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My day – Wednesday, July 30th – was full of “now.” Staying in the moment, living the moment – carefully listening to the clock ticking. Besides work – riding my bike – and working more, I hung out with some folks whom I enjoy to be around and I lived in the moment. All the while the clock was ticking.
As I waited for my friends around the town square in Dahlonega after dinner, a hearse passed and circled the square. Something of a farewell – at least that’s what the landmark sign touted as I read it (eerie). The hearse and the sign re-reminded me (as if I needed it) that every (!) second counts.
Nothing stops the clock. Nothing. It moves even when we’re not. Eventually we mentally move the clock forward – some of us fast-forwarding to moments we are not guaranteed to see or enjoy. Moments lived out in an imaginary world of fantasy. As I lived today I was more aware that all I have is now. This second. The next. Nothing more.
When reflecting upon that thought, it’s unsettling somehow. I suppose the acknowledgment feels as if I’m acquiescing to a doomed future. Shortened because I’m giving into the acceptance that life is short. Yet, life is oh so short. Blink and a month is gone. Blink again and a year passes. Blink one more time and we’ve moved through a decade.
The bigger question – “does time fly?” No, it moves second by second. Granted, it was created by man to capsulize movement of the sun and moon — and for a bunch of other reasons. What matters is simply this: what we have is now. To quote Lance Armstrong, “every second counts.” My own addition to the quote: Especially now.
Peace
Whew. What a day. I rode my bike for about 3 hours this morning and tried to expend as much energy as possible so I could relax and focus on the material for DIY-Research (my topic for the 2008 STS Marketing College).
With so many folks to address – and potentially so many questions – covering a lot of ground was probable but not likely. I erred on the side of “too much” – and we ran out of time. The energy felt good – and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the people – there were lots of smiling faces and oh so many good questions. I only wished that I had time to help them all …. but again, time ran out.
The other story of the day is that I found a bike on the road this morning while riding. A ROSS with semi-vertical dropouts and very little rust. The tires were missing as were the cables but the overall condition is suitable for a fixed gear bike. Coincidentally I needed a frame in order to build such a bike. Imagine the cycling universe laying such a ‘gift’ on my route today.
I’m blessed. I’m thankful. The here and now is just fine. “More of the same, please.”
Ride on.
Just a two-hour drive from Knoxville I arrived in Lebanon well before my start time. Imagine that – I arrived on time. Once I secured my race number, I drove out to the course and followed the road to the turn point. This would be prove to be most helpful – since I would have a better idea of what lay ahead in the race.
My warm-up went very well … but the heavy cloud cover kept the heat fixated near the ground. It felt ultra-hot.
Promptly at 10:43:30 I started. Once I left the start house, I slipped into pace and cranked the heart rate monitor near my red zone. The wind was blowing cross/head and it hampered my speed. Combined with numerous climbs (that came one after another), I felt sluggish on the way to the 20K mark.
I passed my one-minute man at the 10K mark and kept digging – then I passed my three-minute man at the 15K mark. After turning at 20K I felt the push of the wind at my back. I moved along at 30+ for a while – except for the climbs.
For a 5K segment I thought I might break one hour – particularly because I passed several people along the way. But, I was passed by the eventual winner in my group and the overall 40+ State Champ (Shawn Hurt).
I completed the 40K race in 1:01:53 and was second – which earned me the silver medal (for the second year in a row). A good outcome considering that I’m not a time trial specialist.
This year the race organizer set up a podium and had a photographer snapping shots of those men and women who placed in their respective group races. A photo will surely follow soon.
RACE SUMMARY: 40K race (24.8 miles), 1,400 feet of climbing, 1:01:53 total time. Average heart rate 157; maxed once. Average speed – just over 23.6 mph. Second place finish – silver medal.
The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work.
“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.”
Tom Bodett
Thankfully I have the BGE to love – yeah. I’m a teacher and career-minded. I hope for something greater than East Tennessee. Much bigger. But this will remain home – - just need a second home at some point. Hope will be real – Aloha.
“Creating a new theory is not like destroying an old barn and erecting a skyscraper in its place. It is rather like climbing a mountain, gaining new and wider views, discovering unexpected connections between our starting points and its rich environment. But the point from which we started out still exists and can be seen, although it appears smaller and forms a tiny part of our broad view gained by the mastery of the obstacles on our adventurous way up.”
