hey everyone. I hope you all have made it through another winter. spring ( and pollen) are in the air! since my last post I have continued on an unusual journey in cycling-new bikes and rides. first off, I am signed on to ride the cascades 1200k in washington. that means training and that's where new bikes and rides came in. a chance trip through umstead park got me thinking, 'hey man, lots of hills in here to grind'...right in my backyard. my new weapon is a gary fisher sawyer 29er. it's a killer bike and I've had a blast riding and meeting new bike friends. shoot, I entered 2 races! the 2nd one was the bushwack where i came in 23 out of 100 on a 28 degree morning! super fun! i'm commuting through the park pretty regularly.
there have been some new brevets as well. I rode my handsome cycles speedy devil on 2 rounds of Mike D's carolina crossroads 200k in november, including the 'end of year ride and party'..jerry has a new route from raleigh as well-'the bomb'. martin has a new perm I want to try too. on new year's day about 10 folks showed up in Salisbury (early!) to do Tony's brushy mountain 200k. it's a really nice route! give it a shot. TX rando stampede buddy John Preston was up from Fla and joined us. he did really good for a flatlander ;)
'twas a chilly start with rain at the end, but a great day for sure.
i've been using some different gear for a while now, and feel I can give a good review.
hopefully I will start putting those reports up very soon..
happy roads and trails...
Monday, March 26, 2012
Friday, December 09, 2011
keeping warm in style
hey there, hope you all are well. as a commuter, i can tell you the weather is different on a daily basis. i have been working the wool since october at times but full time now at least on one layer or another. that said, have a look at this design for an NC Randonneurs woolie..
i think it looks great! project coordinator Branson says we need a few more interested to hit the minimum. get on board! Baaaa-aaaa!!
the skinny:Pricing will be Short Sleeve $95, Long Sleeve $105, plus $8 shipping each (if needed.) If you want to wear one, drop me (branson) an email at NCRandOrder AT gmail DOT com with:
stay tuned for some more gear reviews coming soon.
geof
i think it looks great! project coordinator Branson says we need a few more interested to hit the minimum. get on board! Baaaa-aaaa!!
the skinny:Pricing will be Short Sleeve $95, Long Sleeve $105, plus $8 shipping each (if needed.) If you want to wear one, drop me (branson) an email at NCRandOrder AT gmail DOT com with:
1- SS or LS or both
2- Size
3- Shipping or pick-up
full story over at research trailer park-link in the right hand column :)
stay tuned for some more gear reviews coming soon.
geof
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Taste of Carolina 1200K
continuing with the 'checklist' driven summer I managed to knock off two more perms I hadn't ridden before: the Yanceyville Ramble. cool route! Wes called this one as a final NC trainer before moving abroad and riding PBP. it's not really hilly, but does have a nice triple hump near the end that is for real. give it a shot. nice perk: breakfast at the cracker barrel where the meet up takes place :o) #2 is Dr.A's ham and yam: raleigh to smithfield and back for 100K. Lynn, Mike D, and Dr.A joined me on this one. other than traffic on lake wheeler road, it's a quick easy spin out and back. all ya need sometimes..
after these rides my august was a whirlwind with travel to new york for the duchess county fair. hurricane Irene ruined the end and sent us scrambling. after a side trip to syracuse, i finally got on a plane in albany and made it home..48 hrs later it's time to ride a 1200K, soo, without further ado....Taste. of. Carolina. chapter one.
I actually enjoyed my first 1200K back in may, why not do another? I prepped for texas, I just showed up for this one. packing was different:3 bags instead of 1. did it all the night before. not enough sleep and already tired. traffic was bad. Bryan and I got to greensboro about 7. a few peeps hanging around. checked in. ate a little. went inside and Tony let us nap in the common room. got up around 230 for a 4am launch. 21 riders on the 1200, 2 on 1000k and 7 or so on a 200k to send us off. good friends too: mike, jerry, john fresh off PBP and maria and glenn. we hit a drive-thru for a sandwich and coffee before the ride.
after these rides my august was a whirlwind with travel to new york for the duchess county fair. hurricane Irene ruined the end and sent us scrambling. after a side trip to syracuse, i finally got on a plane in albany and made it home..48 hrs later it's time to ride a 1200K, soo, without further ado....Taste. of. Carolina. chapter one.
I actually enjoyed my first 1200K back in may, why not do another? I prepped for texas, I just showed up for this one. packing was different:3 bags instead of 1. did it all the night before. not enough sleep and already tired. traffic was bad. Bryan and I got to greensboro about 7. a few peeps hanging around. checked in. ate a little. went inside and Tony let us nap in the common room. got up around 230 for a 4am launch. 21 riders on the 1200, 2 on 1000k and 7 or so on a 200k to send us off. good friends too: mike, jerry, john fresh off PBP and maria and glenn. we hit a drive-thru for a sandwich and coffee before the ride.
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| bike-thru b'fast time to roll, about half of us from NC, the rest from far and wide, this day was a grand loop into the mountains. having ridden it in july, I knew what to expect. I came up with this nearly universal truth:the more scenic the ride, the more challenging the route. the start was nice and smooth. we made the controle 1 by day break. Tony was there to sign cards and short stopping was on: riders were gone in no time. I scrambled out on my own, and before catching the front came upon Mary in the foothills. no wearer of the Adrian Hands' spirit award leaves a gal alone in the hills, so I pulled the big climb up hwy 89 to sparta. at controle 2 in twin oaks we had a snack and found the others' finishing up. 2 were also icing their knees after the early climbing. the next set was cool, with lots of christmas trees and small farms with friendly curious animals..
I goof a bit in the morning and head out about 7:30 by myself. it's still hilly after getting out of town, but very pretty too. the trio catches me at a store, and at the 2nd one Bryan shows up. we ride together to Ellerbe and have lunch at a funky sub shop. it's the taste of carolina 1200. onward, it's hot out. the trees are diminishing, as is the road quality. the wind is increasing. rockingham motor speedway. we have made the flats..my legs feel good and I hit the gas all the way to laurinburg. Tony is here, and I throw my feet up before changing to a thin sock. Bryan goes the other way and pulls on wool. the trio, and Micah show up. he's jamming a single speed bike. after leaving together, Micah and I ramp it up a bit, we roll into Rowland, funkytown! out of here we ride very steady to fairbluff, where Henk and Chuck are caught. Henk is suffering a bit and we give them a wheel. we roll on to Tabor City-Funkytown! after a quick stop it's 37 endless miles to Ocean Isle. i'm up front and delerious. 19hrs of bike, 21 overall, 'interface' issues, ready to get there! i see a light ahead, it's Don on the retour! allez! I'm fantasizing about a park bench when a swing and adirondak chairs are spotted in front of a warehouse. we pull in and take 5. yes. now I can make it. refreshed enough to finish, we roll on to the beach via a very windy causeway. jerry and beth are at the cottage with lots of food. I eat one of every thing :) 3 riders ahead of us are there too, planning to leave about 3. It's nice to see Lynn for a few minutes, I give her some encouragement, and see them off. the trio shows up along with bryan, and we all go up to sleep a few..after about 2.5 hrs sleep I get up. I said if I rode back to back 400's to the beach, i was going to see it! I walked out to the ocean alone right at sunrise-so tranquil and soul stirring. it made the pain melt away..
