Frost Bite 50 ride and Sunday recovery ride

The frost bite 50 ride Saturday Feb 23rd 2008.

A great turn out.
Steve Sparano and two of his friends Lou Soleo and Zingo ( he has no other name, kind of like Madonna) that have not yet ridden with our group, Ron and Traci Clanton, Theresa and Kevin Smit, Christine and her sister, Jim Palatran, Tim Travitz, Michael Huckabee, Norris Townsend, Bob Holtz all participated in the days ride.
Christine and her sister planed to complete the 100 mile loop. Everyone else was not committed to any specific distance and planed to make that decision at the 29 mile rest stop. The day started off colder than the weatherman predicted. It also was overcast, foggy, and a slight wind. Sun Glasses were changed out with lenses that were clear or yellow to allow for the low contrast generated by the overcast sky. Everyone in the group agreed to not get caught up in the adrenaline rush of the start and the pull of the draft lines. The Testosterone and Smell the Roses riders all assembled at the start among the 280 other riders. A brief welcome ceremony was conducted and the mob was launched onto the back roads of Johnston county. Immediately each rider was engulfed by others around them and the group that had assembled was in total disarray. Kevin as well as the others found themselves just trying to keep out of danger from other riders while trying to locate someone they knew. As the miles began to unfold each of the riders in the Testosterone group (accept Christine and her Sister, and Jim Palastran) found one another and formed a strong draft line. This draft line at times grew as others latched on. At one point the numbers likely reached 30 or more riders working to stay in the draft created by the Testosterone Team. Early on Kevin, Bob, Norris, and Ron all took turns at the front. The pace was a very respectable 20 miles per hour at the 29 mile mark. By then Ron had established himself once again as the locomotive with everyone else doing their best to hold onto his rear wheel. It was at this rest stop that the Testosterone group splintered. Ron, Bob, Norris and Kevin all electing to tackle the 62 mile route. Steve, his friends, and Tim electing to complete the 40 mile route at a continued blistering pace. Theresa and Traci representing the “Smell the Roses” were riding their own controlled ride with the early plan to complete the 40 mile ride. This would prove to be the longest of the season for those riders. Those doing the 62 mile route slowed to a more comfortable pace of 17 – 21 miles per hour with Ron leading the charge. The ride stayed cool and overcast. The winds continued to build with the hills coming in these last miles of the ride. Upon completion those doing the 62 miles averaged over 15 mph. All enjoyed the event, all had the longest ride of the season. Christine and her Sister and Jim may still be out on the route, as they were never seen. Maybe they just left the start and found a coffee shop and then went home. I doubt they will ever tell us if they did.
Congratulations to all.

Sunday Feb 24 2008.

Smell the Roses rode Umstead on Mountain Bikes.
They included; Carolyn and Steve Sparano their friends Richard and Theresa , Theresa Smit, and Jae Branard. The group rode the outer loop of Umstead. Lots of hills and a distance of 19 miles. Carolyn set the pace leaving all others in her dust. Theresa commented after the ride that this was far tougher than any of the road bike rides of the season.

The Testosterone riders met at in the parking lot of Brugers on a very windy Sunday morning. Tim Travitz and Kevin Smit replicated last Sundays ride. The major difference was that the did not see Deer and were not hassled by and elderly man in a pick up. They also rode the entire route together since Tim drove to the days start. Both Tim and Kevin were recovering from Saturdays hard charging Frost bite 50 organized ride. Even though they were recovering they both rode strong taking turns pulling from the front against a strong head wind. They completed the 34 miles at the same pace as Saturdays hard charging ride.
The riders of both groups are slowly building towards their summer legs.