May-21: A Recovery Ride for Some

"Shoofly Don't Bother Me" For Others

Midweek, I was thinking a 50-ish mile ride for Saturday.  I had even asked one person if they had a 50-miler they'd like to ride ... turned out they were busy being a dad this weekend ... that's a better way to spend their time, anyway.  I was in the midst of typing an e-mail to another Irregular or two, to ask if they a preference, when I received an e-mail from LT suggesting "let's do the Virginia Border Raid."  So ... I sent out an e-mail asking for interest, noting that those wanting something shorter could do the Shoofly (which is just a short version of the Border Raid) or another unmapped 56-miler (which could be claimed as an even shorter version).  The response was overwhelming in its silence. 

Robert eventually chimed in that he was interested in something shorter than the Raid.  LT recruited his friend Ken, but as Ken is recovering from an ankle injury, they had scaled back to just the Shoofly. 
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7 am Saturday, four ready for the approx. 75-miler Shoofly.  Well, make that three.  Robert had checked over his bike the night before and inflated both tires, but as he prepared to take the bike off the rack ... the front was flat.  Robert was embarrassed and apologetic.  Don't worry about it, Robert, it happens, even sometimes when you have prepped everything the night before.

Several minutes later ... we're off.  Climbing from Falls Lake up to the Old Weaver corner, Robert concludes his legs need extreme care, and forces himself to ride ahead to tell Ken and LT to "go ahead without us."  I hurry up to tell Robert, who was riding next to LT after having delivered the above message, that I would predict what LT had said:  "we'll just slow down a bit."  They agreed that that is what Dave had said, more-or-less. 

Up Dove Rd into Creedmoor.  Thru Creedmoor.  Onto Brogden Rd.  After a pit stop in Creedmoor, Dave and Ken ride passed us as if we are barely moving.  Before we get to Stem, Robert tells me that he is riding shorter than the planned 75-miles.  I tell him I'll ride with him.  Robert doesn't want to ruin my ride.  Hey, I would have gladly done the 106-mile Border Raid, but going shorter is not "ruining my ride."  I keep track of the distances and time-in-motion and the avg pace, but all I'm really interested in is a good time.  56-miles will be a good time.

We bid adieu to Dave and Ken when the four of leave Stem.  They leave to do the Shoofly; we intend to do the Eaton Rd route.  However, before we reach the last decision point two miles outside Stem, Robert and I decide to loop on Saunders and E. Thollie Green roads to Hester Rd, and take Hester across to Wilton, then follow NC BR #1 to Grissom and then on to Ghoston-Peed-MVC roads (our usual finish).  That will be 50-miles, or so.

Hester Rd was nice again today.  One particularly nice thing about it today was that the swarms of "no-see-um's"  / gnats were hovering over the weeds and yards on the north side of the road, whereas we were using the eastbound lane (on the south side of the road).

I snuck in a "warm interval" (I can't really call it a "hot interval") on NC-96 from Wilton to Horseshoe Rd.  We paused at Grissom to each imbide an A&W Root Beer for our delayed "SR celebration", then headed for PUE.

Good ride.  I estimate Robert and I avg'd 15.9 mph for our 51.4-mile recovery ride.
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As of writing this post, I've heard nothing from the Dave and Ken fast-guy Shoofly contingent.  I'll predict they avg'd at least 17 mph.

[Edit:  this just in from Lt. Dave, 4:29 pm:  "Good ride.  We followed the cue sheet and it was 78 from my house.  Ended up just over 17 mph.  No wrong turns.  Perfect weather!"]
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May-21:   

---> PUE:  Creedmoor-Stem-Wilton-Grissom-G-P-MVC --->; 66.0 m.; 4h,09m in-motion; 15.9 mph. 

Q-1 tot: _23 rides; _1822.2 m.; 123 hrs, 05 min; 14.8 mph.
Apr tot: __7 rides; __793.8 m.; _52 hrs, 28 min; 15.1 mph.
May tot: __4 rides; __509.8 m.; _34 hrs, 57 min; 14.6 mph.
YTD tot: _34 rides; _3125.7 m.; 210 hrs, 31 min; 14.8 mph.
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