The German survival of Gravel Worlds - a 150 mi gravel race in the oven

I had the privilege to participate at Gravel Worlds– a 150 mi gravel race in no other prestigious region than in the middle of the US…Nebraska. 

The race promoter crew, PCL, didn’t lack any creativity to make this a special race. It all started on a farm owned by a German who kicked off the race with a big circular hip motion accompanied with a noise you would usually hear in the Alpes. He was shaking a massive cow bell. Surprisingly, he didn’t start yodeling.

Nebraskan weather treated us with the best of the best – upper 90s and 20 mph winds. Although this might not be the best outlook for some coldblooded Minnesotans the race was set up that made everyone a winner. Every racer had to buy a lottery ticket on each of the three checkpoints and turn them in after the race. Now we are 203 racers.  Obviously, one of us would win!

Anyway, the more realistic happiness was found in the three additional checkpoints called fittingly “oasis” along the course. That meant six water stops on a 150 mile course. I would carry 2 bottles.

The race started at 6am. I missed the memo to bring a light so my borrowed 50 lumen blinkie shined as far as to the front wheel. Well, with a start right into soft gravel and my newly enforced anti-crash-policy I lost the front group with my friends in it.

Who would I talk to now for the next 149.5 miles? I was concerned.

When finally the sun crept over the horizon and I saw more than my front tire, it was time to chase. About 16 miles and 20 matches later I caught on. I would have been fully content if the race would have been done right there. I was cooked!

At mile 30 we had to buy our first lottery tickets. 15 people stormed the gas station. But I took my sweet little time to refill water bottles and buy my tickets and left the store.

No bikes!

Apparently I misinterpreted the hectic movements of my fellow racers. (I see a trend here for my rather slow stops)

Back on the bike I was reciting the German curse vocabulary while imagining 120 miles by myself. Can I catch on again? 

Where are you, legs?

Shut up, legs!  

Didn’t work! Jens is lying!

But only a few miles later I found my friend Ted at the side of the road getting back on the bike after fixing a flat.

How convenient! That was my chosen wheel. 

Four others caught on to us and our group of six cruised along roller after roller. The sun started frying us. But it was all good. Except one thing.

Me: “Ted, you are too fast for our group.”

Ted: “I have good legs.”

Me: “I realized. Can you please ride away from us?”

Ted: “Nah, I like hanging out here.”

After some convincing, we finally got him to leave us. He ended up second that day to a pro racer.

For the next 100 miles we got baked with a consistent 20 mph wind from the South. If I was dough, I would be done by now. 

The impact of the heat can be best explained by a comment from a fellow racer when we turned towards North:

 “Oh dammit, we have tail wind.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“There is nothing anymore that gives some sort of cooling down.”

Point taken.

It was about 1 pm and around 110 miles into the race with the next 12 miles straight into the head wind.

I was alone. No one insight. No tree. No draft. Just me, loose gravel and a 100 degree breeze right in my face. My mind was already at the next checkpoint.

When my body caught up and I approached the gas station, I saw the three leaders pulling out! 

Only three!? But where are the others?

I found the answer in the gas station. One super clean rider (did he take a shower in the sink?) sitting too comfortable on a bench sipping on his fourth Gatorade.

“Are you done racing?” I asked.

“Nope. Just taking a break.”

“Haha…right! How long are you taking a break?”

“Not sure. Until I cool down.”

“Are you joining me?”

“Naah. I wait.”

Shoot, he was my only hope to mix the next 30 miles up a bit. Apparently, I annoyed him by asking him another five times because he finally got up. I had company! Someone to talk to!

We got lost in a conversation. That got us lost.

Two miles off course.

When we turned around we met up with another group of four. We ended up riding together until the last few miles before the finish. 

At the finish, I was greeted by Corey, the race promoter, a sweet jersey and a lunch box! (I wish I had a picture of that)

What a race! Great organization, challenging course, and a heck of fun! Thanks to the PCL crew for an outstanding race!

