Da George
TREXLERTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
This would be my last “training” ride before France, although training occurs over months and not a day or two before an event. This was just meant to be a fun day on the bike.
A FULL NARRATIVE WILL BE ADDED LATER. FOR NOW HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS
The Hincapie Gran Fondo Lehigh Valley was set to approximate a Spring Classic route. “We’re rolling the short climbs of Flanders, the smooth dirt sections of Strade Bianche, and the iconic velodrome finish of Paris-Roubaix all into one epic ride.”
It had short, steep, punchy hills (I saw 20% on one climb), 18 of them at least. It had gravel and dirt – none too dangerous for 32mm tires, and a finish on the velodrome. And being spring, it had rain.
It rained all night before the ride and was still raining when we lined up at 7:45 a.m. The rain ended at 9:45 a.m. The course was harder than I expected probably because I didn’t study the course. It had 4400′ of elevation gain over 55 miles (1351m / 89km).
After the ride I saw George Hincapie. He saw my jersey and aksed if that was the Alpe d’Huez on the jersey. I told him I didn’t know but that I was going over next week to the Pyrenee and will be climbing the Col du Tourmalet. He paused for a second and then said, “That one is tough.”
Indeed, George, Indeed.
Delaware and Lehigh
JIM THORPE, PENNSYLVANIA
What a beautiful place this Jim Thorpe is. It was not the start I wanted but it was a beautiful ride and a great day on the bike.
I parked in Lehigh Gorge State Park to meet a shuttle, although the shuttle was a no-show. There are companies, including the train, that will take a cyclist and their bike 30-35 miles into the gorge so they can ride back to Jim Thorpe. The trail, alongside the Lehigh River, trends downhill, as much as 3-4%.
I wanted to ride the entire distance but didn’t have time for 70 miles out-and-back, so the shuttle would have been a great option. It just didn’t materialize.
From the park I took the road, not the trail, into Jim Thorpe. I knew that I would be returning via the trail.
I took the main road back into Jim Thorpe and admired the architecture. I would call it Victorian although former resident Hans Egli identified Federalist, Greek Revival, Second Empire, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, and Richardsonian Romanesque. It is beautiful for sure.
Riding into Jim Thorpe the train station immedialty captured my attention. I stopped and admired the building and saw a bike rental across the street.
I decided to explore the town a little bit although I really wanted to ride on the trail. I only went two blocks and it looked like the road seriously turned up to escape the valley. I didn’t want serious climbing to be on my plate and turned around.
Back at the train station I decided I would take the trail to the next town, Lehighton, if it wasn’t too far away. The bridge over the Lehigh River is beautiful in its own right and I stopped and watched a man doing some fly fishing in the river.
The trail was paved for a few hundred meters and I hoped for good luck in that it would be paved for miles but my luck ran out. It is a stone crushed limestone surface easily ridable on my road bike.
I track my biometrics using my Whoop band and when I woke up this morning I saw that my body’s recovery was in the red. Badly. That was my warning to go easy today and maybe even take a day of rest. Tomorrow is the Hincapie Gran Fondo so light riding was all I should do. That was the reason I decided not to ride into the gorge and back.
It was a day of exploring. Going slow. Enjoy nature. The trail hugs the river on one side and the old canal on the other.
Driving in this morning I passed a caboose in Lehighton and wanted to explore the trail near there. It was four miles (6 km) from Jim Thorpe to Union Hill, a small town across the river from Lehighton.
Once on the other side of the river in Lehighton I looked to see if a trail continued ob this side of the river to Jim Thorpe. It does not although the road does. I had drive it this morning and remembered it was two lanes without a shoulder. I thought of just taking the pavement back to Jim Thorpe but then decided to head back on the trail the same way I came. I think that was wise.
Just easy pedaling although now I was going against the river and terrain. I was going back every so slightly uphill.
Back at the train station I was intrigued with the Bike Train option. That would not be an option for today but perhaps for a second trip.
