Cadillac Mountain Ride

BF, Crit and I are in Bar Harbor this weekend with our significant others. The three guys headed out yesterday morning to bike the Park Loop Road and bike up Cadillac. We usually stay at the Wonderview where the ride to the base is only 4 miles but this year we rented a house and due to some navigation issues we ended up riding 17 miles around the Park Loop Road to the base of Cadillac.

The three of us rode up Cadillac 4 years ago with Crit going up in 19:47, I went up in just over 24 and BF went up in about 30. All of our goals this year were to beat our previous times and be within 3:30 of each other.

We headed out in 2 minutes gaps with BF first, me second and Crit chasing both of us. I had a clear plan in place, go out easy and push as high as a gear as possible on the flats to leave me with easier gears to spin around the steep switch backs.

One of the reasons I need to go out easy is the 2nd to last left hand switch back always confuses me so for about 1/4 of a mile I think that is the last switch back. Unfortunately there is a sweeping right hand turn and a long hard climb to the last switch back. That is why my plan was ride out as easy as possible and leave some gas for the last 1 mile. I did this and of course the switch back still confused me at first but only for about 100 meters this time.

I went out a little hard for the first 500 meters and then backed off. I settled into a good rhythm and tried to focus on being in my 22 and 23 as much as possible so I could spin in my 25 on the steepest parts. Of course for half the ride I was cross eyed and praying someone would just tell me it was over but that didn't happen. I passed BF about a mile in standing on the side of road. He didn't have it but at least he was out there trying. Cadillac is definitely as much mental as physical!

My plan worked out well as I crossed the line in 20:50 and Crit never caught me. He had actually started about 2:30 behind me. He did post a personal best as well at 19:27. I was pretty happy to beat my personal best by over 3 minutes. I am not sure what happened except I had a different strategy, cooler weather and we rode at the end of the season instead of the beginning but I suspect a lot of it has to do with just having a good day. I wasn't even tired cycling up to the base even though there is a ton of climbing.

I am now convinced if I ride Cadillac at 195 I can break 20 and Crit is convinced he go under 19. BF is convinced that if he loses 25 pounds and has his new Serotta he will make it to the top.

Good times.