[pe2-image src=”//lh6.ggpht.com/-7LY0gMP7Rvw/Ug8G5Azu0mI/AAAAAAAALwE/_u3NQhFJ-OY/s144-c-o/IMAG1882.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912952412300038754″ caption=”Banner at the starting area” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1882.jpg” ]
The Tropic of Cancer Randonneurs 300k was held on July 27, 2013 (stretching a tad into the 28th). The start was at the Tropic of Cancer park near Chiayi and took a large loop up to Sun Moon Lake, then back past Chiayi down as far as Guantian, heading west for a bit, then back north to Chiayi.
The weather was as expected, being plenty hot, although not quite as bad as the scorching 200k a month earlier. I had been off the bike for almost the whole month between the two events, but still had some crazy idea that I was fit enough to finish this thing.
[pe2-image src=”//lh5.ggpht.com/-SeL4cFxE7Is/Ug8FH-sC3_I/AAAAAAAALvM/W2kbWVdLNk4/s144-c-o/IMAG1870.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912950470405709810″ caption=”Early morning commute” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1870.jpg” ]
As per usual, I headed to the start of the event in the early morning, adding 50km of commuting to the start of a long event. I may have said it before, but this behavior is not the best, and took a heavy toll in the next race I’d do.
But, the morning ride is always pleasant, with no people, cars or anything for that matter, the perfect time for a ride. Also, although still repressive, the heat is tolerable because the sun is not out.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-Z86Q9BCe_3o/Ug8FN7HQx4I/AAAAAAAALvs/0rriD-veyiU/s144-c-o/IMAG1879.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912950572525340546″ caption=”Tropic of Cancer Marker” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1879.jpg” ]
I arrived at the starting place, then put my head down for some time to get a bit or rest before the start. I was quite early and slowly but surely the people started to roll in after around 6 o’clock.
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-5x4U6bPtKCU/Ug8HBnT29YI/AAAAAAAALwk/XElsRDbt7DI/s144-c-o/IMAG1886.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912952560074290562″ caption=”Mark keeping up his very consistent pace” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1886.jpg” ]
I can’t remember if we had checked beforehand, but I knew Mark Roche would be here for this ride. He had pretty much dragged me through the entire ride at the 200k and I was ever so grateful that he had come this time and I was ready to let his rock-solid pacing guide me through to the end.
I’m quite erratic with pacing and tend to get in consistent bursts of many minutes, followed by some rest minutes. When pacing in a group with Mark he shows me what I’ve missed about riding with serious, seasoned cyclists.
When competing in races in South Africa (I haven’t done any here), as long as you stuck in the first few groups you were guaranteed to have a fast, fairly easy go to the finish. My first races in high school were marked by me being on my lonesome, which is SO much harder than in a group. Although I have to fight to stay on the back of some groups, the respite comes when you hit the flats again and the rest of the group eases off.
Mark is really solid and although he doesn’t show it, I bet he’s thinking, “I’m doing all the pulling here.” Sorry, mate.
[pe2-image src=”//lh6.ggpht.com/–5DuQOUt5Tw/Ug8G7NDeVcI/AAAAAAAALwM/iKgaXXCNdh8/s144-c-o/IMAG1883.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912952449947030978″ caption=”Mark’s friend” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1883.jpg” ]
Also along for the ride this time was a friend of Marks from Kaohsiung (name slipped my mind). He looked strong on his 20″ wheeled folding bike. Hats off to him.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-4oZnNZl0e50/Ug8HF1QAsEI/AAAAAAAALw0/zCVlohPfotE/s144-c-o/IMAG1888.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912952632535724098″ caption=”Big climb, lots of cars” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1888.jpg” ]
I had planned to do fewer and shorter stops this time around as during the last ride the long stops had contributed to finishing very close to the cut off time. I went into the first stop, got my card stamped and then proceeded to have a bit while riding, saving a few minutes and passing Mark and co in the process.
The stop was followed shortly by a big climb. It’s quite steep and there are many cars. I just follow the route and most of the time I just watch where the person in front goes. The road heads up quite sharply, but once we hit the summit, it turns off onto a much quieter road. I believe this is where I got my first puncture, I patched it up then pushed on.
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-vhB-LLddnJk/Ug8HNKNUgwI/AAAAAAAALxM/WGMcZrzVQbw/s144-c-o/IMAG1891.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912952758420669186″ caption=”Respite from the traffic” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1891.jpg” ]
The road then plummets back down into the valley, but sticks to the small roads.
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-8fYg2uKnNpM/Ug8HPBXkV4I/AAAAAAAALxU/_kiiqJAsTHo/s144-c-o/IMAG1892.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912952790407468930″ caption=”Fancy bridge in the middle of nowhere” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1892.jpg” ]
This bridge seems quite out of place because there is really nothing around there as far as I can tell. Taking a picture while careering downhill is not recommended. I stayed on the bike, however.
[pe2-image src=”//lh5.ggpht.com/-ZgfHBX7I9Ac/Ug8HUGdhROI/AAAAAAAALxk/c0ohFKdcEK0/s144-c-o/IMAG1894.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912952877673956578″ caption=”Quaint country road” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1894.jpg” ]
Once the descent is over you’re rewarded with bamboo trees hanging over the small road. The light shines through the bamboo which gives the contrast of light and dark, with the warmth of the sun and the coolness of shade all mixed together. This stretch goes on for a few kilometers taking us to the start of the climb to Sun Moon Lake.
