According to RUSA stats, there are 10 members who have 5 or more R-12 awards, which is earned by riding 12 consecutive months of sanctioned events of 200K or greater.
This weekend, I was fortunate to ride with Jerry Phelps, the guy who will soon be #11 on that list. Jerry has an impressive streak going, with an uninterrupted 60 months of 200Ks. I've been with Jerry on lots of rainy, cold rides, but Saturday was none of that. Instead, four of us basked in morning sun and seasonably comfortable temperatures throughout the day, with a trailing wind that showed us the way home. We rode Dean's Tar Heel 200, taking time for a Subway break in Tar Heel and a milkshake stop at Andy's in Steadman. A fine time was had by all. Ian, still aglow from his successful 1000K, showed up at the finish with a cake to mark the occasion. Camaraderie and icing on the cake!
Congratulations to Jerry from all of us, and long live the streak!
That steam coming out of Duke's power plant on Belews Creek said it all -- the amount of steam billowng form the stack showed just how cold it was, and its furious race to the east was a visualization of the wind Joel and I faced on his 104K Sauratown Lite Populairepermanent.
Joel and I shared a big adventure this summer on Bill & Lois' Santa Cruz 1000K. A ride one-tenth that distance was a fitting way to end our riding season. Yesterday's ride was not as magical as the California one -- there was no Big Sur coastline, no valleys filled with vineyards, no convenience stores with burrito stands in the back. But it was special in its own way -- Joel crossed the 10,000K mark, making him the fourth Tar Heel rider to reach that impressive distance this year. He did it with style, too -- 10,000K exactly, none of the sloppy extra Ks to mess up all those pretty zeros. As for me, I hit 40,000 lifetime Ks, a goal I'd had in the back of my mind all year. We randonneurs are goal-oriented. It's satisfying to reach one, then look up the road to see what's next on the cue sheet.
The first control has this Coke machine out front. When I saw it, I suspected we'd see more Dale Earnhardt paraphernalia inside. I was not disappointed. The store owner has several autographed pictures of NASCAR's legendary champion. A great champion with a tragic ending, his image stirs painful memories this time of year of another life also cut short.
We finished at the High Point marina, watched the seagulls huddle against the biting wind. We were met by Joel's dad, Richard, the former High Point RBA and one of the true leaders of our sport.
I think Richard's 83 now, and he still gets out there on one of his many bikes. He lamented that he'd only racked up about 3,700 miles or so this year, down from the years when he logged 15,000+ miles, but impressive nonetheless. Then Joel's family joined us for an Italian meal where I'm afraid we bored them with bike talk. But in the family of such devoted riders, I suspect they're used to it.
Congratulations to Joel on his accomplishment, and thanks to all of my riding buddies for the very best year I've ever had on the bike. This sport of ours continues to transform me. I'm grateful for the company along the way.
First came the snowflakes, about the size of cotton balls. Then came the sleet and a cold rain. Another fine and frosty day on the bikes during yesterday's 204K Showdown at Black Creek. Out for a spin in the winter weather were Capn Ende, Carol, Lynn, Tim, Bryan and Chris, who carried the red lantern for us.
Our hope was that we'd be able to slide this ride in between a couple threatening weather systems. We were prepared for the cold, with a predicted high in the 30s. The forecast had the precipitation rolling in around 5. If we stayed at it, not too much lolllygagging at the controls, we might just make it.
About 25 miles from the finish, the low clouds opened the freezer door for some frozen treats, first snow and then stinging sleet pellets. It just added to the adventure, and there were no real complaints, except for a few about that country ham biscuit at Bojangles.
We'll take the holiday spirit wherever we can find it, including this fine looking tree at the first control at the crossroads just north of Bailey. We've decided to give that store the Clean Bathroom award.
A shot from the turnaround in Black Creek. Bike friendly community?
A portrait at the finish with the front facing camera.
Thanks to all for a great day on the bikes, and congratulations to Carol for her Fourth R-12 Award!
