Jan-09: Get 'Er Dunn 102 km Permanent Populaire

Great recovEry-camaraderie ride Dunn.
That was, more or less, the suggestion from the Phun Physiologist.

But I'm not sure what he was recovering from.  He didn't ride Saturday.  And the ride on Friday probably counted more as "use it or lose it", which likely meant he had to practice using the gray matter on the route or risk losing the memory of the course.

I'm not sure what JayJay was recovering from, either.  Maybe recovery from not riding since Dec-31st?

What was I supposed to be recovering from?  Dean probably originally thought I'd be doing "big adventure miles" with the "Irregulars" the day before.  Turned out "adventure" yes -- "miles" not so much.  (For those that may be laughing at the quality or toughness of "adventure" from Saturday, one of the Irregulars came away with partial frostbite on both his big toes.  Likely precipitated because of a previous non-cycling frostbite experience ... and, btw, there had been no snow in the forecast for Saturday ... and certainly no wet snow which likely "enhanced" the rapidity of the frostbite.)

Good thing the Sunday ride was also for camaraderie since the apparent need for recovery was small.
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We set out from our start location, JayJay leading.  Pretty darn fast for a "lantern rouge" type.  I was 17.5 +/- mph and barely hanging on; sometimes I was in excess of 19 mph, and still barely hanging on.  Then about 5 1/2 miles into the ride, I got a flat.  JayJay left Dean and I to deal with the flat while she rode on (someone suggested that she "dumped" us).  A not-too-long a stop to change the flat (we could have left even sooner if I hadn't stuck my glove in a fork of the small tree against which I initially propped my bike -- when searching for the glove before remounting, Dean eventually looked up from the ground where we'd been fruitlessly looking -- "oh, yeah, now I recall where I put that glove.  Thanks, Dean."

We finally caught up to JayJay in Erwin, at about the 25 +/- mile mark of the course.  (I am not allowed to put in a comment here about JayJay possibly riding so fast because her usual randonneuring partner was not along to slow her down.  Therefore I will not put in a comment that resembles that in any way.  I wonder if I'm allowed to mention props to Andy for his Saturday solo conquest of the Coffee Ride?)

We got to the turn-around control in Dunn at least 75 minutes before the control window would have closed.  We warmed up, ate and drank a little, and set out upon the return leg, stopping at the Erwin control still wayyyy ahead of the closing window.  Luckily the course turns north with a slight northeast tilt after the several miles heading northwest by north after leaving Erwin ... lucky because the COLD wind was out of the north/northwest.  Any body parts that might have been getting slightly chilled on that Old Stage Rd were soon warming up after we stopped heading smack-on into the headwind. 

Although an extremely pretty day, we stopped not at all to take photos of the supposedly empty cotton fields between Erwin and Coats, and again north of Coats.  With a town named "Coats", and Erwin and Dunn being connected by "Denim Drive", it should be easy enough to understand that cotton and textiles were the heart of the economy in the Dunn / Erwin / Coats area.  Were -- because there is little, if any, textile industry left there now.  If you are not catching on, then I suggest you ride with Dean on the route -- he is full of history tidbits about Dunn, Erwin, etc. on his "Get 'Er Dunn" route.  (He is also full of information about the "Spanish Moss" on his "Tar Heel 200" permanent.  I think he also knows a few things about the "Battle of Averasboro".  Hmmn, maybe when the weather warms up a bit, we can get Branson and Dean to lead a Tar Heel ride, and we can all listen to the two of them discuss history tidbits regarding Averasboro.  I know they'd have at least one interested listener -- Branson would have to slow down, though, else I wouldn't be able to keep up.)

With about 7 +/- miles still to cover, JayJay "reverse dumped" Dean and me, telling Dean to finish the route and get the fireplace a-going.  All was going well when with only two miles remaining, I got my second flat of the day.  In retrospect, I'm thinking it was likely a pinch flat due to under-inflation after the first flat.  I had intended to add some air to the tire after reaching the control in Dunn, but spent the time warming my feet and changing from thin smart-wool cycling socks to an old pair of thick wool hiking socks.  (Btw, the thick wool, riding into the wind, did much better than the thin wool, riding with the wind behind.)

So ... Dean lent me a tube, and went on to finish the ride and get the fireplace a-going while I tended to the flat.  I had only been about two minutes when along-comes-JayJay.  I was grateful for her chat while I changed a rear flat for the second time that day.  When finished, we rode into the finish together.  Well, not quite.  I had forgotten to put my long finger outside glove on over the liner before I started riding ... my right hand was COLD in much less than a mile ... eventually I picked up the pace so I could get 'er done and stop the chill from getting worse. 

A lesson for the day:  carefully choose and remember where you put your glove(s) while changing a flat on a cold day.  Another lesson for the day:  a glove in a pocket does darn little for keeping a hand warm; try putting it on.

Fun day riding what was for me the longest / coldest combination ever.  Thank goodness it was bright sunshine all day (well, there was that short period where those thin clouds moved in and took the heat out of the sunshine ... but other than that ... ).  Hearing good laughter helped.  Very enjoyable post-ride chat. 
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I wonder if I should re-read the above, and see what it says.  Seriously.  You think I plan these things?

JayJay was the one planning a blog post during the ride.  But then she remembered that she doesn't blog.  Our loss. 
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Jan-09: 

Get 'Er Dunn 102 km Perm Populaire; 63.8 m.; 4 hrs, 49 min in-motion; 13.2 mph;  rando-time:  6 hrs, 18 min. 

Jan tot: __3 rides; __225.1 m.; _15 hrs, 24 min; 14.6 mph.
YTD tot: __3 rides; __225.1 m.; _15 hrs, 24 min; 14.6 mph.
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