# Breathless Agony ride report



## Hairy Palms (Feb 8, 2010)

We had a good group but some were faster then others so we didn't do much riding together but I liked it, as we could all move at our own pace.

My ride started out early. Brent and I got to the venue at 5:15 am. We were ready to roll by 5:30 but got a phone call our bud Jose was running late ( no surprise here). Got in line for registration and then seen Romeo-New2mtb and Nick-Good'Ol Slappy. I was still looking for others. Seen a few from my road club but they weren't riding with us. We finally get everyone registered and in line to check out. Brent and I had already checked out and waited around for 18 minutes for the rest of the crew to get through. So off we go. The first SAG isn't supposed to be open until 8 but this year I understand they were ready at 7. But our plan was to go out conservatively and we did. We had sent Jose out early as he's our slowest rider at this time. We caught him about 3 miles out. Heading over to Jack Rabbit he got in our pace line but wasn't able to keep the pace and backed off, after all it was going to be a long day. We hit Jack Rabbit and here we splintered. Romeo had told us he hadn't trained enough for this but I never believe him because he's the king of secret training rides. Nick decided to hang with him for the climb up. I had a great time on this part and passed many more then passed me. It was cloudy here but the temps were about perfect for climbing. We get to the first SAG and I'm only a few minutes behind Brent, soon the rest of the group pulls in. We all jump into the lines for the restrooms and then head off to look at the food. The ads say they'll have Hammer Products there so I didn't bring my gel. I'm told there isn't any left or endurolytes either. This isn't good. As we are getting ready to take off Romeo jumps in the restroom line, DOH! He didn't know you get this out of the way first. So we spend the next 15 minutes waiting for him then we are out. At this point I see FFW pull in and then Lesper-Loren. Jeff also comes in. Now the group is complete.

We start up the Oak Glen climb which is the toughest part of the ride but it's at the beginning. I had done this section a few months back with most this group on a training ride so I knew how I wanted to ride it. Slow, really slow and steady. I 'm soon being passed by a ton of people but I keep my composure and stick with the game plan. I felt really great once we get to SAG #2 at Mill Creek. We were there a while and I asked Brent if he'd seen Nick & Romeo. He said he thought they'd left, so we walked around for a while looking for them. We got nervous that they'd left so we went out. About 3 miles up Damnation Alley Nick catches me. It was a relief to see him. I didn't see the others until we got to SAG#3. The pace here was a little better then Oak Glen but by no means was it easy. We were seeing a lot of 8+% grades for sustained times. I was no longer getting passed like I did at Oak Glen and I picked up the pace a little. Vehicle traffic had picked up some what but most drivers gave us room but you always get those that don't want to share the road with bikes.

This is where we start riding into the trees and the scenery and the air becomes very nice although noticeably thinner. The riding also seems easier then what the Garmin says. I get to SAG #3 and ask again for some endurolytes and I'm told they ran out hours ago. This really gets to me as they claim there will be this available. So we sit around waiting for the rest of the guys to show. Jeff & Nick have been there forever now and we tell them to go ahead. Jeff takes off like a rocket and that's the last we see of him until we get to the top.

The ride out from SAG#3 (Anglelus Oaks) isn't to bad as we see some rollers now but we still have about 3K of climbing to do. Thankfully the weather was cooperating and it was rather nice riding.Now the grades for the most part are down to a manageable 4 to 6 % but with all the climbing and miles in your legs it's very difficult to climb very well. Now I'm starting to have some cramping issues because of no supplements. I ate a bunch of banana's at SAG 3 but it didn't help. I had to back off and spin even though I had energy to ride harder but would almost cramp instantly when I pushed to hard. Loren had stayed behind with Romeo to make sure he got out alright from SAG 3 and he caught me about 4 miles from the top. He pulled over after a while though and I went around and kept climbing. These last 4 miles are the toughest of the whole ride though. I kept looking at my Garmin thinking it was broke because the freekin mileage wouldn't change.