TripAdvisor is your friend. Mostly. I did not use it and found a shuttle online. They were a no-show and later I would read about 1/5th of his reviews were one-star, often because “I couldn’t give it zero.” When the owner agreed to refund my booking less a 10% booking fee, I was satisfied. When he hadn’t done it within a week and I informed him it would be simpler for me to dispute it, he went off on me. “May the best man win.” LOL
My charges were 100% reversed.
The train still looks like a great option except all bikes seem to be stacked without padding in one of two gondolas. Note to self: take the Checkpoint.
The train – bike option is available one weekend a month. I may still try this option.
The New Western Maryland Rail Trail
HANCOCK, MARYLAND
Twenty-five years ago, this was a premier paved rail trail. Created in two sections, the older one ran 10 miles from Big Pool to Hancock, Md. Eventually, the western portion expanded and the difference in the pavement between the two was striking. The eastern portion was rooted, while the western portion was smooth asphalt.
But Mother Nature slowly overtook the western portion, and by 2024 there were long sections that were almost unridable, the pavement was so bad. Not potholes or decaying pavement. But rather, tree roots working their way up to the surface of the trail.
I would ride the trail often as Hancock was a convenient place to ride when I drove to Pennsylvania to visit family. But I rode it less frequently in recent time because of the many roots. When I did ride I worried about damaging my bike. If I didn’t see a root it would hurt my hands as well. It’s a beautiful trail, but it had becomeunridable in 2024.
In late Fall 2024, the entire trail was repaved. I discovered this last month and began planning a road trip for myself. I opened it up to the Prince William Cycling Club and had four people join me on a beautiful sunny day.
We met at the Park and Ride lot on Main Street, which is at Mile 9. We could have parked at Big Pool, Mile 0, but I wanted a bailout option for riders who may not want to do a 27-mile out-and-back from Big Pool. By starting riding west, it would be 18 miles or 36 total for those who wanted a shorter day.
Parking at Mile 9 gave us another benefit. On our way back through, we all stopped at our cars. For some, it was to grab another gel or more water for their bottles. For me, it was also to offload clothes, arm warmers and a t-shirt.
The weather started out nice, although a bit cool. It was in the mid-50s. We started west and stopped at Mile 20 for a natural break. There was a port-a-john in pristine condition. After a short break, we continued on the trail to the diversion point.
The trail continues to Mile 27 at Little Orleans, Maryland. However, if one wants to get there, they have to ride two miles on the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal tow path. To continue straight would be to go through the Indigo Tunnel which is not open and doubtful will ever be opened. It is home to eight different species of bats including the Maryland state endangered small-footed myotis and the federally endangered Indiana bat. The Indigo Tunnel has been identified by Maryland Department of Natural Resources as one of the largest bat hibernacula in the state. (Source: www.canaltrust.org)
At Mile 24 there is a ramp that takes the WMRT users over the C&O Canal to the tow path. The tow path in this section that it shares with the WMRT has a packed crushed limstone surface. For those with a fear of gravel or dirt there’s no need to fear. It’s actually an enjoyable ride.
The distance of the trail detour is a little more than two miles. Another ramp leads to the last finished section of the trail at Little Orleans.
We went to the end of the trail. I looked at that beautiful trestle and imagined how nice it would be to put a deck on it. It would become a destination trail just for that trestle. Hopefully some day.
We turned around and discussed taking the High Germany Road back instead of the C&O. Stewart joined me although I couldn’t hold his wheel up the hill. Too much winter eating for sure.
We regrouped at the parking lost at Mile 22 and rode back to the parking lot at Mile 9. Everyone was able to grab something for the next 18 miles – an out and back to the trail start at Big Pool.
Passing over the Tonolay Creek at MP 8, we noticed the decking appears rotted in some sections. It is the only place on the trail one needs to exercise caution.
It was a nice ride down to the eastern end of the WMRT. On the way back I was able to organize our group of five into a chain gain, or a rotating pace line. You can’t do this on open roads because of traffic but the trail was so lightly traveled that we could take up most of the trail. Only when someone appraapproached did we go into single file.
It was a beautiful day on the bike.
