Latoja: Bikers ride 206-mile race from Logan to Jackson, Wyo.
Eric Gardiner didn’t finish first in the 2008 LOTJA Classic, but for the USU senior’s cycling race, he matched his goal of 10 hours 8 minutes.
“I began riding with the USU team last spring and that’s when I decided to do it (LOTOJA), not really knowing anything about it,” Gardiner said.
LOTOJA is an annual 206-mile race from Logan to Jackson, Wyo. Standing for “Logan to Jackson,” LOTOJA began 26 years ago and first began by the owner of Sunrise Cyclery.
The race climbs nearly 10,000 feet, ending in Jackson, nearly 1,800 feet higher than the start. More than 3,000 cyclists applied to ride this year, but only 1000 were allowed.
Each rider requires a support crew to ensure the cyclists are fed throughout the journey. There are seven designated feed zones throughout the race. At each stop, crews meet their riders, handing off food and fresh water bottles.
“I stayed in Logan the whole summer, just working and riding my bike every day,” Gardiner said. “Luckily, a lot of the big training you stop doing the week before school starts, so it’s more of a cool down period.”
Gardiner began the race at 6:58 a.m. with a casual pace within his group of Cat 5’s, until he reached the first feed zone 34 miles in the race at Preston.
“It wasn’t until after Preston that my group scattered,” Gardiner said
Gardiner stayed with six other riders in his category and felt strong all the way through Strawberry Canyon; a 20-mile climb to an elevation of 7,424 feet at the summit then drops 1,500 feet to Montpelier. Due to traffic and construction, his support team was unable to reach him before his arrival at the third feed zone. Gardiner kept moving to the next feed point despite nearly running out of food.
“I was pretty pissed, I said a few curse words,” Gardiner said
Due to the lack of food, Gardiner began feeling drained through the Allred Flat Pullout, the halfway point, but because of another cyclist who offered some of his supplies, he was able to comfortably climb the Salt River Pass reaching their top elevation of 7,630 feet.
Gardiner’s crew still hadn’t caught up by the time he reached Afton, Wyo. Gardiner said he got off his bike to snatch some provisions from LOTOJA officials, and ate on the road to keep himself fueled until his crew could catch up to him.
After Alpine, Gardiner began the final leg of the journey through Snake River Canyon to Jackson, leaping from group to group until he found some cyclists riding at the pace he stayed until the finish. Still feeling strong, he finished just 8 minutes over his goal time of 10 hours.
“I really liked it,” he said. “I’d totally do again next year. It was a great experience.”
–tyler.l@aggiemail.usu.edu