BluesDawg

I joined a few of my BRAG buddies (most of them 50+) this weekend on the 3 day Spring Tune Up Ride put on by the organization that does the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia. The ride is held in Madison GA and features rides of several distances each day on the areas great roads with little traffic, long flat sections and rolling hills. There is a century option on Saturday.

We arrived at various times on Friday and took an afternoon ride to nearby Rutledge for sandwiches at a great sandwich shop. The roads were almost flat and we had a fun 30 mile paceline ride. We spent the rest of the day catching up and telling old stories in camp while drinking a few beers then had a good supper at a local restaurant before heading to our tents for a cool night's sleep.

On Saturday, I woke up early, got dressed and had a good breakfast before heading out on the century ride. My friends had no intention of riding a century and did the 36 mile route a little later. My start was delayed a few minutes as I had to fix a flat front tire. A tiny speck of glass had worked its way through the tire and punctured the tube. Not swayed by what could have been viewed as a bad omen, I started my ride.

There were many riders out on the roads (over 800 on all the routes) so I was seldom out of sight of other riders, though I did not find anyone riding my pace to share the work. Everyone was either faster or slower than I wanted to ride. The wind was very light in the morning, but right around noon a front moved in and the wind was blowing hard. From about mile 45 to 70, the wind was brutal and I was working hard to go at much slower speeds than I was doing earlier on similar roads.

After a long rest stop at 70 miles, the wind calmed down a little and I was feeling stronger. Then there was a detour for a closed road and the road markings and directions were very confusing. After several wrong turns and stops, staring at the map, I found a marked route and followed it on some rough roads back to the original route. Somewhere along the way I missed a split and wound up on a shorter route. When I got to the final rest stop, I realized I was 10 miles short, so I headed 5 miles out on a nearby familiar road and then came back, adding the missing miles and then headed in to finish the ride with 101 miles.

This was the first time I had ridden a century since BRAG of 2008 - right after discovering I had throat cancer and before starting treatments. I have been working my way back into long rides, but had not done anything over 70 miles. I am happy to say that I had plenty of strength and energy for the ride. I was tired, but never felt like I couldn't go on. I'm back.
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/32279#

This was also the first time I rode a century on any bike other than Ribby, my '92 Bridgestone RB-1. Since building up Butternut, the Salsa Casseroll, Ribby has been fine tuned for shorter, faster rides. The Casseroll proved to be a very capable century bike. It is a little slower on climbing due to being a few pounds heavier, but the gearing allows climbing steep hills steadily if not speedily. But the best thing about the bike is the comfort. The steel frame, long chainstays, slightly relaxed geometry and 28mm tires and carefully adjusted fit combine to make a bike that just seems to eat up miles while being very easy on the rider. I have never felt less pain during and after a century. I am very pleased with the bike.

Sunday we broke camp before heading out for a fairly easy 26 mile ride that helped keep my legs loosened up after the big day before. We stopped at an unofficial rest stop where a cow rancher made Bloody Marys for any rider who wanted one. Yet another first!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluesda...60906991/show/

My friends and I, ready to roll.


A passing group heads for the horizon.


Caught by the photographer.


This rider must be training for the pie ride with this apple pie a la mode.


I rode 101 miles for this cheap rag?

billydonn

I enjoyed that... thanks! Riding a bike you've designed yourself adds to the fun, I'm sure.

Beverly

Thanks for the report, BD. WTG on the century ride

Louis

Good stuff.

You're back, that's for sure, and probably stronger than ever.

Ever think about comin' north to Finger Lakes...'round about mid June?

Just askin'.

Mojo Slim

I enjoyed the slide show. Ain't ridin' fun?

doctor j

Nice report, and congrats on the good ride, Dawg.

Terrierman

Fine read there BD, I am thankful that you are healthy and riding centuries again.

George

Way to go Dawg, how much do you weigh now. I finally got down to 190# and I think I'd like to lose 10 more. You look pretty good. Every time I start getting over 50 miles, my arthritis starts talking to me. I hope it's just a weather thing. Anyhow your going to town man, good luck on the BRAG.

BluesDawg

Thanks, everyone. Crossing the 100 mile mark has been an important goal of mine, psychologically. Glad to have it behind me.

@Lewis, I'm afraid the Finger Lakes trip is not in the cards. I would really like to go and meet everyone, but traveling that far just presents too many logistical problems for me and the family. I have decided to ride BRAG that week.

@George, I am back at my old fighting weight of 175 lbs. In regaining weight after the illness, I actually overshot my goal over the winter and had to work to lose a few pounds. I am eating much healthier food these days than at any time before in my life. I like this weight a lot better than where I had been at 200 (but I'd take either over the sickly feeling at 150).