DEATH MARCH

The story and some pictures from the 2011 addition
of
THE DEATH MARCH

These guys are the tough guys of the Twisted Spokes
they make us very proud with these big efforts.

This report is from the new guy of the group
Joel Mason

Rob and Rich Shirk, Tom Klenske, Doug Kaiser and Joel Mason completed another "death march" June 3-4. They enjoyed great food along the way, including a hot breakfast with Tom's hospitable parents and a couple of good meals in the artistic town of Viroqua, WI. They were joined in Viroqua on the first day by Paul Oswald, a veteran of previous death marches, who accompanied them the rest of the way to his home in Sparta on Friday. Paul and his wife Nancy opened their home to the crew on Friday night and they all enjoyed great fellowship. Friday brought oppressive heat, with a high in the low to mid-90's with a higher heat index. Joel's bicycle computer kept registering 102 on the hot asphalt. The heat made an otherwise short death march (125 miles on Friday and 100 miles on Saturday) into a challenging ride, with tail winds on Friday making the long climbs positively sweltering. Saturday brought welcomed relief from the heat with lower temperatures, humidity and light winds. The ride ended in Prairie du Chien on Saturday at about 3:30 pm with no injuries, flats or other technical problems. Rich set a new death march speed record of 55.4 mph on one decent into Coon Valley, WI. The whole group rode strong - congratulations on another death march completed.

- Joel

Here is a PS about the route - The route was 125 miles on Friday and 100 on Saturday because Friday we went from Prairie to Waukon to have breakfast with Tom's folks and then over to Lansing. Saturday was more of a direct route from Sparta to Prairie.