Just six days later I went back. My plan this time was to take Old US 40 over Sideling Hill Mountain, climb to Town Hill. From there it was mostly downhill to Little Orleans.
I stopped at Bills and noticed it was closed and for sale. But the closure seemed to be just limited days or hours and had nothing to do with the sale.
I got on the trail looking forward to completing a metric century (100 km or 62.14 miles). I went the first mile to the Indigo Tunnel then took the ramp to the C&O Towpath. There were no indications of why lie ahead.
Shortly after getting back on the WMRT at Mile 24 I noted a tree had fallen and broke a fence. But it had been removed. I kept going.
Within the next half mile I notice branches and twigs on the trail although half seemed to have been cleaned. I soon came up a crew blowing off the debris. There was a tractor with a blower followed by two guys in a work cart. Then they came to a stop. There was a tree blocking the enrtie path.
I carefully passed them then dismounted and carefully ducked under the fallen tree. I started to ride but 100 meters ahead were two more fallen trees. And so it went.
I had no choice. The old railroad bed was the only direct path between Little Orelans and Hancock whish is where my car was parked. Maybe the C&O Tow path was a more viable option but it, too, may have had fallen trees. In all I counted more than 50 trees that were fallen. I dismounted and went over, under, and in one case, around the trees.
When I got back to my car I decided to ride to Big Pool and finish my metric. I had only gone one mile when I came to another downed tree. In Hancock I stopped at the bike shop and was told all the trees were on the western portion. But that information was wrong.
I was tired from going through all the trees. A cyclist was walking past the downed tree and I asked him if that was the first downed tree. He told me there were many ahead. I decided that it wasn’t worth it to continue to Big Pool.
He was Mike from Williamsburg. Recently retired he just took up cycling and was riding the TransAmerica Trail to Oregon. We rode into Hancock and I took him another two miles on the road past the trail. Then turned around and wished him luck as he continued to his campground. I’m not sure how his body will hold up riding 60-70 miles every day but hope he rides into shape.
The trail had been hit with a small tornado. Or wind sheers. It is beautiful and has a great surface. Go visit if you can.
Protected: Thoughts on the Last Time
One Last Time – France is Calling
Sixteen years ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. When I was diagnosed I did two things: (1) I started visiting doctors and studying my options – I had five “second opinions” and (2) I booked a cycling trip to France the next year as my recovery goal.
In 2010 I made it to France. I was on a TrekTravel trip and we spent most of the week riding in the Pyrenees while following the Tour de France before going to Paris for the last day of the Tour. I never thought I would return.
Last year I traveled to the French Alps to do a fundraiser for the MS International Federation (MSIF). I thought my time of climbing mountains was over but I am going back for one last time and hanging up the climbing and fundraising events. And this time I do mean it. Those riders next to me keep getting younger. And it’s more with dread or angst this time instead of excitement.
So one last time I come back and ask for donations. I am thankful for each person last year and every person over the years since 2009 who has donated to my many cancer and MS rides. I will give you the first opportunity should you want to help. I appreciate the past donations and I appreciate you.
https://www.cycleforms.org/fundraisers/barrysherry/cycleforms-us-2025
June 10-15, 2025
A Perfect Day for a Ride
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
So tired of winter and the forecast for this week was in the 60s. I wanted a nice place to ride and thought of Richmond. The ride is from Williamsburg to Richmond but to get there one needs to take the train from Richmond to Williamsburg.
I’ve done this ride four times previously. My routine is to park at Great Shiplock Park which is one mile from the train station. Bike over to the station, board the train, then relax for the one-hour ride to Williamsburg.
Today was different. It was a warm winter day but the temperature was still 54° (12.2°C) when I was leaving the car. I noticed a young man, homeless-looking, walking around in bare feet. He wasn’t begging but rather was just wandering.
I approached him and asked if he wanted some food. I didn’t have much to offer. I had the gels that I would carry in my pocket for the ride back. But I had a bag of potato chips from Chick-fil-A and I offered him those. He took them. I had an extra bottle of water – I was planning to carry one in my pocket in addition to the two bottles on the bike – so I offered him a bottle. Then I looked at the brownie I bought as a treat for after my ride. I gave him my brownie tool.
