Passport to Pain


I'm not a big organized bike ride guy. Most of my riding has been solo or very small group travel (like two people). But when I heard the concept behind "The Passport to Pain," I couldn't resist signing up.

The ride had at least three things going for it. It was close (Vashon Island is a ferry ride away from my home in Seattle). It was one day (pain is best in limited doses). And it was creative (the concept is brilliant).

Riding 78 miles in a day is not particularly painful ... unless those miles include just about every hill on a very hilly island. Someone (Bruce Morser) figured out if you strung all of these hills together into a route, you'd climb 10,000 vertical feet. Now who doesn't want to do that?

The ride (this was its second year) benefits the Vashon Island Rowing Club, which is ironic, since rowing never involves hills. There are three options (78 miles, 50, and 30ish). The long full-meal-deal ride is called "The Idiot".

I noticed at the starting line that I was surrounded by people with bikes that weighed less than my front handlebar bag.

Each rider was issued a passport. Inside were 18 boxes to be stamped at eighteen check points along the course. The checkpoints were monitored by smiling locals and adorable kids. The hills were less adorable. A few top out at a 23 percent grade! But the views take your mind of the pain, well, most of it.

The ride is not officially timed, which makes it less a race, and more of a community of shared misery.


As far as unofficial rankings, I was the last to finish the long ride. Which makes me the last idiot, I suppose. I was accompanied by Tim, a bike advocate on Vashon, who was also riding a mountain/touring bike. The barbecue was officially over, but they had saved us some food and welcomed us with cheers.

So I got to see more of Vashon Island in one day than many locals see in a lifetime, while getting some much needed climbing miles in preparation for an upcoming bike journey.

Pain has never been so much fun.


Photo by David Weller

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS is posted every other Friday. Willie Weir is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His latest book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist will inspire you to hit the road and just might change the way you approach bicycle travel. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can read about their adventures at http://yellowtentadventures.com/.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/09/passport-to-pain.html

cycling gear uk

Our Models Like Bikes: The Great Divide Edition

For the second edition of Our Models Like Bikes, we stay in the Fall Cyclosource, but move to the Great Divide.


Please turn to page 14.


Sarah and Josh Like Bikes.
This power couple used to grace Adventure Cycling regularly as they were employees here. But this summer we only got to see them for a few hours when they stopped in the office on their ride down the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.


Following their blog, we know that they're on the homestretch, the last state: New Mexico. Josh and Sarah's big adventure has been so inspiring to us all at Adventure Cycling. One minute, they were sitting at their desks next to us, participating in a debate about whether burritos or burgers would be better for lunch. The next minute they were off exploring this wild country by the power of their bicycles and their hunger for adventure.

Can't wait to hear about their spectacular adventure when they get home!

Now, to step it up a bit, please turn to page 29.

Jay Petervary Likes Bikes.
Jay Petervary likes going far and fast on bikes. On page 29 of our Cyclosource, Jay is pictured with his wife, Tracey, on their tandem on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. But on his last bout with the Great Divide, Jay was solo.

On September 11, Jay set an amazingly fast record for the Great Divide by finishing 15 days, 16 hours and 4 minutes after starting. Reading his trip report, I was shocked by many things about his feat, but mostly I was taken aback by this sleep schedule.

"I paid close attention to my sleep pattern so that I could concentrate on a best time. I went into it saying I would sleep 4 hours a night. I actually slept anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5 hours a night, usually on the lower end of that spectrum. And in the last few days I would not even set up to bivy, rather I would ride until I would fall asleep and lay down next to  my bike in my rain gear until I got cold, woke up and continued on. Sometimes this would be 3 or 4 times throughout the night and for how long I slept each time I have no idea. Could have been 10 minutes, could have been an hour, but I doubt it was that long. Before you knew it, it was morning with the sun coming up."

As a girl who loves her sleep, it's now certain that I'll never attempt the Great Divide speed record. The determination it takes to set a record like that is admirable. Strong work, Jay! 

Josh and Sarah let us know that they saw Jay on the route, focused as ever. It's nice to know that the Adventure Cycling world (models and all) are making connections out there.

Cover photo is by Dennis Coello.
The photo of Sarah and Josh was taken by Aaron Teasdale.
The photo of Jay and Tracey was taken by Aaron Teasdale.


