| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
64.39 miles
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Altitude Gain:
5,909 ft
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Avg Speed:
15.84 mph
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Route:
Tour de Scranton
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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: Hills
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Cloudy\Flurries 42 F N wind @ 15 mph |
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Perfect day for the first event of this year's season, a very hilly metric century. Weather was less than ideal with a forty-two degree temperature, clouds, damp air, and a fifteen mile an hour north wind with higher gusts expected. Seemed to be less people at the start than last year, but post ride reports said there was over five hundred riders for the six different routes. Opted for the long ride number five that includes pot holed war torn roads, poor markings, and five cruel climbs. Things got nasty for me right from the start as the large group separated on the first grade right off the start. Six of us followed the police escort car through our horrendous surfaced streets of Scranton proper. Two very strong riders pulled the small group through the rolling streets into a vicious headwind at nineteen miles an hour. A young rider in orange, teammates Iron Doug and Mighty Young Joe and myself stayed in the draft. I struggled just to stay in the draft and finally threw in the towel at around mile six as the legs weren't putting out any power and spun myself silly just holding on. Mighty Young Joe also fell off and we rode together as the four riders ahead went up the road. At the first route separation three of the riders turned off route five and left Iron Doug alone on the longer route five. He waited for Joe and I to catch up and we rode together to the bottom of the first climb though I was frequently yoyoing off the back. I was pretty wasted and I bid them adieu and continued my sufferfest solo. The three riders from earlier had corrected and spun by me on the climb. I was passed by a fourth rider on a tri bike at the top of the climb. Made an unsuccessful effort to catch him after the climb. Wasn't too far behind when we started the eighteen percent grade to the first rest stop at twenty five miles. Chatted briefly with Doug and Joe at the rest stop before they headed off with the three earlier riders and the tri guy. I followed a few minutes later alone for another five miles of rising road and the persistent headwind. The snow flurries and stinging sleet just added to my joy. Finally turned out of the wind at thirty miles to start the second climb. Climbed and coasted to through the hills until the still snow bound ski slopes where I found the orange clad kid sitting along the road next to a van. Lent the kid an allen wrench to tighten a loose cleat. He didn't seem too anxious to get back on the road, and I assume he abandoned with his father in the van. Got caught by three more riders at the start of the fourth climb and they easily spun away from me up the hill. A fourth rider that had been riding with the three caught me at the top. I stopped feeling sorry for myself and rallied enough to stay with him on the next downhill and over the final steep climb. I dropped him on the final long downhill and waited for him at the bottom. We rode the last five miles easily through the streets of Scranton back to the start. Finish temperature was back up to forty-two after dropping into the high thirties in the mountains. It wasn't a good day on the bike and finished my first event totally demoralized. I'll be back next year for sure.
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