April 10, 2010-Two Rides-97 Miles But It Felt Like 98

I was determined to ride a century today.

My training is suspect - what can I say?

I felt like I wasn't getting enough miles.

Today I'm king of "I can" instead of denials.

My friends are riding 100s in the "hills".

Now that's a lot like riding treadmills.

The uphill miles are so much longer.

But those uphill miles will make you stronger!

I guess I’ll be out here for most of the day.

I’m not concerned with what comes my way.

I’m not sure of which way I should go.

I’m not taking it fast but I’m not taking it slow.

Let's see, I'll take the hills in this direction.

They comprise demise and affect affection.

I love and hate the hills. It's another race of truth.

Pulling a hard grade is like pulling a sensitive tooth!

Stand up! Sit down! Rest your hands atop the bars.

Pay no attention to other cyclists or even passing cars.

Relax your upper body take the grimace off your face.

Breath in, power and spin, but ride at your own pace.

Stand up! Sit down! Rest your legs and then your butt.

The lungs, the legs, the heart will burst or will it be the gut?

Shift up! Stand up! Shift down! Sit down! Spin awhile.

Some riders are up ahead. We'll have to ride single file!

I've got my gears in double low. Am I reaping what I sow?

Inquiring minds want to know- how can I be going this slow?

This hill is getting steeper with every passing week.

Maybe my brakes are stuck or my tire has sprung a leak!

Is it my butt that's dragging or could it be my brake?

I'm snorting too much exhaust. My lungs begin to ache!

Now I've had three heart attacks while getting up this hill.

This couldn't be more painful if I were doing it against my will!

The end is near! I swear it's just around the curve.

I hope I can appear a little fresher. I hope I do not swerve.

I'm sure the grade will ease a bit when I get around this bend.

My legs are screaming now. This pain will have to end!

What has happened to the top? It used to be right here!

The "end" I held dear, that once was here- where will it reappear?

El Diablo is in the curve up ahead? Why is He taunting me?

I'm seeing things and hearing things, things that are haunting me!

I'm finally over the top. I'll pump the pedals and recover my spin.

Is my rear out of gear? Are my legs too tired for the gear I'm in?.

So now I've met another group on the road.

These folks will brighten and lighten the load.

It's easier and faster to get a hundred done,

When other riders ride and you're not the only one.

You can hide behind a rider and block some of the wind.

At least before you revolve to take the front again!

It's the B-Group from Carrboro that I've latched onto.

They'll put in about forty-five miles before their ride is through.

I'll have to add another forty if I intend to make my goal.

When we make a loop through Hillsborough I'll continue to let it roll.

The group gets strung out and yoyos to and fro.

But it gets us down the road to where we need to go!

A lot of big folk don’t climb so well.

But they can drop like a politician in hell.

Some folks can climb where others can't.

Some can descend where there's any downward slant.

It’s nice to see the folks flutter up the hills,

And then fly down, appreciating all the thrills.

But all the butterflies flutter high.

They seem destined to the sky!

And just like the daring trapeze,

They seem to do it with such ease.

Well now it was exactly right here we were coming down a hill. There were folks dropping back on the left in our lane. The rider in front perhaps didn't see it. He pulled over right at the pot-hole and I had to go directly any damage management. Damage management and recovery modes are instantly simultaneous.  Before I could say "hole". I was beaten to the punch and was past the point of being heard by those who were "most in need of the warning".

There were, I guess, three flat tires right there.

The hole was a couple inches and about a foot across.

The best thing was that no one panicked and went down.

The best thing to do is "hold your line".

Don't swerve.

I rode back and helped with a couple of flats.

Some "flat changing" class was held a bit there.

There were a couple of remarks that led me to believe some thought I had "led them astray".

It would have looked like that to someone. People see different things and ways.

a rider may be wiggling back and forth in front of you - but if you make a "correction" to keep from going down, the person behind you may only see you. But you're only trying to avoid the guy in front of you who is trying to get food out of his jersey pocket and he sucks at it.

So - we ran over a pot-hole and had flats.

Like I explained then and now: I'm not a bad person. I'm just surrounded by bad people!

The pace is advertised to be a certain speed. I can ride with anybody but we can't ride the same up hills and downhills. We are not made the same.

It can hurt a rider to try to keep up on the up-hill grade and for the same and different folk the same could be said for the down-hills.

I always expect a heavier person, a more muscular person to go down hills faster. Heavier people can usually gravitate faster but sometimes shouldn't. Being skilled "technically" is a consideration.

So- we really can't ride as fast down or up like other people will.

Quite often I like to pull. I will pull "to a fault". Sometimes I pull because I can.

I was riding at the McEntire Airbase 24 hour "Ride Till You Barf" ride I think it was! This was decades ago if not centuries. You actually rode as far as you could for 24 hours.

