| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
64.12 miles
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Altitude Gain:
4,991 ft
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Avg Speed:
16.14 mph
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Route:
Great Big Group Ride
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 160 bpm
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Avg HR: 132 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: Look Blade RS 795 Iconic Ltd Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 78 F W wind @ 3 mph |
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Drove done to near Schneckville, PA yesterday for a very hill metric century at just outside of Allentown, PA. The course is pretty much a series of twenty-one climbs most with between one and two hundred feet of climbing though they did have two or three bigger climbs thrown in but nothing much longer than a mile. I had ridden the course a couple of years ago alone as the ride was delayed for a week due to the chance of a hurricane. I had already booked a room in the area and forecast looked okay to me so headed out anyway. Turned out that the hurricane was a no show, but it was near ninety and suffered greatly on the brutal ride after running out of water. Talked Bob into doing the ride this year since he loves to climb. Wasn't sure how the body would hold out due to recent health issues but actually looked forward to trying it again. Warmed up with Bob and then went back to my truck for some last-minute hydration then followed my GPS to the start of the ride. Got there with a few minutes to the start time and only found three or four other riders and no Bob. A few riders were starting out alone while others were waiting for friends. Waited until the start time then headed out alone myself. Turns out the assembly point was not at the start and the start was delayed by five to ten minutes by various announcements. At the time I started I wasn't sure if the main group was ahead or behind me but thought I would eventually catch stragglers if behind the group and would be overtaken if they were behind me. Most of the elevation is in the second half of the metric and the first climbs were fairly gentle at mainly three to five percent. Kept fairly good speed on the early climbs and was enjoying the seventy-degree temperatures and light breeze. Saw no other riders after passing a couple in the first mile of the course. There was one short steep climb made challenging by a surface of loose stones before the first rest stop. Rolled into the rest stop and there were only two other riders there. The attendants told me that the front group hadn't arrived yet and may have missed a turn. I was enjoying some chips and forbidden candy when Bob and a group of seven or eight riders rolled in. Bob didn't stop but most of the main group did. Decided to head out after Bob rather than wait for the large group. One of the larger climbs was immediately after the stop and I was caught at the top by the a few of the riders from the front group but they waited for the rest of the riders at the top. I descended and almost cooked a turn on the downhill but still thought I was keeping good speed. The group though sailed by me near the bottom at a high speed. I was able to hang on the back. Did a couple miles at a high speed with pretty much one rider pulling the group and putting on a show. Thought we might catch Bob if they kept up the fast pace. We hit the next climb, and I hung on the back of the group until a couple riders cracked, including the guy that had made the great pull. I was able to go around them and catch up to the remaining front four riders. I wasn't able to hold for very long though as one guy picked the speed up and I was separated. Not long after that the three others were gapped. I wasn't able to close on the three but was able to hold the gap. The front guy just kept going and I imagine he was the guy that won all three of the timed KOM climbs. The four waited at the top for the remainders and I kept going. Goal for the rest of the ride was to try to stay ahead of the group. Was riding fairly well for a few miles and passed a guy that told me Bob was at least five minutes ahead of me and riding fairly effortlessly. Missed a couple turns and had to backtrack after my GPS gave me the off-course warning. Pulled into the last rest stop and filled up my water bottles and grabbed some more chips. The front group pulled into the stop just as I was leaving but they had lost a couple of riders. Had about fourteen miles and four climbs left at that point and figured I'd have to climb well to keep away as the last climb was about two miles long with a long steep section. I was able to stay away and caught one more rider on the last climb. Ended up not getting caught but only averaged a little over sixteen miles an hour. Bob had done the course at eighteen I believe. Turned out to be a fun ride for me through and finished in good shape as hadn't really pushed myself other than on one group climb. I didn't really ride with a group for long on the Great Big Group Ride, but it was probably for the best as am not in good form and if I had pushed harder, it might not have been as fun. Great course and good barbeque after the ride.
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