Harrisburg 300K from a Fixed Perspective

"..And it's back where we started.
Here we go 'round again.
Back where we started.
Come on and do it again,
Do it again!"
- The Kinks

It was late when Ray Davies' song popped in my head. Gary and I were climbing into Locust around midnight, and we were tired. But the finish was closer, and we were going to make it with an hour or so to spare. It was a good feeling to be "back where we started."

For much of the day, I didn't know if I'd even make it back where we started. Instead of riding hard for a low time, I was attempting the 300K on my fixed-gear commuter. The whole idea seemed crazy even to me, but it also felt like an adventure. A new route, a new bike, a new way to ride..

I was scared to death.

Turned out it was one of my favorite brevets ever. It was great getting to know Gary and Jim better, riding the fixed-gear was incredibly fun, and the ever-changing landscapes were amazing. The backroads were smooth and lightly-travelled. The towns, quaint and historic. The scenery, a rural metamorphosis. Hardwoods to pines. Red clay to white sand. Rolling hills to low plains.

Chapeau, Tony! Chapeau.