Hopes Dashed on the crest of the Blue Ridge

After a long week, I was looking forward to a long road ride this Sunday.

My hopes.. minimum of 80 miles but hoping for 100. Plus, I was throwing in some more climbing compared to my last long road ride, 80 mile round trip to Blacksburg.

The plan, head out to exit 150 area and up hwy 11. Follow the turn for the bicentinnial 76 bike trail through Nace et all and arrive in Buchannan for a rest stop. Turn and climb 43 up to the parkway and head south back to roanoke. Depending on how I felt, the end of ride options were varied distances from Mill Mtn to Poages Mill extension and maybe an end-of-ride climb on the Roanoke Mtn loop.

The ride started well with dodging spotty showers and a floating fast pace, 20 - 30 mph, along the valley to Buchannan. That's were things went a bit dodgey. I arrived at noon, just in time to be plagued by high traffic and a really crowded Exxon Food Mart. Not being one for crowded areas, a stretched a bit, passed on topping off / diluting my not so empty water bottles (the crucial mistake?) and started the 5 mile climb to the parkway. The climb went well, but without my slightly-slower-at-climbing riding partner of last year, Mark the Fire Monkey, I found myself with no apparrent need to pause at the Parkway and quickly realized the climb actually continues at a good rise once on the Parkway. I tried to settle into a slightly slower pace and started looking for a good rest area. Who would have figured that without a full budding of the leaves in this area would leave me without shade... anywhere. I tried to keep sipping the drink mix in the bottles, but the stomach started talking back. Seems the stomach wasn't processing the heavier mixed drink mix or my snacks very well. - Remember I didn't dilute them in Buchannan? - Maybe its just that area of the earth... and it doesn't like me? I seem to have a bit of history with that area.

Things started going downhill as I seemed to keep heading uphill. Not to mention, the traffic was heavier on the Parkway than anywhere else as of yet in the ride. Energy sapping, close driving cars, and no shade were all taking its toll on me. I kept searching for a shaded rest area, but no luck. 60 miles hit, and so did the Man w/ the Hammer. I stopped at a bridge overpass and layed down for a rest... of about 15 minutes. Somebody actually threw a glass bottle while I was trying to recover. Being on the other side of the road, at least it wasn't thrown at me but at the rock of the bridge.

Getting back on the bike was Hard. Both physically and mentall, my hopes and goals for the day had been dashed on the crest of the Blue Ridge. My goal now... just make it home. Despite the nausia and sore legs, I did make it back, but at a very slow pace. The total trip was just short of 75 miles. I almost puked at an intersection close to home when some really smelly exhaust drove by. (its amazing what that Antique License plate lets you get away with.)

I spent the next four or five hours recovering with rehydration, calories, a dazed state of collapse on the bed, and a cup of coffee to quell that lack-of-caffine headache.

Lessons learned... Don't mix my bottles so heavy; so I can drink more effectively. Take more rest / stretch breaks. Keep riding and throw in some more climbing training. - Mountains of Misery is about a month away.

The up side... I finished the ride and made it home. Not to mention, even when I felt really crappy today, I really enjoyed / appreciated the smoothness and handling of my current bike, a custom Serotta Nove - carbon and titanium, over my previous road bike, a stock aluminum Giant TCR2.

Oh yeah, 'hello' to all the folks that waved and said hello to me in my state of collapse. It was good to see other folks enjoying their rides.