Henk was ready and left. Micah and I left in search of coffee: a bagel place was found and we stopped. terrific pumpernickel and lox! yum. so-so coffee :( I was looking out the window and Vance roll by-happy to see him make it to the beach! also here a young couple said they knew a gal who rode RAAM. so do I, and she's on this ride. they knew Mary! small world indeed. we enjoyed clouds, and light rain back to tabor city. still funky, we sat a minute and got ready for a long 100k back to laurinburg.  we took 2 little breaks on this part which included lying on the river in fairbluffs under the spanish moss, and that wacky town of rowland. after 30 miles of highway rushing with myrtle beach folks, we needed to de-stress. as usual the others showed up right behind us. when we all got to laurinburg, the talk turned to weather. it just wouldn't be a taste of carolina without a hurricane. tropical storm Lee rose from the gulf and was hanging over the greensboro area, and a hurricane was approching in the atlantic. Yay! after a break and a shower I donned a 2nd pair of shorts, and a wool base layer. somehow a flask had oozed gel all over my front bag, the vols quickly helped me clean up and away we went in groups. the trio and bryan were ahead, we were about 10 min behind. the plan, with 90 miles to go at 630 or so, was make it to the hope mills controle at mile 45, and look at the weather, continue if safe. all seemed fine, so after a snack we rolled. the roads were mellow, but starting to roll. getting sleepy. need an energy drink and a minute off the bike. about halfway in arabia, we came upon this store, a good one, with hand dipped ice cream and hand blown pipes and bongs. really..
we get back to pedaling and somehow stay awake as we climb to Aberdeen and on into southern pines. after getting cards signed and talking jibberish we get 2 rooms down the street. I let Tim L know where we are and invite him and anyone else he sees to come by. we sleep from 4-7 while a big storm blows thru. perfect. chuck and joan are in the lobby sleeping when we wake up. Tim is on the road. Bryan gets the jump and Micha and I, well, we want coffee. turns out starbucks is less than a mile off course. we sit down and quaff a latte. I called Lynn and find out they finished at 1am. Bravo! we go about 9, as we pass by the controle, we see bill olson asleep outside. the rando life. today is going to be hilly and very scenic. and stormy too. only 85 miles tho. Tim rings and says he found a subway, I hit the gas and we meet for an early lunch. off we go into some goood rollers, Tim zooms by on the bumper of sandford and sons' truck! hilarious! we chase and enjoy the views. after a short storm, we make the penultimate controle. 33 to go, and according to facebook, Bryan is 40 minutes ahead. Micah and I dig the fast city descents out of asheboro, and fly thru the countryside before seeing tony outside greensboro. 3-6 inches of rain expected in the area. the sky is black over town and we get nailed with about 5 miles to go. I fire up every light I have and ride behind Micah to cover us. we pedal hard to the end and finish around 3:30. biker Bob greets us at the door. 83.5 hrs. a fitting, crazy finale to a pretty good ride!
thanks to Tony and the volunteers who made this ride possible. it was scenic, challenging, and fun, as it was run in true low-key, minimalist brevet style..let's do it again. there were 5(!) domestic 1200's this year. AND of course, it was a PBP year. it was cool to bookend the grand randonees' with Texas in may and this ride over labor day with fellow NC rando buddy Tim Lucas. we became the first NC randos to get the ARC award- the American Randonneuer Challenge- riding 2 U.S. 1200's in the same year. chappeau Timbo! |
Friday, July 08, 2011
checklists
well, it's been a busy few weeks since returning/recovering from the Tejas 1200..
writing has been on my mind, but working and riding have been the order of the day.
the heat is on too, and rides have been challenging, which leads to part one of this entries title. the first two times out (both 200k's),I managed to leave home without my endurolytes. On one ride I really suffered late in the day, and the checklist was reborn :)
Part two is riding new rides. I seemed to be riding the same 'ol perms again and again..
So, a small wish was to do some of the many perms in the area I had not yet ridden.
First up, Byron's Triple L. I was amazed I had not yet done this route as B and I are great friends and have ridden 1000's of miles together. It was a super nice day with Tim, Bryan, and David (who completed his first 200k!). I recommend this route! All the stores have covered seating, very nice on hot summer days. Next week was the Black Creek Showdown. this flat route goes down east. rain cooled us off on the way down, but the heat was real on the way back. I needed an extra stop coming back for more water. the tempo was strong from the front and a long cooldown was in order at mickey d's at the end.
I did a nice social 100k with the team CBC folks on memorial day. I spent the time telling tales from texas as i moved about the pack on a vintage '87 cannondale team comp..fun!
the next 100k was Deans' Benson Mule Pull-quick and fun. gotta love populaires. stay tuned as the newest one is Dr.A's Ham 'n Yam and the start is just blocks from my job. I can ride it after work! will report on this one soon, raleigh to smithfield and back. yeehaw..
Late Nite with Tony G.....
this past weekend a suprisingly large contingency showed up in Salisbury for a midnight start-time to a smorgasbord of brevets in the hills and mountains in NW Nawth Cackalacky.
