Mar-20 + 22, 24, 27: Lockdown "JRA"

March 20 

I met double-L to ride starting at 6 am this morning for her second ride since November or October (and she did no spin classes in that timeframe).  Let me tell you, riding with her, there is NO easing into it -- instead, it is full blast from the first pedal-stroke.

Riding in the dark, btw, first use of a new headlamp for me, the stream of yellow pollen highlighted by the headlamp reminded me of the Raleigh Region 400 brevet circa 2011, or 2013, when those of us that rode all night rode through what we referred to as a pollen blizzard.  This morning wasn't as heavy as on that 400, but I was reminded of that brevet.

Having mentioned "NO easing into it," after about 9 or 10 miles, while headed upslope (i.e., southbound) on Coley Rd -- some locals may know Coley Rd, I mentioned something to double-L about the pace -- I can't recall exactly what I said.  She responded that we should back off the pace a bit. Let me clarify what happened immediately afterward -- one of us backed off a bit: U guess which of us didn't.

For completeness, we finished 31+ miles at about 8:15 am; we were plastered with yellow pollen.  It is, after all, Yellow Season.

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From my Excel log: 
Mar-20  --  St Francis Ch: 3 x Coley - Andrews Chapel  
0600, w/ LL  --  68 degrees 
31.1-miles  --   2:16 in-motion  --  13.7-mph 
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in late March, LL allowed me to ride with her several additional times, 
the following also from my Excel log: 
  
Mar-22  --  Strickland - 2 x Coley - Andrews Chapel - 1 x Coley - Strickland 
0600, w/ LL  --  46 degrees 
44.5-miles  --   3:14 in-motion  --  13.7-mph  
LL rode extra from her place to mine (and back) and also more to get a 50-mile ride 

Mar-24 --  Sycamore Schl:  6 x Hickory Grove + 4 x Coley + Andrews Chpl, not that order 
0600, w/ LL  --  50 degrees 
50.1-miles  --   3:36 in-motion  --  13.9-mph  
  
Mar-27 --  Sycamore Schl:  4 x Hickory Grove + 2x1.75 x Coley + 2 x Baptist, not that order 
0600, w/ LL  --  55 degrees  
50.0-miles  --   3:40 in-motion  --  13.6-mph