Slip Sliden' Away
While riding, I had lots of time to mentally compose lines and paragraphs about the ride; however, I accidentally wrote an over-long e-mail to MikeD, the KLL route owner, intending to only inform him that I had completed the ride. However that e-mail will make an excellent, concise ride report, with just two additions:
I often tell the "Irregulars" that they should be sure to do the Assault on Flat Rock course (one of our favorites) at least once each season, and especially in the winter, because you can see things in the winter that you can't see when the leaves are in full foilage. This was my first winter ride on KLL -- early November here is not winter; it is "leaf watching season" (although Nov-06 was more winter-like than it was on this Jan-30 ride). I make a similar comment about KLL: be sure to do it in the winter as you can see things that are not visable at other times.
There is a short bit included below about an encounter I had with a dawg on Mountain Rd. That was my second successful jab of the day. Earlier, I forget where, I delivered a slightly harder right jab to the head of a pursuing dawg. That dawg instantly called off the chase and put its lips back over its teeth. I wish that I had delivered as good a "jab" to each as I did to Roscoe last September.
On to the report.
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Hey, Mike,
Just a note to let you know that I completed KLL at 5:46 yesterday evening.
As both stores near the Fire Station open at 8 or after, and the station was conspicuous in its darkness (all the occupants must have been asleep), I just wrote 7:00 on the card and started (at 7:20). The mind was determined yesterday morning, but the body was very hesitant when the alarm went off. As I was the only one riding, I didn't worry that I might start a bit late, but just kept forcing the body through the motions -- foreshadowing my day on the bike.
I have the morning and afternoon receipts from Oxford (which store cash register is still on Daylight Savings time, and about 5 minutes fast).
I have a receipt from the store at Grissom (Lawrence & Bruce Garner roads), stamped 5:11 pm. Ha! I had the store clerk write the correct time (5:20) in the Stony Hill finish control box.
I wrote in the 5:46 arrival time at Stony Hill in the control box opposite the official finish control box.
I certainly hope that will suffice. (The handwritten times from the clerks and by me are certainly more accurate than any of the receipts. Statement not directed at anyone, just a fact.)
I'll either mail or (because I worry that the USPS will lose it) drop off the paperwork.
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Hard day on the bike.
I think I realized in the first three miles why my rides have been getting so hard this last month, particularly the day before. My seatpost has been slowly slipping into the frame since at least the Jan-15 Showdown ride with BobB and Ricochet Robert. I think it stopped slipping slowly and started slipping quickly while doing Dean's Get 'Er Dunn on Saturday -- the front wheel did not fit easily where it always does when I put the bike in the back of my CRV. When I threw my leg-over on Sunday, it didn't seem right. Stopping after 3 miles, opposite Rock Springs Ch Rd, I found that the seatpost was at least 2 cm too low! No wonder my quads have been uncooperative of late. (I reckon the COLD and COLD HEADWINDS have also played a part.)
I didn't get the seatpost issue fully corrected until the control just east of Oxford. That's what controls are for, right? But the early miles on top of the damage inflicted doing Get 'Er Dunn the day before meant I had little power in my legs all day. My average speed was okay at the dam, considering I'd been riding into a slight headwind and I was expecting to ride faster from the dam to Clarksville and from just north of Oxford to the finish, but my average kept dropping and dropping. 9 hours, 14 minutes on the bike. I compensated pretty well by not dallying at the controls, taking just enough time to eat what I purchased, while chatting with the store clerks (always good to take a couple minutes to reinforce good relations, right?) -- 9 hrs, 14 min on the bike versus 10 hrs, 26 min actual time from actual start to actual finish leaves 1 hr, 12 min for three official control stops plus a 15 minute break in Boydton plus some other stoppage for lights and stop signs and three or four 60-second stops and a particular dawg encounter. (I recognize official time will be 10 hrs, 46 minutes.)
By Grassy Creek, I was cursing the fool that showed "Stovall Mtn" to you; but I can't imagine anyone giving me any sympathy on that particular score. [For the non-locals, and even some of the locals, I provide this link, from a time prior to me joining RUSA, so that you will better understand the previous sentence.] In the event, I have to agree with Dean's appraisal of Mountain Rd: it is a great road for cycling. Even the steep bit at the top was not bad except that I finally met one of the dawgs about which I've heard. Just after the steep part began, the dawg came hard charging from the left. I unclipped and managed to deliver a light blow to the dawg's jaw; that was enough to send the dawg back into the protection of its yard where it continued to raise a ruckus.
After delivering the left jab, I came to a full stop. I have re-started from a stand-still on steeper climbs (the road up to the top of Hanging Rock State Park comes to mind), but when I re-started ... my front wheel was suddenly jack-knifed and the bike was falling over to the right ... a split moment of panic, I didn't have time to think ... and I must have jerked the front up, straightend the front wheel and gotten the bike perpendicular in one smooth unthinking motion, because I didn't crash and I was moving forward. I thought "cool, I didn't crash and hurt myself." It is always nice when unknown skills suddenly emerge at just the right moment.
Good day on the bike.
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Sorry for the long e-mail. I think I just drafted my blog post.
...Martin
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Jan-30:
Kerr Lake Loop 208 km Permanent; 131.3 m.; 9 hrs, 14 min in-motion; 14.2 mph; rando-time: 10 hrs, 46 min elapsed on the clock.
Jan tot: __9 rides; __671.4 m.; _46 hrs, 35 min; 14.4 mph.
YTD tot: __9 rides; __671.4 m.; _46 hrs, 35 min; 14.5 mph.
_
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Jan-29: Get 'Er Dunn 102 km Perm Populaire
A Veritable "Stroll in the Park"
Compared to the Jan-09th ride and especially the Jan-22nd ride on this course, today was a veritable "stroll in the park". Seven days ago, Dean and I did this same route, but with gloomy overcast skies most of the day, with a NW wind (i.e., a headwind "coming home") and the temperature at the end was 34 degrees F -- that was the high for the day. Today, Dean and I did this route under clear, blue skies (not a single cloud in the sky), with an increasing SW wind (i.e., an increasingly strong tailwind "coming home"), and the temperature before the start was above freezing and the temperature at the end was 57 degrees F. What a difference the change in the wind direction made! What a difference 23 degrees made!! What a difference bright sunshine made!!!
Everything went smoothly from the beginning. Well, no. Someone ... I'm not going to indicate whom ... but it was not me ... forgot an important piece of equipment. We returned to the start having accumulated approximately 1.5 bonus miles -- not much in the grand scheme of things AND not much compared to bonus miles that many have collected on various rides.
After someone found and put on his important piece of equipment, things went smoothly.
Gosh, how nice to ride in fewer clothes and ... not be cold.
It seemed to me that in almost no time at all, we were going past the "shutters" house, and heading directly into Erwin and over to Dunn. I think Dean may have thought that it took a bit more than "almost no time all"; I think he was still tired from the tough ride he did on Friday, pulling mules with Maria, Alan, Bryan and Steven . Dean did say that they had "pushed the pace" on Friday, with almost everyone, including the route owner, collecting, or trying to collect, bonus miles.
