New look!

Just like the Oregon Duck's uniforms, the GC Connection blog is always changing its look (by the way - Oregon, and their new retro uni's, beat #6 Cal today 42 to 3). I was trying something new and updating photos. I think it looks really good. I did want to give a small post Lotoja update. My knee is feeling pretty good this year. I have been riding. Might start doing some cyclocross races here in the near future. There are only a few on Saturday this year. I am really excited to have my Lotoja hanger up in my closet and holding my clothes. Man, what a great thing it is to have to motivate me for next year (sense my sarcasm). You think they could have done something better than that.

Lotoja- THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Hey lets go an a mid-night ride!

Our great support crews! Great horn this year!

Papa Suttlemyre enjoying his first support for the Connection.

Adam and Mindy leading the charge.

GC making the pass.

Is that all that hill can offer?

Mindy trying to get the motor to work.

Happy climbers.

The river was beautiful!

Almost to Jackson, the train was rolling.

Happy faces as it is done!

Lotoja- THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Lotoja 2009 was quite the ride. I have waited a week to post so all the emotions could settle. After being up for about 24 hours, 12 of it on a bike and the rest in a car driving home the same day I had had enough. This year we had probably one of our fastest ride times, yet slowest race times. I think it was the STACHE curse that caused all the break downs and problems. You don't see DZ riding with a stache now. He will not be riding the world championships with a hairy lip. Besides I used his DZ Nuts and thought my vitals were being burned off. To hot for me. This was a very stressful ride as we started in the dark with make shift lights and many inexperienced riders and fast speeds, not a great combo. We had been in for about 30 minutes and four guys in front of us hit wheels and went down hard. I dodged between a shattered bike (Carbon wheels broken 90 degrees) and a face planted and sliding rider. That was the ugliest crash I have seen. Then about 15 minutes later on a 90 degree turn the guy right in front of us takes the corner to fast and goes down hard as he slides across the road. It is still to dark to see if the group is together and you don't darn look around for fear of crashing. Finally it got light enough to pull out and look around and Brady and I saw no one, so we soft pedaled and it took awhile to get everyone back together. We had a great climb out of Preston and all stayed together and enjoyed to view and chatting. Russ broke a spoke at the top and tried to ride down but broke another so we called Betty to drive back to us and change wheels. She was alone and not sure where she was, but finally decided she could follow the riders to us. It took at least an hour and then we got on our way. The king of the mountain went well but as we headed down following the tandem, Brady and I were right behind Adam and Mindy and doing about 50 miles an hour as a SUV was trying to go past a rider going slow and we were flying. The tandem doesn't brake very well and Adam could only go to the riders right and hope for the best. Brady and I had to follow, but as we get just past the rider Brady hits a gust of wind and his Carbones start to wobble and I thought he was going down, but he rode it out and we dodged another bullet. The ride from Afton to Alpine was a free for all! Riders everywhere. Trying to pass slower riders with the rumble strips and trying to stay out of the head wind it was quite the section. The tandem was to long to go in and out of the rumble breaks so Adam and Mindy had some pretty bumpy section. The ride up out of Alpine along the river was beautiful and fun to see our support groups along this section. We finally made it to the finish with all of us having different feelings about the ride. It was by far the best ride I have had and I felt strong to the end. Retirement does have its advantages. Who knows about next year! Kim had some issues later so there will be some definite changes. For all the cost, preparation, travel and energy one would have to wonder why anyone would do it. But after six years for me and seven for some of the group it is still something I think about all year, for good and bad. I am glad I have ridden it. Ride Safe
Doug

What was I thinking?

So, Last Monday I decided to start jogging with my PE classes (I jogged about 800-1000 meters every period). Tuesday my legs felt OK so I did it again. Then I felt good so I actually ran a mile. I ran hard, but not all out. When I was finish I felt great, but then a few hours later my calfs started locking up. Then on Thursday I could hardly walk. I thought I might need to jog again to get the lactic acid out of my legs (wrong idea). So all day Friday and Saturday I have been walking around like Larry and his two rebuild knees. Jogging/ Running is stupid!!!
I ran one mile at about 85 % (5:35 mile) and my legs hurt more than completing 206 miles on a bike.
Why run when you can ride.
I heard that most of GC Connection is out for Lotoja next year. I just wanted everybody else to know that the tandem will keep the tradition going.
"Lotoja 4 LIFE"

Lotoja pics

If you want to see the pic form Zazoosh go to http://www.zazoosh.com/ click on Lotoja 2009 and then type in your number (or watch the slide show and see our team). Then go to lost and found and select 100 pics per page and I have already found the rest of them for you (I might have missed one or two).
The team pics that were placed in the lost and found section be found on pg. 4, 28, 35, 53, 58 (on pg 58 is where you can find the pic that is in the slide show on zazoosh home page), 76, 85, and 86.
I hope that helps in the search. We also need to collect all the pics that were taken from the support crew and make a disk for everyone.

Always an Adventure

Pics from the ride that was Lotoja 2009

The pre-ride photo

The DZ stache crew (Bub's looked good up close)

I'm clean faced again. Mindy loves the new look...



..and is glad this look is gone.

The power behind the tandem

The view behind the train that is GC Connection

Russ Loving the pain that is Lotoja

I think Dave was shocked that he made it to Jackson (all the training set back he had this year), but he did great.