Fellow NC Randonneur Andy, with an assist from RUSA web guru Jim K, recently unveiled an invaluable Google map that displays the start location for RUSA's 1,000-plus permanent routes. Rocky Mount rider Tim Lucas just put a new pushpin in the North Carolina map, with a 100K permanent, the Whirligig, which begins in Nashville, about 45 miles east of Raleigh, and winds its way down to Vollis Simpson's whirligig farm near Lucama.
Four of us -- myself, Tim, Deaner and John O -- kicked the tires yesterday with an inaugural ride. The day started cold and got colder. We finished around 2 p.m., just minutes before a snowstorm pushed in from the west. Despite the cold, a fine time was had by all.
For those interested in a recovery ride with RUSA credit, put the Whirligig on your to-do list. The roads are quiet and the route is just about as flat as a buckwheat pancake, perfect for a fixed gear or single speed spin. Plus there are plenty-o-eats along the way with multiple restaurant choices, including Klints Korner in Lucama, Hardees in Bailey and Andy's Burgers at the finish.
Tim has racked up serious miles this year -- he crossed the 14,000-mile mark on Saturday, so we rewarded this accomplishment by allowing him to pull us the entire distance of the course. Here's a shot from yesterday's ride at Vollis' property. Interesting light.
The route cuts through the heart of sweet potato country, and the lowly yam apparently requires massive processing facilities -- you'll see three of them along the way.
We also crossed a gun-blue Tar River...
and the impressive Contentnea Creek, cruised past Gov. Jim Hunt's home in Rock Ridge, and cut through the old neighborhoods of Bailey. Then there is the, umm, petting zoo at the final control on Sandy Cross Road....
... and, at the Lucama control, what is widely regarded as the world's finest collection of pork rind products....
Another fine day on the bikes. Thanks to all for the great company.
Note: Tim's new permanent was among the new routes that pushed the number of permanent routes past the 1,000 mark. Here's a note from Permanents Coordinator Crista Borras:
I'm very happy to say that we now have more than 1000 RUSA permanents (1010 as of this writing)! Many thanks and congratulations to all of you for your valuable contributions to RUSA this past year in designing and administering so many wonderful permanent routes. Keep them coming, too. As "all the leaves are brown and the sky is gray" you probably have more time to design new routes and I have more time to review them.
Nice! Tim Lucas has put together a new 100K permanent, the Whirligig, that runs past Vollis Simpson's whirligig farm just outside Lucama. This one looks fun. Let's ride! To whet your appetite, a few pix of Vollis' creations, with Vollis (now 92, I believe) in the middle.
Winter's just about here. It ain't freezing yet, but it ain't far off. It's the time of year when you start the ride in the cold and freeze your buns off for a half hour until you got a good sweat going. Stop at a store, take a 10-minute break and repeat the cold / warm-up cycle all day long.
Branson's route is relatively new. Here's a write-up by Bryan from early October. As the name suggests, expect a healthy dose of Bike Route 1. If you've ridden the Lake Loop, you've done Bike Route 1 from Raleigh to the Virginia border. Here's your chance to see a big chunk of the southern end of the route in North Carolina. That includes a dozen miles or so on Old U.S. 1, a two-lane road that parallels the modern four-lane version, and a dozen miles or so on Lower Moncure Road. You'll also see downtown Sanford, and the Temple Theater, dating to 1925, in Sanford's historic district.
The Temple was built by Robert Ingram, the owner of Sanford Coca-Cola Bottling. I'm guessing this building right down the street is where Mr. Ingram once had his shop.
The roads were quiet all day long and navigation was easy. There are no really challenging hills on the route, but there are plenty of rollers to get your attention, especially between Sanford and Carthage. The Coffee Court in Carthage serves lunch, so it's an ideal turnaround point.
