Nov-21: Kemp Kut-off Lake Loop

I've had a mild head cold/chest cold all week; symptoms are going away; OTC drugs have done a great job of controlling the symptoms.  I figured I could still do 40 miles today, so sent out a "rider-call".  Eventually three responses:  LT: "let's do 60."  IvaHawk:  "I need to be back to PUE by 1030 or 1045."  Smitty:  "I need to go short." 

That would work out -- two shorts and two longs, but I was concerned about how my body would feel / react to real exercise.  Answer?  Not that great actually.  The cold may be / may have been mild, but it still leaves a mark.  By 21 miles I knew that 60 would not be fun.  LT suggested we just finish with Iva and Smitty -- it's a deal!

I think the other guys must have slowed down and "waited going slow" even more times than I noticed.  As we approached the bottom of Ghoston, I checked the avg pace so far for the ride:  15.1 mph!  Man, I had been working much harder than that! 
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The start at 0830 was rather chilly, but only until we got to the bottom of MVC.  LT later allowed as how he was glad I was going slow down MVC, and by staying behind me, he was getting a break from the wind-chill.  I was soooo grateful to find that I'd been of use at some point during the ride. 

After that first "fall" down MVC, and maybe a little bit of the first "fall" on Kemp, conditions seemed reasonable.  Warm enough that my jersey was quite damp with sweat. 

Smitty asked what was the typical low temp limit for an "irregulars" ride.  I said:  "this."  I think we were doing the initial MVC "fall" when he asked. 

Post ride thoughts on the chill:  I was no where near my cold gear limit this morning, so it seems I can go below 41F no problem.  But please ask me again when we start and it is even chillier.  Early chill is not bad if the sun is shining and one expects it warm up, as long as the wind is not too bad.  Ask me again when it is chiller and the wind is "up".

Smitty inquired later during the ride what would be the temp cut-off for the Stovall-Mountain ride with Mike D..  I said I didn't know, but it certainly wouldn't be because Mike didn't like the temps, as he has ridden in snow, sleet, ice, and every other nasty condition one could think of for winter in NC.  94 consecutive months with at least one ride of at least 100 miles each month, and closing in on 48 months with at least one 200k ride each month, we figured he could handle a lot more "conditions" than we could.  I think Smitty said "hard core."  I heard the others discussing riding 200k in January, but as I was probably falling off the pace, I'm not sure what they concluded; probably that January 200k's would likely be uncomfortable. 
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Nov-21:

PUE:  Kemp Kut-off lake loop; w/ LT, Iva, Smitty; 32.7 m.; est 1568 ft climbed --> effort index = 38; 2hrs, 11min; 14.9 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: 5 rides; 217.1m.; 13 hrs, 53 min; 15.6 mph.
YTD: 113 rides; 5595.5 m.; 353 hrs, 55 min; 15.8 mph.

Rolling 12-mos.: 124 rides; 6043.5 m.; 380 hrs, 60 min; 15.9 mph
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Oh, I forgot:
 
p.s. to Karen:  No one got lost at the top of Ghoston.  But we are going to have to remember to wait at the top of Ghoston instead of out of sight in the driveway into the Peed Store -- at least in the winter until we are confident no one will turn the wrong way.