Friday, August 31, 2012

To Follow the "Taste of Carolina 1200"

I gave in and signed up for Facebook, hoping to get some information on developments at the ToC.  However, it appears that I'll need about a year to figure out how to usefully use that Face-thiingy.

I did find a few "I'm 'here' now" type posts or whatever they're called on Facethingy.  No drama or excitement or build-up anything like that.

Then, I did learn one "useful" thing about one rider:  my friend Bob B. crashed the first night, after riding about 300-kms, and ... he is DNF.  NOT the information I was hoping to discover.

I'd swear off trying to find out more about ToC developments, but there are other friends out there (including Ricochet Robert -- who has author privileges and sometimes posts on this very blog), somewhere "down east" in NC, still making progress -- I hope!

BTW, if you liked Robert's PBP-post, consider encouraging him to write a ToC-post -- you'll probably have more influence than I do.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, well, nothing I can do about Bob.  And nothing I can do about or for Ricochet nor Byron nor JP nor Joel nor Mary nor Ian nor Geof nor Bryan nor Ed nor JohnM nor Tim nor ... the list is too long.  However, on a personal note, I've had a reasonable and mostly fun August on the roads in NC on my bike despite not attempting any epic rides.

Aug / YTD summary:  

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108h42; 14.8 mph; 1947 RUSA kms
Q-2 tot: _29 rides; 2,711.5 m.; 182h48; 14.8 mph; 2700 RUSA kms
Ju1 tot: __9 rides; __751.5 m.; _49h10; 15.3 mph; _636 RUSA kms
Aug tot: _10 rides; __840.4 m.; _49h19; 14.9 mph; _963 RUSA kms
YTD tot: _70 rides; 5,913.7 m.; 396h58; 14.9 mph; 6246 RUSA kms.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Aug-25: Putz-About, With Tomatoes + Menagerie

I met Robert at the start of the Triple-L perm.
Not because we were going to do Byron's hillfest,
But only because it was a convenient meeting spot.
(I was a few minutes late.  And several minutes later than planned.)

We set off, a bit later than expected,
In the OPPOSITE direction of the Triple-L start.

Then Robert "detoured" us through a neighborhood.
And, I think, another neighborhood or two.
I'd never seen any of the roads, houses, etc..

When we got to Strickland Rd and a multiple-use-path,
I told Robert, "I know where we are;
"I've never cycled on this path, but I've walked or jogged on it."

Robert responded, "do you know the way through the neighborhood on the other end?"
"To get us to Mt. Vernon Church Rd," he added.
"Sure do," I told Robert.

Soon we were on New Light Rd, headed for Old Weaver Trail.
Robert commented that his legs seemed a bit tired or heavy.
I replied that I thought we were going a bit too fast for a putz-about,
Only four days before his Taste-of-Carolina-1200 start.
We slowed down.

Quite a few other cyclists were out and about.
Old Weaver Trail is the main (only ?) cycling thoroughfare on the north side of Falls Lake.

We turned onto Boyce Rd, looking to find the free tomatoes Robert had found the week before.
Near the end of Boyce Rd, we found the tomatoes and squash.
I'm guessing that all the tomatoes from a garden had rippened at the same time,
And there were too many all at once for the owners to handle.

There were a dozen or so picked-over, small tomatoes on the table,
Along with half-a-score of small, yellow squash.
Robert and I each ate two or three small tomatoes.
R indicated that the table had been covered with the surplus tomatoes a week before.

Back on our trusty steeds,
Heading down toward Old Weaver (again) and Cheek Rd across Falls Lake.
We must have been chatting, because I recall nothing.

On Cheek, we started encountering the outbound charity cyclists.
First came the serious-faced, seriously fast riders, spread out in groups of two or three.
Then came the serious-faced riders in the serious-looking large double pace-line.
Then the riders that looked as if they had been jettisoned off the back of the large group.
Interspersed with those with not-so-serious-faces, that looked to be doing their own thing,
And likely enjoying it.

Finally, came the long tail of the charity ride.
Some mashing hard on ill-fitting, (dis)comfort bikes,
Obviously doing the hardest thing they've ever done (or at least hardest in a LONG time).
Interspersed with reasonably calm faces doing a mostly pleasant ride.
And best of all, the occasional happy-face, clearly enjoying being on their bike,
Out in the cool August overcast,
And likely well-beyond their usual "stomping" grounds.

