Primay Goal: Accomplished. Secondary Goal: Left for another year. Knowing that I haven't been on many long rides since the Hurt, Pain, and Agony, I set my sights on doing two of the four gaps today. That was my primary goal, and I was able to muster that. My secondary goal, loftier goal, however you would like to refer to it, was to climb all four gaps. I knew that it wasn't probably exactly realistic, but still in the back of my mind I wanted it. Now, onto the ride.
Last night I mounted up the fatties and the clinchers. I was concerned about doing two (or four) hard descents on my tubulars, and also I didn't want to risk flatting and prematurely ending the ride. Maybe I could have made the finish a bit faster with the other wheels, maybe made another gap...but I don't think it would have ultimately mattered.
The rollout was pretty quick, and all of the sudden we were out of town, and out in the country. At about mile 12, there is one steep climb on Pedigo Ridge. I got launched off the back of the lead group. I knew that was coming, and that if I wanted to survive I needed to ride my own pace. On up Squirrel Spur. UP...Up. I saw Erich, Brian, and Mitch all descending, looking strong. I think E at this point was top fifteen-ish. Once we summited, we turned back around and got to descend all we had just climbed. So much fun! My intentions of doing two gaps were to do the first and the last. I felt pretty good after the first, and made relatively quick work of getting to Willis Gap. After some quick deliberation, I decided to head up this gap. At this point I was thinking, "Hmmm, maybe I can make all four." By the top my thinking was, "crap, I hope I can make it back to the finish."
Descending off of Willis' Gap was great. Good sight lines, not many, if any switchbacks. At the bottom, I stopped at the rest stop to get some refills and some fig newtons. Rolling out, and onto the infamous Old Schoolhouse. Holy smokes, that was so wrong. After having already done about 4500 feet of climbing to have this horrendous wall of a climb was brutal! After making it to the top, it became very evident the toll it had had on other riders. There were people walking their bikes, a few laying in the shade and one dude totally out laying in a ditch. I stopped and gave the guy some sportlegs capsules and gave him some words of encouragement. Miles of alone time got me to the bottom of the final gap, and of course, I opted out, my legs were already cooked.
The lower section of Pipers Gap heading back into Mt. Airy was the most flat section of pavement on the whole ride. It felt grand to just be able to spin along comfortably at 22-23 mph without killing myself. On THE final climb, about five miles from the finish, my legs had had enough and started cramping. I pulled over into the shade and started to stretch them out. After about thirty seconds things were mostly back under control, and I was blissful to know that no one had seen me at my low point...or so I thought. Just as I start to get ready to go again, I hear, "YEAH BARRY!" Erich. Having summited all four gaps, and he caught me...wow. just wow. So I hopped in with he, John, and Diana to finish off the ride. We rolled in in just under five hours. Erich 5th, John 6th, Diana 1st woman (7th overall). Brian and Mitch came in not too much longer finishing strong. Excellent showing today!
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