Feb-01: Bahama Beach 103+

A long-time friend, from before either of us "cycled-about,"
Wanted to get in her P-ride on the first day of the month.
So did I.
Given the morning chill, we met at the start of the Bahama Beach perm-pop for a 10 am start. 

Brilliant sunshine for the start and all the way to first control --
An Info Control in Mt. Bethel (or in modern vernacular, Bahama).

We paused there for a moment to examine a marker in the cemetery next to the control.
For the locals, here's a hint regarding my ride partner:

 
Down to Lake Michie and up the "wall" on the other side.
But seeing as how my ride partner was doing her R-ride the next day,
We decided to 'wing-it' and take the Hall Rd variation (see the green part of the "trace") --
Half a mile longer, but the same total climbing (at least according to RWGPS).

Arriving at the corner of Robert's Chapel and Range roads,
NOT, btw, the corner of Range and Robert's Chapel roads,
We paused in the still bright sunshine to nibble a bit and drink a bit.
[Just as well we did that, since upon leaving the control in Stem, it was overcast.]

Keeping in mind that one of us was doing a quite hilly 200 the next day,
We 'winged-it' again and took the Hester Rd variation (see green part of the "trace"),
Adding one-and-a-half miles, but reducing the overall climbing per mile.

My ride partner drifted off my front wheel on Lawrence Rd,
About 14-miles before the finish.
I did manage to almost re-attach to her wheel,
Twice,
On Bruce Garner / New Light Road.

But each time, before I could complete the catch / latch on to her wheel,
Slight inclines separated us.
I last saw her ... where? ... I dunno' ... inside Wake County, I guess.

Then she took the easier New Light / Six Forks to Pleasant Union Elementary Rd finish.
I took the harder Ghoston to Peed to Mt. Vernon Ch Rd finish.
[Same distance, within about 17 yards -- but G-P-MVC is harder -- and I think safer.] 

Anyway, my ride partner had her bike mounted on her rack,
Had signed her card, and
Had changed her shoes (and maybe some cycling kit) by the time I finished -- 6 minutes later.

All in all, a nice ride.
Wish the sun had stayed out longer -- for the entire ride would have been nice.

Must be about P-6 for my long-time friend.
It was P-26 for me.

Jan-26: Cabin Fever 103

With only two short errand rides, and no 200 this month,
A solo populaire on Sunday afternoon was just the ticket I needed.
I can usually fit the Bahama Beach ride into four-and-half hours,
If I stick to the standard route rather than go a-winging-it.

[Experimentation above copying the RWGPS provided map and profile images. 
I'll try something else next time.]   

I thought it was going to be mostly sunny all ride, and
It was brilliantly sunny for two or more hours, but then
The thin clouds started to filter in.
Clouds that slowly thickened in the last two hours.

I thought the high temperature was expected to be the upper 40's (Fahrenheit).
I doubt it got quite that warm.

I thought I was in the 39/14 gearing (you figure out the gear inches if you want), but
Only about a mile into the route, it seemed harder than it should have felt.
Slight headwind, slight incline -- but it seemed to be a slog.
No wonder -- turned out I was in the 39/13, which is significantly harder than 39/14. 
I changed to the 14.

That felt much better.
As if someone else was doing the pedaling for me.
That was GREAT.

I stayed in the 14 for the rest of the ride.
Partially out of determination -- partially because the rear derailleur would not move.
I did surrender and use the 30 chain ring on the Michie Wall and on lower Ghoston Rd.
However, in each of those cases, to get properly aligned in the 39 once the steep was complete,
I had to go to the 50 for a bit.
 
Although one rando fracquaintance claims there is no such thing as a tailwind,

For those newbies who don't know this, there is no such thing as a tailwind in cycling. There are headwinds, crosswinds, or "I'm feeling good!" Apparently we'd been feeling really good heading out, because we now had a very stiff wind in our faces for the ride home. 

I think I'd been helped significantly by a breeze that was mostly at my back
All the way to Stem, and even some of the distance to Grissom (or I'd been protected by trees). 

