| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
101.34 miles
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Altitude Gain:
7,992 ft
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Avg Speed:
17.27 mph
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Route:
Tour de Shunk
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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: Partly Sunny 60 F NW wind@ 7 mph |
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Weather looked to be a little sketchy as we made the hour long drive into PA for another go at the hilly century as it was very cool and we drove through banks of rolling fog until Towanda before we saw blue sky. Got registration with no problems a little over an hour before the scheduled start, but as we waited in line at the blue rooms we saw numerous riders heading out for an early start. Got suited up and did a short warmup and didn't feel to bad on the bike. Was pretty sure that it wasn't going to be a hammer day but figured on riding steady and trying to finish in around six hours. Got back to the starting line a few minutes before nine and saw that almost everyone had left prior to the start. Decided to head out a little early myself but IronDoug wanted to wait for a friend and leave on time. Told him I wanted to try and catch up to Prughmeister Dave who climbs and rides near my speed and ride with him. He told me Dave had left ten minutes earlier and that I'd have to ride hard to catch him. Took off and started to catch riders after the first small climb. Hit the climbs hard but coasted and spun the downgrades and flats for the first ten miles or so. Caught dozens of riders and finally found Dave beside the road trying to aid a youngster with some mechanical issue. Chatted a while and rode with a small group of ten for a couple of miles but eventually left them and Dave behind as I bridged up to another group of a dozen on a small climb. Rolled by them as the first fifteen miles of ascending rollers ended and started the approach to the first of two big climbs of the day. Average speed was much slower than the twenty that I usually have when there is a big front group in years past when there was a mass start but couldn't complain as legs still felt fresh. Caught a few more riders on the approach to the climb and ended up making the climb with three other riders.Got gapped a little by two of the riders on the long eighteen percent grind but after surging ahead few lenghths they didn't pull away. The third rider was just behind me and I could judge his progress by his locomotive breathing. Halfway into the trial all of us were easily passed by a tall thin rider in blue that was spinning a very low gear at a very high cadence looked like maybe a thirty-six cog and a triple on the front. Not sure how anyone can spin that fast for that length but he made the four of us look bad as we forced our way up the hill at fifty to sixty RPM. Climbed much better than usual today and eventually caught up to one of the other riders on the grade and passed the last one as he stopped for a nature break at the end of the steep stuff. Legs still felt well and pushed the pace hard over the lesser grades near the top and passed Hank from Montour as I started the long descent to the first rest stop at Shunk. Hank was again the oldest rider this year at 78. Caught the tall climber in blue on the downhill, but he again easily spun by and dropped me on the steep climb to the rest stop. Filled up my water bottles and grabbed some candy and cookies to munch on. Bob and IronDoug went by while I was at the reststop. Felt I had done pretty well on the climb to not get caught by them on the climb even with my headstart. The second twenty-five mile section is my favorite as it is mostly downhill and very scenic, running through forests and along fast flowing rivers. Passed several more riders on run along the river and picked up a drafter along the way. Passed IronDoug and Bob along the road as Bob was pumping his tire back up after fixing a flat. Got caught by a group of four riders through some small rollers. They almost immediately slowed up after catching us. Now instead of going at the twenty two I was pulling I was drafting at eighteen. Another rider noted to me that they had been going faster and didn't know why the speed had dropped. Told him I'd like to go faster but didn't want to seem rude after thay had just caught me and all. He said screw it and accellerated hard on the next roller. Another rider and I jumped on his wheel and the three of us rode hard and fast until the second stop at a little short of fifty miles. Was stuffing my face with more cookies as Bob and Doug passed me again at the stop. Wasn't to see them again until the finish. The third section is my least favorite of the four sections as it is back to climbing again and has the second big climb of the day at around sixty miles. Rode alone until the climb and actually did very well on three quarters of it. Legs started to show some signs of strain as I rounded the corner for the last section but even though I could see the top just couldn't keep the gear turning. Got caught by two riders in orange, though as one went by the other soon fell away behind. Passed the first rider at the top as he stopped; I assume to wait for his partner. Legs were all done for the day after the climb but was satisfied that I had climbed very well and kept good speed for sixty some miles. Still had thirty five to go though including the worst part of the ride up SR 14 into the wind. Got caught by two riders with time trial bars on the downhill. Tried to stay with them but couldn't though I was able to match there pace on the flats once we were out of the hills. Suffered greatly on the highway and really hate that section as there is little shoulder and lots of traffic. Pulled into the third stop of the day pretty well exhausted from the wind and mountains. Filled the water bottles and had a few more cookies and watched the other riders head off. Would have liked to catch a draft but didn't think I would be able to keep the pace and opted for some lone suffering. It was another seven or eight miles of slow nasty grinding in the wind but finally turned back to the east and out of the northern wind. Hit the last steep climb of the day as I left SR14 below and behind. Had been looking forward to climbing again but legs weren't looking for it as much as I was and had a pretty sloppy climb. Once that was out of the way though it was back to the start on the same fifteen mile section of rollers that the ride starts on. Legs started to recover and soon found my speed increasing as I counted off the dozen or so small climbs. Rode hard for the last five miles and finished strong. Had a decent ride and love the course except for the ten miles on 14. Finished well off my best time for the century but beat the six hour mark. Ate lots of cookies and candies and climbed well for a change which made me somewhat satisfied for the day. Wish they would go back to a mass start as it makes for a better ride.
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