Truck Damages Bridge at Tar Heel, NC

It is estimated that the bridge over the Cape Fear River on the Tar Heel 200 Permanent will be closed to traffic for the next two months while the bridge is being repaired.

Details of the mishap have been reported by the local news with catchy titles like “Bridge to No Where” and “So close, yet so far.”

Apparently, a “gut truck” (one carrying dead pigs) smacked into the bridge which in turn overturned the truck. You could say it was offal.

MikeO and Fearless Leader Al, who rode the Tar Heel 200 on Saturday, surveyed the accident site first-hand. Thanks to Al, we have a report and close-up pictures:

We found the bridge closed to Tar Heel. We were able to get around as there was only a bike width space available on the bridge, but once they start repairs, there will be no way across. A week ago Friday a dump truck crossed the bridge with it bed fully raised and ripped out a lot of the bridge structure and the truck bed is still on the bridge. I am attaching pictures of the bridge.

A Wilmington TV station reports of the inconvenience for the locals in terms of fire and police services, not to mention commuters working at the abattoir and local truckers employed by same.

The bridge was slated for repairs next year. But it seems that that date has now been moved up.

Randonneurs seeking a comparable Permanent might look to the 201km “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.”

Let’s Ride!

"Today I'll find no sorrow" Lookin' Out My Back Door Permanent, May 19, 2012

Mischief in the making (l-r): Jerry, Robert, and MikeH.

For me, at least, a good Permanent route design is one you, yourself, enjoy riding. Build it and others might come. And even if they don’t, you’ll still have something you enjoy riding.  And what better place to start than right out your back door?

The “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” 201km Permanent strings together a combination of some of my favorite roads for pleasure and training. By pleasure, I mean scenery, eating places, and conveniences. By training, I mean scenery, eating places, and conveniences. The wind and hills are simply the trolls collecting tolls on the paths to scenery, eating places, and conveniences.  

Owing to the encouragement of riding buddy MikeH, I finally moved the route from the drawing board of my imagination to the concrete of reality. Thanks to all those involved along the path to approval, notably Alan and Crista.

A few notes about the route. Starting just south of Raleigh, the rolling route flattens midway to the turnaround control at Cedar Creek on NC Bike Route 5.  Although the route is rural, there are no less than eleven different convenience-store locations usually 6-7 miles apart with the greatest interval about 15 miles (Dunn-Wade).

You’ll find at least two walk-in “beer caves” (make that four if you don’t get lost on the way home) in which to cool your heels on a hot and humid North Carolina summer day, should you tempt fate and choose to ride. The only things lacking on the route are concierge service and pizza delivery. But, hey, randonneuring is supposed to be hard. Didn’t anyone tell you that?

The ride objective today was to have fun. And having fun wouldn’t be all that difficult. After all, the two that instigated the whole affair were Jerry and MikeH . So I decided to tag along.

And so did Derek Jeter, trading in his NY jersey for an NC jersey.

Phil in the morning sun chatting with fearless leader Alan, together with eight other riders.

Even the wind had fun today. She blew us to the turnaround and then teased our return. Riders took turns bowing in their drops in a show of obeisant acquiescence to her power.

It was great riding with relative newcomers Allen and Phil. Glad you two were along. Another reason for celebrating today: happy birthday to MikeO!Thanks for the ride!

Another ride report can be found here.

Let’s ride!

A New Permanent: Carolina Crossroads

Cue that above video while you read this..... I'm pleased to announce a new permanent -- Carolina Crossroads -- a 200K that goes from the urban heart of Raleigh's Glenwood South and travels down to the Crossroads Grocery & Grill, with a town of address of Godwin but actually located dead center in the the Middle of Nowhere. Surprisingly, the Grill is on Facebook! Go ahead and friend em -- let em know you're coming.

This is a permanent route to lose yourself on  -- figuratively speaking, not literally, as the cue sheet has been carefully vetted by RUSA permanista Crista. The route is a time machine into North Carolina's rural past, but you'll be quickly snapped back to present day, with all of its modern conveniences, as you sit down for a tasty meal at the Burger King in Benson.