Our conversation quickly morphed onto other various subjects, including a possible "north side" permanent populaire. However, due -- I am sure -- entirely to his fatigue left over from the Friday ride, conversation soon turned into more of a monologue than a conversation. After he'd heard enough of my blabbering to last him a fortnight, Dean started repeatedly dropping me off his front. Smart move.
I filled my water bottle in Erwin with caramel-colored, fizzy, sugar "water". Dean did not. Not even the Diet version that he claims he sometimes uses to refill his bottles. (I.e., I rode the return leg on a caffeine and sugar "high".)
That's enough of a report, except to confirm that it was a great day to ride on a not-flat course with excellent company -- even if he was tired.
One last thing ... today's ride put Dean over the 1000 km mark for 2011. Already. Congratulations, Dean!
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Jan-29:
Get 'Er Dunn 102 km Permanent Populaire; 65.4 m.; 4 hrs, 34 min in-motion; 14.2 mph; rando-time: 5 hrs, 37 min elapsed on the clock.
Jan tot: __8 rides; __540.1 m.; _37 hrs, 21 min; 14.5 mph.
YTD tot: __8 rides; __540.1 m.; _37 hrs, 21 min; 14.5 mph.
_
Compared to the Jan-09th ride and especially the Jan-22nd ride on this course, today was a veritable "stroll in the park". Seven days ago, Dean and I did this same route, but with gloomy overcast skies most of the day, with a NW wind (i.e., a headwind "coming home") and the temperature at the end was 34 degrees F -- that was the high for the day. Today, Dean and I did this route under clear, blue skies (not a single cloud in the sky), with an increasing SW wind (i.e., an increasingly strong tailwind "coming home"), and the temperature before the start was above freezing and the temperature at the end was 57 degrees F. What a difference the change in the wind direction made! What a difference 23 degrees made!! What a difference bright sunshine made!!!
Everything went smoothly from the beginning. Well, no. Someone ... I'm not going to indicate whom ... but it was not me ... forgot an important piece of equipment. We returned to the start having accumulated approximately 1.5 bonus miles -- not much in the grand scheme of things AND not much compared to bonus miles that many have collected on various rides.
After someone found and put on his important piece of equipment, things went smoothly.
Gosh, how nice to ride in fewer clothes and ... not be cold.
It seemed to me that in almost no time at all, we were going past the "shutters" house, and heading directly into Erwin and over to Dunn. I think Dean may have thought that it took a bit more than "almost no time all"; I think he was still tired from the tough ride he did on Friday, pulling mules with Maria, Alan, Bryan and Steven . Dean did say that they had "pushed the pace" on Friday, with almost everyone, including the route owner, collecting, or trying to collect, bonus miles.
Our conversation quickly morphed onto other various subjects, including a possible "north side" permanent populaire. However, due -- I am sure -- entirely to his fatigue left over from the Friday ride, conversation soon turned into more of a monologue than a conversation. After he'd heard enough of my blabbering to last him a fortnight, Dean started repeatedly dropping me off his front. Smart move.
I filled my water bottle in Erwin with caramel-colored, fizzy, sugar "water". Dean did not. Not even the Diet version that he claims he sometimes uses to refill his bottles. (I.e., I rode the return leg on a caffeine and sugar "high".)
That's enough of a report, except to confirm that it was a great day to ride on a not-flat course with excellent company -- even if he was tired.
One last thing ... today's ride put Dean over the 1000 km mark for 2011. Already. Congratulations, Dean!
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Jan-29:
Get 'Er Dunn 102 km Permanent Populaire; 65.4 m.; 4 hrs, 34 min in-motion; 14.2 mph; rando-time: 5 hrs, 37 min elapsed on the clock.
Jan tot: __8 rides; __540.1 m.; _37 hrs, 21 min; 14.5 mph.
YTD tot: __8 rides; __540.1 m.; _37 hrs, 21 min; 14.5 mph.
_
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Jan-23: 6 Forks, Ghoston, Peed, MVC: A Loop ?
Where Did They Go?
I parked at BJP and began to get ready to ride.
Then my mother called.
You have to talk to your mom.
Putting on my shoes, the phone rings again.11:49 11:40.
Who is calling me NOW?
"Hello."
"Hello. Martin, this is Harvey. Will you guys wait for me if I'm a little late?"
"Maybe." Click.
Finished putting on my shoes and something(s) else -- maybe my shell.
11:53 11:49. Called Dave to mention Harvey's phone call.
Laurie answered.
"Is Dave still there?"
"No, he left about 10 minutes ago."
"Never mind. Thanks anyway, Laurie."
I've got too many clothes on.
I remove the Polar Fleece top, and put the shell back on.
Helmet on. Gloves on.
Approx 11:58, I roll out, headed to PUE.
Approx 12:02, reach the corner of Pleasant Union Ch Rd and Six Forks Rd.
On to PUE.
Saw only two cyclists on the two miles across to PUE.
Barely saw them as they were both in full ninja garb in a heavily shaded stretch of road.
One called out to me.
I think to myself: "Who was that? Oh, I bet that was ... Donna."
Arrive at PUE. I recognize two cars of people that started riding at 9 -- when it was about 22 degrees F.
I recognize Snapper's car.
Maybe I'll call them.
Darn. My phone is still in the pocket of the Polar Fleece.
Which is in my car.
What to do?
I ride back to my car. Get phone.
Someone had called.
Turned out it was Snapper.
But he didn't leave a message.
So I called him and left a message:
"Hey, what route did you guys decide to do? What time did you start?"
I looked at my watch after I left the message. 12:22.
I looked at the cycle confuser to see how long I had been riding. 21 minutes.
My estimates of when I had started seem validated.
There is no way they could have left PUE at Noon, or anything later than 11:52, and I wouldn't have seen them.
Oh, well.
I decide to ride NC BR #1 to Rock Springs Rd, and take that back down to Old Weaver and back to BJP.
Unfortunately, there had been some "rubbage" against a particular part of the body on Saturday.
I could feel that there was more "rubbage" today.
Don't need to turn that into an abrasion or worse.
I been there before.
Once was once too often.
So I turned onto Ghoston, then Peed and MVC.
Looked at the clock on the cycle confuser -- 12:58.
Hmmn, maybe IvaN is there getting ready to ride.
He was.
We chatted.
Wished him good riding.
Rode back to BJP.
Short rides are nice sometimes.
Sometimes, short rides are necessary.
And sometimes, short rides are the smart thing to do.
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Ricochet and Ags rode starting at 9 am.
IvaN told me that they got back to PUE after he arrived.
Noted that Ags looked COLD.
He didn't mention Ricochet or Robert.
Probably he was still ENTHUSIASTIC.
Maybe I'll get a report from Ricochet.
If so, maybe I'll append it.
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Maybe I'll get a report from Snapper on his ride with Lt. Dave (and possibly Lee).
If so, maybe I'll append it.
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Jan-23:
BJP: --> PUE --> BJP: 6 Forks - G-P-MVC; 15.4 m.; 1 hr, 6 min in-motion; 13.9 mph.
Jan tot: __7 rides; __474.7 m.; _32 hrs, 47 min; 14.5 mph.
YTD tot: __7 rides; __474.7 m.; _32 hrs, 47 min; 14.5 mph.
_
I parked at BJP and began to get ready to ride.
Then my mother called.
You have to talk to your mom.
Putting on my shoes, the phone rings again.
Who is calling me NOW?
