The Third Annual Fireweed

...riders are often treated to a sunrise the color of the fireweed.

by Janice Tower

John Marino Competition for ultra riders of the season

"The best memory was the incredible scenery for the whole race, around every corner was another glacial stream or an awesome view. It was the best and most scenic course I have ever ridden." - John Caton

Sunrise greets the racers at Fireweed. George Stransky photo

The fireweed was ablaze on a perfect summer Alaskan weekend in early July. And so were more than 400 riders in the third annual running of the Fireweed, the RAAM qualifier from Sheep Mountain Lodge to Valdez, AK.

When RAAM veterans Peter Lekisch and George Stransky stage a bike event, it's not just a race but also a smorgasbord. There is something for everyone in the Fireweed. And for everyone, a personal challenge to ride farther or faster than before, be it 50, 100, 200, or 400 miles.

The Fireweed festivities began on a Friday evening at the Sheep Mountain Lodge with Iditarod Dog Sled Race veteran, Zach Steer, as our host. Steer and his staff laid out a scrumptious pre-race spread packed with carbs and gourmet flavor. All in full view of jagged mountain peaks adorned with hanging glaciers, fields of bright pink fireweed blossoms and Steer's team of curious sled dogs.

Racers starting the Fireweed. George Stransky photo

With glycogen stores topped off, Fireweed participants retreated to their cozy cabins or to the slumber party developing on a runway for light aircraft, a temporary home to the tent city that grew larger by the hour. There wouldn't be much quality sleep for the cyclists; then again, none was expected.

On Saturday the race started at the crack of dawn. Only in summertime Alaska, dawn doesn't really crack because it never quite gets dark. This is, after all, the Land of the Midnight Sun.

The prospective RAAM qualifiers were the first wave to start. Skies were partly cloudy and the air was crisp. Steamy breath, suspended in the air, trailed in the racers' wake.

The riders spun easily up the first climb and down the undulating road, a swath of asphalt slicing tundra and swamp spruce forest toward the crossroads of Glenallen, a dot at the foot of the monstrous peaks of the Wrangell Mountains.

The scenery is big in Alaska. George Stransky photo

The course directions are so simple that no map is needed. Race official and team RAAM Veteran, Bob Voris, explained, "Turn right at Glenallen. When you get to Valdez turn around. When you get to Glenallen turn left." (Voris wasn't at the start of this year's Fireweed as he was riding his bike from Anchorage to the Florida Keys).

The Fireweed 400 loses elevation from the start line to the halfway point of Valdez, making the return trip physically and psychologically demanding. It's hard to turn around and leave beautiful Valdez with its welcoming and gracious residents, knowing that Thompson Pass looms ahead, and that a gauntlet of rollers lurks just beyond.

The "rollers" are rollers on steroids. Everything in Alaska is big: big mountains, big vegetables, and big rollers. It's hard to get comfortable riding the plunging descents and sharp pitches carved by glacial rivers. Vertical feet accumulate with each buckle in the road.

Worthington Glacier near Valdez. George Stransky photo

The last 75 miles are an uphill grind with only a few declines for rest. Soloists usually hit this stretch during the darkest part of the day, what some would call night. There's still enough light to see, but not enough to make out the cracks and road debris. For maybe two hours riders need a lighting system and the headlights of a support van.

On this lonely but stunningly beautiful stretch riders are often treated to a sunrise the color of the fireweed bending in the breeze of passing wheels. So jaw-dropping that for short moments it's possible to forget the ache of the past 325 miles.

Jeff Caton, a 48-year-old Spokane, WA oncologist and winner of the 400-mile RAAM qualifier, felt the ache of the climbs. Caton took the lead after 110 miles and built a cushion of 24 minutes by the turnaround point in Valdez.

John Caton, solo Fireweed 400 winner. Peter Lekisch photo

"The most difficult part was the climb back up Thompson Pass," Caton explained. "Eight percent grade for about eight miles and you have about 230 miles into your legs. It was the first and only time I have ever stopped on a climb to catch my breath. . . I stopped twice. . . but made it up and once I did, I knew the worst was over." Caton, the climber, increased his lead by the Glenallen turn by over two hours.

"The win was an incredible comeback for me," Caton confessed, "because about six weeks earlier I had two bad crashes. . . . one at the Davis Double Century (which) took a chip off my elbow and my thumb with a lot of road rash. Then 10 days later I crashed again, broke my collar bone and had a concussion."

