Patina of Gravel Dust- Almanzo 2014

2013 was the first year I rode the Almanzo 100, and it was the hardest thing I had done in my life (brief recognition of this privilege of my relatively easy life). After the haze of suffering had worn off, I sent in my postcard to do it all over again in 2014.

Photo by Bri

Noting a few things that went well last year, and ways I wanted to improve this year, I began to prepare mentally for this early-in-the-season physical challenge. I knew I wanted to partner up with Low again, because we have similar riding styles and she always brings the best snacks! We ended up riding with our friend Bri, who was perfectly matched in pace and attitude (she also brought great snacks!) We bunny hopped with a few groups of friends throughout the day, but the three of us started together and finished together. We waited for each other as needed, hoot ‘n hollered for each other, and pace lined with close to zero incidents.

Choosing which bike to ride was a hard decision. Do I ride my new super light cyclocross bike that maybe doesn’t fit perfectly yet but is really fancy? Or, do I ride my trusty steel touring bike that is heavy as shit but boasts a triple chainring and 2″ tires? I chose comfort over speed and it was the perfect decision. Wide tires offer more traction in the loose gravel, which came in handy a few times over the course. Again, in favor of comfort, I packed all my gear in a canvas and leather Carradice saddle bag, which worked beautifully, and now has a nice patina of gravel dust embedded into the waxed fabric.

In terms of training, I didn’t do a whole lot differently than I did last year. A few long rides after work, one road century, and one hill training ride. It seemed to be enough, because I felt pretty strong the entire Almanzo. It could have been the perfect weather, decent road conditions, or my awesome and supportive teammates, too.

Photo by Low

I am proud to say that I only walked once. I climbed the hills that nearly killed me last year: Maple, Oriole, and a host of numbered county roads. We did the water crossing slow and steady, and it was no big deal. We put our heads down into the headwind, and into the brief but intense rain cloud that hit us on the plains. It may have taken us 11 hours to finish, but the absolute GEM of the day was the fucking brilliant sunset as we headed west back into town after 7pm. The sun was a low orange ball floating in a pink and purple sky, welcoming us back into civilization after hours in the country.

With the warm buzz of this year’s ride, I have no hesitation to send in my postcard for Almanzo 2015.