"Hello."
"Hello. Martin, this is Harvey. Will you guys wait for me if I'm a little late?"
"Maybe." Click.
Finished putting on my shoes and something(s) else -- maybe my shell.
Laurie answered.
"Is Dave still there?"
"No, he left about 10 minutes ago."
"Never mind. Thanks anyway, Laurie."
I've got too many clothes on.
I remove the Polar Fleece top, and put the shell back on.
Helmet on. Gloves on.
Approx 11:58, I roll out, headed to PUE.
Approx 12:02, reach the corner of Pleasant Union Ch Rd and Six Forks Rd.
On to PUE.
Saw only two cyclists on the two miles across to PUE.
Barely saw them as they were both in full ninja garb in a heavily shaded stretch of road.
One called out to me.
I think to myself: "Who was that? Oh, I bet that was ... Donna."
Arrive at PUE. I recognize two cars of people that started riding at 9 -- when it was about 22 degrees F.
I recognize Snapper's car.
Maybe I'll call them.
Darn. My phone is still in the pocket of the Polar Fleece.
Which is in my car.
What to do?
I ride back to my car. Get phone.
Someone had called.
Turned out it was Snapper.
But he didn't leave a message.
So I called him and left a message:
"Hey, what route did you guys decide to do? What time did you start?"
I looked at my watch after I left the message. 12:22.
I looked at the cycle confuser to see how long I had been riding. 21 minutes.
My estimates of when I had started seem validated.
There is no way they could have left PUE at Noon, or anything later than 11:52, and I wouldn't have seen them.
Oh, well.
I decide to ride NC BR #1 to Rock Springs Rd, and take that back down to Old Weaver and back to BJP.
Unfortunately, there had been some "rubbage" against a particular part of the body on Saturday.
I could feel that there was more "rubbage" today.
Don't need to turn that into an abrasion or worse.
I been there before.
Once was once too often.
So I turned onto Ghoston, then Peed and MVC.
Looked at the clock on the cycle confuser -- 12:58.
Hmmn, maybe IvaN is there getting ready to ride.
He was.
We chatted.
Wished him good riding.
Rode back to BJP.
Short rides are nice sometimes.
Sometimes, short rides are necessary.
And sometimes, short rides are the smart thing to do.
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Ricochet and Ags rode starting at 9 am.
IvaN told me that they got back to PUE after he arrived.
Noted that Ags looked COLD.
He didn't mention Ricochet or Robert.
Probably he was still ENTHUSIASTIC.
Maybe I'll get a report from Ricochet.
If so, maybe I'll append it.
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Maybe I'll get a report from Snapper on his ride with Lt. Dave (and possibly Lee).
If so, maybe I'll append it.
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Jan-23:
BJP: --> PUE --> BJP: 6 Forks - G-P-MVC; 15.4 m.; 1 hr, 6 min in-motion; 13.9 mph.
Jan tot: __7 rides; __474.7 m.; _32 hrs, 47 min; 14.5 mph.
YTD tot: __7 rides; __474.7 m.; _32 hrs, 47 min; 14.5 mph.
_
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Jan-22: Get 'Er Dunn 102 km Perm Populaire
I Jus' Wanna' Git 'Er Done
Somewhat Very foolishly, I called Dean to ask if he was doing one of his Populaires on Saturday. His response: "I am if I have someone to ride with." "Okay," said I, "see you in time to ride at 10."
Neither of us were interested in spending 10 hours in the cold (central NC standards) with a stiff NE breeze / wind. Each of us figured we could handle 5 hours. (Note: 2 or 3 hours would have been even better, but RUSA approved routes don't come that short -- not at the pace Dean and I ride.)
10 am start. Wind at our backs. Sun hiding behind some fairly thick clouds.
A quick trip to Dunn. Only my feet were chilled.
I hadn't bothered to zip up my jersey or polar fleece or shell.
From Dunn to Erwin, mostly a cross wind.
Actually, mostly a cross wind all the way to the "shutters house".
Then a turn directly into the COLD STIFF NE wind.
Latex (?) gloves under my glove liners inside my long-fingers, my hands and fingers were warm all the way back.
I did have "prune fingers" at the end, though.
Legs, mid-section, chest, shoulders, head, arms -- all warm.
Feet -- that's another story.
Towards the end, I just wanted to "hammer it home" and "git 'er done."
Advance apologies to any "northern randos" that may read this.
Forecast high was 36 to 38 degrees F.
Dean informed me, at the end, at approx 3:40 pm, that it was only 34 F.
(My Irregular cycling buddy, Lt. Dave, told me that it only got to 32 F in Bayleaf.)
Not the coldest ride Dean has ever done -- by a long shot.
But cold enough for me. (And, today, it was cold enough for Dean, too.)
To the "North Carolina" (in quotes because we "count" some Virginians and South Carolinians as "North Carolinians" for some purposes, such as when they do North Carolina brevets) randos that did (or are still doing) Tony's 200, 300 or 400 km brevets today: HATS OFF to you -- but you are wayyyy too crazy.
See you on the road ...
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Jan-22:
Get 'Er Dunn 102 km Perm Populaire; 63.8 m.; 4 hrs, 32 min in-motion; 14.0 mph; rando-time: 5 hrs, 37 min.
Jan tot: __6 rides; __459.3 m.; _31 hrs, 39 min; 14.5 mph.
YTD tot: __6 rides; __459.3 m.; _31 hrs, 39 min; 14.5 mph.
_
Neither of us were interested in spending 10 hours in the cold (central NC standards) with a stiff NE breeze / wind. Each of us figured we could handle 5 hours. (Note: 2 or 3 hours would have been even better, but RUSA approved routes don't come that short -- not at the pace Dean and I ride.)
10 am start. Wind at our backs. Sun hiding behind some fairly thick clouds.
A quick trip to Dunn. Only my feet were chilled.
I hadn't bothered to zip up my jersey or polar fleece or shell.
From Dunn to Erwin, mostly a cross wind.
Actually, mostly a cross wind all the way to the "shutters house".
Then a turn directly into the COLD STIFF NE wind.
Latex (?) gloves under my glove liners inside my long-fingers, my hands and fingers were warm all the way back.
I did have "prune fingers" at the end, though.
Legs, mid-section, chest, shoulders, head, arms -- all warm.
Feet -- that's another story.
Towards the end, I just wanted to "hammer it home" and "git 'er done."
Advance apologies to any "northern randos" that may read this.
Forecast high was 36 to 38 degrees F.
Dean informed me, at the end, at approx 3:40 pm, that it was only 34 F.
(My Irregular cycling buddy, Lt. Dave, told me that it only got to 32 F in Bayleaf.)
Not the coldest ride Dean has ever done -- by a long shot.
But cold enough for me. (And, today, it was cold enough for Dean, too.)
To the "North Carolina" (in quotes because we "count" some Virginians and South Carolinians as "North Carolinians" for some purposes, such as when they do North Carolina brevets) randos that did (or are still doing) Tony's 200, 300 or 400 km brevets today: HATS OFF to you -- but you are wayyyy too crazy.
See you on the road ...
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Jan-22:
Get 'Er Dunn 102 km Perm Populaire; 63.8 m.; 4 hrs, 32 min in-motion; 14.0 mph; rando-time: 5 hrs, 37 min.
