Mar-24: "TT"

Or, Warm It Was, With An Annoying WNW Wind

Or, I Have To Do Something To Get My Speed Back - Will This Help?

Sunny and warm.  I saw one young woman riding in a bikini type top.  I thought that was a bit MUCH.  It wasn't THAT warm. 

Best to make friends with the wind -- which is easier to do on a shorter ride, I think.
Or, use the wind to one's advantage.

A nearly "true" north-wind is often the best for "using" on the "TT" course, but only if one throws in a loop or two on Coley.  (A north-wind is a headwind going downslope on Coley, and a tailwind going upslope.  For a possible way to "use" such a wind, see here.)

I started out trying too hard to go reasonably quickly into the wind.  My legs felt worn out by the 5.4 mile mark.  I changed my approach -- backing off slightly on the effort being applied to the pedals.  I immediately went faster.

At the corner of MVC and Pleasant Union Ch roads (near the school), I saw and gave a shout-out to recumbent acquaintence Bill.  Bill is in his 70's, and rides almost every day.  I see Bill frequently and always call out to him, despite my being convinced that he does not recall my name.  Today, when I called out his name, Bill stopped and we had a chat.  I knew that Bill does RAGBRAI every year (he told me that during our last longish roadside chat - about 2 years ago).  Today I learned that he rode x-country a few years ago.  His wife drove the RV, so he didn't have to lug his own panniers, and he had a good place to sleep every night.  He mentioned that he rode a few days with a couple young guys that were self-supported; but since he didn't have to carry his luggage on his bike, and he had a better bed than a tent every night, he was able to ride longer each day.  We also discussed "crazyguy" journals by people doing x-country (or other trips); we agreed that the journals that are the more interesting to read are the ones where the cyclist(s) is(are) self-supported, and HAVE to find food, water and a place to sleep every day.  What makes those journals interesting is the interactions with the locals the cyclists meet while searching for the essentials of food, water and a placd to sleep.  It helps (a lot) if the cyclist can write.  CrazyGuyOnABike
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Since this was a "TT", I'll give the boring speed details by seciton of the ride:

 __Total_____segment
miles pace _miles pace __location -- addtnl comment

__5.4 _14.3 __5.4 _14.3 _MVC / Old Creedmoor
__9.7 _15.0 __4.3 _16.0 _CP / Coley -- into the wind, + ~120 ft elev gain
_12.4 _15.4 __2.7 _17.0 _Leesville / DocN -- into the wind, flat
_14.3 _15.8 __1.9 _19.0 _DocN / OliveBranch -- downslope, tailwind
_19.4 _15.8 __5.1 _15.8 _Virgil / CP -- YES !!
_24.2 _16.5 __4.8 _20.2 _Old Creemoor / MVC
_29.6 _16.6 __5.4 _17.3 _BJP -- fin. 

I am happy to have avg'd 15.8 mph between DocN / OB and Virgil / CP.
 ___Why? _Because that includes (a) down 'n up on OliveBranch, (b) down n'up on Kemp, and (c) 2.4 miles up Virgil.
 _______I don't care if it was wind-assisted on Kemp and Virgil.  I am pleased.

A nice thing about 30 miles -- one is still relatively fresh after completing the ride. 
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Mar-24: 

BJP: DocN-Kemp-Vrgil; 29.6 m.; 1hr, 46min, 41sec in-motion time; 16.6 mph.

Jan tot: _4 rides; 208.5 m.; 12 hrs, 54 min; 16.1 mph.
Feb tot: _4 rides; 222.0 m.; 14 hrs, 47 min; 15.0 mph.
Mar tot: _6 rides; 371.2 m.; 24 hrs, 03 min; 15.4 mph.
YTD tot: 14 rides; 801.7 m.; 51 hrs, 50 min; 15.5 mph.