RobbieTunes

I had the privilege this weekend to spend some time with @hodgykins. Namely a lot of time on Saturday, like most of the time from 3:45 am to last call at 12:25 am Sunday....

During most of that time, he was riding 229.1 miles across Wisconsin. We picked up some people here and there, dropped some people here and there, and when he was given, after 166 miles, 2 hours to go 35, he did it, no stopping. Then, given 1:49 to go that last 28, he did that, too.

And I didn't. I'll take my 173, then 12, and work on it.

Long day. He's the man.

RobbieTunes

Also....

-Someone forgot to tell the weatherman that the normal central WI wind is from the SW. That would have helped me. Kris didn't need it.

-Jens Voight was there, and admitted it was the longest ride he'd been on. Ever. (he did say that riding around with his wife sometimes seems as long)

-When 1000 bikes turn on their headlights all at once at 4:55 am, it's pretty cool.

-When 1000 bikes string out along a dark curvy rural road in total darkness, it's very cool. It was quiet, it was a nice dancing light show, and it was something I'll not forget.

-We'll be back. As you can see in the pic, we "created" another member of Vintage Sloths, and she just happens to have an '86 Fuji to go with her Canyon. Her jersey is on order. I might add she rode a 650c bike with a compact crankset. Try spinning that over 200 miles.

-There were four steel bikes there: a Serotta (SAG'd at 103), a Trek 414 almost identical to the one @seedsbelize has (SAG'd around 103), and our two Paramounts. As a rider passed us, he glanced over at Kris's '91 and said "beautiful bike." I asked, "what am I, chopped liver?" Guy said "yes," and rode away.

nomadmax 

Great job, both of you !

Glad to hear that the event is in the bag and you can relax a little. The two or three days of riding at Coppi will seem like nothing. You guys have inspired me to THINK about taking a crack at it next year That kind of distance is no joke.

BFisher

Beasts!

Absolute beasts!

Cap's off, and cheers!

speedevil 

Ho. Lee. Cow. You. Guys. Are. Beasts.

Hats off to all who started - anyone that rides an event like this one deserves respect. Beyond glad that it was a safe ride for you, lots of miles for something to go pear-shaped.

I guess the C&V folks do know how to build and maintain these steel steeds. I have a ways to go - still learning, both about building and riding.

seedsbelize 

Congrats to all. I could likely do 103 on my 414, if need be.

RobbieTunes

I just realized I have a 107-miler on Saturday.

seypat

Hardcore, to say the least! Congrats. Pretty soon we will be seeing a Race/Ride across "fill in the blank" state every other weekend.

One of you Sloths need to show us some more of that club jersey. It looks like a keeper.

RobbieTunes

I've determined, that, as a quasi-adult, I should have done things differently.

1-After 700 miles in May, 1070 in June, I took 2 weeks off until RAIN (mid-July) and then only rode twice until RAW (mid-August). A lot of that had to do with my work schedule. A lot.

2-For RAIN, I had more sleep prior, no alcohol use that week, and the logistics were less demanding, as far as driving, etc.

3-Before RAW, I worked long hours, and then drove a ton, getting maybe 8 hours total sleep in the two days prior to the event, combined. I'll take a lesson from RAIN and simply take off work a day or two earlier, so the energy it takes "just to get there" is less. I'm also pretty wiped out today, having arrived at 1 am.

4-Because of the RAIN "weather beating," I have more positive "I'll do this again" thoughts about RAW than RAIN. Despite the much longer distance, looking back at it has much less dread then thinking of riding across Indiana again on a hot day. Still, I'll do both if I can. Sandwiched between them is Michigan's cross-state ride. Now there's a thought....

5-I rode a carbon saddle in RAIN. Not a huge problem, until I pulled out my bibs for RAW. Sliced through on one side. Carbon is sharp when you rub the edges all day, I guess.

6-I think I can actually prepare a bike. Both were flawless. No issues on RAIN, or RAW. Kris was running 8sp Campy (I never heard him shift), and I was running 9sp DA. Our bikes were dead quiet compared the e-Tap we were riding with. The ball bearing hubs rolled downhill really nice, right past the buzzers.

7-The main thing is that @hodgykins kicked ass. The distance and long day makes things so surreal, the return to normalcy is odd. You pull back into his driveway, and his daughters just say "hey, Dad." Like no big deal. It was a big deal.

