I did this event in 2010’ and have a post about it, interesting to look back.
HERE IS THIS YEARS VERSION
First of all, this is a BAD ASS hill climb. Second of all, when you add 50 mph, (44 knowts) winds, and 20’sF, (-6C) temperature, this becomes seriously a race against mother nature, not each other. I have never seen so many hypothermic people in one place. I saw one bicyclists get blown sideways into the mountain, he couldnt react fast enough, the wind turned him 90 degrees and pushed the bike with him on it right into the mountain headfirst. Sounds of people falling off their bikes behind me, crazy. 12 miles, (19 km’s) with a vertical of 4,800’ (1463 meters) with many miles of sustained grades of 10% or greater. The Boulder Field was surreal, heavy fog, Hard Rime Ice formed from about 13k to the summit, covering everything but the road. Many people walking, including myself; the intense headwind stopped me completely. I walked a couple hundred yards when the grade was 13%, winds were 50+mph, (44 knots) in the 13,500’, (4,115 meters) range. Got back on and summited this beast in 2:45 minutes. I finished 57th out of 96 riders, all bicyclists. This was such an incredible experience, on such an iconic mountain, Pikes Peak 14,115’ ,(4,302 meters)
I was stopped in my track twice by the wind, not bitch slapped though. I worked the wind with my torso and arms as wings many times during the ride; fun and challenging.
Thanks but its just what I do; I think anyone that unicycles is Amazing!
The bad ass that day was mother nature, and the guy on the hand cycle.
Thanks, I was told that they had over 300 entrys, only 96 made it to the top of 14,115’, 4,302 meters i was NOT in race mode, but survival mode and wanted to summit a 14er on the Uni.
Yeah it was cold, yeah it was hard but life is made up of experiences and this was just another awesome experience for me! Life is great- Peace
