Sep-23: Egypt Mtn 221-km Perm

Ian, Mick and I met for an 0730 start.
Started 5-minutes late.

GREAT day for a bicycle ride.
Severe clear, no humidity (by central NC standards),
Low about 59 at the start,
High about 75 F.
Back to around 62 or 64 by the 1830+ finish.

There was a breeze from the NE in the morning.
I think it built up strong enough to qualify as a headwind (by central NC standards).

Mick seemed "good to go" from the first pedal stroke.
Of course Ian was strong from the first pedal stroke.
Mick and I had to work at it a bit to slow him down,
IF he wanted to stick with us.

I was not "good to go" from the first pedal stroke.
We were nearly to Warrenton, 72-miles into the ride, before I was in a rhythm.

Two weeks in a row for that.
Two weeks in a row I've finally done a fast-ish IR on Saturday,
Followed by a Sunday rando 200+ km ride.
Did that a lot last year, and it never bothered me.
Haven't done much, if any, of that this year.
It shows in my legs.

Anyway, nice ride up to and through the rolling country-side
Defining NC BR #4 between Drewry and Warrenton.
And, to me, the ride only got better after that.

Mick and I "wore" Ian out.
That's our story.
Ian's story is that his rear was going flat and he didn't realize it.
And by the time he did, he was a bit burnt out.
That's his story.

Rolling again after Ian changed out his flat,
On a less demanding incline of Egypt Mtn Rd.,
I caught and passed Mick and Ian,
And Mick called out that he had a flat.

I was sure that he was joking -- just to slow me down
On the crucial segments of Egypt Mtn Rd just when I had finally wound-up-the-flywheel.
But no -- he had managed to collect a rear flat, too.

Supposedly Mick's first flat since he took up randonneuring a little over two years ago.

I usually ride well on the return section of the course after re-crossing the Tar River.
I managed to fake it pretty well on this ride.

Mick and Ian kept their powder dry, sucking my wheel,
Until the bottom of Ghoston Rd..

Beautiful day.
And we had pretty good elapsed times considering the long lunch break, and
The two flats.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
So many details one could write about.
But you'll just have to wait for a day when you're riding with one of us,
And need to hear a story or two to pass some time.

Mick + me:  mid-morning snack @ Epsom control.   [Photo by Ian; ripped from "crackbook"]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sep-23:  

--> Egypt Mtn 221-km permanent --> ; 156.4 m.; 10h17 in-motion; 15.2 mph; EM elapsed time:  11h05.

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. 

J-A tot: _19 rides; 1,591.9 m.; 105h29; 15.1 mph; 1599 RUSA kms. 

Sep tot: _11 rides; 1,129.8 m.; _75h47; 14.9 mph; _857 RUSA kms.

YTD tot: _81 rides; 7,043.5 m.; 472h45; 14.9 mph; 7324 RUSA kms.