What to type?
Nothing really grabs me.
BobB and I were committed to perm-pop.
We had hoped to do the Denny's Store route.
But switched to Bahama Beach, with a 10 am start, when the forecast temps dropped.
We've each ridden 200+ kms in chillier stuff, but all we were looking for was a P-ride.
(We each had done our respective R-rides earlier in the month.)
So we chose 5 hours in the chill, rather than six-and-a-half.
We thought Ricochet Robert might join us.
But "life" or whatever, he chose not to ride.
We tried to drum up some similar paced additional partners,
But, no-go.
But Saturday morning, I checked my e-mail.
Found a request, that had been sent at 10:01 Friday evening,
For an 0800 Saturday or Sunday perm-pop.
Alternative idea:
Meet us for a 10 am start, and there will be a card and a waiver.
The route-organizer (me) was a bit late.
I could make an excuse or two. E.g.,
- I rode more slowly to the start than expected, possibly partially because
- I caught every light save one on RED. Long reds.
- umm, that's enough of that.
[I know that "BobB and MikeD and I" is gramatically correct; but "and me" rhymes.]
Bob and Mike actually had cue sheets.
Imagine that: BB cue.
Yeah, fixie-mounted Mike rode with us for about a mile.
Then he drifted off our front.
We almost caught him at the turn off Kemp onto NC-98.
I was within 20 or 30 yards.
Bob another 10 or 20 back.
But ... we caught occasional glimpses.
The last glimpse being on the first sweeping left-hander on Red Mill Rd,
Just after Bob and I had passed Byron's Triple-L Red Mill control.
I don't know if Mike enjoyed himself or his ride.
I don't know if he answered the info controls correctly.
I'm pretty dang sure he knew all the roads on the BB cue.
From non-rando club and / or JRA rides.
Bob and I had an enjoyable ride in the sunny, chill.
Neither of us had any legs, but one doesn't always need great legs to have a good ride.
We took 33-minutes for the "half-way" control stop in Stem.
Sitting inside while chatting about NC rando issues,
Shaking our heads at the prospect of the next weekend's COLDDD-brevet-fest,
Mentioning which newish RUSA members had renewed and which had not.
Wondering if something could be done to improve "retention".
Then we remounted and worked our way down Brogden Rd into the increasing headwind.
"Light and variable" had been the forecast.
That had been correct until about 1 pm.
Then I would guess at least 10 mph, mostly from the south.
I don't recall transiting Creedmoor,
Except for walking the bikes around the road destruction crew on Church St.
I recall nothing from Brassfield nor Horseshoe nor even Lawrence Road.
I do recall that the headwind, and lack of legs,
Caused me to ask Bob to take more time on the front coming in on Bruce Garner / New Light.
Yep. That's right. No faux time-trail on BG / NL.
I know we also rode up Ghoston and Peed and Mt. Vernon Ch roads.
But I recall nothing.
I do recall enjoying the sunshine on the west side of the CVS.
And also the sunshine streaming through the front doors of the CVS.
And I recall Bob and I each sitting on the very low curb,
Each commenting on always wondering if we'd be able to get back up,
Whenever / wherever we do a similar sit or lie-down.
Bob and I finished in 5h20.
Mike's e-mail indicated 4h11; but I haven't seen the card, yet.
I guess Mike got in his nearly-the-last "training" before the COLDDD-600 next weekend.
And as for my arriving late -- I got a "bonus" out of it:
If I'd been on time, etc., Mike would likely have snagged the route's fast-time record.
;-o
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Jan-19:
--> Bahama Beach 103-km Perm-Populaire -->; 74.0 m.; 5h12 in-motion; 14.2 mph; BB elapsed time: 5h20.
Jan tot: _2 rides; _209.4 m; _9h03; 14.7 mph; _313 RUSA kms.
Only two rides for me this month (so far).
But enough to have snagged R-30 + P-13 (also C-35 + M-47).
Bob snagged P-3. But I doubt he is counting.
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