A Cancer Survivor's Journey to Find Peace on a Bike
You have stumbled upon the personal blog of Barry Sherry. It is my private journal but made public. After keeping a journal for years I decided to push this out to the web. Maybe someone will find some information of value.
I have included the names, and in some cases, photos of others I have met in my journey. If you are mentioned and do not want to be, kindly contact me and I can change that.
Enjoy the blog. If you would like to know more about me, click my About Me page.
*as of Jan. 2024
Another Year of living. Another year of life!
It was a year of chasing miles. Except for January 1 when I rode 40 miles, I was behind the eight ball until November 1 when I had my “Zero Day” (zero miles behind plan). Zero Day usually occurs in August or September.
A trip to Europe cost me both in miles and fatigue. Distance, that is a 10,000-mile year, was never a goal but has become one in the last six years. I will always be behind plan in the spring and usually don’t get ahead of plan until late summer. This year it came two months late, in part due to an illness in October.
Whether in France for the Cykelnerven event or at home training, I sacrificed going on longer rides for ones with climbs. I thought I was getting in shape, I wasn’t, and I wasn’t getting in the long-distance rides except for at least one metric century (62 miles / 100 km) every month. An unexpected medical issue has also derailed me.
I knew that when I got hit Zero Day on November 1 that to reach 10,000 miles it would take the biggest November I ever rode followed by the biggest December. I rode more than 1,000 miles in November and still needed 658 miles in December. But I battled through lots of cold gray days in December and rode 673 miles. I made my goal.
MY TOP TEN CYCLING MOMENTS/MEMORIES
(In no particular order)
10. DOUBLE VIRGINIA RIVER FERRIES. Every ride should have a ferry. Since we apparently lost the last one on the Potomac River three years ago, I found a couple of ferries in Virginia’s Northern Neck. And one was a ferry I had ridden back in 2007. I made a neat 55-mile ride out of Merry Point and Sunnybank Ferries. And I would go back.
9. TILGHMAN ISLAND. This is still one of my favorite rides. I only got to Easton, Md. twice but both were great rides and both included a douple ferry crossing on the Tred Avon River.
8. CURRITUCK SOUND. In a week of ferry rides, I went to Chesapeake, Va., and did a 50-mile loop that included the Currituck Ferry. This is another one of my favorite rides that includes Virginia Beach, Va. and parts of North Carolina.
7. CYKELNERVEN. So good that this one gets two entries – one for the entire event and one for the Col du Galibier. Four days of riding the biggest climbs of this year’s Tour de France. Extremely difficult. But four days of fundraising for the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. Every mile was difficult, at least the uphill miles, but I rode for something much bigger than me.
6. ZÜRICH. It wasn’t the riding that I wanted to do in Switzerland. But grandiose plans for a Swiss mountain adventure ended with a whimper and I ended up in Zürich for a day. An early morning rain shower prevented me from going to Luzerne but I was able to do a ferry loop in Zürich. I was surprised at the locals I met who didn’t know there was a ferry that crossed the lake. (5 CHF)
5. WILLIAMSBURG TO RICHMOND. This is a fun ride. Take the Amtrak from Richmond to Williamsburg and ride the Virginia Capitol Trail back to Richmond. I rode this twice this year. Fare: $12. Bike fare: $20.
4. A PODIUM AT ALPINE LOOP. For years a podium position at the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo escaped me. And this year I was so sick and weak that I almost skipped it. But I saved everything for a sprint segment and won my age group. Pretty cool.
3. DELAWARE BAY. In August I did a two-day ride from Lewes, Delaware. Day One was to Pennsville, N.J. crossing the Delaware at Pea Patch Island to Fort Mott, N.J. And Day Two was from Pennsville to Cape May, N.J., then I took the Cape May – Lewes Ferry back to my car. Two days, solo, at distance, with just enough intrigue and angst. Perfect.
2. ALLIGATORS EVERYWHERE. I love riding among these prehistoric beasts in the Everglades. I was able to ride the Shark Valley Loop on January 20 and again on November 14.
1. COL DU GALIBIER. In looking for iconic climbs in France I attempted to ride up the Col du Galibier from La Grave, France on July 19, 2011. A freak summer snowstorm turned me back. I was okay with never riding this monster because I had climbed the Col du Tourmalet, Alpe d’Huez, and Mont Ventoux – three climbs that I consider the most epic of the French climbs. Galibier would have been my fourth choice and I never thought I would get back to France. But on June 5 I found myself climbing to the top (the tunnel because the last 500 meters were still snowed in).
