# Doing a double century in the rain



## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

Ironically this is the Death Valley double coming up this weekend. It probably will be scattered showers (not a drenching for sure) but there are a few issues I worry about.

First is, if your shorts get wet I imagine that the next 175 miles will be interesting to say the least. My plan is to carry extra butt butter but I frankly have never ridden more than twenty miles with a wet bum. I do have those wool Ibex shorts but I am not sure if they are too warm for possible 75F weather. As for my feet, it is shoe covers the whole way so no problem. 

Next, the elevations are going be snow I assume. If you get up there the least bit wet you will be a hypothermic popsicle on the first descent. 

I might go so far as to carry my Camelbak with a bit of light rain gear. This would only be necessary if it is a decent downpour. If it is sketchy my ultralight shells should do and maybe some light shell gloves as a backup.

Irony - my first rain and snow double century will be in Death Valley.

If anyone has any experience with 100+ miles in the rain I would appreciate hearing how you survived.

Cheers!


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

The Triple By Pass was run a few years ago in the rain in Colorado. The elavation goes over 10,000 ft at some points. The folks that had the best luck wore Goretex.
You can also balm yourself up, legs and arms, with heating lotions or Vaseline to get a little extra protection. I use the heat balms all the time in winter.


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## Dale Brigham (Aug 23, 2002)

ucancallmejoe said:


> .
> 
> If anyone has any experience with 100+ miles in the rain I would appreciate hearing how you survived.
> 
> Cheers!


Joe:

First, kudos to you for doing the ride. It sounds both tough and fantastic.

Here's my 2 cents, based on lots of time riding in the rain, including 2007 Paris-Brest-Paris, which was at least half (about 375 miles) in the rain:

1) Staying warm is more important than staying dry. If you have adequate core (hip to head) warmth, getting soggy won't kill you or slow you down. Make sure you have a good base layer garment, an adequate jersey (maybe go long-sleeve, and just pull up the sleeves, if it gets warmer; or go with arm warmers), and take along a skull cap and long-finger gloves, just in case.

2) A waterproof (or at least water resistant) rain jacket may be your best friend. It can double as a wind jacket for the descents, and if it's too warm, just unzip and let your freak flag fly. If it gets cold, it will be the best thing to help keep you warm. If it won't fit in your jersey pocket, just strap it under your seat bag or get a little handlebar bag to carry it. A good water-resistant wind vest can work, but in my experience, most vests are just are not as geared to working in the rain as a jacket. 

3) Put a brim on your hat, meaning either carry a old-style cotton cycling cap to put on under your helmet or use a helmet with a visor. Nothing will make you as miserable as not being able to see what's up ahead.

4) Shoe covers are great, but don't expect them to keep your feet dry. If it really rains, the water will find a way in to soak your socks and shoes. I am not saying abandon the shoe covers, but make sure your socks are wool or a synthetic designed to not load up with water. If you are otherwise warm, soggy feet won't kill you.

5) How your chamois in your shorts is doing will likely be the least of your problems. I do concur with others that warming balms on your legs (and having shaved legs) will reduce the chill, but a good set of knee warmers or riding in knickers will also help. If you want to keep a dry butt, put on clip-on or full-length fenders.

6) Stoke the furnace, meaning make sure you eat more during the ride, if it is cool and rainy. Food energy is the difference between comfort and hypothermia. Stuff yourself!

7) Have fun! Riding in the rain is not as bad in practice as it is imagined to be. It makes a mess, but it also makes a great story with immense bragging rights ("I survived the ...").

Bonne Route!

Dale


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## 200miler (May 7, 2008)

ucancallmejoe said:


> Ironically this is the Death Valley double coming up this weekend. It probably will be scattered showers (not a drenching for sure) but there are a few issues I worry about.
> 
> First is, if your shorts get wet I imagine that the next 175 miles will be interesting to say the least. My plan is to carry extra butt butter but I frankly have never ridden more than twenty miles with a wet bum. I do have those wool Ibex shorts but I am not sure if they are too warm for possible 75F weather. As for my feet, it is shoe covers the whole way so no problem.
> 
> ...


