Craters 1200k

 Craters 1200k

Is a bicycle a small craft? This was the question I was pondering lying in bed the night before the Craters 1200k. After a very dry summer and beautiful September, the weather in the Pacific Northwest was about to turn. It turned directly into the path of the inaugural Craters 1200k.

The Seattle International Randonneurs (SIR) have run a 1000k version of Crater Lake seven times, always with rave enthusiastic reviews. Seven SIR members pre-rode the course one week prior to the event. That pre-ride produced the most detailed ride report I’ve ever seen, courtesy of Mitch Ishihara. If you didn’t know what to expect, you didn’t read Mitch’s ride report. There was one variable however, the weather. The pre-ride dry weather and tailwinds had been replaced by heavy rain, thunderstorms and headwinds for much of the first two days. Many of you are familiar with the pay for service app Epic Ride Weather. The app produces a detailed weather report along the intended course based upon the predicted speed of the rider.  For this ride, the name was appropriate, emphasis on “Epic”.

 

As the riders tossed and turned in their fitful sleep the night before the ride start, the storms warranting the small craft advisory were wreaking havoc on the course. As 5am approached the certainty of beginning in a dark rain was accepted.  Fifteen anxious riders fiddled with fenders, rain jackets and gps units, temporarily protected from the elements under the Redmond Hampton Inn porte cochère.  Eventually the hesitant peloton rolled into the wet darkened streets. The previous night’s storms had turned the road course into more of a cyclocross event. Branches, trees and power lines were downed everywhere. Several roads were closed and at least one bike path required a “bicycle bucket brigade” as man and machine traversed the debris field.

 

Most of the field stuck together on the first day. The peloton’s already soggy mood dampened further as they stopped at the Packwood control (200km) realizing the power was out.  Fortunately, a generator kept the checkout and coffee machines in working order. The restorative powers of “cup-of-noodles” worked their magic in an otherwise darkened Packwood gas station as elk roamed the parking lot. The rains abated for a while as the course progressed westward.  Stopped at a convenience store, 75km out from the overnight I checked the radar.  At first, I didn’t understand what I was seeing.  We appeared to be completely surrounded by rain, yet it wasn’t currently raining.  Then I zoomed in and the situation was explained.  We were located at the one pixel on the screen where it was not raining.  Shortly we were enveloped in the storm.  Mirroring the start, the remainder of the first day was completed in the darkness and rain. Mercifully the main group sloshed into the warm well stocked overnight in Cathlamet (388km) just after midnight.

 

The overnight controls were well stocked and staffed and therefore highly efficient. There was no need for ensure weighing down drop bags as it was provided at the overnight controls. Multiple sweet or savory hot and cold choices were available before bed and departure. Rags and chain lube came in handy due to the conditions of days 1 and 2. A nice touch appreciated by the riders was that drop bags were waiting in their assigned rooms. These little details maximized sleep which is important since time buffers were hard earned.

 

The sprinkling of a few flats on day one gained momentum on day 2. By day 3 it was an outright deluge.

Many of these roads hadn’t seen rain in months. Now all those flints and tiny pieces of glass had been floated out of their hiding cracks and crevices and had directed their sharp edges towards our tires. Neither tubed nor tubeless setups could withstand the assault. The crescendo of deflations occurred on the third day, not on the road but at a gas station. Ian Hands had leaned his fixed gear against the wall while we sat on the curb snacking. We heard his front tire deflate which seemed odd since there was no rider on the bike and no one even near the bike. As Ian started in the change the front tire, psssssssssss went the rear. It was the exceedingly rare double tubeless spontaneous flat. Teamwork and spicy language facilitated the double tubeless to tube conversion. At this point, flat repair supplies were dwindling and a resupply of tubes and CO² cartridges were secured from Bicycles 101 in Reedsport Oregon, a shop devoted to “Bikes and Guitars”.  Total flat count for day 3 would reach 11, not 10 but 11.  As a counterpoint to a county worried about inflation, our group was occupied by the very real and present deflation!

 

Before lunch on the second day, the riders crossed the mighty Colombia river into Oregon at Astoria.  Despite its designation as an official bike route, the bridge is 4 miles long and a less than pleasant experience to traverse by bicycle. This was especially so for our group, as a squall pounded us with rain and wind during the crossing. The meat of days 2 and 3 featured the Oregon coast along hwy 101. The scenery was spectacular but lumpy. Some sections had quite a bit of car traffic but it always felt safe due to wide shoulders and smooth road surfaces. Drivers were mainly patient as they regularly see bicycle tourists on the 101. Personally, I really enjoyed riding along the coast at night. Car traffic disappeared leaving the roads to us and the sounds of the Pacific Ocean pounding the shoreline. Several times waves breached the sea wall onto the shoulder of the road but never quite soaked us.

 

Just past the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area the course turned inland sending the riders to higher elevations and quieter roads. This became readily apparent on Camp Creek Rd. which was temporarily closed to car traffic due to fallen trees. The road is in the process of being reclaimed by Mother Nature. It is fragmented and steep, very steep. Several bikes were relieved of their burdens as riders walked short sections of Camp Creek. Eventually the summit was reached as it intersects another forest road (873km). Waiting there was volunteer Ken Lanteigne who had pre-ridden a week earlier and who now chose to celebrate his birthday in the middle of nowhere supporting exhausted riders.  

Ken had snacks, chairs and a small camp stove. Empty bottles were replenished. This is not an easily accessible area for a volunteer but it was a very important resupply for the riders.  It is difficult to overstate the degree of dedication it takes to drive to a remote spot in the woods hours from your home on your birthday to support a ride.  Thanks Ken, and happy birthday!

 

A fast descent led to the valley floor where the course began the early gradual ascent toward higher altitudes and the final overnight. Limited motel accommodations split the peloton into two motels separated by 13km. The final day would be a challenge and most of the peloton was rolling by 4:30-5:30am.  Greeting the riders on day 4 was a steady climb of around 130km accumulating 2700m of ascent which would place them at the rim of the Crater and the literal and metaphysical high point of the ride 2340m (7678ft).  Rose and Greg Cox met riders on the climb at Diamond Lake (1061km) and then again at the Rim Village (1099km) in their well-stocked pickup which proved to be a roving oasis.

The 40k descent down from Crater Lake was a well-deserved reward from their all-day climb.  It also served to keep weary riders awake.  Particularly invigorating were the cut rumble strips on a section of 9% downhill! The descent led into a beautiful flat (I shouldn’t have used that word) section through farmland with the setting sun off to the right.  The glory parade home was interrupted by one final flat repair (see I told you) and a short but steep gravel climb toward the finish.

 

A small celebration punctuated the successful completion with Thai food and malted beverages supervised by the big game trophies overlooking the lobby at the Best Western Olympic Inn, Klamath Falls.  The following day riders departed via Amtrak for the journey back to Seattle or points further South.

 

The Craters 1200k was an epic adventure over some of the most spectacular scenery the US has to offer.  Despite a challenging course, variable weather and the threat of smoke from ongoing forest fires, the ride was executed to perfection by the Seattle International Randonneurs.  Events like the Craters 1200k require many hours of hard work and planning.  RUSA and its members are fortunate to have so many dedicated and talented volunteers to host these Grand Randonnées.  Massive thanks to Rose Cox, Greg Cox, Mark Thomas, Matt Close, Yonnel Gardes, Gary Cruce, Vinny Muoneke, Susan Otcenas, Graham Ross, Bill Dussler, Thai Nguyen, Mitch Ishihara and Ken Lanteigne.