Sebring is getting close so I felt the need to get out and go "long", just to sort out all the things you need to sort out before these things. So I was up before many went to bed and finished preparing the Six13 for a ride. 100 oz PowerBar sports drink in the Camelback bladder, along with a change of clothes, battery for the Niterider helmet light, and extra empty water bottle for later. Scooped up some of the last (thank god) of a case of chocolate Gu. Out the door around 3:15AM on the road by 3:30 or so. Wanted to start an hour earlier, but fiddling with this and that added time. Probably better later - avoid the inebriates on there way home after imbibing the night away. Temp 30 degrees upon departure with 15-20 SSW wind (per the Weather Channel) . Wind chill (if you're standing still) 22 degrees.

Once into the headwind I realized I'd forgotten the balaclava. Started feeling the frozen face muscle thing. An hour later into the exposed farmlands of southern Va Bch it was even colder as all the windblocks were all gone. Trying to smile with frozen face muscles is at best an exercise in futilty (-->). Feet and toes started to go numb, and I started wondering WTF am I doing out here. Started to feel a small bit of the pain that those T-IV1 finishers must've gone through.

Interesting that below freezing Gu is Gu no more, it actually changes molecular structure and forms Glop. The consistency of salt water taffy and a struggle to squeeze out of the package. The good thing - chocolate Gu actually tastes GOOD at those temperatures. Just WAY harder to swallow. Glop is also quite sticky and can cause accidents, so be careful. Just a small bit on a glove finger will adhere quite well to the end of your aero bars. Made sitting up and changing positions quite a swerving fright.

Although a near full moon was called for, the overcast sky blocked the whole thing. In the farmland of Pungo and Creeds it was freakin' dark. How dark? - black dark, this dark ,Trans Iowa dark. I had duel lights set up. A Cateye EL-300 up high, and another Niterider down below. Although a worthy long run time backup, the EL-300 just didn't cut it as a sole light source. Of course the HID was on full time for the darkness. The Cateye in neighborhoods with streetlights. I didn't really use the helmet lamp much, except for the LEDs to check out the cockpit.

The plan was to make it to the NC State line, but with the late departure I had to settle for a turnaround about 5 miles before that at Munden Point Park. This way I'd still be sure of making the TriPower group rides at 7:15AM. With a tailwind I got to the ride just after 7:00. Enough time to fill a water bottle at the 7-11 and unload the lights and Camelback. At the 7-11 an employee was outside having a smoke. He took a look at me and kept repeating "It's to damn early for a bike ride, it's too damn early for a bike ride". Light up another one my friend.

Three wicked fast group rides left me totally shelled. I actually felt good for the first one and worked hard on the first half. Almost got dropped through a neighborhood as someone upfront was peggin' the turns. It still amazes me that you can be 15 feet off the tail on a ragin' peleton, but when you're hurtin' it may as well be 15 miles. Thanks to this crazy guy for bridging me back up. Once there recovery was had. I didn't keep up my food intake and bonked pretty hard during the 3rd loop, finishing behind the main group. Some minor aerobar induced hamstring cramps came and went.

All in all it was a nice ride. Depleted ALL 3 energy systems, some more than once. Saddle time ~7.5 hours. Off the bike once for a 7-11 stop. Distance somewhere between a buck 40 and a buck and a half. Yep, I want it. Not quite sure what IT is?!?! hah

RideOn

JB