8-I forgot to mention, no lunch. We rolled into the 130m stop, which was supposed to have lunch. Nope, out of food, as the 2-day folks and the 130-is-enough 1-day folks (wise) had eaten it all. They told us to wait; they'd gone for more. We waited 40 minutes. I had a beer. The food never showed. As grown-ass adults, we simply should have rode over to the Culvers (yes, this is Wisconsin) for some curds and some meat, handled it, and rolled on. We didn't.

RobbieTunes

Already ordering one for the lady pictured in between us. Just waiting on a size determination.

RobbieTunes

Also learned that "my bike is older than you are" is not a bad opening line.
I simply said it because I thought it was true, and she said "oh, you are starting out good."

steelbikeguy

Nice work! That's a lot of time in the saddle, as well as a long time in a pair of bike shorts (sort of a tiny biology experiment to see what can grow in a warm moist environment).

I'm assuming that this is the ride you guys did? https://www.rideacrosswisconsin.com/
Pretty cool that Trek supports the ride, as well as sending Jens over for moral support.
Side note: Jens came to Peoria to help with the opening of a Trek store, and he seems like a great guy! Plenty of fun stories.

Congrats on grinding out a ton of miles, and for showing that fine steel bikes aren't a significant hindrance for endurance events of this sort. For non-elite athletes such as us, the rider is a much larger factor than the bike when it comes to covering long distances at a good speed.


Steve in Peoria (where I did a comparatively quick and easy century yesterday with a friend)

seypat

Always working it. You are more suave than Ben in Blue Velvet. I'd post the video, but it's loaded with cussing.

hodgykins 

We all had 2

seypat

Thanks you. that's a good looking jersey, and mug.

TenGrainBread 

Sooo...15 posts in and no pics of the Paramounts?

RobbieTunes

It was kind of awkward:
"Wow, I like your Paramount."
"Thanks. I like yours, too."

Awkward silence.
Turn and walk away.
We both knew the deal. His is bad-ass. Mine's just a Paramount.

I actually think having Schwinn on my downtube hurt my street cred.

rccardr 

Well done, sirs!

RobbieTunes

Not really, but there were moments, mostly driven by the jersey comments, but the chatter does keep up one's spirits.

Like:
"Jeez Louise, 5 miles to go."
"5 miles. That's 18 minutes. I can do anything for 18 minutes."
"Really?"
"Well, unless there's popcorn in the microwave."

"Your jersey says 'Relax, we will get there.' Is that true?"
"As long as you hold still and do what I say, sure."

"You're going to drink that beer, aren't you?" (100-mile stop).
"Yes, but only half. I have to watch my figure."

"Hey, Sloth guy, I just got lubed."
"You really want me to answer that?"

"We fell in with a group running 24."
"You're dead to me."

"You may want to think about a compact crankset on that old bike."
"Damn Title IX."

At 130, with 95 to go:

"They have no food."
"They have sweet potato pancakes."
"They have no food."
"But you drank a beer."
"Beer is food."
"I think you're delirious."
"I'm from Wisconsin."
"So am I."
"Then what happened to you?"

"You're not married, are you."
"Nope."
"I'll bet you never have been."
"Wow. Ouch."

One thing they had were Bike Patrol guys with first aid training, etc. They knew cramps, had pills, mustard, pickle juice, and above all, they communicated. More than once, a guy leaned out of a medical SAG vehicle and called me by name. However, the same guy mistook Kris for me at the 146 mark, and tried to give him cramping pills. It was the jersey, and he'd been out there since 5 am, too.

At the end party, I went to thank the whole group, and they were smashed. And they had to go out and do the last 95 all over again.

hodgykins 

Sorry how rude. The human eye is very attracted to Red. Sorry Robbie, just reality. And she is a really amazing red, and almost glows in sunlight.

RobbieTunes

She is. They looked right past mine to the red one, every time.
First time no one has mentioned my bike on an organized ride.
Definitely due to that red '91. It's that pretty.

I would have settled for "nice pair."

nomadmax 

I think Schwinn belongs there; it is ,before all others, a Schwinn creation.

hodgykins 

A Paramount is a beautiful thing, and Schwinn should be displayed with Pride. Some of the best made bikes EVER. Note the guy was riding a Red Waterford.

RobbieTunes

Perhaps. I think they looked at mine, saw the size of the Schwinn logo, etc, the new-ish condition, and considered it a Chinese version from Target.
They just "scanned" the bike. I may as well been on a SpecialTrekadale.

When they looked at Kris's Paramount, they read the name, then really looked.
And then they looked a bit more. Which is hard not to do with a bike that pretty.

nomadmax 

He probably has a Corvette too