FREDERICK COUNTY
Frederick County, Maryland is one of my favorite places to ride, outside of Frederick City. Country roads and courteous traffic. Three covered bridges. Catoctin Mountains. I did some training there this year but only four trips total and none after May. It is such a great place to ride.
SKYLINE DRIVE
In preparation for riding in the Alps, I tried to use Virginia’s Skyline Drive as my training ground. I did not do well. One ride to Skyland from Panorma, the epic SkyMass Loop, and a final ride from Front Royal to Thorton Gap and back.
COOLEST SOLO RIDER
On my solo ride on Skyline Drive to Thorton Gap I caught a young man on a fully loaded bike. I first thought I would blow by him but then I decided to ride at his speed. Finn (finneganezer on Instagram) is a young man from New Jersey riding his bike from NJ to Argentina. As of Dec. 31 he was in Louisiana.
AVOID BRITISH AIRWAYS
That one time they lost my bike and deprived me of one week of riding in Switzerland. Yea, that. I booked my Europe flight on Iceland Air and flew through Reykjavík. My bike stayed at the airport as checked luggage and made it to Milan, Italy okay. I saw just enough of Iceland to know that I want to go back someday.
SCARIEST MOMENT
The dog. Always the dog.
FLAT RIDING
It’s hard to find a location that is completely flat. The Sea Gull Century (Salisbury, Md.) is pretty flat but I did not ride it this year. Shark Valley Loop in the Everglades National Park is very flat but it was also partially underwater in November. So the best flat riding I had was in July at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pa.
NOT JUST TIRED BUT WHOOP TIRED
FORE!
Or more like 21. That is the number of golf balls I picked up on my rides this year. All were near the Montclair Country Club.
HIGH ROCK
Located near PenMar in northern Washington County, Maryland, is High Rock. In 2009 I did a club ride to here called Happy Happy Pain Pain. Now with Strava I could ride it again and compare my time. It was awful. Ugh. I was determined to try again as training for France and came back with Tim. This time I took off on the segment and never felt tired. My Whoop quit showing me the segment before the end and I had to wait until after the ride to see that I smashed the climb. Twice more I was at the base of the climb but chose not to try again because my legs didn’t feel like they had a PR in them.
FIRST MONDAYS
Taking advantage of the senior discount on Mondays at Foster’s Grille in Manassas and the fact that I ride every day, I put out a group ride for Prince William Cycling Club for First Mondays. Usually, 3-4 people show up for a ride that might not otherwise do.
BIGGEST JAGOFF
Face it, cyclists are nice people. Usually. But there are jagoffs among us. In April I posted a club ride called SkyMass for the end of May. One week before my ride another club member took my post including my route and posted it as his own, albeit 30 minutes earlier. And he renamed it Skyline Ride. Eight riders who would have joined my ride showed up for his. The funny thing is they were 25 minutes late so they were busted in the parking lot. Jagoff!!
BIGGEST BADASS HIKERS
I was on the C&O Canal Tow Path near Harpers Ferry when I passed two women and then pass two more. These were four Mennonite women from Kutztown, Pa. walking (“hiking”) on the C&O Canal Towpath near Harpers Ferry, W.V. None of the gear the real hikers must have. Just tennis shoes, some with holes. They hired a driver to take them from Kutztown to PenMar which is where they began their two day walk. Took the Appalachian Trail from PenMar to Brunswick and then were going to Harpers Ferry on the C&O. They would take a train in the morning to D.C. and then to Philadelphia where their driver would pick them up and drive them back to Kutztown.
WORST GROUP RIDE
On June 23 our club held a ride near Great Falls on the C&O Canal Tow Path. When I arrived, 10 minutes before the start, all available parking was taken. It was a long way to drive and not have parking available. I left, watched my grandson’s baseball game, and the rode on the C&O from Brunswick to Harpers Ferry.
NOT CHASING KOMS
It was in 2021 that I went wild chasing KOMs (King of the Mountain segments although in reality most of mine are of the spring variety and not the hillcimb variety).
ROAD RAGE AVOIDED
In Naples, Fla., I was in the bike lane and passed by a car without incident. I didn’t notice until the car stopped in the right-thru lane about 100 meters ahead of me. Dead stop. Knowing I would have to ride past the car in the bike lane I stopped too – 100 meters back. I could see the driver motioning for me to keep riding. I did not. When he left I left. Then he stopped in the second lane. I stopped. I knew the traffic light 1/2 mile behind us would soon send three lanes of traffic which it did. He was forced to drive ahead. What was that? Probably nothing. Maybe he saw my Roosters Racing jersey and wanted to buy one. Who knows. My instinct told me not to ride past him. Very strange.
