May-26: Two Epics 201-km Perm

I'm borrowing, with modification, a page from the "Doc-on-a-bike" playbook (i.e., blog) from two years ago:  "Sag" has summed up the ride and day pretty well over on "sagittandy", so I refer you to his blog post.  As indicated by Andy, everyone enjoyed the outbound, tailwind aided, camaraderie conversation filled leg -- making the first 100k epic in its own right.


The homebound leg was a different kind of "epic".  

Somewhere during our return leg together, John commented, "next year, White Lake Half-Iron  OR  Assault on Mt. Mitchell,  BUT  not both."  Sore butt and sore feet on a hot afternoon into the headwind definitely made for a different kind of epic than the outbound leg.

I'm under the impression that this, his R-11 ride, was the toughest ride of John's R-series.  If I understood correctly, also his toughest mental struggle in any of his events (triathlons, duathlons, half-marathon, full-marathon (?), two Assaults on Mt. Mitchell and other mountain centuries, RUSA brevets and permanents) in the last couple years.  John admitted during the ride, and repeated afterwards, that this was the one event that he seriously considered DNF'ing.

But John soldiered on, finishing and then immediately heading home to his six year-old son.  My opinion is that that last item of the previous sentence is the most important.

Chapeau, John!  And I hope I can join you next month for your R-12.

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May-26:  

Lookin' Out My Back Door 201-km Permanent; 125.9 m.; 8h16 in-motion; 15.2 mph; rando elapsed time:  10h35. 

Eddington Cycling Number: 

After this ride:  88. 

Meaning that I have completed at least 88 different rides that were at least 88 miles long. 

May-19: "Lookin' Out My Back Door" 201-km Perm

Jerry put out the instigating list-serve e-mail.
Dean, Mick/Mike and Jerry were doing the captioned, relatively new permanent.

Given the "need" for R-rides, I figured that
Fearless Leader Alan and the O'rishman,
And the "Determined Crew" would join the party
(the "Determined Crew" had to bail for life reasons).

I tried to influence Ricochet Robert to consider doing the ride,
With truthful claims that the portion of the route
From Averasboro Battlefield to Cedar Creek would duplicate that section of the upcoming 600-k.
(If you do an interweb search on "Averasboro Battlefield", you'll find many links.)

The day's crew numbered 10:
Jerry, Dean, Mick/Mike, Alan, MikeO,
Sridhar, PhilH, young Allen, Ricochet Robert, me.

Mounted on 9 modernly geared bikes  +  1 snazzy-looking fixed.
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The course shares a lot, repeat, a LOT, of roads with:

• Get 'er Dunn 102-km permanent-popularie, 
• Benson Mule Pull 105-km perm-pop, 
• Carolina Crossroads 201-km permanent (no map), and the 
• Tar Heel 200 permanent. 

Easy to get confused if one is not carefully watching the cue sheet.
Easy to get confused if one has ridden all those courses and IS carefully watching the cue sheet.
That's all I'm noting on that front.
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A few months ago, Dean had told me that I would like the new course from Coats to Dunn.
He was correct.
Mostly along the top of a wide, flat ridge.
A couple creek-crossings, and the related climbs.

I particularly liked the new roads on the outbound leg.
GREAT tailwind.

I don't recall too much of those new roads on the homeward bound leg.
Too much headwind.

How much tailwind / headwind?
Enough so that, after the ride, when I asked Alan if he had an enjoyable ride,
He responded, "at first I did; then we turned around."
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The first six of us arrived at the turn-around in just under 4 hours.
(Probably my first ever 100k in under 4 hours.)

Everyone arrived at the turn-around by 4h10 elapsed time.
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Almost a complete regrouping at Bethany Corners for a lunch stop.
Jerry had fried chicken, by the way.

But we headed back to start, now the finish, in several small groups.
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I had met new-rando-this-year Phil H, even chatted with him 7 weeks or so ago,
At the Snow Camp control on the NCBC 200-km brevet,
But this was the first time I'd ridden with Phil.
Conclusion:  STRONG rider -- he did the lion's share of work into the wind.
Also, very pleasant to chat and ride with.

I had also met new-rando-this-year "young" Allen.
Clearly I met young-Allen at the same Snow Camp control mentioned above,
But I have no recollection of said meeting.
I do, however, recall a short chat with Allen at the Siler City control on the 300-km brevet.
Conclusion:  Nice guy.  Likely to become a member of the fast-crew
When he becomes more comfortable with riding hard while simultaneously eating.

