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Chilly Hilly; living up to it's name and then some Bainbridge Island, Washington

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While it totally lived up to it's name, Chilly Hilly could also be called "Chilly Windy Rainy Hilly". At least this year. Many riders shiver in horror at the memory of the year. it. snowed. At least it didn't snow this year, they said. I love the positivity of cyclists. It's true, how can you be anything but an optimist on a bike?

Best parts of the ride:

  • Rainbow blessing at the beginning of the ride to Bainbridge (how's that for alliteration?)

  • Baked potatoes at the rest stop! Ohmahgawddd baked potato deliciousness! I want to eat them every day! The jubilant volunteers magically made the potatoes appear in our hands amidst crowds of cyclists wandering in the mud. They were so hot and round and perfect for a cold day.

  • My super warm, cozy, insulated Endura-brand booties. I don't wear these booties often because I usually find them too warm, but today they were nothing short of life saving! Having the right gear can make all the difference in the world, and I selected clothing that kept me comfortable riding through the cold of rain and descents as well as the warm of the sun and climbs. Without these booties, my feet would have been cold, numb stubs stuck to the bottom of my ankles.

  • The cheerful crew of kids and adults keeping us motivated throughout the route. The number of kids and various clubs and teams they were a part of felt especially unique. I didn't want any of the cookies they were giving away for donations, but next time I think I'll stash my pockets full of ones to divvy among all of them. I remember how much fun these fundraisers were when I were their age. I saw a jump rope team, jumping and cheering. I saw lemonade, cookie, coffee, water, hot cider street front entrepreneurs. I saw a guy cheerfully holding a sign that said, "Hello my name is Larry*!" which created tons of greetings and high-fives.

*Larry is not his real name. His real name has been changed to protect his identity. Or I just can't remember what his name was. You choose.

  • Lungbusters! While only 30 miles, this ride challenged my body in ways it hasn't been challenged in years. Typically, I'll climb a hill with my heart rate at 160bbpm. At the crest, or if the hill is steep I'll reach 17-bpm, but I never sustain this for long. I usually slow down after a few seconds of my heart working this hard. The hills on this ride where short, steep, and rolling. I loved them for their quick and intense challenge and easy recovery. However, the number of riders on this route added a level of intensity that I rarely subject my body to. Starting a hill, I would find myself riding faster than the line of riders hugging the right shoulder, so I would begin to pass. The problem is, the pace I must go to pass them is faster than I can carry all the way to the top of the hill. You put yourself and whoever is behind you by slowing your pace suddenly. I couldn't be that guy, especially not after I passed so many people, so I had to keep up my "passing" pace all the way to the top. This challenge brought my heart rate to 180 bpm! Oh how my lactic threshold is thanking me! Consequently, I have a higher average heart rate on this ride than I usually do.

Wooleaters at the finish. Photo courtesy Abby Bass

Wooleaters at the finish. Photo courtesy Abby Bass

Worst parts of the ride: 

  • Waiting for the ferry for over and hour in the pouring, cold rain with shoreline winds blowing over me. I didn't have any where to go or any way to warm up. I brought a space blanket on recommendation of a friend, and while it was a lot warmer than nothing at all, it kept blowing about in the wind and didn't really get me warm enough. I wanted to avoid bringing a backpack, but I think the nature of this ride warrants it. I worried so much about getting chilled on the ferry ride home after the ride. My worries came true!

  • Hunger and thirst. I woke up too late to eat breakfast. The boy made me a spiked latte (I would have surely perished without it. Yes, you can thank him (or curse him, which ever way you swing) later for my continued survival. We didn't have a rest stop until half way through and all I ate there was a delicious, delightful potato. I pocketed enough bars to last me months, but when I checked my pockets later they seemed to have emptied. Perhaps I left a trail of Clif Bars in my wake? After the hour long wait for the ferry (no food!) I had another hour of pedaling before I got home (no food!). Getting food along the way was not an option because I was too cold to stop pedaling. The rolling nature of the route and the road congested with 4,000 other cyclists made it difficult to grab water on the go. And the chill of the ride discouraged me from stopping for it. I am just a bit short of 24 hours post-ride as I write this, and I have downed 7 liters of water and eaten about 3500 calories of food since then. Making up for being deprived is harder than staying properly fueled on the ride!

Rainbow over the islands while waiting in Seattle for the ferry for Bainbridge

Rainbow over the islands while waiting in Seattle for the ferry for Bainbridge

Stats:

  • 51 total miles (ride 32.4)

  • 4:19 hours

  • 11.7 av mph

  • 33 mph max

  • 72 av cadence (does it ever change?)

  • 3166' climb (ride 2173')

  • 149 av bpm

  • 180 max bpm

  • 2142 calories burned