| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
44.55 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,384 ft
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Avg Speed:
15.75 mph
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Route:
Swartout Hill
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Avg Grade: 132 %
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Max Grade: 165 %
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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 60 F WSW wind @ 5 mph |
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Very little sun today kept things on the cool side but with a gentle wind it looked like a decent day for riding. Since I've been climbing a little better on the moderate slopes I thought I would try out the long climb up Swartout. Felt fairly strong out of the saddle on the beginning of Odessa Hill but couldn't stay out for long and was forced back down. Had a good spin and thought I had a decent climb going but time check at the top had it at 9:30 only thirty seconds below the you suck go home cutoff. Seemed to recover over the top and started to work on the next goal of the junction in thirty minutes or less which might prove difficult yet not impossible with the weak initial climb. Did fairly well through Odessa and was ready to kick the speed up once I crested at Rt 10. Unfortunately a rather impolite wind was waiting for me at the top. Couldn't hold the speed above twenty though and found myself still out of site of the junction when the clock hit thirty. Normally I keep pushing for the finish even when the cause is lost, but today the legs gave out and I soft pedaled the final mile. Plan was to ride at a relaxed pace over the next ten miles of rollers then ramp it back up for a strong effort up the two mile climb at Swartout. The relaxed riding went well and was gradually bringing the average speed up and enjoying the cool weather. Things went south at the bottom of the climb as, as soon as the slope went up my legs gave out. I slumped over the handle bars and dropped it down into the next to largest cog and hoped the dead legs would recover. It wasn't to be though as I struggled the first three quarter miles along the stream on the milder grade. As soon as the grade got steeper I dropped into the granny, but even that wasn't enough. I suffered slowly up the hill and passed the time counting off the tenth of miles left to the top. The down hill to Erin and then Breezeport were tolerable but I took my time. Thought I would pick up a good tailwind back from Horseheads but struggled in a crosswind all the way to Millport. Finally picked up a good breeze for the final five miles. Despite the tailwind I was still draped over the handlebars and finished the ride using my well honed coasting skills. Tough day on the bike.
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