behind the wheel of the car and spins it around to run me over, only I am on top and dive out of the way and she runs over her husband. She then backs up and he jumps up and attacks me again like nothing happened. When he came after me I slammed him back down on the street and decide to put him out by closing off both of his carotid arteries, as he is passing out his wife again tries to run me over only once again running over her husband this time he was totally rolled up under the car so far I could not see him. I could hear him moaning and crying for help. She backed off of him dragging him into the street.

He then popped up and came at me again what ever he was on made him impervious to pain, I then pinned him to the side of his car holding his carotid arteries and again he started to pass out. His wife then came out the window trying to hit me, I dropped him and grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out the window. As he recovered he once again came at me and I kick him in the groin, at which time he just stopped and asked me to apologize for kicking him their and of course I did. He was running out of gas and so was I, I did not wish to cause any permanent damage but I but did what was needed to stop him.

It was at this time that his wife drove up the embankment and drove over my bike and then drove off leaving him their.

At this time another rider came up and I asked him to call 911 the kid then directed all his attention to him and I just set there until the police came.

When the ambulance came he refused treatment and denied ever getting run over and that I had caused all the damage to him.

I did not press assault charges against him he was already in a world of hurt. He was arrested for DUI and she was arrested also for DUI and assault with a deadly weapon.

I got a bump on my head from where he hit my helmet and crushed it into my head.

I look back and think of what might of happened, if he had not come across me but went ahead and run over the other riders, he is in jail for only a DUI and he was the only one hurt except for my bike.

Cycling it is not a sport it is an adventure!!

As we begin to climb to Jarbo Gap, many riders succumb to the pace, and the group whittles down to less than 10. Sarah and I are climbing well, and are able to stay with the front group without trouble. We descend, then begin the climb up the Feather River Canyon. It's like 1:00 AM now, and we are one day past a full moon. The moon light dances on the canyon, creating a surreal effect, and the freight trains grind and squeak their way up the canyon, creating an incredibly unique form of entertainment for us brevet riders. I'm in heaven at this time. The views, sounds, lights, tunnels, bridges, moon light, and the company of fellow riders creates an inspirational experience I will not soon forget.

We arrive at Tobin, mile 130, in the wee hours of the morning. The waiting crew is happy to see us, and takes really good care of us. So far, the staff at each stop has been incredible.

We arrive in Tobin and the staff is ready for us. Friendly faces, good food, and a funky cabin. We are a bit slow in and out of there, but we get it done and carry on up the canyon toward Indian Valley. We've picked up some warm clothing, long gloves, toe booties, wind breaker, and skull cap. We pass through three tunnels, and we hoot and howl a bit to take advantage of the echoes and eery feeling of the moonlit landscape. While we enjoy the beauty of the night, we are also fighting off the urge to sleep. I'm yawning continuously. Sarah is also tired. We hope the dawn will refresh us, and help us stay awake.

As we make it to Indian Valley, just before sunrise, the temperature plummets. It's 39 degrees, and for me, it isn't picture taking weather. Icy fingers, long gloves, and extra layers mean steering the tandem and taking pictures is complicated, though Sarah and I did capture a photo or two in the Indian and Genesee Valleys. The sunrise does push away our desire to sleep — we are relieved that the daylight has refreshed us. A sleep break isn't in our plan, so fingers are crossed we stay awake and make it through.

We gain the cool Indian Valley at dawn. It's 39 degrees. Photo: Sarah Schroer

At Genessee Store, (l to r) Max Polleto, Dan Shadoan, Sarah Schroer

The incredible food spread at Genesee Store. We'll pass through twice to take advantage of this great opportunity to eat well

The shitter at Genesee Store. It's a nice shitter. I don't take photos of funky shiiters. For example, you won't see a photo of the duct taped toilet seat we found at the Control hotel in Oroville...

On to Genesee we go. There we find Dan Shadoan and an incredible food spread. Rice with a sweet fruit sauce and also fixin's for Tacos. Incredible! Dan continues to ask if someone will carry a road cone up to the turnaround (an information Control) so he doesn't have to drive up there. I half think he is kidding, but then realize he is sort of serious. We have no way to carry this cone so Dan drives up ahead of us to drop the cone, and we begin the long climb up to Antelope Lake. I feel guilty. I think we could have carried the cone and still made R60 with ease. By now we have our final lead group. Sarah and me, Max Polletto, Patrick Herlihy, Andreas Shultz, and José Plascencas. We form an unspoken bond, and we will ride with this group to the finish. It's a good group. A really good group.

Leaving Genesee. All is good when that smile is goin' down.

We descend fast back from Antelope Lake, and once again enjoy the food at the Genesse Store. We see riders on the outbound. I pick up a bottle I'd left behind, then make a quick visit to the rest room.

Indian Valley on the return, a bit warmer.

This rider and I exchanged snapping photos on the fly as we head down the valley. I hope to get his! We're inbound, they're outbound.

Well, Jenny Oh found the matching photo to the one above. As I am taking this photo of Greg Kline, he is taking one of our lead group. Paul and Sarah followed by Andreas Schultz, Max Polleto, Patrick Herlihy, and José Plascencas. Photo: Greg Kline

Down the hill we go, back through Taylorsville, and down the Feather River Canyon. I coin the acronym STC, for Super Tandem Country, a long, twisty, gradual descent, on which a tandem can really fly. We have everyone in tow as we arrive once again in Tobin. The staff is happy to see us. Sarah and I do a quick sponge bath and kit change, while the others kindly wait a bit for us. I use copious amounts of chamois cream as the backside is beginning to suffer a bit, and I know it won't get any better.