GONE FOREVER
Usually, when something is misplaced it will resurface. Not so my Tifosi sunglasses. I remember packing them in the bike case I sent to Europe but when I arrived they were not there. Not in my luggage either. Or backpack. Nowhere to be found. Maybe when I got home they would resurface. They never did. My Phil’s Fondo Gooder glasses got me through France and I ordered new Tifosi sunglasses when I got home.
BEST SMASHING OF MY KOM
An uphill segment on Rte 234/Dumfries Road, I had this segment for three years. I went 100% the entire way and may have been aided by a 30-mph (50 kph) or more, tailwind. I averaged 30.5 mph uphill and thought that it might stand for a long time, And then, on Nov. 5, it was smashed by someone who pedaled 77 mph (125 kph). Right? Hmm.
FUNNIEST MOMENT
Sticky bottle in France
CANCERVERSARY
I was able to celebrate my Cancerverary on November 9. I had ridden more than 113,000 miles since my new lease on life began back in 2009. But the celebration would be short-lived as I began a new chapter in my life and reset that counter back to zero.
NOT CHASING KOMs
It was three years ago that I targeted KOM (King of the Mountain) segments on Strava. I lost interest in targeting them although Strava said I picked up three this year. One was easy (sprint KOM), one was a revenge KOM (I didn’t like the person who took it from me), and the third one I am clueless.
IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
It’s always best to have a partner on those days you don’t feel like riding. For me it was Tim. We did 31 rides together. Some were just the two of us while others were club group rides.
THE STATISTICS
MORE NUMBERS
My rides automatically upload from my Wahoo bike computer to RideWithGPS and Strava. The distance traveled is generally the same but the elevation gain varies. One may use a altometric baramoter while the other uses altitudes of the maps. I don’t know which is which or care that much.
BIGGEST CLIMB
First day in France I climbed from Briachon to the summit of the Col du Galibier, descended to the climb of the Col de Vars. Both were HC (Hors Catégorie) climbs
LONGEST RIDE
The Horrible Hundred in Clermont, Fla. Almost 6,000′ of gain over 100 miles and many Floridians find it horrible.
CLERMONT, FLORIDA
The Horrible Hundred. “It’s only horrible if you miss it.” What is surprising about this ride is the elevation gain. Many Floridians who are flatlanders seem to be caught off guard by the never-ending rollers, and some steep (10-12%) but short hills. It is a tough course – 5500′ of elevation gain over 102 miles (164 km – 1,676m). By contrast, the MS-150 100-mile course in Loudoun Co., Va., is also 5500′ (actually 5800′) over 100 miles.
I first came here in 2016 and met my friends, John and Joe. In past years they haven’t joined me. Joe told me on Friday that he doesn’t ride much anymore.
You cannot arrive too early for the Hundred. Twice I’ve stayed in local hotels and that is the best arrangement so that on-site parking is not an issue. I stayed at the Home2Suites in Winter Garden which was 12-13 miles away via a straight shot on Fla. Hwy 50. It is six lanes with a small bike lane next to the curb. I did not want to ride that to and from the event. I drove it.
I grabbed breakfast at the hotel and made my way to the west side of town where I knew there would be municipal parking. Once I parked I went through the mental checklist of what I needed to take. This was similar to my pregame checklist as a soccer referee.
Bike. Inflate tires. Three lights, one front and two rear. Bluetooth speaker for the handlebars. Wahoo computer. Two bottles that I iced up at the hotel. Add water. Add Skratch drink mix to one. Four gels. Two chewable gels. Although there would be snacks on the course, I mostly prefer what I carry over what they serve, except for the fresh fruit.
Wrist band. I had been given one in yesterday’s packet to be worn on the ride as admission to the snack areas and for the post-ride meal. There was adhesive on one end that said to lift here. I did and whatever I tore removed the adhesive. Yikes.
I had parked beside where the course went and otherwise would have started there. No need to start at the beginning since it wasn’t a timed event that needed us to clock in.
I was one mile from the start and decided to ride there to the registration table and get a new wristband. When I went in, even before explaining my predicament, a woman held a new band over my wrist and affixed it. I think I was not the first person to have this trouble.
I proudly wear the team kit for Rooster Racing. Our motto is “Do Good, Ride Hard, and Live Well” which is on the back of my jersey. As one rider went by, he said, “Those are great words to live by.” Indeed they are.
