tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post7486831077670306768..comments2008-02-15T12:18:59.358-06:00Doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09090802854306112252noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-79731164367641167062008-02-15T12:18:00.000-06:002008-02-15T12:18:00.000-06:00Great job, Doug! I am very impressed. Having ridden 70 miles offroad in one day in perfect conditions, and finding that very difficult, I can hardly imagine what this must have been like. I can't say I've pushed myself to the point of hallucination, that must be really strange.<BR/><BR/>Inspiring story to be sure. Thanks for sharing -- you did a great job writing about it, I felt like I was there.Apertomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00148516503920019073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-40118947114870472992008-02-12T11:28:00.000-06:002008-02-12T11:28:00.000-06:00Thanks everyone....<BR/><BR/>Chuck...it may sound ironic, but it was in the Suthern Appalachians where I got my first taste of winter travel, back in 2001. My wife and I were thru-hiking the AT. We had 20 degree temps on Springer Moutain to start our hike in early March. Then we had two snowstorms. The second dropped a foot and half of snow on us just before we entered the Smokies. Then we had single digit lows in the Smokies. It was one of the highlights of our six month trip. I've been hooked on the beauty of winter travel ever since!Doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09090802854306112252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-33536497753257376682008-02-12T10:42:00.000-06:002008-02-12T10:42:00.000-06:00Doug, way to keep your head down and moving forward! I know you must feel a HUGE sense of accomplishment from checking this one off of the list and you should be proud. It was great to read about your prep and then to see it pay off for you. Great job!Dave Byershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08799615710498415775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-89759537360079090462008-02-12T00:25:00.000-06:002008-02-12T00:25:00.000-06:00Good job dude! You're an inspiration to all of us in the Southern Appalachians.<BR/><BR/>ChuckWestern North Carolina Writer's Undergroundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16581627286283875168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-45009512324401397092008-02-11T19:36:00.000-06:002008-02-11T19:36:00.000-06:00I finished off two tire bitters on this one... great write-up.<BR/><BR/>Similar experience but I was hearing things... I stopped to get out of the way of non-existent snowmobiles at least 10 times!<BR/><BR/>I agree, when there is no other option other than to keep going, finishing becomes much easier. Everyone should make a resolution to compete in an event similar to this.Lance Andrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14541955323156650328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-34911268087196341682008-02-11T18:46:00.000-06:002008-02-11T18:46:00.000-06:00Thanks for sharing your experience. You should be submitting this stuff to adventure sports publications, you had me hanging on every word. The hallucination stories were just plain scary!Antoinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11660064402070508807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-69118614738098276122008-02-11T16:53:00.000-06:002008-02-11T16:53:00.000-06:00Wow! What a great story, and a great accomplishment. I feel good for you and the other competitors. You Northerners give me inspiration when I ride in OUR wimpy cold weather. Good luck to you in the future.Scott in Columbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00840084280115818403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-3829061599484568792008-02-11T14:53:00.000-06:002008-02-11T14:53:00.000-06:00Chad...we did meet, but I didn't introduce myself. I was just arriving at MelGeorges Monday night as you were heading out on your 8 hour ride to the finish and back. You said you were building up a bicycle for a future ride in the race.Doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09090802854306112252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-44500800235215135482008-02-11T13:43:00.000-06:002008-02-11T13:43:00.000-06:00HI Doug, congrats on finishing, I am sorry we didn't get a chance to meet. I was the volunteer on the purple and yellow snowmobile.Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04696396752648178496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-21248614215567270882008-02-11T11:36:00.000-06:002008-02-11T11:36:00.000-06:00Great right up! Congratulations on finishing an epic adventure. Of course my sense of accomplishment from completing a couple of hour on Lake Minnetonka has been cut down, but thats okay.<BR/><BR/>ScottR<BR/>wayzataAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-88699006882810870252008-02-11T08:34:00.000-06:002008-02-11T08:34:00.000-06:00Congratulations, Doug. You know that we have been agonizing along with you through-out planning and the ultramarathon. What a relief to finally hear about your successful finish. Does the stuffed moose go into your trophy case along with Pierre's Arrowhead trophy?ahkergonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-23850760826372608282008-02-10T17:36:00.000-06:002008-02-10T17:36:00.000-06:00Congrats again Doug! Thanks also for sharing your story. Very inspirational. Way to go!Vitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01277306434031774094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-74984982297675547132008-02-10T14:36:00.000-06:002008-02-10T14:36:00.000-06:00Simply great. i love the hallucination stories, driving yourself to the edge, but under control at the same time. Congrats.Tex69http://www.blogger.com/profile/16733840950451530910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-21194524007852811082008-02-10T13:23:00.000-06:002008-02-10T13:23:00.000-06:00Fabulous, fabulous - writeup, race, sticktoitness, accomplishment. I wonder if your mental state wasn't effected by lack of blood flow to the brain, since you body detected the long period of cold and lack of sleep, and went into survival mode. When my blood sugar goes to low, I have simular symptoms. Your brain functions on carbs, so lack of carbs may have been the cause. More sleep may have help prevent this. Something to think about next year. Maybe some glucose tablets would help also, as the get into the system quickly. <BR/>Great job!!!Bozhttp://diabetictifosi.spaces.live.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-5956818712143171842008-02-10T12:47:00.000-06:002008-02-10T12:47:00.000-06:00Doug you did so awesome! That was a great report and you made me feel right there with you reading it.<BR/><BR/>Thank you so much for share and CONGRATS!!!Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960740006971546039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-3058844281088516172008-02-10T12:25:00.000-06:002008-02-10T12:25:00.000-06:00congratulations on your accomplishment Doug, very well written story of the whole thing, I was interested in the parts of your doubts and demons, it never even crossed my mind that you would not finish this year.monkeygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00098098093555344154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-34423325334658531322008-02-10T11:37:00.000-06:002008-02-10T11:37:00.000-06:00I agree, great write up. I am going to take your words to heart when things are rough out on the trail ... just keep spinning, just keep spinning. <BR/><BR/>Congrats again. Major accomplishment.Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02983065990450931943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-39774766547416167302008-02-10T11:02:00.000-06:002008-02-10T11:02:00.000-06:00Way to go, Doug! It was great, reading about your ride with my morning coffee....I got to experience the thrills & chills without actually being cold and tired! ;-)<BR/><BR/>Glad you can put this behind you as "mission accomplished" although I wouldn't be surprised to see you want to do it again.<BR/><BR/>BTW the Whistling Bird is a great restaurant. We eat there sometimes when visiting our place in Eveleth, and I'm always surprised at the good food (there's not all that much of it up there in the Iron Range).<BR/><BR/>Congratulations -- go get some more sleep!BSRnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20014737.post-21466041132837568052008-02-10T10:56:00.000-06:002008-02-10T10:56:00.000-06:00What a great write up! Congratulations! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one to hallucinate out there :) Way to go!Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07398984877269803648noreply@blogger.com