Ride Stats |
Distance:
48.02 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,470 ft
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Avg Speed:
19.39 mph
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Route:
Rock Stream-Beaver Dams
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 155 bpm
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Avg HR: 134 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: Litespeed Vortex Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
Weather Conditions: Sunny 78 F SW wind @ 8 mph |
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Winds looked favorable for another attempt on the Rock Stream Beaver Dams course. My best time was an nineteen two average a few years ago. My best performance solo for this year was an eighteen nine. Normally I start out sedately on the flats to Watkins, but today I kept up the cadence and with a good tailwind was able to get to the bottom of the first climb in Watkins with an eighteen average despite having to stop at two traffic lights. Only having to stop at two lights in Watkins was a positive sign. The first climb went well as I kept a good cadence and came out of the saddle on when the grade increased. Crested with sixteen six and pushed the flats to Rock Stream in the big chainring and got up to eighteen five at the base of the second climb. Had to push a slight headwind over the two mile climb but went over the top with an acceptable seventeen. Third climb up Church Street in Reading Center didn't go so well. Floundered a bit on the steeper sections as I rode straight into the wind. Got over the top with a sixteen three which was a couple ticks below where I needed to be. Tried to pick it up over the false flats and rollers on the way to the fourth climb up Sugar Hill. Struggled again in the headwind but was able to pull back up to sixteen eight. At the top of the county on Sugar Hill, I had dropped back to sixteen six. My best time was a seventeen so had some time I needed to make up on the downhill sections. Had a good downhill to Townsend and got the average back into the seventeens before the fifth and last climb. Lost three tenths on that climb and it wasn't encouraging. After the final climb the strategy was to drop into the biggest gear I could spin and hammer the last twenty miles. Miles went by quickly as I cruised along in the mid twenties. I was a little disappointed in the farmers around Beaver Dams as I was hoping for some high corn to block the crosswind across the flats. Unfortunately the cornfields were being used this year with some type of silage that provided no shelter. Finally turned out of the wind in downtown Beaver Dams and headed for home. Made Millport with an eighteen and a half average. Things looked good for breaking the nineteen two as there was a strong tailwind and seven miles of downgrade remaining. Kept the hammer down and the speeds in the mid to upper twenties over the final stretch and ended up with a very satisfying nineteen four. Climbing wasn't very good today but had enough power and leg speed to capitalize on the tailwind sections. Best I've ridden in years.
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