STC time, people. (Super Tandem Country) Get on the wheel, fasten your seat belts, and enjoy the ride. This is your Captain speaking. Down the Feather River Canyon we go, faster than a freight train. Double bridge behind.

The famous Feather River Canyon Double Bridge. The railroad passes over the roadway. Rail enthusiasts love to visit the Feather River Canyon, and this is one of the reasons.

Your caption here... In the background, R60 Boyz refuel, Patrick, Max, and Andreas. With the incredibly enthusiastic Jason Pearce (foreground right).

After Tobin we have a long climb up and over the Jarbo Gap again. Sarah and I are stomping on the pedals fairly well considering the fatigue, and we get over this thing in good time. I'm really happy with this climb, but my energy is about to die. We scream down the last descent after a pee stop at the top and start the flats and rollers back to Oroville. It's here where the fatigue starts to show and things begin to go sour. It's getting hot and windy. We've been riding now for something like 15 hours straight. I start to feel like I just don't have any more to give. And yet, we are on great time, we have a great group, and we are ahead of schedule to meet our sub 24 hour goal. Only one thing to do... suck it up and keep pedaling, fool.

Crossing the bridge and beginning the big climb to Jarbo Gap on the return. Photo: Sarah Schroer

Andreas didn't read my Tandem 101 blog, and digs in hard on the rollers, dropping the tandem. Sarah and I fight back, but it will take its toll. I know this is how Andreas rides, he likes to maintain his speed on the uphill side of rollers. He's excused.

The miles start clicking by way too slow. We make it to Oroville. Max looks at the clock and it something like 9 minutes before the hour or half hour and he says, "Let's try to limit this stop to 9 minutes." We agree, get all our brevet cards signed, get something to eat and drink. It's hot, and my feet are bothering me. I whip off my shoes, and put my feet on the blasting air conditioner for just a minute or two to get some relief, while I stuff some food in, and down some liquid. Then we are back on the road. Max announces, "Great job everyone, we got through in 7 minutes. 85 miles to go. I'm toast. Don't know if I can make it.

The 35 mile slog to Sutter, with 50 miles to go is painful. Each mile takes and eternity. The farm land is flat and boring. My butt is sore. Sarah and I stand frequently to try to get some relief. We finally make it to Sutter. Sarah goes in the store and I try to chill. I'm having doubts now. Not sure I can keep the bike upright, much less pedal strong enough to make it home. But others are depending on me. I try to use that as motivation. It's partially effective.

In Sutter I'm hurting. I truly have doubts I can make it. If there is any doubt about my ability to keep the bike upright, we'll have to stop. The realization that this could happen with just 50 miles to go is devastating. I persevere...

The beauty of the Sutter Buttes takes my mind off of the pain momentarily

Then the stretch on Reclamation Rd., something like 15 miles of flat. I can't get my arms around this thing. It takes forever. With each pedal stroke, I think it less likely I will make it to the finish. There is nothing left, and yet the requirement to stay with this group is 18 mph into a stiff headwind. It's absolute torture as I try to maintain the power required. I'm thankful that Sarah, though she is also hurting, is able to contribute more than her share.

We're all hurting. I notice Max is riding with one knee out, perhaps to relieve some knee pain, hot foot, cramps, butt soreness, or other ailment. I never asked. Max is a big man, probably 6'6", with broad shoulders. Max announced before the ride that he intended to put his nose in the wind and pull. That he did, and he cuts a nice big hole into the wind. Andreas seemed to be the strong man at this point in the ride, also doing his share of the work. But he'd ride ahead, dropping everyone, then wait, over and over.

As we approach Woodland, with about 25 miles to go, everyone is out of water. Max notes that if we carry on without stopping, and risk the dehydration, we'll bust 23 hours. Andreas wants to stop. I vote we don't. Max doesn't want to stop. Sarah later apologizes for being grumpy at this stage, but I still don't know what her preference is, as I am completely dazed. In the end, we realize it's probably best to stop and let the sub 23 goal slip away. We are a cohesive team now. We need to stay together and finish together. We stop at a gas station and refuel. Others are ready to go, but I am struggling. Sarah brings me a popsicle. I munch it down, but am still feeling nausea. Sarah suggests I go to the bathroom and wet down my sun sleeves and head. I follow instructions. I head for the bathroom and it's occupied. I wait, and finally get in. I dowse myself and feel just barely good enough to put my leg back over the bike. The others kindly wait for me, which I greatly appreciate. While we are all hurting, I feel I am the worst of the bunch. I'm spent, I've left it all out there, and perhaps budgeted my energy just a bit wrong.

We roll the last miles back to Davis. These are the slowest passing miles I can ever remember on the bike. Each mile seems like an eternity. It seems like punishment, a bad nightmare in which I can never finish the last miles of a ride. Finally, with just about 3 miles to go, I realize I am going to make it. Sarah will have her R60, and I will be able to get off this bike! We arrive at 19:07, (7:07 P.M.), sign in, and fortunately, I have the presence of mind to capture a group photo of this remarkable group of riders, before we all collapse on the ground. Another epic ride completed, with superb camaraderie all the way. A big thank you to Sarah Schroer, Max Polletto, Patrick Herlihy, Andreas Schultz, and José Plascencas. You are all incredible riders, and wonderful companions on this epic adventure.

Passed out at the finish, Max Polleto, Patrick Herlihy (with beer), Andreas Schultz.

I'm passed out in the weeds at the finish. Photo: Patrick Herlihy

I can't say enough about the wonderful support we received from Dan Shadoan's Davis Bike Club crew. These folks are all riders themselves, and they know what we need. A huge thank you to all of them. Without this staff, our accomplishment would not have been possible.

Further reading: For a great view from the middle of the pack, read Jenny Oh's Ride Report.

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