Thursday, January 18, 2018

Oct-18-2017: Bahama Beach 103

Bob and I were planning to do the "7-Cs" perm-pop on the 21st for our
NC-P-12-Explorer-Challenge ride for October.

However, IvaHawk could not ride on the 21st;
He had a family conflict, or maybe it was just a [shudder] golf conflict.
So, to keep Iva on track for his "Martin Challenge" -- that's how Iva refers to ... see above link,
We all agreed to to do the Bahama Beach perm-pop on the 18th to keep Iva on track.
[Bob and I would still do the 7-Cs on the 21st -- the next blog post, once written, should explain.]

We started at 1030, unusually late.
Maybe we waited for some warmth, or maybe Iva had an early morning conflict; maybe both.

Bahama Beach is a 'free-route,'
Meaning that, as long as we go through the controls in the correct sequential order,
We don't have to stick to the cue sheet.

Whether we discussed the issue before the ride, during or even at all, I don't recall.
But I certainly was intending to diverge from the standard route, and
Use the favorite "3-Hayes" variant, which by-passes Creedmoor and stays on little traffic roads.


In my rather short cycling career with the Irregulars and doing rando rides,
I've experienced people forgetting to bring their water bottles (me), and/or
Leaving their water bottles at the start (me), and/or
Someone forgetting their helmet (JP, me, separately, and luckily, spare helmets were at hand) and/or
Someone forgetting their shoes (Ags), and/or 
Someone forgetting their cycling shoes and helmet (MickH), and/or
Someone forgetting to bring their front wheel (IvaHawk).
The best, however, was when someone forgot their entire bike!

This ride, as we prepped our bikes and put on our gear,
Bob realized that he had forgotten his cycling shoes!
[Although the following were actually taken at the end of the ride, 
They fit better at the beginning.]
Bob's pedal.
Bob's "driving" shoes that he was forced wear for the ride.
The bottom of Bob's shoe, showing the effects of 106-kms.

So, off we started on a cool October morning.
The first control is in Bahama, originally known as Mt. Bethel.
Mt. Bethel church at the center of what is now known as Bahama. 
Historical marker across from the church.
We took several minutes at the fire station in Bahama, just down the road from the church.
Several minutes for a nature break or two, and also to adjust / remove some clothing.

After dropping down Bahama Road to Lake Michie, and getting a good look at the lake,
I saw the impact of the dry period on Lake Michie -- the beach is reappearing.


From a standing start, up the "Michie Wall," where I found Bob and Iva waiting.

Across the rollers of Ellis Chapel Rd.
The zig-zag on Cassam and Range roads, where I thought about taking more pics, but didn't.
Then the rollers of Robert's Chapel Rd, where I again thought about taking pics, but didn't.
A bit more on the other side of Range Road, followed by LIttle Mtn Road, and then into Stem.

A somewhat quick stop at the BP in Stem.
Or maybe it was a bit longer than it could have been,
But still less time than I recall from a February 2013 stop (a better story here).

Brogden Rd at pace, in the middle of which we diverged from the standard route.
Across Hester Rd to the "3-Hayes" section.
Sam Moss Hayes Rd.
Moss Hayes Rd.
Hayes Rd.
Back onto the standard route to the control at Grissom.

Then back to the start/finish at Bay Leaf.

No recollection of the conversations on the day.
And any regular reader will know that I wouldn't have recalled the conversations
Even if I had typed up this report only hours after the ride.

All in all, a good ride with good companions on a good route on a sunny October day.
Iva notched his perm-pop for the NC-P-12-Explorer-Challenge.
Bob edged closer to the goal of getting into the K-Hound Kennel for the third straight year.

That's my story, and I think I'll be sticking to it. 

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Sep-23-2017: Road to Hicksboro 205

First, the route:

Hmmn, it appears that RWGPS has modified their embed code.
Edited the code to reduce the size of the embed a bit / more than a bit.

