I initially didn't want to do this ride, because I didn't like the organization last year, but I figured I would know what to expect this year and prepare accordingly. So I made my rice cakes, packed a cooler with cans of Coke, and (by chance) made my electrolyte drink overly strong.
I got up this morning at 5:30AM, thinking that I still didn't want to do the ride, but mainly because I wanted to sleep in. But I H'ed TFU and made myself get out of bed. After only an hour's drive, I got to the start, registered, and headed out.
The first few miles weren't that noteworthy. I was mainly leapfrogging from group to group...first to a group that had an Evo rider (didn't get to talk with him), then to a bunch of young ABRT riders, then to a group with four strong-ish riders.
It was here that things got interesting: we got out to MD-4 and got lost (missed a turn). Seeing markings on the ground indicating a left turn, we made to cross over the highway, but the leader aborted his attempt, just in time to cross his back wheel into the front wheel of his compatriot. The follower *almost* saved it, but ended up spilling all over the road anyway. He got up pissed off, and threw his bike over to the side of the road. We stopped to assess the damage: he had a couple small patches of roadrash on his elbow and knee, a car ran over and destroyed something he had in a spraycan, and his rear derailleur hanger was bent inwards. I supplied some water to wash out his wounds, and he used some of his frustration to un-bend the hanger to where he could use the RD again.
Taking it a bit easier, we started off again, but we were still lost. Some other riders had gotten lost as well, and we hooked up with them -- thankfully, they had smartphones with GPS + mapping, so they were able to determine that all we had to do was go down a little ways on MD-4, take another road, and we'd join back up with the route. We did so, and found ourselves practically at the turn to the rest-stop...but our mileage was a bit short because we had essentially skipped about five miles, so we decided to go and do the Lowery Rd. loop to get back up, and then head back to the rest stop.
I don't know what happened, but I ended up at the front of the group...and then they were gone; I was way ahead of them, somehow. I continued on to the rest stop, met up with some friends, and the other guys rolled in after a few minutes. Turns out they were doing the full century and I was only doing the metric, so our paths would diverge there. The rest stop was still a little disappointing (only sweet stuff and fruits), but at least they had fresh water. I was able to top off my water bottle, and dilute my Gatorade a bit. After resting up for a few minutes, I said 'bye' to the other guys and headed out on the metric route.
I met up with a guy soon after leaving the rest stop, and together we rode the second leg of the ride to the next rest stop. I found out he was a Hokie Parent, having put his daughter through Tech roughly the same time that I attended Tech. Spiffy. We passed some of my friends (Jeff B. and his wife) after climbing up Tobbacco Rd. (I remember that climb from last year; good times). After that, we hit another hill and the Hokie Parent bid me farewell as I hammered it up. Continuing to the rest stop, I passed Terre S. and her friend, and pulled in, meeting Crazy Kelly and Dave N., Ann P., and a lot of other old-crowd from my TNT days.
This rest stop was just as disappointing as last year, and this time I didn't even see any chips, either. But I was prepared: my stomach was basically turning itself inside out, craving some food, but I didn't want to eat any of the complex carbs being offered (6oz of store-bought apple pie? no thanks), so I whipped out one of my Rice Cakes. This time I didn't salt the rice at all, and I added some super-salty peanuts into the mix, which made the cakes a little clumpy and not really cohesive, but it did make eating them a lot more interesting, and the salt levels were just right. After I ate that, I was feeling OK, so (after topping off my water and diluting my Gatorade still more) I headed out with Dave N. and Kelly.
I wasn't a mile or two out from the rest stop when I came upon a group of riders looking over one's bike. I stopped to help, and discovered that a chainguard had somehow rotated itself around and jammed up the rear tire. I was able to get the rear wheel off, and Kelly and Peter (who stopped too) were able to neutralize the chainguard. We put the bike back together, and it was good to go.
Kelly and I headed up, and eventually I left him behind. I essentially soloed the remaining distance, not really riding with anyone and not staying with any one rider for more than a few seconds.
One last major hill, and then crossing MD-4 (again), and then one final hammer into the headwinds, and I was back to the school and done. I got my food, met up with the Hokie Parent ("Dave") from before, and we ate our lunches. It felt good to sit down and not have to work the legs.
This was a good ride, and the after-ride party was a lot better than last year (actual tents covering the food, a good spread of food, Quizno's catering). I went back to the car and sipped a Coke as I packed up.
Statistics:
Bike: Trek 5200
Distance: 64.20mi
Saddle Time: 3h33m19s
Actual Time: 4h30m
Start Time: 0800
End Time: 1230
Start Conditions: Breezy, Cool, Sunny
End Conditions: Breezy, Warm, Sunny
Max Speed: 40.3mph
Avg Speed (saddle): 18.0mph
Avg Speed (actual): 14.3mph
Odometer: 1434.4mi
Overall, I'm happy that I got out and did this ride, even if the organization is still a little lacking (when compared to the Reston and Seagull centuries). The organization IS getting better, at least, and the hills were just right for me; I think I should be OK for the Civil War Century next Saturday, at any rate.
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