Just 99 miles to go

Monday, July 30, 2007

Roadie content-first official century.


This time a real centruy, not one of those "metric" centuries.
I got a bug up my ass that I needed to atleast be able to do a full 100 miles of something before I attempt the sm100 in a month.

Although a road ride I still loaded the camelback up. It was supposed to get to 92F. I wasn't getting caught in the middle of nowhere with out water.

I hit the road at 8am and headed south on rt5.
The route took me through rural So. Md.
Mostly farm country but I did get through historic St. Marys city. Although I'm a local to the area, I can't remember what its famous for. There are a bunch of old , 1600's old, buildings up that drew my attention for 2 minutes.

I hit my destination, Point Lookout State Park, after 50 miles and 3 hours.
It was getting hot.
You'd think that spot where the Potomac river runs into the Chesapeake Bay would be cool.
You know, have some sort of breeze coming in off of the water.
No sir.
Hot as a mutha.
I sat on a rock , ate my power bar and drank the last of the contents of my camel back.
As hot as it was I left as quickly as possible.
The park had a little store on premises so I was able to buy some Gatorade.

I was taking a different route back.
I came in on the scenic route, rt.5, but was taking 235 back home.
Talk about boring.
Straight, mostly flat, but the worst of it, no trees.
I baked.


I rolled into Lexington Park after 20 miles looking forward to my rest and refreshments at the Wawa's. Before that though I had to deal with a flat.


My first flat on the road bike.


Concerned, because I had no tire levers but I didn't need them. I was able to man handle the tire on and off and be on my way. Stopped by wawa's, bought a half gallon of gatorade and filled the camelback up. 1/2 mile later the back tire goes flat again.

Shit, I forgot to check to see what caused the flat.

Now I'm freaking.

The sun is scorching down on my head, I'd only bought 1 tube, did I have patches?, did I have anymore co2? I know I didn't have a pump.

I prematurely called the wife, told her I'd probly need her to come get me.

Shes 40 miles away but will start to head down.


I find some shade and start to rummage through the camelback.

I find a patch kit and another co2 cartridge.

A glimmer of hope.

It was easy to find the hole. I guess co2 has a powder residue in it and leaves a nice white powder where the air escaped. I patch the tube, find the metal staple that was stick'n outta the tire and use the last co2.


Call the wife back and tell her I'm fine. Don't come get me.

She's fine but the kids are a little ticked. I pulled them away from the all sacred mall.


The rest of the ride home is just nasty.

Its getting hotter every minute, I'm shifting around in the saddle every minute to give my butt some kinda relief and my right triceps is stiff and trying to knot up.

I'd gotten used to drinking 50/50 mix of gatorade so the straight mix I'm sucking outta the CB is kinda gross.


I get within a mile of my driveway but my computer is only showing 94 miles.

I want off the bike so bad but I also want my first official century down in the books.

Tearfully, I drive past my driveway and keep going.

I just gotto 2.3 miles, turn around and go home.

Down a side dead end street that I thinks about 2 1/2 miles.

Get to the end, its only 2 miles long.

Head back, make another detour onto another street, go 1/4 mile and turn around.

Thats it.

I make it home and you can see the result yourself.








2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Dad whats up? I read the new ones again!

Anonymous said...

Hi! Daddy Its your favorite daughter, we only read your blog because we love you ( :