tiger_fodder

Yesterday's ride was much harder than any I have done before. It started in Acton, Massachusetts went up to Wilton, New Hampshire, near Nashua, and back down to Acton. The weather was great, although at 8:00 AM and 47 degrees F (8 Celsius), going on a bicyle ride does not readily spring to mind.

Prior to the beginning of the ride, the organizer asked if we had all brought our "triples." In bicycle lingo he was referring to a triple chainring. The smallest of the three is nicknamed the granny ring, which is used to "spin" up steep hills. "Manly" cyclists do not typically have three chainrings, as "we can handled anything." I knew I was in trouble when I looked around and saw that I was one of the few that did not have a triple.

This is me looking worried and cold (aside from the usual embarassing cycling clothing, I am also wearing ear muffs and arm warmers).



The first 30 miles were pretty uneventful. I hooked up with a pretty fast group through it and was doing great time. Then we hit the hills. Quickly everyone started shifting to their easier gears. I am pretty good on the hills, so I dropped my mates off one by one. However, while they were spinning away, I was sitting up and pushing much harder gears. When I was done with the first big hill at around 42 miles, the group quickly caught me on the descend. I saw them again at the 50 mile mark when we stopped at the first of 2 designated break areas.

I left on my own from the break area and immediately got to the toughest hill. I am not sure how long it was. It felt like 20 miles, but it probably was only 6 miles or so. The grade varied between 7% to 10%. I did not have the right gears so I was on the easiest gear standing and pushing hard just to get the crank around, to start all over again. I was riding 5 miles an hour and my heart rate was around 170 (my resting heart beat is about 45, so 170 is way too high). After that hill, there were more ups and only a few downs for a long time. At about the 70 mile point the super fast down hills started. I topped at 45 miles. Of course, this is where I got caught again. We cruised to the second and last break area at 75 miles. That left 21 miles to go since the ride was 106 miles altogether. Those last miles were tough. They hills left were not as bad as the ones we saw before, but my legs were so fried that any incline was painful.

After 6 hours and 20 minutes the end came. It was the worst average speed I have done in 12 years, but considering how hard it was I am very happy.

The girl texted my neighbor to let her know that the ride in her honor was over. She said she was excited. I have raised nearly $1,000. I have pledges for more coming this week.

Thanks for all of your words of encouragement. Honestly, I thought of each of you during the ride. Between that and my neighbor's story I found the power to push on. At the half way point, I told the girl that I was not going to finish. But during that never ending hill I played lots of things in my mind and knew that I would be able to finish.

I don't have many more photos...

Here I am leaving at the beginning of the ride



I was changing here. I had my pants off and the girl tried to suprise me...