The Ultraquest looms. This year it is a forty-mile death march beginning in Trabuco Canyon. The original route. The one I said I would never do: Up Bell Ridge (who does that?!), down the Yeager Mesa Trail, up the Trabuco trail, down Los Pinos, Up San Juan and Main Divide, and then out Bell Ridge. Sure, it's only 40 miles, but those miles come with nearly 12,000 feet of climbing. I haven't been training enough to do this ride, but Thursday I did my best UQ warmup with Josh and Dan. We rode up Trabuco, down Los Pinos, up San Juan and down Trabuco. Yes, the same mileage, but about 3,000 less feet of climbing. And it took us nearly 9 hours! (With a couple of flats and cartridge problems.) Without any issues (given my current level of fitness), I think the ride I did Thursday would take me at last 8 hours, throw in a trip up and down Bell Ridge (it's challenging, steep and requires hiking both directions) then I am into times that exceed the available daylight. So Saturday I'm going to do my best.
Last year the course seemed more doable, but I had mechanical issues with the bike and body issues (cramps). This year I think I have the cramps under control ( I eat Tums during the ride and it works better than all the other solutions I was previously sold on - pickle juice, endurolites, banana chips et al).
This year I am not worried about finishing. I want to go out and do as much of the course as possible. And hopefully have fun. I'm hoping I can make it back to the top of Main Divide, and then descend Trabuco before dark. If I am above my expectations, I will ride out to Pinos Peak and descend Bell Ridge to Yeager Mesa and ride out Trabuco from the bottom of Yeager. If I'm far above my expectations, I will shoot for making it all the way, but I'm not betting on that. I'm not riding Bell Ridge in the dark. Ostensibly I'm in this for fun. Not to kill myself. I guess that last point remains to be seen. Ultraquest here I come.
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