Sep-6: BR #1 to US-158 'n back

Sep-6:

PUE: BR #1 to US-158 'n back -- w/ "bonus" miles because I missed the turn @ Grissom; w/ "serendipity" Nancy, i.e., Becky's neighbor; 64.1 m.; est 2599 ft ---> effort = 90; 3hrs, 56min; 16.3 mph.

1st Qt. tot: 20 rides; 755.3 m.; 47 hrs, 31 min; 15.9 mph.
2nd Qt. tot: 43 rides; 2124.3 m.; 134 hrs, 59 min; 15.7 mph.
Jul tot: 16 rides; 732.2 m.; 45 hrs, 3 min; 16.2 mph.
Aug tot: 11 rides; 709.7 m.; 45 hrs, 0 min; 15.8 mph.
Sep tot: 2 ride; 131.1 m.; 8hrs, 14 min; 16.0 mph.
YTD: 92 rides; 4453.2 m.; 280 hrs, 50 min; 15.9 mph.

Rolling 12-mos.: 119 rides; 5761.4 m.; 360 hrs, 37 min; 16.0 mph.

Lynn had told me that two "Y groups" were leaving from PUE @ 7:00. One was doing 100 miles @ a "Lynn pace"; the other 50 or 60 @ an unknown pace. The 60 mile group turned out to be 3 women.

I managed to ingratiate myself by pointing out to both groups that the intended turn off NC-96 on Philo White Rd would put them on top of the recent "chip", i.e., "gravel". The work-around? Just stay on NC-96 (BR #1) all the way to Cannady Mill Rd.

One woman in the 60-mile group, Nancy, aka, "Becky's neighbor" regarding whom Becky had asked me the day before "Do you know Nancy Last-name?" "Nope." Well, as of today, the answer would be "Yep".

The other two women in the 60-mile group were faster climbers and just all-around faster than Nancy, or me. Nancy "let" the other two "go" on the climb from Falls Lake up to Purnell Rd when she realized they were too fast for her. When I caught up to Nancy, I asked "Have the climbers left us behind?" "Yep."

So, I took the lead pulling Nancy along as we started conversing regarding a number of subjects. Paying more attention to the conversation than where we were, I didn't realize that we'd missed the turn onto Lawrence Rd @ Grissom until we were passing the store at Mays Store Rd. Oops. Bouns miles. About 3.1 bonus miles. We reversed to Wayside Farm Rd to NC-96 and at the Brassfield / Horseshoe Rd intersection, where NC-96 took a 90 degree right hand turn, we were back on course.

Nice ride outbound. Into the slowly awakening breeze, which then built itself all the way to a wind. 15.6 mph when we got to US-158.
The turn-around helped our average pace considerably, and we were soon clicking miles off, often at speeds of 18, 19, or even 20 mph.

Climbing back up from the Tar River took something out of our avg pace, as did climbing back up from the creek on Lawrence Rd. Even so, when we passed Ghoston Rd (we finished New Light / Six Forks as that was the original route of the "Y group"), the avg pace was 16.4 mph. We had avg'd 17.6 mph from US-158 to New Light / Ghoston.

Both Nancy and I had good rides. I had gotten in the distance & effort & pace I had hoped for. I think having Nancy there with the conversation and just being there to help keep me focused had kept me pedaling. Nancy set a distance PR (per previous distance PR was 48 miles). Nancy is training for the Beach to Battleship Half Iron. Good luck to her. Good luck also to Becky from yesterday; Becky is also training for Beach to Battleship.