Up, Up and away!! That is pretty much the Pierre’s Hole 100 in a nut shell. THis race was one that I was looking forward to all year as I knew that it would be one of the most challenging that I would undertake due to what seems like unlimited climbing and of course the fact that we start at 8000’ and I live 51 weeks out of the year at 800’ altitude.
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| Driving to Pierre's Hole @ Alta,WY |
After spending my week in Spearfish, SD (see previous post for pictures of that adventure) I headed over to the Wyoming/Idaho border for the PH100 on Thursday. After learning last year to not drive through Yellowstone, I arrived pretty early in the evening and had lots of time to set up my camp. Having camped all week this took little to no time in order to set up. I had grabbed dinner in Jackson Hole before heading up to the venue at Grand Targhee Resort so after camp was up it was to bed after all day in the car.
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| Driving to Pierre's Hole @ Alta,WY |
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| Driving to Pierre's Hole @ Alta,WY |
Waking next morning I had only one plan on the day, pre-ride an easy section of the course to get the body use to the altitude, as much as you can in a day, and then enjoy the views. I was able to ride Rick’s Basin which luckily is the last 8 miles and has over 1500’ of climbing on it. This is easy for out here!! After the hour long pre-ride, I had the day to spend up on top of the mountain. This year I decided that I should buy a lift ticket and head up to the highest point at the resort. This resides at around nearly 10,000’ and wow, I should have done that last year for sure!!! Check out the photos for the beauty!!!!
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Valley to top!
2 road climbs in the race!! All the way from the bottom up. |
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| Sunrise over Tetons from road overlook (Aid 2) |
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| Me posing with the Tetons. Boy do I feel small! |
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| More Teton Shots! |
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| Honey Bees were in full force making the mountain beautiful! |
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| Valley view of Driggs,ID |
Well I had my fun checking out the majestic Tetons, it was back to camp to get the bike set up. I did my normal cleaning that I do before a race and man am I glad I did before this race. As I was checking over the rear wheel I noticed that I had a pretty dinged up rim, so much so that my tire would have easily blown off if it took another hit. So it was to the back up set of wheels. Also while cleaning and tightening down the rear end I stripped out the adaptor to my rear brake. After scrambling down to Driggs in search of the part (12 miles down mountain), finding nothing there, I scrounged up one in my tool box that would work for what I needed. I got the bike ready, a little later than wanted, bottles prepped, and every thing set out for the early morning wakeup.
Race Day!!
Well awoke at 5:00 a.m. for the 6:30 race start. Got ready in no time and was set to go by 6. I took Bailey out for her morning bathroom break and then it was into the tent for the day, where she is getting use to spending the day at races. I got to some warm-up riding as it was a cool 40 degrees at start and then to the line. 3,2,1.................
Race is a go!!
I knew going into this race that I had one person I wanted to watch and that was hometown boy A.J. Linnell. Well that is exactly what I did, watch him ride away from me up the opening climb. This race is unlike any other race out there I do in that it climbs for the first 5 miles, climbing just under 1000’ in the opening climb up to the highest point in the race of around 9000’!!! Ouch this was going to hurt. I knew that if I stayed with A.J., who was riding with the leaders, there was no way I would finish this race! So I sat back and settled on a pace that I felt comfortable riding at.
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| Decending 38 Special 1st Lap |
After topping out, it was the most welcome part of the race, the 7 mile descent which would take us around nearly 40 switchbacks to the lowest point in the race!! Down we went passing over 38 special and Mill Creek, this is literally around a 30 minute ride that you barely touch you pedals with any type of power other than to spin them just to keep your legs loose. This descent took us down to the first of 2 road climbs. Up the road climb 4 miles, as last year I felt very comfortable spinning at a good 11-12 mph clip up them tapping out a rhythm to get to the next screaming descent down to the sheep farm. Through this all I had pretty much held my own, going back and forth with 4 other geared guys. I knew at Aid 2 that A.J. was about 1 min. ahead which wasn’t bad at mile 13 or so in the race. Still had a chance, NOT!!
Once reaching the sheep farm, I knew this was the most dreaded part of the race!!! a 2 mile climb that went up around 1000’ over that 2 miles!!! OUCH!! Last year I climbed this thing 4 times so knowing that I was only going up it 3 times put a little smile on my face. Well this year unlike last year, I decided to take it easy up this as I was able to climb most of the climb on my 32x20 that I brought this year. Got up this mother of all climbs in pretty good shape and then to road #2! 3 more miles of road again very comfortably, pulling all the geary’s back in that I was riding with and then it was out to Rick’s Basin. I knew every time that I reached this point it was only 8 miles to the end of the lap. Well lap one came and went and I was a mere 40 secs. down on A.J.
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| Climbing the Peakes Climb 2nd Lap! Hurt so good! |
Unfortunately I didn’t know that I was only down this and had resided myself to 2nd already. It frankly wouldn’t have made much of a difference for the remainder of the race but would have possibly been a little more motivation. The next lap was the same as the first, a little slower up Dry Creek Climb (2 miles of Hell) but at the end of the lap I was in a world of hurt. I was severely bonking!!!! I needed calories!! I chowed down as much as I could at Aid 1 and it was into the final lap. I was in mere survival mode knowing that if I held my own on the last lap I would be able to keep my 2nd place position and overall standing.
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Race Director Andy meets Team Noah!
Guy puts on one heck of a race and
some great trails @ Grand Targhee |
Well I was able to do it after eating more junk food at every Aid station, I cam over the line in a respectable 9:38 and 2nd place in the singlespeed category!! Not bad when the winner of the singlespeed got 2nd OVERALL!! Kick butt A.J. This category is becoming tougher and tougher with the winner now fighting for the overall at almost every race I have been to all year!!! My time was good, would have liked to went sub 9:30 but have to admit I am lucky I finished in that good of a time because after finishing, I didn’t do as I normally would have done as far as chatting with the other finishers. I was still bonking badly so I went straight into the cafeteria and got a plate of whatever mexican food I could, found a chair and stuffed my face. Never before have I ate a post race meal still in helmet, gloves, and all my race gear!!! First for everything though.
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| Singlespeed Podium!! |
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| Buckle Shot!! |
Well after I finished getting my legs back under me by eating, it was showered, and up to awards!! I honestly like sharing the podium with such great guys and am getting use to standing up there with some of the best riders in the nation on Singlespeed’s!! Another accomplishment that I missed by 12 minutes last year was getting a BUCKLE!!! Oh yeah that was a major goal this year. Got to give a shout out to A.J. for another great win and I look forward to him going to Park 2 Park race and hopefully taking a win so he can head to Fool’s Gold and give the ‘Pfluganator’ a run for his money. A.J. is riding unbelievably strong late season here and should provide for some great fireworks!!
Like to also give a mention to over Master’s champ Marland Whaley, who some how knew my name the whole race and I had no clue who he was!! Come to find out Team Noah Foundation is become well known!! Marland rode with Peat, Dwayne, and Brett for most of the Tatanka 100 and we had a nice chat about how us Team Noah rider’s never shut up!!! Got to love it, we are known for liking to talk through all of our 100 milers, joking, singing, and just having fun!!! Have to say that is what we are about and it makes for good times!! Wish I had them at this race as it may have made me smile a little more over the last lap!! Oh well.
Well that is about it. I will let the pictures speak a little more that my writing’s this time!! Hope you enjoy the visuals as they are WAY BETTER IN PERSON!! Suggest getting out there sometime for all that read this. That is it. OUT!
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Parting Shot of the Tetons
Start of the 1200 Mile journey to Iowa |
