Kyle Banerjee's Blog

This past weekend, I took part in the Everest Challenge. It’s a bicycle race in the Sierra Mountains that’s over 200 miles long with a total elevation gain over 29,000 feet. Even though I was just there to finish and not to race, it’s the most difficult ride I’ve attempted.

It was unusually cold and stormy during the ride. We rode through heavy wind, rain, hail, and driving snow. The weather for the second half of the ride was much better, but it was still very cold. As I started the final climb, I started thinking about why I was out there. I was exhausted and in pain. The straw that broke the camel’s back was I was tired of freezing. I bailed.

The whole point of endurance rides is to challenge yourself physically and mentally. However, it’s also important to have fun and enjoy the scenery. When an event turns into a masochistic exercise in pride, it’s time to think about stopping because it’s not fun anymore and you won’t get any physical or mental benefit either.

Despite not finishing, I’m very satisfied with how things turned out. I rode well for all but the last few miles. I developed a new appreciation for what the other riders go put themselves through to achieve their results.

With the time I saved, I visited the ancient bristlecone pine forest where there are trees over 4000 years old — I’ve wanted to see them since I was 10. And frankly, I’m glad I chose to see the trees rather than spend an extra 2 hours and change torturing myself. They were literally a few yards from the finish line, but I wouldn’t have been in any condition to notice them if I had been too pigheaded to know when to quit.

Preparing for the Everest is a lot of work and it’s a long way away, but I hope I can do it again next year. One thing is certain though. If I ever try it again, I’m doing it with alpine gearing.

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After a disappointing performance on the Oregon Ultimate earlier this year, I was eager to do well on a big ride. This past weekend, I took part in the Shasta Super Century. Basically, you ride to the top of four mountains in one day. The roads are steep, so it’s challenging.

Having learned from my earlier DNF, I formulated a strategy for completing the Shasta and stuck to it. The first half of the day couldn’t have gone better. I moved right along and felt like a million bucks. Somewhere on the third mountain, I started feeling sick and actually took a 5-10 min nap at the top (something the other riders found funny). For most of the final mountain, I was in a daze and experiencing heat exhaustion symptoms even though it wasn’t hot.

Although I completed the ride with time to spare, midway through the final climb on the Shasta, I thought about scrubbing my plans for taking part in the Everest Challenge (my riding goal for the year). The Everest is roughly as bad as two Shastas spread out over two days.

Ever since I got my new job, I’ve been riding half as much as I normally do, and the resulting loss of conditioning was hurting my performance. As I slogged through the final 2 miles of the Shasta, I calculated that I might be able to complete the Everest, but even under the best circumstances, I’d probably feel the worst I’ve ever felt on a ride. Since I already felt terrible as I thought about this, it didn’t sound very tempting.

After I finished the ride, I realized that completing goals requires us to go well beyond our comfort zones. By definition, anything in our comfort zone is something we know we can do, and there’s not much point in setting goals if there’s no doubt about the outcome — it’s hard to get much sense of accomplishment from shooting fish in a barrel.

It’s much more satisfying to try things where the outcome is unknown. If I do my best to prepare for the Everest, formulate a good riding and nutrition strategy, give my best effort, and am willing to possibly feel worse than I ever have on a ride before, I might be able to finish the Everest. I’ll be pretty happy if I can pull that off.

I won’t feel bad if I don’t make it to the end. When you explore your limits, you find what you’re made of, and you can use the knowledge you gain to improve yourself whether or not you succeed. Besides, plenty of strong cyclists in their 20’s and 30’s don’t reach the finish. I’ll have lots of good company regardless of the outcome.

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Well, it finally happened — I failed to complete a ride. Yesterday, I attempted the Oregon Ultimate Road Ride. Basically, it’s 215 miles in the Cascade mountains. The ride had it all — distance, tough climbs, great scenery, scorching heat, and wind. 18 people attempted this year.

Many things went right. I had a great time and met a number of people I hope to ride with again. Weather was decent. I felt good and rode with the big boys until mile 60 or 70. Although they dropped me, I passed the 100 mile mark 6 hrs after I started. That’s a respectable time even on a flat route, let alone one that involves thousands of feet of climbing. Although I’d been using more of my legs than I should, I was on track to a strong finish when I passed the halfway mark.

At mile 125, I was riding slower than my usual pace but still feeling good. Just a couple miles later, heat exhaustion hit me like a load of bricks — it was all I could do to not pass out while riding. I took off my helmet to cool off, but around mile 130 I was in a total daze and barely able to move in my lowest gear. I felt so bad that I considered  lying on the shoulder of the highway and falling asleep. Fortunately, Bryan was nearby, heard from another rider that I looked terrible, and he rescued me.

My first reaction when I knew my day was prematurely over was to question the rest of my riding schedule. I wondered if maybe I wasn’t kidding myself about my physical condition and need to face the fact that I belong with smaller fish in a smaller pond. However, once I got some fluids in me and began feeling normal again, I remembered that people much better than me have bad days — some of whom also failed to complete the Ultimate. I knew that I could have finished this ride, but just not this time.

