Sarah and I decided it was time time to finally head up to Polson this weekend to participate in the Speedwagon Classic.  This is classic not because it has been around for decades and carries with it an illustrious racing history. No this is just a plain classic example of the kind of event that Matt Seeley absolutely loves.

Sure he called it a race but in the end it was what he called a "fun" training event.

For the venue Matt chose some the incredibly scenic Flathead Valley south of Polson. The Mission Mountains stood large east side of the valley were as clear and crisp as I have seen them in a long time.

For the "Classic" portion of the race Matt chose some of the roughest, washboarded and graveliest roads available in Montana. Some of us had never done this race before and we had no idea what we were in for once we turned off the the only paved road that we see for nearly the entire race. The first stretch of road made for a social promenade that gave no hint of what was to come.

OK no more photos after this none. Impossible to get.  Shortly after this point in the race the pace picked up and we hit the dirt.  It was go time and powering over the most brutal roads in Montana didn't leave any time or energy to snap photos. My heart rate was pegged and rarely dropped below 162bpm for the entire 2:54 that I was on the bike. My back ached, my legs burned with a fury I have not experienced in years, the palms of my hands felt as if they were being bruised and I was certain that I was going to have whiplash a few times after having my head thrust back following a pounding by an unexpected pothole or washboard section. The only thing that made the race harder than the roads and wind and washboard was the finish line that sat at the top of a truly sadistic final climb.  There was actually a decent tailwind pushing me up the final climb that allowed me to pedal up at about 5.5 miles per hour. I am sure that if Matt had his way he would have picked a day where we had to climb into a headwind - not this day thankfully. 

If the race course epitomized a "classic" Matt Seeley course the after party and feast made it a signature Polson EVENT! Kim Sicz and several of her cohort  from the southern Flathead made a huge feast. Chili, cornbread, salad, snacks galore and some very fine wine greeted us once we returned to the race staging area at Wayne and Sicz's new pad. Their house is situated on a hill above the Kerr Dam area and provided amazing vistas of the Mission Mountain and southern Flathead valley. Once the race was over we were able to appreciate those views while filling our race worn bellies with a fabulous meal. I was going to take some photos of the dinner spread but I was too hungry to make my way down to get my camera.

Manymany thanks to Matt and Wayne and Kim and everyone who made this event possible. Definitely one of the coolest events in Montana. A race not to miss. Especially if you are an avid cyclist this is your opportunity to test the limits of your body's ability to withstand a constant onslaught of pain and punishment. In the end everyone finished with a broad smile on their face. No one seemed anything less than excited to complete this epic day on the bike.