The trauma of his previous races failed to hinder Caton as he finished with a time of 23 hours 3 minutes. Dick Weber, a 63-year-old from Clackamas, OR, was second with an impressive time of 25:23:34. Weber was less than an hour ahead of 66-year-old third place finisher Gerald Goode (26:05:25).

Andy Pohl & Judy Abrahams. Peter Lekisch photo

This year's Fireweed 400 marked the first entry in the tandem division. Andy Pohl, two-time Fireweed 400 veteran, captained this elite team with Fireweed 200 veteran and Hawaiian Ironman qualifier, Judy Abrahams, as stoker. Pohl and Abrahams were tandem novices. "I had to re-learn how to spit so I (wouldn't) put my entire body into the spit and disrupt the bike handling," quipped Abrahams about the challenges of riding tandem versus solo.

Abrahams added that the small cockpit size of their tandem road bike required her to make adjustments to her position on the bike. "I also realized that with the small cockpit, I had to learn not to pull forward when pushing hard on the hills while Andy was standing. Twice when he sat back down he landed on my head." Pohl and Abrahams finished with a time of 25:28:49, establishing a benchmark tandem record.

In the 400 two-person relay, Kenneth Philbrick, 27, and Ben Larson, 26, of Team Tartan set a course record of 18:23:54. Team Tartan also established the fastest duo time (8:46:16) to the Valdez turnaround. Team Sorbutz (Justin Singleton, James Singleton, Stan Corrick, Denis Corral) won the 400 four-person relays in 20:14:29.

Team Tartan: Kenneth Philbrick (left) & Ben Larson. Peter Lekisch photo

As the 400-mile racers were beginning their return ascent of the 2,700-foot Thompson Pass, the double-century racers torqued their cranks down the mountain through Keystone Canyon toward Valdez into a frustratingly strong and steady headwind. There would be no free miles off Thompson Pass in this year's Fireweed.

Well in front of the chase pack were former Alaskan Walt Nestell, 42, and Jeff Carson, 40, of Jacksonville, FL. Nestell and Carson blasted off the start line and established an early lead. The two riders worked together in an effort to break the nine-hour barrier.

Carson observed, "Initially we were just toying around off the front hoping a few more work horses would bridge. But then we heard the gaps were getting bigger." In the end, Nestell and Carson sprinted for the line.

Nestell & Carson sprint after 200 miles. Jim Mendenhall photo

"My best memory of the race aside from the scenery, and the incredible race organization (I could not believe the community involvement, the rest stops and that Peter <a race director> had the roads swept) was the photo finish. . . I don't think either of us really knew if we had a sprint left after 210 miles. The photo finish was just perfect. The Gods of cycling had smiled down upon us. We had both worked incredibly hard for the win, neither of us deserved to lose." Both riders finished in 9:07:36.

While Carson journeyed all the way from Florida, Nestell's race was more of a whirlwind to race on a familiar course and to visit with old friends in the Arctic Bicycle Club. "That was an epic day. . . I just came in for a quick self-inflicted pain-and-suffering . . . then had to fly back down to Washington."

Zach Violett, 23, won third place in the 200-mile race in a time of 9:27:14. Seventeen-year-old JJ Tower was close behind in fourth (9:30:34), two minutes ahead of his mother Janice Tower, 43, the winner of the women's division and fifth overall in 9:32:53. Winning the tandem race were Peter and Carol Giannini with a time of 13:46:03.

In the 200-mile team events, James and Amber Stull won the two-person relay in 8:54:33. The two spouses relayed and drove their own support, communicating by leaving notes on the dashboard. Team Funhawgs (Eric Packer, Judy Kanaday, Randy Kanaday, Rick Rogers) won the four-person race in 9:06:23.

Author Janice Tower. George Stransky photo

In other races, Kevin Donley won the men's 100-miler in a blistering time of 4:08:46. Sheryl Loan won the women's 100 in 4:28:10. Ironman triathlete, Jens Beck, handily beat the men's 50-mile field in 2:13:36 while Stacy Steinberg won top honors in the 50-mile women's race in 2:58:34.

The 2006 Fireweed is on the calendar for July 8th. Our very own John Hughes (UltraMarathon Cycling Association's managing director) is the first solo entrant. Solos, relays up to four people, HPV, cruisers and tandems are all welcome. There will be the same directors, excellent volunteers, race committee and race support as in previous years.

Complete Results