One interesting feature of the permanent are the 15-mile alternative routes you can take from the start or to the finish. You can opt for 751, a road with a narrow shoulder that carries significant car traffic in the afternoon, or the American Tobacco Trail, a converted rail bed with a mix of pavement and packed dirt that slices through the woods to New Hill, on old U.S. 1. Our group of four -- Branson, Lynn, Bob and myself -- chose 751 heading south in the morning, when the road was quiet, and returned on the Trail, for what I like to call the "recovery" portion of the ride. Yesterday, there was very little recovery going on -- we hit 21, 22, 23 mph on the unpaved portion of the trail when we decided to close the gap on another cyclist. Our victory was hollow and short-lived; after we sat up to congratulate ourselves, he passed us again.
Here's a short look at the Trail...
We capped the day with coffee at Bean Traders, listening to techno Christmas music before packing 'er up after another great day on the bikes.
With my eye set on a mileage goals for 2010, there has been very little time for recreational riding. Way back in January, I told my riding buddies I was shooting for 10,000K for the year, inspired by the lead of Dallas RBA Dan Driscoll. That averages out to a 200K nearly every week of the year. With several volunteer commitments on my calendar, I had to make every ride "count" -- it had to carry RUSA credit so it could be added to the yearly total. That meant I gave up the fast Saturday rides with the Gyros, a local riding club. It also meant lots less riding just for the sake of riding. There were very few 50-mile pick-up rides on Sundays. Instead, I'd hunt down Deaner and do one of his 100K permanents.
I wound up averaging about 1100K a month, hitting the 10,000K mark in early October. I really enjoyed all the rides, all the camaraderie, all the adventures. Physically, all that riding wasn't that tough. Grinding out the miles -- hey, that's what we randonneurs do. As the season wore on, I found I really liked all that time on the bike. Ten, 11, 12 hours....it was great time to be out there in the sun, or the rain, or the wind and fog. I stopped worrying about finish times and just enjoyed the day. It's probably a good thing that I put time goals aside. All that distance riding with no speed work took its toll. After several long events over the summer, including a 1000K in California, my endurance was fantastic, but my speed? Not so much. Thankfully, with the longer events behind me, my form is returning.
So, this has been a great year of riding, one of my best seasons ever. The distance goal gave my randonneuring a new focus and took me to new places, literally and metaphorically. Will I repeat it in 2011? Doubtful. The focus next year will be PBP. I'll continue the R-12 events, get a series early in the year, work in more speed work, swim more regularly, drop 10 pounds. The plan is to train more, ride less.
What prompted all this reflection was a post-Thanksgiving ride on Raleigh's extensive greenway system. I rolled out on one of my fixed gears and enjoyed a slow cruise through the spectacular fall trees. The city has signed many of the trails since my last ride.....
A light rain was falling, the perfect conditions to capture a swamp crossing near Raleigh Boulevard.
A perfect day, under grey wet skies, to ride a bike for no reason at all.
Madame President Jennifer Wise (RUSA #1), Mark Thomas, Mike D
I'm still abuzz from the weekend's NC Randonneur party. Maybe it was that fourth piece of crème bruléecheesecake, or getting to ride 130 miles through the rolling hills under perfect skies. Maybe it was seeing new, young riders sign up as RUSA members the day of the event and complete their first 200K. Maybe it was being in the upstairs room at Natty Greene's with all of the riding buddies I've shared so many miles and smiles with over the past several years. Maybe it was getting to hang out with one of my favorite persons on earth, Jennifer Wise, RUSA #1, and her husband Pierce (RUSA #9). Maybe it was hearing about the early adventures on a fledgling event called BMB. Maybe it was hanging out with one of the world's most traveled and enthusiastic randonneurs, Mark Thomas, RUSA #64, who flew in from Seattle to join the celebration. It was Mark who sorted through RUSA's database to make a stunning announcement during the party -- North Carolina ranks #4 in total kilometers ridden in 2010, up from #9 the previous year and trailing only California, Washington and Texas. Maybe it was induction of four NC members into the K-Hounds, the informal 10,000K club founded by Dallas RBA and good friend Dan Driscoll. Maybe it was feeling completely overwhelmed when my fellow party planners pulled a fast one and gave me a priceless honor, with a moving presentation by Capn John Ende, a great friend and the world's very best riding buddy, bar none. Maybe it was the fantastic photo I got of some lucky randonneur having the time of his life in a yellow-red BMB jersey, ascending Yad Moss during the 1400K London Edinburgh London.
