Nov-15: "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom"

I parked at BJP thinkng the PUE lot would be filled due to another activity.  Went for a warm-up spin and discovered a PUE parking lot mostly empty of cars but full of sunshine.  I decided to move my car to PUE. 

LT rode to PUE and we started our ride a bit before noon.  We were immediately passed by a Wake County Sheriff's vehicle that was obviously responding to the same call as the EMT vehicle that we had seen just before we started our ride.  Interesting thing about the Sheriff's vehicle was that shortly after passing us on the downslope of MVC, the vehicle stopped, turned on its Mars lights, and proceeded to back up towards us -- he had overshot his destination.  Being clever cyclists, we slowed significantly until the Sheriff's vehicle turned off the road. 

After turning onto Old Creedmoor / Carpenter Pond, LT just kept pushing me faster and faster.  On Carpenter Pond Rd, just before Olive Branch Rd, I managed to slow LT and get him to stop as I decided to rescue two turtles before some passing vehicle did them in.  Each was trying to get to the souteasterly side of the road -- I guess the pond on that side of the road seemed more attractive.  The first turtle was quite a bit larger than one normally sees on the roads; LT warned me avoid its mouth, but it "turtled" and its tail, head and all four feet withdrew inside the safety of its shell.  I quickly picked it up and carried it the 2/3 of the way across the road that it had not yet traversed. 

I approached the second turtle, a bit smaller than on usually sees.  As I got behind it and bent over to pick it up, something unusual happened.  The turtle had apparently decided I was a danger, and it started to sprint, there is no other word for it, away from my footfalls.  Okay.  I decided to just "chase" the little guy by successively making footfalls behind him.  He scooted quickly off into the ditch.  LT said something about the first turtle; I looked and saw he had just about completed the crossing of the ditch on that side of the road.  I glanced back at the second turtle -- it was continuing to scurry away from the road.  I got back on my bike, and LT was soon pushing me on as fast or faster than before.

We covered the initial stretch to Plainview Church much more quickly than we usually do.  At one point, while going up the easier (easiest) climb on Patterson, I thought, "man, this hurts."  I looked at my confuser.  "No wonder it hurts, 16.9 mph uphill."  

The fast pace continued across Cheek Rd, and I have to admit that I almost practiced my "catch Snapper and ride by in style" move down to the lake.  Almost.  Once we got across the lake and started up the hill, LT relented a bit and did not push me up the climbs.  This luxery lasted all the way to Grissom.  But after Grissom, actually, after just past Rock Springs Rd, LT went "back" to pushing me hard.  We covered the 6.6 miles from Grissom to the bottom of Ghoston at an average of approximately 20.8 mph -- a piece of cake for many -- a pretty-dang-near full-out effort for me. 

LT relented again on Ghoston, Peed, and MVC and did not "push" me along.  Even so, I did the last 4.7 miles quickly enough to hold onto a decent pace for the ride (taking into account the opening 7.6 miles at 14.9 mph). 

LT pointed out that all the pecans seemed to have fallen from the Pecan tree on the place at the corner of Peed and MVC. 

All in all, a very enjoyable and useful sunny-day ride. 

p.s. to Karen:  no one got lost at the top of Ghoston.    
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Nov-15: 

1) BJP: to fire station and back 7.6 miles, 2) PUE: Creedmoor-Grissom 47.3 miles, w/ LT; 54.9 m.; est 2216 ft climbed --> effort index = 77; 3hrs, 24min; 16.1 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.
3rd Qt tot: 36 rides; 1947.2 m.; 121 hrs, 48 min; 16.0 mph.
Oct tot: 9 rides; 551.4m.; 35 hrs, 41 min; 15.4 mph.
Nov tot: 4 rides; 184.4m.; 11 hrs, 42 min; 15.7 mph.
YTD: 112 rides; 5562.8 m.; 351 hrs, 44 min; 15.8 mph. 

Rolling 12-mos.: 124 rides; 6061.8 m.; 381 hrs, 51 min; 15.9 mph