Aug-20: In Which I Meet Mick on the NRT

A day delayed from the original plan, I met retired randonneur Mick at Anderson Point on the NRT. 

I probably hadn't seen Mick since some time in 2016.  

He had done two Perm-Pops in 2016 that I "owned," so I imagine we may have done a ride together in 2016.  

I decided to check -- we did do at least one ride together in 2016.

Permanent Route Name / #	Distance	Date	Finishers	DNF
NC: Bahama Beach / 1404	103	2016/05/26	3	0

Cert#	RUSA#	Name	Club / ACP Code	Time
RUSA-T62548	5843	B__, Bob	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:51
RUSA-T62549	6169	H__, Michael A	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:51
RUSA-T62550	6218	S__, Martin	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:58

 

Mick is a three-time K-Hound (2012-13-14) and 

Still holds the North Carolina record for most accredited kms in a calendar year (17004). 

He is also a member of the North Carolina 2010 rookies. 

[I reckon I should do an update on the NC-2010-rookies -- it's way past time to do so.] 

 

 

I pushed off from the Falls Dam parking lot at 0716, but did not push the pace to reach Anderson Point. 

Even so, I arrived well before the agreed 0900 meet / ride-start time. 

I rode the half-mile to the park's rest room and took a pee (and checked out the water refill possibilities). 

I also rode what turned out to be a short half-mile or so loop near the rest room. 

Then returned to parking lot to wait for Mick. 

 

He arrived in his vehicle at almost precisely 0900. 

We chatted while he prepared himself and his steed. 

We pushed off at around 0910. 

 

After a mile or two, i.e., after the greenway traffic thinned out, 

We were able to chat about all things large and small in the world, locally, and personally. 

Mick was also recalling previous rides with other randonneurs (one in particular). 

Prior to the day before, I had only ridden the NRT twice:  (a) NRT-201, (b) NRT-Pop, 

So I could contribute very little in the way "prior NRT ride" anecdotes. 

 

Since Mick hadn't ridden for several months, he had initially suggested riding 20 or 25 miles. 

We rolled past 10-miles outbound, but Mick showed no inclination to slow or turn around. 

We rolled past 15-miles outbound, but Mick still showed no interest in turning around. 

We continued all the way to the end of the trail's asphalt (about 17.5 miles from Anderson Point). 

 

That is, near Clayton, we came upon the point where they trail is still under construction. 

Actually, on this date, the next portion of the trail had everything except the asphalt coating. 

In place of the asphalt was a large puddle of rain water. 

 

We looked at the situation, wondering aloud when the next portion would be completed. 

Then turned around and started re-tracing our route back to Anderson Point. 

  

Several miles before we got back, Mick noted that he should have turned around earlier. 

The outbound ride had been going downstream paralleling the Neuse River. 

Obviously, then, the inbound miles were in the upstream direction, and 

There was a slight, but noticeable, breeze in our faces. 

 

Not to worry though, Mick was still riding consistently when we got back to his car. 

[I think that if one has a lot of cycling in one's past, the body doesn't every really forget.] 

 

One subject that we chatted about was the number of obvious newby cyclists on the trail. 

I noticed more of that Mick because south of Anderson Point had many fewer cyclists 

Than were on the trail north of Anderson Point (between the Dam and the Point). 

 

Discomfort bikes, people who did not look comfortable on their higher-end machines. 

People who seemed to be riding as if they were training for the Tour de France. 

People who were fast or FAST on the flat sections, but slowed to a crawl on anything with an incline. 

 

There were also the more positive newbies.  

To my mind, the most positive were the young and even younger than that cyclists. 

 

We chatted while Mick removed his helmet and gloves, and replace cycling shoes with driving shoes. 

We continued chatting while put his steed into his vehicle. 

Then, consistent with social distancing during this period of coronavirus idiocy, 

We said our "till next times" and went our separate ways without ever shaking hands or similar. 

 

I finished my ride, retracing my initial 17.3-miles back to the Falls Dam parking lot. 

It took me a few minutes more inbound than it had outbound. 

Upstream with a slight breeze in my face versus downstream. 

Also, 54-miles in the legs before heading back versus 0-miles at the start may have made a difference. 

 

From my Excel log: 

• NRT -- Falls Dam -> Anderson Pt -> Clayton end-of-trail & back  +  more 
• 0716, solo to Anderson Pt & back, w/ Mick to Clayton & back 
• 71.1-miles.  5:31 in-motion.  avg 12.9-mph in-motion. 
• I failed to note the total elapsed time. 

 

I used to be known for the tag line "that's my story, and I'll be sticking to it." 

Anyone reading these "catch-up" posts may have noticed that I've trying to use that every post.