Maybe it was all those things.
A sincere thanks to all of the spouses and loved ones who let us pursue our beloved sport weekend after weekend -- we know we ask a lot. Thanks again to our very special guests for joining us -- I can't tell you how much that was appreciated. A big thanks to the party planners -- Branson, Jerry, Capn Ende, Joel. A big congratulations to all of the deserving riders who were honored at this year's celebration:
Adrian Hands Society Spirit Award: Geof Simons
Rookie of the Year: Tim Lucas
Volunteer of the Year: Tony Goodnight
Comeback of the Year (F): Maria Falbo
Comeback of the Year (M): Al Johnson
Randonneuseof the Year: Mary Florian
Luckiest Guy of the Year: Mike D
Edit: Pix from Capn Ende.
The NC Rando crew and loved ones enjoy the slide show.
Sridhar, RBA Al Johnson, Former RBA Richard Lawrence.
The NC Randonneurs are gearing up for our year-end party. Details below from Branson. It should be a great day on the bikes, followed by an evening party to celebrate our season. We'll have some very special guests in attendance. All are welcome -- please join us.
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We've got a fun day and evening planned for this Saturday! It's supposed to be awesome weather for riding. Speaking of routes, cue sheets and maps will be coming to you very soon. Also, if you're coming and haven't yet registered, please do so.
Things will kick off in the morning at 07:01 sharp with the 211K permanent, launching from the front door of Natty Greene's Pub & Brewing Co, 345 South Elm Street, Greensboro NC 27401. Though the start will be synced with the official sunrise time of 07:01, please do not jeopardize your safety or your ride by not having reflective gear and lights. We will only have 10 hours and 8 minutes of daylight on Saturday, so please be prepared.
The 100K permanent populaire will be a delayed start at 11:01am. Both rides will feature rolling and hilly terrain, and with fall colors just past their peak, both routes will be spectacular. Rides will be $15 for RUSA members, new members joining at the start will be charged $35. [A reminder that RUSA rules stipulate all riders lining up for a permanent or permanent populaire must be RUSA members. We will have membership applications at the start, but your start may be delayed. Please consider joining before Saturday.]
After the rides, we'll get the party started at The Loft at Natty Greene's at 5:00pm. We'll have hors d'oeuvres for everyone, but those wanting more substantial fare can order off the menu and pay separately. Our hosts will have several Natty Greene beers on tap which you're welcome to run up a tab of your own. There will be a program starting at 7:00pm, featuring very special guests Mark Thomas of Seattle International Randonneurs/RUSA, Pierce Gafgen RUSA #009, and Jennifer Wise RUSA #001, a PBP primer by Jerry Phelps, and the annual NC Randonneur Awards! To defray the Loft rental and catering costs, there will be a cover charge for adults of $15 each. Children under 27 are free.
For those who are interested, a map look at the Natty Greene 200K Permanent. If you view in terrain view, you can see the three peaks just below the course. (View options are in the bar at the bottom of the map, under settings.)
Note: See the comment for a link to a Bike Route Toaster file.
Three peaks (l-r): Hanging Rock, Sauratown Mountain, Pilot Mountain, taken at Mile 48.
Joel, JoeRay and I picked the ideal day to ride a 200K. Temps at our 7:01 start were at the freezing mark but climbed to the mid 60s by the afternoon, with plenty of sun and a very light trailing wind that gave us a gentle push from Sweet Virginia back home to Carolina.
The ride was the final check of the permanent route that will be used for next weekend's annual NC Randonneur party in Greensboro. It's largely the same as the route Tony G put together last year, with some slight variations out of town and back in. One note: the route is actually 211K (132 miles) so set your mental odometer accordingly.
