Finally getting close as in 12 days away. Unlike last year where I heard about the ride 10 days before and just had to go so a last minute sign-up, I've had a year to think about riding it again. Have actually done some hilly riding around Clermont to get ready for Six Gap and Horrible Hundred.

Hoping for a bit nicer weather than last year and looking forward to some excellent SAG stops. Set up with 53/39 and 12/28. Big group from LBS should be there again.

Anybody else riding it???

You'll be joined by a bunch of my riding peeps from Birmingham, but not me. I get tired of chasing them down after they run away from me going uphill .

Enjoy

Just catch them on the down hill!!!

Your 39-28 low gear is about the same as a 34-25. A lower gear would be helpful.

Did the ride last year with 10 days notice but this time I have been getting ready for it. I am a lot more prepared for the climbing and hoping to stay out of the 28 and go only with the 24.

I will be there.

Latest recon from the Gaps is that Hogpen is freshly paved this week (smooth and fast, with plenty of traction). Fuel is spotty around Atlanta, but with the pipeline bypassed it will probably smooth out by the weekend. Temps are warm, so be hydrated.

I JUST heard this AM about the new pavement!!! We have 12 guys heading up there for 50 and 100. At least the starting temperature should not be in the 80's like here.

Hitting the road soon so Dahlonega in about 12 hours!!!! Looks like GREAT WEATHER!!!! Everybody have a fantastic ride!!!!

So, how was it?

AWESOME!!!! CycleNorthGeorgia.com Home of the Six Gap Century

Weather was fantastic, upper 60'sF at start into the 80'sF. 1.5 mile biking to start from hotel room. Bike was equipped with lights as per Ga. law. At turn into start a police officer warned another rider that next year they will ticket those who ride to start without lights on the bike. BTW, the 1.5 mile ride to the start had more climbing than a 100 mile ride here in SW FL.

Met up with the group of 11 other riders from our LBS, one being a gentleman who has ridden the Double Triple Bypass. https://www.granfondo.com/events/tri...9/2055/cycling The plan was to stay together until climbing started but as a climber he took off immediately. After 5 miles I started to pull away just to maintain my groove.

I went into the ride with 2 goals. 1st was to ride the 53 chainring until the top of Unicoi Gap and 2nd to be the first to finish. I did not do any sag stops until Unicoi at mile 46.6 and stayed in the 53 using the 28 only occasionally so at the almost half way point goal #1 was accomplished. During the first section I managed to catch the other rider from our group but left him after Neels Gap. I was getting ready to leave the Unicoi Sag and he pulls up so I waited for the 5 minutes for his stop and we headed out for Hogpen. Didn't take too long into Hogpen and I pulled away to stay in my groove now making use of the 39 tooth chainring. Topped Hogpen bypassing the midpoint sag and 2 more sag stops to the finish.

Finished in 7:13 total time out with 6:50 moving time so I was very pleased. Managed a 277 gender place out of 800+ overall and 43 in age group 55 to 90 being 66yo. In 10 days I have a total joint replacement of my right shoulder that will make my biking much more pleasurable. After I topped Hogpen the shoulder was reminding me of its bone on bone condition with continuous pain and my right knee started to act up also.

Next on my list is Horrible Hundred in Clermont in November, Sebring 12/24 Hours in February with goal of 300+ miles then Cross Florida in April.

Congrats on the ride.

I don't remember if I asked this, but is a sports medicine doc taking care of the shoulder? I've had rotator cuff surgery on both of my shoulders and a sports med doc took care of both. Minimal off the bike time and my shoulders are doing way better than friends who went to an ortho doc. They were told not to do any arm or shoulder movement for 2 months. My sports med doc had me in physical therapy the morning after the surgery. My friends — well 15 years later they can't get their arms above shoulder level. Me — I have full movement of both arms.

Best of luck with the surgery.

Awesome ride. The guys I ride with here finished closer to 8 hrs, so I'da been well in back of you @ just over 7. Maybe one year I'll give this thing a try.

Doc is Advanced SportsMedicine Center Sarasota, FL | Dr. John T. Moor, MD . He said the surgery will be 1.5 hours, and rehab starts immediately. This is used to reduce healing time.... DonJoy IceMan CLEAR3 | DJO Global and I'll be back on my bike in short order. He was VERY up front telling me how much free movement I will have after. Due to my overall issues it should be around 85% of full BUT THE PAIN should be gone!!!!


Make it next year!!!! It was a blast and my time would have been better had I used the 39 chain ring from the get-go and had I not dropped my chain going up Woody Gap.

Sounds like you had a great time. I an sure you did just fine with your equipment choices but your mechanic wild love you to use that small chainring more often. Keep in mind 53/25 is nearly identical to 39/19 or 18 but the chain line is much better. Now that you proved to yourself you can do it take care of your equipment. I am sure unless you are a lot lighter than me then much lower hearing overall would be very helpful as well. I have normally taken a 38/32 gear but this year limited to a 36/28. For the most part it was ok but a dip in blood sugar on Hogpen and I just couldn't get on top of that gear.
I probably sounded a bit dickish there but really only wanted to help using physics and stuff.

No dickishness, just sound advice. The 3 on the 53 was only an ego thing. 12/28 is not used here in flatland SW FL and the chain is ONLY USED for that cassette.

I bet you passed me at the top of Hogpen as I walked around like a zombie devouring pickle juice, bananas and Coke.
Or maybe you passed me on the way up. I was dressed in red and black with fluo bands on the Wilier doing a steady 3.1mph.

I topped Unicoi 3hrs after the start and Hogpen 1:30 later. Hogpen was slow going for sure.

I finished just behind you. I started at the back and had a total time of 7:14. It's still possible I caught you coming down Unicoi as I was hauling the farm. Everyone I picked up proceeded to roll right by mere once the next climb started though. Did you post your ride on Strava? I am curious if we were swapping positions throughout the day.

1575 bib number seems familiar. Pretty sure we were swapping. I was rather brightly kitted with orange/green/black shoes, orange socks, black calf compression sleeves, pinkish patella straps, Real Bikes kit of orange-yellow-green, white helmet, on a Giant Aero Propel plus I usually look like a 80yo guy rather than my 66 years.

Will you doing Horrible Hundred or Sebring 12/24 or Cross Florida?

I believe I noted done pink KT tape. I hope to do Horrible Hundred but it means completing SMART ride Friday and Saturday then renting a car one way Key West to Palm Beach, jumping in the car with my wife and on to Clermont. I am down for it but likely I will do the 70 or 100 working to get my wife a PR. I have a friend that made it 386 miles at Sebring and vowes to get back there. I think he is going this year and always pressures me into joining. Looked at cross FL. Might do it. I think my bob this year was 1486.