Normally, my strategy is to ride my ride and let others ride theirs. I don’t attempt to catch or drop anyone. This time, though, I got caught up in the moment. I rode too hard and didn’t pay enough attention to hydration. I don’t regret trying this. One of the things I’ve always wondered is if my normal strategy is too conservative and if maybe I should ride harder. Apparently, my regular plan is spot on.

I think I’ll still attempt the Everest Challenge, though I think I need some more training in high desert. The problem with riding in the high desert is you don’t feel like you’re sweating, so you can get dehydrated easily.

In a strange sense, failing the ride yesterday may have been a good thing. Today my left knee hurts like heck — apparently a combination of painkiller and adrenaline kept me from realizing how bad it was yesterday. Better to bail early and still have a chance of healing up in time for some great rides in August than trashing my knee and being out for the rest of the season.

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Despite the fact that I ride pretty much every chance I get, I always look forward to various organized rides. You get to see a lot of people and cool equipment. You don’t need to worry about traffic or prepare as carefully because the organizers do many things to make the ride safe and convenient. And the routes are always very scenic — much more fun than riding along the side of a noisy highway in the dark.

Last Sunday, Bryan, Terry, and I kicked off the riding season with the Monster Cookie. I had actually been hoping for cold, wet, and rainy weather so that Bryan and I could tool comfortably around in our Velokits while everyone else suffered (we weren’t worried about Terry because he’s used to riding in crummy weather). However, conditions turned out to be perfect, so we took our highracers and Terry took a short wheelbase recumbent.

It was a blast. Terry’s a strong rider and our crazy light and very aerodynamic highracers are some of the fastest bikes you’ll find on the road, so we maintained a very brisk pace. On the way back, Bryan decided to make us regret he’d ridden with us (he actually didn’t feel like riding that day but correctly assumed we’d give him no end of grief if he wussed out) and really poured on the speed. Terry’s bike isn’t quite as fast as Bryan’s or mine, and I had used my legs up earlier when I was riding too hard so he did manage to put us in considerable misery.

But that’s just part of the fun. Only a nut would go on 100 bike ride if he wanted to be in total comfort. Besides, it feels so good when you stop…..

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In a recent blog posting, my good buddy Terry hypothesized that I may be nuts. He reached this conclusion because I’ve been trying to talk him into doing a few especially brutal rides with me this year.

This is going to sound strange, but one thing that’s disappointed me a little is the fact that I’ve never failed to finish a ride. Basically, I think that if you succeed at everything you try, it’s a sign you’re shooting too low.

I like difficult rides, but I’ve never attempted one that I actually had any doubts I could complete. However, last week I think I found one that raised my eyebrows. It’s called the Everest Challenge, and it’s got a bit of everything — over 29,000 feet of climbing, desert conditions, temperatures that range from hot to freezing, and it even has great scenery to boot. Many riders fail to finish.

To most people, participating in events like the Everest Challenge probably sounds like a dumb idea or maybe an effort to compensate for other inadequacies. However, that’s not what’s going on. Life is more interesting if you don’t limit yourself to doing only easy things that people think are sensible.

You learn things about yourself and others when you test your limits. You equip yourself better to deal with future challenges. There’s a sense of accomplishment. You don’t get any of these benefits unless you challenge yourself, even if you can have a lot of fun.

I really like difficult rides because they force you to achieve some very delicate balances. You must expend several thousand more calories than you can possibly consume during the day. You have to subject your body to much more stress than it is designed for. Finishing requires much more than high pain tolerance because effort alone can get you only so far — eventually your body will rebel and shut down if your strategy is all balls and no brains.

Succeeding requires you to constantly adapt to conditions and walk that fine line between operating near or at your limits and pushing yourself over the edge. You must carefully manage your effort, nutrition, and be very in tune with your physical and mental state. In a strange sense, it’s very peaceful and relaxing.

Having said that, I think Terry is nuts too — that’s why I asked him to do these rides. I suspect he won’t be able to resist, and no one else will be crazy enough to want to go…….

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I know I posted a picture of my new velomobile a few weeks ago, but I’m starting to get it set up the way I really like it. I’ve ridden it to the grocery, hardware, and local discount stores a few times, and I especially enjoy taking it out when the weather’s miserable.

It’s not often that people in cars are jealous of the guy on a bike when it’s stormy. However, when I pull right up to the entrance of a store when it’s windy and pouring rain, I see a lot of eyes wishing they could stay as dry as me.

Most recently added features to the velomobile — front lighting and a garage door opener. There’s no reason why pedaling in the rain should require the rider to get wet…..

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Just a couple hours ago, I just put the finishing touches on my new experimental vehicle pictured here. For those of you who aren’t up on cycling lingo, this gizmo is called a velomobile — basically an enclosed tricycle.

I’ve been obsessed with designs like this for years, but the cool thing about this one is that it cost a fraction of the price of a normal velomobile, and it can easily be disassembled and put in the trunk of a car.

It’s a blast to ride, but what I’m really looking forward to is a long organized ride in the coldest, wettest, windiest weather possible. It will be fun watching everyone freeze while I tool around in comfort

This thing was designed and built by a guy named Krash. He’s quite an interesting character and I hope his company does well. He produces an excellent product, the price can’t be beat, and he’s great to work with. If you’re into recumbent trikes, I’d definitely recommend checking him out.

