We were about 50, I'd guess, wheeling out from the Rodeo Park'n'Ride shortly before sunrise to commence the Winters 200km brevet. Joy of joys, this was a new route for me: a Q shaped course that crossed the Carquinez Strait, covered the flat land to the west of Davis, then brushed the south shore of Lake Berryessa before heading south out of the Napa Valley, and back across Carquinez.
With only about 5,000 feet of climbing, a reasonably fast time seemed likely. I was less confident about my ability to stay with the leaders, though. Having struggled with my form all season I was seriously contemplating a cruise along with one of the more civilized groups that follows somewhere in the next hour.
As it happened I was left behind right at the start, along with my regular riding buddies Mark and Joe, both of whom were on their first SFR ride. We were a little lethargic coming out of the parking loat, and it wasn't until we were about half way up the line of randonneurs that we realized a group had already separated itself and was almost 30 seconds off the front. No leisurely start for us!
We put our heads down and caught the leaders on San Pablo Ave, shortly before the Chevron refinery, and maintained our momentum over the first of what seemed like endless rollers that make this course harder than it looks.
Of course on the way out, the rollers along Lake Herman and then Lopes Roads seemed pretty tiny. With the sun low in the cloudless blue sky, a gentle breeze pushed us along and we made good time.
A group of around eight, maybe nine of us, arrived at the first control point, Tower Mini-Mart on Lopes and Gold Hill, about 23 miles in. By the time I emerged from the bathroom, three riders had already departed and more were streaming in. Not a moment to lose! Joe, Mark, Jose Plascencia and myself set off in pursuit of the leading group. We caught them a couple of miles into the Suisun Valley Road. Jose told us that the rollers would soon flatten out, which was heartening news, because I think our initial vigor may have been starting to wilt in the warm morning sun.
A few rollers remained though, and these took their toll on some in the group, reducing it to the four I'd left Control 1 with, as well as Rick Martyn who was riding like a tandem on the front as he powered his way to a volunteer post at Winters for the lunchtime stop. Any time the speed dropped below 23 mph, Rick would go back to the front and sit there, belting out a pace of 23-25 mph. None of us realized that he was going to stop in Winters, and he was very modest about it when asked, but I can't help thinking he'd have kept up that intensity for the full 200km. I don't think I took a turn of more than a minute before Rick would come powering past.
Rick got us to Winters before 10 a.m., with an average speed of 20 mph, and we rolled into the Control on the hour. The process of more restroom visits, stripping off leg and arm warmers, applying sun block, and grabbing a quick bite kept us there for more than 20 minutes, and a few riders were on the road ahead of us by the time we got rolling. With the stopping and starting, our average speed quickly dropped to 19mph, before we even got to the SR128, a quarter of a mile away, so I was feeling eager to press on. Yet there was an uncomfortable feeling that I'd be paying a price for this enthusiasm later in the day, because I'd seen my heart rate surpass 170bpm several times already, about 10 beats over my anaerobic threshold. So I popped some more B vitamins, ate plenty (I always bring along about 1lb of food in my pockets, which I eat on the move), took some electrolytes and hoped for the best.
Joe, Mark, Jose and I reeeled in the leaders and soon found ourselves out on our own as we progressed toward the hills surrounding Lake Berryessa.
Jose flatted just before we began climbing, and told us not to stop and wait for him, so we pressed on.
Often if I stop for more than five minutes, I have a lot of trouble finding a rhythm, and by the time we started climbing I was still feeling out of sorts. Mark seemed to be doing just fine, but sensing I wasn't quite there he took the opportunity to repay a few 'favors' I'd done him on past rides and attacked on the first pitch of the climb. Watching Mark spin away into the distance under an intensifying morning sun, I was feeling all kinds of heat. I turned and told Joe I couldn't raise my pace, and he said he was feeling the same. Then I backed off, down to about 160bpm, and watched Joe float up the hill to join Mark. That seemed a little confusing, but the splendid scenery of those hills soon took precedence in my mind.
By the time we crested the first step of this climb, both Mark and Joe had disappeared from view and I hoped I would see them at the Cold Drinks Store at Control 4. I saw them sooner than that, in fact it was the lower slopes of the second step. Joe was now going through a rough spell, while Mark was riding at a steady pace about a minute ahead. I felt comfortable ramping up my pace to around 170 bpm, knowing that after this set of climbs it was relatively flat, but I didn't wish to go higher than that as the acid levels would be too disruptive. I cruised past Joe, and that pace seemed to keep me about equidistant behind Mark, and I arrived at Control 4 within a minute of him.
We took our time there chatting with some other riders out enjoying the fabulous fall conditions, and soon both Joe and Jose rejoined us, and then a few minutes later some more from the orginal lead group. We departed as a quartet and worked our way, with a gentle crosswind, over the final climbs and down toward the Napa Valley.
At some point in the ride, I'm not quite sure where, my GPS device tells me I hit 49 mph on one of the descents. It could have been on the exhilarating plummet down toward Wooden Valley Road. Or it could have been chasing Mark over the Berryessa hills. I'm not sure where it was, but one thing I do know is the lightweight carbon fiber wheel rims don't feel nearly as stable as a heavier aluminum rim on the descent. Is this due to a lower rotating mass?
The four of us stayed together, working into what was now a slight headind as we travelled south, back to Control 5, revisting the Tower Mini-Mart on Lopes Road. Joe was feeling a little unwell, but assured us he'd be fine with a little break, so we left him at the Mini-Mart while Mark, Jose and I carried on to the end.
Jose flatted again at the junction of Lake Herman Road, He had seemed to be finding some great late-ride power, and flatting like that must have been immensely frustrating for him, although he seemed very cool about it. Once again he encouraged Mark and I to ride on, so we did.
The endless rollers of Lopes and Lake Herman road had mysteriously become small mountains. Funny how they'd grown so much since our outward ride. Mark pushed the pace on the largest of these climbs, and once again my heart rate hit 170 trying to stay in contact. I started to think of the ride I have planned for Friday (Dublin-Mt Hamilton-Dublin), and let him go. Any excuse, right? Soon afterwards a friendly red light brought us back together as we wheeled into Vallejo.
Mark seemed very strong still, but an unexpected semi-bonk as we crossed the Carquinez Bridge had him delving into his pockets for any remaining food, and suddenly the tables were turned. I thought about pressing home the advantage, as I was feeling pretty fair, but I've found digging deep late in a long ride can really slow post-ride recovery, so I took the friendly option and we pedaled home together. It was Mark's first randonnee, he'd had a great time and was very complimentary about the lunch and post-ride provisions laid on by SFR.
Jose came in a few minutes later, then a couple of others, and then Joe arrived in very good spirits. He too was delighted with his introduction to SFR and is looking forward to obtaining a club jersey.
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