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rbent Forum
https://rbentonline.org/YaBB.pl General Category >> Ride Reports >> Italy brevet 6/20 https://rbentonline.org/YaBB.pl?num=1245585257 Message started by FlyingLaZBoy on Jun 21st, 2009, 6:54am |
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Title: Italy brevet 6/20 Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Jun 21st, 2009, 6:54am I hope everybody survived and was able to finish the Italy brevet yesterday... it was plenty toasty out there, and with the south tailwind, you probably weren't getting much air cooling in the 2nd half... [smiley=sad.gif] |
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Title: Re: Italy brevet 6/20 Post by Bud_Bent on Jun 21st, 2009, 8:58am I didn't hear a count of how many riders were at the Italy LSR brevets, but it looked like 30 or so. Most seemed to do the 300k, as did rbent members Steve, Peggy, Bryan, Shellene, Mark M, and me. The 300k route goes from Italy south to Dawson for the second control, then southeast to Mexia, east to Teague, then south to Jewett. It turns around at Jewett, coming back north 5 miles on the same highway, before turning west to Groesbeck. Then 30 miles more to the northwest is the favorite Dixie's Little Stop in Mount Calm. Another 38 miles north takes you back to Italy. As much as I struggled with the heat the week before on a 200k ride, I'm not sure what made me think a 300k this week would work better, and I struggled with the heat again. This was more like what usually happens when I crater on a bike ride though. I just got very slow and had no power on the bike. I never felt as bad as I had the week before. I think maybe that was because once I started feeling cratered, I eased my effort level to a tempo pace, and kept it there, in spite of how slow I was going. That was tougher to do on last week's ride, with the climbs at the end. We rode out of Italy as 5:00 am, to avoid the Tour de Italia start. Steve, Peggy, and I wanted to ride hard and get as far as we could before it got hot. I knew I wasn't going to make great time in the wind and heat, but a 15 hour ride would get us back before dark, so that was what I was pretty much aiming for. The south wind was already howling though, and riding against it, even though the hills on most of this route are pretty easy, I was soon off the back of the main group. In spite of my hard effort, my average speed against the wind wasn't very good. With this many riders, this was a classic brevet, which scatters riders all along the course, and whenever you pull into a control, there are riders already there, and more riders coming in behind you. The chatter at the controls is part of the charm of these rides. By the time I reached the fourth control at Teague at mile 67, I was feeling the effects of my hard riding. And the mostly uphill and against the wind stretch to the next control at Jewett is the toughest leg of the entire ride, to me. I knew I needed to ease my pace a bit at this point. I fell in with a sizeable group, leaving out of Teague. I thought that if I could draft some, it would make this leg easier. But the group only stayed together for a couple of miles. Steve and Peggy took off, then a couple of other riders in the group took off, and that shelled the group, scattering riders everywhere, with me off the back. Mark M, tired from time trials on Tuesday and Friday, and riding a slower pace than usual, caught me at this point, and we rode together most of the way to Jewett. On his upright, he would leave me behind on the hills, and I would shoot past him on the downhills, and we rode together and talked on the flatter stretches. The ride turns around at Jewett, and just a few miles before we reached it, we met a faster group on the ride coming back. Bryan and Shellene were in this group. I arrived at Jewett, at mile 93, shortly before noon, so I figured I was a bit ahead of my 15 hour pace. The ride north out of Jewett was the first good tailwind of the day, and I made great time. After we turned west onto the rolling hills of SH164 though, I started feeling really tired. I turned the intended quick stop at Groesbeck into a longer stop to cool off, and downed some ice cream. Then, off toward Little Dixie's we headed, Steve, Peggy, Mark M, and me. Just out of Groesbeck, Mark flatted, and told us to ride on, and he would catch up. Somewhere a few miles later is where I really started slowing down. Somewhere around mile 135, Debbie B and Cheri B passed me, and I knew I was in bad shape. At the last couple of controls, Cheri had looked to be really struggling, and it could not be a good sign that she was passing me. A mile or two later, Cheri had to stop with leg cramps, and Peggy stopped with her. I figured I was going to be doing well to get myself in, and rode on. Steve G, riding with Debbie and Cheri, had already had to stop and cool off. Debbie had gotten far enough ahead of Cheri that she didn't realize that Cheri had stopped. As she waited at a stop sign, Steve and I told her about Cheri, and suggested we stop at a shady spot somewhere ahead. Steve mentioned a covered church pavillion at Prarie Hill, and it occurred to me that there would probably be a water spigot there, so we agreed to stop and regroup there. I was truly riding in slow motion by the time we reached there, and the water and breeze in the shade helped a lot. We rode the 10 miles to Little Dixie's, and took another break there. With evening coming on, Debbie, Cheri, Steve, Peggy, Mark and I left Little Dixie's together for the last 38 miles of the ride, with Steve G still there as we left. I