4 folks chose 200, about a dozen the 300, 7 the 4, and at least 4 were on the 600.
the tempo was brisk for the opening stretch, Branson rockin' the fixie up front. all routes went out together, and the 200 split off (around 100k)and Tony was there with refreshments.
we donned warmers and headed for the first and heaviest climbs. the trip up stone mtn. was easily 5 miles up two roads and took almost an hour! the "kick" on oklahoma rd was the real deal, with some riders walking. ouch. Lynn and I were joined at the top by Mike and Taylor (a strong young rider from Ohio) the real suprise was getting passed by Branson on the descent to Sparta! wow, he's dialed in on that fixie. We had cheese omeletts and coffee at the cafe in twin oaks and bid adieu to the 300k riders. Tim and I soft pedaled hoping Bryan would catch and he did at the next controle. the scenery was terrific, lots of christmas tree farms, and cows and big blue skies. yard sales, too. still in warmers, tho. downhills were nippy, and unpaved in one spot. the afternoon was nice and warm and full of climbs and big views going down. Tony sent us to Laurel Springs for lunch with the Harley crowd, a cluster of biker bars by the blue ridge parkway! we marched on over more grinders all day 'til we were back in Sparta, completing the century loop in the western hills. a july 4th parade held us up, so Bryan and I grabbed a frozen coffee to cool off. Tim was up the road as I had pulled a flat repair back a ways, but we caught up later at another little store. from about 4:30 on, the 3 of us stayed together, this route never let up! the climbing was relentless to the end, all tolled, nearly 17,000ft.
We arrived at the bike shop at 11:25. whew! 23.5 hrs., longest stretch I'd done in one shot. day 2 in texas was almost 22 hrs., but a 'little more dramatic'..just the same, a great training ride for France OR the 1st day of Taste of Carolina.
writing has been on my mind, but working and riding have been the order of the day.
the heat is on too, and rides have been challenging, which leads to part one of this entries title. the first two times out (both 200k's),I managed to leave home without my endurolytes. On one ride I really suffered late in the day, and the checklist was reborn :)
Part two is riding new rides. I seemed to be riding the same 'ol perms again and again..
So, a small wish was to do some of the many perms in the area I had not yet ridden.
First up, Byron's Triple L. I was amazed I had not yet done this route as B and I are great friends and have ridden 1000's of miles together. It was a super nice day with Tim, Bryan, and David (who completed his first 200k!). I recommend this route! All the stores have covered seating, very nice on hot summer days. Next week was the Black Creek Showdown. this flat route goes down east. rain cooled us off on the way down, but the heat was real on the way back. I needed an extra stop coming back for more water. the tempo was strong from the front and a long cooldown was in order at mickey d's at the end.
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| turning around in black creek |
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| gotta take a dam picture |
I did a nice social 100k with the team CBC folks on memorial day. I spent the time telling tales from texas as i moved about the pack on a vintage '87 cannondale team comp..fun!
the next 100k was Deans' Benson Mule Pull-quick and fun. gotta love populaires. stay tuned as the newest one is Dr.A's Ham 'n Yam and the start is just blocks from my job. I can ride it after work! will report on this one soon, raleigh to smithfield and back. yeehaw..
Late Nite with Tony G.....
this past weekend a suprisingly large contingency showed up in Salisbury for a midnight start-time to a smorgasbord of brevets in the hills and mountains in NW Nawth Cackalacky.
4 folks chose 200, about a dozen the 300, 7 the 4, and at least 4 were on the 600.
the tempo was brisk for the opening stretch, Branson rockin' the fixie up front. all routes went out together, and the 200 split off (around 100k)and Tony was there with refreshments.
we donned warmers and headed for the first and heaviest climbs. the trip up stone mtn. was easily 5 miles up two roads and took almost an hour! the "kick" on oklahoma rd was the real deal, with some riders walking. ouch. Lynn and I were joined at the top by Mike and Taylor (a strong young rider from Ohio) the real suprise was getting passed by Branson on the descent to Sparta! wow, he's dialed in on that fixie. We had cheese omeletts and coffee at the cafe in twin oaks and bid adieu to the 300k riders. Tim and I soft pedaled hoping Bryan would catch and he did at the next controle. the scenery was terrific, lots of christmas tree farms, and cows and big blue skies. yard sales, too. still in warmers, tho. downhills were nippy, and unpaved in one spot. the afternoon was nice and warm and full of climbs and big views going down. Tony sent us to Laurel Springs for lunch with the Harley crowd, a cluster of biker bars by the blue ridge parkway! we marched on over more grinders all day 'til we were back in Sparta, completing the century loop in the western hills. a july 4th parade held us up, so Bryan and I grabbed a frozen coffee to cool off. Tim was up the road as I had pulled a flat repair back a ways, but we caught up later at another little store. from about 4:30 on, the 3 of us stayed together, this route never let up! the climbing was relentless to the end, all tolled, nearly 17,000ft.
We arrived at the bike shop at 11:25. whew! 23.5 hrs., longest stretch I'd done in one shot. day 2 in texas was almost 22 hrs., but a 'little more dramatic'..just the same, a great training ride for France OR the 1st day of Taste of Carolina.
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| into the nite |
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| sunrise descent to sparta |
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| christmas trees |
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| 40 to go! |
Friday, May 20, 2011
Yippee Ki Yay! Tall Tales from the 1st Texas Rando Stampede
A 1200k is a big event. to ride, and to organize and put on. The folks in Texas from three different regional clubs were involved in this one-Lone Star Randonneurs of the DFW area, Hill Country Randonneurs (Austin), and the Houston Randonneurs. LSR George Evans was at the helm and LSR RBA ( K-Hound crazy) Dan Driscoll cracked a mean whip too. dozens of others came into play as the ride unfolded and I think they did an admirable job all around.
the assembly took place in Waxahachie, Tx just a bit south of Dallas on tues may 10. the talk leading up to ride was weather-a blender full of wind, rain, hot, cold, thunder, you name it. mostly to start tho, was the wind. opening day was gonna be gusty southerlies 20-30 mph.
after a check-in and bike inspections, we had a meeting with final info and went to eat and meet our fellow riders. the talk was fun. great folks. NC pal Tim and I went to the store for a couple things and I introduced him to blue bell ice cream-a Texas favorite! we gobbled it up on the way back to the hotel and tucked in for the last good nap before the ride. I managed about 5.5 hrs sleep. I hopped up at 3:30 and prepped for the 5am start. i rolled the bike and my drop bag downstairs, cyclers everywhere already. a little food to go and i was ready to head outside. it was kinda balmy. and 'breezy'..a few words from george and at 5 sharp we rolled. off to marble falls-224miles to 'overnite controle #1'
Stage 1-Waxahachie to Marble Falls-224miles
Tim and I were right by the driveway. when the gun fired, 3 or 4 bikes zoomed out the drive and just took off. the rest of the field did not follow suit. the plan was to ride in a group to work the wind today. of course there would be some sorting out, but at first it was fairly big and easy going. after all the short moves downtown we were on a long stretch and opened up a little. I put in a pull on a mile long grinder and dropped off to shoot a video and see who was around. it was about half the field-
that's Dan right on my wheel keepin' me in check. good thing, cuz there's more to come..