[pe2-image src=”//lh6.ggpht.com/-2egCZuvysn4/Ug8Haf4xAcI/AAAAAAAALx0/EZ9UEv-5aD0/s144-c-o/IMAG1896.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912952987578335682″ caption=”Slugging up to Sun Moon Lake” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1896.jpg” ]
The big climb is then upon us. Out in the open and completely exposed to the sun I trudged my way up the 21. It’s a long climb, but with a very even grade, so I just slip into a nice gear and spin it all the way up.
[pe2-image src=”//lh6.ggpht.com/-DL9jp3mEjyc/Ug8Hd7xfktI/AAAAAAAALyE/Dp-6jfepI5k/s144-c-o/IMAG1898.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912953046603633362″ caption=”The view downwards” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1898.jpg” ]
As I climb upwards the view becomes better and better.
[pe2-image src=”//lh5.ggpht.com/-YP5B1cYJfds/Ug8HgV78ugI/AAAAAAAALyM/vwg2EEkZK_g/s144-c-o/IMAG1899.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912953087986547202″ caption=”Rest stop” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1899.jpg” ]
There was a rest stop with food and drinks towards the top of the climb. What a reprieve. I glugged down what they had and then set off quickly. I still wanted to keep my rests short and stay on the bike. It was hard to avoid not stopping at this point. Although an optional stop, it was great thinking on their part to provide drinks at a point where lots of people would have been quite thirsty.
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-HHLKmmOXu1A/Ug8HjyvxS0I/AAAAAAAALyc/ToPCOkelLfI/s144-c-o/IMAG1902.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912953147259702082″ caption=”Sun Moon Lake bicycle path” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1902.jpg” ]
The rest of the ride to the top was easier after taking a short break and it was time to start cruising. I managed to snap a few pics while still riding, the one above was a section of the bicycle path which goes around part of the lake.
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-UWTIjIsA3t4/Ug8HrUh_noI/AAAAAAAALy8/HZzEMj7nkN0/s144-c-o/IMAG1907.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912953276587810434″ caption=”Heading down from Sun Moon Lake” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1907.jpg” ]
The ride down the other side was quick and easy.
Once back on the plains, it was just a case of keeping up the pace. I managed to keep myself going, but I was on my own, which meant a few delays at some points where I wasn’t sure of where to go next.
Fortunately as I do more of these events I’m getting used to the routes they take. The routes don’t take the smallest, most beautiful roads, but stick to the larger roads. These offer more convenience stores where folks can get things to eat and drink and also give a certain amount of safety by being in populated areas where there’s more chance there will be someone to assist.
Something cultural (or so it seems) is how locals don’t seem to mind heavy traffic when cycling. Often people choose the more crowded roads to small, off the beaten track roads. I purposefully avoid the main roads most of the time, whereas when I do go on more trafficked routes there are so many cyclists. Perhaps it’s just me, but even on a serious training ride, I’m riding to get away from it all, not to compete with cars and buses.
So I continued to push on. And then it happened…
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-5sU3QeLLtiw/Ug8HtNr8sCI/AAAAAAAALzE/vkn0U9kDBCk/s144-c-o/IMAG1908.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912953309110251554″ caption=”Downpour” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1908.jpg” ]
My nemesis.
Put me under 40 degree heat and I’ll suffer and smile. The heat beating down on my back drains me but makes me feel alive. Winds suck my energy but fill my mind with hope as I hit the turnaround point and know that the headwind will now be a tailwind.
But the rain. Hmm.
Wet shorts, dry chain, wet shoes, dirty water in my nose and other places.
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-IE4GgRij88k/Ug8HvXS_13I/AAAAAAAALzM/qfJqk2HOZAA/s144-c-o/IMAG1909.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/ChiayiRandonneurs300k#5912953346049693554″ caption=”My bike (like me) doesn’t like getting wet” type=”image” alt=”IMAG1909.jpg” ]
I simply stopped. I took refuge outside the nearest 7-11 and waited. I figured it would stop soon enough.
It didn’t.
Eventually David Pinter came along and he managed to get me going again. It was still pouring, but sharing the pain made it easier. We took a wrong turn at some point, after which it stopped raining. David realized we were going the wrong way and we turned around. He dragged me to the next rest point where I got…
A second puncture!
Sat outside the 7-11, fixed it up, and Mark came along. I knew I needed to stick with them, so when they were done, we left together.
From here on out there are no pictures because I was dead. I held onto their wheels as much as I could and took breaks with them and chatted and had fun. About 30km from the finish I got…
A third puncture!
But I knew where I was and partly pumped up my tire, headed to the next 7-11 a few km away and pumped up my wheel there.
Unfortunately my mates had gone on without me (sob, sob), so I slogged through the last section along the quiet roads to the finish. I employed a 300 pedal stokes on, 50 pedals strokes break technique until the very end.
I made it on time, got my card stamped, said hi to the guys, who then set off on the 100km journey back to Kaohsiung. Hardman points to them both.
I sat down then went to at the table. A while later, maybe 30 minutes, I woke up and headed home. The 2 and a half hour journey home took me 4 hours and when I got home I showered and went straight to bed.
The ride had, of course, been a blast but I was wondering how I could handle a 400k if this ride had been so hard.