In contrast, the last 12.6 miles (20-kms) from Grissom to finish were into a tough headwind.
I've ridden parts of Bruce Garner and New Light roads six hundred or more times.
I've had more "death marches" finishing on BG / NL into a stiff SW wind than I can remember.

53-minutes it took me to cover those last 20-kms.
I've done those same roads, from further out, Pokomoke at 16.2-miles (26-kms) to be "exact,"
In as few as 54-minutes.

This ride finish was not a death march. but I did start to feel-it in my legs.
However, I knew there would be no need to call for a rescue from Bruce Garner Rd.
I did have to do that once when I had terrible cramps,
And once when ... well, I guess I just plain wimped out.

All in all, I had a great ride, and rescued my RUSA P-series and my M-series.
Now at P-25 and M-59.

Due to "life," I'm abandoning my RUSA R-series and my C-series.
Those got to R-41 and C-47 in December.

The future brings new hope, and
The possibility of a renewed R-series.

Why Ride?

A month or more ago, on the bikeforums UltraDistance forum, someone asked:  "What makes you long distance riders want to ride so much?" 

One randonneur (from Pennsylvania) replied in part:  "I have decided I'm going to keep riding long distance until I have a ride where I don't hate myself sometime during the ride." 

Although that was the flippant portion of his reply, it made me pause and think, and this is what I noted in response to the immediately above [I've made four edits from the original]: 

I've hated my bike;
I've hated bicycling;
I've hated randonneuring, sure that it was invented solely as a torture device / method.

I've hated the pain in each of my buttocks;
I've hated the pain in my lower back;
I've hated the pain in each of my feet, calves, quads, hands, and in my right tricep;

I've shed tears of pain because of an extremely painful tendinitis in my right leg;
I've yelped due to the pain as my shorts tried to whittle the end off ... something.

I've hated the rough road;
I've hated the look of the next climb;
I've hated the never-ending FLAT road.

I've been "fed-up" with the person(s) with whom I was riding;
But I've never hated myself (while cycling).

Maybe if / when I ride something beyond a 600?   

I Had To Chuckle

Recently, Irregulars Lt. Dave and Red Rocket did the "Dyking + Peach Orchard Loop" route.
  (Click-here for a TrimbleOutdoors map.)
Each had previously done the route at least once.
Also, Red Rocket's son used to live in Louisburg, and
He used to do a lot of rides on all the roads near Louisburg with said son.

During the Dec-31-2013 Range Road Road Rover Holiday Rescue ride,
One or both "commented" about turning the wrong way and
Heading toward Warrenton instead of into Louisburg.

I asked, "how did you manage that?  Did you turn the wrong way at the end of Dyking Rd?"
After a few moments, Red Rocket replied,
"The cue indicates a left turn, but that only applies if you've stopped at the gas station."

A few days into 2014, I recalled the above exchange and
Decided to find my soft-copy (the original) of the cue sheet in question.
Here follows the beginning and then the interesting part of the cue sheet:

PUE:  Dyking 'n Peach Orchard Loop:  71 m.
@	turn	go	on	comment(s)
0.0	R	2.0	Pleasant Union Church Rd.
2.0	L	18.2	Six Forks Rd	--> NL -> BG -> Pokomoke Rd --> Cheatham St
20.2	R	4.7	Mason St in Franklinton	--> W River Rd
24.9	L	2.1	Sims Bridge Rd
27.0	bR	0.5	to stay on Sims Bridge Rd	bR after x-ing the Tar River
27.5	R	5.3	Dyking Rd
32.8			Refueling Stop	other side of US-401
	"L"	0.7	US-401 / NC-39	Left out of the RS; R if don't stop; TRAFFIC
33.5	bR	1.7	N. Main St (Louisburg)	--> S. Main St.

The comments clearly indicate a left turn if one has visited the rest stop, but
Turn right if you don't stop. 

It pays to look at the comments on a cue sheet.
============================================ 

Should anyone think I was chuckling AT RedRocket and LT, let me share the following:
 click-here-for-the-full-story; or just note this extract:

John had printed the cue sheet out in LARGE print, taking 4 pages.  I had reformatted and had the entire cue sheet on one side of an "8.5 x 11" piece of paper.  Mistake -- my eyes can't read type that small while in motion on the bike.  But John has younger and better eyes than I do -- and he had that LARGE print and a working confuser.  ... 