I fade to the back and ride with Tim into the daylight. I meet a bunch of riders and see some cool bikes. the night before was mostly modern fast stuff but today I see a Riv Homer Hilson, a Gunnar, a Waterford, a Custom Riv, Ti from habanero, serotta, lightspeed, Dean, and Leonard Zinn! of course, Claire is getting noticed too :o)
with the winds coming at us good now, we start to share the work and get down the road.
16-17 is about the best we can do and keep the peace. Dan rules the peloton with an iron fist and we make our 1st store intact. we keep it to about 15min and roll on to controle at mile 73. this stop lasts about 20min and away we go into the wind. unrelenting, all we can do is push. the rollers are big and soft but not painless. I keep pushing and double D uses his big lasso to reel me in. we get some texas dirt today too as a section is under construction. we pass it without problems and head onto the jailbird. part of a local perm route.
following instructions to not pick up hitch hikers, we make our way onto higher ground. the views coming down toward Lampasas are great. Rugged. Raw. Scruffy. one can see for miles, but just in front i s a little dog. a very confused, scared dog. middle of the lane, miraculously we miss him at 30mph going down hill! by now i've found the climbers and some are the hill country guys. they know the way over the mountains tonight and out tomorrow. I'm wanting to go with them in the morning maybe. one perk today is clouds. less sun and heat, but rain maybe? we'll see. into Lampasas and there is George and the sag team-Charlie and Patricia. these people were just fantastic. thanks for helping out! between stops they dug thru the mountain of drop bags, found mine and had it for me to dig thru ( I needed a bar and my supplements).a few guys were at this stop already and looking like they worked hard to get there. it was no fun out in that wind alone and I had no allusions about making a go for the front. turns out there were only about 2-3 bikes up the road. our group of 26 or so soon turned to 40 as weather reports abound on all types of mobile devices. they weren't good and a group decision was made to wait..
yeah, it rained pretty good, but if we knew what was to come, I think we'd have rode. the hour+ at that store was one hour we weren't going to sleep later on...the next section was full of cool roads and as we headed for the hills we wondered what the stray riders had ridden thru up ahead of us. sunset was nice. i grabbed a shot and then flatted on a roller that had me thinking 'oh well, let's have one now and get it over with'..
jeff and mike stayed with me and we jammed up to group at the next store. it was only about 5min for me to stay with the group as we went into the night. it seemed like the miles went quickly and by 9:30 or so we were in jonestown at mi 194 with just 30 to go.
the local police thought otherwise. after explaining to them what a bunch of cyclists were doing on the road at night, they said it was too dangerous and consented to us passing if they escorted us to the edge of town. we let some more arrive, reload, and we left together. prob'ly more that 30 of us. it was up and over a mountain pass to get to marble falls. the first climb was big and headed into lightning and high winds. I had company at the top:catherine, peter, and dave. the blue lights were a mile back. we'd strung it out good. down a whooptee and back up and storm time. we stopped for 120 seconds to don rain gear and off we went. another fasty and i was fishtailing. flat #2!! see ya! i watched a dozen bikes fly by. someone lit me with a helmet light. i changed the rear in a hail storm. down the mountain with ZERO visability, and NO Brakes! "on your left!!" I yelled as we swept to the right and back uphill again, thank you gravity..the dude with me lost his lights, so we stopped and he got 'em lit right away. off we went again and another big climb was on. I saw blinkies ahead and pushed hard. after catching this trio I continued my march. i caught the herd, then two lone riders. I arrive in marble falls about 9 mins behind the other members of my future. the volunteers are cheerful and quick to check us in and get us upstairs. i remove all the wet gear, clean up, and go eat. other riders are coming in, and I look around to see what's up. I find Catherine and ask 'what time tomorrow?' "4" she says..'who's coming?' 'David' 'cool...'
at that moment I played the most important card of the ride..I went to bed at 1 and got back up at 3. I was downstairs by 4. there was hot food in the lobby. and vols with water and bananas.
Stage 2-Marble Falls to Sealy-242miles
4:15 we gather and roll. myself, Catherine, David, Peter, and Hamid. after 2 blocks I jet back for my bottles, damn. I chase for a few miles into the sticks before I see the red taillights. By the time I rejoin it's mountainbike time-a few miles of dirt road that is mushy after the rains. we take our time navigating this stuff and finally hit solid road again. we begin a descent and cross a low bridge and hook back, straight up! when the road levels we are split up. we encounter a lost rider and bring him along to find the next road Dave and I have a 'word' with a motorist who insists we yield to him because its the law. whatev... we hang at the turn to regroup and i flat! damn! while changing the front, Ann comes along and is freaking out. some guy has threatened to get his gun! she had been hiding in the brush. she won't wait and rolls on. off we go to dripping springs, 1st controle of the day. here we find Ann. Don too. I beg Ann to ride with us, but she leaves before we do. On the road it's really kinda dark out for almost 8 in the morn..I know these skies and it's sprinkling. I spot a little yellow jersey ahead and we catch Ann. now she asks-'can I ride with you guys?' please do. we stop and put on rain gear, john has joined in and rides without any. it's very dark and lightning picks up and rain is falling at about a 45deg. angle. shit.
clouds are moving around like stalking lions and Catherine says- '2 miles'. 'what?' 'the lightning, it's 2 miles from us' 'cool, let's just keep pedaling'..the wind picks up more and as we zoom down a hill toward a bridge, I can see it coming down the riverbed across the bridge sideways..gusts were said to have hit 70mph in that area that day. this may have been 40-50mph. oh, it was frozen too. like tiny ice needles on the face. I led the way and watched the mirror for 4 more bikes. we forged on and the blasts eased to plain ol' big rain. I can tell some of you this: Yo A! was on this part of trip. I could not have been in better company, tho. amazingly cool, brave riders all..the 15 miles of hell gave way to Canyon Lake. there was a store and we all grabbed something hot, collected ourselves and got back out there. reports were- when the cell passes us, it will clear and we'll be OK. Peter flatted on a hill a mile up the road. on the restart I was freezing. my teeth chattered like I was at a playoff game at Lambeau Field! gimme a climb so I can slow down and warm up. we got that climb and made our way to river road. as in the Guadalupe River...
foul weather aside, everyone loved this part of the ride. just wonderful winding roads peppered with funky tube ride/rafting places and cottages. half-way thru I had another flat and made yet another fix. we made our way thru another groovy village and were about 12 miles from controle at new braunfels. Ann got tangled up in some train tracks but was fine. (other reports tell of falls here, these tracks collected a half dozen or more riders) we made the controle and refueled. it was dry now and a bit of sun was peeking out too! the 'herd' rolled in as we were leaving, the one and only time we saw them. the next 10-15 miles could have been fast but the wind was back, the roads were rough as hell and of course I had to flat again. i put a new tire on this time and it went the rest of the trip. I told the crew, 'when we hit a nice stretch, I'll pull you all at 20mph..' "til you flat again!" Dave interjected. we needed that laugh :)
we made the first whataburger controle in Lockhart at 4. everybody munched. a fresh burger and tangy pineapple shake hit the spot! we had picked up Ian from Seattle along the way. Also here was Don and John..those 2 left and our original 5+1 remained intact for part 2 of this day. yes, after all that riding and adventure we were at 128 of 244 miles. just lovely country roads all the way to La Grange, Tx. lie ahead including some fast, hardpack sections..
this was a fast, fun 100k that went by in no time! the approach to La Grange was sweet too..we finally got a big ol' Texas Sky..
