Leah DK’s Gravel Journey - Part 3
The Transrockies Gravel Fondo was so much Fun! I participated in the 50 mile course and rode beautiful and challenging moab dirt roads with other adventurous riders, including two of my good friends, Joanna and Sarah!
If you lined up on the start line at any of the Moab Fondo Fest events congratulations to you! What an epic weekend!
For me, the epicness didn’t just come from the Moab Fondo Fest but also because I got married on Friday, May 1st. We had a magical wedding under Morning Glory Arch. It’s fascinating how your life can become intertwined with a place and an event. Last year, my now husband proposed to me the Friday before I raced Moab Rocks and now this year we got married two days before I competed in the Gravel Fondo. Moab is such a magical place for so many reasons.
I think one of my favorite things about doing long distance rides and races are the reactions that I get when I tell people I rode 50 miles. They always repeat the miles as a question “50 miles?” Yes, I did that and I loved it! It took me 5 hours and 28 minutes to ride 47 miles (last three miles to the finish chute are not officially timed). I was stoked with that time. I didn’t really know how long it would take me but I had a plan and kept to it. But I didn’t expect the numerous sandpits throughout the course that would slow me down.
A Moab gravel ride, of course, is not going to be your typical gravel ride because Moab is extra and Transrockies loves to give out a challenge. This course had everything from chunky rocks, loose gravel, fast highway, and sand pits, many many sand pits. If you rode your gravel bike, way to go, you earned a few extra grit points on this one. As for me, I was very happy to have my mountain bike to help me through the various terrain. The sand pits were definitely the worst. The first sand pit is within the first five miles of the race. As I struggled to pedal through the deep sand, I laughed out loud and said to those around me, ‘this is so ridiculous you just have to laugh’. By mile 42 and the nth sandpit I no longer wanted to laugh and was ready to be done riding. Some of the sand pits I could pedal and surf through and some I had to get off and walk as my back tire sunk into the deep sand. Luckily, they usually weren’t too long, just long enough to make you get off your bike.
Gemini Bridges is a challenging climb. Luckily, we started at BarM so had a nice warmup until the steepest part of the climb. The first two miles of the dirt road are very steep and chunky. There were a lot of people walking the steeper sections. It’s one of those climbs that never seems to top off, you keep climbing and you ride around a corner and then the road gets steeper, and then just as you think you’re about to crest the top you turn a corner to see another steep hill. I promise there is a top, and a very rewarding downhill on the other side! Keep pedaling, you can do it. Then the dirt road becomes much more manageable, there is one very very steep hill, but it’s short (most people walk it, at least all of us towards the back). Though the road becomes chunky it’s an easier climbing grade and has beautiful views. Make sure to look behind you every so often, WOW, Moab views!
You may recall on my last blog post that I like to make friends while riding, and so I did, I talked with a bunch of people from all over the place. Two conversations I had really stand out. One rider I had been leap frogging with asked me, ‘How did you get so strong?’ I laughed and said thank you, he responded by saying, I don’t give out compliments only facts. Talking with another racer at the second aid station about the course and he said he was proud of me. To be told that I’m strong and that someone I didn’t know was proud of me meant so much to me and helped fill my stoke during the ride. Sometimes, the biggest impact can come from strangers. Another reason I love this bike community.
After the second aid station there is a chunky gravel road with nothing around. The sun was beating on me, there was a slight headwind (there was a slight head wind the entire race, no matter what direction I was going) and this road seemed endless. The last ten miles of this race were the hardest for me. Maybe it’s because I didn’t train enough, this was my longest ride this year, or maybe because it was just challenging terrain four hours into this ride. This is where I really had to dig deep into my mental toolbox and remind myself to look around at the beauty, to be present, and remind myself that I can do hard things.
I kept pedaling.
At the very end of the course there is a sign that says one mile to the finish. I thought that was kind of neat, I’d never seen a sign like that before in a race. I was almost done! But that mile seemed to take forever. At one point, I looked at my watch and my current ride time was 5 hours and 27 minutes so I told myself to finish before 5:30. I dug deep and I pedaled harder and as I saw the finish flags I went a bit harder to get under 5:30 and I crossed the finish line at 5:28. Sometimes you just have to have little competitions with yourself to push just a little bit more. It felt so great crossing that finish line!
The more races I do the more confident I feel. I still get nervous at the start line but I feel more of a sense of calmness and stoke for what’s ahead. I both crave and fear doing hard things, I think that’s why it’s addicting and I keep going back for more.
Shoutout to Transrockies event staff for all of the work they do to create a fun, challenging and community focused event. Thank you to all of the volunteers for your time and work to help all us racers have a great time. Special Shoutout to Linda!
My intention for sharing my bike stories is for others to believe that they can do hard things and that YOU go and do them! It can be scary but it’s worth it and you’ll gain new insight into yourself that you never have before and you’ll become part of a beautiful supportive community. You can reach for the podium or you can reach to finish, either way you’re doing it. I believe in you!