Dodging Worms and Rural Midwestern Culture: My Royal 162 Race Report

Friday was hectic to say the least. I wasn't organized and the weather report for Saturday was ever worsening. After throwing everything in the car and dropping my kids off at my parents for the weekend, I headed south to Rochester to pick up my race packet. Being my first time racing in an Almanzo event (hell, this was only my second ever bike race) the rumor was that race director Chris Skogen, puts on a top notch event and his race packets are crafted with loving care. Upon receiving my personal envelope in the crowded bar that was serving as the evenings race headquarters, I quickly left and found a nice, quiet, Greek place and carefully opened it and was not disappointed. Beautiful graphic touches that showed care and craftsmanship. I actually felt bad cramming these elegant cue sheets into my frame bag after I had made all of the turns on the page.
After a great dinner, I checked into my room, got my kit all lined out and hopped in bed. I usually don't have a problem sleeping before a race, but the couple in the next room over were busy well into the night, so I didn't set off on the most rested foot. The morning was cold and damp. Some nervous tension in the parking lot as everyone readied their bikes. Judging by what happened to me and what I witnessed and what I have read from other reports, we collectively went too light in the clothing department. I was packed with enough calories and water to make it through most of the race, knowing there wasn't much of a chance to refuel, but my gloves were woefully inadequate and a warmer layer on top would have been welcome.
We started off at a good pace, not too crazy and it wasn't raining, but the wet gravel instantly coated all but the front rider. Think of adding a lot of water to Portland cement and throwing that mixture through the blades of a fan and riding into it at 20 mph. Regardless, it was great to finally be moving and the riding felt good. The course was beautiful. The leaves in Minnesota really popped in the last week and these gravel corridors snaked through dense forest and the green was vivid! I lost the lead group of 12 or so riders when my front derailleur got stuck in the big ring at the base of a hairpin turn with a big climb. Riders were strung out and there was little pockets of working together, but mostly the chase group was all over the place.
After the first town, I fell into a group with Charlie Farrow and Rob from Rice Lake. We had a nice run of working together, but after the entertaining cyclo-cross section of the course, I ended up popping off the back and riding by myself for pretty much the rest of the day. It had been raining for a while by this point but my spirits were still high and I felt great on the bike. Coming out of the river valley and forest and out into the wide open farmland changed that prospective. There was a constant 20+ mph wind and a cold steady rain. The temps were in the mid 40's and before long my hands really began to suffer. I tried all my ice climbing tricks; swinging my arms to centrifuge the blood into my fingertips, putting my hands inside my jersey on my belly, but the constant rain and wind made it all useless. It got to the point where I couldn't operate the zippers on my frame bag, shift my bike or open my foot wrappers. I had to stop to eat and to change my cue sheets, and when I did, I started shivering uncontrollably. Even when I got back up to speed and had the motor working, I still couldn't stop shivering. I needed to find a place to warm up, but in the meantime, I couldn't stop for any reason. Right around 100 miles into the day, my little oasis presented itself. Tucked into this tiny farm berg, not really a town, but a collection of houses, was a bar.
I must of looked like an alien walking into the dimly lit room, covered in wet limestone silt and shivering, yet the patrons and the bartender treated me like I was their long lost brother. I stayed for 45 minutes eating hot food, drinking coffee and regaining my normal body temp. I answered a lot of questions and in short time felt very much at home despite my muddy intrusion. The bartender even gave me a pair of knit gloves out of her truck! I was blown away. I left a huge tip, gave an even bigger thanks and headed out before I got too comfortable. I was a new man. I had a huge smile on my face as I rode away, and with 60 miles still to ride, I knew without a doubt I would make it.
Just down the road a second oasis appeared. A truck parked on the side of the road with a couple muddy bikes on top and two cold riders inside warming up. I was greeted and offered pizza, wine and coke. I was actually too full from my bar stop to accept anything but a coke to go, but was still very grateful for the thoughtful gesture. Good Nebraska folk!
The rest of the ride is mostly a blur. I kept looking down at my newly acquired knit gloves over my cycling gloves which made me smile. Mostly I remember the worms. The roads were saturated with the constant rain, so the worms were making a mass exodus for the surface. I had empathy for their situation given my grim circumstances earlier in the day. I made every attempt to weave my way in between their outstretched bodies. This and following the cue sheet kept my cold and effort addled mind quite occupied. There were awesome volunteers at the state park, a river crossing up to my knees and passing a handful of riders doing the 100 mile race, but really it was me and my gloves and the worms.
Crossing the finish line was anti-climatic, but very satisfying all the same. I shook Chris's hand, gave thanks for a brilliant challenge and spent the next 40 minutes trying to wriggle out of wet clothes, get into dry ones and get my bike on the car. I was spent.
Stats and gear geekdom- Out of about 60 riders, 25 finished. I was 18th in 13hrs 47min. Winners completed it in 10:43. I rode my Salsa La Cruz Ti with Edge 45 clinchers/35c Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires. 50/34x11/28. Revelate Tangle bag and new version Gas Tank. Awesome rig!
Much praise goes to Chris Skogen for an amazing (free) event that represents the heart and soul of grassroots bike racing. Thank you for all you and the volunteers do to make this happen each year.