I was hoping for a quick stop here. there was almost another 100k to go. the whataburger controle was adjacent to a big c-store. we split up, and it took a bit of time. john and don showed up too. hamid had wobbly lights which I fixed while everyone ate and got ready. finally we took off all together. 8 riders in the night. there were some long stretches of 7,8,9 miles and long climbs too. we stayed together. after this insane day, no one was getting left behind now. we kept it light until about 20 to go. it just felt right to run some brisk steady tempo. Catherine and Don were going strong and we zipped along thru the middle of nowhere. with only a few turns left, John made a move. As much as I wanted to stay together, i marked him. Peter came along too. we we moving fast, probly 20mph at 1 in the morning, 21hrs after departing! we had a friendly 'race' to the finish and found the holiday inn express. upon check-in we learned we were first in behind the lone wolf, chris!
I quickly ran outside to greet the rest of the crew waved them in. everyone was glad to be there and stunned to find out they were in the lead group. in minutes we were all gone upstairs and off to napville. we slept just over 2 hrs and were on the road around 5am..
my apologies for no updates coming thru on this day. your thoughts were much appreciated! we needed them sometimes :)
Stage 3-Sealy to Crockett-155miles
It's nice out. 60's. gonna be hot. but roads are supposed to be flatter, and less wind.
hmmm. the roads were still rough, the wind had shifted and was still pushing at us. it was kinda flat tho.. I left with John and Hamid. the girls were up the road. Dave left early on his own. Ian was nearby too. halfway to the 1st controle in magnolia we were all together.
Dave stayed up the road all day. I left magnolia with Ann, Catherine, and Don. John caught on later. we started the slog thru the Sam Houston forest. really nice area. but a hearty 50 mile stretch that was hot (95) and windy with long hills that took their toll. glad we out early. we crossed a track on the way and I lost a gel flask. the train was right there! the gate came down on us..
we were in the woods and it was going to be tough. a little more than halfway tho, we came upon a sight for sore eyes-the city hall cafe. an oasis in the middle of nowhere. we stopped and filled and chilled. after 20 min or so we all headed out one by one, but would be back together in a few miles before the huntsville controle. a logger truck buzzed us all one-by-one and we were glad to be alive and back together again. don flatted on this stretch and my front was soft upon arrival. i changed the tube while the rest ate at the truck stop. the next few roads were busy as hell. huntsville is the justice center for texas and jails are everywhere. there's even a jail museum. finally on a mellow road again, Don and Catherine pull Ann and me for some hard miles in the wind. we pedal down hills that should coast 20+mph at maybe 15mph...we do this for 15 miles until I do a nice pull with everyone in an echelon to a tiny store in weldon. we drink and snack and cool off. i never saw a tumble weed, but Ann found a furball in the street.
finally there was the Crockett Inn. we pulled in and let Catherine go in first. the stampede's first 1000k finisher! yay Colorado Cate! superb riding!
Dave was there to greet us, and we checked in, cleaned up and talked departure. early was on tap but we opted for a little more rest, and got 3.5 hrs...
Stage 4-Crockett to Waxahachie-147miles
It's 3am. Off into the dark we go. A tick less than 3 miles and turn right, go 23.6.. yep, some of the longest ques' ever on this ride. the sheet could have said-'turn right and pedal til you need to shave', or 'go 'til teeth rattle out' today..and later today would be a doozy. this opener tho, was a super roller and plenty of fun in the dark. 'Critter!!' 'Possum!' don't know how we missed him going downhill in the dark but we did. Dave was driving up front for a good ways. there were a million stars in the sky. This was good cycling. the time passed quickly, and the chill in the air kept us working toward mile 40 and Palestine, where the first controle store was closed. 'McDonalds has good pancakes' said Ann. A smile greeted us at the door as they opened at 6 and served 8 cyclist a hot breakfast. Warm and happy we roll away to rural areas on 'roads' that were cart paths with asphalt poured over them. Wow, where are we, lumpyville? Great scenery, tho..for about 30 miles..
we stopped at very friendly little store in Tennessee Colony, and began the slog to Corsicana. left turn into the wind and 19 miles on hwy 287. then straight 15 more. THIRTY FIVE MILES on this one highway. super rough, bumpy ass highway 287. I thought it wouldn't end. my knees were tender but my friends helped out. we stopped. Peter was offering advice and Catherine rolled up, removed her knee bands, gave them to me and off we went. I felt better. Corsicana finally arrived. there were choices to eat and Taco Bell was it. after chow, we got it together and headed out. a last farewell from super SAG Pat and Charlie, and thru downtown we go all together. another 13mi que and off goes John. Of course there is no chase today, pure group. bon route! a sign seen on this road perks up the gang:
yep, we've checked off another 200k, and are closing in. we stop and finally take off the last thin layers remaining and enjoy the sun. lots of chat, we're not even trying to go fast, we got this thing. It was like the last day of the tour, a parade now. support rolls by as I grab a sunflower pic of the group, cheering loudly and making sure we're OK.
we are joking on the last road about how many water towers we see and how far off some of them are. we roll into town and line-up on the last road all together. finish as a unit.
