HOLLIDAYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
Yesterday was a day of riding solo. My one attempt at riding in a group had a brief discussion that I initiated.
“Where’s your group from?” (To the Old Men on Bikes)
“Bedford County”
“Well you know these roads. Have you ridden over Locke Mountain?”
“No”
End of discussion. It was going nowhere.
So I ended up riding solo. Knowing I should let a group catch me, part of me thought what was the use. No one was talking except to their friends and I brought no one.
No one asked me about my bib for Bethany, although at the finish I did talk with Ellen Kovacevic about her. We also talked about her and her husband’s recent trip to France with Trek Travel.
Today I started DFL (that means last). Actually, I was last of the riders lined up at 7:00 a.m. to ride. A few may have jumped in after the 7:00 start.
We had rain from 4:00 p.m. yesterday until about 6:00 a.m. this morning. While the forecast was hopeful (15% chance of rain), the roads were wet at 7:00 a.m. It was 55 degrees and I didn’t even think to bring arm warmers. It’s summer. I did have a rain jacket which I put on though.
At the back the group spread out. I “sat in” for four miles until I was finally able to make my way to the front of this back group and go off the front. Of course, all the fast riders and groups were already gone.
I rode on the wet roads, a bit fearful at times. I passed the first rest stop, motoring on to the second one at Camp Kanesatake outside of Spruce Creek. It was 18 miles in before I saw the first section of dry pavement. It would be cloudy, and windy, the rest of the ride, but we were done with the rain.
At the rest stop I was served ice cream by the two Dairy Princesses from Huntingdon County, Brooke Emery and Mikara Anderson. I really enjoy seeing the kids (although Brooke is 21) supporting agriculture. The ice cream, mint chocolate chip, was delicious.
On the road I was solo again. Shortly after leaving camp, I caught and passed five riders then settled in. I was catching no one and no one was passing me.
I rolled by the lunch stop and saw no one ahead of me the rest of the day. It was almost my personal ride. In truth, there had to have been riders in the first group that weren’t delayed for four miles that did the same thing and were already finishing.
When I was in Altoona, I saw three riders come from another street and get ahead of me. “They cut the course,” I said to myself. I didn’t understand it but when it was raining I thought about the short way to Tyrone to just get to the finish. Ultimately I decided to ride the course as designed, in part so the volunteers didn’t lose track of helping us if we needed it.
Our “normal” return in Hollidaysburg was blocked off by road construction. We were diverted for a mini Tour de Hollidaysburg. It didn’t seem we had to see the downtown but I wonder if the organization wanted us to see Hollidaysburg or for Hollidaysburg to see us. Either way, it was a great choice.
At the finish it was shower, eat (alone) then hit the road. Another MS ride done but I will seriously consider other (closer) events for the future. It was strange connecting with no one.
