A Taste of Furnace Creek

By Jeanie Bandicoot Barnett, 1999 508 Training Camp participant and 1999 Furnace Creek 508 entrant

Helmets off to Chris Kostman and spirited crew members Debbie Caplan and Caitlin Sidlo for a well-orchestrated and inspiring 1999 2nd Triennial Furnace Creek 508 Training Camp. As a pre-rookie participant intrigued by the legendary race, I thoroughly enjoyed this taste of the fabled Furnace Creek course. Chris and crew did a great job of providing mechanical assistance, well-placed rest stops, and timely on-the-road support.Totemed veterans generously shared training tips, nutrition strategies, and war stories, while totem-seeking rookies contributed enthusiasm and
camaraderie.

Our menagerie moved out from Mojave under clear skies and merciful temperatures and soon intersected the path of an assembling Cinqo de Mayo parade on the main drag of not-just-any city, but The California City. Eager to get a start on the 130 mile day, we declined to join the festivities and continued on through the relics of Randsburg to the salty town of Trona, which was uncharacteristically calm and odor-free. Gentle tailwinds escorted us under the snow-crested profile of Telescope Peak and through the bumps of Panamint Valley to the oasis at Panamint Springs Resort.

The featured dinner topic was "Ultra Nutrition", with the veteran consensus being "liquid", augmented by an occasional cheese burger, bucket of fried chicken, or basket of french fries ("listen to your cravings"). Rookies took good notes, but secretly wondered if they were being "taken for a ride" (family-sized order of KFJ with chaser of French Vanilla Ultra Slim Fast... right). Meanwhile, up the hill at the mining town of Darwin, the entire population turned out for its raucous annual May Day celebration, according to field reports from the party-animal totems, who reconnoitered the event on pretense of optometrical business.

The next morning Townes Pass enticed us with challenging grades and inspiring views, followed by an exhilarating plunge into the heart of Death Valley and lunch at the namesake locale of the ride. Capricious headwinds buffeted us around alluvial fans and turtlebacks, through the hot shimmering flats of Badwater to the gritty rollers of Ashford Mills. As the asphalt finally bent to the east, crosswinds turned tail and ran with us to the top of Jubilee Pass. The interminable receding summit of Salsberry Pass teased us on to an escalator descent and welcome rest in an ominously overcast and gusty Shoshone. As riders drifted in, we compared notes on heat, headwinds, and digestion from this 127 mile stage.

Apparently the previous evening's discussion had an unsettling effect on some, but the affliction was quickly remedied by solutions cold and fizzy (rookies took more notes).

An early start from Shoshone for a high-mileage day to Mojave began with deceptive calm, but vento sensed velo on the run and increased in vigor as we crested Ibex Pass and continued south. Baker's landmark thermometer registered comfortably less than the triple-digits for which it is famous, and the town was hopping with activity. A police barricade ushered us onto a gravel-road detour around a movie shoot that was just wrapping up.

After finishing the cold fries left by a fleeting veteran (maybe they weren't kidding), we exited town as a motorcycle brigade on a cross-country charity ride barreled in, accompanied by film crew. Pedals, spokes, and chainrings seemed ridiculously under-powered next to the roaring Harleys, a notion that was soon verified as we slammed into ferocious headwinds on Interstate 15. When our sparse and labored conversation degenerated to "how slow are you going" (not over 6 mph) and "what kinds of road debris did you find" (the take included two functional cell phones), we finally redrew the battle line and declared victory. Chris and Caitlin defied all space-filling algorithms by packing a record number of bikes, bags, and bodies into two vans for the final leg back to Mojave.

Although it's difficult for me to comprehend doing in one stretch what we did in three leisurely stages, I'm inspired by the challenge of the race and in even greater awe of the riders who have tackled and completed it.

Thanks again to all organizers and participants for a colorful and memorable cycling adventure. Now it's helmets back on again and out on the road to earn or defend your totem in October!

1999 Participants:

Jeannie Barnett

David Barzetti

Dana Bradshaw

Debbie Caplan

Bob Harting

Gary Kliewer

Chris Kostman

Arvid Loewen

Rob Morlock

Mike Mosely

Jim Pitre

Caitlin Sidlo

Paul Solon

Bob Smith