#dayacrossminnesota

[fuzzyimages]

90 miles deep yesterday for the Tour De Double Save. Feeling okgood for @thedayacrossminnesota in two weeks! #gravelleurs #dayacrossminnesota #mandem #bigdumbbikerides (at Rice County, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSCSjvagbbg/?utm_medium=tumblr

[fuzzyimages]

So @michaellehmkuhl and I did (most) of a thing yesterday. 200 miles of the @thedayacrossminnesota course. We started the race exactly where I wanted to be. Near the front, with folks that would know how to ride around a Tandem(these things are beasts that slow down and accelerate slower than a normal). It was perfect for 3 miles that is. In a freak occurrence, something. We don't know what, popped up and took out out timing chain(it connects the from and rear cranks) we spent ten minutes getting it back on(also setting in motion part of our later issues). By that time the entire 480+ field had passed us. Despite the fact that we had 242 miles to catch folks, we let the lizard in brain take over and we proceeded to plow through what we could of the field. By the time we got to mile 85 in Morton, we were theoretically where we should have been. But getting there burnt a lot matches. By the time we reached @benwitt at mile 125, we were pretty well cooked, and due to positioning changes brought about by the dropped timing change, my knees were shot. We had come to the conclusion shortly after leaving the support stop that making Northfield, and the 200 mile mark were or goal now. And I haven't mentioned how utterly shitty the roads were out west. They were a major component of beating us up. Round stones, loose, sandy and deep for 140 of 200 miles completely worked over my shoulders. I've never been so fully body sore after a ride before. Keeping that big bike on line was so utterly hard to do for much of this ride. For ANYONE that lives out there sand rides those roads, I'm sorry. In the end, Micheal and I did a thing. I'm glad we did a thing and we both feel accomplished. Will we do it again? Maybe not something so BIG, but probably. #ididathing #gravelleurs #damn #dayacrossminnesota #mandem #bigbikebigride #200miles #doublecentury #doublebike #gravelrace #thisisminnesota (at Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSmJUboABDb/?utm_medium=tumblr

[niceminnesota]

Checkpoint resting for the #dayacrossminnesota @nick_noethe is killing it with @bonesawcyclingcollective https://www.instagram.com/p/CSkIKxklc2J/?utm_medium=tumblr

[truetone]

DAMn Checkpoint 1 and Beyond

After all the excitement of riding out into the night, it boiled down to me and Wade riding together, watching one last group of tail lights get farther away from us. We stuck together, discussed pace, stopped occasionally to check the route and eat. Wade wasn’t feeling great when we pulled in to the first checkpoint. I was, so we agreed to separate.

Predawn checkpoint run by Banjo Brothers around 4:30am, blurted my number and got next set of cue sheets.

The beauty and excitement of racing into the night in a large group coalesced into reality. I was a little too cold. Ellie & Cedar—my support team—had everything laid out for me. I knew we’d all be sleep-deprived so I had a checklist for each checkpoint to reduce decision making to a minimum. I put on a wool jersey, refilled my water & food, dumped a handful of wrappers off, ate a PB & J, chips and a pickle and was on my way. 

The early morning temperature was somewhere in the low 50s. I set out on what was probably one of the most scenic parts of the course. The sky in front me started to open up. Eventually off to my right I could see fog below as I rode along a ridge above the Minnesota River.

It was really stunning to watch the landscape reveal itself as the sun rose. I felt good, awake and alive. I’d ridden the first stage a little too fast. Now it was time to settle back into the plan.

