A day on two wheels

I rode 100 miles on my Bicycle today. If you have ever done so yourself you probably understand what that entails and what I am feeling right now. However, for the majority who have not had the privilege of such an experience, let me tell you how it went down...

6:15 AM. Out of bed, slowly. 3 and 3/4 hours is not enough sleep for one night...

8:10 AM. Arrive in Georgetown where the Horsey Hundred ride started. Realized I left my tire pump at home. Borrowing one, I prepare to start. A hundred or so of the day's 2000-ish riders mill around the starting point as I arrive to look for my friend Steve who is meeting me there. I find him by spotting his bright orange tube socks...Don't ask. Well, ok, since you insist on knowing why he was wearing bright orange tube socks on a bicycle ride-he was using them, along with a T-shirt to promote the fundraiser he was helping with.

8:30 AM. We start riding, He on his Orange Trek with aero bars and me on my gray Independent Fabrications Club Racer with my pannier rack bag full of energy food and repair tools-just in case.

9:05 AM. About 10 miles into the ride I strike up a conversation with Katrina, a girl from Dayton, Ohio who has driven down each of the last 5 years to do this ride. She is a fast, competitive rider and is a little frustrated with her friend she brought with her...her friend is not fast. :(

9:20 AM. Steve and I tag in with a group of about 15 riders who are riding together. Riding together like this allows us to go faster, as leaders of the pack can rotate, permitting those in the rear the benefit of riding in their wake, so to speak. This is called drafting, it is easier to ride behind another rider-there is less wind resistance. We ride with this group for about 15 miles.

9:46 AM. I meet Keith, a ride leader for the Bluegrass Cycling Club. He is a mustachioed, muscular character who organizes 2-3 rides per week with the club. He was wise enough to wear a cloth skullcap under his helmet. I would later wish for one myself as sweat drizzled down into my eyes from under my own protective covering.

10:15 AM. Steve and I leave rest stop #2 ahead of the group thinking they will catch up to us soon. They never really do, leaving us riding more on our own from about mile 38 on. I guess that means we were going fast though, right?

11:02 AM. The hills begin. The ride was fairly flat up to this point, but NO MORE! Now hill after hill roll under our tires like waves. Unfortunately, it did not feel as effortless as waves always appear. We had to work for our hills, climb by climb, one pedal stroke at a time--much to the chagrin of my buddy Steve :)

11:24 AM. Leaving the last pre-lunch rest stop at mile point 46 we see Keith and his group entering the rest area as we leave. Slowpokes! :)
Also at this rest stop I noticed a very impressive individual. A man of approximately 55 years with a prosthetic leg, riding his bike...fast! I stand in amazement of his fortitude.

12:09 PM. Mile 55. After passing the Lexington airport, we ride on Man O War to arrive at Keeneland, our lunch stop. I eat my Peanut Butter sandwiches while admiring the 500+ beautiful, two wheeled machines lined up against the fences and under the trees. After about 15 minutes to eat we roll on. Too much of a break would make our muscles sore and stiff. Er..sorer and stiffer.

12:36 PM. Our muscles tell us to go back to lunch again.

1:07 PM. At mile 68 Steve begins to wish he had taken the mile point 65 turn off which would have allowed him to finish the ride at 73 miles instead of 102...
We are both feeling each of the 68 miles in our legs, backs, necks...all over really :)

1:49 PM. Steve and I have been talking of teaching, school, triathlons, basketball and many other things, getting to know one another better. We only met 6 days ago actually, through a mutual cycling friend.

2:15 PM. Steve is tiring and tells me I should go on ahead. He has many other cyclists passing and riding near to keep him company. We are at mile point 73 more or less.

2:30 PM. At mile 76 I finally follow Steve's advice, planning to wait for him at the rest stop at mile 81. Upon arrival, I am exhausted. I pushed myself hard those 5 miles and it was pretty hilly. I fill water bottles and wait in the shade for Steve.

2:40 PM. Afraid Steve may have passed by the rest stop, I decide to head on the the finish point to meet him.

2:45 PM. I hurt.

2:46 PM. I hurt BAD! Not only that I can't seem to ride very quickly...what is the deal? It's like I have already ridden 80 miles or something.

3:15 PM. At mile 89 it begins to rain. I welcome this for the cool wetness :) You know how rain is. It felt great!

3:17 PM. My socks and shoes are soaked.

3:18 PM. I realize the rain has frozen up my cyclecomputer...it stops recording my mileage. Sad day. I must now motivate myself by something besides the numbers on the screen...no more average speed, current speed, nothing. Just zeros :(

3:27 PM. I use other riders as my motivation. I see one ahead in a yellow jersey, I must catch up! There is another beyond now, in orange. They become my new goal. I am plagued by a group of four guys behind me too, I must not let them catch up :)
I pedal on, unsure how fast I am going. I think I am going slowly...

3:50 PM. I know I must be nearing the end as I pass and am passed (more of the latter) other riders in the final miles. That one pesky guy in the white jersey, I have been completely unable to catch him, he is too fast!

3:55 PM. Finally I enter town again, back in Georgetown at last! I follow the riders ahead to the ending point at the college campus. I find myself at my car, lying in the back seat. I am sweaty, covered in gross old sunscreen, and dead beat tired. I want a shower.

4:00 PM. I reconnect with Steve, who it turns out was only a couple minutes behind me since the rest stop at mile 81. I meet his friends who did the 50 mile ride decked out in their own orange tube socks.

I am too tired to look at the vendor booths selling cycling gear and food, I am too tired to talk intelligently with Steve and his friends. I do not want any of the whole barbecued pig that is available for riders. I want to go home.

I do so.

One day, one hundred miles, two wheels. Fun? You bet!

Results:

Sunburn, 5% of my body
Sore Muscles, 68% of them
Tired, 90% of me
Stronger than before the ride? Yes
Thinking other people should try this at home? Definitely (after proper training)
Looking forward to next time? Expectantly!
Going to bed now? As soon as possible!

In Truth,
Stephen