Jan tot: __6 rides; __459.3 m.; _31 hrs, 39 min; 14.5 mph.
YTD tot: __6 rides; __459.3 m.; _31 hrs, 39 min; 14.5 mph.
_
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Rando Way
After a recent rando ride, one of the non-rando "Irregulars" (he did do two 200 km brevets last year) sent me this:
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Why is my butt sore, master?
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Beneath your butt, a Brooks saddle, that is not.
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Jan-16: Assault on Flat Rock (AFR)
Fast and Furious on the AFR, Or
A Friend-In-Need is a Friend-In-Need
Since each of my quads were radiating pain when my "Lucky" Saturday ride ended, and continued doing so for the entire evening and night and were still painful Sunday morning, I left a couple messages for those I understood were riding with Lt. Dave on Sunday. The thrust of said messages: "if I'm not there at wheels-away, don't wait for me; IF I ride, I know I won't be able to keep up, so I probably won't do the same course, and even if I do, I am not going to try to keep up, because I won't be able to".
I arrived at PUE, intending to do my "spin-out-the-legs / TT course", but starting from PUE instead of BJP, and therefore shortening the course to about 25.4 miles. I figured I could get through that regardless how bad my legs felt ... and with good luck, my legs might feel better afterward. I had prepped the bike and needed to put on only one cycling shoe, my helmet and my gloves before starting my solo ride -- in other words, I was about two minutes from starting my ride when ... the "security guard / patrol" told me I was not allowed to be in the PUE parking lot!! I've been starting rides from there for at least six or seven years ... others have been riding from there for much longer than that ... this was the FIRST time I had seen any evidence of "security"; I'd never heard of any such situation previously. Since there was a County Deputy Sheriff parked on the other side of the lot, I loaded my bike back into my car to leave. However, before leaving, I called Lt. Dave to let him know what had just happened; he was incredulous. During the one minute I was on the phone with Dave, Smitty pulled into the parking lot; I got out of my car to tell him what had just happened. While informing him, the other "Irregulars" began to arrive. While they were debating what to do, I said, "well, that security guard spoke to me; she will remember my car; and given the Deputy that was parked over the way when she spoke to me ... I'm driving over to BJP and will ride from there." The guys eventually decided to ride from PUE.
I left BJP, now intent on doing the entire "spin-out-the-legs" course. I was about a mile into my ride when I saw six assorted riders ... I didn't recognize them until one called out "are you going to follow us?" I made a traffic impeded U-turn and set out to catch the six motley crew -- two had yellow jackets, one purple jacket, one deep blood red or reddish-maroon jersey, one had a jersey color I can't recall, and the last I can't recall the color or whether their top layer was a jersey or a jacket -- one or two had shorts only, one had knee-warmers, and three or four had full-length pants or leg-warmers -- quite a variance in approach for the same temp / wind conditions. They waited for me at the corner of Pleasant Union Ch Rd (PUC Rd) and Six Forks Rd (you can easily find that location on the map linked-to above).
At the corner, I asked what course they were doing. The answer: "simple Assault on Flat Rock." I told them "I certainly don't have the legs to climb, so I won't be able to keep up, especially on a course such as AFR, and won't try." Lt. Dave suggested I just "follow along to Gordon Moore or NC-56, and turn around there; that would be mostly flat." So ... that's what I set out to do. LT chatted with me (asking about my rando ride the day before) on the flat bridge across the (very low) side-arm of Falls Lake that Six Forks crosses between PUC Rd and NC-98, but he bridged up to the other five before reaching the stop light at the highway. I caught the group at the stop light ... because they had to wait for the light; but by the time we were crossing the deep channel of the Neuse River hidden beneath Falls Lake on New Light Rd, I was losing contact with the crew. The only thing I had going for me was an excellent cadence.
The first UP northbound on New Light away from Falls Lake is not too steep ... I began to think that maybe I could keep in contact with the crew if I could keep the cadence up. During the slight respite after the first UP, I realized that my legs were feeling better ... the higher cadence and the presence of some climbs seemed to be counter-acting the stiffness from the previous day's flat course. And ... I determined that if I didn't lose too much ground, I could probably catch the guys on the flatter parts of New Light and Bruce Garner roads. I kept the cadence up, even though I was slow on anything UP, and even though my quads were complaining a bit.
Before reaching Old Weaver Trail, I lost sight of the crew. I almost threw in the towel. But the fact that I'd actually lost sight of them ... seemed to kindle some flames down in the ego department -- I decided I was going to catch the crew, regardless of how much it hurt, even if it took me all the way to the end of Gordon Moore Rd, or even required the downhills on Wes Sandling Rd ... I was going to catch them -- not "chase" them, with its implication that I might not catch them -- I WAS GOING TO CATCH THEM -- no matter how much it hurt -- after all, I had twelve 200 km rando rides in my legs the last 3 1/2 months and none of them had any -- I knew I could get "home" regardless of how much my legs were hurting when I caught them -- I AM GOING TO CATCH THEM!! (Btw, for those that don't know, I usually say something such as "I don't have a competitive ego, anymore" and / or "well, I do have a competitive ego, but I usually put it in my pocket and don't act upon it." {County Lines aside, of course.}) Somewhere still inside Wake County, I again spied the tail of the crew ... actually, it was one of the two yellow-jacketed riders that had fallen off the back ... at first I couldn't determine which ... then, based on the leg action, I knew it was not "the Duke" ... it was BigWaveDave.
Still within Wake County, I saw that both yellow-jackets were sometimes off the back. The "main body" of the crew seemed to pull away slightly, apparently "sprinting" for the Granville County Line. But then they seemed to possibly slow up to let Wave and Duke get back on. On the flattish Bruce Garner Rd in Granville County, I was clawing my way closer to the group ... my hands on the hoods in a semi-aggressive riding posture, body calm, legs relaxed, but hammering out an excellent cadence. [The guys encountered a particular solo rider coming southbound on Bruce Garner; and probably 30 seconds later, I crossed paths with him; Lee was heading for home; he was under orders from "the boss" and had to be ready to go to a function by 1:30 pm whereas several of those whom I was in the process of catching couldn't ride until nearly noon.] I noticed that either or both Snapper and Ags were sometimes with Duke and Wave, slightly off the back of the "main body" of the crew. By the time I reached Woodland Ch Rd, I was rapidly gaining on the regrouped crew. I began to think and then was sure I would catch them at about May Store Rd. I determined that if I caught them there, I was going to ride around them all and use the slight DOWN to take the Frankling County Line!
Then the front of the crew (Lt. Dave and Smitty) exploded off the front of the other four, somewhat dragging Snapper and Ags with them; I later learned that Lt. Dave knew where the CL was, Smitty didn't, but when LT attacked, Smitty went with him; LT took the CL honors. As the slight UP from the Franklin County Line to Pokomoke began, I had virtually pulled even with Wave; since the guys would regroup in Pokomoke, I decided that I had caught them and reduced my effort up to the stop sign at Pokomoke. At the Pokomoke stop sign, LT told me "when [he] saw [my] cadence, [he] knew [I] was 'in' for the entire ride." I'm not sure exactly WHERE he meant he saw my cadence ... but the only time he could have gotten a clear look at me was about 12 miles earlier, when still south of NC-98. But ... I don't know ... he is very astute about picking up on other's riding styles, etc. ... I don't know.