Checkpoint 2:

Shed the wool jersey and cap. Here I made a bad combination of choices: I took a salt tablet and left my Camelbak behind. I should have only done one of those things. The salt tablet made me thirsty so I went through my water faster. I ran out of water about 20 miles before the next checkpoint. Another bad choice: I skipped a convenience store in Henderson, MN where I could have refilled water. I had to stop in Veseli, MN and get off my bike. I was about 5 miles away from the next checkpoint, but feeling weak and shaky. I sat down by the side of the road, exhausted and thirsty. I knew I just needed food and water, but I wasn’t thinking clearly. I got back on the bike without eating anything and suffered through another 5 miles. I was about a 1/4 mile from the third checkpoint, but I had to sit down again right here:

I was on the corner on 60th St just before the left turn on to Elmore ave. That little dog leg at the top is the checkpoint. I just couldn’t go any further. I finally decided water or no water, I needed food. I ate a waffle and an energy gel. I felt better within minutes and made it into the checkpoint where there was cold press coffee and chicken wings waiting.

Chicken wings and cold press were not part of my race plan. Even now this sounds like a terrible idea. Ellie’s instincts were spot on with this. It was exactly what I needed. Salt, fat, protein and caffeine. Within 15 minutes I was ready to go back out on the course.

At this point I knew I could finish. I was hours ahead of the cut-off time. Even if I had to grind out the last part at a sub 10mph pace, I could still do it. Discomfort had given way to numbness. I had no feeling in most of the parts there were hurting before. I embraced that and kept going.

I was good on the flats and descents, but I didn’t have a lot left in the legs for climbing. Which is unfortunate because the last leg was characterized by rollers. Here’s the elevation for the latter part of the last leg:

Net downhill? Maybe, but a lot of climbing to get there. A lot of riders passed me on these hills. I didn’t mind. There was plenty of daylight. I wasn’t fast, but I wasn’t suffering either. I was just doing my thing. Which is my favorite way to race.

By the time I got to the bottom of the last Minimum Maintenance Road, I was hallucinating. I kept thinking I saw deer or eagles out of the corner of my eye. There were none. I’d been up for around 30 hours, over 18 of those racing. My mind was playing tricks on me.

I missed a turn in Red Wing, got back on course and took a breath while going over the bridge into Wisconsin. “Well, I did it,” I said out loud.

[thedayacrossmn]

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT #1

Banjo Brothers are the first to land in The Day Across Minnesota Sponsor Spotlight. They hail from Minneapolis Minnesota and specialize in tough, practical, affordable bike bags. They are also notorious for their presence at several of Minnesota’s most celebrated gravel road cycling events. 

Banjo Brothers will be sponsoring the first of three neutral checkpoints at this year's DAMn where racers and support teams will re-up on cue sheets to help them navigate to a likely more elusive second checkpoint. Remember, racers will need to average 10mph in order to make it to each checkpoint to get their next set of cue sheets. Racers who don’t make it to the checkpoint(s) within the cutoff time will not be given the opportunity to continue. 

Speaking of cue sheets, Banjo Brothers make a fantastic cue sheet holder and aside from a sandwich bag, it’s the only one we are aware of. We highly recommend you check it out. We are proud to have Banjo Brothers as an official sponsor of The Day Across Minnesota and we know that they have some incredible surprises in store to make your DAMn experience damn incredible! 

Kind Regards, Trenton

Photo Credit: Jackson Raygor (The Filthy 50, 2015)

[thedayacrossmn]

Gravel cycling, gravel riding, gravel racing, gravel bikes, gravel tires, and everything else for the gravel cyclist. Get into the discussion here.

RIDING GRAVEL

Our good friends at RidingGravel.com have setup an official forum for you to discuss your plans to conquer The DAMn. Use their forum to talk gear choice and strategy with your fellow racers as well as to locate potential car pools and to share support crews.

Kind Regards, Trenton

[thedayacrossmn]

THE FINISH

The Day Across Minnesota finish line can be found on the eastern banks of the Mississippi River in the town of Hager City, Wisconsin. Riders who traverse all 240 miles of Minnesota gravel and manage to beat the 24 hour cut-off will have endured something incredibly challenging and will have earned the right to call themselves a "DAMn Champion". 

Kind Regards, Trenton

[thedayacrossmn]

THE START

The DAMn will start in historic Gary, South Dakota. All riders will be treated to a pre-race check-in and program at the Buffalo Ridge Event Center. More information on logistics and registration will be coming soon.

Kind Regards, Trenton