Thanks to Foundry and HED to set me up with the perfect gravel bike!

Poutines, dance performance and ditch naps – a 300 mile gravel challenge in Canada

Five weeks after my crash an epic ride was more than overdue. I also have been given the privilege to ride for Foundry, a Minnesotan bike company with the mission to work hard and ride harder. I was excited to test my new Auger in its natural habitat on gravel roads. 

The Muerto Operacion, traversing the Canadian Province of Manitoba, seemed to be great challenge to satisfy my need for adventure - at least 500km through an unknown area on unknown routes with unknown stops. 

So basically we had no clue what we would get ourselves into. Lucky us, there was a supporting Manitoban bike community that didnt think it was a good idea to have a German and American cycling aimlessly in their back yard. So they gave us maps and possible water refill stops.

Thanks to Ian Hall for the maps

Without them, we would have ended up in a ditch-- wait-- I ended up in a ditch!

Never mind.

It all started that Lindsay and Ian gave us a ride from Falcon Lake to Virden.

We learned that Tom Horton had bad coffee, that we definitely should try Poutines and that most of the time the wind comes from the west. Most of the times!

When we got up the next day for this 300mi+ adventure, we learned quickly that this day would be one of the seldom days where the wind comes from the East.

300mi of headwind! Drafting was not allowed.

Not even 300 yards into the ride and we had to ask for directions.

But, we had 70 degrees sunny weather with clear deep blue skies that made up for our yelling back and forth so we could understand each other.

The first 80 miles were on flat, nice smooth gravel. Did i mention flat?

Flat!

Kansas seems mountainous compared to Manitoba.

Neither of us had a cyclo computer so we didnt have mileage, compass and speed.

We just rode.

Since we were so far north, it was hard to tell what time it was from the position of the sun. We could have looked at the phone but we let ourselves surprise when we stopped the first time. It was 12:30 pm when we entered Wawanesa. 6.5 hours of riding. We were hungry and thirsty. We entered the only restaurant in town, owned by a British, ate our fish and chips and off we went towards Holland. 

Fish and Chips in Wawanesa.

On our way of town I almost got us disqualified when I wanted to ride the nicely paved road out of town when Corey stopped me and pointed to his cue sheets.

Ah, right, cue sheets. I forgot already about those. 

I went naturally on the nicely paved roads when Corey pointed out we had to look for a gravel road. We asked for directions.

Four hours later we entered Holland and enjoyed salami rolled chocolate chip cookies on the curb outside the grocery store. While I searched for more fat and sugar in the store Corey got invited to a wedding nearby.

Salami rolled chocolate chip cookies hit the spot

When we got back on the bike, we felt the 130miles in our legs. The next 50 miles would be the most challenging, at least mentally.

It was one road, one direction. Nothing else. Keeping ourselves entertained was key. 

Keeping ourselves entertained.

Corey, is this a cheap version of hide and seek?

Professor Monika studying maps.

New company.

We looked behind us. The sun was setting, slowly but visibly. It got colder.

The sun didnt set until 10:30 pm.

 We wanted to reach the bar in Brunkild by sunset. And we did. Barely. We both were physically and mentally exhausted. We needed some entertainment. To our surprise we got more than the expected entertainment.

When we entered the bar, I walked right into a striptease performance.

I turned around 180 degrees ready to leave.

Have we entered the wrong door? Nope. The bar is right behind the naked woman.

 Once having reached the bar safely we ordered burgers, sandwiches and the notorious Poutines, a combination of fries, cheese curds in gravy. Everything tasted great.

Poutines, chicken burger, cheese burger and melted cheese.

They tried to convince us that the next 200mi might be easier with one Jaegerbomb or 10 - Corey believed it.

The stripper told me we are now the new attraction in town. Two drunk kids came in and ordered jagerbombs for everyone. I played party pooper. Corey played along. 

We were thinking of the cold night outside. I was prepared.

Corey not so much.