The Roosters don’t have a large group but there are at least five in the Orlando area. On our team group chat, I invited them to join me on the Saturday group ride (free) or pay and ride the Horrible Hundred. None responded. None showed up.
Riding is more fun, sometimes, with people. Sometimes it’s more fun with alligators. Or bears. As I look to a possible Rooster event next year I am left wondering whether these are the people I want to ride with. They’re your best friends for one week and then don’t respond when you drive 1,000 miles and would like to ride with them. It feels fake.
I began the ride wondering what adventure lay ahead. I was a solo adventurer. At the start, a group of three asked me to take their photo. I did – maybe five or six from different angles. Plus one selfie. If you ask me to take your photo you always get a selfie.
A guy in my group from yesterday, Richard, recognized me and said hello. Today was his first century, and I eventually settled into shepherding him through the course. At times we stayed together. I rode ahead other times but would wait at major turns/intersections.
It appeared I was riding a faster pace on the flats but on the first hill we came to he blew past me. I had a bad Whoop Band score coming in, 28% recovery, and decided I would not press on any of the early hills. But I would catch him and we would ride together the entire day.
Richard has more melatonin than me. We talked about race and bikes and we both agreed we don’t see color on a bike. We see cyclists. We were in agreement that we were much better off before 2008 at not seeing color. Sigh. But today we were just two cyclists.
Richard started cramping around Mile 30. And then I remembered. There was one thing I forgot to bring and was still in the car – my magic anti-cramping potion – Hot Shot.
I didn’t have any cramps until leaving the rest area at Green Mountain at Mile 80. I stood as I was leaving (uphill) and my left hamstring seized. I settled it down but was cautious the rest of the way.
At 1:00 p.m. I used the Sirius XM app and streamed the Steelers’ broadcast to my handlebar speaker and listened to the Ravens-Steelers game. Steelers won 18-16.
When I finished I skipped the post-ride meal and just rode back to my car. And then drank a HotShot anti-cramp bottle. Done for another year. Tired.
DISTANCE: 102.3 miles
ELEVATION: 5830′
CLERMONT, FLORIDA
Since I first did the Horrible Hundred eight years ago, I have always enjoyed the Saturday “familiarization rides” even more than the Sunday main event. Saturday is for group rides and is more of a fun environment than a couple of thousand riders on the road on Sunday,
This year an email went out looking for volunteer group ride leaders and I answered. I was assigned the Cracker Cove group at 8:45 a.m. and looked forward to leading it. Instead, when I showed up I introduced myself to a woman who announced that she was the group leader along with a guy from Quebec. She would lead from the front and he would be in the back. I wondered what place I had in this group.
We rolled out and had gone about one mile. I was just a person in the group. There was a 9:00 group that went eight miles farther (42 vs 34). I announced my departure and went back to the start to join the 9:00 group. This was a smaller group, perhaps nine.
Once on the road, one leader was doing all the pulling. After about 10 miles I went to the front of the line and started working. Twice I dropped the group. Oops. When we pulled into a small park, Jeff asked me if I would join him and another rider for more miles. My Whoop Band showed a recovery score of just 30 and I told him I needed to stay with this group. They eventually peeled off to get more miles.
At times I was up front. At times I went to the back. I was having fun. Diane, a slim woman, was getting shredded in the wind and I dropped back to pace her. When she was looking for a shorter way back to start because she wasn’t feeling well I told her I would pace her. We would make it.
And that’s what’s nice about the group rides. No racing. Just having fun.
Back at the hotel long after the ride had ended, the director called to ask if we had an accident in our group. I told him that I bailed out and joined the 9:00 group So our group didn’t. I couldn’t say about the original 8:45 group.
We were never given assignments as to who we would be with. I felt completely useless in the original group, they had it covered. Maybe if we were all on a group text with assignments then things would have been different. But I helped a different group and no riders were harmed today.
And a final note. At least four of our Rooster Racing group live in this area. I invited them to join me today, no registration necessary. None showed. As I plan my future riding I have to remember that none of my friends showed up to join me in an easy ride. Fun day but disappointing.
THE EVERGLADES, FLORIDA
The Everglades is not a swamp but rather a very large slow-moving river. And sometimes it floods.
My plan for today was to ride the loop at Shark Valley four times. But I was in for a surprise. I rode out to the observation tower and saw a couple of patches of water crossing the road. I didn’t think much of it other than I didn’t see any alligators.
It is still the wet season, defined as May through November. Last month, two hurricanes hit Florida. During the wet season, there are plenty of places for animals to hide. In the dry season, fewer pools of water mean animals may be out more. That seemed to be the case today – water everywhere and it was hard to find a gator.
