Tale of the GPS.
Trikkenut 100k #4 Ride Report
After carving 20-60 miles up and down the Ventura County, California coastline, how do the participants from the 4th Annual Trikkenut 100k really feel about their Herculean challenge?
Last year, TrikkeWorld got the 411 from 10 riders who were there in an article titled, Road Warriors of Ventura. This year, we decided: why not a sequel? Here now, in their own words, 10 responses to the following query: “Trikkenut IV. What was the good, the bad and the ugly, and what will you remember most?”
Juan C. Ortega
South Gate, Calif.
The longest ride of my life, from the beach to the hills and back, three times. Oh, what a thrill, that after two flats, 100k (62.2 miles), and very strong winds on the last lap, our Trikke family was waiting to welcome and cheer us on.
I met some great Trikkers from out of state and out of the country. Thanks to Claudio and crew for an amazing ride. Afterwards, my mind, body and soul were saying, let’s go, for one more! This is what happens when you riiiiiide!
Shelly Hage
Scottsdale, Arizona
Trikkenut 4 was exhilarating! I couldn’t have dreamed of a more fun or supportive group of people to help give me the confidence to both attempt and complete two laps of this ride, far exceeding my goal of one.
The only wrinkles in an otherwise over-the-top, awesome experience were the exhausting
Wilson Wong was there.
little headwinds on the second (and downhill) half of each lap. (And failing to apply sufficient sunscreen.)
Martin Vasilevski
Tustin, Calif.
The trail was really good and well-marked. The organization was excellent. Everything was covered, from express trail support, to the great BBQ on the beach. But what would you expect from a Trikkenut?
I loved the overcast weather for the first two laps, which made the race much easier. I think it helped me finish second. I met many new great Trikke buddies and had fun riding and passing each other on the same (or opposite) direction of the trail.
Ugly part of the ride: toward the end of the second loop, when I couldn’t feel my leg muscles, my feet were getting numb and I felt cramps in my legs. After a couple of oranges, lots of water and some cheese at the pit stop (mile 41.7), I was able to finish 62.63 miles feeling very sore but happy to have accomplished this kind of distance for the first time. I’ll be back next year!
Gina Alo
Camarillo, Calif.
The Good (actually great): weather, friends, food, and great host, Claudio Pagan.
The Bad (but not too bad): aching shoulders, quads and feet, but my preparation before the ride and stretching after really helped.
The Ugly: my hair after 100 kilometers of Trikke riding in a helmet.
What I’ll remember the most: as always, riding along with good friends helps me get through this ride. Eight hours and 25 minutes of riding is easier with friends. My best time was two years ago, when I rode alone (7 hrs, 30 minutes), but it was my loneliest 100k.
Mark Hanebury
Chowchilla, Calif.
Was great!
Post-ride therapy.
Angjelko Pancevski
Escondido, Calif.
The good: weather for the first two loops.
The bad: doing 100k in three loops.
The ugly: several flat tires, Rich [Goff], Quincy [Jeffries].
The best: meeting friends and having a lot of fun.
Sissie Lola
Fremont, Calif.
What a blast! I’ve attended three of the four Trikkenut’s 100k’s, so far. It’s like a family reunion, except better! New or veteran, we all ride to challenge our personal best. What draws me to this sporting event is the camaraderie and family fun!
John Simpson, Trikke Tech CEO
Carpinteria, Calif.
The Good: the first lap on the T12 I borrowed from Trikke Tech, flowing niiiice.Being a part of such a great event with such a powerful bunch of committed Trikkers. What a great support group! The Bad: getting passed by John [Goolevitch] and Juan [Ortega]. Just kidding! The Ugly: bowing out of lap three because I thought my tendonitis was rearing its ugly head (knee is fine now).
John Goolevitch
Vancouver, Canada
Never having attending a ride of this magnitude, I was excited about the challenge. I was also concerned about how I would do in this environment, being used to a lot rainy, cold days in Canada.
I was amazed by the camaraderie. So much in common on more than one level. Not only do we share the love of Trikke, many also shared the struggle with weight loss and health improvement. I love that!
Men at play.
It was inspiring, watching everyone push themselves more than they thought possible. The expressions of joy in all their faces were awesome. Breakdowns, flats and fatigue happened, but that’s part of it. We all persevered and ended up still enjoying every minute of it all.
Claudio Pagán
Ventura, Calif. (Host, organizer and self-described Trikkenut)
The weather couldn’t have been any better. Temperatures in Ventura were in the 60-70 degree range — typical for this time of year and perfect for a long endurance ride.
It was overcast for the first half of the event, with the sun breaking through in the afternoon. The wind did come up a bit mid-ride, but in my humble opinion, it wasn’t a major factor.
For the first time ever, we got the ride off, as scheduled, though in my haste, I didn’t brief the riders, and for that, I apologize. I’m very sorry, it won’t happen again.
Along with the usual cast of So Cal characters, we had guests from Arizona, the San Francisco Bay Area and Canada. Even Trikke Tech CEO John Simpson came out after only a few miles of training and completed two laps. He vowed to come next year, but said he would train, so he can do the full 100k.
Gildo [Beleski, Trikke inventor] was there. He’s been to every 100k and of course, he blew away the competition.
Twenty-four riders of the 30 scheduled showed up and we had nine 100k finishers. All in all, another fun and challenging ride where the participants got a chance to test their metal.
This is the one and only race/ride of this kind in the whole Trikke world community. Come out and test your skills next year. I think you’ll find it’s worth the effort.
UPDATE (6.16.12): Ride Report by Debbie Bumgardner of Encino, Calif. (inadvertently omitted from the original post).
My longest distance ride, to date, had been 26 miles at Aliso Creek. I knew I wouldn’t go three rounds — 63 miles on a Trikke — crazy, nuts! It was great, seeing so many carvers come from near and far to participate, including my bud from the Trikke Academy, Shelly Hage, who flew in from Arizona.
It was a day of firsts for me. First time at the Trikkenut. First time I’ve had terrible stomach cramps brought on by any morsel of energy snack. First time I’ve seen carvers actually start a ride on time — love that Claudio!
Oh, the joy of seeing the start/finish line within reach, after a long day of banging out the miles — another first for me, 42 of them!
Photo at the top of this story by Angjelko Pancevski
Remaining photos by Martin Vasilevski
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More Trikkenut coverage on TrikkeWorld:
Trikkenut Endurance 100k, 2011 round up
Trikkenuts carve-up 100k of Ventura County, Calif. (2012 preview)
Plus, more endurance ride coverage:
Buellton Hill Climb Endurance Ride round-up (2011 and 2012)
How to survive and endurance Trikke Ride
Click here for details
