Cycling with Abandon

Mountains of Misery
Blacksburg, VA
May 25, 2014

The madness that was May finally came to an end with the Mountains of Misery Double Metric Century.  Mountains of Misery is an event with which I’ve always had an “interesting” relationship (interesting in the sense that you might describe the relationship with an abusive ex-spouse as “interesting”).  Both the century and 200k versions have a healthy dose of climbing (10K and 13K feet respectively).  There are certainly bike rides that are tougher on paper (the Garrett County Diabolical Double, for example) but there isn’t much out there that is as tough as the final 3 miles of MoM, a daunting climb of approximately 2000 feet that keeps getting steeper until it maxes out at nearly 15% for long stretches.  Thrown into any ride it would be a leg breaker.  At the end of a century or a 200k?  It is a heart breaker.

It is also, however, one of the loveliest rides I’ve ever done.  Tragically, the more beautiful of the two is the longer one; it features all the best descending and a stunning stretch of more than ten miles of wonderful slightly downhill tempo riding.  Our triathlon team also had a very large contingent going this year, approximately 30 riders.  Many of them were first-timers to the century, and most of the group I was riding with had done the century before but not the 200k.  So I was looking forward to it.

There was, however, one slight problem.

The previous 6 weeks.

The Music of the Gears

Mountains of Misery
Newport, Virginia
May 27, 2012

“This year, I looked around me at the start, and repeatedly throughout the ride (when, that is, there were ever any other riders visible) and thought to myself: I really don’t belong here.  Not a feeling I’ve ever had as a cyclist among other cyclists.  So maybe no more MOM for me, until we win the lottery.”

So ended my report on the unrelieved sufferfest that was last year’s Mountains of Misery ride.  What a difference a year makes.  And a new bike.  And riding with people.

And only riding 100 miles.

The Downside

When it comes to cycling, the downside is the upside.

Final Thoughts

This is my second-to-last will and testament
Only a rough draft, a handwritten estimate
Carter USM

Tomorrow is the Mountains of Misery ride.  For those who suffered through this epic ride with me last year (many of whom are not present this year. . .Jason, Jennifer, Julie, I miss you all) or who suffered through the even longer written account of this ride, the big question will be: IN GOD’S NAME WHY?  And when you realize that I’m actually doing this for the third year in a row, most intelligent people will probably be reduced to making little fishy motions with their mouths accompanied by spastic gestures of incomprehension.  Of course, I exaggerate (moi?).  For most of my fellow team-mates the answers are many and obvious (even if they wouldn’t dream of asking this particular question themselves): because it’s there, because you can, because it is all about testing yourself, precisely because this ride is so bad-ass, etc.

This year, however, I’m experiencing something entirely new to me on the eve of a ride.  Doubt.

Les Miserables

Mountains of Misery, May 30 2010

So, for some comic relief, the team decided to tackle the Mountains of Misery ride at the end of a recovery week.  Because nothing says recovery like 103 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing.  Unless it is 128 miles and 13,000 feet of climbing.  Piece of cake.  As long as you’ve made out a living will and notified your likely next of kin.