I made it to the observation tower without a single sighting. I talked with a couple who had ridden out there and they too failed to see an alligator. At this point, I was going to finish my loop and just get in my miles. The loop is 15 miles or 25 km so I could get in a 100 km ride.
But I was in for a surprise. Leaving the tram center the road was covered in water. It was, literally, a river, because the Everglades is a river. I went about two kilometers and the water seemed to get deeper. It was over the rims of the wheels, about two to three inches deep. It was eight miles back to the center to complete the loop. Without knowing how long I would be riding in the river, I turned around.
I warned a couple of cyclists headed towards the river with my recommendation. They also turned around.
Heading back to the tram center I saw two young women stopped and looking into the shallow river that is mostly grass. They found an alligator. ONE! My trip was saved.
They asked about the loop and I recommended they turn around at the observation tower. They were on rental bikes so getting those soaked was not as big a deal as getting my bike soaked.
It was enjoyable meeting them and I headed back to start. I passed a second alligator so my trip was starting to come together. Back at the tram center, I decided I would try to ride the full loop. The question was how far was the roadway flooded.
I had gone the first 2-3 miles on dry roads when I caught the Tour Mobile Tram. I think they were looking at an alligator so I stopped and took a photo. Maybe it was a rock.
I went another couple of miles and caught the tram again. I waited behind it and the guide announced to me that I should pass them as they would be there a while. As I passed I stopped and asked the driver where the road was flooded. He thought it was around Mile 10. I previously made it to Mile 9 and I decided I would try to ride through it.
Indeed, when I reached the flooded roadway I crept through it. And I could see on my Wahoo that I soon reached the spot that I had reached before where I turned around. This time I could continue through the flooded river and complete the loop.
I was on the backstretch, from the observation tower back to the tram when I caught up to the two young women I had met previously. They were from Poland, in Florida for a two-week vacation.
Some rides are about the miles. Some are about the climbs or the scenery. Today was supposed to be about the wildlife. But there were few alligators and the ride became about the company.
For the last five miles, I rode at the speed of Poland. These two young ladies, I never asked their names (I would forget even if they told me), were alligator whisperers. They seemed to find them where I missed them. But mostly, they were delightful to ride with. I forgot about riding for miles and just enjoyed the day. Thank you, my friends!
COCOA, FLORIDA
I came here last fall for the Intracoastal Waterway Century. I enjoyed it so much that I came back in January and rode a metric route (66 miles).
I hoped today that I would ride a metric century (62 miles) but the wind forecast was daunting. Winds were coming out of the east at 20 mph.
On top of that, I stayed at the wrong location. Twice I stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Melbourne-Viera and I thought I had booked to stay there again. Instead, I ended up at the Hampton Inn & Suites Melbourne. The properties were similar but my planned bike ride was not. I was 7-8 miles south of my starting point.
With the wind forecast, I modified my plan. I would start at the Rotary Park and ride the 11 miles to Cocoa. Then I would make a decision to do a metric or not.
At the park, it was very windy. You could hear the winds. I started out on familiar roads. Since I was mostly headed north the wind was a constant crosswind which made the bike difficult to control. I was next to the Indiana River and still saw some remnants of the damage left by Hurricane Milton.
When I reached Cocoa I looked at the bridge across the river. I thought about crossing it and making a loop with the Pineida Causeway. I took a distant look and really didn’t see a bike lane or shoulder. Just two lanes up and over. I decided not to go over the bridge.
Instead, I headed north. I came to another bridge crossing that I did not remember. It was not the one farther up that goes to the Kennedy Space Center. As a rider was coming south I waved him over for some local advice. He said not to take the highway and wasn’t sure one could. He did say I could take the one in Cocoa. I thanked him and kept riding north until I ran out of road.
Back in Cocoa, I wanted to eat at Murdock’s but when I arrived saw that it had temporary hours due to ADA and family matters. It wasn’t open. I decided to retrace my ride.
The ride southbound was just as difficult as riding northbound. The only difference was the wind was now coming from my left instead of my right, It was difficult for sure.
After the ride, I checked some heat maps of where cyclists ride. The Cocoa Bridge would have been okay. The next one north, call it the 528, would not. I saw no heat map rides. I’m assuming that it would be a very bad idea if not prohibited. But I may try the Cocoa Bridge the next time I’m here.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
DRAFT
This is one of my favorite rides, even though it doesn’t have a ferry. In a nutshell, take the Amtrak from Richmond to Williamsburg and then ride back to Richmond. My bike ($20) cost more than my fare ($12).
