Miracle Ride

Miracle hill challenge 2013 Saturday June 8 Didn't get much sleep the night before as I changed my mind at near midnight about which bike to take. Had to work til maybe 1:30 am and got up at 5:30 am. Had a modest breakfast and a caffiene pill. No time for coffee.  I drove to the start, this year starting from Furman University. I got my packet and found that I was number 2! At about 7 am we left. Doug Guth led us out, but had a problem with his computer and he told me to lead the group out. Yikes. I didn't know the exact route thru Furman, but luckily had my que sheet and pulled it out. In a few miles a fast group pulled ahead and I was off the hook.  It was a very foggy morning as we rode toward Daucasville and then Ceasars Head. I took a wrong turn and for almost half a mile before I realized it and turned back. Got back with Doug for a while. At a rest stop before CH I lost him for good. He was ahead of me.  Met Ms. Rose Wilson. She was on a triathlon bike and said she was going to do Lake Tahoe ironman  (IM) this summer and make a vacation out of it. I passed her before CH but she would finish before me. She was 50-60 years old I would guess. Doug would later marvel at her speed.  On CH I met and talked to Rex Morgan. He is a serious triathlete as well. We talked of Lake Placid IM and tubular tires. We climbed CH at a moderate pace. Rex felt it was an easy pace. My average HR was 149, not into the red zone, but close.  I think it took me 50 minutes to do the 6 plus miles climb. Stop there at the ranger station to fuel up and use bathroom.  Met up with two guys after CH ranger station and we did a pace line for the next 8 miles or so. Each time I pulled my HR went up like 20 beats. I had to drop and find a place to pee again. Went up a driveway (nearing Brevard) and got caught by a very quiet Prius - very embarrassed.  Got on then with Dr. Bruce Gray's quartet (Jay, Stephen and ?) We rode along the east fork of broad river. Plenty of trout fishing was going on. Later we saw a male turkey in a field of turkeys with his feathers spread real big displaying.  Such a great route, except for the Walnut Grove climb - very steep. Hey it is a challenge, not a stroll in the park.  After the church rest stop on 178 I was joined by David Smith, a manager at Hubbell lighting. He had never done a ride on 178 and I told him of the road and it's appeal. Zoom down from the eastern continental divide, across the state line, into Rocky Bottom, and finally down Beasley Gap and the 20 or so switchbacks. What a road.  Ride past SC 11 and onto 288 to the Miracle Hill Childrens home. Eventually a pack of about 8 joined us before we got to the home. Rest stop refuel and bathroom. I had to rush to get back to the group as they left.  Turkey vultures were seen right before Daucausville as they flew off some road kill right before some riders up ahead got to them. They caused me to wreck last year.   It was now getting mighty hot and full sun. I was starting to cramp. Made very strong Gatorade back at the home and hoped for the best. I was thankful the cramps subsided.  Got to the end and clock showed 6:45. I had probably 20 to 30 minutes of stopped time so about 6:20 ride time. Pretty darn good for a ride that in April I didn't think was going to happen with me in it! I didn't have a cycle computer, but was told the route Had 7,000 to 8,000 feet of climbing. No Paris Mountain this time but we made up for it. Great route,  event, people, and weather. $160,000 raised. Amen. What I ate: Shot blocks. 200 calories 2 honey stinger gel 120 x 2 =240 cal GU = 100 cal banana 100 Gatorade 4 bttls =~ 400 bonk breaker ~127 cal Peanut butter pretzels est 20 pcs =~300 cal Cookies est 200 cal At the end I continued eating sandwiches, Pepsi, potAtoe chips. Add it all up, and, well, it's alot.