was soon off the back of the group, with Cheri behind me. Mark fell back to ride with Cheri, and Steve fell back to ride with me. Debbie's light was not working and she also was leading an FWBA ride the next morning, so she really wanted to make sure she finished before dark and not end up on the course too late. So, she and Peggy hammered on ahead to finish. It says a lot about how strong these two are, that they were able to ride this hard after this kind of mileage on a day so hot. Steve and I made a 10 minute stop in Mertens for a Coke from a machine beside the road, and finished the ride just before dark. Mark and Cheri were just a few minutes behind us. I ended up with 191.5 miles, and a total time of 15:33. I'm sure I've left out many details of this epic ride. Hopefully the rest of the group will fill in what I've forgotten. Thanks to everyone for the company and encouragement on this tough ride. After we were done, we enjoyed a good meal at the Subway in Italy, and as I left for home at 9:20 pm, the temperature gage in my truck read 90 degrees. You have to love June in North Texas. |
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Title: Re: Italy brevet 6/20 Post by Killer Bee on Jun 21st, 2009, 9:32am As usual, you pretty much covered the ride(which a 300k in the heat is hard to do). Good job! Thanks to Bud & Rose for being great hosts the night before the ride. There are so many highs/lows in a ride like this. It really does comes to mental over physical. One of the many found memories I will remember from this ride is the unscheduled stop in Prairie Hill at the community center(covered shelter). About 7-8 riders stopped & cooled off(thanks to the spigot) , & seeing riders sprawled on the picnic tables was a sight to see. I think almost all of us that stopped took a mini-shower in the spigot. It helps to know the route. Bud is amazing, I don't know of any middle age man,missing 1/2 a lung that can get out & ride the distances that he does. There were several stretches from Mertens to the finish that we were riding along at 20mph+(not bad after spending all day in the sun). Congratulations to all the LSR riders that rode yesterday. Bryan & Shellene rode super strong all day ,as did Peggy(with no heat issues). It was truly fun to ride in "mini packs". |
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Title: Re: Italy brevet 6/20 Post by Pedalin` Peggy on Jun 21st, 2009, 12:45pm I had fun all day long :D. Everyone rode well. Steve and I are half way to are next goal of the year a second Super Randonneur this year. We may wait until fall to get are 400 and 600k in. Paul I miss :'( riding with you. I hope you well be able to come out and do some rides with us soon. Peggy |
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Title: Re: Italy brevet 6/20 Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Jun 21st, 2009, 2:40pm Pedalin` Peggy wrote:
Awww, shucks... [smiley=dankk2.gif] Tell you what, the ~70 miles I got in with the commute to the Airport Ride left me plenty o' tired the way it was... granted, Mark Allen and I were doing a lot of 20 mph (and faster) cruising during the ride, but when I got back to my car at 1:30, I was pleasantly gassed, and definitely feeling sympathy for you Italy riders. It was actually the right decision for me to not do Italy, after all -- I had a couple of mechanical issues with the proto bike, both of which were due to my own assembly shortcomings -- plus I discovered when I was about to head out that my Fastback seatback water bladder holder doesn't fit on this bike, so I had to put the bladder it into my RANS seatpack instead, which essentially reduced my water carrying capacity -- I was fine for this ride, but you DON"T want to run out of fluids on the Italy ride... Don't worry, Peggy -- I'll get back out there... but you'll probably leave me in the dust, these days!!! [smiley=thumbup.gif] |
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Title: Re: Italy brevet 6/20 Post by shellenefoster on Jun 22nd, 2009, 11:18am I'm glad that everyone finished safe and sound. It was a good brevet for me but not a great one. I really struggled on the first two legs, but once past Mexia, the lessening of the climbing really helped me out. Then again, out of Mertenz, I was ailing. The boys wanted to play and I just couldn't keep up. I had to back off and take it easy, so I was overjoyed that they all wanted to stop in Milford for extra water. Bryan was so sweet that he put my water in my camelback for me while I laid flat on the ground panting. The 300k was difficult enough that I am going to skip my Monday century in favor of recovery. Still, it was a step in the right direction. 191 miles (with many delays, but much drafting) in 12:18. Now for an easier week this week and hopefully build again for the next 3 weeks. I'm getting excited just thinking about a 400k! Mark, now that we know you rode in the time trials on both Tues and Friday, we want to hear about it! Were they good? How did you ride? Did you have fun? Give us the scoop :) It was great riding with you for the few minutes, and thank you for the pull back up to the group. And Paul, Peggy speaks for all of us when she says that you are missed. Can't wait to see you on a ride! Shellene |
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Title: Re: Italy brevet 6/20 Post by aikigreg on Jun 27th, 2009, 2:20pm Sounds like another one I'm sorry I missed. I gotta tell you, Jewett is my mortal enemy on that ride. That one stretch of road just bugs me to no end. Looks like everyone did a "good job" as usual! |
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