Well, here's what NOAA [as of 0900 PST] says about this coming weekend:

"A COLD WINTER STORM MOVING FROM WESTERN CANADA DOWN THE CALIFORNIA COAST WILL PRODUCE INCREASING WEST WINDS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SIERRA LATE THURSDAY THEN SNOW WILL LIKELY BEGIN TO FALL OVER THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA EARLY FRIDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY WITH SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE EVEN DOWN TO THE OWENS VALLEY FLOOR. PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE MOJAVE DESERT AND SOUTHERN GREAT BASIN FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY WITH SNOW LEVELS LOWERING TO BETWEEN 2500 AND 3000 FEET BY
SATURDAY MORNING. THE STORM IS FORECAST TO PULL AWAY TO THE EAST ON SUNDAY.

For your ready reference, Owens Valley floor is at 4000'. The key will be whether any of the 4casted crap actually sticks on Saturday morning. Salsberry Pass is at 3315', and if it does stick, it wouldn't be the first time. Local 4casters have put the probability of precip at between 30% and 50% for the Friday night/Sunday morning period. FWIW, overnight low's will be around 40°.

With 4casted highs only near 60° I don't believe that overheating, or being overdressed will be much of an issue. As for riding in the cold/damp, I will be using layers [undieshirt, jersey,wind vest, rain jacket] for upper torso "protection". I'll also be using a good cycling cap [maybe an old shower cap!] to keep heat from escaping thru the top of my head [not much hair!]. I'll use kneekers as I don't care for full leg warmers. For my feet I'll simply wrap a layer or 2 of plastic wrap over my toes to form a wind blocker and then put the shoes on. You won't be able to keep them dry; that's a no-win situation. BUT, you really need to keep your feet warm and the wind block protects the toes, with the open back [heel not covered] allowing venting so the feet don't sweat and get cold. Lastly the subject of butt butter; I slather it on at the start and have never felt the need to reapply thru any double I've ridden - 60+. My buddy carries emergency "rations" in small plastic baggies; he simply turns the baggie inside out and has a "handy dandy" applicator. Not pretty to see, but it seems to work for him. BTW it's Bag Balm....

I've used the same getup for many years riding in and around DV and the eastern side of the Sierras. Including a half dozen or so doubles in the rain.
Just keep pedaling, and enjoy the day!
YMMV
-dg


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*honestly...*

probably the coldest I've ever been on a ride was on a Death Valley Double. It was snowing on Salisbury Pass with freezing rain on either side. People weren't prepared for it. We thought: Ha! Death Valley is the driest place on earth! I don't need rain gear!

Most turned around at Salisbury Pass or rode on to Shoshone and got sagged. Only a handful completed the entire ride. I was so wet and cold I had to flag down a motorist and sit in her heated van for a while. She lent me a fleece jacket which I wore all the way back to Furnace Creek Ranch.

The next DVD I did, the northern course, we got blasted by snow squalls. I was prepared this time and finished.


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*Two down (200K, 300K)...*

two to go.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

Wool in general may be the way to go. One of the very few materials that still keep you warm when wet.
.


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## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

*Thanks for the advice*

I might have to sacrifice fashion for safety and carry my camelbak with just in case gear. I have some wool ibex bib shorts (didnt think about it -thanks for the idea), some larger izumi shell gloves that I can fit some liners in, etc. 

The worst part is that (it appears) the last leg of the trip goes right by my Furnace Creek hotel room at mile 150. If I am beat to hell from the mountains it will be hard not to stop right there. I bet robwh9's experience will be repeated. Some might put too much faith in the support but there are no bag drops except one for the dc'ers. 

I did the Bay in a Day double century a few years back when even Daly City was way over a hundred degrees in the shade -so no matter what happens, this might rank up as the second hardest double century I have done but not the hardest. Been there done that.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Fenders.

Nuff said.


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