There was a crash on I-95 South near Quantico this morning. Waze took me out to Joplin Road before getting on the Interstate. My ETA for Great Shiplock Park was 9:48 a.m. The train was scheduled to depart at 10:03 a.m.
I passed the Richmond Main Station and saw plenty of parking available but at what cost? I always drive to Great Shiplock Park, a neat little park about one mile from the train station, for free. I arrived and went through my mental exercise. Bike computer, Speaker, Front light, Rear light. Garmin radar (rear). Two bottles. Ice. Water. Food in my pockets. Check air pressure.
I was out of the lot at 9:55 a.m. to make my 10:00 train. Four minutes and two seconds later I was in the building. Elevator to the second floor and out to the platform.
I asked the conductor which car and he said to pick one. I did and they did not have the bike “rack” set up. I leaned my bike on the bulkhead, preferring that to taking off a wheel and hanging it. From Richmond to Williamsburg is one hour and no stops so I knew more passengers would not be boarding the train down the line.
When the conductor came by he didn’t say a word, I suspect he didn’t want to change the luggage rack into a bike rack either.
I did a quick “tour” of Colonial Williamsburg and then found a course on my Wahoo and followed it. It featured some side streets which I don’t remember riding before but probably did.
The trail was thick with leaves in places which made seeing the trail difficult at times.
I rode into a strong wind the entire time.
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I stopped at Haupt’s Grocery in Charles City and got a chicken breast. I could tell I needed something although I had my pockets full of cycling food.
At Shirley Plantation, I came upon a cotton field. I didn’t know they grew cotton in Virginia.
Some of the trail is wooded which gave protection from the winds. Other sections were out in the open in which the wind and sun took it’s toll on me. It was 82 degrees today.
Arriving in Richmond I made my way over to Libby Hill Park. I was hoping to see if I could beat my PR on the climb but never could find my line. The cobbles will beat you up. I sucked today.
Notwithstanding not getting a PR at Libby Park, this is a great ride. Well, the winds weren’t my friends today either. But if you want to stay on a trail, you can ride traffic-free from the Jamestown Settlement 50+ miles back to Richmond.
There is a 6-7 mile ride from Williamsburg to Jamestown on the road but the last time I rode this I met a couple who took their bikes from the train in Williamsburg on a bus to Jamestown so they never rode in traffic. Not for me but that’s a nice way to do it.
EASTON, MARYLAND
The cool weather of the last week was a stark reminder that the seasons are turning. I had hoped to go to Jim Thorpe, Pa. for a ride on the Delaware & Lehigh Trail (D&L) but that will have to wait until next year. The weather forecast was absolutely beautiful for today and I got my car back after a week in the shop. Time for a road trip.
I was leaning towards making this trip but only if I woke up early enough on my own. And to get there at a decent time it has to be early. I don’t do alarms. When I woke up early the road trip was on. I headed to Easton, Maryland.
There was nothing unfamiliar about this ride. This would be the 11th time I have done some variation of this ride, all since 2022. I know these roads. I love these roads.
From Easton, one can ride to St. Michaels by “land” or by “sea.” My usual route had been to take St. Michaels Road out from Easton but in August and today, I decided to take the water route. I parked at Idlewild Park and rode straight to Oxford where I would board the Oxford-Belleview Ferry to cross the Tred Avon River.
Today’s route was simple. Ride to Tilghman Island and back. When I arrived in Oxford I saw the ferry about halfway across the river. It is a 10-minute crossing but when the ferry arrived the captain came off and walked to the restroom. The Talbot does not have a restroom onboard and captains have to pee too.
A very nice older man was the ticket taker. He had a cheat sheet of prices and before he could reach for it to see the bike fare I made it easier for him by giving him the $7 fare. He admired my bike and told me he just had service on his 1980 Trek. We chatted a bit about riding.
There were two cars on the boat going over to Bellevue. When we arrived a car that had been waiting on the Bellevue side started coming down the access pier to board the ferry. The problem was there were still boats on the ferry that needed to leave. The approach is one lane wide. The captain got off the boat and gestured for the driver to back all the way back to shore so we could depart. There is a sign at the entrance not to drive on until the cars have disembarked. Some people.
I rode from Bellevue out to St. Michaels Road. I discovered the shoulder had just been milled and sprayed with tar. That would not work. I could not ride on that. The road has wide shoulders on both sides so I rode on the left shoulder against traffic but only for about 300 meters until I found new pavement.