NC-242 was smooth and flat, and with John leading, the headwind wasn't bothering me too much; and it seemed to have little impact on John.  After enjoying many minutes of the smooth-flat, I asked John about the turn (I had looked over the cue sheet, but not really studied it while in Benson).  John's folding-over of his 4-page-cue-sheet was perfect -- Massingil Farm Rd was unreadable due to being smack dab on the fold, AND the right-hand column of comments was folded inside and hidden completely.  ...  

John took his cue-sheet out the plastic protection, and learned that we should have turned after only 0.8 miles on NC-242, AND he grinned at me and read aloud the comment:  "sign may be missing".  

As I indicated above, it pays to look at the comments on a cue sheet.  It also helps to have the cue sheet printed large enough to be able to READ it. 

RUSA Member Retention

In context of, and supplementary to, a previous post on RUSA membership retention,
Here is an interesting stat from the RUSA website from approximately 10:10 EST today (Jan-01-14).

Current membership is:  "2002 Matches Found".

===========================================

It might be interesting to watch that number change over the next few days / weeks / months.

===========================================

[Edit, 10:26 am EST -- now "2027 Matches Found".]
[Edit, Jan-02, 6:30 am EST -- now "2063 Matches Found".]
[Edit, Jan-04, 4:00 pm EST -- now 2184.]
[Edit, Jan-07, 8:00 am EST -- now 2269.]
[Edit, Jan-10, 8:00 am EST -- now 2363.]
[Edit, Jan-27, 6:30 am EST -- now 2646.]
[Edit, Feb-07, 5:00 pm EST -- now 2732.]

Seems I didn't stay on top of this -- wish I had; however:

[Edit, Oct-13, 5:15 pm EDT -- now 3856.]    

Dec-31: Range Road Rover Rescue

We rescued the Range Road Rover Holiday ride tradition today.

Seven of us met at PUE for a 10 am wheels away.
In order of arrival:
IvaHawk, me, Bob "Duke" S, LT and Red Rocket, Tito, Ricochet Robert.
We left a bit late.

18.5 miles, just as I was settling in, five wanted to stop in Butner for a "nature break."
On Range Road, just before Cassam Rd, LT had a flat.
Luckily still in the open sunshine BEFORE the mile or more tree & shade tunnel.
About 5 minutes to fix the flat and away we go.

Ricochet tried to go-around Tito to take the Person CL sprint.
I'm not convinced that Tito was playing.
However, as I was behind Robert, I decided to jump for the CL just a moment after Robert jumped.
The 50/13 was really too big a gear for me to jump, but I made Robert work.
He beat me by the width of a tyre.
I think he said that made four, or was it eight, lifetime CL sprint wins.
I suggested that maybe he should now figure out how to take-on our rando friend Jerry P.
Robert thought that was NOT a good idea.

And then, only about 8 minutes of cycling after fixing his flat,
LT flatted again.
A MUCH more thorough search for the possible causes of the flats was undertaken.
I offered my spare tyre -- LT pretended to ignore me. 
Ricochet offered one of those temporary postage stamp patches -- it was used.
Fifteen or twenty minutes for the second flat change.
The second held, at least until the end of the ride.

The Person County chip-seal surface of Range Road is getting quite annoying! 

Despite that, or maybe partially because of it, I started picking up the pace.
The quicker to get off that bad surface.
Perhaps the roughness wouldn't seem as bad if we were going faster.
And I wanted to take any remaining sprint-zip out of Robert's legs
Before the potential Granville CL sprint.

I did manage to drop everyone before the CL, or
Maybe the all decided to drop me off their front wheels.
I know where that county line is.
I kept going to a bigger gear and ramping up the cadence.
(Helped by the long shallow decline to a non-descript creek.)
But ... the county line sign was missing.
The CL was discernible only by the change in the road surface. 
Robert claims I can't count the point for that one.
I dunno'.  I may have to get a ruling from the chief official.