As he sat on the curb, bare feet and all, I kicked off my Adida flip-flops and gave those to him as well. He was a bit reluctant but then I noticed his feet. He said they were 12 1/2 but I think they could have been bigger. My sandals would be too small. So he gave those back to me. I wished him well and a good day as I pedaled off to the train station.
The train looked relatively empty. I know the process and found a conductor near the rear of the train who told me that the coach car had a bike rack in the back. All the cars had a rack in the back. When I got to the rack it was in luggage mode. There was a large open area in front of the seats and I chose not to rearrange the rack. I leaned the bike against the bulkhead and expected I would get no pushback. That was especially true when no conductor came through the car and checked my ticket during the one-hour ride to Williamsburg.
For today’s ride, I mapped out to do some sight-seeing in Colonial Williamsburg and a slightly different way to Jamestown. Note to self: The Colonial Parkway surface is very rough.
The ride was uneventful. I stopped at MP 13.5 on the trail. Called the BreezIn, this convenience store/gas station has only been open one year. One advantage over Haupt’s Country Store which is 6.5 miles farther is that they have indoor seating for eating. I ordered a corndog and while it was made fresh, the hotdog inside was cold, almost frozen. The man who deep-fried it was very apologetic and made me another one. It too was cold inside. When he asked me about it I was honest but told him not to make a third. In all, I spent 20 minutes at the store. He was surprised that I was biking “all the way” to Richmond. He may not have worked there long because this sits on the trail that goes from Jamestown to Williamsburg.
I was watching the trail mile markers and calculating what I needed for my Metric Century. Rather than stay on the trail I had mapped a road route closer to Richmond through the Richmond Battlefield Park. It probably only added two miles but riding on the road while more dangerous, is also a bit more fun.
My legs were spinning but I could also feel the body starting to fade. My winter riding did not keep me in cycling shape and the body was wondering why I was riding 63 miles today.
The last three miles are all downhill with a flat section next to the James River at the end. The elevation isn’t much, 2000′ over 63 miles, but there is a very gradual climb leaving Jamestown which makes sense because the James flows from Richmond to Jamestown.
Arriving back at the car I saw the homeless man, Jamie, and greeted him warmly. It had been six hours. He was still in bare feet. He walked over to me and offered me some sunflower seeds. He apologized as it was all he had and he wanted to give me something.
I had packed a cooler with two bottles of Coke Zero. One for refreshment and one to enjoy on the ride home. I asked Jamie if he liked Coke Zero and he was glad to accept one of them. I guess I would have one for the ride home. And it was okay.
It was hard to go out and ride a Metric after not much riding the past two months. We had a couple weeks of a deep freeze. But today was one of my better days. My effort as measured by Whoop was 20.5 – anything above 20.0 is near max. It was a perfect day for a ride.
Reflections on the Year – 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 the plan until late summer. This year it came two months late, in part, due to 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 for climbing the Alps, 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.
But how about the rest of the year?
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 the 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 double 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 three 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 this year 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.
MOST OVER-HYPED PRODUCT
Slime self-sealing tubes. Slime in a tubeless tire works great, so I thought I would try the slime tubes. They are heavier than normal and almost immediately coagulated in a spot, so the tires did not spin freely but with a bounce to them. If they were car tires we would add a weight to counter balance the wobble. The bike never felt or handled right while they were on my bike. When I took them off, it was like riding a new bike again. I would go with Slime for my tubeless but not the Slime tubes. And I don’t know if they prevented any flats.
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
MOST INTERESTING FIND
I find a lot on my rides, especially golf balls. Some coins here and there. But on Christmas Eve, there it was – wrapping paper. It was still shrink-wrapped and was in the curbside gutter so out of the reach of car tires – but not out of the reach of my hands.
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) and the other two were KOMs of one – I was the only one to attempt the segment. Oh well.
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 an altometric barometer 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, and then 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.
Words to Live By
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′
Almost a Ride Leader
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.