82 hrs and 34 minutes. john ahead at 82:12, and lone wolf chris at 79:43. congrats to all!!!
if any day were gonna kill tires, this was it. somehow I'd snuck thru today. 'til picture time. my front was flat in the lobby! I rounded up my spent tubes and made it a memory:
We had time to clean up and relax before we got to welcome the next wave of finishers and finally see some folks again. the herd was lookin good too! still a big group, that is Spencer behind Jeff. he conquered this beast on a fixie. a tip of the stetson there, Spence..
with all that ensued over 4 days and 766 punishing miles, the real gift of this ride was people. all the ones who put it together and ran it. and mostly the ones I shared the road with. I met so many the first day , it was a little sad to not see them after that. But the company I chose and was blessed with was incredible-the unflappable Catherine the Great, calm cool David, Ann, Peter, Don, Ian, Hamid, and roomie/sparring partner John. what an honor to conquer my first 1200K with you all. thanks for all the wisdom and experience you generously shared with us all. this group was rich too. PBP's, mille miglias', gold rush, last chance, cascades, shenandoah..whew, now the Stampede. Truly EPIC..
ps: I can't say enough good stuff about all the texas people who threw this event. they were great from start to finish. if and when they do it again, count me in!
the assembly took place in Waxahachie, Tx just a bit south of Dallas on tues may 10. the talk leading up to ride was weather-a blender full of wind, rain, hot, cold, thunder, you name it. mostly to start tho, was the wind. opening day was gonna be gusty southerlies 20-30 mph.
after a check-in and bike inspections, we had a meeting with final info and went to eat and meet our fellow riders. the talk was fun. great folks. NC pal Tim and I went to the store for a couple things and I introduced him to blue bell ice cream-a Texas favorite! we gobbled it up on the way back to the hotel and tucked in for the last good nap before the ride. I managed about 5.5 hrs sleep. I hopped up at 3:30 and prepped for the 5am start. i rolled the bike and my drop bag downstairs, cyclers everywhere already. a little food to go and i was ready to head outside. it was kinda balmy. and 'breezy'..a few words from george and at 5 sharp we rolled. off to marble falls-224miles to 'overnite controle #1'
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| ready to rando! |
Stage 1-Waxahachie to Marble Falls-224miles
Tim and I were right by the driveway. when the gun fired, 3 or 4 bikes zoomed out the drive and just took off. the rest of the field did not follow suit. the plan was to ride in a group to work the wind today. of course there would be some sorting out, but at first it was fairly big and easy going. after all the short moves downtown we were on a long stretch and opened up a little. I put in a pull on a mile long grinder and dropped off to shoot a video and see who was around. it was about half the field-
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| lookin' back |
I fade to the back and ride with Tim into the daylight. I meet a bunch of riders and see some cool bikes. the night before was mostly modern fast stuff but today I see a Riv Homer Hilson, a Gunnar, a Waterford, a Custom Riv, Ti from habanero, serotta, lightspeed, Dean, and Leonard Zinn! of course, Claire is getting noticed too :o)
with the winds coming at us good now, we start to share the work and get down the road.
16-17 is about the best we can do and keep the peace. Dan rules the peloton with an iron fist and we make our 1st store intact. we keep it to about 15min and roll on to controle at mile 73. this stop lasts about 20min and away we go into the wind. unrelenting, all we can do is push. the rollers are big and soft but not painless. I keep pushing and double D uses his big lasso to reel me in. we get some texas dirt today too as a section is under construction. we pass it without problems and head onto the jailbird. part of a local perm route.
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| all smiles on the dirt |
following instructions to not pick up hitch hikers, we make our way onto higher ground. the views coming down toward Lampasas are great. Rugged. Raw. Scruffy. one can see for miles, but just in front i s a little dog. a very confused, scared dog. middle of the lane, miraculously we miss him at 30mph going down hill! by now i've found the climbers and some are the hill country guys. they know the way over the mountains tonight and out tomorrow. I'm wanting to go with them in the morning maybe. one perk today is clouds. less sun and heat, but rain maybe? we'll see. into Lampasas and there is George and the sag team-Charlie and Patricia. these people were just fantastic. thanks for helping out! between stops they dug thru the mountain of drop bags, found mine and had it for me to dig thru ( I needed a bar and my supplements).a few guys were at this stop already and looking like they worked hard to get there. it was no fun out in that wind alone and I had no allusions about making a go for the front. turns out there were only about 2-3 bikes up the road. our group of 26 or so soon turned to 40 as weather reports abound on all types of mobile devices. they weren't good and a group decision was made to wait..
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| dan and george think we should wait |
jeff and mike stayed with me and we jammed up to group at the next store. it was only about 5min for me to stay with the group as we went into the night. it seemed like the miles went quickly and by 9:30 or so we were in jonestown at mi 194 with just 30 to go.
the local police thought otherwise. after explaining to them what a bunch of cyclists were doing on the road at night, they said it was too dangerous and consented to us passing if they escorted us to the edge of town. we let some more arrive, reload, and we left together. prob'ly more that 30 of us. it was up and over a mountain pass to get to marble falls. the first climb was big and headed into lightning and high winds. I had company at the top:catherine, peter, and dave. the blue lights were a mile back. we'd strung it out good. down a whooptee and back up and storm time. we stopped for 120 seconds to don rain gear and off we went. another fasty and i was fishtailing. flat #2!! see ya! i watched a dozen bikes fly by. someone lit me with a helmet light. i changed the rear in a hail storm. down the mountain with ZERO visability, and NO Brakes! "on your left!!" I yelled as we swept to the right and back uphill again, thank you gravity..the dude with me lost his lights, so we stopped and he got 'em lit right away. off we went again and another big climb was on. I saw blinkies ahead and pushed hard. after catching this trio I continued my march. i caught the herd, then two lone riders. I arrive in marble falls about 9 mins behind the other members of my future. the volunteers are cheerful and quick to check us in and get us upstairs. i remove all the wet gear, clean up, and go eat. other riders are coming in, and I look around to see what's up. I find Catherine and ask 'what time tomorrow?' "4" she says..'who's coming?' 'David' 'cool...'
at that moment I played the most important card of the ride..I went to bed at 1 and got back up at 3. I was downstairs by 4. there was hot food in the lobby. and vols with water and bananas.
