| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
100.00 miles
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Altitude Gain:
6,786 ft
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Avg Speed:
18.39 mph
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Route:
Wheels o'Fire
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Avg Grade: 145 %
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Max Grade: 171 %
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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: Sunny 45-65F ENE wind @ 5 mph |
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Next stop on the southern tour was the Wheels O'Fire Century in Hamilton GA. This was my second attempt at the century having failed to start it after driving down for it a few years back. At the time though the wind was blowing at 20 mph, it was in the low thirties and sleeting. That year I just picked up the T-shirt and kept driving down to Florida. This year had a better forecast. While starting out at a rather cool forty five degrees, temperatures were to rise into the sixties by the end of the ride. Course advertised one good climb a dozen miles into the course and then strenuous rollers. Course also promised over seven thousand feet of total climbing so I figured the rollers were going to get a bit intense. Didn't really set any goals other than to try to stay with the front group for the first thirty miles. Had a slight setback when I found that my water bottle had leaked onto my gloves and soaked them, so opted to ride gloveless in the cold. Lined up with a hundred or so other riders and pushed off at eight AM. Course starts off almost immediately with twisting climb. I had started off about twenty back and was working my way to a front foursome that had opened up a gap as the crowd sorted itself out. Kept pace with the front group at the start of the climb but was passed by group about halfway up. The guys that passed me were panting and climbing hard out of the saddle. I stayed seated and spun my way back up to them before the top. My heart rate was pegged but my breathing was in control. Group collected on the downhill and some light rollers. Worked a paceline for awhile but was having trouble catching back on after taking my pull. Got dropped going through a series of speed bumps where a rider dropped a water bottle into the group. Think I could have caught up but didn't feel at ease riding in the group so hung off the back. Group started breaking apart on the big climb of the day and started to pick guys off on the way to the top. Had moved back up near the front and felt comfortable with the climb. Went over the top with one other rider who stayed on my wheel through the next series of rollers and downhill section. Stopped at the rest stop at thirty miles and they told me I was third over the climb. Stopped a few miles later to remove my leggings and was passed by three or four riders. Caught back up to them on some of the following hills and rode with them to the next rest stop. Couldn't keep pace with the group on the flats but would often catch up and pass them later on the bigger climbs. Stopped at a rest stop around sixty miles with a young climber but the group kept going and it was the last I would see of them. Rode with the young climber for the remainder of the ride though we didn't really ride together but could see each other on the never-ending rollers. Would spend several miles in the lead then get caught and dropped and chase for several miles. We got caught at the last rest stop at ninety miles by another climber that didn't stop. The three of us battled it out over the last ten miles of climbs. Ended up getting dropped on the last small climb but had held my own over several of the bigger climbs with the college boys. Enjoyed the ride. I was surprised at how well I had climbed but disappointed by my lack of speed.
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