LAMPASSAS, TEXAS
I arrived yesterday in Killeen, Texas. I assembled my bike and went for a 17-mile ride – until it was dark. Everything was working fine. Electronics (toys) were fully charged and I got a good night’s sleep. Not waiting for the hotel’s breakfast at 7:00 a.m., I grabbed a quick breakfast and drove to Lampasas. I arrived one hour before the start which allowed me to check-in and RELAX.
Lampasas is a pretty Texas town. Lots of old buildings and murals. I decided to ride around the town looking at the old buildings. It was the most prepared I have ever been before an event.
It dawned on me I had no one to ride with. No problem. I do 50-mile solo rides all the time. Plus this one had rest stops. I would do just fine.
At the start line, the 2019 Texas 4000 team rolled out followed by T4K alumni. Then VIP riders followed by the 50-milers then the 25-milers. I was taking photos of the roll-out, about 200 yards on-course, so I jumped in where I thought the 50-mile riders were because it was not clearly delineated as the riders rolled by.
It was a slow roll-out and I thought that I was in with the 25 milers. I eventually started passing people until I hit my pace. And then I found myself behind three women riders from Rice University. I had to jump in with them at least for a little bit. I am friends with their friend, Mary Natoli, and when I introduced myself, these riders remembered me from last year.
Last year was basically awful. I was two weeks removed from a severe concussion. I was out of shape and it was very hot, at least 10 degrees hotter than today, which was hot. I cramped severely the last 10 miles. I had also been on the front with the Rice U. team for a good part of the ride and that probably contributed to my cramping. Today I would take it easy.
I rode with three of the Rice team to the first rest stop. The fourth, Alix, had stopped for a saddle adjustment and her teammates were content to wait for her at the rest stop and regroup there.
Lactic acid is not my friend. Young people can take a long time at rest stops. I cannot. If I wait too long the lactic acid will build up and my legs will be shot for the next five minutes or so. Before they were ready to roll out I decided I would go ahead and soft-pedal – let them catch me. They didn’t.
I came to a section with fresh oil. I had decided earlier that if I saw fresh oil I would turn around rather than subject my bike to those conditions. But I rode carefully and got the sense that the sign is up but construction had yet to begin. I got through the section at Mile 15. I turned back about a quarter-mile to see if I would intersect the Rice team. I did not.
But I noticed that I noticed my rear derailleur had stopped working. At all. I was stuck in one gear. I was riding a single speed. I kept going to the next stop. When the Rice riders arrived I told them that I was not being anti-social for riding ahead without them – I was riding a single speed and didn’t know if I could hang with them.
We rolled out from the rest stop and were joined by a 2009 T4K alum – who happens to be married to one of the women I was riding with. We sat in behind two of the women, one was his wife, for a while until they insisted we pull. So we did and I was at the same point I was last year – working too hard. And on a single-speed.
We got to the rest stop with 12 miles to go. We slow rolled out of there and hit the rollers. I was fine. Feeling good actually. We stopped at five miles to go for Gatorade and a dog, a Boston Terrier named Copper.
Rolling out, Alix Macklin was left behind. I saw her back, way back, and decided to drop back and ride with her. I had hoped we could close the gap to the group but we simply maintained the gap. So Alix and I rode together the last five miles.
Other than the mechanical, it was a truly enjoyable day. We ended at the Atlas lunch and I never saw them again. But I had the best teammates for a ride where I didn’t think I knew anyone.
At lunch, I found two T4K riders for this year including Adelyn Yau from the Rockies team. I was looking for Keila Garcia, my pen pal for this year’s ride. I never introduced myself to Adelyn until after she made contact with Keila. When I told her my name was Barry she said “You are her pen pal” (and then said it’s a good thing I didn’t tell her earlier). We hooked up. Keila was surprised to see me and I was glad to meet her. She confessed she is not a cyclist but is on the trip for the mission. She has her head on straight. Godspeed Keila. You will make a difference.
EDIT/EPILOGUE
I left the Atlas ride and headed to my hotel in North Austin. I did a search for bike shops and found Bicycle Sport Shop on Palmer Lane. Late in the day, they told me to bring my bike in. Sam Legge ran some diagnostics and found the wire from the shifter to the junction box had been inadvertently tightened with the bar stem – so it worked for a while in Texas, about 35 miles, then was broken completely.
Sam did not have the right size wire and called his other stores. We were looking at having it delivered on Sunday, actually, I volunteered to pick it up from one store and deliver it. But he put a longer one on there and got the bike working. He worked past closing and got my bike back on the road. I highly recommend this place.