Well- I rode till I barfed. Today, I can eat "some trail mix". I lost the taste for it at McEntire! I remember being behind a guy who moved over to the left. I guess he wanted me to pull through. I couldn't. Many years later this guy came into my store and said, "I remember you! You were that guy that was sucking my wheel at McEntire Airbase. You wouldn't pull through! You wouldn't work!"

Well- I can't remember exactly what he said. He had a young lady with him. It embarrassed me. I remember it being unpleasant.

So- today I over-compensate. I pull too much.

I would like to now acknowledge that I have been a wheel-sucker and I did not "pull through".

I'd like to apologize to that lion-hearted cyclist that did all the work that night until we pulled into the rest area and escaped without me in his draft. I must have been with you at least a few miles.

Yes, I am ashamed of my past behavior and if I had my way- I would be right in front of you when I threw up!

So- we all don't do everything the same. The alternative is wait up. Wait up at the tops of hills. Wait up on corners/turns.

We're riding into Hillsborough on Ben Johnston Road.

So today the riders will have coffee, lattes, or espresso at Cup-O-Joe's in downtown Hillsborough.

The Carolina Tarwheels cycle on to Carrboro after "Cup-O-Joe's".

But I leave the Carrboro Saturday morning B-ride for pursuit of yet another ride. I have 44 miles in as I leave the Hillsbros area. Dave and his gang will be out toward Hurdle Mills. I'll get in at least another 45 miles in maybe. This might be a century day after all.

I make it exactly to the store as Dave has instructed me. He always has great directions. He plots a course for me, by phone, and we all meet at the store at the same time. So I'm able to grab a brownie and a coke. I haven't wanted or had a coke in quite a while. Sucrose won't be too bad right now.

I think I'll be able to ride this century today.

It's nice having so many friends who play.

Let's climb a hill and ride by a barn.

Maybe we'll have time to tell a yarn.

So how many miles do I have right here?

It feels like about 70- at least in my rear!

I'd better stand up and shake some stuff loose.

I'm getting a knots and what-nots in my caboose.

I'm having severe pain and of so many sorts.

Things are not right, down in my cycling shorts!

There must be two mongoose on the loose.

I plead "Oh please, Vamoose!" but it's no use!

The pain causes wrinkles. The skin and muscles contort.

It looks like I picked the wrong day to wear this cycling short!

It's not now whether I'm a mouse or a man.

It's now "how much suffering can a rear-end stand?"

Somebody, please. hit me with a two-by-four.

I can’t stand this pain in my pants anymore.

Shorts when new are the finest cycling attire.

But now they’re old and have set me on fire.

Let me stand up and shake it "all about".

I feel my hind-end parts are just worn out!

How many miles is it now- I see it's just eighty!

That's a good figure- nothing shady with eighty.

Now - if I can just find that short cut!

The one that could save my sore butt!

With all the broken pieces I made up my mind.

I would ride a hundred and not a ninety-nine.

It is easier to convince my mind, I find,

Than convincing my sore behind!

Ninety five is sounding better all the time.

Oh Dear Lord, please help me end this Rhyme!

Then I thought 99 would be as fine.

I could certainly justify it in my mind!

I was not so tired as it was just ceasing to be fun.

But now I conceded, I was hoping to be done.

A bike ride can be just like my old Lady.

A girlfriend and a bike ride get old around eighty.

Here it is near ninety miles and I’ll be lucky to get 98.

You eat a lot of crow out here and there’s a lot more on my plate.

It was only 97 but it felt like 98.

If you have some time-allow me to elucidate.

Riding a century was what I did contrive.

I joined one cycling club and rode 45.

I need more training for what is yet in store.

I joined another group rode for 45 more.

This relationship is one of love and hate.

It may be only 97 but it feels like 98.

A century contains a hundred miles.

Eventually you start running out of smiles.

Take some time. This moment is to celebrate.

So what if it’s only 97, it feels like a flippin' 98!

by Micky Dee

The photo above is from the photo below. First I copied. I then "pasted the copy. I flipped the copy. this added a little more grass, porch, etc. Next, I rotated the "joined" photo. I then feathered the dirt in at the bottom right of the picture. I cropped it all to make a "nicer" picture out of a twisted pic.

You can see the "in-between" picture below. Notice the top right part of the picture. This is the flipped and joined from the "top".

A little cropping and touching up and we have the picture "under PHOTO PHUN".

Sometimes the piece you use for "fill" (after flipping and adding) and keep continuity might only be a strip. Occasionally I'll see something right away and play with it or not. Most "strips that are copied, pasted, flipped, and added could come out a bit as the pieces below.

This makes an infinite pattern!

The strip I used was possibly not what we see here. I was using it as an example. But here, above, we see 8 pieces, four of which are flipped and added to keep continuity. The same ending is the beginning (just flipped).

So you kids go outside to play for a while!

Or- check out these hubs, below, by Micky Dee!