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Mike Tierney writes about his ride up Pikes Peak ... on one wheel

Photos by Mike Tierney and Doug Jansen

By Mike Tierny
I'm shaking in my boots in preparation for this epic hillclimb up Pikes Peak. This could be the hardest hillclimb event I have ever competed in. The week before was supposed to be spent getting the right
nutrition, hydration, and rest. Unfortunately, my workload was so great
that most of the pre-ride preparation was not followed. I was as
prepared as I was going to be, so I headed over Independence Pass on my
way to Manitou Springs. Pikes Peak loomed above all else to the east as I
crested Wilkerson Pass. This did not ease my anxiety level, as I
couldn’t help but stare at this beautiful, BIG, mountain. Pikes Peak has
a storied history, and I was about to live it, on one wheel.

On Sunday August 29, 2010, Summit Cycling Productions, in cooperation
with the City of Colorado Springs, The City of Manitou Springs, the U.S.
Forest Service and The Pikes Peak Highway, collaborated to put on the
inaugural version of “Assault on the Peak”, a cycling event to the top
of Pikes Peak. The timed but, “not a race” event started in Manitou
Springs and finished at the summit of Pikes Peak 14,115’ above sea
level. 326 racers started the day at Memorial Park to classic clear
Colorado blue skies. There was every kind of one, two and four wheeled
contraptions there. I was on my 29er unicycle, a couple on a tandem, a
recumbent, a paraplegic in a hand cycle, elite athletes like two-time
road racing world champion and Paralympics medalist Allison Jones,
soldiers from the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Carson, and a posse of
battery assisted bicycles. Pikes Peak highway has been closed to
bicycles, and besides a few championships held there, bicycles have
never been allowed. This was the first of its kind event up & down
“America’s Mountain”, Pikes Peak.
The elevation profile of the road up this 14er revealed that this was
not like any other Colorado Mountain paved road. Total elevation gain is
just short of 8,000’ in the 24 miles traveled. The top 5,000’ of
elevation gained, from 9,000’ – 14,000’+ is almost all double-digit
grade, some above 11%. My home hill, Independence Pass gains 4,000’ in
17 miles and averages around 5.5% grade. Most bicycle enthusiasts
consider Independence Pass a hard climb, myself included.

The entire road from Manitou Springs to the summit was closed to
vehicles, and what a treat that was. To be able to ride up that mountain
and not worry about traffic was one of the highlights for me.
Well-staffed aid stations were strategically placed along the route, and
provided the necessary nutrition, first aid, and bike repair. Making it
to the halfway point feeling really good was awesome for me. The weather
was perfect so far, the road was steep in spots up to that point, but
the summit didn’t seem to be getting any closer. Soon after the Crystal
Reservoir aid station the road ramped up steeply and climbing began in
earnest.

