| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
68.57 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,966 ft
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Avg Speed:
17.63 mph
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Route:
Ar-LA-TEX-Challange
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 0 bpm
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Avg HR: 0 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Rolling
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 65 F SE wind @ 9 mph |
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Had to get up fairly early and drive to Texarkana for a 70 mile tour. Ended up only getting an hour and a half sleep so arrived at the start a bit apprehensive. The organizers really went all out for the event. I got a T-shirt and the biggest bag of swag I've ever received. The high school marching band performed at the send off and a drone flew overhead filming the start. Weather was much better than was predicted as I really planned on riding in the rain based on previous forecasts. Instead it was a cool fifty-three degrees at roll out with a moderate crosswind predicted for a majority of the course. There were a few clouds but we ended up getting a good deal of sun throughout the ride. There really didn't appear to be a very good turn out for all the effort that was put into it with maybe one hundred riders for the four different course lengths. Most riders appeared to be in the fifty-two mile group while I opted for the seventy miler with the ultimate goal was to ride to the marker where Texas-Arkansas-Louisiana meet. Started off with the fast group that really wasn't that fast only faster than me. I drafted pretty much the first ten miles of very rough surfaced roads and only took one pull. There appeared to be a clique involved that really didn't want anyone interfering with their line. Myself and a couple of others kind of shrugged it off and rode the bus. We averaged a little over twenty and eventually the pack was whittled down to about seven riders. I drifted off the back at mile eleven as I didn't have the drive to hang on and got tired of dodging potholes and thought I could achieve my goal of an eighteen mile an hour average without too much effort. Kept the group in sight until mile sixteen where I pretty much cracked on a five percent grade and rapidly fell off the pace. Got caught by a single rider about five miles later who wanted to work together but I really didn't have enough leg left. Thought I was going to be torn apart by a couple of huge mean looking dogs at mile twenty nine but was fortunate to be on a downgrade and did have enough leg to sprint when it really counted. Made it to the post at the boundary and stopped at the rest stop which was manned by a group of cheering cheerleaders and people in lion costumes. Chatted briefly with the lions and was passed by a pack of five team triathletes and three or four others who neglected to stop and view the sacred post. Threw some cookies in my pockets and took off after the group but was unable to gain on them. The roads were much better on the return leg and there seemed to be less climbing involved. I passed the pack at the next rest stop. I was quickly caught by the five triathletes but not by the rest of the group. The triathletes cruised by me without much effort and I grabbed a couple miles of draft before fading off the back on what turned out to be the last climb of the day. Saw one of the fast clique struggling up the road and decided to focus on reeling him in. Unfortunately my average had dropped below my goal of eighteen over the rolling climbs and it didn't look to good for my side. I did overcome the struggling rider for my only small victory of the day and was able to spin away from him although he tried to stay away when he saw me catching up. Thought my small victory might be short lived as I started to cramp with four miles to go. Drank the remainder of my water and spun lightly and was able to keep the cramps from taking hold. Then I had a puncture with two miles to go that my sealant was having a hard time blocking. It occurred to me that this might be one of those pride goes before the fall moments. I had to stop and let the tire seal only to have it start spitting sealant again whenever I developed any speed. I finished up with some starting and stopping but rolled into the finish with air still in the front tire. So ended up ultimately failing my goal but considering what little sleep I had and having ridden fifty miles yesterday I wasn't too disappointed. Had some decent food at the end. The road surfaces were in places horrendous and there was a very light turn out but the organizers really put their hearts into this event.
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