May-9: Tirzah Tour

May-9:

PUE: Treyburn-Bahama-Mt.Tirzah-Culbreth-Stem; w/ BobH & Norris (25 miles), Snapper, DntW, Iva, PaulS, Wolfie; 74.8 m.; est. 4165 ft. climbed --> effort index = 116; 4hrs, 30min; 16.6 mph avg pace.

1st Qt. tot: 20 rides; 755.3 m.; 47 hrs, 31 min; 15.9 mph.
Apr tot: 13 rides; 666.4 m.; 42 hrs, 58 min; 15.5 mph.
May tot: 5 rides, 259.1 m.; 16 hrs, 7 min; 16.1 mph.
YTD: 38 rides; 1680.8 m.; 106 hrs, 35 min; 15.8 mph.
The estimated climbing is from "veloroutes.org". I am confident that the actual climbing was more than the veloroutes estimate since veloroutes did not pick up any change in elevation on Redwood Rd northwest of I-85, and there is more than "just-a-bit" of a climb there. Interesting that veloroutes est. of mileage is 74.9 miles. Resulting "effort index" is: 116.

"Military" precision went out the door even before the ride began: the Claytonlander was lost, LuuuTENnant Daaave came to the fort rather than wait at the designated rendesvous, PaulS came to the fort to stowe his excess provisions rather than wait at his designated rendesvous. We adapted, improvised, and overcame these new logistical difficulties and sortied about 10 minutes later than planned. The light at "PaulS point" was green so we did not even spare a glance for the mileage signage -- thus leaving an excuse to start a future ride by going across Norwood rather than "falling" down MVC. Because we started late, we did not reach "point Iva" at the expected time; therefore, Iva came looking for us and we absorbed him into the main body on the way to "point Iva". The preceeding recorded, there will be no more references to "military" planning in this report.

Snapper reported that he thought Norwood was a preferable start than the "fall" and climb on MVC. But he may have said that BEFORE riding the five valleys of Victory Church / Kemp Rd. Certainly those five valley crossings making for 564 feet of climbing by the time we reached NC-98 at 8.4 miles into the ride did not make for good warm-up topography for my right leg. However, PaulS, Wolfie and Norris seemed inspired by the repeated descending and climbing.

As we turned onto NC-98, I mentioned to Wolfie that I like to go across the highway section at a good speed. I quickly learned that she has been attending the same school of leadout procedure as Jason as she instantly attained her desired speed as opposed to the usual "glide into it" that most of the group usually practice. The difference between instantaneous and "glide-into-it" procedures would manifest itself several times later in the ride. 
 

The ride across Patterson was and is a blur -- I recall it not. Nor Creech, nor the first part on Redwood. I do recall being "sorted" to the back of the pack by the time Redwood makes its turn to head for I-85. Well, actually, I don't recall the sorting process; I just recall that I was at the back when I decided to check what the average pace for the ride to that point was. 16.4 mph did not bode well for my right leg, nor did it bode well for making sure others would have the reserves to get through the ride in style. I decided to try to slow the pace of the group. All I could do was drift backward and allow the group to wait at the turns. That didn't really seem to work as "Jon" Karen and "Jon" PaulS and "Jon" Norris continued to entice the rest of the group to a higher pace.
 
An organizational pause was called at the corner of Red Mill and Old-75 (23.1 miles and 1269 ft of climbing). We bid farewell to Norris for the next month or so and also good-bye for the day to BobH at that corner since doing so at the actual parting at Old-75 / Stagville Rd would be ridiculous. We talked Snapper into continuing the Tirzah Tour; I think he was suffering from JonKaren and JonPaulS already.
 
We turned off Stagville Rd onto Wiley Mangum Rd just so we could get a distant view of the ridgeline for which we were headed (26.9 miles, 1521 ft climbed). We may have to forego this side-trip/stop on future rides, even if we have "newbies-on-the-route" since both times we have stopped there someone has had shoe / pedal problems during the ride. The first time, last year, part of Snapper's pedal actually fell off the bike. This time, Iva's cleat came loose, but nothing fell off, but I get ahead of the story.

Despite protests, the ride returned to Stagville Rd (rather than continue on Wiley Mangum) for the sole reason that the leader has learned from previous rides that he prefers the topography of Stagville to that of W.M..

Through the intermittent tree tunnel into Bahama, past Mount Bethel Methodist Church (28.6 miles, 1640 ft climbed), and into the denser tree tunnel of Quail Roost Rd we continued. I had forgotten that QR Rd was a series of rollers up to US-501; my false memory was of a more-or-less continuous climb. The tree tunnel memory was correct, though, and the filtered sunlight was nice. (At the turn onto US-501, we were at elevation 594 ft, 31.1 miles, 1863 ft climbed.)


