Stage 3, Catie to Playa Bonita, 120km

   Starting point: CATIE in Turrialba, Cartago

    Finish point: Playa Bonita, Limón

    Distance: 120 km

    Elevation gain: 800 meters (2700 feet)

    Altitude change: 618m to 845m to 0 meters above the sea level

    Climate: Tropical wet, is very hot and humid

    Terrain: Paved 35% and gravel roads 65%

Stage 3 goes through a series of climbs and down hills for a total elevation gain of about 2700 feet, mostly during the first half of the ride. The last half is mainly flat. Despite the relatively small amount of climbing, this is a hard, long 120 km, frequently with hot coastal temperatures, scattered showers, tropical vegetation and very long, flat straightaways.

This was long, hot and did I say long?

At the beginning, there were these painful rollers, with some very steep but not long climbs.  I started again with the lead group, which quickly went off, and was with the 3^rd chase.  On the climbs I'd lose spots, and catch back up on the descents.  This went on until a nasty last punchy climb where I lost contact, and went into the flat stretch essentially by myself. 

Which is unfortunate as the strategy is road tactics for the flat part.

But that was ok, as holy crap, my legs were good today.  Just seemingly an unending supply of energy.  I time trialed pulling people along, and then leaving them for dead.  It went on like this till last 10k when I caught up to a fellow triathlon guy, who actually did work at the same level, we finished together. 

My time was under 5 hours, in the mix of the faster guys.

We went through some ghetto neighborhoods.  There were police with semiautomatic weapons posted by the bridges as some robberies happen there apparently. 

At one a stray dog (they are all stray) ran out suicidally right into my front wheel.  Nothing I can do, so I went down, at 20mph, hard.   Bruised hand, abrasions on knees and elbows.  Broke my garmin mount., so I had to put that in my pocket, so the whole rest of the ride I had no idea how long to the finish.  Could've been worse I suppose.  

This route also had 5-6 bridges, which you have to run across shouldering your bike, as you can fall through and die in alligator infested waters 100 meters below.  Looking at the pics after, I had to laugh.  Some of the guys behind me were actually being helped by people to cross the bridge.  I trotted at an easy pace, cradling my bike.  It got to be somewhat comfortable after some time, the cadence of the steps, the balance of the bike, the clack of my shoes on the wood.  Almost hypnotizing.  My hand hurt from the suicidal dog though.  

Then there were the train tracks on regular ground.  Long, hot, and bumpy as most of the ties are exposed to some degree, but you can’t go around.  Annoying and did I say bumpy?

Then there were just open stretches of flat bumpy rocky road with baby head sized rocks everywhere.  Hot, long, dusty.   The kind of conditions that make you question your sanity.   I thought I hallucinated at one point, when I saw ocean, and then didn’t.  But then I did again, so all good.

And then it was done.  You hop a couple big stair steps onto a beach.  They put a big medal around everyone who finishes.  I usually don't like getting something for just finishing.  I don't keep those medals.  In this case, however, I'm keeping this one.

For the last time, I dropped my bike off with the mechanics, took a cold shower, got a last great massage, had food, talked with some people, saw the medal ceremony for the winners, and waited for the bus for the 3.5 hour ride back to San Jose.  

LINKS:
Stage 3 pics
Garmin

La Ruta de los Conquistadores, Stage 3 from Ilya C. on Vimeo.