No Country for Old Men A Test of Cycling Endurance

On Oct. 25, cyclists will roll out of Alpine as they take on one of the most grueling long distance bicycle races in the United States.

That event will be the 3rd annual No Country for Old Men race, organized by Del Rio’s Dex Tooke.

The race’s name comes from the Coen brothers film of the same name, which was based on the rugged and remote SW Texas desert area surrounding the Rio Grande River.

Race director Tooke is a Del Rio native who knows a thing or two about long-distance cycling and the West Texas area, having ridden thousands of miles on the area’s roads as he trained to compete in numerous long distance cycling races to include the 2010 and 2011 Race Across America (RAAM) events.

He came up a little short in the 2010 RAAM, learned from the experience, and successfully completed the 3,000-mile race in 2011 with a finishing time of 12 days and 19 hours.

Tooke chronicled his RAAM experiences in the book ‘Unfinished Business’ which is available in paperback, Nook, and E-book formats at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Author House, and other outlets.

No Country for Old Men (NCOM) will not be as grueling as the 3,000 mile Race Across America, but any one of the three race NCOM distances will be tough enough to challenge any long distance cyclist.

All three race courses will traverse remote West Texas roads that wind through the desert landscape and rugged mountains of far West Texas.

This part of the country personifies rough and remote. With the exception of a few towns, the cyclists will be pedaling through an area that’s harsh and unyielding with very few urban-area amenities such as quick stop stores, bike shops for repair parts, and — for almost 80 percent of the route — no cell phone service.

The shortest race will be the 208-mile Ed Tom Bell event, using a challenging course that takes racers through Ft. Davis, around the scenic MacDonald’s Observatory Loop, through Marfa and then back to the finish line in Alpine.

Cyclists who choose to test themselves on this ‘easy’ route will encounter almost 10,000 feet of vertical climbing while reaching altitudes over 6,000 feet.

Racers wanting even more of a challenge will take on the 383-mile Anton Chigurh race. This route includes most of the 208-mile course but adds riding to Marathon, past Hallie Stillwell’s Hall of Fame store, through the primitive black canyons and a stop at the old remote La Linda Bridge at the Mexico border.

This route has nearly 17,000 vertical feet of climbing spread across the 383 miles.

The truly serious No Country for Old Men competitors will take on the 1,000-mile Coen Brothers course that has 40,000 vertical feet of climbing. This route includes most of the 208- and 383-mile courses but adds Langtry, Del Rio, and other remote areas of far West Texas.

As cyclists pedal their way through the 1,000-mile non-stop ‘up close and personal’ tour of the rugged West Texas terrain they’ll have to overcome extreme fatigue, weather, saddle sores, mechanical malfunctions and nutrition/hydration issues.

The 1,000-mile race will be a qualifier for Race Across America (RAAM).

Although the cyclists must supply all of the ‘pedal power,’ they are required to have a follow vehicle and support crew. A one-person minimum crew is required for the 208-mile event, two people are recommended for the 383, and a crew of at least three is suggested for the long 1,000-mile race.

Some of the crews working the 1,000-mile race will be perfecting their support skills as they — along with their team’s cyclist — use the event as a multi-day training experience for Race Across America.

The long NCOM event lets the crews practice communications, drive the support vehicles, and perform all of the other tasks required to successfully support a cyclist during a multi-day ultra-distance event.

In addition to the solo categories for the three No Country for Old Men race distances, there will also be relay team categories (two person) for all three races. Relay teams doing the 1,000-mile route must have a support crew but — if so desired — the two-person teams doing the 208- and the 383-mile routes may opt to self-crew.

For more information on the No Country for Old Men cycling event, visit http://dextooke.wix.com/ultradex#!ncom-home/c1nbj.

Remember — in October, the roads of far West Texas will serve up a world-class challenge for long-distance cyclists who are tough enough to take on No Country for Old Men.


Upcoming Events

July 4: Christoval VFD 5K, roadlizards.org/events/christoval-vfd-5k/
July 12: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 26: Goodfellow Triathlon, roadlizards.org
Aug. 10: San Angelo Olympic and sprint distance triathlon, SpringCreekPark

Bike Prices Discourage New Cyclists

Every spring I start hearing from people thinking about buying a bicycle who have 'sticker shock' based on the price of new and used bikes.

The cost of what’s perceived by some to be an ‘entry-level’ bicycle is one of the primary reasons many people choose to run or walk for exercise or recreation instead of cycling.

Although there are good low-cost bikes on the market, the cycling industry’s marketing gurus have done a great job of pushing the message that $800-$1,000 is actually a bargain for a decent-quality, entry-level road or mountain bike.

Move up to what many people in the industry consider to be a medium-range bike, and you’ll see price tags of $1,500-$3,000 or higher.

The marketing hype suggests that even if you just ride for recreation, you should be on an ultralight bike with trickle-down-from-pro-level components such as 10- or 11-speed integrated shifting and braking, front and rear suspension on mountain bikes and deep-section aero wheels.

Conversely, there are cycling troglodytes like myself who understand that, while professional racers may need featherweight bikes with twice as many gears as an over-the-road 18-wheeler, it is possible and even enjoyable to pedal down the road or trail on an affordable non-pro bicycle.

If you look closely at the bikes that I own (and ride a lot — and race), you’ll notice some ‘antique’ parts such as 9-speed shifters, a 20-year old square taper crank on my road bike and wheels that were less than $150 a pair when new.

Contrary to what the marketing says, there are many cyclists who manage to roll down the road just fine using older or moderately priced components.

One of my all-time favorite bikes has been a ‘Frankenbike” that I built up years ago using an old Mongoose mountain bike frame and castoff components from other bicycles.

It has a rigid steel fork purchased online for less than $50, antiquated 7-speed Shimano top-mount thumb shifters mounted on the tops of road handlebars, 26-inch mountain bike wheels sporting $15 semi-slick ‘city’ tires, and cantilever brakes that date back to when my (now adult) kids were in kindergarten.

This decidedly low-end bike has completed the week long 550-mile Ride the Rockies cycling tour through the Colorado mountains, won a state cyclocross championship in 2003 and has been loaned out countless times to new cyclists for group rides, duathlons and triathlons.

A beginner cyclist used this bike (minus the fenders and rear rack) to train for and complete Saturday’s Tour de Burma.

If you’re interested in cycling but don’t have a lot of disposable income, there are several options that can get you into the sport without having to cash in your retirement fund.

Start at your local bike shop by clearly articulating what your bike budget is and what type of riding you want to do. Chances are that most shops will be able to show you some lower-cost bicycles that will meet your needs.

You can also find used bike bargains on websites such as Craigslist, eBay or Texas Bicycle Buy/Sell/Trade page on Facebook. Be sure to enlist the help of a knowledgeable cycling friend if you decide to go this route.

If you are mechanically inclined, consider buying a used frame on one of these sites and then ‘building’ your own bike using new or used parts. Doing this will also ensure that you understand how the various bike parts work and — more importantly — you’ll learn the skills needed to do most of your own maintenance and repairs in the future.

The key point to remember is that enjoyable cycling depends more on having a dependable and properly fitted bike than having something that reflects what elite cyclists ride.

Remember — you can start pedaling without maxing out the credit card.


Upcoming Events

June 21: Stop, Drop and Roll, roadlizards.org
July 4: Christoval VFD 5K, roadlizards.org/events/christoval-vfd-5k/
July 12: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 26: Goodfellow Triathlon, roadlizards.org
Aug. 10: San Angelo Olympic and sprint distance triathlon, SpringCreekPark