I most like seeing the last described.
People having fun!
And not being SERIOUS about it.

Robert wanted to stop and see if he could connect with the owners of a menagerie
On Patterson Rd (near NC-98).
The owners did appear, and the woman (whose operation the menagerie is)
Gave us the big tour.
Chickens, wild geese pausing on their migration, wild ducks pausing on their migrations.
More chickens, a couple dogs, some cats about somewhere,
Stories about the foxes and coyotes and the hawk that raises three broods a year,
On the pickings from the free-range chickens.
Did I mention that there were a lot of free-range chickens.
Robert asked quite a few questions.
When we left, he mentioned that he had another million questions he wanted to ask.

We rode up Doc Nichols Rd -- it seemed effortless.
The benefit of being in good shape, and just putzing-about, I reckon.

We cut over on Shady Grove Rd to Leesville Rd,
And then Robert led me winding through another neighborhood or two,
Until we reached his house.

There, we said our good-byes, and I wished him good luck and good riding next week.
And I finished my putz-about by using the MUP across Lake Lynn,
Then cycling past the Triple-L start / finish and then ...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug-25:  

---> modified counter-clockwise Falls Lake Loop ---> ; 60.2 m.; 4h16 in-motion; 14.1 mph

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 
Q-2 tot: _29 rides; 2,711.5 m.; 182 h, 48 m; 14.8 mph. 
Ju1 tot: __9 rides; __751.5 m.; _49 h, 10 m; 15.3 mph. 
Aug tot: __8 rides; __654.9 m.; _43 h, 47 m; 15.0 mph. 
YTD tot: _68 rides; 5,728.2 m.; 384 h, 26 m; 14.9 mph. 

After the ride, I figured out how to un-jam the "set" button on my cycle confuser.  Next ride, I should be back to actually "knowing" the distance and time-in-motion -- as opposed to having to estimate certain parts. 

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Aug-18: Flat River Cafe' 204-km Perm

Things of note from the ride:

  • Route owner Byron did not know, until pointed out to him on this ride, that there is a BBQ restaurant / cafe' attached to the grocery / convenience store in Hurdle Mills.  We had a nice lunch on the return from Leasburg, headed for Hollow Ridge Grocery atop Mt. Tirzah.  Lunch special is meat-of-the-day plus two sides (think "South'ren" vegetables) with a roll or about 4 hush-puppies.  Not open on Sundays.  I recall that they stop serving lunch around 2 pm, and start running out of things earlier than that.  If you think you'd like to stop en route for lunch, plan accordingly. 
  • Stagville Under the Stars, Star-gazing at Stagville, Friday, Aug-24. 
  • Bahama Days, Sep-15. 
  • Despite the recent rains, Lake Michie is very low.  The "islands" in the middle of the lake (really it is just the Flat River held up behind a dam) and the "beaches" along the edges of the lake are all easily visible.  Also, the several rocks that are usually hidden beneath the lake surface as visible.  If you're interested in seeing the "beach" at Bahama, NOW would be a good time to ride the Bahama Beach Permanent-Populaire. 
  • The mulberry bushes / trees (? - I might not have correctly identified the species of tree) that line both sides of the longish lane from Red Mtn Rd back to the first farmstead after turning off Hampton Rd onto said Red Mtn Rd -- WOW !!  Fiery red color.  Wish I had had a camera.  Get on your bike and go see it now. 
  • Between Bahama and Mt. Tirzah, I had gotten a couple minutes ahead of Byron and Mick/Mike.  I was just beyond the county line and the bridge over the Flat River on Moores Mill Rd, I was having to work rather hard on one steepish section, I thought to myself "if I'm having to work this hard here, what will it be like when I get to the wall?"  About two seconds later, "oh, this is the wall, and you're only 30 yards from the top; no wonder it has been a bit harder."  Duh. 
  • There are several farmsteads on Hester Store Rd and Gordonton Rd that I really like the look of.  Well cared for; nicely landscaped with trees, bushes, boulders and flowers in about the right amounts.  One particular farmstead on Gordonton Rd was all decked out as everything appeared to be in full flowered bloom.  The farmhouse and yard are set back off the road (on the east side) about 150 yards.  Wish I had had a camera, again. 
  • Only one dog attempted to be a nuisance -- and that only on the outbound trip. 
  • Byron got in his R-insurance ride ahead of his Taste-of-Carolina 1200 in about 10 days. 