Robert was the other person, in addition to yours truly,
That was part of the foursome that set a new course record
On this newish course of Dean's.
I've ridden with Robert many times.
Conclusion:  Still a nice, enthusiastic guy.
Oh, and Ricochet seems to be back -- banishing "Ragged Robert".

(Said "record" will clearly be shattered whenever any of the fast-crew
Decides to do the course with an eye to speed-training.
In the meantime, we'll enjoy our sure to be short-lived "notoriety".)
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Post-ride, checking over and signing control cards at the picnic table outside the control,
And the subsequent conversations,
Put the icing on the day.
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May-19:  

Lookin' Out My Back Door 201-km Permanent; 125.9 m.; 7h59 in-motion; 15.8 mph; rando elapsed time:  9h20.

May-12: Bahama Beach 103-km Perm-Pop

Start time was 0700.
I arrived at 0704 (according to the clock on my confuser).
Byron was "long-gone".

Good thing we'd previously arranged the "paperwork exchange".
We'd done that as there was a high chance I wouldn't be able to ride.

I set off "chasing" Byron.
He is faster than me, so I figured I wouldn't see him until the 60-km control in Stem.

Then I realized that my tyres were way low on pressure.
Probably around 50 lbs. pressure instead of the designed 100 - 120.

About 8 miles into the course, I stopped to pump up.
Avg pace for the commute and course to that point:  16.1 mph.
5 minute delay (it takes longer to pump up without a full-size pump).
Much easier pedaling after pumping-up.

Now I knew I would be lucky to see Byron in Stem.
But I continued to attack every uphill and upslope.

Rolled into Stem approx 9:30.
Not bad considering the 4 minute late start and the 5 minute pump-'em-up delay.

There was Byron -- just about ready to leave.
Two other cyclists were also there -- getting ready to roll.

LT and "Red Rocket":  "Irregulars" doing a different course,
But using Stem as a pit-stop / rest-stop.

Say hello -- good-bye to LT and RR.
Byron waited while I purchased and ate faux Strawberry Newtons.
(The faux Apple Newtons taste better.)

9:41 -- off we go, down Creedmoor / Brogden Rd.
Byron leading.
He is faster than me.
But he weighs next to nothing.
So ... since Brogden Rd is mostly downslope for about 3 miles,
I came around to lead.

When the road tilted UP just before Creedmoor,
Byron dropped off my front.
But he slowed or waited at the turn onto NC-56.

Through Creedmoor.
I meant to point out "Southern States" and the "BP".
Each has excellent rest rooms.
Southern States has cold water from "fountain".
BP has snacks, etc..

More long downslope on Brassfield Rd leaving Creedmoor.
Then payment due with two upslopes.
The first always beats me.
I almost always beat the second.

But Byron is hammering away on Pope Rd before I complete the turn.
Then down Horseshoe and UP.
Byron taking it easy on the UP.
Left turn to stay on Horseshoe.

Easy ups to Lawrence Rd (US Bike Route #1).
Swoop down to the bridge over the creek,
Then the steep part, then the mile-long shallow upslope.

On the shallow upslope, I see three people I know, but I only recognize them because of the last.
Paul "the Mallet" is out with his two eldest children (son, about 13; daughter, about 10).
All three look to be having fun.

I learn later via e-mail exchange that Paul and kids rode 26+ miles,
From Shinleaf to the Creedmoor BP, and return.
Avg'ing 12.2 mph.
I think that's pretty good.
Not a flat course for adults or for youngsters.

Paul also informed that "some" thought the snacks at the BP made the ride worthwhile.
Isn't that the way with everyone?

Anyway, Byron and I cruised easily in on Bruce Garner / New Light.
No "time-trial".
Some will be surprised to read that.

Byron mostly stayed with me as I plodded up Ghoston and Peed and the bottom part of MVC.
Then he put some effort into the pedals and ...
When I turned near the school, Byron was so far ahead that I did not see him.

Byron finished the course in 4h22.
I finished in 4h23.
Each of us "smashed" the previous course record,
Set two weeks earlier by Ags.

I imagine that Ags will now come to do the route all-out, the whole way.
But not until some time after he completes the Assault on Mt. Mitchell next week.
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Funny thing:
Each of the previous two weekends, I've done a 150 +/- miler, averaging 15.0 mph.
After completing BB, with an avg of 16.2 for the combined commute and route,
My legs felt MUCH worse.

I have a self-diagnosis -- keeping it to myself.

