3-State 3-Mountain 2005

Bring on the Mountains

by Dan Steighner - Registration #28

When I look back on what this riding season’s experiences have brought to me I will definitely take a hard look at the weekend of May 7, 2005.  This look will have a magnitude of mixed emotions.  This was the weekend of the 18^th annual 3 State 3 Mountain Century, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  It is said you always remember your first and this was my first attempt at mountains on a bicycle.

Before getting into my ride experience I have to give praise to the Chattanooga Bicycle Club, the city of Chattanooga and all the volunteers that made this experience possible.  I can not imagine the amount of work it takes to put on an event to accommodate more than 1200 riders but they did it and did it with a smile on there faces.  As I thanked volunteers, from police blocking intersections to personnel on the route, I always received the same reply, “Thank you for riding”.  The city of Chattanooga is one of the most bicycle friendly cities I have ever seen.  Cars sitting at intersections waiting for 1200 riders to pass never honked out of anger and the only words I heard spoken were words of encouragement.  Again I say thank you and I can’t wait to come back.

The ride started at 8:00am and the temperature was a muggy 46 degrees.  I wasn’t sure if I was shaking because of the thought of the first climb or because all I brought was shorts and short sleeve jerseys.  Starting was a little slow but finally all 1200 of us were on our way.  Not knowing the route was tough because every assent we started up I thought was the big climb.  This happened often because there is no flat land in Tennessee; at least that is how I remember it. 

It didn’t take long for us to get to my maiden climb.  Around the seven-mile mark we started up Suck Creek Mountain.  Listed as a gradual climb but the longest in length.  I’m not sure about the gradual part but I will vouch for long.  We went up and up and then up some more before reaching the SAG at the top, 2050 ft elevation.  Just a bit bigger climb than the climb up mid bay bridge.  The feeling in my legs already had me questioning my decision to want to try mountains.

The ride down was fun but could easily get out of control if your not careful.  Most of the time on the decent I was between 35-45 mph.  Faster would have been possible but it didn’t take long for me to know I didn’t know the roads well enough.  I encountered many road signs warning cars to slow to 15mph and I wasn’t much faster on the bike in these turns.  One street sign listed a turn as a 300-degree turn.  Trouble could have been easy to get into.

The ride between Suck Creek Mountain and Sand Mountain was long and anything but flat.  It was more like a never-ending Bob Sykes road with a few Holt Hills thrown in for good measures.  By the way my legs were feeling at this point I knew the next two climbs were going to be tough.  I must admit that when I got to the century and metric split I was thinking 62 miles was looking good but pride, determination and a dose of ignorance kept me going straight into climb number two.

Starting the climb up Sand Mountain came around 50 miles into the ride.  Oh, did I forgot to mention the bonus mountain, a little climb called Lad Mountain.  Lad Mountain was just long and steep enough to get your legs really burning just before starting Sand Mountain.  To make it even better the sadistic person who marked the course like to put little messages on the road and the message on Lad Mountain was, “this is not a mountain” with a smiley face.  Most of the riders around me were not smiling back.

With only a quarter mile left to reach the top of Sand Mountain, I had to get of the bike for the first time.  I experienced the mother of all cramps in both legs like I have never felt in my life.  It felt like I had tennis balls under the skin just above both knees.  This was somewhat disheartening since my main goal was not to get off the bike during any of the climbs.  I didn’t think this was too much to ask from the biking gods.  I worked the cramps out got back on the bike and finished the climb.  Now it was time to implement plan B, finish the ride no matter what it takes.  Even if I had to walk the bike all the way back to Chattanooga I was finishing this ride.  I would not be beat by the mountain.  This all sounded good in my head.

Now that I survived the climb up Sand Mountain there was a great ride across the ridgeline.  The views where spectacular and it seemed to make all the pain worth it, NOT!!!!  Again the ride across the ridge was wonderful rolling hills bigger than most of what we encounter here in the Florida flat lands.  This went on for most of 20+ miles until we reached the SAG at the bottom of Burkhalter Gap Road.  I knew this wasn’t going to be good when they had a SAG stop at the bottom and then another 2.4 miles later at the top.

My legs already screaming at this point with every push of the pedals, any climb would cause the mother of all cramps to revisit my legs.  After establishing my plan of attack for the last climb and I was ready to go.  Again this all sounded wonderful in my head.  (I hate those voices)  The plan was to have no more than a half full camel back and no water in the water bottles to lighten the load.  I was desperate to try anything at this point.  The code name for the plan was OPERATION SURVIVED.  At this point time wasn’t important only finishing the ride was.  So after petting Charlie (not his real name) the one eyed Basset Hound for luck I started up.  Seven-tenths into the climb I had to stop and work out the cramps in my legs one more time.  After getting back on the bike I managed to get to the steepest section of the climb.  Affectionately called the wall by riders.  As much as I fought this mountain I had to dismount the bike one more time.  This is where the ride gets weird.  Satan started yelling at me to get back on the bike.  Yes Satan, complete with horns and pitchfork.  I hope this was just a guy dressed up, but I’m telling you what I saw.  He commanded me to get back on my bike, even told me he would push so I could get started on this ultra steep incline.  Well, with the Dark Prince’s help I was on my way to crest the summit and I did.  After eating some fruit, drinking some fluids and cleaning my glasses so I could see more than shadows I was off to finish.  After a five mile up and down ride across the ridge it was time to coast down Lookout Mountain back to Chattanooga to the start finish line. 

Unexpectedly there was one more climb to negotiate, that was the over pass across Interstate 24, and by this time of the ride it took all I had left to climb the overpass.  A few minutes later I could see the check in table.  I had to laugh when the lady at the table took my name and handed me a patch with the ride logo on it, because right in the middle it says I survived and this is just how I felt.  I skipped the after ride pizza and beer and kept riding straight to my hotel and ran the hottest tub of water I could to just sit and soak my tired body.

If you had asked me Saturday night if I would ever want to ride mountains again I would of laughed at you.  Since then the pain is gone and I have forgotten how tough it was.  Now all I can think about is next year and the 19^th Annual 3 State 3 Mountain ride and completing it without getting off the bike.  If you have never rode in the mountains give it a try.  It will give you a greater respect for those who can blaze up the Alps barely breaking a sweat.  Its tough, but rewarding, even if all you can say is I survived.  Until next time stay safe and I’ll see you on the road.

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