That about sums it up.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug-18:  

---> Leesville-Leasburg-Leesville 204-km Permanent ---> ; 139.5 m.; 9h03 in-motion; 15.4 mph; L-L-L accounted for 127.3-miles and 8h18 in-motion w/ 10h43 elapsed time (including 53-minutes for lunch and some longish control stops)

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 
Q-2 tot: _29 rides; 2,711.5 m.; 182 h, 48 m; 14.8 mph. 
Ju1 tot: __9 rides; __751.5 m.; _49 h, 10 m; 15.3 mph. 
Aug tot: __6 rides; __575.7 m.; _38 h, 10 m; 15.1 mph. 
YTD tot: _66 rides; 5,549.0 m.; 378 h, 49 m; 14.9 mph. 

Pending approval from route-owner Byron (which seems incredibly likely -- see above for the cast that was on the ride), I'll have 6003-RUSA-credit-kms for the year-to-date.  I would have gone out to do the Bahama Beach perm-pop this morning, but the radar looked too darn wet. 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

One Wing in a Cast

IvaHawk:

"I had another low/no speed parking lot crash just before the Hboro Bikefest on Sat.  This time I paid.  Cracked scaphoid bone in right wrist.  Surgery next week.  Two months recovery.  Maybe Martin will post photo I sent him.  Typing difficult delayed or no further notes from me likely.  Yes I'm bummed.  Will improve running."

Monday, August 13, 2012

Aug-12: OEO 209-km Perm

Early in the week, route owner Mick let me know that a group was forming to do OEO on Sunday, and he inquired if I'd be interested in riding same, apparently with him.  The noted group included MikeD, Jerry, Ian and Tim -- a fast lot, that.  As I was still suffering cold-symptoms (read leg fatigue and congestion), it didn't seem a wise decision to commit.  By Thursday, I felt a LOT better, and asked Mick to prepare a card for me -- little did I know that he had decided to switch to the Carolina Crossroads route with Dean, MikeO and possibly Sridhar -- thus leaving me to fend off 4 fast guys by myself.  That's okay -- I like doing solo 200's:  they're peaceful.

By Saturday morning / afternoon, MikeD had opted out because he'd hurt his feet.

Sunday morning dawned ...
That's not correct.  With an 0600 start, I cycled to the start in the dark.

So ... Sunday morning arrived warm and humid, and a funny thing happened on the way to the start.  There was a fine mist in the air; one couldn't call it rain; one couldn't call it a sprinkle; the drops of water were too small for that; one couldn't even call it a drizzle because the drops seemed almost suspended in the air.  Further, the roads were not wet, nor did they seem to be getting wet.  However, if it continued to mist like that for long enough, roads would be wet.

Anyway, I arrived at the agreed meeting place (open control with several options, not all of which can be seen from each other -- a single designated meeting point is a good idea) to find that the McD's did not open until 0600 -- aargh.  I saw Tim in the McD's parking lot, and let him know that I had seen Jerry's car in the HT / Starbucks parking lot.  I cycled across the street, and was greeted by Jerry (who had all the paperwork).  Tim drove his car across the street and parked a couple spots from Jerry.  Ian arrived, having cycled to the start from a more-or-less opposite direction than I had done.

2nd funniest exchange of the morning:
Me:  "Who ordered this rain?"
Ian:  "Alan did.  It is left over 'brevet-weather' from yesterday."

Funniest exchange of the morning:
Tim:  "Where does this route go?"
Me:  "Elm City."
Tim:  "Really?"
Me:  "Yep.
Tim grunts.
Ian:  "Why the reaction?"
Tim:  "I just came from there."
[Locals will understand.  Non-locals ... check this map:  Tim lives in Wilson.]

Waiver(s) signed, cards and cue sheets distributed.  Receipt plan in place.  I went to use the HT rest room.

When I returned a few minutes later, Jerry was handily changing a flat on his front tyre; recognizing the tyre, I knew Jerry was planning a single-speed or fixed ride.  But as he pumped up ... BANG ... Jerry decided to send us on without him, and he would go do his Howling Grits populaire -- probably on his purpose-built rando bike ("Cinnamon Girl") with gears.

Disappointed was I that I'd not get to hear about Jerry's recent RAGBRAI on a 3-speed bike which is several years older than him (I found the link to a semi-recent RTP blog post with photo of bike), with Drew Buck of PBP fame.  Another time, perhaps.

