I woke up at 6:00 to leave by 6:30 to be in Wake Forest by 7:00. We did a 60-mile ride today.
THE ROUTE
– Today’s ride was called, “Beyond the Bunn Run,” about 60 miles, from Wake Forest to Bunn to Zebulon back to Wake Forest.
– We met at the Baptist Seminary in Wake Forest. After about 15 people parked and unloaded their bikes, we were approached by the school police, told that it was graduation day at the seminary, and that we wouldn’t be able to park there today. He directed us to a gravel parking lot at an old school a few blocks away.
WHAT I LEARNED
– That a rider can get very hurt, even at a very slow speed. As we were all clumped, just getting out of the parking lot starting the ride, one rider was looking down at his feet getting his feet in his clips. When he looked up he realized the person close in front of him had stopped, and he slammed on both his breaks. Unfortunately, stopping the front wheel that fast tends to flip you over forward, which is exactly what happened. He came down on his chin, looked up in time to see his bike flying in the hair about to come down on him, and rolled out of the way. He ended up at the hospital, and with 13 stitches in his chin.
– That my friend, and fellow rider, Joe has the patience of Job. He got three flat tires on this route today! The last one was just a couple of miles from the finish, and he only had an already-patched tube left, so he decided to ride in with the sweep vehicle.
– At one point, during a particularly long, bucolic segment of the ride, Joe pulled up beside me, and taught me this song, of which I had never heard:
There was a hole, (repeat)
In the middle of the ground, (repeat)
Prettiest little hole, (repeat)
That you ever did see, (repeat)
The hole’s in the ground and the green grass grew all around all around and the green grass grew all around
And in that hole there was some dirt, the prettiest dirt that you ever did see; the dirt’s in the hole, the hole’s in ground, and the green grass grew all around.
And in that dirt there were some roots, the prettiest little roots that you ever did see; the roots are in the dirt, the dirt’s in the hole, the hole’s in ground, and the green grass grew all around.
And on those roots there was a tree, the prettiest little tree that you ever did see; the tree’s on the roots, the roots are in the dirt, the dirt’s in the hole, the hole’s in ground, and the green grass grew all around.
And on that tree there was a limb, the prettiest little limb that you ever did see; the limb’s on the tree, the tree’s on the roots, the roots are in the dirt, the dirt’s in the hole, the hole’s in ground, and the green grass grew all around.
And on that limb there was a branch, the prettiest little branch you ever did see; the branch is on the limb, the limb’s on the tree, the tree’s on the roots, the roots are in the dirt, the dirt’s in the hole, the hole’s in ground, and the green grass grew all around.
…and on that branch…there was a nest
…and in that nest…there was an egg
…and in that egg…there was a bird
…and on that bird…there was a wing
…and on that wing…there was a feather
…and on that feather…there was a flea
And on that flea there was a mite, the prettiest little mite you ever did see; the mite’s on the flea, the flea’s on the feather, the feather’s on the wing, the wing’s on the bird, the bird’s in the egg, the egg’s in the nest, the nest is on the branch, the branch is on the limb, the limb’s on the tree, the tree’s on the roots, the roots are in the dirt, the dirt’s in the hole, the hole’s in ground, and the green grass grew all around.
Let’s just say, we had a lot of free time! J
– What it sounds like when someone is riding along in the car up the road from you, and the hood of their car suddenly flies open. I thought the car had hit a rider. The driver came to an instant halt, as obviously, she couldn’t see in front of her at all. This was way out on a country road, the car was old, and she got out and started just yanking the hell out of the hood, which was stuck, up. It started actually bending, but she just kept yanking on it. I rode by torn as to whether to stop and help her or not.
WHAT HURT
– No specific pains, only general fatigue after 60-miles.
HOW I FEEL
– Great knowing I can do 60 miles!
– Anxious, yet excited, about the big 90-mile ride tomorrow! It really will be the pinnacle of our training, what we’ve been working toward for 3 months of committed weekends.
– Wondering how I’ll feel by Monday afternoon, after the 90-mile ride tomorrow, and the 40-mile ride on Monday.
– Excited that the ride is just a few weeks away now!
Joe and I stopped at Applebee’s on the way home and had lunch. I had an Asian wrap, that was killer, reminiscent of the Lettuce Wraps at Chili’s.
Robert came over late in the afternoon, and we went to Vertigo’s for dinner. Just as we pulled up, who should be walking on the sidewalk, right at the door, entering Vertigo’s? Jay and Chuck on a date! We were the only 4 people in the restaurant. Jay invited us to sit with them, but I said, “Absolutely not.”
I said to the lady seating us, “We want to be on the opposite side of the restaurant from these people.” She said, “Are you serious?” And I said, “Yes! They’re on a date.” Robert and I sat right in the front window. Jay and Chuck sat way in the back, behind the planter. We couldn’t even see them.
I had the Spicy Meatloaf, and Robert had the Mac and Cheese Extra Ordinaire. We shared a banana pudding dessert and each had a cup of coffee.
Leaving there, we stopped at White Rabbit to get a card for Adam for next Wednesday. It’s his 21st birthday on Thursday.
From there we went to the Super-K in Garner, looked for a Rubbermaid cake storage container, bought a bunch of bananas for the ride tomorrow, and the ingredients for the Pistachio Nut Cake. Once home, I made the cake and its icing.
We got to bed fairly early as tomorrow we have to be up at 5:30, to be in Louisburg by 7:00 for the big 90-mile ride! Robert is sweeping.