His new wardrobe included an XL bar T-shirt, 20 newspapers and knee socks cut into thigh and forearm warmers. I say ghetto, he says MacGyver. (In any case, we chose not to take a picture. He might get ostracized by his local community.)

When we left it was in the low 50s. It was 11:30pm. In the next town we were greeted by a barn with full blasting music coming out. It was full house. Half Manitoba was dancing.

We had to stop here because of my need for a nature break. While I was in the woods, a car was charging towards Corey and stopped shortly before him. 

Then the car left.

Then the police came up to Corey.

Then it left.

What the heck was I missing?

The car was asking if we needed help. The police was asking what the car was asking.

Interesting investigation!

Leaving town we entered the first terrain challenge, mud! I recited my repertoire of German curse words. Despite the shortness of the section I was reminded of this little monster of mud and clay section for the remainder of the ride - I couldnt clip in anymore. 

Mud everywhere!

However, it woke me up. It put Corey to sleep. Or maybe it was the jagerbomb which made him sleepy but all of a sudden he became very quiet.

At 3am we came to an intersection where we had a choice of going north following the route or going 2 miles south into the town of Steinbach trying to find food and drinks. His MacGyver dress was not holding up to its expectations. He was freezing. 

We chose right and looked for food.

Mc Donalds was closed.

Walmart was closed.

What would be open at 3 am on a Sunday? It was Tim Horton. The irony made its circle. The bad coffee tasted wonderful and the Boston creme donuts just delicious. I had two more just for verification purposes.

Only option at 3am on a Sunday. I couldnt ask for a better meal.

Looking back, this stop was essential because the next section was brutal. Besides that was my turn to get tired. I was swerving, seeing elks in the woods and turbines as houses. At some point Corey asked to stop to put some lotions on some body regions.

When he took care of some business I found the grass to look very comfortable and soft- almost like a pillow. 

I had to test it.

I softly hit the ground and was out for the next 5 minutes. 

My bike and I needed a nap. Right here, right now!

After my little nap I was ready for more adventure. The adventure included new terrain and it didnt get easier: deep sand and creek crossings. The 20miles to the next gas station felt like 60.

Keep on moving otherwise we became breakfast for the mosquitoes.

The fact that I wasnt able to clip into my shoes didnt make it easier. We ran out of food and water. When we stopped, we became breakfast for the 100 mosquitoes.

We also learned that horse can fly comfortably 25 mph and still can bite you.

In crawling pace we made it to our last stop before the finish line - a gas station. I realized too late that the tap water was undrinkable. With all the mud I ate, that little bit of water contamination wouldnt make any difference. After refueling and some small talk with a Russian we entered the last section of the ride and finished in 31 hours with 300+ mi of headwind.

This was the second part of our route:

The course, the people and the weather was exceptional! What a great adventure!

Now I got seriously addicted. I am already thinking about the next challenge.

• Thanks to Hal for creating this great challenge.
• Thanks to Lindsay and Ian for giving us a ride to Virden plus the maps and the recommendations! What a great Manitoban cycling community!
• Thanks to Foundry, especially Matt, for a giving me the privilege to ride such a great bike! The bike is made for this kind of adventure. Very comfortable and no mechanicals!
• Thanks to HED Cycling for sweet gravel specific wheels! With 25 mm light rims that made the ride very comfortable. The wider rim fulfilled its promise for fewer flats. I had none!
• Both the bike and the wheels cushioned the impact of the gravel. My back felt great, which is usually the first affected area from rough terrain.
• Thanks to Corey for joining me for this adventure and for taking these great pictures and listening to all my stories, at least nodding at the appropriate moments.
• Thanks to Thomas from Angry Catfish for getting my bike ready and for his patience with all my bike adjustments.

Operacion Muerto

My next challenge - Operacion Muerto - a 300mi gravel challenge across the Canadian Province Manitoba - is now posted on my website:
http://monikasattler.com/11.html

You can follow this challenge via spot tracker:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0NL3ldPJCuhlAShJdSo2Fiy0rNurXWC8v