Did the RAMROD, Ride Around Mt Rainier in One Day 148 mile ride yesterday (239kms). An absolutely recommended ride, stunning scenery and very well organized.

Got up a 3am, then did the ride day breakfast put on by local Lion's club at 4am. Ride start 5 am sharp, still in dark and cool with some fog on the meadows.

Caught a reasonably fast paceline from the start, then after first food stop (scones) I ended up in an even faster group that was ramping up to racing speed headed for Mt. Rainier Park entrance. As we were getting onto false flat ramps leading up first climb I realized pace was too high and I was about to blow so I let go of group and started riding my own pace. As climb stiffened for the final 12 mile ascent to Inspiration Point I started picking off some guys again that I had to let go, one was completely done at a pullout, another walking to water stop mentioned that his legs were just all twitching weirdly.

At Inspiration Point stocked up sufficiently to make it across the next two climbs. Backbone ridge was quick and followed by a fun descent. Then final climb of day up Cayuse pass which is around Mile 100. Started upping the pace again and caught a handful of riders who were suffering in what was by then brutal heat.

Following the pass dropped down to the final stop where about a dozen of us had a nice social with lots of fruit, coke. sandwiches and cookies. That group decided to ride paceline back to finish for the final brutal 30 miles of headwind, chip seal and rumble strips. But after about 7 or so miles some nitwit completely blew up the paceline. Lucky enough to catch another guy and we rode duo 2 minute pulls each for the remaining part home. By this time I started cursing the combination of chip seal and Armadillo tires, I can handle one but not both, lethal combo. My throat also started to get sore from breathing hot dry air. Water bottles started to empty quickly so you know your core temperature is heading up. Past another guy from that initial paceline who was weaving all over one of the rollers.

Fun descent down Mud Mountain dam and then started dying on the 5 miles to finish which came just in time. 9hrs 45 minutes for the 148 miles so 15.2MPH or 24.3 KPH including breaktime. Got back just before 3pm.

With the fast pace we had shade on most of the climbs but gotta feel sorry for the riders that were out there mid to late afternoon in what was brutal heat. By that time I was sitting in my car, AC and music on full blast snailing my way through Seattle traffic back to Vancouver with a big grin on my face.

Could I have done this 7 days in a row as someone asked and which is something I'll have to do for Haute Route Alps (3 major climbs per day)? Sure, feeling pretty fresh today (rode into work) and of course I'll be riding a heck of a lot easier there than I did yesterday. As Magnus Backsted, one the the Haute Route ambassadors put it, there are no hard climbs, just hard gears. I've been learning a lot this summer about spinning your way out of trouble and keeping a good pace doing so.