I heard about this ride through a co-worker and was driven to do it as I like long rides, especially on dirt and in areas that are completely new. It was practically a dare and an insult to suggest I wouldn’t have the guts or legs to do it.
Zack and I were the only two from our office to commit to the ride for the weekend, so we headed out to Burns on Friday the 15th so that we could have a decent night’s sleep.
We rolled up to the start on a chilly Saturday morning. About 40 other cyclists were also there for the 6am start including Jonathan Maus of BikePortland.org. Make sure to check out his write-up of the ride: https://bikeportland.org/2018/06/18/with-skull-event-burns-stakes-a-claim-as-americas-best-gravel-riding-destination-283824
All the hardest riding was done in the first 50 miles.
There was no pressure to finish by a specific time.
Zack and I knew we were back of the pack with only a couple of other riders behind us.
We finished at 8:29pm for an official finish of 14 hours, 26 minutes.
Rather than try to find the after party, we dropped off our bikes at the Days Inn then had dinner and celebratory margaritas at the Pine Room.
How did I feel? The legs were very tired, stiff, a bit sore, but it’s my butt that really paid the highest price. It’s never been so painful to sit on a saddle after so much riding.
Will I return in 2019? Who knows! Let’s see how my legs recover before I decide.