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Everesting Copperlode - For madmen only -

Adam Cobain

Maximum Pace
Jul 1, 2014
153
257
To say I like climbing is a bit of an understatement. I love it, and have ever since my first roadie back in 1987. I used to ride with this old guy back then, he was getting on in years and was maybe 65+, but could still ride well and he was full of good advice. He mentored me for a few years and passed on some vital information that would end up defining the type of rider I was. This mentoring is something that lacks these days as most cyclists are soft as shite as most of the old school values slowly fade, but that is another story.

Anyway, the one vital gem of knowledge that he helped etch into my mind was to embrace the hills, all of them,"learn to love them and you will always do well", he told me. I never forgot this and it was never more vital a piece of information as on the 12th repeat of my Everesting attempt the other week.

Everesting, for those uninitiated to the madness, involves choosing a single climb, can be short, can be steep, can be long, your pick, but you must climb the accumlative elevation of Everest 8848m on that climb in one single ride, no sleeping. Breaks are allowed, but in general, the ride will be over 300km and more than 15hours ride time. Check the everesting website http://www.everesting.cc/hall-of-fame/ for a look at some of the madness.

For me, as a climber, it had to be done, and I recently made a trip to Australia to Everest one of my old fav climbs, Copperlode Dam
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To say it was the single most ridiculous thing I have done on a bike is an massive understatement. With the Cairns, Queensland heat and humidity, together with the fact I had left the snow clad confines of Minakami, I was well in trouble.

The goal was 22repeats of the 8.5km climb. It is a 5% average, but unfair as there are several 16% pitchs that really hurt the tempo. Everesting is not a race, it is about that all important 8848. Things to consider were, hydration and nutrition, battery power on the Garmin, lights and some support riders to help break up the stints. I kicked off at 6PM, trying to get a big chunk of the climbs in with the temperature a bit cooler, it was still 25+ though and the humidity in the still air was suffocating.

Support riders came and went, with cycling pals doing a silly amount of repeats themselves, somehow inspired by my madness. I got the wobbles at about 2am, having consumed too much liquid, my body just stopped processing it and climbing out of the saddle made me want to puke. After a pep talk from my night riding pilot fish, I ws back in the saddle, but the estimated time to finish the 8848 was now looking at having to ride right through the day.

With sunrise came more riders support and we counted over 50riders came out to do repeats with me. An incredible show of support for something had no other agenda than to just do it. At 5:20pm, nearly 24hours since starting, I began my last repeat. I could not even will myself to chalk up 9000m by going to the summit one last time. I was absolutely ruined, physically drained beyond belief and mentally pushed to the limits. What a great feeling!!

21 repeats in the end, 8924m, 341km, 16:13 ride time and 24 hours to complete. Everesting is brutal and brilliant all at the same time, just like cycling should be. Thinking of my next one now:)


Have a great new years and look forward to seeing you all in 2015 for some more antics on the bike. Don't forget The Monkey's Dozen, April 26th 2015. Register here

http://peatix.com/event/65394

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Congratz Adam!
Well done, not that I ever doubted you could do it after our blue monkey epic weekend hehe.

If you end up doing one here in japan with the other TCC crazy dumbnuts I'll be on the support team documenting ;-)
 
Inspiring effort mate. The idea is now steadily ticking away in the back of my mind...
 
Great riding mate. I'm definitely up for one in 2015. Already thinking which climb would be best.
 
Great riding mate. I'm definitely up for one in 2015. Already thinking which climb would be best.
Preferably something with a convenience store right at the bottom.
 
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