Another pic from behind the train

During our mechanical break down, I actually got to see some of the scenery (I usually only see the road) and a hawk up on the top of the pole.

Mindy took a pic of this bug who caught a ride on my back.

A look back at the GC Train from the front.

Nice photo Bub

The highlight of the day.... the finish.

Top five things I learned this year....

5. I plan on eating PB&J at every stop, but never do. I can eat them early in the ride, but I need find something else to eat after mile 120.

4. The only thing you can plan on is that we will never have a perfect ride. You can count on at least 1 one hour stop due to one of the following

-Weather (05)

-Mechanicals (05, 09)

-Cramps (06, 07)

-Vomiting (03,04, 05, 06, 07, 08,09)

-You get the idea

3. The ride isn't always fun, but it does bring us together as a family.

2. 12 hours on a bike with your wife... priceless. Brooke you would love the adventure that is Lotoja, and Bub you would enjoy the new challenge that is the Tandem. Michelle would also be a great addition to our team (and to Russ) because only Doug rides more miles than her.

1. The number one thing I learned this year is to NEVER DRIVE HOME AFTER YOU FINISH LOTOJA.

Until we ride Lotoja next year, ride strong.....but not tomorrow.

Lotoja 09

As always Lotoja was very eventful. What would a Lotoja race be like without a mechanical issues (Russ breaking a spoke), someone getting sick (I wasn't feeling to well in the gut, until I got my Amodium AD), or everyone hitting their maximum threshold. I felt like the mustache made the difference. It gave me the power to overcome, thanks to DZ for the inspiration. This year I have decided to give out some BC Lotoja Awards.

Most Inspirational - Kim overcame a lot in the last year to get to ride Lotoja again this year. It was a great to see him out there doing it again. It meant a lot to have him out there.

Best support crew - We have the best support crew around! I don't know what we would do without you all. Thanks a ton.

Greatest race food - About half way through the race food and the idea of food starts to sound bad. This year my life saver were the Otter Pops. After getting up to the top of the KOM hill I devoured two of them, and boy did they test good.

Best legs - Russ! Check out the legs in the boots.

Strongest rider - Doug tore it up! Need I say more.

I don't know what they are thinking award - I have a hard enough time riding it by myself. I don't know how you two do it on a tandem. More power to you!

Famous last words - I am not doing that again.

Bonus number 1

Over the course of the year you forget how nice it is to see family and share something in common. The bonus number one for Lotoja '09 is getting to hang out and see family. Thanks Bonnie for the spaghetti dinner. Wish us all the luck! Lotoja in 6 hours....

Bonus #1 - Hanging with family!

#1

Last but not least, number 1. I know all of you have been expecting this one as number, so here it is. The greatest all time moment was when Kim had to make a pit stop 1 mile from the next stop. I don't think any of us will forget that one. I am glad that Mindy wasn't riding with us that year. Kim it will be good to have you back this year!

#1 - The unexpected pit stop.

#2

I am thinking this will year will go down in history as the stache power year. I would like to thank DZ for that one. He is the inspiration behind this. I am glad to hear that most of us are on board with it. I will not take another picture of it, you will have to wait until I get there (you won't see much, but I am trying to build the suspense).

#2 - The year of the stache.

#3

I don't know what I would do with out my iPod. It is quite a long ride and I love to rock out. My first year I didn't use an iPod, so Sutt and I were singing out loud for a while. Good times. I do have to say I like rocking out to my iPod a little better. Sometimes I even look like the numa numa guy.

#3 - I love my iPod.

#4

I am still amazed by this one. Number 4 is the year that Doug rode with a fractured leg. I couldn't find a picture, but it was pretty painful for the guy. The bump was pretty big. (If anyone has a picture let me know)

#4 - Doug riding Lotoja with a fractured leg.

#5

We are almost done with my cheesy list. Half way there and only one more week to Lotoja. It rained pretty much all day today. I did get for a little ride today though.

My number five memory is one that I seem to say a lot at the end of each Lotoja - "I'm done! No more for me." But alas, I keep on doing them. So number five represents the five I have finished and me saying no more, but I keep doing them any way. It is one of the only times all year I get to ride with everyone. I was talking to my friend today about how cool it is to get to do something like this with my family.

#5 - Famous last words - "This is my last one." - That never come to pass.

#6

Russ, I am jealous. I wish I could do that! #6 takes us back to 2005. I don't think any of us will forget that year. When we started out the weather was pretty nice, but it quickly turned for the worst. At the first rest stop in Preston we didn't have our warm clothes to change into, so we ventured on without them. It was one of the coldest experiences of my life. It was so cold! There was even snow up on top of some of the peaks. But alas we made it, and worst of all we did it the next year.

#6 - Riding in the cold makes for a long miserable ride.

The cop stach is in full effect. Just give me a doughnut and a cup joe. Hey Bubba, this is after a week.

#7

I don't know if you have ever ridden up a hill with Kim, but this is pretty similar to what it sounds like.

#7 There are a lot of hills in Lotoja

#8

I don't know who's more diehard about Lotoja the riders or Bonnie, the lead support crew specialist. We couldn't do the race without the support crew. Last year as we came into a feed zone it was an awesome site to see the GCC flag waving in the air. Thanks support crew.

#8 We couldn't do this without the support crew.

#9

#9 Mountain Dew is the best recovery drink!