Felix Wong forced off-route to find a Cyclometer

Submitted by sherry on July 4, 2008 - 10:54am

Racer update about:

Felix Wong

Hi this is Felix Wong calling on the 4th of July. Its Friday, 10:20. I’m couple of miles from the New Mexico Border. Every holiday it seems like I have some sort of vehicular problem and this is no exception. I had my second crisis. Last night my cyclometer died. I think it has something to do with the sensor, I’m not sure if it is the sensor itself or the sensor battery. It doesn’t really matter because the sensor battery is a very rare 12 volt double A battery. One that I’m not going to be able to find anywhere. Right now I’m heading off to Chama. I’m going to look for a cyclometer. What I have been doing for the last 12 hours or so, I was going from campsite to campsite asking people in RVs if they have a cyclometer on their bicycles. Had no luck there. Then one of the locals me that he sees cyclists biking up Highway 17 a lot. So I actually did wait at the corner of Highway 17 and Forest Service Road 117, which is the road that I’m suppose to go on next to New Mexico. I waited for about 3 hours, no cyclists. So I’m heading down to Chama. (can’t make out next 2 sentences) To see if there is any cyclist with a cycometer. Cyclometer is (can’t make out rest of sentence). Even with a functional one, I get 1-4 miles lost each day. The next supply point for me is El Rito which is about 100 miles away. If I get lost in the forest, it’s a bad, life and death situation. I need to take care of this problem and hopefully I’ll find something in Chama. If you don’t hear from me in the next day and half or so, and it seems like I’m back on course and it means found a cyclometer. If you hear back for me in the next day or so, we’ll see, I will let you know what is going on. But that is the situation right now and I’ll talk to you later. Bye. (recorder time: 2008-07-04 11:25:18 EST)

sherry's blog

Comments

sorry to hear about that!

Submitted by slush on July 4, 2008 - 11:04am.

I hope you can get your cyclometer replaced or fixed or recharged with a new battery! At least you are in one of the more beautiful places in the country.

We're heading to Leadville in a few minutes. Do the marathon on Saturday.

Cheers and best of luck!

Slush

Elkhorn Lodge

Submitted by Bounce on July 4, 2008 - 11:07am.

Felix, I don't know if you'll get this message before you solve your problem, but as I recall the Elkhorn Lodge has mountain bike rentals. I suspect that someone there has a cyclocomputer.

If you cannot resolve your issues, make a post here and maybe I can drive one up to you.

I live about 4 hours south, so it will be a day's delay for you - which would suck, I know, but it's better than being left stranded.

Bounce

PS You might have to let me ride with you for a few miles as payback!

LOL

thanks! Felix is back on the road

Submitted by tori on July 4, 2008 - 12:49pm.

Bounce,
Thanks for the offer!

I left him a message regarding your offer. Thinking it might be his best option, otherwise he would either have to wait to meet up with Mary or wait by the post office until Monday.

But great news! just as he rolled into town he saw a cyclist - although she didn't have a cyclometer she knew someone in town who had an extra one.

When I talked to Felix he was enjoying an ice cream after installing and testing his new cyclometer.

He is now about to start back up the hill that took him down into Chama.

Thanks again! Felix really appreciated such a generous offer.

Great

Submitted by Bounce on July 4, 2008 - 1:52pm.

OK, Great!

I just bought a new Specialized stump-jumper and I put my own stem on it.

I just got back from the bike shop where I traded the carbon stem that came with the bike for a small cyclocomputer (just in case Felix needed it I'd have one to give him).

Anyway, all's well that ends well.

I can use the cyclocomputer when I ride LOTOJA later this year - my GPS batteries won't last long enough to do me any good on that one.

I'm glad Felix is on his way.

Follow the tire tracks.

Submitted by Bob Morgan aka BikerBob on July 4, 2008 - 12:18pm.

Felix, just follow the tire tracks. There is nothing tricky to it, because there is/was so doggone much mud that all you have to do is follow everyone's tracks. Believe me, only fools and GDMBR people travel over Brazos Ridge this time of the year. I know because I did that part of the GDMBR three weeks ago through the snow and mud with a loaded trailer and in gale force winds. So, just follow our tracks. Not only that, but several GDR racers are going to be passing through there within the next day or so. Hook up with them.

Climb back up there (about 15 miles and 2000 vertical feet) and start mosying up toward Brazos Ridge post haste. Everything is clearly marked all the way to Antelope Wells. The only place you would need an odometer is on the main route between Cuba and Grants and on the main route between Grants and NM 117. Take the race-legal paved alternate routes between Cuba and Grants , and again between Grants and NM 117 instead. Everyone else did.

Right now half the meterologists in New Mexico are saying that the monsoon season has started and the other half deny it. Regardless, stay on the pavement through those two sections. I know the New Mexico parts of the GDMBR like the back of my hand. Once you get over Brazos Ridge you are on clearly marked Forest Service Roads and highways all the way to Antelope Wells.

I know for a fact that from Brazos Ridge to Abiquiu it is overwhelming downhill, because I foolishly rode it northbound (uphill). Furthermore, when you consider how quickly the other racers are blowing through there and getting to Abiquiu, then either (a) they suddenly gained superhuman powers, (b) they got a lift from on a UFO, or (c) it is mostly downhill. I would certainly not rule out choices (a) or (b), but the most likely correct answer is (c). There is a good climb up to Hopewell Lake on NM 64. It is 4.8 miles in length on pavement so the grade is not going to be much more than 5%. Once you get passed the campground you have another long downhill run. Get going! You can do it. Forget that cyclometer, and keep following the tire tracks. If your blue dot gets too far off the route, then we will know where you are even if you don't have a clue. It is quite straight forward though.

If you can find Internet access in Chama, then I have quite a few pictures of the route on my web site (www.bikerbobonthegdmbr.com) that you might be able to study in order to familarize yourself with some landmarks. My Picasa Albums are on the left sidebar, and are labeled by landmarks on the GDMBR.

Also, once you get down in altitude and latitude it is not nearly so cold at night. Get your gear dried out and enjoy the rest of the ride! There are less than 700 miles to go!