Green Mountain Double

[argus]

I am not good at ride reports, but here goes one.

Last Saturday (and Sunday), Chris (CP43) and I rode the Green Mountain Double Century (GMDC). GMDC entry requires a spring 300k, a crew, and the recommendation of bringing two spare bikes with tires of 32c at the narrowest. Last year the fastest riders averaged 12.9 mph.

Notably features of the GMDC include 25,000 feet of climbing 80% on dirt roads through the Green Mountains of Vermont. A 24% grade hill, several sections of 16% at mile 170 and a sustained 18% grade starting at mile 180, and half of those who started last year did not finish.

Finding someone to join me on this adventure was not easy, most people just laughed at me, but when I mentioned the GMDC to Chris he thought this sounded like a great idea.

For both of us, our longest rides ever were about 150 miles on pavement, and that was the one long ride of the year like Harpoon B2B. So a lot of long rides and serious elevation were in our immediate future. Two weeks ago we completed the NER 300k with14,000 feet of climbing and all day rain, wet and cold. Four weeks ago we rode a Fleche - a timed event riding through the night of 230 miles, but we decided to add-on and road 270 miles with 30-40 miles on dirt roads. The Fleche took us from Harvard, Ma to Brattleboro, VT to Portland, ME. And earlier this spring we also rode the Shelburne Falls 200k which has 7,600 feet of climbing.

In Strava terms, the GMDC has nine category 3 climbs and fourteen category 4 climbs over 211 miles of mostly dirt roads. Carbon bikes with 23c tires need not apply. We saw one, an ultra cycling RAAM rider, he dropped out at mile 120. I have attached a bunch of pictures and hopefully they come through. It was a spectacularly beautiful ride and it was also the first time I started to hallucinate on the bike. I saw all kinds of things straight out of Bridge to Terabithia. Tree stumps were moving and I even saw a wood sprite cross the road in front of me. But I am pretty sure that was real.

Many thank you’s are required. Thank you to the New England Randonneurs who were always extremely welcoming to a couple of guys riding their events in MRC kits. And special thanks to Danya and Amy for crewing the event and having the patience to let us train and prepare. Hopefully their ride photos came through, they are quite tasty. Thank you to Sandy for creating the ride and big thanks to all the other riders at the GMDC for their frienship and camaraderie.

[argus]

More pictures.

[ahamilton]

Gary and Chris, you guys are TOTAL studs! I got tired just reading the description of the training rides. Congratulations to both of you on a major cycling accomplishment.

[Gumbo]

Wow! That is awesomely impressive you guys.

[pace21]

OH MY GOD

[jraguin]

That is crazy. You guys are as hard-core as they come. I couldn't imagine riding that long or with that much climbing. Insane.

[Smudger]

Outstanding G and C.

[JeremyC]

That was foolish and irresponsible. Congrats!!!!!!!

[swawersik]

Congrats! Nice job, but WTF were you thinking?!?

[Jacob]

I'd like to see the wood sprites too. Were they on tiny little bicycles?

[rusto]

Great job guys! I've been looking forward to this report since I saw the photos you posted on Facebook.

[cp43]

Thanks guys. And, thanks to Gary for talking me into it. The ride was great fun.

Chris

[taudep]

Wow, just reading this now. Good job, that sounds incredibly...not fun?

[vbrown]

Legit! Congrats!

[rusto]

I rode 156 miles with only about 4k of climbing yesterday - on nicely paved roads - and was pretty much a zombie at the end, reinforcing the thought that Chris Pearson and Gary Sclar are SUPERMEN!