I took it very easy on the commute back.
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May-12:  

commute to --> Bahama Beach 103-km Perm-Pop --> commute back; 74.0 m.; 4h37 in-motion; 16.0 mph; BB rando elapsed time:  4h23.  

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 

Apr tot: _10 rides; 1,030.4 m.; _70 h, 54 m; 14.5 mph. 

May tot: __6 rides; __331.0 m.; _22 h, 24 m; 14.8 mph. 

YTD tot: _38 rides; 2,971.7 m.; 292 h, 00 m; 14.7 mph. 


The "errand" rides, which I no longer blog, are "killing" my avg pace stats. 

After the above ride, I am: 
R-22, C-27, M-39, P-5. 

If I can count (which clearly, sometimes I cannot), Byron appears to be R-25, P-2. 

May-05: Detouring Egypt Mtn 210-km Perm

After finding (the previous Sunday) that the Sims Bridge over the Tar River is being replaced, Ricochet Robert joined me to check-out the most logical detour I could come up with that is cycling-friendly.

I can't really type that we "explored", because only a few miles of the quite long detour were new to me -- even Ricochet only experienced a dozen or so miles on "new roads" (I'm guessing as I can no longer recall what routes others have ridden).

I was set to not like the detour.  But once again, the roads in north-central North Carolina have reminded me of something my non-rando cycling friend Gary says:  "the only problem with cycling here is that EVERY road is a good road to ride upon."

The intended 210-km "Egypt Mtn" course lulls one into the ride easily, with gentle rollers over open ridges.  The detour is mostly a tree-tunnel plus what some deem a nasty little climb sometimes called "the Ruin Wall".    Definitely NOT what I had in mind for early in the Egypt Mtn course.  But, you know what?  I really liked the detour routing and the resulting course.

How could I have set my mind to not like a couple of roads that I have enjoyed riding on several / many occasions?  How could one not like a Dr. Finch Rd / Foster Rd Ext / Foster Rd with at least two or three creek valleys to cross in only ~ 3 miles?  How could one not like a road on which one sees a "Barracuda" (at least I think it was a Barracuda -- guess I'll have to ride that road again to double-check)?

I intend to send in the detour routing and officially change the routing and distance while the Sims Bridge is being replaced (the original and ultimate intended route can be seen here).  Assuming Crista approves, the new (temporary) distance will be 221-kms.  I'm thinking that the many 10-K-hounds we had last year here in NC may have appreciated the large amount of "change" inherent in 221-kms; unfortunately, there seem to be fewer 10-K-hounds in the state this year.

When the bridge replacement is complete, I intend to return the course to its original routing.

The Public Information Release from the NC-DOT indicated a Sep-15th completion date; however, as of last Sunday, no noticeable work had been done to start removing the existing bridge; therefore, I'm thinking that the bridge could be out longer than mid-September.

Robert and I had a great day on the bike.  10 hours in mostly dry and mostly sunny conditions; 1 hour on the receiving end of a downpour!  What better way to spend a day is there?
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May-05:  

commute to --> detoured Warrenton - Egypt Mtn 210-km Perm; 148.6 m.; 9h53 in-motion; 15.0 mph; Egypt Mtn rando elapsed time:  10h55.  

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 

Apr tot: _10 rides; 1,030.4 m.; _70 h, 54 m; 14.5 mph. 

May tot: __3 rides; __204.8 m.; _13 h, 39 m; 15.0 mph. 

YTD tot: _35 rides; 2,845.5 m.; 193 h, 16 m; 14.7 mph. 

Apr-29: No Sims Bridge / No Bobbitt Store 210-km Perm

Byron, Mick/Mike and I set out for an enjoyable, rolling ride on the "Warrenton - Egypt Mtn" permanent.

Byron wanted to get in some easy climbing this weekend as he is doing a Matt Settle 400-k suffer-fest brevet next weekend.  Byron had the correct, up-to-date cue sheet with him.

Mick/Mike wanted to get in some easy climbing this weekend as he is apparently doing Alan's 400-k brevet pre-ride next weekend.  Mick/Mike somehow had an outdated cue sheet with him.

I just wanted to ride my permanent.  For the second time.
I took no cue sheet with me.  After all, I supposedly know the route.
However, I suspect that me asking Byron on two separate occasions
"What is the name of the road at the next turn?"
May have been a bit disconcerting.


We had a good ride, starting in cloudy 55F conditions
That eventually morphed into sunny 78F weather.
The entire time with a NE breeze.
A NE breeze provides a tailwind most of the "inbound" trip,
But means the ride starts with 54 to 64 miles of headwind / breeze.