Albert Einstein
“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
Kahlil Gibran
Giving to others is now, officially, linked to longer life. Researchers at the University of Michigan investigated whether providing social support was beneficial to the provider as well as the recipient. So, Stephanie Brown, PhD, of the university’s Institute for Social Research, and colleagues followed 423 older couples over a five-year period, as part of larger community-based project studying the changing lives of older couples.
They found that people who reported providing no instrumental or emotional support to others were more than twice as likely to die in the five years as people who helped spouses, friends, relatives and neighbors. Also, the researchers note, giving to a spouse and giving to friends and neighbors were both independently linked with a lower chance of dying.
Double giving does double your fun. It might extend your life. Give on.
Some pursue happiness – others create it.
If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.
Mario Andretti
Listening refers to the act of hearing attentively. You can learn a lot by just listening. Some say, “they make good music–you should give them a hearing.”
Sound is vibration, as perceived by the sense of hearing, which as a phenomenon is called listening. Listening defines the domain of language proficiency that encompasses how humans process, understand, interpret, and evaluate spoken language in a variety of situations.
Hence, listening is an activity which we perform so as to decide what would be our next course of action.
I suggest listening.
Use your health, even to the point of wearing it out. That is what it is for. Spend all you have before you die; do not outlive yourself.
Bernard Shaw
Some 240 miles from my spot on the globe sits Hartselle, Alabama.
Near Decatur, it was home of the 2008 Road Race Championship of Alabama … just at the base of a ‘sneaky’ little climb. Ok then. When I signed up for Masters 35+ I had no visions of staying with the lead pack. The ‘sneaky’ little climb, just one mile from the start of the race, seemed daunting. Naturally I assumed the strong men of the race would break it up right away.
Fortunately we tempo-paced the first pass, but we did drop four or five riders. It wasn’t that easy – but not too difficult either. The ‘sneaky’ climb was 2.3 miles in length. Just long enough to test your legs, and steep enough to feel it in your lungs. Within two miles of the ascent, you plummet over the edge. Literally FLYING down the other side. Whew. I was ULTRA thankful it wasn’t raining. I cannot imagine that descent in the rain.
On the backside of the course, after turning onto the next-to-last-leg (it was an 18 mile loop we rode three times) four guys on the front sat up (all at once – which is not good) and in doing so cut the on-the-road speed from 28mph to 17mph in an instant.
Four arms were not in place to guide those bikes. Those four riders were in front of me to my right. BLEH! Wheels touched and the man next to me went down … I NARROWLY missed his bike. The pack behind us wasn’t so lucky. Thirteen riders went down in a nasty crash (they were going 28mph). I looked back for an instant it looked “bad.” We went neutral to allow riders an opportunity to regain position. Then we rolled on.
As lap one wrapped up, I rode along full of trepidation. Approaching the climb (second time), the pace picked up and we tackled the first little kick in the road with tempo. And, it kept increasing. The lead group of riders strung out the peloton – and it grew smaller. Intermittently I wondered when I was going to get dropped … and the pace picked up again. But, I accelerated again, and stayed with the lead group. When we crossed the top I looked back and realized the remainder of the pack was not going to bridge the gap. Twelve of us got busy and started rotating. The remainder of lap two was without fanfare. We chased a lone rider (who eventually won), but it felt like a training ride as we rolled along at 28mph.
Approaching the climb the third time, the lead group of 12 broke up and was quickly cut to eight riders. Midway up the climb I was in third position, then three riders pushed hard and gapped us. Nearing the top of the climb I assumed we (the five of us just behind them) would bridge the gap. They were about 50 meters ahead of us … oh so close. Once they hit the descent, it was lights out.
The descent was scary fast. My bike accelerated as if it had a turbo hooked up. The descent is gradual at first — you’re traveling at 30mph — and then it just zips up to 50mph in an instant. The lead guys were going 53 or 54mph. (I realize that 50mph isn’t that fast – in a car. But is tear-smearing fast on a bike with just some flimsy Lycra pants separating precious skin from the tarmac.)