I was riding 100 km (62 miles) today and roughly 50 miles of that was on a wide traffic-free shoulder. The road from the ferry to St. Michaels Road is a 4.5-mile two-lane country road but always with light traffic. And on Tilghman Island the road becomes two-lane, but with super light traffic.
I changed the display on my Wahoo to not show speed. I wanted to ride without ever looking at how fast I was going. Today was a ride just to ride.
The choice of the day was perfect because of the weather. The downside was the Scottish Highlands Creamery was closed today. It’s always nice with 10 miles remaining to stop for ice cream.
When I arrived back at the car I stopped my Wahoo and uploaded my ride. I was surprised to see that I averaged 17.1 mph today. Solo. It was faster than when I rode in August.
I wanted to ride as fast as I did in August (17.0) but I never wanted to be watching my speed and thinking I needed to increase my pace. This was a relaxing ride and the higher speed made it even better.
HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA
It was a rough week with illness. I did no riding most of the week opting instead for heavy doses of Nyquil and daily naps. I didn’t think I would ride on Thursday but snuck in the Thursday evening club ride of just 15 miles. On Friday I rode with Tim but pulled the plug at 24 miles.
Yesterday was a private VIP ride with Jeremiah Bishop for top fundraisers for the Cancer Journeys Foundation / Prostate Cancer Awareness Project. I went from thinking I would miss the event early in the week to downgrading the distance I would ride. First I changed from 100 miles (Gran) to the Metric Century (65 miles/ Medio) and then I switched to the Valley View Adventure (36 miles / Piccolo).
I suffered on the VIP ride even though it was an easy-paced ride. I had ridden to the ride from my hotel in Harrisonburg so my final mile was uphill back to the Hampton Inn & Suites (University). I thought I might have to pull into a parking lot partway up the hill just to catch my breath.
I never thought about not riding today. The only question was how far. And did I want to change my ride category yet again? I opted for the shortest route, the Piccolo or Valley View Challenge (36 miles / 2600′)
At 8:00 a.m. I was called up to the front of the group for photos and the rollout. I’m always at the front as prostate cancer survivors are invited to come to the front. That means photo time as we roll out of town. I knew that Robert and I would be riding together on the Piccolo route. And as we rolled through town I willingly started slipping back through the group. And he slipped farther back.
Just two miles into the ride the route makes a sharp right turn onto Switchboard Road. The next six miles are on a narrow country road and a few hundred riders squeezed together create an accordion effect. It’s generally not an enjoyable experience. Actually, those eight miles are my least favorite miles of the route simply because the road is too crowded and some riders are a little too peppy.
Today I hung on the back of the group trying to gauge my breathing. If I needed to bail out early, I would. At the turn where the routes split, I stopped and waited for Robert and some other riders. Cool at the start I used the wait time to remove a T-shirt I had been wearing. I had been sweating and the cool mountain air felt good.
I went into today just wanting to enjoy the weather – the best ever in 14 years of the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo. This event supports prostate cancer and I saw it as fortuitous that my bib was #15 as next month I will be 15 years cancer-free.
It seemed in almost no time we reached the rest stop. I was truly caught by surprised that we were there that quickly. It’s not that we were riding fast, we weren’t, it’s just that the time flew by in conversation. This was also the starting point a mile down the road for a 22-mile loop. Fudge the math a little but this is the difference between the Valley Adventure ride and a Metric Century.
I had been chatting with a guy and he left the rest stop before we did stating, “I know you’ll catch up with me.” Well, no we won’t if you ride the Metric and we don’t which is what happened. Nice guy but I never saw him again.
My Whoop band had my recovery in yellow, the 12th straight day I have been unable to have a full recovery. But this was the first day in the last seven that I started to feel better. I thought about changing my route to the Metric, even on course, but I also worried that I might bonk around Mile 50. I didn’t know how one week of illness might affect me so I stayed with the shorter route. Plus I was enjoying the company.
I let myself think of one goal. There was a sprint section on course. Last year I had a sneak peek at it without actually racing it. I had gone for a timing chip at check-in but wasn’t doing the mountain route. I asked a volunteer if I needed one and they said I did not. Of course, they were wrong. But since I didn’t have a timing chip when I came to it I offered to pace a woman on my wheel and maybe help her get on the podium. She didn’t hold my wheel and I had a decent time but didn’t push it. But I thought my pace that day put me in the running if I would try.
I had dropped behind my group. I stopped on the one-lane bridge for a photo op. The group rolled ahead without me. I had no stamina. I didn’t expect that I would.
Being alone and not being distracted by a conversation, I was looking for the sprint start. It was well marked and almost invisible. There was a vertical banner flag marking it but if you weren’t looking for it you might not see it until crossing the timing mat that marked the spot.
