Mitch flashing CLM signs...look for our tags, they're all over the Dash, son!
Erich and me feeling good, in the near future, we would not be feeling so good.
I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me. Papa, Paparazzi.
That's right! Today was the Polar Bear Ride for Courage here in Winston Salem. It's set up to benefit the folks at Cancer Services. Good cause, great ride. I showed up to the starting point in a haze of fog and chill. As soon as I arrived, I saw CLM members Mitch, Duane, and Whitney. Somewhere along the line, one of the newspeople from WXII12 stopped Mitch to talk to him. His response would have made Lady Gaga proud...hand in the camera, and something to the effect of, "I can't do this right now." Awesome! Shortly thereafter, we met up with E-Rich and Kristin. After a bit of preride banter, we headed over to the start line to register and get checked in. The Mayor had a few words to say at the outset of the ride, declaring it City Loop Mafia Day...or at least that's what I heard.
Anyways, we rolled out and Duane, Whit, Erich and myself all stuck with the lead group. We got a few miles outside of town and I started to look around at the people in the crew I was rolling with. Crap. Mostly Cat 2/3 dudes. Double Crap. There were a few short climbs that separated the wheat from the chaff, and we were down to about 18-20 in the front. About mile twenty or so, Ken (from Ken's bike shop) rolled past motorcade style with the back hatch open. Camerawoman in the back, supine taking video/photos. This was everyones cue to hammer it and look oh-so-intimidating and strong. All of the sudden we are pulling along at 30+ mph. I realized I was third back and was going to have to do a pull soon, and there just happened to be a pretty gnarly hill ahead. Lo and behold, I'm pulling up the hill. As soon as I pull off to let someone else have a turn, I realize, I'm not going to hold. I drift to the back, and lose contact VERY quickly. I exchanged one exasperated glance with Whit as I dropped off the face of the earth. That was the last I was to see of those guys. At this point, the average was well over 20mph.
So, after having been dropped, I worked in with a couple of other small groups for about 15 or so miles, but the other 25 I was entirely alone. Alone on Farmington road into a headwind, struggling just to stay upright was a definite high point in the ride. Erich relayed a message to me after the ride. Duane said somewhere along Farmington, "I always go into a deep, dark depression here." Understandable, long slow uphill and windy...reeeeeediculous! Once I popped out onto Courtney-Huntsville I knew where I was, and was extremely relieved to know that I only had about a dozen or so miles left. Normally Shallowford Road is a blast to ride on. Lots of rollers, one decent climb up from the Yadkin, but generally very fast. It wasn't too fast at this point in my ride. I'm rolling down Country Club and see the signs for the school, a nice end to the day. CLM members telling me to sprint it in, some workers cheering me on.
Very cool event for a great cause. I think that I finished in the top 30 or so, in about 3:20-3:30 with an average of maybe 19-19.5 without stops. The lead group finished in less than three with an average of 22 or so. Craziness! Mad props to Duane and Whit who finished in the top ten, and Erich who finished in the top 15. Excellent showing!