We were a group of 5 chasing 3 … and we never caught them. They eventually put a minute into us and we put over a minute into the pack behind us. I was so elated to be in a breakaway – surviving a hard climb (three times), that I mentally zoned out near the finish. Ergo, I didn’t remember the payout was for the first 7 riders! I finished 8th and clearly had energy reserves to beat two guys in front of me. Oh well, I laughed – and was thankful I had some things go ‘right’ for me: I stayed with the lead group on a serious climb even when my legs wanted to stop, I avoided a serious wreck, and I kept working with a small group even though it didn’t matter.
Recap: 55 miles, averaged 23.1 (on the flat portions we were over 25mph). Average heart rate 153; maxed at 179 once. Touched 50mph downhill. Placed 8th overall and finished 2nd in the 45+ — beating the State of Alabama 45+ Champ.
Ride on.
It’s relatively easy to climb (via bicycle) the roads in the Pyrenees or in the Alps. Riding up is relatively easy. The difficulty of climbing is exponentially elevated by the riders who push (and pull) hard on their pedals. Thus, pace is what makes climbing difficult. It’s the high, average mph – and certainly multiple accelerations along the way. Dare not think it’s easy. It just looks easy.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.
~Babatunde Olatunji
If you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you’re going to be cockeyed today. ~Author Unknown
(click to enlarge)
There’s more meow in Hello Kitty when she’s permanently inked on your skin. Thus, the images of the day. It’s a nice break from the Tour de France routine. Which is Ok because it’s a rest day. Well, some are resting but few will actually rest. Most Tour riders will spend four or five hours riding today (an “off” day LOL). I wonder if any Tour riders have Hello Kitty tats?
Ponder that. Ride on. Enjoy.
It’s inspiring. Even with the issues over doping, the Tour is powerfully inspiring. You realize that the feat these men perform is completely beyond the grasp of ordinary mortals. It’s almost like studying theology. You need to attain the first degree of initiation to understand that you don’t understand anything.
The wittiest comments ever written about the Tour were by the young Roland Barthes, and it’s no accident that he developed a real theology of cycling. In his essay about the epic known as the Tour de France, there is a passage in which he describes Mont Ventoux as one would describe an evil deity, one that demands sacrifice. Barthes equates the heroes of cycling with Homer’s warriors in the Iliad. As far as he is concerned, the original duel, between Hector and Achilles, is repeated among the riders on the mountain. Anyone can fight on flat stretches, but those who remain capable of fighting a duel on the worst of mountains already deserves to be called Hector or Achilles.
Just keep an eye out for Didi. He’s part of the lore we call the Tour de France. Race on.
The efforts by climbers (or any rider for that matter) in the Tour goes mostly unnoticed. It’s difficult to detect the real effort going on when they climb steep Cols. The fact is, they do make it look effortless. But what’s going inside their minds and bodies is – well – beyond what I can comprehend.
Suffering includes climbing some of the highest paved roads in the Alps and Pyrenees and covering inhumane distances under the summer sun. Many will crash and push on despite being covered in road rash. At night, their leg muscles will be so tired that it will be painful to climb the stairs in their hotels. To suffer is the currency of racing. To a Tour rider it means willing to risk life over and over. These are just simple rules of the game.
Glory and pain – the synonymous symbols of the Tour de France.
One of the most frequently asked questions is how do the organizers determine the ratings for the climbs in the Tour de France.The Tour organizers use two criteria 1) the length and steepness of the climb and 2) the position of the climb in the stage. A third, and much lesser criteria, is the quality of the road surface.It is important to note several things before this discussion begins.First, the organizers of the Tour have been very erratic in their classifications of climbs. The north side of the Col de la Madeleine has flip-flopped between a 1st Category to an Hors Category climb,even though it seems to be in the same position of a stage every year.Secondly, rating inflation, so rampant in other sports has raised its ugly head here. Climbs that used to be a 2nd Category are now a1st Category, even though, like the Madeleine, they occupy the same position in a stage year after year.
Let’s talk about the ratings. I will give you my impressions on what I think the criteria are for rating the climbs based on having ridden over 100 of the rated climbs in the major European tours. Note that gradual climbs do not receive grades. It has been my observation that about a 3-4% grade is necessary for a climb to get rated. Also, a climb must gain at least 70m for it to be rated.
