Race Across Oregon, day 2

How long can you ride without eating?

My Garmin data tells me I burned 27,768 calories in the 378 miles total I rode.

I just couldn't get food down. I haven't added up the nutrition totals but suspect maybe about 150 calories/hour.  Not nearly enough to sustain the effort required.

It was not looking good for a finish within the 48 hour time limit, and then a ~30 mph headwind developed. It spelled the end to RAO 2012 for me, and my RAAM dreams for 2013.... unless.  I'd have to find another RAAM qualifier between now and next June and be able to complete it.  My current RAAM qualification expires in October.

An interesting side note, people saying their legs were jello.........  mine were!  I sat down on a guard rail to remove my bike shoes for some air and notice all muscle tone was gone in my legs.  My normally well defined legs looked as if the were half set jello on broom sticks.  No exaggeration. I was concerned that the lack of nutrition had started the process of self cannibalization to maintain activity.  I was relieved to find just a few short hours the muscle tone had returned.  I'm not a sports physiologist, but suspect that the lack of muscle tone was a result of no electrical signals getting to the muscles.

At any rate, I am glad I am still going to do RAMROD on Thursday!

At 4PM I entered time station 5, Fossil. It was apparent that despite only having 137 miles to go, and 13 hours left to do it, that I just didn't have a way to get it done within the time frame allotted.  It was not just a dnf at RAO that was on the line, it was likely my 2013 RAAM ambitions as well that will now have to be rethought.  I'll have to find an answer to the digestive issues that plague me often.

Again, more photos, data, and video coming later.

........road bike.......rollers.........mtb.....lifecycle.....total Today.......103..............0..............0..........0...........103  Jan.........105.............34.............0..........0..........139 Feb.........428............108.............0.........24..........536 March.......809..............0.............0.........22............831 April.........1010..............0.............0..........0.........1010 May..........1000..............0.............20..........0.......1020 June..........1500...............0...............0............0.....1500
 July...........1232...............0................0............0......1232  YTD........6065............142............20.........46.........6273