Stage 2-Marble Falls to Sealy-242miles
4:15 we gather and roll. myself, Catherine, David, Peter, and Hamid. after 2 blocks I jet back for my bottles, damn. I chase for a few miles into the sticks before I see the red taillights. By the time I rejoin it's mountainbike time-a few miles of dirt road that is mushy after the rains. we take our time navigating this stuff and finally hit solid road again. we begin a descent and cross a low bridge and hook back, straight up! when the road levels we are split up. we encounter a lost rider and bring him along to find the next road Dave and I have a 'word' with a motorist who insists we yield to him because its the law. whatev... we hang at the turn to regroup and i flat! damn! while changing the front, Ann comes along and is freaking out. some guy has threatened to get his gun! she had been hiding in the brush. she won't wait and rolls on. off we go to dripping springs, 1st controle of the day. here we find Ann. Don too. I beg Ann to ride with us, but she leaves before we do. On the road it's really kinda dark out for almost 8 in the morn..I know these skies and it's sprinkling. I spot a little yellow jersey ahead and we catch Ann. now she asks-'can I ride with you guys?' please do. we stop and put on rain gear, john has joined in and rides without any. it's very dark and lightning picks up and rain is falling at about a 45deg. angle. shit.
clouds are moving around like stalking lions and Catherine says- '2 miles'. 'what?' 'the lightning, it's 2 miles from us' 'cool, let's just keep pedaling'..the wind picks up more and as we zoom down a hill toward a bridge, I can see it coming down the riverbed across the bridge sideways..gusts were said to have hit 70mph in that area that day. this may have been 40-50mph. oh, it was frozen too. like tiny ice needles on the face. I led the way and watched the mirror for 4 more bikes. we forged on and the blasts eased to plain ol' big rain. I can tell some of you this: Yo A! was on this part of trip. I could not have been in better company, tho. amazingly cool, brave riders all..the 15 miles of hell gave way to Canyon Lake. there was a store and we all grabbed something hot, collected ourselves and got back out there. reports were- when the cell passes us, it will clear and we'll be OK. Peter flatted on a hill a mile up the road. on the restart I was freezing. my teeth chattered like I was at a playoff game at Lambeau Field! gimme a climb so I can slow down and warm up. we got that climb and made our way to river road. as in the Guadalupe River...
foul weather aside, everyone loved this part of the ride. just wonderful winding roads peppered with funky tube ride/rafting places and cottages. half-way thru I had another flat and made yet another fix. we made our way thru another groovy village and were about 12 miles from controle at new braunfels. Ann got tangled up in some train tracks but was fine. (other reports tell of falls here, these tracks collected a half dozen or more riders) we made the controle and refueled. it was dry now and a bit of sun was peeking out too! the 'herd' rolled in as we were leaving, the one and only time we saw them. the next 10-15 miles could have been fast but the wind was back, the roads were rough as hell and of course I had to flat again. i put a new tire on this time and it went the rest of the trip. I told the crew, 'when we hit a nice stretch, I'll pull you all at 20mph..' "til you flat again!" Dave interjected. we needed that laugh :)
we made the first whataburger controle in Lockhart at 4. everybody munched. a fresh burger and tangy pineapple shake hit the spot! we had picked up Ian from Seattle along the way. Also here was Don and John..those 2 left and our original 5+1 remained intact for part 2 of this day. yes, after all that riding and adventure we were at 128 of 244 miles. just lovely country roads all the way to La Grange, Tx. lie ahead including some fast, hardpack sections..
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| Colorado Cate and Canadian Dave |
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| rearview crew |
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| road to La Grange |
I quickly ran outside to greet the rest of the crew waved them in. everyone was glad to be there and stunned to find out they were in the lead group. in minutes we were all gone upstairs and off to napville. we slept just over 2 hrs and were on the road around 5am..
my apologies for no updates coming thru on this day. your thoughts were much appreciated! we needed them sometimes :)
Stage 3-Sealy to Crockett-155miles
It's nice out. 60's. gonna be hot. but roads are supposed to be flatter, and less wind.
hmmm. the roads were still rough, the wind had shifted and was still pushing at us. it was kinda flat tho.. I left with John and Hamid. the girls were up the road. Dave left early on his own. Ian was nearby too. halfway to the 1st controle in magnolia we were all together.
Dave stayed up the road all day. I left magnolia with Ann, Catherine, and Don. John caught on later. we started the slog thru the Sam Houston forest. really nice area. but a hearty 50 mile stretch that was hot (95) and windy with long hills that took their toll. glad we out early. we crossed a track on the way and I lost a gel flask. the train was right there! the gate came down on us..
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| choo choo |
Peter showed up here too, with Ian not far back. we marched off to Crockett. hard to believe just 25 left on this stage, we'd finish in daylight. not without more climbing tho. the last road to Crockett was cruel-a ribbon that went up about 300ft per roller, dropped back a little, and did it again. in a mile or two, we'd put another 600ft on the ticker.
finally there was the Crockett Inn. we pulled in and let Catherine go in first. the stampede's first 1000k finisher! yay Colorado Cate! superb riding!
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| Don, Ann, Catherine, Peter, Me |
Dave was there to greet us, and we checked in, cleaned up and talked departure. early was on tap but we opted for a little more rest, and got 3.5 hrs...
Stage 4-Crockett to Waxahachie-147miles
It's 3am. Off into the dark we go. A tick less than 3 miles and turn right, go 23.6.. yep, some of the longest ques' ever on this ride. the sheet could have said-'turn right and pedal til you need to shave', or 'go 'til teeth rattle out' today..and later today would be a doozy. this opener tho, was a super roller and plenty of fun in the dark. 'Critter!!' 'Possum!' don't know how we missed him going downhill in the dark but we did. Dave was driving up front for a good ways. there were a million stars in the sky. This was good cycling. the time passed quickly, and the chill in the air kept us working toward mile 40 and Palestine, where the first controle store was closed. 'McDonalds has good pancakes' said Ann. A smile greeted us at the door as they opened at 6 and served 8 cyclist a hot breakfast. Warm and happy we roll away to rural areas on 'roads' that were cart paths with asphalt poured over them. Wow, where are we, lumpyville? Great scenery, tho..for about 30 miles..
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| Add caption |
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| no barn has ever smelled sweeter.. |
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| lookin' good, group! |
82 hrs and 34 minutes. john ahead at 82:12, and lone wolf chris at 79:43. congrats to all!!!
if any day were gonna kill tires, this was it. somehow I'd snuck thru today. 'til picture time. my front was flat in the lobby! I rounded up my spent tubes and made it a memory:
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| me, claire, and lots of butyl |
with all that ensued over 4 days and 766 punishing miles, the real gift of this ride was people. all the ones who put it together and ran it. and mostly the ones I shared the road with. I met so many the first day , it was a little sad to not see them after that. But the company I chose and was blessed with was incredible-the unflappable Catherine the Great, calm cool David, Ann, Peter, Don, Ian, Hamid, and roomie/sparring partner John. what an honor to conquer my first 1200K with you all. thanks for all the wisdom and experience you generously shared with us all. this group was rich too. PBP's, mille miglias', gold rush, last chance, cascades, shenandoah..whew, now the Stampede. Truly EPIC..