The route out of Greensboro was very quiet at 7 a.m. We encountered one "oops" immediately -- a newly closed road, as we cut over from Elm to Church Street. There are other connecting streets between the two.
The first 64 miles of the Natty Greene route are gentle. You'll find a few hills and many flat sections as you angle north toward Virginia. Traffic is light for the most part, and long sections on three-digit roads make for easy navigation.
At mile 48, you'll get your first good look at the triple peaks of Hanging Rock, Sauratown Mountain and Pilot Mountain. Thankfully, the course skirts those climbs. You'll have various views of the peaks for the next 40 miles.
The route crosses into Virginia and hits a control at mile 64 in Dry Pond. Once past that control, expect a very different course -- a much hillier one -- for the next 30 miles or so. You'll have four crossings of the Dan River, and every bridge brings a climb out of a hole to another ridge top, with plenty of rolling hills in between. The roads are quiet from Dry Pond to the 85-mile control in Danbury, which is a pleasant stop at the General Store, with rocking chairs out front.
Rocking chairs at Danbury General Store....
It was somewhere after the Danbury control that we hit the steepest downhill of the day, a short descent that maxed out at 46 mph. Fun!
The Natty Greene course is a lollipop shape, and just north of Summerfield you'll rejoin the stick portion of the route, heading south on the same roads that took you out of town. Traffic picks up as you near Greensboro on Lake Brandt Road, but the final roads into town usually had a shoulder or were four lanes, allowing any car traffic to pass.
The run into downtown is through an old section of the city and has a neighborhood feel before the finish at Natty Greenes, a pub and restaurant on Elm Street. The party is being held there, in a loft room on the top floor.
Next Saturday's forecast calls for lots of sun with a high of 65. Should be a perfect day for a bike ride. Please join us. One note: it took us 10 hours to finish the course, with an average ride time of around 16 mph. The sun was setting as we got into town. Given the hills in the middle section of the course, and the course's length and finish in an urban area, lights and reflective gear will be needed, especially if you expect to finish after 5 p.m.
It was our honor to ride yesterday with Dean, our resident physiologist and all-round great guy, as he surpassed his annual goal of 10,000K.
The 208K Lake Loop was a fitting venue to crown Dean's 2010 riding season -- Dean did his very first permanent on that course back on February 23, 2007. Since then, Dean has been one of the quiet leaders of the NC randonneurs, both as a rider and as an enthusiastic permanent route owner. On any given weekend, you'll find Dean and his army of recruits out on one of his Eastern NC routes.
Dean has been the model of consistency in chipping away at his 10,000K goal. Texas RBA Dan Driscoll, the leader of Texas' infamous big mileage K-Hounds, once told me that you don't have to rack up the big events, like 1000Ks or 600Ks, to hit the 10,000K mark. Dean proved that point, clicking off the kilometers 100K and 200K at a time. I count 67 completed events for Dean in 2010, with lots of 100Ks and 200Ks on his scorecard.
Many of you know Dean for his highly regarded posts on RTP about randonneuring nutrition and fitness. Dean teaches physiology at a local college and knows what he is talking about. Search for phun physiology and you'll find his posts. He received international recognition this year when Checkpoint, the publication of Audax Australia, picked up this RTP post. Yesterday we presented Dean with a copy of the publication that has his article.
Dean has a natural intellectual curiosity and you'll also find posts about other subjects that pique his interest. While RTP is mostly a cycling blog, one of the pages that gets the most traffic, especially this time of year, is Dean's post about the wooly worm. It's worth a look for the classic Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs video of Wooly Bully.
Here are Martin, Dean and Jerry just moments after Dean crossed the 10,000K mark for the year, near the VA-NC border.
Yesterday's ride was the perfect day to marvel at just how wrong the weathermen can be. They'd call for sunny skies and a zero percent chance of precipitation. Instead, we had at least four hours of on-again, off-again rain, with a rainbow as we crossed Kerr Dam. But the cool temps and morning showers had no effect on our spirits. It was another fine day out on the bikes.