On Gordon Moore Rd, Snapper told me that everyone was sure that I had turned around at Grissom ... but then word was passed along that I was still behind them ... and catching them. The seven of us zipped across Gordon Moore and zig-zagged onto Wes Sandling ... Snapper tried to add-on as he tried very hard to miss the turn onto Wes Sandling. Actually, he did miss it; but since he'd asked and I'd told him, just before we reached the end of Gordon Moore, to turn right and then immediately left, I didn't try to rein him in until he was clearly missing the turn -- I never asked, but I'd wager that he was headed for Olive Chapel Rd another 1/10-th of mile east on NC-56 (and on the other side of a little "bump-up") -- we sometimes take Gordon Moore to NC-56 to Olive Chapel ... but those are longer rides.
Down into the first creek crossing on Wes Sandling with gusto in order to "pop" the other side; then down again in order to slog up the second UP on Wes Sandling. Just after the second UP started, I asked Smitty if he was going to challenge LT for the next county line. Smitty inquired as to its location. "At the top of this climb." He took off, bridged to LT and whomever (Snapper or Ags) was with LT, and reportedly got revenge for the previous CL. True to my pre-ride evaluation of my climbing ability for the day ... I had no climbing speed ... all six got to the WesSandling-GroveHill / GroveHill-JohnSandling intersection before I did [had a google-street-view here, but google seemed messed up, so I took it out]. Everyone was waiting for me, milling about, taking a drink, and discussing whether they'd make it back to PUE by Snapper's 3 pm back-end time-limit. I looked at my watch ... 1:19 pm ... and decided that standing around was a good way to lose the race against the clock ... so I took off down the big Grove Hill descent. When Snapper passed me (he is about the only one in the crew that can descend faster than me), I told him to be aware of the possibility that there might be a lot of sand at the bottom of the hill, on the tight curve, and onto the bridge. (I was mindful of what LT, Lee and I had found 13 months earlier at the bottom of that hill when we rode the AFR about a week after a snow-storm.) There was no sand. Everyone except Snapper (who was already ahead) and Wave passed me as soon as the long climb on Grove Hill began; Wave took a bit longer.
Everyone was waiting at the next stop sign. I rolled through (to curses from the crew) and kept going. This next couple sentences will surprise JayJay (if she reads this): I recall nothing of the mile or so across the flat section on Grove Hill Rd to the turn onto Flat Rock Rd. I recall nothing of the 1.4 mile descent on Flat Rock Rd; and the only things I recall from the 1.4 mile ascent on Flat Rock Rd are: 1) as the climb began, everyone except Wave passed me as if I were standing still, 2) I could only manage about 5.5 mph on the steep part of the Flat Rock ascent, and 3) on the flatter part of the ascent nearish the top, Ags, panting heavily, commenting that he'd ridden 47 miles the day before and was toast -- he couldn't understand how I could have ridden 200 km the day before AND do the AFR, including riding solo into that north breeze to catch them, on this day. I told him "practice".
Some of the keen-eyed in the crew had found something interesting near the stop sign atop the ascent -- you know, at the Flat Rock / Grove Hill intersection (not to be confused with the Grove Hill / Flat Rock intersection -- look at the map -- you'll understand).
We zipped across Grove Hill Rd - Suitt's Store Rd, Old Franklinton Rd, Suitt's Store Rd again (no stop at the Western Wear Store), along NC-96 and down the descent on Wayside Farm Rd. I had been looking forward to testing myself alongside / behind LT, Smitty, Harvey and Ags on Bruce Garner - New Light Rd, but during the climb up to Bruce Garner Rd, I looked back for BigWaveDave after the others had passed me as if I were standing still, and saw that Wave needed a friend a lot more than I needed to hammer it in. Riding in with Wave allowed for some good chit-chat (don't ask what we chatted about ... I don't recall) and we eventually collected "the Duke". Reports are that everyone with tight time-frames made it home before their kitchen pass expired and / or in time to meet other obligations.
I believe that everyone had fun. Even Wave, who acknowledged that 20-mile neighborhood rides at an easy pace was not enough to keep up with the crew, especially as frisky as several of them were on Sunday.
One more thing. Bob "Duke" S. His first ride since June or July. He was an animal. If he gets back to riding his usual 3 times every 2 months, he will be an ANI-MAL, especially as he now has clipless pedals for the first time evah'.
And ... one last thing. Two "Irregular" rides this weekend. I was only on one of them. But, and here is the best part, I didn't have to organize either of them. :-)
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Jan-16:
BJP: Assault on Flat Rock; 43.4 m.; 2 hrs, 53 min in-motion; 15.0 mph. (Although this ends up looking like a slower ride, it was FAST and FURIOUS for me, except for the climbing.)
Jan tot: __5 rides; __395.5 m.; _27 hrs, _7 min; 14.6 mph.
YTD tot: __5 rides; __395.5 m.; _27 hrs, _7 min; 14.6 mph.
_
A Friend-In-Need is a Friend-In-Need
Since each of my quads were radiating pain when my "Lucky" Saturday ride ended, and continued doing so for the entire evening and night and were still painful Sunday morning, I left a couple messages for those I understood were riding with Lt. Dave on Sunday. The thrust of said messages: "if I'm not there at wheels-away, don't wait for me; IF I ride, I know I won't be able to keep up, so I probably won't do the same course, and even if I do, I am not going to try to keep up, because I won't be able to".
I arrived at PUE, intending to do my "spin-out-the-legs / TT course", but starting from PUE instead of BJP, and therefore shortening the course to about 25.4 miles. I figured I could get through that regardless how bad my legs felt ... and with good luck, my legs might feel better afterward. I had prepped the bike and needed to put on only one cycling shoe, my helmet and my gloves before starting my solo ride -- in other words, I was about two minutes from starting my ride when ... the "security guard / patrol" told me I was not allowed to be in the PUE parking lot!! I've been starting rides from there for at least six or seven years ... others have been riding from there for much longer than that ... this was the FIRST time I had seen any evidence of "security"; I'd never heard of any such situation previously. Since there was a County Deputy Sheriff parked on the other side of the lot, I loaded my bike back into my car to leave. However, before leaving, I called Lt. Dave to let him know what had just happened; he was incredulous. During the one minute I was on the phone with Dave, Smitty pulled into the parking lot; I got out of my car to tell him what had just happened. While informing him, the other "Irregulars" began to arrive. While they were debating what to do, I said, "well, that security guard spoke to me; she will remember my car; and given the Deputy that was parked over the way when she spoke to me ... I'm driving over to BJP and will ride from there." The guys eventually decided to ride from PUE.
I left BJP, now intent on doing the entire "spin-out-the-legs" course. I was about a mile into my ride when I saw six assorted riders ... I didn't recognize them until one called out "are you going to follow us?" I made a traffic impeded U-turn and set out to catch the six motley crew -- two had yellow jackets, one purple jacket, one deep blood red or reddish-maroon jersey, one had a jersey color I can't recall, and the last I can't recall the color or whether their top layer was a jersey or a jacket -- one or two had shorts only, one had knee-warmers, and three or four had full-length pants or leg-warmers -- quite a variance in approach for the same temp / wind conditions. They waited for me at the corner of Pleasant Union Ch Rd (PUC Rd) and Six Forks Rd (you can easily find that location on the map linked-to above).
