Oct-31: Long Assault on Flat Rock -- Shorted -- Again!

Ricochet Robert joined me for the ride. 

I was behind schedule, so I put the bike on the rack and drove the 5.6-miles to PUE. 

I got there three or five minutes after the agreed wheels away (8:00 am). 

No Robert. 

 

While wondering if he had been there on time (or even earlier), 

I prepared my steed and myself to ride. 

At eight or nine minutes after eight o'clock, I headed out in the direction from which Robert would come. 

I encountered him almost immediately -- at any rate, before getting to Norwood Rd.  

 

Robert appeared to be dressed in near full winter regalia. 

So was I. 

But Robert had already ridden seven or so miles, so he may have been a bit sweaty already? 

 

Long Assault of Flat Rock: 
 

 

Some chatting, but not much, on the opening leg to Grissom (11.4-miles into the course). 

After all, New Light / Bruce Garner Rd sometimes has too much traffic for conversation mode. 

Also, we were riding into a slight north breeze/wind. 

 

We zipped down Lawrence Rd, which became Mangum Dairy Rd just before the turn 

Onto Bold Run Hill Rd. 

 

I had thought / sorta'-planned to take a photo or two similar to the ones snapped in September, but 

Due to the chill or some other reason, I didn't. 

Even if I had snapped a new photo, I doubt it would have been as good as the one from 2010: 

 Nov-13-2010 ride.

 
Anyway, we continued our ride onto Purnell and then Camp Kanata roads, and 

Made the right turn onto Woodland Ch Rd (in September, LT and I had turned left to short the ride). 

Left onto Bud Smith Rd -- which a long kilometer later becomes Holden Rd. 

 

At the top of a non-trivial climb (non-trivial to me), we turned onto Sid Mitchell Rd. 

Almost immediately, we were engaged in some enthralling conversation. 

Sufficiently engaging that we rode past the turn at Green Rd without even noticing said road. 

 

However, when we reached the intersection with John Mitchell Rd, I knew we were off course. 

But as Robert was explaining something and the ride seemed to be going well, I mentioned nothing. 

Nothing, that is, until just before reaching NC-96. 

 

Stopping at the intersection with NC-96, I explained that we were off course, and 

Suggested a couple alternatives to continue or to short the ride. 

Ricochet chose the option to turn-around and ride back to John Mitchell 

Where we would turn south (and thus have a light breeze at our backs). 

 

John Mitchell soon became Graham Sherron Rd (roads usually change name at county lines). 

We made the appropriate turns to navigate the Graham Sherron / Woodland Church intersections. 

And by now, I was looking forward to the climb on GS to get up to Bruce Garner Rd. 

[It had been several years since I had ridden GS in that direction.] 

 

Left onto Bruce Garner and headed for "the barn." 

But, as usual, but not always, I upped the pace on the "Bruce Garner / New Light" time-trial section. 

 

Ricochet Robert, hanging onto my wheel, recalled a ride from years previous. 

8 or 9 years before, I had dragged all the fast-dudes back up to Robert, 

Who was hoping to hold off the fast-dudes and "win the stage." 

 

As soon as Robert started telling the story, I started laughing, 

Telling him that I knew exactly what he was going to say, but 

That he should tell it, anyway.  

 

He ended the story-telling by cussing me out for my actions those many days ago. 

I replied he had given me the same cussing out immediately after the ride he described. 

 

Big fun! 

 

For link to the original ride / skutching out, click here. 

Key text extracted: 

New Light, Ghoston, etc., and Robert "skutches me out". 

Ricochet Robert decided to try to tire the fast three-some still with us, 
Tito, Ags, Shane, 
AND build a lead on New Light that he might be able to carry to the top of Ghoston. 

I was still resting my lower back as we started on New Light, and 
IvaHawk and I were soon further back from the fasties than Robert was ahead. 
Robert did build quite a lead. 

I told Iva, that after half-a-mile or so, my back would be fine, and 
"We'll go get 'em." 
Iva was game. 

That's what we did. 
I pulled Iva up and past the kibitzing fasties, 
Closed to and went around Robert without a problem. 
Robert weighs 135 lbs. I weigh just under 160 lbs. 
The road on that stretch is mostly down-slope (heading for the river / lake). 
I generate more power that Robert. 
So, it was not difficult to make up the (nearly) quarter-mile to Robert. 

The problem, in Robert's view, was me passing the fasties. 
Because they picked up their pace from putz-kibitz to grab Iva's wheel. 
And the six-some was all back together well before reaching Ghoston. 

Robert can climb. 
But Ags, Tito and Shane can climb the little hills around here faster than Robert. 

Robert enjoyed skutching me out when we all got back to PUE. 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------- 

• PUE  BoldRunHill-SidMitchell to 96-u-turn-GrahamShearon-MVC 
• 0810, w/ Ricochet    --    45F, ovecast, N/NE breeze/wind 
• 41.3-miles.  3:07 in-motion.  avg 13.2-mph in-motion. 
•  
  
• Robert would have ridden about 14-miles more commuting to and from the ride.