Okay, after a two year hiatus it is time to start blogging again. I may not write every day, but will whenever something is going on. You also can follow my escapades on Facebook (click the link to the right) and my rides on Strava (also a link on the right)
Sunday I did the Bottle Neck Bridge Ride sponsored by Trailnet. There were four routes ranging from 10.7 miles to about 63.4 miles. I chose to do the "short" route of 21+ miles. In one of his emails Steve listed the route as "rolling hills" but I should have known better....there was a lot more hill than roll.. The climb on the 21 mile route was listed at 1305 feet.
I got started and getting through town was fine, I was able to easily navigate the streets including the cobblestones (my bike is designed for this type of route and absorbed a lot of the shock). Then I had to turn left on Eighth where the short route went off in its own direction. I looked in my mirror and saw several riders back about 25 yards, pulled to the center line and signaled my turn. As I was beginning to turn I heard a loud "ON YOUR LEFT" and nearly cut off one of those riders trying to pass me who actually cut off my left turn. I have it all on video. I said "I am turning left" and he said "Gotcha". I guess he forgot what hand signals look like, and he always probably passes on the left when someone is turning left.
Then the hills started....I walked up about three hills, pushing myself as far as I could then walking. In most cases I had enough downhill momentum go get up high enough on the the next hill to make it over. But sometimes, there was not enough downhill to help me. About a mile from the first rest stop (Villa Antonio Winery) the road turned to freshly laid gravel. That was slow going and again on a long grade I got off and walked since the resistance of the gravel and the grade got to be too much for me. The winery grounds are beautiful, but except for the restrooms and the rest stop water (snacks were gone by the time I got there and more was on the way) the winery was closed we could not enjoy the wines.
After a short break for nature, water and nutrition (I brought my own snack bars and a banana just in case). I started back on the route and after about a quarter mile of gravel had to get off and walk again for a long grade. Riding was easier after I got to the top.
Finally!, after about a mile from the winery a paved road again. It was a grade, but I could do it. I went another 3/4 mile and another hill loomed ahead of me with no way to get momentum, I pushed my way almost to the top and walked the last 50 feet. My legs were about gone and what I saw up ahead convinced me that it was time to throw in the towel. What I saw was a gradual grade leading to...another hill! It was time to call SAG, my trip was over having covered 14.5 miles of a 21 mile route with 928 feet of climb in 1:46, my slowest ever for 14.5 miles. I sat in the shade of a tree and waited to be picked up. Contributing to the problem was probably that I had only about 5 hours sleep the night before. Next time I will do better.
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