I started to pick people off one at a time, very slowly, as I climbed
higher and higher. I had heard about a dirt section, somewhere around
mile 15. At the same time I hit the dirt section, the winds picked up. I
was now challenged with both strong swirling winds, and slippery dirt
road. Kneeling on the ground on my hands and knee’s, I catch my breath
and get back on my unicycle. Not sure what had happened, just know that I
was knocked off the wheel. That was the longest 2.5 miles of dirt road
I have ever ridden.
At this point of the ride, a few event cars had come and gone, but the
filming crew seemed to be attached to the group I was riding with.
Sometimes being filmed pushes you over that aerobic threshold, and on
this climb it did not take much to get there. I found myself redlined
more often than I like to be, but passing bicycles on a unicycle going
up a monster climb is a confidence booster, and I was absorbing all the
confidence I could. The Glen Cove aid station came into view, and the road turned back to pavement.
I wanted to make a point to stop at the aid stations, share some
stories, and meet and thank all the volunteers. Glen Cove is the last
station below treeline. The west ridge of Pikes Peak envelops it on two
sides, so I take refuge there to get out of the wind for a brief moment.
My time to here is respectable; 2hr 49min’s with 18 miles ridden so
far. I refill my Camelbak, hydrate, and take a couple of pics and head
back up the road.
Immediately the climb took on a challenge like none other. There was
still 6 miles to ride, almost 2,600 vertical feet to climb and major
exposure to the elements. Mother nature had given us a mostly clear
Colorado blue sky so far. Some cumulus clouds were starting to build
above the peak, but it was the invisible vicious winds that would
dominate the rest of the ride. Upon reaching the 12,000’ sign on the
road, I realized that I was in for the ride of my life. There were
bicyclists walking, many of them in their socks, other bicyclists doing
the weave, and the rest of us were hanging on to the road. The middle of
the road was far less windy than the edge, where getting blown off had a
high probability. This extremely windy section was in the famous “W”
side cut in the mountain. The switchbacks were so intense, leaning 45
degrees one way then having to switch immediately the other direction.
For me on the unicycle, when the road has a double fall line, the riding
is very difficult. All switchbacks here have serious double fall line.
Head down, talking to myself, I push my way up this beast. I am digging
really deep to stay on the wheel and keep moving. I would not want to
stop in this section. Rounding up another switchback, I am now pushed
from behind so hard by a tailwind that I can’t pedal my unicycle that
fast, or slow the pedals down enough, I fall off.
I spoke with a friend later in the ride who had the same sensation, and
his Garmin showed that he accelerated to almost 40 mph and felt zero net
breeze. These winds were so much worse than I felt on Mt. Washington in
2005, when I entered that hill climb, and I remember those being the
worst ever. These were relentless and so intense. The unforgiving winds
were deafening to me, it sounded like being in a jet engine. Sunglasses
were getting blown off faces, shoes getting filled with debris, and
faces getting a free sand blasting. I raise my head and I see the next
aid station, and a relief in the grade to the road as well.
The cute ladies at this aid station were so nice, and had such great
smiles. At this point in the ride, I am into deep exercise high, and
find myself smiling and laughing at everything said or done. I think I
have found nirvana at this moment; life is so good. That is until I look
up and see what lies ahead of me. The final cut into the mountain looks
straight up, and is very sustained. I see little objects moving along
the cut and find it hard to believe that they are people on bicycles. I
am still smiling, just not laughing as I get on the 29er one more time
for the final push to the summit. The lovely ladies tell me I only have 3
more miles to go, yeah!!! 21 miles complete, 6,600’ vertical feet
climbed so far, only approx. 1,400’ feet to climb. This stop is called,
“Devils Playground”, maybe that is why I stopped laughing.
The riding here now is easier, only because the road is less steep. I
tell the guy next to me this is the sucker flats before it gets really
steep, we laugh and enjoy it while we can. The air is now very thin up
here. Oxygen up here is 50% less available than at sea level. My cadence
is painfully slow, as I grind up this beast. Winds have laid down a
little in this section. I have time to think about the climb so far and I
get so stocked at how well my body is holding out, over 7,000’ of
climbing to this point, with only a couple of short breaks. As Murphy
would have it, the second I think that, my right hamstring begins to
cramp up. I can see the top, this can’t happen now. I work through it
enough to get to a spot where I can stop and stretch. I stretch, relax,
take some Endurolytes, and get ready. Mounting back on the 29er unicycle
I find myself w/o cramps and spinning along nicely. Then the winds pick
up again and the temperature drops dramatically. I have been able to
ride so far with only a short sleeve jersey on, but it is getting cold
up here now, above 13,000’. I stop and put on a wind jersey and
continue on. Finally, after 4 hours, I see the last switchback, I have
passed the “Bottomless Pit”, and am riding up a double-digit grade named
“Boulder Park”.
This is so steep, my pedals are held motionless. The winds feel like
they are pushing me backwards down the hill. Grinding past a few more
bicyclists, words of encouragement are traded back and forth. We all
know that the summit is close and we are going to make it. BANG, I hit
the pavement arms, chest, knees, and face. Startled I pick myself up and
look up and see a guy who I guess was drafting me, tangled up in my
unicycle. I apologize, regain my composure, and get back on the wheel.
Less than 3 minutes later, I reach the summit with a small crowd
gathered. Screams of excitement bellow from my chest, arms automatically
rise, and I look to the sky and give thanks and praise to the heavens
for such an incredible day and successful ascent of Pikes Peak. The
views from the summit are world class and surreal. Colorado Springs
looks like a peas sized town far below me. I celebrate my accomplishment
with all of the people on top; we all worked hard and enjoy the moment
as long as we can. I didn’t want to leave. My ride time is 4hr 40 min;
my saddle time is 4 hr 09 min. I finish 147 out of 326 starters, I am
happy with that finish, especially being 50 years young and riding on a
29er unicycle!
I have been part of many hill climb events, all on my unicycle. From
Haleakala in Hawaii, to Mt. Washington in New Hampshire, to Mt. Evans in
my home state, Colorado. This Pikes Peak hill climb event has to be the
greatest one of them all. It has all of the attributes that climbers
look for, steepness, high elevation, exposure to the elements,
world-class beauty, and a HUGE elevation gain of almost 8,000’. Mt
Washington will lose its “toughest hill climb” label, if they can make
this an annual event, in my opinion. Mt. Evans is tough also, but seemed
like a warm up climb to this behemoth! This event did not sell out this
year, but it most likely will next year. You cannot ride this road
until then, so don’t miss out, put it on your calendar, I will be there.

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Mike Tierney writes about his ride up Pikes Peak ... on one wheel

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