Saturday, August 23, 2003

2003 Hotter n Hell

Hotter n Hell 50-mile skate
1 year delay
It started out as a joke. I was going to skate Hotter n Hell 2002 with Texas Flyers. Duane found floor space for everyone and volunteered to make dinner. Donnie called us from the course Friday afternoon about the unskatable road surface. I carbo loaded at Duane's house (good job on the pasta, Duane) and went home.

Someone joked they should have 6"-wheel version of speedskates for rough road. I'm a Darwin Award fan, I figured, why not. The 13 lb skates should increase my odds.

I came close to not skating Hotter n Hell 2003, which requires getting a room in Wichta Falls or getting up early in the morning. I lack these skills. Fortunately Fuzi Dave took pity on me and sublet his hotel room. Fuzi also helped me with the toughest part of the even: getting up on time. I actually had time for a sit-down breakfast and for replacing a popped wheel, which I overpumped while whining why they couldn't start the ride at 1pm.


The Start
The weather was beautiful at the start, definitely not hotter than. The road toward back of the bike line was so long my ride became HH52. Saw Donnie, Dave Ahadi and 2 other skaters. Tony and Olga stayed at the back w/ the skaters Dave informed me doing 50 miles in Coyotes is not easy.

I skated up and down the spectator section while trying to convince my GPS and camera not to turn themselves off by vibration and ungentlemanly language. Many riders and spectators were curious about my doing the event in the odd-looking skates. Most questions had to do with whether I was crazy. My answer got shorter and shorter as the day went on:

"I don't know, are you?"
"No, just Stupid."
"Absolutely."
"Yes!"
"Yep"


Easy first miles
Donnie and I waited over 40 min for the road to clear. It was good to finally put the electronics aside and get some exercise. I saw Donnie quickly disappeared in his 5-wheel skates. I slowly pass tendon bikes and baby trailers and occasionally stopped for photos when my camera happened to be on. I saw a few riders crashed into curbs because they had problem handling < 5 mph speed in the crowd.

The crappy but skatable surface quickly turned into black ice. I stopped and refueled at first 2 rest stops. Great support, great weather, great road, great people. I started to enjoy myself and thought maybe I could've done the 100 km.

The unprepared Idiot.
After the first rest stop I got overconfident about my speed. I threw away the 3rd water bottle because it got in the way of the camera bag. I don't remember much of the road right after rest stop 2. I became obsessed and was busy "fixing" my GPS and camera. I finally accepted that carrying the extra gear was a mistake.

Soon I came to a T-intersection and didn't know which way to go. This was when I realized I forgot my map. I waited under the bridge, and 3 wise-looking local cyclists came up and showed me the way. 4 of us stayed together for much of the ride.


Rest stop 3
100k and 50-mile routes met at rest stop 3. Hooked up with a happy and relaxed Fuzi on his hybrid bike.

Several Dallas bikers said hi; they ride at Whiterock on Tuesdays or Thursdays and saw the Texas Flyers. More people told me how cool the Coyotes were. The words "tall" and "stud" were used.

Highway 44
I felt less and less studly by the minute as I start to have problem keeping up with my newfound bike friends. I see myself toe-pushing and could do nothing to correct it. Blisters developed inside the hot socks, 3 on each foot. I took pride in their symmetry until 1 popped and its sister blister didn't. I missed my custom boots. My heart rate started to go nuts as the temperature approached hell.

I must have looked pretty pathetic at this point. 1 of my new friends suggested I could hang on to her jersey. I politely declined. Being a bicep-less but macho male, I suggest racing up the ramp to Interstate 44 access road.

Fuzi and I impressed the girls by flying up the ramp. This was the only section of Hwy 44 I felt confident. The road surface was less than black ice. It gets worse as I ran out of water. My feet were on fire; the legs were running on sour milk; heart rate was on the wrong side of the anaerobic threshold. I was about to bonk. Someone mentioned 15 more miles to finish. I didn't know if I could do 5. The rest stop was nowhere in sight. I started to consider grabbing the cute girl's jersey. It's better than sagging. I sure could use that 3rd bottle of water now.

It suddenly dawned on me: I could just slow down. My friends adjusted their pace. I made it through the crappy road drafting behind them.


Big rest stop
Boy was I happy to see the overdue rest stop. I skated through a dried up ditch to get to water station. All-terrain skates come in handy once a while. I didn't feel so bad after hydration and cold towel. Scarlett tele-encouraged me on Fuzi's cell phone.

I couldn't find my ride buddies as I walked out of the port-a-potty. I felt a bit lost. I wondered if Superman ever felt this way when he walked out of phone booth.


Sheppard Air Force Base
The crappy road surface ended soon after the rest stop. I started to pass bikes again. I was strong, fresh, happy. I entered the base with a large pack. More spectators cheered us on. I stopped and took photos of airplanes. I stopped to thank the volunteers at the rest stop inside the base and realized I was near the end of HH 50. I didn't want it to end. I want it to last longer.


Final miles
My wish came true. I came to a long straight road with new pavement.
The 6" wheels barely rolled on the long stretch of black chip n seal. I duck-walked and wonder if urethane wheels would be easier. Hundreds of bikes passed by shouting encouraging words, especially the ones I passed at the airbase. No one asked me the crazy question any more. One rider actually hit the brake just to high five. This is the type of events that make guys hug each other, and not just sideways.

I was in no rush. I no longer cared about taking photos or keeping pace. I just wanted to remember this day. I reflected on the sequence of events that let me to Coyoting HH 50, starting with an impulse buy on eBay and not quite knowing what to do once the 7" high-heel arrived. I thought about all the friends who skated with me Tuesday nights. I recalled skating from Fort Worth to Dallas and bonking at the ballpark. I don't know why I do things like long distance skating, but I love doing it. Maybe I am crazy.

I chatted with a few more cyclists as we rode by the closed stores near downtown. We heard the announcer at the finish line and saw the century riders coming in from the opposite direction, each one looked exhausted. After 2 right turns, I sprinted, caught a century rider, drafted, and finished with him. I was so grateful my body didn't fail me.


Post ride
Talked with some Pegasus Flyers bikers at finish line about the absent Flyers. Went to the water and banana tent and chatted with riders met on the road. Drank like a fish and ate like a monkey. Life is good.

Tony and Olga came to Fuzi's room for shower. Except for Tony, we spent most of the time lying down waiting for dinner. Tony found comfort putting his forehead on the socks on table.

After a big dinner, I drove home and got ready for the Texas Flyer Sunday morning skate. I faced the great challenge of getting up for the 7 am A2A practice without Fuzi's help. At least I didn't have to worry about over pumping the wheels this time.