When Bob and I reached the first control at Underwood Grocery,
I had an idea:  "Bikes on Tour" -- I'd take a photo of the bikes at each control. 
So I took the first pic of the day:
Bikes parked out of the way at Underwood Grocery.  If I didn't know where this was, I would never accept this photo as an EPP proof of passage.  [I don't figure to ever do EPP as a route-owner.  The traditional hard-copy cards force people to get off their bikes and interact with the store clerks and other locals.  Done properly, every randonneur has the opportunity to be a goodwill ambassador for cycling.]  [Photo by me.]

I find it easy to forget a "plan" while en route.
I forgot to take a photo at the second control just west of Timberlake.
I forgot to take a photo while in Stovall for lunch (Stovall is not a control).

I did remember to take a second photo.
An astute reader ought to be able to figure where this photo was taken.  Note that it "cleverly" does not include the sight of the answer to the current Info Control question.  [Photo by me.]

I forgot to take a photo at the penultimate control at/near Dabney.
I forgot to take a photo at the finish back at the Bay Leaf CVS.

At least I did remember to take my phone, with its embedded camera, with me on the ride.
A month later, Oct-25th, when I did the "Hicksboro" route reversed solo, I forgot my phone!

Monday, January 1, 2018

Aug-13-2017: "Prisoner Relief" with Double-L

I had forgotten about this ride until reviewing my 2017 Excel cycling worksheet.
Therefore, I'm blogging something so I might recall the ride in the future.
---------------------------------------------------------    
U either know who "Double-L" is or U don't.

Both her cars were off the road.
The blue Accord for some engine work.
The maroon CRV because Double-L had managed to mangle the right-rear door, while in her driveway.

She sent me a message:
"It feels the same as when I first got home after the crash."
"I'm a prisoner in my house because I can't go anywhere."
 Since the crash, Double-L is very leery of car traffic.
Including traffic between her house and good cycling roads. 

My car was in fine fettle, so we arranged to ride together.
I collected Double-L and her bike.
We drove to the CVS from whence my main rando Permanents begin.
(Being a Sunday, we couldn't park and start from Shady Grove Church.)

The route noted in the Excel worksheet indicates:
  • Bay Leaf CVS to Mt. Vernon Church Rd, 
  • to Carpenter Pond Rd, 
  • to Virgil Rd, 
  • to Southview Rd, 
  • to a full loop on Baptist Church Rd, 
  • then retrace the route back to the Bay Leaf CVS. 

A strange thing is that when I draw that on RWGPS, the route comes in at 39.1-miles,
But the Excel spreadsheet indicates 40.9-miles.
I know that my cycle confuser is more accurate than that.
I know that Double-L's cycle confuser is more accurate than that.
However, I cannot recall where we got the extra miles.

Oh, now I do recall.
Double-L wanted to get in at least 40-miles, so
When we got back to the MVC / Pleasant Union Ch Rd corner,
We rode nearly a mile the "wrong" way, to Pleasant Union Church, actually, to get the extra.

What else do I recall nearly five months later?
Not much.
Maybe nothing.
Except that I seem to recall trying to take protective positions
Just behind and slightly further away from the fog line
When we were on MVC Rd and especially Carpenter Pond Rd.

Oh, and trailing / struggling to keep up on certain inclines.
For example, the short but somewhat sharp inclines on Southview,
The climb from Southview to Virgil on the return.

On some climbs, perhaps MVC going out and coming back,
Double-L may have backed off her pace to keep us closer together.
I'm not sure about that.


That was my third ride of the year with Double-L in 2017.
She didn't want to interfere with my rando rides.
Ha ha ha ha.
She didn't understand that more rides with her would almost certainly have helped on the RUSA rides.

And clearly, she was intent on getting to a certain goal independently.
Sometimes she is a bit stubborn on that point.
Sometimes?
----------------------------------------------------
40.9 miles  --  2h47 in-motion  --  14.7-mph avg in-motion
----------------------------------------------------

Previous ride in 2017 with Double-L. which was the 2nd of the year despite what the blog indicates:
    down-coley-and-up-4-and-a-half-times 

The first ride in 2017 with Double-L was not blogged.
The Excel file indicates it was 4-times looper on Coley Rd,
With a WNW->NW wind @ 10+ mph, which is good because that's an upslope tailwind (mostly), 
And some extra to make 30-miles.