The organizers of the Tour de France also claim that the quality of the road surface can influence the rating of a climb. If the surface is very poor, like some of the more obscure climbs in the Pyrenees,then the rating may be bumped up.4th Category – the lowest category, climbs of 200-500 feet (70-150m). 3rd Category – climbs of 500-1600 feet (150-500m). 2nd Category – climbs of 1600-2700 ft. ( 500-800m) 1st Category – climbs of 2700-5000ft(800-1500m) Hors Category – the hardest, climbs of 5000ft+(1500m+)
Points awarded for the climbs ranges are as follows (from the 1990 race bible):4th Category: 3 places: 5, 3, 13rd Category: 5 places: 10, 7, 5, 3, 12nd Category: 10 places: 20, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 11st Category: 12 places: 30, 26, 22, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1Hors Category: 15 places: 40, 35, 30, 26, 22, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1
Steepness also plays a factor in the rating. Most of the big climbsin the Alps average 7-8% where the big climbs in the Pyrenees average8-9%.
Please remember that I am giving very, very rough guidelines and there are exceptions to every rule. For example, L’Alpe D’Huezclimbs 3700ft(1200m), but is an Hors Category climb. This is becauseit usually comes at the end of a very tough stage and the climb itselfis unusually steep(~9%) by Alpine standards.
More confusing is the Col de Borderes, a mere 1000ft (300m) climb outside of Arrens in the Pyrenees mountains. I have seen it rated anywhere from a 3rd Category to a 1st Category !!! This is most likely due again, to its placement on the stage. The 3rd Category rating came when it was near the beginning of a stage where its 1st Category rating came when it was near the end.
Flat or downhill sections can also affect a climb’s rating. Such sections offer a rest to the weary and can reduce the difficulty of the climb considerably. This may be one of the reasons that the aforementioned Col de la Madeleine, which has a 1 mile downhill/flat section at mid-height,flip-flops in its rating.
People often asked how climbs in the United States compare to those in Europe. Most of the US climbs are either steep enough by European standards(6-8% grade), but are short(5-10km) so they fall into the3rd Category or 2nd possibly; or the climbs gain enough altitude, but are too long(they average <5%) so again they would fail to break the 1st Category barrier and end up most likely a 2nd or 3rd Category.Fear not, there are exceptions. Most notable to Californians is the south side of Palomar Mountain which from Pauma Valley climbs4200′ in 11 miles, a potential 1st Category ascent, though it mayfall prey to downgrading because of the flat section at mile four.The east side of Towne Pass in Death Valley is definitely a 1stCategory climb!
A popular Northern California climb, Mount Hamilton, is similar toPalomar Mountain but, fails to be a 1st Category climb because of two offending downhill section on the ascent and an overall gradient of 5%.For Coloradoans, you can thank the ski industry for creating long,but relatively gradual climbs that rarely exceed 5% for any substantial length(5+ miles). I never had to use anything bigger than a 42×23on any climb in Colorado, regardless of altitude. Gear ratios of39×24 or 26 are commonplace in the Alps and Pyrenees and give a very telling indication as to the difficulty of European climbs.
One potential 1st Category climb for Coloradoans may be the 4000 ft.climb in about 15 miles from Ouray to the top of Red Mountain Pass.Also, it should be noted that there is not a single uniform rating scheme for all the races on the UCI calendar. What one race might call a 1stCategory climb, may be called a 2nd Category climb, even though the stages of the two races are almost identical.
One last note. I think it is inappropriate to compare the ascents of climbs by the European pros with the efforts of us mere mortals.I have said this time and time again and I will repeat it now. It is very, very hard for the average person to comprehend just how fast the pros climb the big passes. Pace makes all the difference. Riding a climb is very different than racing it.
The most difficult sporting event in the world produces some interesting numbers ….
(does this guy have a mirror??)
Isn’t that reason enough? If nuns are keeping fit – pedaling for St. Peter – then why not you? I know that applies to me. One might conclude riding a bike is prayerful in its own right. Umm? Maybe my 4.5 hours on Sunday were closer to a religious experience than I originally thought, and the induced meditation was full of enlightenment. Please continue riding onward with thoughtful prayers my friends.
