The GTDRI Stories: The 10th One - Part 3

Off to the hardest hills of the day.

 "The GTDRI Stories" is a series telling the history, untold tales, and showing the sights from the run of Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitationals. This series will run on Sundays. Thanks for reading!

Now the day was hot and very humid. Not unlike the previous year, yet perhaps a touch hotter,if that was possible. The road went gently upward at first out of Elkader, but soon it was one steep hill after another until we reached pavement for a bit and relief from the gravel. Only the pavement reflected more heat than the gravel. 

Soon we were into my favorite part of this course, the two Level B sections of road, Imperial and Impala roads. There was shade and smooth dirt. While Imperial was a long climb, Impala Road started out as gravel, and that gravel bit just about had all of us undone. Working such grades in the hot Sun was taxing. Well, not for the entire group! Jeremy and a couple others bypassed this section, not wanting to be challenged by the rough beginnings of the dirt section of Impala Road. 

Ascending Imperial Road.

The roller-coaster ride on the gravel section of Imperial Road.

We rested just a bit before the entry to the dirt section of Impala Road. Then we descended onto the flat plain along the Turkey River. Coming out onto pavement again in Garber, we met back up with the others. Then a bit of respite in the A/C of the small convenience store at Elkport. 

Cooling off in the shade of the convenience store at Elkport.

Here we cross the bridge and enter into the big hills beyond it.

Big, long climbs awaited us with the last being the long, arduous climb of Fantail Road. Each pedal stroke a labor for me by this time. I was over-heated and tired. We were 80 miles into the ride and coming onto the end of the loop, but this was the hardest part and because of the way I had the loop clocked, it came at the worst time for us. The heat of the afternoon was at its zenith and our strength was at its ebb. 

Yard sale time. Note the height we were at by the background in the distance.

This is the view back down Fantail Road from the steepest part. Note the wheel tracks in the gravel.

Eventually I made it to the spot where, a year before, I had been struck by the drunk driver. I did not know how I would react when I saw the spot. Maybe it was the fact that I was drained of all energy by that point. Maybe I was numb to it. Either way, I came up upon the spot with no other desire or feeling other than that I wanted to rest. 

Tony and Jeremy were there ahead of me, reminiscing on the details of the incident. I watched casually but I was so drained that I couldn't really respond, nor did I want to. Soon we all got up and just rode away. 

I didn't get far before I needed to stop again. The heat was just too much. Martin was there and tried to help me out with some encouragement to eat and drink. I wasn't feeling it, but his positive attitude sure lifted my spirit a little bit. Enough that I could just pound out the final miles just to get the thing over with.

Lance Andre and his daughter descending the North road into Bixby State Preserve.

I made it to Strawberry Point and walked into the convenience store, relishing the cool air conditioned air inside. I plopped myself in a booth behind lance Andre and his wife and daughter. He was going back to get the car and pick them up, take them back to the campground, and get ready to head back to Dubuque where they lived. He asked if I wanted to sit and wait for him and if so, I could also hitch a ride back to the State Park where my truck was. 

I remember saying that would be great, and well, I must have made it home, but now I hardly remember anything about the day after the convenience store stop. I guess I had mentally shut down and that was the end of the 10th GTDRI for me. 

And I also don't recall saying goodbye to anyone else. It was as if everyone just vaporized at the end of that loop. I do know that a few rode out the entire course, another 8 miles past Strawberry Point. I considered myself a finisher, since I could have ridden in, but well.....why? I'd had more than enough riding that day. 

Next: The aftermath and thoughts on the 10th GTDRI.