Crowder's Mtn Metric

OK...here we go...

The ride was great, too much wind tho. Sorry to my friend, VV, for leaving so soon - I said I was going to slow up and wait on our friend Andy (friend from the mountains), but she said that he was in front of us. What?? I don't recall him getting past us - besides, he said he was going to ride an 'easy' ride today...Well, if he was in front, then I needed to catch up to him because it was my only opportunity to ride with him...I knew he would drop me after about 25-30mi, so I wanted to ride with him while I could.

Riding with Andy for the first 25-30mi consisted of wheelsucking on the flats, getting dropped on the hills, and working my ass off to catch back up after the climbs. So, wheelsuck, get dropped, work ass off, repeat until he decides to ramp the pace up when it's his turn to pull in the paceline we were riding in. I knew I shouldn't have let him get up there and take a pull!! The pace was too much for me and a couple of other guys. So, myslef and another guy (Hammer guy) dropped off at that point (when the pace suddenly jumped up to 24+mph) and rode together until another group came along...jumped on a group for a bit, then another group passed us...me and another guy (Bud guy) decided to jump on that train (after they were about, probably .5mi or further ahead of us). Bud guy bridges the gap just as we reach a climb...unfortunate for him, good for me. I stayed with this group until we got on this god-awful rough road that was up & down, up & down...I got dropped.

Up the hills into the wind for I don't know how long, pretty much solo, but I know Bud guy is back there somewhere. Finally reach the turn...I see Bud guy coming along and I wait for him so I'll have some wind blockage for a while.

Second rest stop sucked. No water, no gatorade, plenty of ice. I fill up the bottles with ice and stop at the Visitor's Center in the park to add water. A couple of good decents in the park, catch Bud guy (he doesn't stop for water) just before leaving park. We ride together almost into Kings Mtn. Hammer guy caught us and pulled us for a little ways then passes us on the climb into Kings Mtn. He gets the City Limit sign. Bud guy tells me to attack. Attack what?? The rider or the sign? I choose both. Out of the saddle to get the sign (just for myself) and then keep it up, and bridge up to Hammer guy. I then pull Hammer guy up to another guy and another climb. See ya.

Reach Ouch Hill. OMFG. Yea, that was pretty hard, especially at around 58miles. I do make it over the climb tho and it's some nice fast decents after that. Back to the park, finally.

Ride time=3:41, 4 stops of 10min total.

I actually felt really good during and after the ride. No cramping in my calves, just some in the right quad medial side above my knee when getting out of the saddle to climb later in the ride. I think I probably could have ridden another 45min to an hour then maybe I would be toast.

Sorry, but no pictures. VV & Andy were parked in another lot and the jersey pockets weren't big enough to carry the camera around...Hopefully, I'll get some pics in 2wks at the Burnsville Metric.