The Range Road surface in Granville County was a delight -- SMOOTH asphalt.

There are always more rollers southbound on Range Road heading toward Stem
Than anyone ever seems to remember.

We all turned onto Little Mtn Rd -- there had been talk of skipping that turn.
Most of us regrouped at the corner of Little Mtn Rd and Old-75.
All of us regrouped in Stem.

We had our first true tailwind of the day on Little Mtn Rd.
Unfortunately, that road is less than 2-miles long.
And there is a climb or two to be dealt with.
[LT and I reminisced about the RRR ride where Levi bonked badly before reaching Little Mtn Rd.
We had conspired to make him worry about that road.
But, given his state, I stayed with Levi across Little Mtn Rd., and
When the stop-sign was visible, congratulated Levi on having completed said road.
Levi was confused. 
I admitted that it had been a practical joke,
However, we had not anticipated him bonking BEFORE we got there.] 

Brogden Rd from Stem to Creedmoor is mostly a downslope, and
On this day, we had a tailwind.
Some of us rushed down that road as hard / fast as we could.
Some of us rushed down for the first two or three miles, and then sat up.
Some of us concluded that they needed to conserve energy in order to make the last 21.5-miles.
A couple of the "rushers" waited, or turned around to ride back to, the conservers.
The conserver group of four took our time, did not hammer in on the G-P-MVC finish, and
Had a mostly good time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is obviously my last ride of the calendar year.
I dislike ride reports being in the wrong months.
I heartily dislike ride reports being in the wrong year.
I'll come back in a day or two in order to include the usual ride & year-to-date stats.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
In the meantime, Happy New Year to everyone!

Dec-28: 'No-Name' Route

Well, the Range Road Rover Holiday tradition made it 5-years, but in this, the wannabe 6th year, when it appeared that it would be only IvaHawk and me, and Iva indicated that he hadn't ridden anything close to 65-miles for a few months, we scaled back to the 47-mile Creedmoor-Grissom route.  

When Ricochet showed at the last moment, dragging some TLC riders, we stuck to the 47-mile plan.  The TLC people were doing a much shorter around-the-lake ride.  

As we approached Creedmoor, Robert asked if we should take the short-cut through the neighborhood.  Shocked as we were that Robert had remembered the short-cut, IvaHawk & I agreed.  However, when we got to NC-50 to cross over to Dove Rd, we realized that we were now doing the "wrong" course, and that we weren't going to get anywhere near a 50-mile ride (which had become Iva's goal).  We managed to talk Robert into riding up Beaver Dam / Rock Spring Ch Rd to Bruce Garner and adding 6-miles back on to the unintentionally shortened route.  You won't be surprised to learn that Robert was quite willing to ride UP the 4-mile detour.  

The resulting route, though it's been ridden before, has never been named -- thus the title of this post.

We three had a good time.  But unless people come out of the woodwork to do RRR on Monday or Tuesday, the RRR Holiday tradition will have passed. 

==================================================== 
Dec-28:  

-->  PUE: CarpPond-DocN-Creedmoor-Dove-RockSpringsCh-G-P-MVC  -->; 60.8 m.;  4h02 in-motion; 15.0 mph.   

Q-1 tot: _11 rides; _940.3 m; _64h42; 14.5 mph; 1275 RUSA kms.
Q-2 tot: _18 rides; 2293.9 m; 158h18; 14.5 mph; 3142 RUSA kms.
Q-3 tot: _19 rides; 2027.8 m; 134h34; 15.1 mph; 2383 RUSA kms. 
Oct tot: __3 rides; _366.6 m; _24h16; 15.1 mph; _348 RUSA kms. 
Nov tot: __5 rides; _482.3 m; _33h11; 14.5 mph; _724 RUSA kms. 

Dec tot: __4 rides; _342.2 m; _23h21; 14.7 mph; _416 RUSA kms.

YTD tot: _60 rides; 6453.1 m; 438h25; 14.7 mph; 8288 RUSA kms. 
   
xxx, yyy, zzz.