We popped out onto US-501, zipped the short half-mile down to Moores Mill Rd, popped over the abandoned railroad embankment and . . . entered a different world. A world of pastures and rolling hills and towering hills of the ridgeline on our left. The only difficulty encountered in the next couple miles was that we had to keep Iva from veering into Lake Winds golf course. Actually, he was not tempted. Strange!

Re-grouped at Red Mountain (i.e., the group waited for me, at 33.5 miles, 495 elev, 1918 climbed). Then started the four miles along and across the Flat River (34.8 m., 463 elev, 1990 climbed), up the Flat Wall, and then on up to Mt. Tirzah. Interesting thing about the Flat River: it appears to be the main source of Lake Michie, and after filling Lake Michie, comes out the other side to end up in Falls Lake. I am not 100% sure, but it looks as if the Eno and the Flat make the Neuse River, which is now Falls Lake until it spills out past/over the dam at Falls and becomes the Neuse River again. Why do I mention this? I'm pretty sure that we never left the Neuse River Basin on our ride. Sigh. Next time, I going over the top of Mt. Tirzah and down into and across the wide valley on the other side, turn on Mt. Harmony Church Rd, and approach Moriah from the northwest instead of from the west. That valley is obviously part of the Tar River Basin; it may be the Tar River valley. Distance can probably be adjusted down to something similar to this ride by taking Range Rd from Moriah straight to Butner, and returning to PUE that way.

We had a nice stop at the store in / "atop" Mt. Tirzah (37.5 m., elev 692, 2322 climbed, I was avg'ing 16.2 mph). When we re-mounted, JonKaren immediately hit the pedals and rocketed off the front while the rest of sort of glided up to speed. Even JonPaulS was gliding up to pace. The squirrels near Mt. Tirzah are large, or at least their tails are large and bushy. And at least one must have a suicide wish. Thankfully it missed my front wheel -- I don't know how -- but I am thankful that I still have an undamaged front wheel, bike, jaw, front teeth, etc..

After the squirrel, JonPaulS came to the front and he closed the gap to JonKaren. And, either because after ~ 40 miles I was finally warmed up, or because of a delayed adrenalin response to the squirrel, even JonMartin appeared to want to drag the pace of the ride up. At least Dave, Snapper and Iva remained loyal to the concept of getting everyone through the ride in style at an appropriate pace (as best they could with all the JonHammers in the group). The ridge line on our left slowly petered out and the valley on our right slowly rose so that by Moriah (42.3 m., elev 583, 2571 climbed) it appeared we were on a wide, rolling plain.

Biggish hills were not completely done, however, as we rode around one last noticeable hill on the way to Culbeth (48.6 m., elev 479, 2837 climbed), still with two or three JonHammers in the group. Between Culbreth and Stem, Iva craftily arranged to need to fix some loose screws on his shoe; that made for a pleasant rest for the rest of us; thanks, Iva. With Iva's shoe fixed, we streamed through Stem (53.2 m., elev 469, 3071 climbed) without a pause other than the stop sign, then screamed down Brogden Rd toward Creedmoor.

In Creedmoor, Snapper got across NC-56 first and with gusto. We could easily have ridden through downtown Creedmoor, but I thought some in the group might appreciate riding as little as possible on NC-50 as possible, so I "asked" PaulS to catch Snapper and get him turn right onto Mack Street. This probably put everyone else at a "where are we" disadvantage, and I cleverly took the lead to zig-zag our way through Creedmoor, not getting onto NC-50 until just at the point where the turn lane for Dove Rd begins to form.

On Dove Rd, JonKaren once again zoomed ahead (after I had assured her there was about 3 miles of open road ahead). Snapper timed his ride well and was first to turn onto Whitt Rd, but while PaulS knew where the CL was, Snapper did not, and so, PaulS zipped past just in time to nick the CL. Just after we turned off Whitt onto Old Weaver (64.8 m., elev 312, 3480 climbed), I looked at my cycle confuser and saw that through approx 65 miles, I was avg'ing 16.9 mph. I had several thoughts: 1) WOW! 2) Damn, there goes tomorrow's long ride, and finally, after a bit 3) I hope Snapper and Iva still have some legs left. After all, I had dragged them into this ride with a guarantee that we'd get them back in style.

Most of us took it easy the last 6.8 miles from Old Weaver / New Light back to PUE. Iva diverged from us to avoid Peed Rd -- but I think Old Creedmoor or Kemp / VctChRd were probably just as tough. My confuser showed 74.8 miles at 16.6 mph at the end. Veloroutes came up with 74.9 miles and 4165 feet of climbing. Elevation on the road outside the parking lot? 384 feet.

I think everyone enjoyed the ride and the route.