At the corner, I asked what course they were doing. The answer: "simple Assault on Flat Rock." I told them "I certainly don't have the legs to climb, so I won't be able to keep up, especially on a course such as AFR, and won't try." Lt. Dave suggested I just "follow along to Gordon Moore or NC-56, and turn around there; that would be mostly flat." So ... that's what I set out to do. LT chatted with me (asking about my rando ride the day before) on the flat bridge across the (very low) side-arm of Falls Lake that Six Forks crosses between PUC Rd and NC-98, but he bridged up to the other five before reaching the stop light at the highway. I caught the group at the stop light ... because they had to wait for the light; but by the time we were crossing the deep channel of the Neuse River hidden beneath Falls Lake on New Light Rd, I was losing contact with the crew. The only thing I had going for me was an excellent cadence.
The first UP northbound on New Light away from Falls Lake is not too steep ... I began to think that maybe I could keep in contact with the crew if I could keep the cadence up. During the slight respite after the first UP, I realized that my legs were feeling better ... the higher cadence and the presence of some climbs seemed to be counter-acting the stiffness from the previous day's flat course. And ... I determined that if I didn't lose too much ground, I could probably catch the guys on the flatter parts of New Light and Bruce Garner roads. I kept the cadence up, even though I was slow on anything UP, and even though my quads were complaining a bit.
Before reaching Old Weaver Trail, I lost sight of the crew. I almost threw in the towel. But the fact that I'd actually lost sight of them ... seemed to kindle some flames down in the ego department -- I decided I was going to catch the crew, regardless of how much it hurt, even if it took me all the way to the end of Gordon Moore Rd, or even required the downhills on Wes Sandling Rd ... I was going to catch them -- not "chase" them, with its implication that I might not catch them -- I WAS GOING TO CATCH THEM -- no matter how much it hurt -- after all, I had twelve 200 km rando rides in my legs the last 3 1/2 months and none of them had any -- I knew I could get "home" regardless of how much my legs were hurting when I caught them -- I AM GOING TO CATCH THEM!! (Btw, for those that don't know, I usually say something such as "I don't have a competitive ego, anymore" and / or "well, I do have a competitive ego, but I usually put it in my pocket and don't act upon it." {County Lines aside, of course.}) Somewhere still inside Wake County, I again spied the tail of the crew ... actually, it was one of the two yellow-jacketed riders that had fallen off the back ... at first I couldn't determine which ... then, based on the leg action, I knew it was not "the Duke" ... it was BigWaveDave.
Still within Wake County, I saw that both yellow-jackets were sometimes off the back. The "main body" of the crew seemed to pull away slightly, apparently "sprinting" for the Granville County Line. But then they seemed to possibly slow up to let Wave and Duke get back on. On the flattish Bruce Garner Rd in Granville County, I was clawing my way closer to the group ... my hands on the hoods in a semi-aggressive riding posture, body calm, legs relaxed, but hammering out an excellent cadence. [The guys encountered a particular solo rider coming southbound on Bruce Garner; and probably 30 seconds later, I crossed paths with him; Lee was heading for home; he was under orders from "the boss" and had to be ready to go to a function by 1:30 pm whereas several of those whom I was in the process of catching couldn't ride until nearly noon.] I noticed that either or both Snapper and Ags were sometimes with Duke and Wave, slightly off the back of the "main body" of the crew. By the time I reached Woodland Ch Rd, I was rapidly gaining on the regrouped crew. I began to think and then was sure I would catch them at about May Store Rd. I determined that if I caught them there, I was going to ride around them all and use the slight DOWN to take the Frankling County Line!
Then the front of the crew (Lt. Dave and Smitty) exploded off the front of the other four, somewhat dragging Snapper and Ags with them; I later learned that Lt. Dave knew where the CL was, Smitty didn't, but when LT attacked, Smitty went with him; LT took the CL honors. As the slight UP from the Franklin County Line to Pokomoke began, I had virtually pulled even with Wave; since the guys would regroup in Pokomoke, I decided that I had caught them and reduced my effort up to the stop sign at Pokomoke. At the Pokomoke stop sign, LT told me "when [he] saw [my] cadence, [he] knew [I] was 'in' for the entire ride." I'm not sure exactly WHERE he meant he saw my cadence ... but the only time he could have gotten a clear look at me was about 12 miles earlier, when still south of NC-98. But ... I don't know ... he is very astute about picking up on other's riding styles, etc. ... I don't know.
On Gordon Moore Rd, Snapper told me that everyone was sure that I had turned around at Grissom ... but then word was passed along that I was still behind them ... and catching them. The seven of us zipped across Gordon Moore and zig-zagged onto Wes Sandling ... Snapper tried to add-on as he tried very hard to miss the turn onto Wes Sandling. Actually, he did miss it; but since he'd asked and I'd told him, just before we reached the end of Gordon Moore, to turn right and then immediately left, I didn't try to rein him in until he was clearly missing the turn -- I never asked, but I'd wager that he was headed for Olive Chapel Rd another 1/10-th of mile east on NC-56 (and on the other side of a little "bump-up") -- we sometimes take Gordon Moore to NC-56 to Olive Chapel ... but those are longer rides.
Down into the first creek crossing on Wes Sandling with gusto in order to "pop" the other side; then down again in order to slog up the second UP on Wes Sandling. Just after the second UP started, I asked Smitty if he was going to challenge LT for the next county line. Smitty inquired as to its location. "At the top of this climb." He took off, bridged to LT and whomever (Snapper or Ags) was with LT, and reportedly got revenge for the previous CL. True to my pre-ride evaluation of my climbing ability for the day ... I had no climbing speed ... all six got to the WesSandling-GroveHill / GroveHill-JohnSandling intersection before I did [had a google-street-view here, but google seemed messed up, so I took it out]. Everyone was waiting for me, milling about, taking a drink, and discussing whether they'd make it back to PUE by Snapper's 3 pm back-end time-limit. I looked at my watch ... 1:19 pm ... and decided that standing around was a good way to lose the race against the clock ... so I took off down the big Grove Hill descent. When Snapper passed me (he is about the only one in the crew that can descend faster than me), I told him to be aware of the possibility that there might be a lot of sand at the bottom of the hill, on the tight curve, and onto the bridge. (I was mindful of what LT, Lee and I had found 13 months earlier at the bottom of that hill when we rode the AFR about a week after a snow-storm.) There was no sand. Everyone except Snapper (who was already ahead) and Wave passed me as soon as the long climb on Grove Hill began; Wave took a bit longer.
Everyone was waiting at the next stop sign. I rolled through (to curses from the crew) and kept going. This next couple sentences will surprise JayJay (if she reads this): I recall nothing of the mile or so across the flat section on Grove Hill Rd to the turn onto Flat Rock Rd. I recall nothing of the 1.4 mile descent on Flat Rock Rd; and the only things I recall from the 1.4 mile ascent on Flat Rock Rd are: 1) as the climb began, everyone except Wave passed me as if I were standing still, 2) I could only manage about 5.5 mph on the steep part of the Flat Rock ascent, and 3) on the flatter part of the ascent nearish the top, Ags, panting heavily, commenting that he'd ridden 47 miles the day before and was toast -- he couldn't understand how I could have ridden 200 km the day before AND do the AFR, including riding solo into that north breeze to catch them, on this day. I told him "practice".