On the flip side, the ride was down to only 2-fast-guys and me (from the original 4-fast-guys).

More "good news" for me:  turned out Tim had no legs.  Well ... what he called "no legs".  I'm convinced that he and Ian could have powered off and left me any time they chose.

I knew that Tim was not a fan of hills, but other than the first 17-miles of Alan's brevets, it had been about two years since I'd ridden any distance with Tim -- and in each case, he powered off after a certain point.  "No legs", some rollers, maybe I'd be able to stick with Tim and Ian for a while.

We three arrived together at the control in Spring Hope (43.5 miles) in 2h49.  Receipts and signatures acquired.  I adjusted my saddle (earlier in the ride, I had mentioned to Ian that the week previous, although I was suffering from fatigued legs due to being ill with a cold, I had felt at one with the bike the entire day, but this morning, although I was apparently riding well, I felt as if my butt was sitting heavy on the saddle).  As my legs were starting to tighten up a bit after I completed the saddle adjusments, I rolled out, knowing Ian and Tim would catch me momentarily.

While still on the decline away from Spring Hope headed toward the underpass beneath controlled access US-64, those two went around me as if I were motionless.  I picked up my pace, but soon they were out of view.  I settled-in on the flat of Macedonia Rd for a comfortable and peaceful solo completion of my appointed round.  I had to stop for a couple minutes at the turn onto Bend of the River Rd to check the instructions (sign missing, follow the arrow that indicates NC-58 is 5-miles to the left).

Confident I was on course, I was enjoying my ride, wondering when I'd meet the returning fast-twosome.  Three miles from Elm City, I turned onto W. Langley Rd, expecting to see Ian and Tim at any moment.  A mile later, and I was sure I would see them any second.  I was 100% sure on each pedal stroke the last mile into Elm City:  Ian and Tim, any time now.  They were still at the control when I arrived at 4h25.

After the guffaws of "how long was our nap?" and a similar comment or two.  Tim and Ian acknowledged that they had been discussing the fruitlessness of hammering an inconsistent 19-mph pace and needing more time at the control, compared to riding a steady-17-mph pace and being a bit quicker through the control.  They concluded that it wasn't worth the extra effort; and that all they had gotten out of the last section was ... they were tired.

Subsequent to the ride, I checked the cue sheet and did some calculations.  It is 21.5 miles from the suggested Spring Hope control to the suggested Elm City control.  At 19-mph, it takes 8 fewer minutes to cover the distance as compared to 17-mph.  If the 19-mph riders take 8-minutes-more at the control than the 17-mph rider --> the 17-mph rider will leave the Elm City control first.

To complete the circle:  I did pull out first as we left together.  And Ian and Tim tacked-on to me for awhile.

It is still my thought, which I'm sticking to, that they could have powered off and left me any time they chose.

Back in Spring Hope at 5h55, we grabbed quick bites at a couple different food options (a flat half-mile off course) and were back on the road within 20-minutes.  However, I had to stop before clearing town:  I had intended to lube my chain during the break, but had forgotten; it REALLY needed lubing.

The roads on the return were completely dry -- outbound, the mist described earlier must have been actual rain further east, because several of the roads had been quite wet, even with little puddles.

The cloud cover dissipated and things warmed up a bit -- but nothing compared to some days the previous couple months.  Maybe the heat of summer has been broken -- I'm sure that anyone doing the ToC-1200 in a couple weeks (that includes Ian, Tim and Jerry, by the way) would be glad to avoid temps in the upper 90's during ToC.

The closer we got to Raleigh, the more noticeable the rollers became.  Ian, who has done many rides with Tim, explained that if he (Ian) drops off the pack on a ride, he (Ian) is "gone"; but if Tim drops off the pack, Tim recollects himself, even on serious hills, and then hangs off the back a hundred or two or more yards, reconnecting at turns or stop-signs or what not.  Ian explained that because that is exactly what Tim was doing.  However, since he used the tactic to take at least two or three county lines, maybe he was looking for more county lines, and intending to wind-it-up and zoom past us as we remained unaware.

I thanked the two as we sat on a bench at the penultimate control (15.4-miles from the finish); I noted that a sub-10 hour 200 was likely nothing to them, but I didn't have all that many sub-10-hour rides.

