Aug-02: Egypt Mtn No Detours 210

First ride on this route since last October with NO detours.
During last November's ride, we encountered a "bridge gone" situation.

I had eventually learned that the bridge replacement was planned maintenance activity.  However, the requisite information was never on the NCDOT website.  Strange.  [Photo by DaveG.]

After the above mentioned November ride, I had figured out a pretty good detour,
Which included a slight retracing from Warrenton to get to "No Bottom Rd."
Who could resist a road so named?

We, or I, used the "No Bottom detour" in January, May, and June.
The January ride had been quite tough, but provided a dividend.
The dividend being that I was able to give High Point Region RBA TonyG
A heads-up about the bridge being out, and suggested the "No Bottom detour"
To get into Warrenton for the Carolina Spring 1200.


This was also the second ever August 2nd ride on the Egypt Mtn perm.
On Aug-01-2014, LynnL and I had done the "Bay Leaf - Oxford - Bay Leaf" perm-pop,
Getting our respective P-rides in on the first likely possible date.

No blog post, but my Excel log indicates a tough outbound leg on that Oxford route,
Followed by a wind-blown homebound leg.

My Excel ride log: 

Aug

1

8448 --> Oxford 104 --> 8448   --   Oxford in-motion:  2:08:30 out, 1:54:30 back

6 am start, w/ Lynn    --    Oxford   4h15

    (That copying from the Excel log didn't work as nicely as I had hoped.)

RUSA website looks something like this:

2014/08/01 finishers=2 DNF=0
RUSA-T43248	5519	L__, Lynn	Randonneurs USA / 933095	4:12
RUSA-T43249	6218	S__, Martin	Randonneurs USA / 933095	4:15

We decided to do the Egypt Mtn course the next day and thus get our R-rides for the month.

No blog report, but I can assure you that we were having a great ride,
Taking advantage of overcast and some sprinkles.
Until just as we got to Bobbitt, when the bottom fell out of the sky.

Solo, I likely would have continued after the storm had passed.
But Lynn comes with nearly 0% body fat, and she was cold, and wanted to bail.
We managed to get a friend to come collect us. 

My Excel ride log:

Aug

2

8448 --> Egypt Mtn 210 --> DNF @ Bobbitt after 95.4-miles

w/ Lynn, we DNF'd due to 66F & COLD rain

RUSA website looks something like this:

2014/08/02 finishers=0 DNF=2

You may be wondering what the above has to do with the Aug-02-2017 ride.
Answer:  not much.
But I felt like writing it.  Or typing it.  One of those.


Okay, then, I'll type something about the August 2nd ride:
Biker Bob, or more recently known, at least in PacTour circles, as NC-Bob, 
And I set out on time, 0600.

Wait, I just had a thought:
In PacTour circles, Bob might be better known as "Retta's other half."

Bob told me, late last year I think it was,
That when he and Retta registered for a week at the 2017 Arizona Desert Camp,
Susan had sent the monthly PacTour email with a particular prominent heading:
"Retta Is Coming!"

I've teased Bob a couple times that it seems, PacTour wise, he is superfluous.
He laughs, or least smiles, when I do that. 

Anyway, nothing special about/during the ride for the first half.
No flats, no long waits for traffic lights, no nothing special.
The loaner bike and I seemed to be getting along pretty well.

Loaner bike:  all the components are mine from the Trek Pilot 5.0;
The only loaner parts being used are the frame and fork -- but that's the main parts, right?

We went to the Subway in Warrenton for lunch, 'cuz that's where Bob wanted to stop.
Similar to other recent rides, we took quite a long time for lunch.
35 or 40 minutes during which we solved all the great problems of the world.
RUSA world, that is.
Well, maybe just North Carolina rando world.

Some may laugh / will laugh at characterizing 35 or 40 minutes as a long time,
But I suspect that they ride faster than I do. 

Leaving Warrenton, there was no detour.
I don't recall what happened on the long climb on MLK, Jr. Blvd,
But by the time we got to Vicksboro, about nine miles after Warrenton,
I know I was lagging behind on climbs.

The lagging got worse after the afternoon Epsom control.
On the steep climb on Dick Smith Rd,
The end of the derailleur cable was brushing my calf on every pedal stroke.
Very annoying!
I toughed it out until the climb was completed,
Then stopped and bent the cable so that it would not make contact with me
When it in the 30-tooth chain-ring.

The derailleur cable brushing / hitting my calf is not unique to the loaner bike,
It happened every time a new cable was installed on the Pilot. 

Before this ride, I had NEVER walked up any part of the steep climb
On Green Rd after crossing the Tar River.
But on this ride, I did.

I don't know if heat had gotten to me, or
If the loaner bike isn't quite set up correctly and prematurely wears out my legs, or
If I'm just too far out of shape --
[Probably the latter is the main cause]
I struggled to finish the ride.

Bob just pedaled on as if on a 30-mile around the park ride.
Of course.

Whatever -- we finished the ride.
That's my story, and I think I'll be sticking to it.
Respective R-series intact if:

1. Dean approves Bob's July "Lookin' Out My Back Door," and 
2. Mike approves my July "Showdown in Black Creek."  

=========================================
Rando results:

Permanent Route Name / #	Distance	Date	Finishers	DNF
NC: Warrenton & Egypt Mountain / 1444	210	2017/08/02	3	0

Cert#	RUSA#	Name	Club / ACP Code	Time
RUSA-T74031	5843	B__, Bob	Randonneurs USA / 933095	12:00
RUSA-T74032	6985	R__, Richard A	Cape Fear Cyclists / 933040	09:21
RUSA-T74033	6218	S__, Martin	Randonneurs USA / 933095	12:00

Oh, yeah, Wilmington Rick started with us,
But he rode off into the rising sun somewhere in the first 3-miles.
[I know nothing about how his ride went, except his finish time.]