May-19: Denny's Store 138

In pursuit of Mondial,  OR
In desperate search for some evidence of being shape,  OR 
Just a good ride on a friendly course on a pleasant day.
Those were my reasons for riding.

Leenda, being on staycation the week before Memorial Day weekend,
Was probably just trying to ride her bike,  OR
She may have been interested in accumulating credit kms for the Mondial.
[I had to explain, en route, the look of the award and etc. about the award, so 
I'd wager it was mostly to just ride her bike.] 

When in shape, I like to get to the first control at 42.3-miles in under 3 hours.
3h05 this day.
Into a headwind and mostly upslope the whole way (or at least it sometimes seems so).
I'm still outa' shape, so okay.

When in shape, I like to arrive at the second control at 55.1-miles less than an hour
After arriving at the first control (even if I stop to take a photo). 
Leenda was too far ahead at the Denny's Store crossroads to get a combined stop for a photo.
Besides, there had already been a 2-minute nature break.
Arrived Berea in 4h04 --> 59-minutes after having arrived at Allensville.
Under an hour.  :-)
There may have been a tailwind.

We ate a quick lunch in Berea, splitting a 6-inch turkey sub.
And each drank much ice tea (it was rather warm -- or at least warmer than it has been so far this year).

I wanted to stop at Culbreth to take a photo of the house that burned down a year or so ago.
We slowed to nearly a stop,
But decided that since it had become so overcast the site was not very picturesque,
And kept on going.

When in shape, I like to get to the finish 2-hours after leaving Berea.
I had to stop just as I entered Creedmoor to deal with a couple text messages.
[I'm not a fan of text messages; esp. when cycling without my reading glasses.] 
I also stopped in Creedmoor to acquire some fresh, COLD water.
On the other hand, this was the first time in many, many moons that
I was able to pop the ups on the roller-coaster that is Dove Rd.  :-)

I arrived at the finish 2h05 after leaving Berea.
Oh, well.

On the up side:
This was the first ride this year where my avg pace in-motion
Was my avg pace of last year (and the year before),
Instead of being an entire mile-per-hour slower.
Woohoo!

Great ride on a mostly pleasant day on a favorite route with a friend.

===============================================

North Carolinians nearing Modial -- lifetime credit kms after this ride:

• Leenda, 39773; 
• Me, 39030 -- I had hoped to close the gap, but Leenda has been doing every ride that I've been doing, plus sneaking in other rides (mostly on my routes) when I haven't ridden; 
• Bob, 37921.