We left the control at 8h30.  Given that it was only 15.4 miles to the finish, you might think that we got in under 9h30; you'd be wrong.  Too damn many stop-lights and stop-signs, and we got every dang one of the lights on red, with traffic about.  Tim and I are each "diesels"; we did not like the stop-and-start-and-rinse-repeat.  Ian, on the tiny-wheels bike, and being somewhat of a hipster, didn't seem to be affected.

We pulled in to the Cameron Village McD's at 9h40 -- I think we all got our cards signed equivalent to 9h43.  We checked over our respective cards, making sure we had answered the info control and signing our cards, then we went our separate ways.  Since Mick only lives 1-km from the finish, I took the cards and the waiver and deposited same at his house, saying hello to his spouse, and to Jessie, their very well-behaved Australian Shepard.  (Mick was still on the Carolina Crossroads route -- I thought about waiting for them at the finish of that route -- but that is an open control finish, and I didn't know where they'd stop to get receipts, etc..)

I had an enjoyable ride at a pretty quick pace (for me).  Ian and Tim got in their "R-insurance" ahead of the ToC-1200 later this month.  (I suppose Jerry will be sneaking in an "R-insurance" ride next weekend -- with an R-series somewhere around 80, it would be the prudent thing to do.)

I'm out of finishing ideas that I cannot fit into the same paragraph, so ... fin.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug-12:  

---> OakElmOak 209-km Permanent ---> ; 142.5 m.; 9h01 in-motion; 15.8 mph; OEO accounted for 131.1-miles and 8h19 in-motion w/ 9h43 elapsed time

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 
Q-2 tot: _29 rides; 2,711.5 m.; 182 h, 48 m; 14.8 mph. 
Ju1 tot: __9 rides; __751.5 m.; _49 h, 10 m; 15.3 mph. 
Aug tot: __3 rides; __317.9 m.; _21 h, 16 m; 14.9 mph. 
YTD tot: _63 rides; 5,391.2 m.; 361 h, 56 m; 14.9 mph.

"Breakfast of Champions"

I received another e-mail from Ricochet Robert regarding his Aug-05 solo effort on the "Warrenton + Egypt Mtn" permanent.

Text:  "Taken at Edwards grocery on inbound [Egypt Mtn]."

Photo:


Monday, August 6, 2012

Aug-04: Leesville-Leasburg-Leesville 204-km Perm

Rando friend Bob was looking for some R-insurance prior to Tony's ToC-1200.
We settled on Byron's Leasville-Leasburg-Leesville permanent;
The hilliest, climbing-est permanent in the Triangle area.
Byron was amenable, and a paperwork exchange was arranged.

Rando buddy Ricochet was looking for an easy permanent for R-insurance prior to ToC.
But as he was also wanting to ride with some others,
His best option became to join us on L-L-L.

That's certainly okay for Ricochet Robert to "class" L-L-L as an easy ride.
He's done the course so many times in recent months that his trusty steed
Can probably do the route without Robert mounted upon it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ever have a day when you never get comfortable on the bike?
That was what last Sunday was for me.
A good ride; an enjoyable ride (mostly); but I never got comfortable on the bike.

Ever have a day when the moment your backside touched the saddle,
That you were instantly at-one with the bike?
Usually, it takes 20 or 40 miles before I'm in-a-comfortable-zone.
Sometimes it takes double that.
But Saturday, I was completely at-one with the bike the instant I mounted.

Zipped through 6.2 miles to the start in 22-minutes.
Zipped through the first two hours of the ride, to Bahama, without using any energy.

Bob, on the other hand, was going through the usual 10 or so miles (sometimes more) of
"I hate this",
"I can't do this",
"Why am I doing this?"

I'm not sure what Ricochet may have been experiencing.
Ricochet Robert and Bob were talking over their ToC anticipations,
While I was zipping off the front, using no energy.

Then we turned onto Stagville Rd, and Ricochet couldn't shift among his rear gears.
We coerced him to climb up to Bahama, where we'd look carefully at the problem.

Thought it might be too much barrel adjustment on the cable.
Thought it might be ... I'm not sure what.

Turned out his rear derailleur cable had broken at / near / in the Dura Ace shifter.
Huh.

We jury-rigged the cable by tying it off to one of the bolts for his water bottle holder.
Couldn't tie the cable to the bike -- that won't work on a carbon fiber frame.
Couldn't tie the cable to the metal water bottle holder -- Robert has plastic bottle holders.
But, luckily, the bolts are metal, and fit into metal sleeves.
We know the jury-rigged system worked because Robert got home in one piece.

