End of September rides

Saturday Sept 27, 2008
Those in attendance for the “Roses”
Theresa Smit
Tracy Clanton
Dani Devinney
Sheila Augustine

Those representing the “Thorns”
Nate Poerschke (Nicole’s puppy dog)
Nicole Lewis
Morgan Brooks
Tim – Devinney (fast Tim – The Love Train)
Doug Augustine
Jeff Roussel riding his new ALL STEEL is REAL bike.
Rich Hunt Rode to the start and circled nervously until the pack was headed out
Ron Clanton
Kevin Smit
Deborah Hollis (ridden with the group at least once before about 6 weeks ago) She also did the MS150 ride and did the Century minus 10 miles due to a crash on the ride. Glad she is OK and ready to ride again. (and she rode HARD on this day’s ride).


The group assembled slowly as the young Triassholettes each struggled to get ready after a tough night of College partying.

Poor Morgan did not even smile as she groped her way through the steps involved in getting herself and her bike ready for the days ride.
Nate stood around and watched Nicole scamper around in total excitement for the ride.

The adults (long out of College) all looked at each other and without saying a word each conveying their solid understanding of what it was like when they were in College, and what a Friday night might have been like, or better yet what the morning after a Friday night might have felt like.

The adults, “all wise”, to the effects of partying hard before an early morning event had no words of wisdom for the youngsters. That wisdom only comes thru the experiences one survives.

The pack was off headed towards the Preston Woods neighborhood. Immediately the pace was pressed into speeds of 17 – 19 mph with Rich, Jeff, Fast Tim, Debra, and Ron all pushing the Triassholetes to respond. Kevin was dropped before leaving the parking lot. The Roses were forming in a tight social group with no intention of blasting into the streets.

Kevin was only able to catch the “Thorns” when the pack circled at the early intersections looking for his commands of “Right Turn”, or “Left Turn”. Kevin was planning to have the group travel one of the early season ride routes in reverse order. This would present the group with rolling hills during the first half of the ride, and would cover about 40 miles total.

The “Thorns” regrouped as they crossed Davis drive and headed into the round-about. From that point on the group would splinter for short sections (usually on the hills), but be together during the flat sections with speeds hitting upwards of 29 miles per hour during Herculean pulls by those in the front of the draft line.

The first and fastest of these Pulls came early in the ride as the group swung right onto Rogers Road. The momentum grew exponentially with Ron taking first Pull position. Ron established an increased momentum with Jeff slipstreaming past him to take to Pull, to then have Fast Tim slide into the Pull Position. This Leap Frog Style of Drafting continued with the same players each Leaping to the front only to then have another leap past them. The Pack was able to close the gap each time one of the three in front would swing out to jump into the lead. Normally a well organized draft line has the lead rider swing out and slowly drift back past each rider to take the trailing spot. This would allow everyone to maintain his or her proximity to the wheel in front without having to traverse a gap generated by the person in front surging to pass the lead biker.
The Leap Frog Style of draft line was this groups attempt to act like “Steve Cope”. Those feeling the urge to attack would do so long enough to jump into the lead only to have the next “Steve Cope” wanabe do the same to them.

As the group continued to ride this pattern of “Cope Attackers” spread to each member in the group. Deborah was quick to join the fray and attacked on almost every hill. Rich matched Deb’s attacks to leap frog her and then be leaped back by her. Jeff and Ron continued their quest for the lead position on all the long flat sections with Fast Tim always there to be the spoiler and take it away to only have it taken back.
Nate DOMINATED the PULL position on the full run down Martha Chapel from Horton Pond to the gas station at Lystra. Nate pulled the group along in such a demanding way that no one challenged him until the last few yards when Kevin and Fast Tim slid past to be the first ones into the parking lot of the gas station.
Up until this point Morgan rode in stealth mode. She carefully positioned herself in the middle of the pack . She spoke no words. Her chain was well lubricated and did not make any clatter or chatter signaling her position. Kevin on several occasions would lose track of Morgan only to be jolted by her as she slid past on his right to maintain her place in the pack.

Nicole rarely was less than 3rd or 4th in the draft line riding effortlessly and with a huge smile. She smiles so big that at the end of the ride she has to brush her teeth to remove all the bugs that had accumulated during the ride much like those on a grill of an 18 wheeler.

At the corner of Martha Chapel and 751 Rich left the group to add some miles and speed to his work out. He was still very jittery and needed to ride long and ride hard, and with out Cope on the ride to challenge him he needed more than the group could provide on this day’s ride.

Nicole and Morgan made their play for victory as the pack was headed towards home. It was on Luter Shop near White Oak Church Road that Nicole followed by Morgan made their jump. Their technique followed the Morgan School of Stealth riding. It started by Nicole asking if the route would take the pack to the rollercoaster hills of Cary Glen (Nicole’s Coaster Ride). When informed that the route would take everyone there she and Morgan made their move. They slowly moved to the front. The pack all expected them to drift back shortly. Then the two stealth riders pulled away enough to form a gap but not to announce an attack. The pack now assumed that the two were just not paying attention to the pace and where the pack was in relation to the finish. Then the two jumped hard on the pedals to generate a considerable gap. The pack now figured that two were trying to get to “Nicole’s Coasters” first. ‘Nicole’s Coasters” were still a couple of miles down the road so the pack assumed the two riders jumped way too early and would be swallowed up as they slowed prior to the destination. Then as if someone let air out of the two riders tires they slowed and rejoined the pack.

“County line, County Line didn’t you see the sprint for the County Line, Where were you guys” Nicole asked as she took full credit for the sprint to the County Line.
“Oh we just thought you jumped too early for the Roller Coasters” ‘ “The only one that attacks to a County Line is Steve Cope” was Kevin’s reply.
So there was another example of each rider in the group trying their best COPE imitation even the “County Line Cope” was being imitated on the days ride.

The pack all entered and exited the rolling hills of Cary Glen together. The group continued to work together towards the final run past Green Hope High School. It was on that section of road that the “Thorns” ran into the “Roses”. The “Roses” had taken a route that traveled many of the roads of RTP. The route is relatively flat and has virtually no cars on a weekend. A route the “Thorns” need to consider adding to their route inventory.

The “Thorns” finished the ride heading back into Cary through Preston Woods and the last long climb up Crabtree Parkway to Cary parkway and down the hill to Brugers.

The “Thorns” rode 40 miles at an average speed of 17.8 mph.

Sunday Sept 28th.

No write up.
Kevin and Theresa were “No Shows” Hummmmm.


Well it was nothing your imagination could consider.

When you get thier age all that is left is to sleep in once and a while.
End of Story.

Damn it.
Wish there was more to report.
Didn't even sleep that well.
Should have gone for a bike ride.