[Archaea]

Lotoja is a very well run race, starting as you know in Logan, winding through Preston, up through Montpelier over into Star Valley and up the Snake River ending up in Teton Village.

It was cold for a desert rat, but Viking was at home, calling it nice. I was in full winter gear, shivering.

Viking and I get to the front of the Cat 4s, knowing that might be the only time when we get to be there. It turns out the ride to Preston was leisurely with a nice paceline, done right. It was great and the pace was restful, we averaged about 24 to 25 mph.

So we arrive in Preston at the first of seven feed zones, the peloton does NOT stop and Viking suggests we stop. Okay I wait, well that was the last we saw of the group and we suffered from there on out.

We head out and Viking dumps me after I waited for him. (I told him I wasn't fast enough for him). So I'm time trialing it already. We hit the hill, when whom do I meat, Viking. I figured I'd pull him up the hill, when I got to the top 21 miles later he wasn't to be found. (he was talking to a female cyclist, go figure). However, I noticed my chain is skipping and I'm not able to use the small or big gears. Bad for a descent. So Viking catches me on the descent.

We hook up to the feed zones through the climbing with Viking descending past me, Viking picking up on every skinny female he can grab, and then him dumping me on any flats. He is very strong on flats.

By the time we're 140 miles into it my chain is rattling fierce and we're following some dude who's pulling us in the high twenties.

I can't use my big gears, shout to Viking that it's killing me to spin that fast in my third biggest gear, he laughs like he's seeing a dying climber and says, "every man for himself." I mean this with the fun, only a cyclist can understand. At that time, nobody is thinking clearly but Viking is looking strong. What about the guy with the Ute shirt up front with no pulls from anybody else? That guy was strong.

So I'm I trying to keep my bike together while the internal thigh muscles are convulsing. I'm figuring wow, this sucks.

I arrive at the sixth feed station, having toughed it out, and the kids say, you're only ten minutes behind Viking. Ten minutes? Suck that's too much I'll never catch him.

Ten miles later, flat. Have you ever changed a tubular after 160 miles. I'm not very good when fresh. Profanity was flying a mile a minute. I'm pissed, my chain won't stay in all but a few gears and now I can't keep upright. My right eye is going blind and I'm thinking, "Viking was laughing as he ditched me."

The next three hours were the longest of my short or long life. Pedal, pedal, pedal. Stop put chain back on. This repeated for a very long period as fat ass after fat ass passed me, with mounting anger as each must have laughed.

So I arrive home, take out skewers only to have the rear hub completely fall apart. It had spun out or something.

Things not to do, don't use an 11-23 where you have lots of climbing as even if you're strong enough it taxes your muscles for the flats.

The Lotoja is a perfect race, as it has something for everybody.

Viking is an excellent rider and I'd love to do more races with him. Preferably ones with lots of climbing and no flats. The venue is gorgeous.

Ride the categories as once you're left with non category riders you're left with a bunch of people who have no idea what a paceline is for or how to use one. I hate surges and incorrect pacelines. Our first one was wonderful and we, if we hadn't followed Viking's advice, would have smoked our times. Those guys were only fours but some of them were skilled riders.