| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
87.00 miles
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Altitude Gain:
5,904 ft
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Avg Speed:
15.88 mph
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Route:
Bluff Point
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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: Steep
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Cloud\Sun 80 F N wind @ 6 mph |
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It was time to do some nasty climbs today so headed off to do the Bluff Point ride. The course is eighty-five miles long and has five climbs with the last three in the final twenty miles being the most severe. Wind was out of the north which I always figured was best for this course. Stayed in the saddle and climbed at a good rate on the grade up SR 14 out of Watkins to the first turn at SR 14A where I had to push to get up the steep section after passing under the railroad bridge. A couple more miles of slight grade gets to the top then it five miles of moderate down hill to Dundee. The second climb is between Dundee and Penn Yan and is the easiest of the climbs only being a highway grade and two or three miles long. Passed over it with little effort then it is six or seven miles of downgrade to the next turn at Penn Yan. Course follows the inside east side of the upper Y of Keuka Lake along a fairly flat cottage lined road to Bluff Point which I used to consider the hardest climb of the day. Progress has made the climb easier as the approaching climb is no longer dirt and broken pavement but a compacted oiled surface. A rider no longer has to negotiate hazards and can drive straight up the ten percent grade. The Point climb is now paved where it used to be a loose sand surface on a steady eighteen percent grade. It used to be a balancing act between power and traction but now that challenge has been eliminated. I kept a good pace today on the approach and felt strong making the turn up the steep part but erred a little and over shifted into my biggest cog on the cassette. Ended up standing with a too high cadence and lost a good deal of momentum bouncing on the bike. Worked out well though as spun the hill better than usual. It helped though having the whole road to choose from rather than having to pick a auto tire track that has swept away the loose sand which almosts always was on the wrong side of a blind curve. Got to the top and had a good average speed and was looking forward to a good run down the west side of the lake with a following tailwind. Got ahead of myself though as ended up getting bogged down in the headwind running along the top of the ridge. Started seeing spots even on the downgrades. Downed my third bottle of water of the day but still had thirty five miles and two more nasty climbs to go. Things didn't improve as I made my way back down the west side. Had to struggle up the rollers and several of them caused me more pain then the point had. Got to Hammondsport and stopped at the gas station to replenish my fluid stores and have some junk food calories. Actually had continually lost speed after the ridge atop the bluff. Sat in the shade for nearly a half hour which I had hoped would recharge my system and get rid of the recurring spots. Didn't work very well as had to survival spin the fourth climb out of Hammondsport to Mudlake road. I think now that the fourth climb is the hardest of the five as though it isn't as steep as the bluff it does have more elevation gain. And even after reaching the turn at Mud Lake and doing a slight downhill section comes three killer rollers. Suffered some more on the rollers then got to do a couple of miles of fast steep downhill between the sister lakes on to Weston. Final climb is up Sebring Hill and is straight up a long ever increasing grade. Suffered some more on that one too but once to the top the ride finishes with a long fast thousand foot decent. Had two fair climbs on the two easiest early slopes today and a good climb for me up the bluff but really had two poor climbs on the last two. Still had gone out on a hard ride and ridden to the back was sore and spots were evident and had earned my suffering. Will have to try it again soon and hopefully do better.
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