Oct-08: Bahama Beach

I was intending to not-ride-much due to certain inflammation.  IvaHawk, upon his return from the Bahamas, decided to "lead" the Irregular ride, and do the Bahama Beach (+ a Little Mtn Rd) route.  I decided to join the start of the ride.

I rode out to PUE for the 0800 start.
Surprise!
Since only one person had formally let Iva know that they would ride with him,
And that person requested delaying the start to 0830,
In the "middle of the night" (anything after I disconnect is the "middle of the night"),
The official start had been delayed until 0830.

So ... my mis-timed cycle to the start + a few extra miles
Became mis-timed to the start + even more extra miles + stand in the sunshine and soak up some heat.

I've always said that if no one responds to the "rider-call",
I will not feel obliged to maintain the commitment.

Similarly, once or twice in the past,
Those that had officially responded had requested an earlier start.
(Yeah, sometimes, some people want to start even earlier than I do.)

So ... Iva had done a reasonable thing based on previous precedent and group consensus.
[Some people think the "Irregulars" group / ride is a dictatorship. 
But it really is more a consensus thing. 
The only thing that is USUALLY dictated is the route and the start time. 
We found out, about 4 years ago, that trying to negotiate those leads to kerfuffle.
That noted, I have been over-ruled by the group in the past. 
I expect it will happen in the future.]

The crew of 4 gathered just before 0830.
I had cycled to the ride + ridden an additional 10 bonus miles.
Lee cycled to the ride.
IvaHawk cycled to the ride.
BobH, who often cycles to the ride, but usually with Norris when he does so, drove.

In response to a query "I thought you weren't riding this weekend",
I replied "things are improving rapidly; I'll do some of the start, and maybe the whole ride."
(Or something along those lines.)

We set off and immediately took MVC to Old Creedmoor
Instead of following the mapped and cue-sheeted course.
We weren't on a rando ride -- we could modify the course if we wanted.
Besides, the start we actually used is longer than the mapped start (a whole 0.2 miles -- I think).

Several of us took turns being a bit vigorous early in the ride.
I decided to back-off somewhat when I noticed myself straining on Red Mill Rd.

Also, early-ish in the ride, Lee was just ahead of me,
When he raised one of his jersey-work-glove clad hands,
And asked me if I remembered "these?"
I did remember.
(That "Search This Blog" function, powered by Google, comes in handy, sometimes.)

After Stagville Rd up to Bahama, BobH and Lee waited at the corner (at the cemetary).
I stopped to verify the text of the historical marker, then shouted
"I'll wait at the fire station."
Sometimes the fire station is open, and one can get free chilled water from the fountain inside.
And on this morning, the entrances to the fire station would be bathed in sunlight ... and warmth.
The other three joined me in a few minutes.
We chatted and feasted.

A HUGE group of cyclists -- seemingly mixed Gyrators, All-Stars and others(?)
Approach the fire station from the opposite direction.
(HUGE is a relative term.  40+ cyclists in a group is HUGE here, but maybe not where you live.)

We exchanged some pleasantries, and then we continued on our ride.
We saw more of the group, several mini-groups of stragglers from the HUGE group.
On our descent to Lake Michie, and on the climb after, and even on Ellis Chapel Rd.

Ellis Chapel and Robert's Chapel roads were nice riding.
Long shadows.  Not HOT!!  Not too cool.  Decent scenes.
Oh, yeah, each of those roads is roller after roller after roller.
Robert's Chapel Road crosses Lake Butner.
Someone asked if that was part of Falls Lake.
Nope.
I tried to recall the name of the creek or "river" that feeds Lake Butner.
Couldn't recall.
Didn't look it up.
Maybe you can find it if follow the link in the intro to the Trimble map.

Must mention Little Mountain Road.
If you've never ridden Little Mountain Road ... be sure to save some legs for it.

A quick stop in Stem to check out the former A+W Grocery,
To see what the new owner may have done.
Still serving food at certain times of the day.
Don't know how long it takes them to prepare the food.
Don't know if tastes good or not.
But I can guarantee that it will NOT be an experience to match some of
Those I've heard about on the Get 'Er Dunn route.

The route leaves Stem via Brogden Rd.
BobH LOVES to hammer that road even more than I do.
Plus, he is faster than me.
Since I was feeling the route + the early bonus miles,
I told Iva "when Bob hits the afterburners, I'm not going to try to keep up."
Iva responded "me neither."

Iva and I lost sight of Bob and Lee while on Brogden Rd.
As of the "typing-session", I don't know if Bob and Lee did the whole course,
Or if they took the short way home from Creedmoor.

Iva and completed the entire course.
I found that after I stopped straining to keep up, I enjoyed the ride more.
I think Iva indicated a somewhat similar experience.

We finished the route in 4h,52m.
Having averaged 14.6 mph while in-motion on the route.

The Bahama Beach route MAY become a Permanent Populaire.
But Iva and I are in complete agreement:  "it is a tough route".
Or at least it was on the 8th.

It certainly would not make a very good "recovery populaire".
Who needs recovery?

That's my story ... and I'm sticking to it.
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Oct-08:  --> PUE:  Bahama Beach (+ a Little Mtn Rd) -->; 84.5 m.; 5h,43m in-motion; 14.8 mph. 

Q-1 tot: _23 rides; _1822.2 m.; 123 hrs, 05 min; 14.8 mph. 
Q-2 tot: _30 rides; _2604.9 m.; 174 hrs, 22 min; 14.9 mph. 
Q-3 tot: _29 rides; _2479.2 m.; 161 hrs, 05 min; 15.2 mph. 
Oct tot: __2 rides; __146.3 m.; __9 hrs, 46 min; 15.0 mph. 
YTD tot: _84 rides; _7052.6 m.; 470 hrs, 18 min; 15.0 mph. 

Also, after today's ride, my Eddington Cycling Number is 79.
Meaning, I now have at least 79 rides that were at least 79 miles long.
I need five more rides that are at least 80 miles to get to  E  =  80 .  
----------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Career statistics through the end of: 
 year _rides ___miles _mi./r __long _ E 
 2004 ___38 __1,176.2 __31.0 __53.4 __26 
 2005 ___75 __2,441.7 __32.6 __75.6 __33 
 2006 __133 __4,926.6 __37.0 __75.6 __42 
 2007 __212 __8,457.1 __39.9 _109.0 __49 
 2008 __294 _12,222.4 __41.6 _109.0 __54
 2009 __420 _18,439.1 __43.9 _126.3 __63 
 2010 __532 _25,998.6 __48.9 _300.3 __71 
 2011 __616 _33,051.2 __53.7 _377.2 __79