ps: I can't say enough good stuff about all the texas people who threw this event. they were great from start to finish. if and when they do it again, count me in!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
rearin' to go
i'm going to write a tick more before the big ride. i'm sitting on an old friends porch in a quaint old neighborhood in Dallas. it's really mellow, but just minutes from chaos. just as this day may seem right now, before the rando begins. I'm in denial of nerves before we get under way. all the well wishes and followers really help, though. I do appreciate it very much.
the bike went together pretty good. just a little fussing with fender placement, not much else. I hand pumped the tires and went out a few times 'til I felt dialed in. a flat(!) this morn kept me from revisiting White Rock Lake for a 10 mile lap. that (10mi) used to be a big deal 25yrs. ago.. and to do 2-3 laps was studly! hopefully Tim and I can go out for a spin in Waxahachie after check-in. maybe get some others to ride too..
altho cloudy now it was hot, a bit muggy, and windy as hell yesterday. it shall continue I'm sure. I sat outside last night tho, and it was really nice. the evening riding looks to be great after the wind settles down some. I had a 20oz bottle for the front, but the heat had me buying a big polar with a big ol' texas on it at a well stocked shop up the street.
if ever in this area, Richardson bike mart has what you need. good guys there..
stay tuned!
the bike went together pretty good. just a little fussing with fender placement, not much else. I hand pumped the tires and went out a few times 'til I felt dialed in. a flat(!) this morn kept me from revisiting White Rock Lake for a 10 mile lap. that (10mi) used to be a big deal 25yrs. ago.. and to do 2-3 laps was studly! hopefully Tim and I can go out for a spin in Waxahachie after check-in. maybe get some others to ride too..
altho cloudy now it was hot, a bit muggy, and windy as hell yesterday. it shall continue I'm sure. I sat outside last night tho, and it was really nice. the evening riding looks to be great after the wind settles down some. I had a 20oz bottle for the front, but the heat had me buying a big polar with a big ol' texas on it at a well stocked shop up the street.
if ever in this area, Richardson bike mart has what you need. good guys there..
stay tuned!
morrisville 400k
well, the time had arrived for a 'dress rehearsal' for texas. straight out 400 km's of 'are you ready?'...the bike was up to the task. loaded and tuned. I tried to rest some, but it's not so easy. I rose at 4:15 and rolled out about 5:15. had an easy trip to morrisville where 28 other riders were assembling. it was on the cool side-vests and warmers were in sight on most.
a few words and we were off with an easy pace for the first hour. the glorious morning made for great cycling and story telling. the rush was on at the controls. snow camp was 5min. max..small groups hurried onto the road and good chase ensued for the next 5-6 miles to bring it back together. at siler city our clan of a dozen or more motored off for seagrove. more good, steady tempo kept us moving (along with good BS'ing) and seagrove arrived in no time-11:42 is my FB post. a bit of snacking, and into the hills. flynt hill rd..Joe Ray made a break and I went with him. we had a great time playing out there! we chilled out but were the first to troy at 1:50. pretty strong 1st 200k. as the others rolled in there was talk of a crash. john morris hit a small dog on a descent. he was banged up but bravely soldiering on. back on the road, joe, branson, and lynn were ahead and I joined them. the rest were not far behind, and met us in seagrove. again I rode with Lynn and Branson to siler. we were going well-Branson on his fixie! and Lynn steady as ever.
Ian awaits in siler city with welcome refreshments. loaded, we may have left but pizza arrived along with the other riders! oh well,a hot slice was really good.
at snow camp, the others showed in 5 min. cards signed, warmers out, reflective stuff on, lights running, let's do this thing! Mike D asks why are we still here? there is a record o be broken! over the rollers, and onto old switchboard- little Joe had made another break. lots of push-pull tempo and no closing the gap. just chill. steady riding across chicken bridge and there was Frosty's. and little red blink up the road.
hamlet chapel is a toughy at the end of a long day and today was long. ..
finally to andrews store, branson and jimmy stopped for water. wes, cap'n, lynn, and me chased the little red dot. I opened up on jack bennet, and by farrington it was a welcome downhill to the lake and martha's chapel. I rocked a steady 17-18 all the wasy to the berry patch and finally reeled him in! so funny, Joe looked at me and simply said "good evening".
we rode in together, my garmin showed time of 10:48. it was only moments 'til branson, wes, & jimmy, then a bit later mike, tim, and purple chainring winner john morris rolled in. ALL before midnight!
a fantastic 400K! congrats to all. 100% finishers, no DNFs.
now I just have to do it for a few days in a row :o)
a few words and we were off with an easy pace for the first hour. the glorious morning made for great cycling and story telling. the rush was on at the controls. snow camp was 5min. max..small groups hurried onto the road and good chase ensued for the next 5-6 miles to bring it back together. at siler city our clan of a dozen or more motored off for seagrove. more good, steady tempo kept us moving (along with good BS'ing) and seagrove arrived in no time-11:42 is my FB post. a bit of snacking, and into the hills. flynt hill rd..Joe Ray made a break and I went with him. we had a great time playing out there! we chilled out but were the first to troy at 1:50. pretty strong 1st 200k. as the others rolled in there was talk of a crash. john morris hit a small dog on a descent. he was banged up but bravely soldiering on. back on the road, joe, branson, and lynn were ahead and I joined them. the rest were not far behind, and met us in seagrove. again I rode with Lynn and Branson to siler. we were going well-Branson on his fixie! and Lynn steady as ever.
Ian awaits in siler city with welcome refreshments. loaded, we may have left but pizza arrived along with the other riders! oh well,a hot slice was really good.
at snow camp, the others showed in 5 min. cards signed, warmers out, reflective stuff on, lights running, let's do this thing! Mike D asks why are we still here? there is a record o be broken! over the rollers, and onto old switchboard- little Joe had made another break. lots of push-pull tempo and no closing the gap. just chill. steady riding across chicken bridge and there was Frosty's. and little red blink up the road.
hamlet chapel is a toughy at the end of a long day and today was long. ..
finally to andrews store, branson and jimmy stopped for water. wes, cap'n, lynn, and me chased the little red dot. I opened up on jack bennet, and by farrington it was a welcome downhill to the lake and martha's chapel. I rocked a steady 17-18 all the wasy to the berry patch and finally reeled him in! so funny, Joe looked at me and simply said "good evening".
we rode in together, my garmin showed time of 10:48. it was only moments 'til branson, wes, & jimmy, then a bit later mike, tim, and purple chainring winner john morris rolled in. ALL before midnight!
a fantastic 400K! congrats to all. 100% finishers, no DNFs.
now I just have to do it for a few days in a row :o)
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