I saw Robert and John about 100 meters ahead of me. I saw them cross the timing mat and both started their sprints. I ramped it up and took off. It was the best that I felt in over a week. Robert and John who had been 100 meters in front of me were a bit surprised when I flew past.
My feeling of strength would not last. The segment was 800 meters long and around 600 meters I faded badly. I wanted to get out of the saddle and spring the last 200 meters but coulnd’t stand. I just didn’t have it.
Yet, as I crossed the line I saw that I had set a PR on a similar segment on Strava so I thought I did okay. The exact timing of this segment was not a Strava segment. It was my best time on this segment. It wouldn’t be known until we finished how I actually finished compared to others.
A group of four of us came to Mole Hill. The climb before Mole Hill may have been tougher and I went up first and then waited for the others. Robert was taping and let those two go ahead. I wanted to go last and pass everyone on the climb. One of the guys was up the road by at least 200 meters before I hit the start line.
I took off and quickly passed my two rabbits up the road. I didn’t consider this as a KOM and didn’t go all out. I wanted the sprint segment and was happy with that effort. Robert said something about racing for socks so I knew a jersey wasn’t on the line. I was happy with my effort and know I could have gone deeper but why bother? I didn’t understand all that was on offer.
Back at the finish line I got a text that I was on the podium. Third, second, or first? When they announced the sprint results for 65-69 they called two names but not my name. And then I was in first. Nice.
There was a second podium for the Gran Fondo Series. I’m still trying to understand all the timing. When I got home I could see that not only did I win my age group, I would have taken second place overall with no age categories, losing only to a 45-year-old from Wisconsin.
I am pretty stoked about this PR / podium. I saw the sprint segment last year and perhaps in 2021. There was no event in 2022. I wanted to train for it but my illness kept me from training and from having the stamina necessary. I normally would be able to maintain my spring the entire distance.
While I am very happy for the podium I am also aware that this was in the Piccolo group, the shortest route available. Most stronger riders would choose a longer ride. So I went and checked my time against everyone in my age group in all the categories. I wish I could say I was first overall but I wasn’t. I was second overall. Second.
I am pretty happy about that. I also realized that my time was done after 40 miles in the legs and not 65 or 100 miles. I accept that. But it bodes well for next year and I will be changing age groups as well. Bring it on!
HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA
Today was a special day – the Alpine Loop Fran Fondo VIP Ride for top fundraisers. This event was on my calendar all year but as the time approached I did not feel well.
I had something respiratory that was bothering me. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent napping. Nyquill was my best friend. I wasn’t feeling like riding on Thursday either but by 5:30, I decided to try the Thursday Night Ride. It’s easier to push yourself to ride with friends. It went okay.
Yesterday Tim and I headed out to Bastable Mill Road for a 32-mile ride with bailout options. I chose one that cut it to 24 miles. I had no energy.
I had been targeting this event (tomorrow) for some age group KOMs. Those were now gone. My fitness was gone. It may have peaked in August with the ferry rides. I changed my registration for tomorrow from 100 miles to the Metric Century (65 miles).
Our VIP ride met at the bike shop. It was great to see Jeremiah and Erin as well as Robert, the founder of Cancer Journeys Foundation. We had nine riders for our VIP country ride. Harrisonburg is nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Skyline Drive to the east and the Shenandoah Mountains and the West Virginia state line to the west. While technically the Shenandoah Valley, this valley is anything but flat.
We rolled out and rode as a group. I was testing my fitness and failing. I’m not congested but never felt I could get a deep breath. I was short on nutrition this week – oatmeal was my dinner last evening. I needed to see how I felt for yet another decision.
As we rolled along, someone had a flat in the group. I convinced Robert to ride ahead with me and not wait with the group who was supervising the guy fixing the flat. I told him we would soft pedal while waiting for them but of course, I meant we would ride normally and still be caught. And we were caught.
The ride ended at the bike shop and registration tent. However, registration wasn’t open for another hour. I had ridden from my hotel and decided to ride back to the hotel. Normally I would ride back and then return by bike. But the climb back to the hotel drained me. I showered and then drove back to registration.
At registration, I was asked to confirm that I was going to ride the Metric course for tomorrow. I said to downgrade me again to the 38-mile route. If I had to I could ride the 65-mile route. But I would be going so deep on a depleted body that it would set my recovery back even further. I know things aren’t right because this is a ride I look forward to and I am dreading it. I need recovery which isn’t there.
Fingers crossed.
