Everesting the Devil's Elbow

[Ian]

I guess this is more of an experience, than a trip or adventure, but yesterday I completed my first Everesting of a local climb called the Devil's Elbow.

There's a temporary post on my blog, which I will add to this evening. In it, I expect to answer such questions as "why..?", and "didn't you get bored?", as well as reflecting on the physical and mental challenge an Everesting poses and hopefully making a case that I'm not mad or insane

If you just want to look at the ride data, click here:
https://www.strava.com/activities/660595294/

[Bearbonesnorm]

In it, I expect to answer such questions as "why..?", and "didn't you get bored?"

Good, as they're the questions I'd have asked ... well done by the way.

[whitestone]

I saw your tweet about attempting it and was going to ask but .. well done!

[darbeze]

Must taking some sticking power to repeat the same climb over and over like that. Well done Ian.

Si

[DrMekon]

This is something I keep thinking about, mainly because the Hells 500 kit looks cool. Looking forward to hearing how you coped mentally. I'd probably do Norwood Edge, as I could leave a car with stuff in at Stainburn CP and wouldn't need support.

[Dan_K]

Great ride Ian. I've ridden that hill a few times and I dread it every time!

[whitestone]

I know of one or two who've done it but didn't realise that there were "rules" http://www.everesting.cc/the-rules/

I can feel some hurt coming on

Edit: Just seen that someone has used Rosedale Chimney for their Everesting hill

[benp1]

That sounds awful on many fronts, but fair play for doing it!

[Pickers]

That Strava route profile is quite scary!

[slarge]

Good ride Ian, can't imagine 49 climbs of the same hill, I guess you know every stone now.

Well done!

[BreninBeener]

vaguely exciting ride. Did anyone accompany you for parts of it? How did you fuel yourself?

[Ian]

OK, here's my take on Everesting: https://ianbarrington.com/2016/08/01/ev ... ils-elbow/

edit: thanks for the comments above; hopefully the blog answers some of the questions above. The only one not addressed was food. I got through about 5 cans of coke, as that was what I put in the bottle I had on the van at the top of each ascent. Food-wise; pasta meal, energy bars, gels, Clif bloks, protein milk, bounty bars, Genoa cake. As usual, eating got more difficult at time went on. The pasta meal was the nicest thing to eat; should have taken more.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Makes for interesting reading Ian.

I can understand wanting to see where your limits lie and to discover whether they're controlled by mind or body ... but it still seems akin to nailing your testicles to a table to see whether it hurts

Well done and out of interest, does anyone ever 'Everest' off-road?

[Ian]

I can understand wanting to see where your limits lie and to discover whether they're controlled by mind or body ... but it still seems akin to nailing your testicles to a table to see whether it hurts

Of course it's going to hurt. But do 6" nails hurt more than 4" ones? And if so, by how much?

Years ago, 24 hr solo racing was the prevailing event for "mad" people. That was the "nail your testicles to the bench" activity of the mid-noughties. Riding [the same course] for that length of time was not seen by many as a normal thing to do, but now over 10 years on, it's much more accepted.

Back in about 2005/6, and seeing where 24 hours racing was going, I suggested on a popular mountain biking forum, that maybe we should consider racing for longer than 24 hours. I was lambasted by a certain 24 hour solo racer of that era, along the lines that if the race isn't decided by 24 hours, there's no point carrying on. Thankfully, 24+ hour racing escaped the circular track and emerged in the form of racing we now all know and love; bikepacking. This year we see over 4 days of neck and neck racing on the Highland Trail, and a change in the lead only 2 hours from the finish. I rest my case :)

My point is things evolve; fitness improves, mindsets, perceptions and abilities adapt to accommodate the challenge. In 10 years time, Everesting won't be as exclusive a thing as it is now, unless the bar is raised further. Who will be the first to double-Everest something?

Well done and out of interest, does anyone ever 'Everest' off-road?

People do, and it's a step towards achieving the SSSS elite class of Everesting. Some of the rules make it challenging though; namely you can't get off and push any of it, so you need a climb that is entirely rideable. This usually means it's less than 10% gradient, so the distance you need to cover ramps up quickly. I suspect it's difficult to do one off road in under 24 hours.

[Ian]

Who will be the first to double-Everest something?

Apparently, this guy: https://www.strava.com/activities/458630009

Though I admit even I wince slightly at that many reps of such a short climb

16 of these looks much more interesting: https://www.strava.com/activities/638559779

[Dave Barter]

I enjoyed that article as well Ian especially the breakdown mechanism you used which I find myself subconsciously doing on long rides.

Everesting as per the rules is not for me, but taking up your point of the evolution of 24 hour rides, maybe we should come up with some Everest routes? This would remove the repetitive nature and also increase the challenge of finding the most climbing in the shortest loop.

[whitestone]

I enjoyed that article as well Ian especially the breakdown mechanism you used which I find myself subconsciously doing on long rides.

Everesting as per the rules is not for me, but taking up your point of the evolution of 24 hour rides, maybe we should come up with some Everest routes? This would remove the repetitive nature and also increase the challenge of finding the most climbing in the shortest loop.

As a sort of halfway house between the "single hill n times" and "smallest loop" to achieve the height gain, I've a loop that is 30Km and has just under 1000m of ascent and descent. Takes me about 90mins, nine times round that would just about be enough.

Does anyone know off-hand how much ascent the Fred Whitton or the Etape du Dales take in? Both are "pretty hilly"

[atk]

Three times round the Goyt Peak Grimpeur would do you, or do it once each way and then another of the series and you'd be sorted... http://www.delphcyclist.info/GoytPerm.html

Series: http://www.delphcyclist.info/MarplePerms.html

[Bearbonesnorm]

My point is things evolve; fitness improves, mindsets, perceptions and abilities adapt to accommodate the challenge.

Very true, you only need look at the first three years of the BB200 for a graphic illustration.

maybe we should come up with some Everest routes? This would remove the repetitive nature and also increase the challenge of finding the most climbing in the shortest loop.

Strangely, that sounds much more appealing.

Oh and it's not the length, it's the diameter and angle that alters the level of pain

[Ian]

I enjoyed that article as well Ian especially the breakdown mechanism you used which I find myself subconsciously doing on long rides.

Everesting as per the rules is not for me, but taking up your point of the evolution of 24 hour rides, maybe we should come up with some Everest routes? This would remove the repetitive nature and also increase the challenge of finding the most climbing in the shortest loop.

Good idea. Bit like this then: http://www.highrouleur.cc/what/

The shortest loop with the most climbing must surely exist in the Lakes?

[whitestone]

Not sure about that Ian - there are some big climbs obviously but getting between them is quite a way. Maybe Borrowdale - Honister Pass - Buttermere - Newlands Hause - Newlands and back in to Borrowdale could be a candidate.

[jam bo]

Does anyone know off-hand how much ascent the Fred Whitton

about 12,000ft in 112 miles.

so about a 40% of what is required.

[Dave Barter]

Yes that sort of thing but I'd add a rule that you can't repeat a hill the same way to avoid repeated loops. The aim is to set an Everest loop

[Ian]

The original Two Tonnes of Gravel had over 8,000 metres climbing.

If the High Rouleur was a goal, it falls short of the 400 km rule and 10,000m climbing for the Journey requirements. If I added another 70km to it, you'd be hard pressed to do it in under 36 hours. Tricky.

Dave, shall I send you the GPX? You could get some gate practice in at the same time

[SRS]

Having done the Fred Whitton and La Marmotte, which was over 5,000m of climbing, I think the Whitton was actually tougher. The correlation between nominal height gain and route difficulty isn't one.