Aug-29: Chatty Chuckie and the Shady Roads

That is "Shady" as in "shaded by trees", not as in "questionable character".

Paul "the Mallet" arrived at PUE at precisely 6:59.  He's got that trip from his house to PUE down pat.

We left a few minutes later only to U-turn after about 1.2 miles because I realized I had no money and my car was unlocked.  We re-started a few minutes later.

Paul was kind and rode my warm-up pace with me.  The warm-up pace lasted all ride long.

We enjoyed the absolutely calm surface of Falls Lake, the low sun casting long shadows, dew-covered spider-web-covered bushes, and the mostly great roads.

We chatted almost the whole ride, but, except for one or two subjects with which I will not bore you, I couldn't tell you what we chatted about.  Paul pointed out that the first building on the right on Robert's Chapel Rd (coming from the direction of the "Range Wall") was one that his firm designed, or whatever his firm did that contributed to the design.  (I'm not sure exactly what his firm does.)

We went off cue sheet when we reached the "north" end of Robert's Chapel Rd to include Little Mtn Rd in our course.  We did that just so we could say that we had done a "little mountain ride" today.  It was Paul's first time on Little Mtn Rd -- his reaction was similar to Snapper's when I had finally managed to drag him to the dreaded "Little Mountain Rd".

The story, such as it is, has gotten ahead of itself.  I should mention that Robert's Chapel Rd once again made for GREAT cycling.  Low sun, long shadows, a crossing of whatever creek / river that feeds Lake Butner.  No hurry.  Just chatting and enjoying the day.

We stopped in the shade at the corner of Little Mtn Rd and Old-75 to have some nibbles.  My confuser showed 30.3 miles and 2 hrs, 0 min, 36 seconds.

We continued through Stem and onto Brogden Rd.  I mentioned to Paul that "this road seems awfully familiar".  He asked "why, have you been on it recently?"  I replied "yesterday".  "Oh."

Through Creedmoor and onto Dove Rd where Paul kindly pulled me along at a nice, "I'm a bit tired" pace.  We zipped across the flat of Old Weaver across the lake, and putzed on up to New Light Rd. 

At New Light, we again stopped for a nibble and to say our thanks for the ride since Paul would leave me in the dust once we got to Ghoston.  Oh, I had 46.1 miles and 3 hrs, 0 min, 14 seconds at that pause in the shade. 

I received an e-mail from Paul that he arrived back home at 11:30 -- that had been his goal that he had set two or three days ago. 

All in all, an excellent day.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug-29: 

PUE:  Robert's Chapel route w/ Little Mtn Rd modification; 52.9 m.; 3 hrs, 27 min in-motion time; 15.3 mph; note:  elapsed clock time  3 hrs, 44 min (i.e., only 17 min of "stoppage time"). 

Q-1 tot: 16 rides; __938.2 m.; _60 hrs, 39 min; 15.5 mph.
Q-2 tot: 31 rides; 2,263.3 m.; 151 hrs, 29 min; 14.9 mph.
Ju1 tot: 13 rides; __786.9 m.; _52 hrs, 36 min; 15.0 mph.
Aug tot: _9 rides; __649.9 m.; _40 hrs, 45 min; 15.9 mph.
YTD tot: 69 rides; 4,638.3 m.; 305 hrs, 32 min; 15.2 mph.