Hah!
Just thought of something.
Robert was almost "beached" in Bahama due to the cable failure.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
During the 32-minutes it took to determine Robert's problem,
And juty-rig the solution before sending him home,
The spirit / ghost that had been pedaling my bike since the first pedal-stroke of the morning,
Apparently left the scene.
Because as soon as Bob and I pushed off from the Bahama Fire Station,
I had to pedal my bike and expend energy.
Darn.

I'm not sure, but possibly even before we reached Mt. Tirzah,
And the control at Hollow Ridge Grocery,
I was no longer able to stay close to Bob on the steeper climbs.

The "scratchy throat" from the night before,
That I'd hope would go away,
Was instead manifesting as a full-blown summer cold.

Somehow, despite the slight but increasing westerly headwinds,
And the delay for Robert's problem,
We got to the turn-around in 5h19 elapsed time.

I've gotten to Leasburg in 4h50 and even 5h+, and still finished in 10h flat or nearly so.
Expecting a bit of a tailwind on the eastbound roads,
And hoping the breeze was actually out of the W/NW,
Maybe we'd still get in our anticipated enjoyable 10-hour tour.

Ha!

While sitting on the bench in Leasburg,
The aches in my legs began multiplying.

After much too long chatting in Leasburg,
We started the return journey.
One mile on NC-158, then turn south onto Gordonton Rd,
Right into the increased and increasing breeze become a headwind.

And, being from NW Illinois, the breeze never got up to that much speed,
But it was annoying that it backed around to be a S/SE breeze / wind,
So that there was no tailwind anywhere on the return.

However, that was not my problem.
My problem was that with every pedal stroke, the ache in my legs increased.

I cannot climb steep, but I can do shallow slopes such that I drop many that drop me on steeps.
Somehow, I managed to find a way to repeatedly re-find cadence and pace on every flat
And shallow slope on the return.
Unfortunately, L-L-L is not about shallow slopes and flat sections.
Bob had to wait for me at many stop-signs after a steepish climb.

I hopped off the bike on Boxelder Rd,
Because, "what was the point of trashing what little I had left in my legs?"

While I was having perhaps my worst rando ride ever,
Bob indicated that he was having his best ever experience on L-L-L.

In remembrance of our experience from two years previous,
Bob and I went to have ice cream at the Ben & Jerry's at the finish.
(Open control -- MANY options.)
Surprise:  Ben & Jerry's is now a soft yogurt shop.
Fine with us.

When the manager went to initial our cards,
He hesitated as he looked at the first card,
His eyes growing wider by the second.
Before either of us could ask, "is there a problem?",
The manager asks, "did you really ride 127-miles?"
"Yes, but it was much harder today than it usually is."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think Bob is fit and strong and as ready for a 1200 as can be.
Although Bob is slightly faster climbing serious hills and mountains,
He would tell you that he is not a fast climber.
I would say, that if the temps at the end of the month are not unreasonable,
Bob will do well on ToC.
Unless a particular early climb puts him into too much debt.

I do hope that he can team up with some other riders of a similar pace.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although this ride may have been the worst I've ever felt during a rando ride,
It was not the slowest L-L-L for Bob and me.
And, yes, it is my point-of-view, to which I'm sticking,
That this ride was a worse experience than L-L-L in July-2010.

One major difference, though, is that 12h00 will count for my R-25.
(Bob's 12h00 will count for his R-32.)

Rumor has it that Ricochet Robert,
Got his cable issues dealt with during the afternoon,
And nabbed his R-11 on Sunday, solo, on the Warrenton + Egypt Mtn permanent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug-04:  

---> Leesville-Leasburg-Leesville 204-km Permanet; 133.5 m.; 9h17 in-motion; 14.4 mph; L-L-L accounted for 127.3-miles and 8h55 in-motion w/ 12h00 elapsed time

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 
Q-2 tot: _29 rides; 2,711.5 m.; 182 h, 48 m; 14.8 mph. 
Ju1 tot: __9 rides; __751.5 m.; _49 h, 10 m; 15.3 mph. 
Aug tot: __1 rides; __133.5 m.; __9 h, 17 m; 14.3 mph. 
YTD tot: _61 rides; 5,206.8 m.; 349 h, 57 m; 14.9 mph. 

Strange thing:  despite being quite wobbly at the end of the ride from the body-cold and leg aches and all -- I still felt as one with the bike.