Vermont is spelled with a capital “V”, surely no coincidence. With the loads of mountains and climbs available, it had to start with a “V”. I mean, if it was mountainous enough to draw a runaway “loose” nun who left the church for a sailor, it must be good, right? (Great nordic skiing there””Trapp Family Lodge, if you are there in the winter months as well).
Anyways, being a seventh generation “V”ermonter myself, who was raised on a family farm on Rogers’ Hill in West Newbury, VT (which was hand cleared and settled in 1763 by my G-G-G-G-G-Grandfather and still owned by my father) I have a deep love and feel for VT, liberal politics notwithstanding. So when I heard about the 200 on 100 “Dumptruck of Awesome” that was available, I just knew that I had to do it. And not only that, I knew that I had to share this beautiful “Ode to the V in Vermont” with all of my best cyber-cycling-soul mates. Okay, soul mates might be going a bit far there, but you get my meaning.
So, enough with the intro.
Break out the rollers, get on the trainers, find your winter gear; lay off the seconds, nurse that one glass of booze, hold the toasting to one drink, dodge Cupid’s chocolates and shoot the Easter Bunny because training for this bastard started yesterday and you’ll be paying for it on the 28th of June, 2012 in spades!
See you in the pre-dawn hours on the Canadian border with our eyes firmly fixed on the prize of the Massachusetts border. Let’s drive this dump truck like Mel Gibson leaving the compound in a post-apocalyptic world, baby!
Route and location details on the Cogal Event Page.
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@Buck Rogers
I'm currently running 39x27, ostensibly for the Ontario Cogal and its massive grades (I have yet to actually use the 27). I have the parts to switch to a 25 at the top of the cassette, but may just stick with the 27. I'm not sure there's that much difference between 21-23-25 and 21-24-27 at the top end.
Better ride today. 3.5 hours in very warm weather (22 and sunny) and some good climbs. Felt stronger than last week, but I seem to have lost my stroke. If anyone's seen it, could they mail it back to me? It's hardly magnificent, but it has sentimental value and I'm lost without it.
@Steampunk
Yeah, I am JUST beginnning to feel like I am getting my rhythm back on the bike after my trip to Central America for three weeks and then being hurt after that for a total of one month off the bike.
It has taken me five weeks to start to feel at all normal again and I still do not have the fitness that I did before going to Hondo.
Still vacillating on whether to throw the 28 gear on or just stick with the 25.
@Buck Rogers
I'm sticking with what's on the bike now: 34x25. Yeah, it's a compact crankset, but at least it's an 11-25 cassette. When I hit some bigger hills last weekend, I only rarely bottomed out gearwise.
Otherwise, training for the inevitable is going well. Got in a longer ride last weekend, and looking forward to a few more centuries (and perhaps two century+ rides) before The Big Day. I trust everyone else is progressing nicely?
@cal
Yeah: I don't see myself "needing" the lowest gears for this ride. I'm actually toying with the idea of going with a 12-23 cassette, the idea being that while I won't need a very low gear for getting over the hills, I want to be as comfortable as possible for long periods of time and having a straight run of 12-13-14-15-16-17 might be more desirable. I can see myself wanting to live on the 16, and if it's not there, shifting endless between 15 and 17. I just don't know...
For my climbing rides, I've been running 50/39 with an 12-28 on the back. But that is for climbs that include 16-20% grades. Last week, I did a climbing ride with a 12-25 on the back without any problems. The climbs I rode were similar to what we'd be riding in Vermont in grade (5% ish), but definitely not in length (shorter). So I'm currently on the fence: be a little cocky and run the 12-25? Or err on the side of caution and go with the 12-28, just in case? I think the 12-28 will win (especially when I look at where Mt. Snow comes in the ride).
Consider 13/26 to 52/42. Ranging 13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-26.@Steampunk
Note: 13/26 can be repurposed to renew an 11/21 cassette.
@CanuckChuck
Oups, make that 50/34.
@versio
Yes: endless possibilities (13-26 sounds very plausible). 12-23/12-25 was working primarily with what I already have in the garage. Persuading Mrs. Steampunk to let me go on this jaunt was enough of a task without also trying to justify the purchase of more stuff for "that damn bike."
@Steampunk
Ha! I hear you there!
I'm probably going to stick with the 39/25 low end gearing, then at least I will have some sort of lame excuse when you all spin away from me on the climbs!