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Tuesday 21 June 2011

Day 11 - all done at $20

I made it to Jackson, WY. Teton Pass was the finisher, my left achilles isn't supposed to make noises when I move it.
Currently in Fort Collins, CO after skipping through the rest of WY in some newfangled invention called a motorcar which allows the occupants to travel hundreds of miles in hours not days!

Full recap with photos and video of the 5 states and 1000+ miles I did manage when I make it home.

Post Race Recap
Driggs ID to Fort Collins CO - 504 miles (44 on my bike)

There was a bike path running from Driggs to Victor, nice and smooth, pretty much zero gradient. I was doing about 12mph. I should have been doing about 18mph.

I was determined to make it out of Idaho.



Three and a half hours after leaving Driggs I made the top of the pass. I'd walked a lot of it, mostly on tip toes because of my achilles. I was struggling but I made it over the pass.



After a few miles of 10% grades on the way up, I had the same to enjoy on the way down. Overtaking a big truck while I was doing nearly 50mph with a strong side wind was...err interesting.

I reached the town of Wilson and collapsed onto the grass outside the bagel shop to consider my options. I'd been popping aleve and icing when I could but it wasn't working. I'd never had achilles problems before and the fact I could feel and hear my left achilles when I moved my foot concerned me. I didn't want to risk serious injury which would stop me racing or stop me riding once I made it home. With the Basin coming up and no working Spot satellite tracker, I didn't want to get stranded and require rescue. I decided it was time to withdraw from the race and rescue myself.

After some food at the bagel shop and the use of their wifi to book a hire car I turned off route and headed towards Jackson Hole airport to collect my car. I chose the dirt road option to the airport as it seemed more appropriate to end that way than taking the highway. Plus I finally got to take in some of the Tetons.



Some buffalo too.


I collected my car at the airport, it was probably over a year since I'd last driven. 7 and a half hours later I got out of that Toyota in Fort Collins my dream of reaching NM gone, but happy with the decision I'd made.

10 comments:

  1. sorry to hear the news. great effort. looking forward to hearing all about it when you return.

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  2. Well done on getting as far as you did, sorry you had to stop, looking forward to seeing the photos, Mom

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  3. Hi John -- amazing performance! 1000+ miles of MTB is pretty damn mind-blowing. Looking forward to the recap!

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  4. There goes my bet that a bear would get you. Let us know how ur leg is and lia says well done.

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  5. Sorry to hear that, John. Get well, come back and let's do some silly snow-free 100-milers with aid stations and stuff.

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  6. Bad luck John, You going healup and try next year?
    Janesy (ocuk)

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  7. Again - Well done!! sounds brutal! Janesy

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  8. Well done John, great effort. Only just found the blog, but was following you on the tracker until you mysteriously stopped!

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  9. with athletes like you in the world, someone has to drink the beer, so keep going so i can keep drinking! good skills!

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  10. ..you quit.... get back on the bike! its only an achilles...

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