Another great day of riding on the great circle loop to Doss. The beauty of riding in this area is that you never have to do an out and back on the same road. There are so many perfectly good side roads that you can do a circle to almost anywhere. This was a 56 mile loop. The real secret is finding one where you have a headwind out, some crosswinds, and then a screaming tailwind coming back. This route certainly provided this. Not only was it a vicious headwind, many times it was a headwind going uphill with some short 13% grades. Quite a challenge for everyone, especially this flatlander. I do think I am getting better at climbing and descending though.
Mike, Gary, Mac, and I were riding together today. Gary found a SAG sign and tried to set up a SAG stop for us. Unfortunately he forgot the food and drinks. I guess Tracy of Crossroads will have to give him some serious lessons in organizing SAG stops. We also stopped at a winery. We couldn't convince Mac to carry several bottles of wine back for us in his Camelback. He said he doesn't drink. I don't know what that had to do with anything.
I was happy today because I found my Texas Longhorns. The horns were not as long as the ones I saw last year, but at least I got a picture of some.
The riders are typical of the types of riders you get with any group. First there are the Big Dogs (ES riders will know what I mean.) These guys warm up 2 minutes going out of town and then they become time trialists for whatever distance they are riding. There is something about their psyche that just won't let them slow down and smell the roses. I am just jealous because I can't ride like that. Then there is a fast and sane group. Some days they ride harder than others, but they will slow down once in a while. The final group is like me. (Sometimes it is only me.) We work hard but stop often and come in hours behind everyone else. But we find the SAG signs, the longhorns, and sit in the Bluebonnets.
Ride like the wind!
ReplyDelete