Riding behind Byron, I realized a major difference between 130-lb. Byron
And our friend Ricochet Robert (who weighs in at 135-lbs).
Namely, Byron has noticeable calf muscles.
Robert does not.

Other than rolling pastures with many horses and cattle, and fewer dawgs than last time,
My opinion is that these are the most notable things from the ride:

• NC-DOT is replacing the Sims Bridge across the Tar River.  The bridge was closed on Sunday -- but not rando-closed, if'n ya' know what I mean.  On a weekday, construction workers would probably have not permitted us to walk around the humongous crane parked in the middle of the causeway and blocking the entire roadway.  I'll have to figure a major detour for the several months the work is expected to take.  Route sabotaged by the DOT on only the second undertaking of the route -- aargh!  
• The Bobbitt Store appears to have closed, permanently.  Not a pun.  I'll move the control from that store to the gas station / convenience store at Epsom, which will now become CP-2 and CP-5.  The store at Epsom has more "conveniences" anyway.  
• The sign for Stagecoach Rd is almost completely hidden by directional and other DOT signs.  The sign on the opposite side of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd is easily visible, but it indicates Perrytown Rd.  I suspect that anyone doing the route without me (or others that have already done the route) would miss that turn.  I'll re-jigger the cue sheet. 
• I noticed that the names that the electronic maps put on the road heading "east" from Drewry is ... wrong.  What a surprise -- NOT.  I should have stuck with my instincts and memory, instead of believing the electronic maps.  Another cue sheet re-jigger. 

Byron and Mick/Mike's opinions of the notable items on the ride may differ from mine.

As noted above, we had a good time,
Despite the water issues caused by the Bobbitt Store having closed its doors.
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Apr-29:  

commute to --> Warrenton - Egypt Mtn 210-km Perm --> commute back; 150.5 m.; 10h02 in-motion; 15.0 mph; Egypt Mtn rando elapsed time:  10h26.  

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 

Apr tot: _10 rides; 1,030.4 m.; _70 h, 54 m; 14.5 mph. 

YTD tot: _32 rides; 2,640.7 m.; 179 h, 36 m; 14.7 mph. 

Apr-28: Bahama Beach, A Recovery 103-kms

Byron contacted me, wanting to do Bahama Beach on Saturday.

Ricochet Robert signed on, but indicated he was definitely on a "recovery weekend",
And wanted a leisurely recovery pace.

That sounded good to me.
Also sounded good to Byron.
Because while still firming up plans for the BB perm-pop,
Each of us also had decided to do the Warrenton - Egypt Mtn perm on Sunday.

Recovery.  That's what the plan was.
Recovery?
A recovery ride that came in only 1 minute off the previous course record !
(Admittedly, no fast-riders have done the course, yet, with a view to being fast.)

Ags had also joined the ride.
He stayed with us until the last 9.5-kms on Ghoston, Peed and MVC roads.

He put 8 minutes into the three of us in those 9.5-kms.
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After the ride, Byron, Ricochet and I were chatting.
I asked Robert if that was the new NC-rando short-sleeved wool jersey he was wearing.
Robert indicated that it was and that he had gotten the jersey only a day or so before.

He then added something about sleeping in the jersey.
Not sure exactly what he said, but it was definitely "'something' about sleeping in the jersey".
On Sunday, Byron confirmed to me that Robert certainly had said "'something' about sleeping in the jersey".

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Apr-28:  

commute to --> Bahama Beach 103-km Perm-Pop --> commute back via Ricochet's; 90.1 m.; 5h53 in-motion; 15.3 mph; BB rando elapsed time:  4h33.  

Q-1 tot: _22 rides; 1,610.3 m.; 108 h, 42 m; 14.8 mph. 

Apr tot: __9 rides; __879.9 m.; _60 h, 52 m; 14.5 mph. 

YTD tot: _31 rides; 2,490.2 m.; 169 h, 34 m; 14.7 mph.  

Eddington Cycling Number: 

After this ride:  86. 

Meaning I have ridden at least 86 miles on at least 86 different occasions. 

The trivia oriented might notice that my E has gone from 84 (reached on Mar-10) to 86, skipping 85. 

That is because I have not a single ride that is at least 85 miles, but less than 86 miles in length. 