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This past weekend, I went with Terry to ride the Mt Shasta Super Century. The course is pretty tough — it’s 135 miles in the mountains with 16,500 feet of climbing. The scenery was simply outstanding and I’m not sure if I’ve ever had so much fun at an event ride.

The final miles were the most interesting. I’d expect that peoples’ spirits and strength would be lifted and they’d catch their second wind knowing they had just a few miles to go. However, the exact opposite was the case. Peoples’ bodies were rebelling and forcing them to abandon the ride in the final stretch. I saw a guy fall off his bike because of massive cramps less than 100 yards from the finish line. He never did complete the ride, and I heard about other people who experienced similar catastrophic failure just as the goal appeared to be within grasp.

I’m not sure what the connection between the mind and the body is, but it seems like when the mind thinks critical milestones will be reached imminently, the body quits making extraordinary efforts to perform whatever task needed doing. I suspect this is why people who need to go to the bathroom feel increasingly desperate as they approach the door and practically explode as they turn the knob. However, I digress…

Whenever something difficult must be done, there are a few things that always seem to happen. Some people give up as soon as things get unpleasant. Others are forced to quit because they encounter a surprise challenge that is too great to overcome. There are always people who are well-equipped to succeed and do. A surprising number ordinary individuals rise to the occasion. And then there’s the people who lack the tools or ability to succeed but somehow do anyway because of sheer force of will.

It’s the people in this last category that I find the most inspiring. I’m not sure why because they actually don’t do as well as the others. On the other hand, there’s nothing I like better than seeing someone do the impossible — it helps remind me that we shouldn’t settle for only trying things that others think we can accomplish.

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This past Saturday, I rode in the Seattle to Portland (STP) bicycle classic with Terry Reese and Bryan Miyagishima. If you’re not familiar with the STP, it’s a major cycling event where 9,000 cyclists ride just over 200 miles starting at the University of Washington and ending in downtown Portland.

As far as long rides go, the STP is a blast. Most people ride the STP in two days, but we did it in one this year. Shirley thinks it’s a macho thing, but that’s not it at all. Terry, Bryan, and I are decent cyclists, so it’s fun to go for a ride where training actually comes into play. The whole reason for training countless hours in miserable conditions and spending thousands of dollars on nice equipment is so you can enjoy challenges and experiences that would otherwise be unattainable.

Besides, most people enjoy watching others do something they’re good at. Even if all someone is doing is nailing shingles to your roof, it is a pleasure to watch a master at work. On major rides, people who have no idea who you are get excited and cheer as you pass. Kids like to slap your hands. Even motorists who ask you where you started and where you’re finishing smile when you tell them — if you don’t bike much, the idea that someone could pedal 200 miles in one day is pretty cool.

People like to watch the riders, but they also like to see all the fancy equipment. You should see all the attention Bryan attracts with his custom built titanium highracer. I don’t have a good picture yet, but let’s just say it’s one cool bike.

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Today when I was riding home, some guy in a white van yelled at me to get off the road and tried to scare me by racing the engine as he buzzed me. If you ride bikes very much, that’s just something that happens to you.

I don’t quite understand what makes people do things like this. In this particular instance, I wasn’t slowing anyone down and I was obeying all traffic laws. I sympathize with the fact that people don’t like to be impeded by cyclists, but the reality is that bikes aren’t what’s gumming up the roads. Most drivers think nothing of slowing an entire lane so they can turn left across a busy lane, get into or out of a parking spot, start really slowly after the light turns green, or a number of other things. Besides, I figure that if these vehicles that have one person in them took only quadruple the space I take on the roads, they wouldn’t even need to shift in the lane — they could zip right by without slowing down and a lot more of them would fit on the roads and parking lots.

Recently, a number of stories have been circulating in the news saying that scientists are now labeling road rage as a disorder. Technically, it’s called “Intermittent Explosive Disorder” and people who suffer from it exhibit bouts of rage that are triggered by minor events.

I can accept that some people have screwed up body chemistry that makes them react severely with little provocation. However, I find it interesting how this disorder afflicts Americans so much more often than it affects people in other countries where living conditions are so much more difficult than in the US or even the other parts of the industrialized world that I’ve seen. It is also interesting that the epidemic seems to be getting worse with time.

Nowadays, it seems like people justify the most ridiculous behavior simply by claiming to be victims of their environment and body chemistry. While I think it’s important to be sensitive to these factors, it makes me wonder what makes a person human to begin with. If bad behavior is caused by circumstances rather than free will, it would follow that good things people do also are purely a result of factors beyond anyone’s control.

There are some people with bona fide mental problems, but I suspect that the vast majority of the people who yell at cyclists are simply immature and self centered individuals who think they should be able to fly off the handle just because the world isn’t just the way they want. Normally, I wouldn’t whine since drivers do this to each other all the time. However, I think that anyone who doesn’t have better emotional control than the typical 2 year old has no business guiding a 3500 lb hunk of metal near people at high speeds.

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