Finally I get to the top, where Jeff, Nick and Brent are waiting. Poor Jeff has already been there over an hour. But the weather up top was nice. I've done this a couple of times and it's always been cold and windy but today it was great. Nick had been there a long time also but Brent was only 10 minutes ahead of me. About a half hour later Loren rolls in and another 15 minutes later Romeo rounds it off for us. Jose had knee issues and had abandoned before Oak Glen.

We talked it over and Loren and Romeo were going to ride down together and Nick, Jeff, Brent and I took off. Brent grabbed the front soon and I jumped on his wheel and we were off. Got into the high 30's in no time. After a while Nick came up and took over the pull. And it continued like this for a while until I finally tried to pull but that was a disaster. We went from high 30's to high 20's in a very short time. Jeff came around and took the pull back and we were back on stream. We stayed like this until we got to some rollers and then I was dropped. They waited at Angelus Oaks and we regrouped there. Now it gets steeper here and the pace was furious. We never got passed on the dh. Brent was out front at one point and pulled a ways he finally pulls off and gets in front of me but Jeff and Nick get a gap on us. Brent is able to close it but my quad cramps and won't let me go with them. So I back off but keep them in sight all the time until I see Brent pull over. I knew something was wrong and I thought he had a flat but it turns out he lost his masterlink on his chain and we look but can't find it. I think we had about 12 miles to go to the finish and Brent decides to coast back. So we go and I wanted to see if we both coasted how far he'd get from me. He got a good half mile on me and then he stopped thinking I was falling off but I knew I'd need to help him on the flats and that one little hill on the way back. So we go again and I just hang with him and we are still going 27 mph and we even passed a couple riders! Even without a chain he passes people! I help him with a push on the back over the little hill and then we hit the flats. He grabs onto my shoulder and I pull him along. Now we get a 2% grade and he's able to draft off me for a few miles. But we get caught by some lights and go back to him holding onto my shoulder. Not easy after a hard day in the saddle but we make it back and we all meet up and have some really good grub.

I finished in 8 hours which is what I was hoping for. I am in awe of these folks who turn in a sub 6 hour climbs on this ride. I think next year I'll do the L'etape ride but I know I want to do this again. Thanks to all my mountain biking friends who have a road fetish!

Great job ChrisB and FFW you guys killed it.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I talked to a guy who did the ride. I saw him at about 4:30 in the afternoon, back at his home in Santa Monica. He was chipper, and none the worse for wear. He did it in less than six hours. He had the dog tag and bottle opener they give to those who successfully completed the ride. He raved about the quality of support, and the quality of the snacks. He especially loved the stop where they had bacon. He said the ride actually made his normally dodgy ankle feel a whole lot better.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Nice ride report. This is one of my favorite organized rides/races. It's worth driving down from the bay area for it... we don't have that kind of extended climb here. And the support is fantastic, especially the big burrito feed at the start/finish.


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## Vancemac (Jul 20, 2006)

ericm979 said:


> . And the support is fantastic, especially the big burrito feed at the start/finish.


That buffet is my idea of a perfect recovery meal... I fixed a plate full of beans, chili, corn, salsa, and guacamole. And then another one. 

What a great day. Best weather ever for BA.


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## Silent Bob (Aug 13, 2009)

Best rest stops I've seen at an organized event. Nice post PF...glad to have made the ride with you.


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## ChrisAVB (May 9, 2011)

I did the breathless agony. It was fun.


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## balatoe (Apr 15, 2009)

It was a fun ride for me as well. It was my first BA participation, so I didn't know what to expect. I think I may do it again next year. I finished the climb in about 7 hours and I have cramped legs to show for it. 

The last 9 miles up to the summit was hard. My leg muscles were cramping and the air was thinner up there. At the time, I thought I was insane for doing this. In retrospect, the pain and suffering are definitely worth it!


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## LinoD (Sep 16, 2010)

I did the ride as well... first time. Really fun !! Everyone in the group did well, though after completing the ride and heading back down from the summit my buddy had a really bad crash, broke his collar bone. Part of the road/shoulder ended and the guy in front of my buddy didn't signal, he just moved out of the way last sec, my buddy had no where to go but into the ditch, two other riders crashed into him as well. not a pretty sight  Moral of the story, DO NOT RIDE BEHIND some you don't know !


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