Some boring personal history data: 

Career statistics through:
year	# rides	miles	mi. / r	long	E
2004	38	1,176.2	31.0	53.4	26
2005	75	2,441.7	32.6	75.6	33
2006	133	4,926.6	37.0	75.6	42
2007	212	8,457.1	39.9	109.0	49
2008	294	12,222.4	41.6	109.0	54
2009	420	18,439.1	43.9	126.3	63
2010	532	25,998.6	48.9	300.3	71
2011	645	35,203.4	54.6	377.2	81
2012	676	37,693.6	55.8	377.2	86

Rides by year currently contributing to E:
year	# rides	miles	mi. / r
2004	0	0.0	0.0
2005	0	0.0	0.0
2006	0	0.0	0.0
2007	1	109.0	109.0
2008	2	201.7	100.9
2009	7	720.0	102.9
2010	26	3,525.9	135.6
2011	40	5,429.7	135.7
2012	10	1,417.4	141.7
total	86	11,403.7	132.6

Apr-21: Siler City Control -- Moments in Time

Having done a pre-ride, I worked the Siler City (100k 'n 200k) control.
Ostensibly, I was on-duty from 1000 to 1500 (start +3h to start +8h).
My "relief" (Dean, the "Phun Physiologist") arrived shortly after 1400;
And I stuck around until about 1615, then headed back to the "start" / finish.

The following are some "moments in time" from the control:

• Lead pack of 6 arrived at 1031 (+3h31); 10 total by 1036 (out of a total of 29 starters / 28 that made it to Siler City).  
• MaryF commented that I looked clean and rested.  That confused me for a few moments, until ... 
• TimL asked how far I had ridden with the group; I must have returned a quizzical look because Tim immediately added, "oh, you rode to the start and then drove here."  That was correct, and ah, Mary might have been wondering a similar thing. 
• Geof struggling to change his flat -- the tube and tyre had cemented their relationship.  Not finding anything wrong with the Grand Bois tyre.  Subsequent filthy hands. 
• 
  
• Someone asked if a plastic bag attached the car was for trash.  I replied, "yes, but please be neat about it -- if we make a mess, the car's owner might hit me."  Jerry, standing next to me, said, "I'm going to hit you anyway," and delivered a fake-punch to my chest.  (The car in question was Jerry's.) 
• 
  
• I met Woody Graham.  (I usually don't put last names on the blog, but would anyone understand if only put "Woody G" in this report?)  Some info on Woody here and here.  (The riders that were just behind Woody when arriving at the 100k control commented that every time they worked hard and caught up to Woody, thinking to form a small group, Woody would, at will, ride on ahead.) 
• 
  
• Jacob of Tidewater, enthusiastically explaining his plan to get to 5000 RUSA kms this year. 
• Al P putting his helmet back on, complete with ear-flaps on the straps. 
• 
  
• Mick pulling up in his car alongside "mine", waking me from a nap.  Asking when I thought the lead riders would return (200k mark).  Telling me he was going up to Snow Camp.  Me thinking, "I wonder why he is going up to Snow Camp if he's working the afternoon shift here"?  (I didn't know who was due to come on-duty at 1500.)  Mick returning about 6 minutes later and commenting, "it seems silly to head to up Snow Camp now, with the lead riders probably at least 20 minutes from here and an hour from that control. 
• Dean arriving and setting up a card table of food.  Mick, Dean and I figuring a plan to split off some the apparent excess Siler City food and for Mick to take with him to Snow Camp. 
• 
  
• JoeRay perfecting the 3-minute control stop on the return.  
• TomF wanting another 30 seconds, the "game-on" race-face that came to Tom when JoeRay did not want to wait another second. 
• 
  
• The start of a light rain at about 1535.  Dean and I moving the card table of food, and everything else from under open skies to a bay of the car-wash.  Jerry moving his bike, paraphernalia and himself to the car-wash bay.  The sky falling out with a masterful deluge.  Thankful we'd move things under roof. 
• Discovering that we'd set the card table up perfectly to be exactly under the only leak in the roof.  Aargh. 
• Jerry, still dry, leaving after an unplanned 40-minute stop to continue his ride. 
• The sun coming out in time to start making things really steamy for the drowned-rat randonneurs that had arrived after the deluge had begun. 

There were about 13 or 14 riders that had not yet reached Siler City (200-km control) when I left.  

I got back to the finish in time to see JoeRay complete his ride at 1755/6 and TomF at 1806.  MaryF and TimL arrived at 1828.  Others filtered in after that.  There was interesting conversation and other stuff at the finish, but this post is about the moments in time from the Siler City control.

Interesting experience volunteering at a control. 

I recommend everyone try it.