Horrible day on the bike. But it all ended well

So I was going to be leading a ride up and over King Ridge Rd. for what was originally going to be 5 of us.  However due to some personal issues and some health issues, it ended up just being 3 of us to tackle the ride.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/949742

Our ride started at 9:00 am and I estimed that we would be done around 3-4 pm
The ride isn't that long distance wise, but there is about 6000 feet of climing in just 25-30 of those 55 miles.

Neither of the two guys who were with me had ever ridden this route, or anything nearly as hard.  Neil was doing great, but Dennis was suffering a bit.  (We plan to work on this, because they have to ride this same route again in Septermber, only it's going to be 100+ miles instead of 55)

At about mile 15 or so, which would be about 5 miles into the real climbing I had a mechanical,  The rear wheel didn't want to coast or back pedal, it dropped the chain.  It was like riding a fixie.  I was done, had to call for a ride.  Sent the other guys on their way, I had printed out turn sheets and they had GPS and bike computers, they felt confident in being able to finish the ride.   I sat on the side of the road for an hour waiting for a rescue.

I couldn't get ahold of my wife, but was able to track down one of my best friends, he came to the rescue.  Let me tell you, it isn't easy getting a bike into a VW.  After I got dropped off I headed straight for the bike shop.  I had just had a new rear casette put on and long throw rear derailleur, so if that was the problem I wanted to get it fixed.  I had only ridden the bike one time since it was installed.

The guy at the bike shop took it apart and it basically fell into pieces.  But it wasn't the new parts I had bought, but rather the free hub.  So that was a $110.00 expense that I wasn't expecting.  He is going to check and see if HED will warranty the piece and if they do he will give me a credit, but I had to pay for the replacement up front.

Everyone was supposed to head back to my house for a BBQ after the ride.

I waited for several hours for the other guys and didn't hear from them.  I couldn't get them on their cell phones, but there are more dead zones there than working sections.  Still by 5:00 or so it was starting to get dark and I hadn't heard from them.  I called their wives and they hadn't heard from them either.  We decided to go out looking for them.

Neils wife received a call from a passerby who had been flagged down by her husband, they were still North of Jenner, which meant they were still over 10 miles away from finishing the ride, and it was dark out.  Neither of them had any front lights on their bikes and just marginal rear lights. 

Neil's wife made it all the way out to Jenner but couldn't find them.  I was going to drive the course from the reverse direction.  I started at the finish and found the guys there loading their bikes in the truck.  Someone had taken pity on them and happened to have a bike rack. They gave them a ride back to their car.  This was about 7:00 when we found them.

Apparently Neil had gotten a flat, he replaced the tube, but the new tube had a broken stem,  He tried to borrow a tube from Dennis, but Neil has deep rims and the stem wouldn't come through the rims, they couldn't get it aired up, so he had to go back to the first tube and patch it.  He made it for a little while then the tube gave out and actually split.  There was no repairing that tube.  Apparently he decided to do a little BMX work with his road bike.  The road crew had patched a segment of asphalt right before a cattle guard, well what they actually accomplished was makeing a nice little asphalt ramp.  Neil caught air and when he came down, it caused the pinch flat.

We finally got everyone back to my house for some dinner/dessert/and conversation.  Megan had made beef and chicken kabobs, veggie kabobs, an awesome garlic dip, and individual pineapple upside down cakes for dessert.  Hot coffee was the drink of choice as those poor guys were freezing by the time we found them.This really was the best part of the day, which is a shame, because the weather was absolutely wonderful, the scenery magnificent and the company during the ride was very pleasant.

Dennis wasn't ready for this ride, he couldn't hang, but we have plans tol work on that.  I had a mechanical that was totally out of my control, and ended my day early and Neil had a terrible time with flats.

So now that they both know what the ride is like we plan to spend the next several months working them up to this ride again.  There are several other climbing rides that are much less daunting and will be a good tune up for these guys.













Bike

 Hopefully I can start to get some experience with those kinds of climbs so I can join you - but i knew there's no way I would have made it very far :((

You are welce to come ride with us any time you you would like. I think we are going to try and get a regular Sunday ride going with the focus being on Hill climbs

 If you have something in the range of 30-40 miles and nothing too steep, I might be able to manage. 

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/953778
Alison,

Trying to get the guys to do this ride next Sunday.
30.2 miles some climbing, but nothing obscene, and a bailout option that reduces the miles a little and eliminates 1/2 of the climbing

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/953948

My goal is to ride with these guys every week and try to get their climbing ability tuned up.  In the process I'm sure I will help my own.

You are welcome to come on any of the rides you want.

All of the good riders and climbers tell me that the only way to get better is to do it.  I have been so bad at climbing that I resisted that like the plague.  Well I have a couple riders who need the help as much as I do, so this is a good opportunity to get in that practice and not be left in the dust.  We plan freuent regroups (top of every major hill)

Scott

Sounds like quite an adventure for all 3 of you. Mechanicals suck, and I get so frustrated sometimes I just want to throw the bike but I can't because its just oh so pretty and it costs oh so much money. Glad you were still able to have the BBQ after all and enjoy the company.

bummer about the day, have to take the good with the bad....  i have yet to mount up this year, i haven't been on my bike since october, and i'm considering a tune-up tri with the gang in less than 2 weeks!  yeah, i'm an idiot :)

It's not the bike that would worry me with the Tri, it's the swim.
I can always grind out the bike or walk the run, but with the swim you can't just quit swimming.  There really isn't a do-over with that mistake.

Good luck with the Tri,

Scott

Do it!!!!! You want to come join us, you will come join us (trying my jedi mind trick on you)

 Hope your friend packs more than one spare tube next time.

Glad everyone made it back safe!