The Tour was lively today. The news is aplenty … Google it. The advertising on Versus is really BAD. The Lance/Trek ads suck (what’s the big idea??). So do the Saab ads. Millions of viewers would rather enjoy some background music and random cycling shots instead of the same ads over and over again. NO we will NOT consider buying a Saab NOR a Trek.
I spent 4.5 hours riding up/down the Foothills Parkway today. What’s up with Florida drivers???? More close calls than I care to discuss, but three of four were Florida drivers. Other than crazy Floridians it was actually fun to climb, climb and climb some more. (Yesterday I was there for 3 hours doing lots of the same: climbing in big gears making my legs scream, my jersey feel as if I jumped in a swimming pool and my water bottle say, “dang, you refilling again!”)
Today’s image was taken atop the Parkway — an 8,776 pixel width shot, but 1,550 for your viewing pleasure. Click to enlarge.
Oh. Viva Le Tour (the Italian Viva, not the French variety).
Imagine starting the race with a real stage – with a jersey as the prize? Tour organizers have changed the game and I believe it also created a visible difference in the race itself – and in the teams who were gunning to capture the jersey (even if for a day). Shorter stages and no time bonuses make a huge difference in the mental outlook for every team. Sure a stage will be shorter – but the pace will be faster. And yes, there are no time bonuses – so every second counts. Sound familiar? Well, it’s more like American style racing that’s simple: when the gun fires go like hell until crossing the finish line. Then, rest up and do the same thing the next day.
Except in this case do it again 20 more times.
The news is news and after the first day the yellow jersey was won by Valverde, now in his 4th Tour. He also leads the green jersey competition, which Philippe Gilbert will wear on Sunday. In what seemed like a turbo-move, Valverde made time on all the contenders, from 1 second on Evans, 7 on Sastre and Menchov, up to 3:04 on Mauricio Soler, who crashed late in the stage. His dramatic surge at the end suggested one thing: he’s in the race to win, not just the stage, but the overall win. Thomas Voeckler takes the first King of the Mountains jersey, by finishing ahead of Bjorn Schroeder, with whom he tied on points, and Riccardo Ricco is the first leader of the white jersey competition
Viva Le Tour : – O
With just one day to go, my mind has been fully centered on what’s happening in France. The one place I care not visit, unless I’m going to watch the Tour (which, BTW, I will do someday). Onward. BGE and I traveled to the crowded National Park for some relaxation. We did relax but it was at the expense of Metcalf Bottoms.
I’ve seen the lots full there just a few times – but today it was overflowing. We took the shortcut into Metcalf via Wears Valley (a local entrance out of sight to Gatlinburg visitors) … and that road was crowded. Umm. I truly believe our peaceful side of the Smokies is garnering its share of local folks who aren’t vacationing this year. Enough of the area-talk.
The spot we found was private – secluded and in the middle of the stream. We had a HUGE lounging spot with just the river running around us. It was a natural sound machine kicking it up a few notices. After a light lunch we napped for two hours while baking a bit in the sun. It was a relaxing day – even with the challenges of local traffic.
One more day and the wait is over. Happy Birthday America – Viva Le Tour.
ASO has officially blocked (old news btw) several teams from starting in the Tour. The big victim this year is Astana.
Sure, Astana had (past tense) a bad reputation in the cycling world. Last year there were scandals surrounding Vinokourov, Kasjetsjkin, Mazzoleni and Kessler. (Russian hitman squad on two wheels.) It was a public secret that the team was really old-school cycling and didn’t comply to the new ethics that much. But after last season several things changed. For starters, Astana hired new management, a new cycling director and several Discovery team riders.
Only the name has stayed the same.
Many sports reporters felt that Astana’s absence from the Tours would negatively affect the brand image of the Tour dramatically. It has done nothing except create venues for press events. Does anyone care? Hell yes they do. Will the race be watched as it has been in prior years. Even more so. Why? Because it’s the greatest sporting event on the planet – requiring much more than fancy bikes, gel paks and a comfy bed at night.
It requires butts with hardened calluses, legs that seek ear-popping climbs, and men who ride four or five hours on their OFF days. If you believe “football” (either variety) or rugby or ______ fill in the blank is tougher, just get your happy ass out of bed and ride 120 miles today, and tomorrow and the next day. Oh, and make sure you keep up. The average speed is 26+ and they don’t stop for pee breaks, flat tires or bee stings either.
