Three Cyclists Put In 176 Miles in Monday's 'Epic Ride'
July 10, 2008—Sea to Sea riders continue heading southeast today on course for Boise, Idaho this weekend. Today’s 46 mile (74 km) leg from Baker City to Huntington looks to be a short, fast ride along the rolling hills of Oregon.
Earlier this week, however, three cyclists headed in the opposite direction, retracing their route and putting in 176 miles (281 kms) in one day.
Reuben Vyn, of Portland, Ore., had left some personal belongings in Seattle and, when the courier he hired failed to deliver the goods to Sunnyside before the tour left on Saturday morning, Vyn made plans to go back and get them.
The trip would involve cycling 50 miles back to Sunnyside from their weekend stop in Kennewick, then turning around and repeating the journey and adding Monday’s 70-mile ride from Kennewick to Pendleton, Ore.
Vyn convinced Nicolas Ellens, of Hamilton, Ont., and Joshua Krabbe, of Calgary, Alta., to join him. “It’ll be an epic ride,” he told them. “On a trip like this, these are the days you really remember.”
The trio signed off the tour Monday morning—a requirement when riders choose to take their own route—and headed northwest to Sunnyside. After eventually finding the courier further north in Granger, they retrieved Vyn’s belongings and headed back.
Facing heat, hills and headwinds, the journey was a test of physical and mental endurance. On his blog, Krabbe recounted an essential list of reminders. “Drink even though you don't want to drink. Eat even though you don't want to eat. Turn over the pedals even though you'd rather coast. Take your turn at the front even if it's short because the rest of us are hurting too.”
After almost nine hours of riding, the trio arrived at camp in Pendleton at 8:20 p.m. and rejoined the tour. Ellens reported on his blog that they had collectively consumed 59 bottle of water.
Vyn was glad he had company for the journey. “It would have been a lot harder and taken a lot longer for me if they hadn’t come,” he said.
All three were ready to go the next day and enjoyed Tuesday’s much shorter 57-mile (92-km) ride to La Grande. In his synopsis, Ellens blogged: “Today was nowhere near as adventuresome as yesterday but I’m quite OK with that.”
Sea to Sea Communications