Tour des Lacs 2010

Let me start off by saying this is a tour, it is not a race.  With that said, in 2009 I did the 108 mile distance at Tour des Lacs.  I had some commitment constraints which didn't allow us to do the "Super Long" ride at that time.  I figured I would do it the following year.   As the time got closer, I knew I needed to go the full distance as I didn't have any excuses this time and it would be a good confidence booster for the 2011 Ironman Coeur d'Alene.

Casey and Rene before the tour begins (Sept 18,  2010)

The days leading up to this ride it was predicted that it was going to rain.  I hoped the forecasters would be wrong, but unfortunately this time they weren't!  When Casey and I got to the start at Northern Lights Brewing Company it was already drizzling.  I can handle the drizzling, I was just hoping there wouldn't be any MAJOR downpours.  We both chowed down a some blueberry pancakes and were ready for the ride!

The start of the ride was delayed 15 minutes due to an accident on the course.  The start of the tour was AWESOME as you get a police escort through town.  I wish all my bike rides were like this!!  LOL   The rain lasted about 45-60 minutes.

At one point during the ride all traffic (cars and bikes) were diverted on to a rocky, dirty and muddy road.  As I was going down the hill I started gaining more speed than I wanted and was getting closer to the rider in front of me.  I tapped my brakes and was sliding.  I got a little nervous that I was going to slide to the ground but I was lucky I didn't.   The reason we were diverted was due to that accident on the course.  Two teenagers had hit a tree at high speed.  That car was smashed up BAD.  Sad.  Rest in Peace Levi and Tiffani

Once we got to the first rest stop, I looked at my bike and my clothes and both were covered in mud.  Some of us rinsed off our bikes with the hose there and someone even sprayed my back to get all that mud off.  As I was riding I was so glad I borrowed my wifes leg warmers that I got her for her birthday (LOL).  They sure kept me comfortable out there!  I was bummed that this long route doesn't include the  Trail of the Coeur d' Anene's bridge crossing, I really enjoyed crossing that bridge.  The sights there were spectacular.

The rest stop food was awesome.  Some of the stuff I ate along the course included a pancake, turkey and cheese sandwiches (2 or 3),  peanut butter and jelly sandwich (Yum!), chilli, chips, cookies, bananas and nuts.  Of course at the end I chowed about 5 pieces of pizza and a couple of those mini chocolate chip brownies!!  Instead of losing weight on this ride I may have gained a few pounds!  ;-)

The first 60-70 miles aren't too bad.  After that though you start feeling it.  My legs started getting a little sore and my neck and upper back started to ache.  At some points during the ride I was dropping into aero-position.  I knew this was causing the neck soreness, but going down those hills in aero was FAST and FUN!! I was FLYIN!!  It was worth it.  Some time after the first rest stop (at 18 miles), we were riding with some folks from the Baddlands team.  We just pulled up on the back of their train and started riding.  Last year was the first time I had ridden on a train and had a great time doing it.  So I was happy to do it again.  I knew that it was less work and you travel faster due to the aerodynamics of drafting. We rode approximately 60 miles with the Baddlands team.  One of the guys there, Bob Fisher, had recently won the 24 Hour Ring of Fire race in which he rode 373 miles.  Even with that recent race he was doing some serious pulling!!

Bob Fisher on left, Rene yellow and Casey is sporting the Bike Hub jersey.

According to the web sit, this "Super Long Route" has approximately 7000 feet of elevation changes. This course is VERY HILLY!! I was certainly feeling it. When the end finally came I was looking forward to relaxing and chowing down.  I was tired physically and mentally.  I was up at 5:30am to get to this ride and total ride time not including breaks was 7:44.  I looked at my odometer and we had ridden 126 miles!  I just realized that averages out to 16.29 miles per hour!  I am really happy with this accomplishment!!!   A BIG thanks to Casey for joining me on this adventure, thanks to my wife who picked us up in CDA after the ride and held down the fort so I could do this ride, thanks to my kiddies and finally a BIG thanks to Round and Round, Davids Pizza and all those volunteers!!