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ART. ADVENTURE. AWESOMENESS. wishes to bring enthusiasm to your second and fourth Monday of every month. This column is written by Rachel Stevens, a graphic designer at Adventure Cycling Association


Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/09/our-models-like-bikes-great-divide.html

nalini cycling

Rast Within Inches of Podium at Paris-Roubaix

Beautiful blue skies, unseasonably warm shirt-sleeve temperatures, knowledge crowds thickly lining the roads, hard to see how it could get much better for the 109th running of the 258-kilometer (160 mile) Hell of the North. It?s been named that mostly because of the 27 cobbled sectors (51.5 kms) that the riders bounce over on bumpy [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/rast-within-inches-of-podium-at-paris-roubaix/

descente cycling

Spring in the Southwest

BrittanyApp-102s
With fall underway and winter just around the corner, many cyclists (myself included) are looking forward to sunshine in the not-so-distant coming year. You don?t have to wait until next summer to live out your warm-weather cycling dreams -- Adventure Cycling offers several early-spring spins in the sunny Southwest, including week-long van-supported and fully-supported tours in California, Arizona, and Texas, as well as the now classic Southern Tier van-supported tour. These trips offer an opportunity to escape the wintertime blues and pedal in warmer weather, witness the bloom of spring flowers and cacti, and explore the storied towns of the Wild West.

If you?re looking for a cycling vacation this coming spring, saddle up for one of these early Adventure Cycling tours:

Photo courtesy of Photo by Brittany App on Flickr, from our 2nd Annual Bicycle Travel Photo Contest.

- Paul

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ON THE ROAD is written by the tours team -- Mo, Paul, Madeline, and Arlen -- tours specialists and intrepid bicyclists, covering all things related to Adventure Cycling's tours Department. Check out our 2012 Tours!

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/09/spring-in-southwest.html

2011 tour de france

Final Bicycle Sunday for 2012 in Seattle; Burning Man trike

The string of a dozen Bicycle Sundays in 2012 ended on a glorious sunny fall day in Seattle. A steady stream of bicyclists -- everyone from the hard-core cyclists to biking tots with their families -- showed up on Lake Washington Boulevard on Sunday to ride without having to worry about cars. That's because motor vehicles were banned for the day between Seward Park and Mount Baker Beach. What really struck me, however, was the appearance of the MOOP Jet, a fanciful trike that might seem more at home at Burning Man, where it has made a couple of landings. The hand-crafted vehicle is the creation of Clair Colquitt ...

Source: http://www.bikingbis.com/2012/09/24/bicycle-sundays-for-2012-in-seattle-moop-jet-trike-visits/

cycling training

Boardman Elite Bikes ? FREE Retul fit with all Bikes before 30th June 2012

The best bikes deserve the best bike fit. That’s why we’re offering a FREE Bike Science Level 2 Retul bike fit worth £185 with EVERY Boardman Elite bike or frame ordered before the end of June 2012. The Boardman Elite Range of Bikes offer truly outstanding performance, world beating aerodynamics and unbeatable value. They’re available [...]

Source: http://blog.bike-science.com/2012/05/28/boardman-elite-bikes-free-retul-fit-with-all-bikes-before-30th-june-2012

cycling trips

Summer Bike Fit SALE :: BOOK NOW AND SAVE ON RETUL BIKE FITS

The summer has finally arrived, so now’s the time to get out and ride! Why not enjoy your best summer of riding ever with a precision bike fit from Bike Science? We’re offering our Level 2 Retul precision fit for just £150 – That’s £35 off the standard price. Our Level 2 bike fit uses Retul [...]

Source: http://blog.bike-science.com/2012/05/28/summer-bike-fit-sale-book-now-and-save-on-retul-bike-fits

cycling clothing

Brajkovic Leaps into 3rd Place at Dauphiné

Team RadioShack?s Janez Brajkovic (SLO) put in an excellent performance in today?s Stage 3, Individual Time Trail of the Critérium du Dauphiné in Grenoble, France, putting himself in very good position (3rd in the overall General Classification so far) to contend this race, and defend the victory he took here last year. And, putting icing [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/brajkovic-leaps-into-3rd-place-at-dauphine/

cycling training plans

Super soaraway superbikes!

The latest issue of Cycling Plus hits the shops today and, as well as all the usual great stuff you’ve come to expect from Britain’s best selling cycling magazine, you’ll receive our free Superbike supplement containing 10 of the sexiest road bikes currently on sale! With super-sexy machines from the likes of Pinarello, Specialized, Colnago [...]

Source: http://magazine.bikeradar.com/2012/09/14/super-soaraway-superbikes/

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