2nd Ever Broken Spoke Challenge
The 2nd Broken Spoke Challenge (BS) is a cycling event that resembles a gravel grinder / adventure ride with two challenges, the full 80-ish mile challenge and the mini 40-ish mile challenge. Broken Spoke has some shenanigans sprinkled in to keep riders on their toes. Riders road on some never before and rarely ridden trails in Ventura County.
Harmon Canyon
There are many beautiful trails in Harmon Canyon that I have hiked. To be in place for the riders it would have taken me hours to hike there. I was lucky enough to have a ride. Dennis, a Board Member from the Ventura Land Trust was waiting for me in a truck to take me the few miles to the back of the canyon and up the hill. After being dropped off Dennis went back to the entrance of the park.
At the top was Dan, also from Ventura Land Trust and his buddy visiting from San Francisco. They guys were opening the gate the riders would be coming through from private land to the public land. As I took wondered the area taking pictures, the guys cheared on the riders. This was their first dirt climb of the day.
After a majority of the cyclist went coasting down the hill, we hoped in the Ventura Land Trust truck and made our way down stopping to pick a water bottle and a nutrition wrapper that fell off a riders bike. As we were descending the hill there were two women from the Squirrel Squad on the side of the trail trying to fix a flat. We sagged the down Squirrel to the repair stand at the trail head where the rest of the Squirrel Squad were anxiously waiting. They got the bike out of the bed of the truck in the stand and all the riders pulled out their repair kits. The flat was beyond field repair. One Squirrel out and the rest continued the ride, agreeing to meet at the finish line for tacos and beer.
Aid Station D
After Harmon Canyon I drove accross town to Aid Station D located at the Ventura Spirits and next to the bike path that connects Ventura and Ojai. Volunteers manning the last aid station and shenanigan are a group of running friends.
The shenanigan riders participated in was to blindly take a stamped cork out of a bucket. Cork with skull and cross bones meant you had to carry a sand bag down and up Ventura Spirits loading dock ramp. Cork stamped with the state of California or a bear were given a pass on the shenanigan.
End Of The Broken Spoke Challenge Beach Section
The final diffcult ride of the Broken Spoke Challenge was the beach section. Those who researched the course map from the “Rider Info Packet” saw this coming. Locals participating in the ride may have by passed this section and stayed on the road. Riders took all different approaches to get through the sand. Some carried their bikes, others wheeled them through the sand, and a few road their bikes. A few road on the compact sand close to the water’s edge.
If the sand wasn’t enough, to get out off the beach they had to cross where the river bottom meats the ocean. Luckily for the riders it was low tide. They had a few approaches to get accross. For instance, some riders took awhile to think out their crossing strategy. Others made quick decisions. Lastly, a few asked if there was a way around without getting wet. There wasn’t and everyone who made the beach crossing had to go through the water. After crossing there was a small sand section to the bike path. Then an easy peddle to the finish line at the Ventura Pier.
At the end, it was a wonderful day photographing and talking to the Broken Spoke Challenge riders for the second year. Click here for some photographs from 2021.
