Apr-29: No Sims Bridge / No Bobbitt Store 210-km Perm

Byron, Mick/Mike and I set out for an enjoyable, rolling ride on the "Warrenton - Egypt Mtn" permanent.

Byron wanted to get in some easy climbing this weekend as he is doing a Matt Settle 400-k suffer-fest brevet next weekend.  Byron had the correct, up-to-date cue sheet with him.

Mick/Mike wanted to get in some easy climbing this weekend as he is apparently doing Alan's 400-k brevet pre-ride next weekend.  Mick/Mike somehow had an outdated cue sheet with him.

I just wanted to ride my permanent.  For the second time.
I took no cue sheet with me.  After all, I supposedly know the route.
However, I suspect that me asking Byron on two separate occasions
"What is the name of the road at the next turn?"
May have been a bit disconcerting.


We had a good ride, starting in cloudy 55F conditions
That eventually morphed into sunny 78F weather.
The entire time with a NE breeze.
A NE breeze provides a tailwind most of the "inbound" trip,
But means the ride starts with 54 to 64 miles of headwind / breeze.

Riding behind Byron, I realized a major difference between 130-lb. Byron
And our friend Ricochet Robert (who weighs in at 135-lbs).
Namely, Byron has noticeable calf muscles.
Robert does not.

Other than rolling pastures with many horses and cattle, and fewer dawgs than last time,
My opinion is that these are the most notable things from the ride:

• NC-DOT is replacing the Sims Bridge across the Tar River.  The bridge was closed on Sunday -- but not rando-closed, if'n ya' know what I mean.  On a weekday, construction workers would probably have not permitted us to walk around the humongous crane parked in the middle of the causeway and blocking the entire roadway.  I'll have to figure a major detour for the several months the work is expected to take.  Route sabotaged by the DOT on only the second undertaking of the route -- aargh!  
• The Bobbitt Store appears to have closed, permanently.  Not a pun.  I'll move the control from that store to the gas station / convenience store at Epsom, which will now become CP-2 and CP-5.  The store at Epsom has more "conveniences" anyway.  
• The sign for Stagecoach Rd is almost completely hidden by directional and other DOT signs.  The sign on the opposite side of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd is easily visible, but it indicates Perrytown Rd.  I suspect that anyone doing the route without me (or others that have already done the route) would miss that turn.  I'll re-jigger the cue sheet. 
• I noticed that the names that the electronic maps put on the road heading "east" from Drewry is ... wrong.  What a surprise -- NOT.  I should have stuck with my instincts and memory, instead of believing the electronic maps.  Another cue sheet re-jigger. 

Byron and Mick/Mike's opinions of the notable items on the ride may differ from mine.

As noted above, we had a good time,
Despite the water issues caused by the Bobbitt Store having closed its doors.
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Apr-29:  

commute to --> Warrenton - Egypt Mtn 210-km Perm --> commute back; 150.5 m.; 10h02 in-motion; 15.0 mph; Egypt Mtn rando elapsed time:  10h26.  

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 

Apr tot: _10 rides; 1,030.4 m.; _70 h, 54 m; 14.5 mph. 

YTD tot: _32 rides; 2,640.7 m.; 179 h, 36 m; 14.7 mph.