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La Ruta 2001
La Ruta de los Conquistadores
Race Diary: Tales from the Back of the Pack
November 19, 2001— Costa Rica

Three days and this is the first opportunity I have had or desired to write. La Ruta is done with, all legs completed. My hands hurt, my shoulders are stiff and my legs ache. The trip took a path through everything imaginable on a bike. It covered a variety of terrain and climates, it had steep technical climbs, thick slippery mud, and rocks of all size and shapes. It is a total and complete effort, both physically and mentally. It is all the things you always hear about as "the dream race."

Sitting here, I can honestly say I never want to see my mountain bike again. In fact, my own mountain bike that is completely broken and unrideable is missing and I am not even that concerned with its exact whereabouts. All I know is that I encountered scorching heat one day and hypothermia-inducing cold the next. The course climbs and climbs and climbs without end and then gives way to bone-jarring descents. This race basically comes down to being able to tolerate many levels of discomfort.

There are times when, as a rider, you feel strong and able to push the pace, but this wasn't so in this race. This was no three-hour race, it took three days to complete, and required a consistent pace. The better riders treated it as a race, to me it was about survival. I'll never be on the plain of most of the other racers. They flew through sections that I have a hard time walking. They didn't even have to walk up the most extreme pitches; they had the talent and strength to climb and the "no fear" attitude required to descend. I was part of the back-of-the-pack crew that raced the clock to make it to the checkpoints before the cut-off times.

On roads in which you were in the same groups of people, at one time or another, you'd ride alongside everyone and swap a few words back and forth. Even if there was a language barrier, it didn't take much to understand what was being communicated. Everyone offers each other assistance, swaps food, and commiserates about the painfulness of the experience. And there is only encouragement, no negative thought. Throughout the day you'll ride up on someone who is in a difficult place. Usually this is obvious as the rider has their head down, is staring straight down, just looking to get the section finished. On those occasions it is good to pass and huff out a few words of positive energy.

Later in the day when it is your turn to suffer above and beyond the ordinary, they will return the favor. The race is enjoyable because the brand of people who subject themselves to the rigors of this race tend to be positive thinkers. It is a different environment then everyday society. The race organizers took care of a lot of organizational issue and also managed to pick out and mark an absolutely stunning racecourse. It was a beautiful way to experience a country and observe its culture. It is interesting noticing the way that people in the mountains carry themselves as opposed to those who live on the coastal plains. I just appreciate the opportunity to have experienced the whole event.

Friday, November 16, 2001
The gravity of what we were getting ourselves into didn't hit until we got to the outskirts of San Jose. Last night was all laughs and excited conversation. Today was something entirely different. Everyone boarded the buses to take us to Punta Leona and a jazzy beach resort called Hotel de Playa. Within 15 minutes of leaving the capital we started to ascend into the mountains. Fertile jungle lay in all directions without a flat surface to be seen. Our guide on the trip told us that each time we went down that was what we were going to climb the next day on our bikes. The roads can be describes as hairpin turns and crazy drivers. Beyond the pavement was just a lush expanse of green mountains. The valleys rushed with whitewater and brown swirling currents. The mountains, or "rolling hills" as they are called by Roman Urbina, the race's founder, rose straight up out of the water.

"People are nervous, but when the sun comes up and we ascend our first serious climb, those that are serious will be weeded out from those that only pretend to be...."

The two-hour journey was a rollercoaster ride that challenged the transmission of our vehicle. We all gave each other sidelong glances and tried to laugh it off. The closer we got to the coast, the faster the heat grew to be more oppressive. The humidity, which was already thick in San Jose, was stifling with the scorching heat of the sun. Suddenly, what we thought to be a challenging few days was turning into being a significant undertaking.

After a brutally honest pre-race meeting, people scattered to expend their pent-up, nervous energy. Many people pedaled around the resort trying to show off their bikes and riding skills. We decided to take a more laid-back approach and decided to hit the beach. As the sun faded away on the horizon, we dove into the rolling surf of the Pacific Ocean. Vertical cliffs rose out of the water behind us while in front the huge orange disc melted into the ocean setting all surrounding clouds alight. Today we have found Eden. Tomorrow will be a different story.

Looking out into the ocean, we pondered what conditions must have been like for the original conquistadores. We will set out on our own version of the route before the sun comes up. We only hope we can make it and prove that all this time, money, and energy is all worth it. People are nervous, but when the sun comes up and we ascend our first serious climb, those that are serious will be weeded out from those that only pretend to be.

— Jeremy Neil, Courtesy, Back to the Earth Group
Jeremy Neil is a school teacher from Bennington, VT in the United States. This is his first time riding in the La Ruta race. Throughout the three-day race, Jeremy will put his will and strength to the test, drawing power from his past experiences in triathlons, marathons, back-country skiing and adventure kayaking. These experiences, along with the life lessons learned during the two years he spent in the Bulgarian mountains in the Peace Corps will be his driving force for the next three grueling days through the lush countryside of Costa Rica.