11/11/2006

Just back from a week of too much food and too little exercise! (VMWorld 2006, Los Angeles)  Didn't get a chance to do my 300k ride report before I left, but have some time today...

Susan held her last brevet of the season last Sunday (11/5 - a 300k, 190 miles).  I think I may be getting better at timing my drive because I got there with plenty of time to get ready.  I pulled in next to Gerry Goode.  Gerry is recovering from a broken collarbone after hitting a raccoon during the Boston Montreal Boston 1200k this year, so I was happy to see him recovered enough to do the ride!  It was a bit brisk at the start (don't remember now... low 50's I think), so I bundled up a bit for the start.  There were about 20 or so folks at the start.  Susan led us out of town at a nice slow pace - around 15-17 mph.  That starting pace was fine for me, but some of the people who hadn't bundled up got a bit chilled.  Just outside of town Susan pulled off and we were off.  About half the starting group stayed together for quite a way.  I wasn't in any hurry and didn't have any finishing time goals.  I just wanted to enjoy the ride.  Somewhere along Woodruff/Martin (outside of Coolidge) I needed to make my first pit stop.  But the group was riding at a really nice pace and I also didn't want to give that up either, so I went off the front and said I was going up a way to pee, but I don't know if anyone heard because even though I set a rather fast pace off the front, the group must have also picked up the pace I didn't get that far up before stopping.

It took a while to chase them back down.  Luckily someone else stopped (I think it was Craig Long, but I'm not positive) and he chased me down, then pulled me back to the group just as we got into Coolidge.  The group continued to work nicely together and we made great time to the turn onto SR79 heading to Oracle Junction.  At one point I must have pushed the pace a little too hard because the group dropped back, but it was relatively close to the checkpoint at the Tom Mix monument, so I just kept riding at my own pace.  It was a bit windy, but really not too bad.

I took my time at the checkpoint and stripped some of my cold weather stuff.  Someone finally left (don't remember who), but that started people trickling out.  I left after that guy and Craig Long and Kevin Arps left just me.  I was slowly working my way back up to a good pace, so they passed me and caught that guy who left first.  I was feeling pretty good, so I closed the gap and we set a fast pace.  Somewhere along there that guy who left first dropped off and we were down to three.  The wind picked up some, but we had a good pace line going so we still made good time.  Going up one hill Kevin really picked up the pace and that split us up for a while, but we did regroup.  A few miles later, near the top of the SR79 climb Kevin did it again and this time we stayed split for quite a while.  Craig was able to get back to Kevin relatively quickly, but I was struggling a bit and didn't catch them until the descent before the turn off on Oracle road.  We picked up one rider (not associated with the 300k) somewhere along there, but he didn't stay with us when we turned onto Tangerine.

Kevin was in a bit more of a hurry than Craig and I, so he went off the front while Craig and I chatted for a while.  When the road narrowed, we started rotating turns until we got to the next checkpoint at Jennifer Gibbon's house (thanks for the hospitality Jennifer!  made for the most comfortable checkpoint ever!).  People started trailing in just as we were getting ready to leave.  I made a last minute decision to hit the bathroom before leaving and when I got out Craig and Kevin had already left.  I took a look at the directions and got a bit confused and made one very short wrong turn, but was quickly back on track.  I looked at the queue sheet and noticed that we would pass right by Magee and Thornydale.  Hey, my brother lives at Magee and Thornydale!  As I was approaching the intersection I could see Craig and Kevin getting ready to turn.  Hmmm... I could do a quick sprint and ride with them to the finish or I could make the turn into Leo's housing development....  Tough decision!  I turned into his development and let Craig and Kevin go.  They were pushing the pace more than I wanted for this ride anyway (I'm supposed to be in my OFF season, after all).

My nephew, Tony, opened the door and gave me a look that said "who the heck are you?!?"  So I said "Hey Tony, it's Uncle Mike!"  Then he got excited, ran off and yelled "Papa, papa! It's Uncle Mike!" leaving me standing at the door.  My dad was on his last Harley ride for the season and had spent the night Saturday at my house in Mesa.  Shortly after I got to Leo's house he pulled in and was very surprised to see that I had beaten him there!  Anyway I only spent 10 or 15 minutes there, then headed back out.  I expected to catch some of the other people who came in behind me at Susan's house, but I didn't see anyone.

The wind was still blowing and it seemed to track my progress, changing directions with me to ensure I wouldn't benefit from a tail wind!  It wasn't too hard, just really tedious.  I had Mike Cox put a compact crankset on my 5.9SL and I must say that I enjoyed using it going up Gates Pass.  In fact, that crankset was just about perfect for me on this ride.  I made fast time on the other side of the Pass and all the way to Sandario, the it was back into the wind and a slow, slow ride to the next checkpoint at the Trico Mini Mart.  A mile or two before getting to the checkpoint, Dave Lehnen and another guy caught me and I jumped in behind them.  John and Liz Mazzola pulled in on their tandem just as we were finishing up.  They were in too much of a hurry, so we left before them.  I realized shortly after that I should have used the restroom, so I told Dave I was going to hit the bathroom at the Circle K in Marana and went off the front.  I was relatively quick and it looked like they made a wrong turn and started up the freeway on-ramp, so I was able to get back up to them after a couple miles.

That wind was still challenging us (more on the mental side than physical), but we kept a pretty steady 17-18 mph pace.  The pace started to drop off though, so I went to the front and just maintained 17 figuring they would be able to sit on my wheel, but when I looked back they had dropped off.  I decided to keep going at that pace, but the wind started to affect me to and I noticed my pace dropping to 14-15ish and it looked like someone was catching me when I went by the Dairy Queen in Picacho Peak.  But the next time I looked back, whoever that was must have stopped.

The 10 mile stretch along SR87 always seems to take forever and this time was no different.  I plodded along into the wind trying not to look at my odometer to see how much of this $#@ 10 mile stretch was left.  When I got to the last checkpoint at La Palma market I really took my time.  Ate and Ice Cream bar and had a couple drinks while lounging in a chair next to a wagon wheel table.  There were only 15 miles left and I wasn't in a hurry, so I took my time and didn't fight the wind, but I was glad when I pulled into the finish!  Dave, John and Liz pulled in about 2 minutes after me!  I should have waited at the La Palma checkpoint just a bit longer and I would have had company for the finish!

Last ride of the year for me.  Haven't decided on my schedule for next year yet, but I'll get it posted sometime in December.