Some of the keen-eyed in the crew had found something interesting near the stop sign atop the ascent -- you know, at the Flat Rock / Grove Hill intersection (not to be confused with the Grove Hill / Flat Rock intersection -- look at the map -- you'll understand).
LT, Wave, Smitty, Ags, Duke. Snapper snapped the photo. I was hiding.
I don't understand why this photo is 90 degrees off kilter.
I edited the darn thing so it would be top-side-up.
We zipped across Grove Hill Rd - Suitt's Store Rd, Old Franklinton Rd, Suitt's Store Rd again (no stop at the Western Wear Store), along NC-96 and down the descent on Wayside Farm Rd. I had been looking forward to testing myself alongside / behind LT, Smitty, Harvey and Ags on Bruce Garner - New Light Rd, but during the climb up to Bruce Garner Rd, I looked back for BigWaveDave after the others had passed me as if I were standing still, and saw that Wave needed a friend a lot more than I needed to hammer it in. Riding in with Wave allowed for some good chit-chat (don't ask what we chatted about ... I don't recall) and we eventually collected "the Duke". Reports are that everyone with tight time-frames made it home before their kitchen pass expired and / or in time to meet other obligations.
I believe that everyone had fun. Even Wave, who acknowledged that 20-mile neighborhood rides at an easy pace was not enough to keep up with the crew, especially as frisky as several of them were on Sunday.
One more thing. Bob "Duke" S. His first ride since June or July. He was an animal. If he gets back to riding his usual 3 times every 2 months, he will be an ANI-MAL, especially as he now has clipless pedals for the first time evah'.
And ... one last thing. Two "Irregular" rides this weekend. I was only on one of them. But, and here is the best part, I didn't have to organize either of them. :-)
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Jan-16:
BJP: Assault on Flat Rock; 43.4 m.; 2 hrs, 53 min in-motion; 15.0 mph. (Although this ends up looking like a slower ride, it was FAST and FURIOUS for me, except for the climbing.)
Jan tot: __5 rides; __395.5 m.; _27 hrs, _7 min; 14.6 mph.
YTD tot: __5 rides; __395.5 m.; _27 hrs, _7 min; 14.6 mph.
_
Monday, January 17, 2011
Jan-15: Showdown in Black Creek 204 km Permanent
Just Lucky, I Guess
On Monday, Jan-10, "Biker Bob" e-mailed me explaining that Saturday would be has last chance to get in his "R-ride" for January ... would I be interested in doing the Coffee Run with him? I was somewhat worried about what the condition of the roads south of Raleigh / Durham would be since the main method of clearing snow off the road is ... melting. I responded that if Showdown would work for him, I could probably talk new RUSA member Robert into joining us. THEN I looked at the forecast for Saturday. 20 degrees F for the morning low!! I've never ridden in THAT, and I don't have the gear for it, either.
Bob replied that Showdown would work for him, as would KLL or Triple-L. Based on the snow reports, I figured that the roads of KLL and LLL would likely be worse than the Coffee Run or the Showdown. I sent an e-mail to NC 2010 Rookie of the Year, Tim, asking road conditions down Wilson way. I also sent an e-mail to Bob be-moaning the low temps for Saturday morning ... I would have to think about it.
Tim responded that the roads down east were absolutely clear -- no snow or ice.
By midweek, Rapid Robert had gotten all enthusiastic about riding and the forecast Saturday low had been revised upward to about 24 F. I agreed to do Showdown with Bob for his R-13 and Robert for his R-1.
Then Robert, the Ricochet Rabbit e-mailed wondering if our enthusiasm was getting in the way of being rational. I e-mailed back: "don't go getting 'all reasonable' on me now, after I've committed to this insanity." I also called Robert's wife; Angi willingly smacked Robert for me. Twice.
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Bob contacted MikeD and arranged to get the control cards and a group waiver form.
The actual Saturday morning low may have been a bit more tolerable than what even the last forecast had been ... I haven't actually looked.
We were ready to ride at a couple minutes after the official 7:00 am start time, but it took seemingly forever to get an orange juice and the receipt. We actually pushed off at 7:12. But at least I hadn't fallen over in the parking lot.
Taking it easy, but enjoying the benefit of a somewhat tailwind (and having had one flo-max stop), we reached the "second" control in time to get 10:11 recorded on our cards. We were closer to the opening than the closing of the control window. My quads were already in too-much-pain. Stopping and standing felt worse than riding.
The second part of the outbound leg included the approximately 17-mile almost all due southbound leg into Black Creek. One comment: headwind. Second comment: Robert asked me why he would be experiencing his first-ever "sore butt" while riding; he'd never had "sore butt" previously (Robert's adult cycling career began on Apr-24-2010). I suggested "just your lucky day." He didn't like that answer. Later, I suggested maybe he'd done some rigorous training earlier in the week, or maybe the slower pace meant he was sitting on the bike slightly differently, or maybe the lack of ANY notable climbs after the first 13-miles (a first for Robert) had taken a toll. (After the ride, Bob suggested he "was going to ask him if his saddle was what came on that nice 'gift' bike - it looks like one that is not going to be too comfortable for 'relaxed' riding.") In the Black Creek store, Micky noted 12:05 pm on our cards. Almost smack in the middle of the control window.
We were expecting a nice tailwind from Black Creek to Hornes Church. Wasn't nearly as nice as hoped / expected. During this section, I could no longer hide that I was and had been slogging-it-in since at least the "second" control. Robert asked "what's the problem?" Quads hurt / feel like they would like to cramp / almost certainly will cramp later tonight after the ride is over. Robert asked why would that be. "Just my lucky day, I guess." Robert still didn't like that answer. My control card shows 2:00 pm at the "fourth" control (same location as the "second" control); that is 2 hrs, 25 min after the control opened ... 2 hrs flat before the control closed.
Except for a few miles on Frazier Rd where there was just enough north in our direction to turn the SW wind into a very nice tailwind (Bob commented that he "could go for a couple hours of this"; the "this" being 18 and 19 mph land-speed without too much effort) we had an annoying headwind all the way to Youngsville. Ricochet was trying to be helpful, but at 135 lbs., he doesn't cast much of a wind-shadow, and besides, it was entirely over in the ditch, anyway. Somewhere between the "fourth" control and Youngsville, Bob acknowledged that his legs likely felt about the same as mine. In Youngsville, he further commented that he'd been counting down the miles from 40 miles to the finish. I had been counting landmarks. Ricochet had just been bouncing around.
I had to walk the last 40 yards on Thompson Mill Rd to get up to NC-98. I've walked before. It is disappointing, but not humiliating.
Thank-goodness for the newly engineered slopes on NC-98 and Falls of the Neuse Rd..
I got off my bike at 5:35. After putting our bikes away, and changing out of damp / wet tops and changing shoes ... my control card notes 5:50 pm.
Congrats to Bob on R-13. Hope the surgery goes well and you can collect R-14 late in February.
Congrats to Ricochet on his first ever RUSA ride for which he will get credit. (Two no-credit brevets last year.)
