I'm not sure when was the first time I did this ride, I think it was in 1998 or 1999. Back then it was called the Butterfield Double Century. Hugh Murphy used to put on this ride but he just didn't seem to get enough volunteers to help support the ride. The ride used to start in Yorba Linda, then it went down the coast to Oceanside, then inland to the 15 and back north up through Lake Elsinore and Corona then back along the 91 to Yorba Linda. The first time I rode this ride I remember hooking up with an older guy named Dick Keonig, (not sure about the spelling) about 60-80 miles into the ride. He could tell I was a rookie and generously let me hold his wheel the rest of the 200 miles. I'm still very grateful for that help and probably finished in the top 20.
The next time I did the ride was 2001 which was the last year Hugh Murphy put the ride on. In 2001, I was a beginner USCF racer and came in more prepared. I hooked up with Tim Coleman and Marc Patton, both of these guys were legends of the sport. Before I did the ride, I remember looking at past results of the Butterfield Double and other double centuries. These guys had won numerous doubles and Tim had won some gems of the sport. After riding with them for an hour, I remember asking them their names. Marc had told me his and then said the other guys name is Tim. I said "Tim Coleman" and he said "yeah" and looked at me really strange. I tried to pull just as hard as these guys for the first 100 miles. After lunch I just couldn't match these guys and Tim kept on pulling like a machine. Tim pulled 45% of the way while Marc pulled 35% and I pulled 20%. That was my first taste of greatness as we came in first place by an hour, in 10 hours and 20 minutes.
Marc also told me that Tim was the record holder for Climb to Kaiser. I had no idea what or where Climb to Kaiser was, but soon I would find out. The next year in 2002, I did the Climb to Kaiser and briefly led the race until a mechanical ruined my day. I ended up finishing in 19th place and I'm sure I wouldn't have beaten Tim's record.
In 2002 I came to Butterfield ready to go. It was foggy and within the first 3 miles a tandem shot out of the pack and into the fog. I looked around and nobody chased, so I shot out into the fog and chased down this tandem. Once I caught the tandem, I learned that the captain was Carl Moler and the stoker was Mike Crago-Schnieder. I couldn't match these powerful riders on the tandem so I was able to sit in most of the way. On the climbs they would slightly get dropped and then I had to be prepared to sprint for the tandem when it came downhill. We led the rest of the way (or I should say they led) until an untimely flat at the last sag stop (175 miles). I wasn't going to leave them there after all the work they put into this ride, so I politely waited for them to fix the flat and then they sat down and had some soup. 20 minutes later Marc Patton shows up with 2 guys on his wheel, Craig Robertson and Bill Ellis. Now, Carl and Mike are throwing away their soup and jumping on their tandem as fast as possible. We start leaving and I'm not sure if the new guys even got to fill up their water bottles. They weren't about to let us get away, so they jumped on and finished the last 25 miles with us. 5-way tie for 1st place in a time of 10:58. www.planetultra.com/butterfield/Results/2002results.htm
2006 wasn't too memorable. All I can remember is that I was now married, out of shape and did most of the ride by myself, I think I got lost too. 9th place 11:34.
In 2007, despite being out of shape, I was in the lead pack for 80 miles. After lunch, I drank both my bottles in 10 miles, so I turned around and went back. Being severely dehydrated and riding above my capabilities I pulled out at 120 miles. I also remember Marc Patton pulled out for the same reason.
2009 was my comeback year. I wasn't in top shape but I was determined to finish. At the halfway mark I made the lunch stop just as the first 3 riders were pulling away. David Goggins and I left the lunch stop in pursuit of these guys but I made a wrong turn and got us lost. Without going backwards we wasted an hour trying to get back on track. I recognized David from my Runner's World magazine, he was an ultramarathoner and now was training for RAAM. After getting back on course, David did most of the work to the finish. We ended up in 7th place, 42 minutes behind 1st place. Had we not got lost I'm sure we would've caught them.
I was registered for 2010 and almost all packed up, then it started raining at 5:30am. At that moment, I sat down on the couch and decided I wasn't going to ride it. I was in better shape than 2009 and still regret not starting. David Goggins and Keith Brodsky finished in 1st place.
And now, after all this history and background, we come to 2011. I had been watching the weather reports all week, the worst storm of the year was coming and it was coming on my ride. I was in the same shape as 2010 but a few pounds lighter. Most importantly, I was mentally prepared to start and finish in the worst storm of the year. After an hour of riding, we had a nice pack of six riders together. My buddy Lou Jimemez, was one of the six doing his first double century, so I told him to save his energy and not pull through. I figured the best rider out of the other four riders was a guy with a Bike Palace jersey on. The one question mark I had, was some guy who was wearing an arrow helmet. He sat in the back and never pulled through. So Bike Palace and I did most of the pulling to the first checkpoint. We checked in, filled up our water bottles, took a leak and now I discover Arrow Helmet had snuck away. Bike Palace and another guy had slow leaks, so they were going to change their tubes. Normally, I would wait for these guys, but I couldn't with Arrow Helmet up the road. I already envisioned myself coming in first place with Bike Palace. So I told them "I'll see them up the road" and take off. After going through a very muddy tunnel, I look back and Lou isn't far behind, so I stopped and waited for him. We're flying down Interstate 5 and finally catch Arrow Helmet in Oceanside. We catch some other rider on the river trail and draft for a few miles and then I finally go to the front. Since Arrow Helmet isn't pulling through I ask him where the next turn is and he doesn't know. This isn't what I want to hear, if he isn't pulling through he better be navigating. Now it's just me and Arrow Helmet so everytime I notice I have a gap, I put a little gas on to put the hurt on him. It's now pouring rain and we reach the lunchstop. Lou comes in 5 minutes later and we're all trying to fit under the canopy as it's raining cats and dogs. Arrow Helmet starts getting ready to leave and I notice Lou still has 1/2 a sandwich to finish. I still can't believe this guy is going to get a head start without asking for my permission. Doesn't he understand the proper etiquette, as I pulled him and his arrow helmet all this way? I have a couple of Rice Krispie treats and Bike Palace pulls in with a couple guys. Lou's now ready to leave and I tell him there's a big hill coming up so we probably won't stay together. I'm now climbing this hill with one mission in mind and that's to catch Arrow Helmet. I make sure not to make the same wrong turn as I did in 2009 and crank it up a notch. Everytime I look into the distance I still can't see the guy. I figure if I can't catch him, he deserves to win. I hit the next mini-check in and Jon Shellenbarger tells me I'm the first one there. Now it makes sense that I didn't catch Arrow Helmet cause he got what he deserved and got lost. I eventually get what I deserve and get lost in San Juan Capistrano. I get back on track but I'm not sure if I'm in first place anymore because I lost at least 15 minutes for my error. It's raining hardcore again as I reach the last checkpoint to find out I'm still in first place. Now it's all about finishing before it gets dark. The rest of the way I'm getting rained and hailed on but still finish just before dark. 1st place in 11:39. The title is back in Orange County where it belongs. :)
http://racedaytiming.com/results.php?event=35