Our sincere congratulations to Dean. We're lucky to count him as an NC Randonneur.
Here in North Carolina, we sometimes make sport out of the county lines with friendly sprints. After riding buddy Jerry handsomely kicked my butt on an early duel, I decided to retire and become team videographer. I caught this contest as we neared the Tar Heel coast. That's Joel doing his patented victory salute...
Gentlemen, Mark Cavendish called...He wants his training tape back....
....of our latest SR recipient... The third (or fourth?) time proved to be the charm for Maria. She reeled in the big tuna on this weekend's 600K out of Lumberton, hosted by High Point RBA Tony Goodnight. Our sincere congratulations.
How did it feel to get 'er done? "It was a big bowlful of awesome," she said at the ride's finish.
Branson did "5 Questions with Maria" in August... Note that she listed finishing a 600K as one of her goals. Mission accomplished!
Here's a little video of Maria waving to the camera on a picture perfect weather day....
Maxi, my sweetie and the love of my life, knew Saturday's 200K would be a milestone ride, and she showed up at the finish with these cupcakes and a tray of brownies. Thanks, lover!
I wasn't feeling all that special Saturday, riding fixed gear with a head cold and legs still heavy from the previous week's 1000K. Thankfully, I got towed home over the final 20 miles by two talented young riders, Ian (Adrian's son; seated in the photo) and Moshe. When I see guys like this out riding the long distances, I know the future of our sport is indeed bright. It was my honor to finish with them.
A tip of the hat to Dan Driscoll, the Dallas RBA and the informal leader of Texas' K-Hounds, who got several of the Tarheel riders interested in a 10,000K annual goal. If you look through the results, you'll have no trouble spotting the other two riders, who each have more than 8,000K so far this year.
I'm indebted to Dan's gentle nudge, and l'm also indebted to all of the folks I shared so many great kilometers with. Couldn't have done it without you. And wouldn't have wanted to do it without you.
Music by Andy Church and used with permission. Find his songs from "Sleeping in the Van" on iTunes or check his website....video shot and edited on iPhone 4...
It took a 630-mile bike ride on the historic Natchez Trace to hash out the finer points of a raging debate, but in my humble opinion, the scores have finally been tabulated.
In the battle of skin v. shorts, skin wins.
At issue: the best way to apply Lantiseptic, the sticky cream with the intoxicating nursing home aroma that is used to prevent chafing on long rides.
Two schools of thought have developed. Some believe that Lantiseptic should be applied to the short's chamois. They argue this approach allows the lanolin and bee's wax to open up and breathe, like a fine French Bordeaux, before filling the various nooks and crannies in the nether regions. Count riding buddy Capn Ende among this camp.
Footnote: Newer riders may be unaware that Capn Ende is largely credited with introducing the randonneuring community to the wonders of Lantiseptic. Sadly, Capn has developed something of a Lantiseptic "problem." He now freely admits to liberally applying the substance to his knees, toes and other body parts that are best left unnamed.
Other hardy randonneurs, including myself, believe Lantiseptic is best applied directly to the gluteusmaximus, known in scientific circles as "the fanny." The cycling shorts are then quickly pulled into place, creating an airtight seal, much like the submarine door in The Abyss.
Until now, there has not been an adequate proving ground for a death match of these competing philosophies. Then came last week's 1000K on the Natchez Trace, a centuries-old Indian and settler's trading route that slices through the heart of Dixie. Our route took us from just south of Nashville, the Music City, to the showcase of central Mississippi, Red Dog Road.
Ende and I, looking for a way to sweat out the espresso toxins that had built up in our systems over the summer, both signed up, as did riding buddy Carol, aka Bossy Girl. At the left is her fender from a previous event. She did not install it on the Natchez ride since it had been billed as a family event.
I didn't know much about the Trace before heading out to Tennessee. From what I was able to glean during the event, if you were an explorer, your best shot at having a car named after you was to hike the Trace. Witness the popular but short-lived De Soto.