Non-Obligatory Comment on Receipts:
The McDonald's electronic cash register receipts had the correct time. I didn't ask Micky for a receipt in Black Creek, but I'm confident that the hand-written receipt(s) that Bob and/or Ricochet may have gotten would have had the correct time ... if Micky wrote the time on the receipt(s); Micky certainly noted the correct time on my control card. The electronic cash register receipts from the Kwik Pik intermediate control ... are still on daylight savings time; the clerks wrote the correct time on the control cards. Big finish to this paragraph -- my usual refrain: "so much for cash register receipts."
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One More Thing
Given the wind direction ... we should have done the Coffee Ride ... and had a tailwind for the 100 km homebound leg.
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Jan-15:
Showdown in Black Creek 204 km Permanent; 127.0 m.; 8 hrs, 50 min in-motion; 14.4 mph; "official" rando-time: 10 hrs, 50 min.
Jan tot: __4 rides; __352.1 m.; _24 hrs, 14 min; 14.5 mph.
YTD tot: __4 rides; __352.1 m.; _24 hrs, 14 min; 14.5 mph.
_
On Monday, Jan-10, "Biker Bob" e-mailed me explaining that Saturday would be has last chance to get in his "R-ride" for January ... would I be interested in doing the Coffee Run with him? I was somewhat worried about what the condition of the roads south of Raleigh / Durham would be since the main method of clearing snow off the road is ... melting. I responded that if Showdown would work for him, I could probably talk new RUSA member Robert into joining us. THEN I looked at the forecast for Saturday. 20 degrees F for the morning low!! I've never ridden in THAT, and I don't have the gear for it, either.
Bob replied that Showdown would work for him, as would KLL or Triple-L. Based on the snow reports, I figured that the roads of KLL and LLL would likely be worse than the Coffee Run or the Showdown. I sent an e-mail to NC 2010 Rookie of the Year, Tim, asking road conditions down Wilson way. I also sent an e-mail to Bob be-moaning the low temps for Saturday morning ... I would have to think about it.
Tim responded that the roads down east were absolutely clear -- no snow or ice.
By midweek, Rapid Robert had gotten all enthusiastic about riding and the forecast Saturday low had been revised upward to about 24 F. I agreed to do Showdown with Bob for his R-13 and Robert for his R-1.
Then Robert, the Ricochet Rabbit e-mailed wondering if our enthusiasm was getting in the way of being rational. I e-mailed back: "don't go getting 'all reasonable' on me now, after I've committed to this insanity." I also called Robert's wife; Angi willingly smacked Robert for me. Twice.
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Bob contacted MikeD and arranged to get the control cards and a group waiver form.
The actual Saturday morning low may have been a bit more tolerable than what even the last forecast had been ... I haven't actually looked.
We were ready to ride at a couple minutes after the official 7:00 am start time, but it took seemingly forever to get an orange juice and the receipt. We actually pushed off at 7:12. But at least I hadn't fallen over in the parking lot.
"The actual start for the last person of the group was a few minutes later as he had to pick himself up from parking lot -- half under his bike, half on top of it. We won't go into that inglorious moment except to note that I will no longer even consider following the advice to relax the tension in the rear derailleur cable -- the risk is too high for not very much reward."Ha! I finally figured out how to do that "indentation" and gray-scale thing!
Taking it easy, but enjoying the benefit of a somewhat tailwind (and having had one flo-max stop), we reached the "second" control in time to get 10:11 recorded on our cards. We were closer to the opening than the closing of the control window. My quads were already in too-much-pain. Stopping and standing felt worse than riding.
The second part of the outbound leg included the approximately 17-mile almost all due southbound leg into Black Creek. One comment: headwind. Second comment: Robert asked me why he would be experiencing his first-ever "sore butt" while riding; he'd never had "sore butt" previously (Robert's adult cycling career began on Apr-24-2010). I suggested "just your lucky day." He didn't like that answer. Later, I suggested maybe he'd done some rigorous training earlier in the week, or maybe the slower pace meant he was sitting on the bike slightly differently, or maybe the lack of ANY notable climbs after the first 13-miles (a first for Robert) had taken a toll. (After the ride, Bob suggested he "was going to ask him if his saddle was what came on that nice 'gift' bike - it looks like one that is not going to be too comfortable for 'relaxed' riding.") In the Black Creek store, Micky noted 12:05 pm on our cards. Almost smack in the middle of the control window.
We were expecting a nice tailwind from Black Creek to Hornes Church. Wasn't nearly as nice as hoped / expected. During this section, I could no longer hide that I was and had been slogging-it-in since at least the "second" control. Robert asked "what's the problem?" Quads hurt / feel like they would like to cramp / almost certainly will cramp later tonight after the ride is over. Robert asked why would that be. "Just my lucky day, I guess." Robert still didn't like that answer. My control card shows 2:00 pm at the "fourth" control (same location as the "second" control); that is 2 hrs, 25 min after the control opened ... 2 hrs flat before the control closed.
Except for a few miles on Frazier Rd where there was just enough north in our direction to turn the SW wind into a very nice tailwind (Bob commented that he "could go for a couple hours of this"; the "this" being 18 and 19 mph land-speed without too much effort) we had an annoying headwind all the way to Youngsville. Ricochet was trying to be helpful, but at 135 lbs., he doesn't cast much of a wind-shadow, and besides, it was entirely over in the ditch, anyway. Somewhere between the "fourth" control and Youngsville, Bob acknowledged that his legs likely felt about the same as mine. In Youngsville, he further commented that he'd been counting down the miles from 40 miles to the finish. I had been counting landmarks. Ricochet had just been bouncing around.
I had to walk the last 40 yards on Thompson Mill Rd to get up to NC-98. I've walked before. It is disappointing, but not humiliating.
Thank-goodness for the newly engineered slopes on NC-98 and Falls of the Neuse Rd..
I got off my bike at 5:35. After putting our bikes away, and changing out of damp / wet tops and changing shoes ... my control card notes 5:50 pm.
Congrats to Bob on R-13. Hope the surgery goes well and you can collect R-14 late in February.
Congrats to Ricochet on his first ever RUSA ride for which he will get credit. (Two no-credit brevets last year.)
Non-Obligatory Comment on Receipts:
The McDonald's electronic cash register receipts had the correct time. I didn't ask Micky for a receipt in Black Creek, but I'm confident that the hand-written receipt(s) that Bob and/or Ricochet may have gotten would have had the correct time ... if Micky wrote the time on the receipt(s); Micky certainly noted the correct time on my control card. The electronic cash register receipts from the Kwik Pik intermediate control ... are still on daylight savings time; the clerks wrote the correct time on the control cards. Big finish to this paragraph -- my usual refrain: "so much for cash register receipts."
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One More Thing
Given the wind direction ... we should have done the Coffee Ride ... and had a tailwind for the 100 km homebound leg.
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Jan-15:
Showdown in Black Creek 204 km Permanent; 127.0 m.; 8 hrs, 50 min in-motion; 14.4 mph; "official" rando-time: 10 hrs, 50 min.
Jan tot: __4 rides; __352.1 m.; _24 hrs, 14 min; 14.5 mph.
YTD tot: __4 rides; __352.1 m.; _24 hrs, 14 min; 14.5 mph.
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