Viva Le Tour.
The Devil does love the Tour de France, and contrary to rumor, is a very nice guy, actually. Didi the Devil is the alias of Didi Senft, a cycling fan whose unmatched passion for the sport compels him to don a full devil outfit–complete with shiny metal fork–and attend professional cycling events across Europe. He jumps for joy when riders are suffering. His spirits lifts others around him to yell a little louder, “THREE DAYS AND COUNTING!”
(click to enlarge)
On a “recon” mission, I visited Dayton, Tennessee, a quaint little community near the Tennessee River (very close) and just an hour and a half from Maryville. Later this week a bike race will convene at Rhea County Elementary School. Not a swap meet, a race. Ergo, my happy little (emphasis on little) ass visited the school, the community and I rode the course.
As you exit RCES your bike jumps around on Delaware, then Florida, then Brayton Mountain Road. Eventually you begin climbing (for over five miles you climb). Along the way, I passed many trailers (mostly single-wides), dogs on chains (thank-you Lord), Confederate flags (“Hey, I’m from Memphis, deep in the South ….”), and yes, a lovely mountain called Brayton. Actually, Brayton Mountain is located in Graysville – on Graysville Road (Brayton Mountain Road becomes Graysville Road), just when you think you’ve reached the summit, the darn thing kicks up again … and again … and even a third time. As evident in the photo I took (after traipsing through poison ivy: ), it’s situated up above the valley floor.
Just after taking this photo, I stopped to ask … “where is New Harmony Road” – and the fellow that answered (a postman) said, “you missed that turn about four miles back ….” Thanks. Ok then. I realized my water bottle was running low, my stomach needed food and I wanted to be done with my workout. Launching back toward New Harmony I traveled onward. Eventually NHR turns onto Highway 30, and after making a right turn, I continued toward RCES. In my way were ten rollers that can be race-definers …. as though the five mile climb is ‘easy.’ Ha.
While on Highway 30, my first bottle was MT. That’s pronounced, “M – Tee.” (I picked that up from working at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona – the very year we won the race outright – the very year I bought my own Rolex Daytona watch).
Ok then, back to the ride.
In the midst of single-wides, abandoned cars and homes, I noticed two kids sitting on the side of the road, in little kid-like foldout chairs, at a kid-sized table, with a kid-made sign and Dixie cups. Now I don’t know about the rest of the world, but stopping to show my support sounded fun. Fun it was.
When I pulled into the gravel driveway, ‘mom’ soon appeared while I ordered-up a cup of the house lemonade. It looked cool. The little boy (Steven) said, “you want a large or small?” I said, “I’ll take a bottle full.” His quizzical look was funny – truly. I reached into my little bag underneath the seat and produced a $5 bill. His eyes widened and he seem to smile, but wasn’t sure what to do in the transaction. Mom grabbed the pitcher and I asked her to pour it in the bottle -which she did. I then asked, “how’s business.” No response from Steven nor his little brother (who sat there idly, probably thinking of the Cartoon Network) … and mom didn’t respond either. Oh well. I then suggested that he raise the price of a large cup to at least $1 (it was .50) and charge extra for ice. Steven smiled.
I handed him the $5 bill and said thanks – keep the change.
I’m not a betting man, but I suspect that Steven closed up shop and called it day.
Oh. The product taste-test! Well, I assume that Steven made it … as the ratio of ‘ade’ to H20 was on the sweet side. One good thing, my mph went up, my legs had a little more kick and I had a huge smile on my face. After a few more rollers I caught the downhill into Dayton … four miles of 8% downhill …. at 45mph …. with trucks near me …. and cars. Whew. The smile that a little lemonade stand created was with me all the way down to the car, and it stayed there. And it’s still there today.
I’m not sure about the race on Saturday (to go or not), I’m thinking that July 4th requires ample celebration and merriment, all of which are not conducive when preparing for a race next-day. Maybe the BGE and I’ll travel into the National Park and enjoy some creekside grilling at Metcalf Bottoms … along with a nap and some light reading. Ahh, rest day. The Firecracker 100 launches from the Old City at 8AM on Saturday and then finishes at Barley’s with pizza and beer. That sounds pretty good – a ride versus a race on a Saturday morning. Now that creates an even bigger smile.
Ride on.