Capn, Bossy Girl and myself drifted along at a tourist pace, gathering various guest riders along the way, including Rorie from Florida and RBA Jeff Sammons, who did a spectacular job with the route, the planning, and the volunteers. A tip of the hat to all who helped out and our sincere thanks.
The Natchez is a lot like her older sister, the Blue Ridge Parkway, but without the annoying mood swings. Both are federal roads overseen by the National Park Service. The Trace itself is hundreds of years old; the original walking trail crisscrosses the modern road at a dozen or more places. Finally completed in 2005, the Natchez Parkway is 444 miles long and has a land buffer of about 800 feet, often forested, making the road seem more remote than it is. It's exceptionally quiet, with mostly hard, smooth pavement, no driveways, no dogs and very, very light car traffic. ESPN named the Natchez Trace Parkway as one of the country's top 10 road biking destinations. Having now ridden a big chunk of it, I heartily agree.
The first two days of the event featured oppressive heat. Nothing new to the Tar Heel crew, but it proved to be the undoing of some riders from cooler climes. I've never gone through so much water on a ride. Even at a tourist pace (or perhaps because of it?) we often consumed two water bottles every 15 miles.
I have drifted into a ride report, and I know you're all waiting with bated breath -- as opposed to baited breath, which is what carp have -- for the Lantiseptic showdown.
I find in warm weather I like to apply five or six of the small Lantiseptic packets before the ride starts. Since I slather the stuff directly on the old can, I need to do this in a restroom with a sink. The stuff is indeed tenacious; it's easier, and quicker, to expunge a felony conviction than to scrub Lantiseptic residue from your fingers. But once the hands are clean, you're good to go for the rest of the day. A little front-end prep heads off any back-end issues, so to speak. I haven't had a saddle sore since PBP 2003, an event I did on a wing and a prayer rather than a proper anti-chafing lotion.
In contrast to my skin-on-skin approach, Capn applies Lantiseptic by carefully squeezing out two packets on each side of his chamois. He also applies auxiliary packets along the way, as needed. Let's listen to him describe his technique.....
The problem with Capn's approach became apparent on Day 2, shortly after that video was shot. As we headed north up the Trace after an afternoon of blistering heat, I thought I was hallucinating or having a disturbing spiritual experience.... Was that... was that Richard Nixon on the back of Capn's shorts? His Lantiseptic had begun to ooze through the lycra, creating a milky apparition with a striking resemblance to our 36th President. In all fairness, it was not the jowly Nixon, but the younger Dick in his Checkers era.
Unfortunately, my phone battery had run down or I would have snapped a picture. However, I was able to locate a very close approximation online.
Shaken badly, I immediately charged to the front of our little peleton, where I stayed for much of the rest of the ride. My riding buddies thought I was playing the hero with those big pulls. Just the opposite -- I was a full-blown coward, fearful of what I might see when I drifted to the back of the paceline. What would be next -- Spiro Agnew?
I finally confronted Ende at the Collinwood control, 90 miles from the finish, and tactfully suggested it was time to abandon his severely flawed application technique. His brazen response: "When your method produces a chance for the visageof the blessed mother to appear on your cycling shorts then we'll talk."
Fellow hardy randonneurs, I implore you, it is time to relegate Ende's application technique to the garbage heap of other discounted theories, like cold fusion and phrenology. These randonneuring events are hard enough without unnerving visions such as the one I witnessed on the Natchez Trace.
A big congrats to the Tar Heel team at this week's Natchez Trace 1000K. We had a 100 percent finish rate. Successful riders included: Lynn, who finished near the front on her first 1000K; John P, also completing his first 1000K and who finished with a big smile around 5:30 this morning: and PBP anciens Paul S and Capn Ende. Full results are here.
Our thanks to RBA Jeff Sammons, the Harpeth Bike Club and all the volunteers that made the event so special, from the pre-ride red carpet treatment at the Gran Fondo bike shop to the post-ride breakfast at Loveless Cafe, and all the fun mile markers and sign posts in between...