Here's a look at the route. (A shout out to Crista for making the route approval process so easy, and for working up this map.)



While my name is listed as the permanent owner, the route was masterminded by Dean Furbish. He drew it up at Helios coffee and managed to concoct a masterpiece despite annoyingly loud techno music in the background. You'll know Dean as the father of the beloved Tar Heel 200K and the Benson Mule Pull Populaire. In fact, the Carolina Crossroads route uses a large and quiet portion of the Mule Pull, so fans of that course will find themselves on familiar territory.

Carolina Crossroads is a likely candidate for our upcoming Year-End party. Reserve your spot on the route today! The $10 fee will be used to help defray the party costs.

The route name Carolina Crossroads was chosen in part to honor blues guitarist Robert Johnnson.

Here's several versions of one of his better known songs -- Love in Vain. First two originals by Mr. Johnson....



....Next a cover by Eric Clapton....





.... And finally a Love in Vain cover by the Rolling Stones. Embedding has been disabled for it, but a great version. Enjoy!

Blackbeard's Permanent

I own several RUSA permanents. For those unfamiliar with those rides, a permanent is like a brevet, our official scheduled events, but you can ride it any time, not just on one specific date. One of my routes, Blackbeard's Permanent, doesn't get ridden all that often, probably because it's a one-way route that runs from Raleigh to Swan Quarter, on the North Carolina coast.

I try to get out there on it at least once a year, to kick the tires, as it were, see what has changed and what needs adjusting.

This year, there were three trouble spots. First, there's a new bypass that turned one road into a dead end. That was an easy adjustment -- just pick up 264 for an extra mile.

The next fix was not so easy. A bridge was out on Hwy 32, on the far side of "the Original" Washington (so says the sign). That put me out on 264 on a busy section for several miles. Finally, as I raced up to the final section, just three miles from the Swan Quarter ferry with only 30 minutes to spare, I saw the dreaded "Detour: Road Closed" sign. This was potentially a show stopper. The next ferry was not until the following morning. As luck would have it, a local woman sitting outside with two pugs and three energetic Jack Russells advised me about a dirt road workaround for the Swan Quarter detour. Disaster averted.

If the route needed a few repairs, so did the driver. A fierce bout of cramps set in around mile 100 and continued on and off for the next 80 miles. There was lots of stopping and walking, and lots of soft pedaling, my favorite kind.

I had a simple goal on this ride. Break 12 hours. Missed it by two minutes. As I was racing up the final stretch to the ferry, leg cramps humbled me once again.

I was on such a tight schedule, I didn't stop for many pix. Here's early morning fog on Antioch Church Road. Music courtesy of Google...





I took this one on the ferry. What is it, an idea horn?


Arrgh.... Pirates!


Ferry sunset.

A New Kid in Town: Kerr Lake Loop Permanent, July 3, 2009

I knew it was going to be a special day. All three of my riding companions—Alan, Byron, and Mike—have RUSA numbers so low they look more like baseball stats. It was also a holiday, or, at least, almost a holiday. We saw one cyclist on Bike Route 1 south of Oxford with a flag attached to his handlebars that confirmed as much. And then there were the flags lining the Kerr Lake Dam. The lunch at Rose’s in Boydton, VA, where Mike and I ordered the tuna salad sub special on a hot tip from Branson. Two state-line sprints . . .

But let’s back up to the beginning. There was this “new” guy named Alan, pictured here, that shows up to ride with us. At least I thought he was new, since I’d never personally seen him before on a RUSA ride.

After the Oxford, NC, control at about mile 111, just when the rest of us thought we would settle into recovery mode for the remainder of the ride, Alan throws down a challenge, jumping out in front. The rest of us just couldn’t let the new kid on the block go uncontested. It turns out that the dude executes one monster pull along Cannaday Mills Rd all the way to the Tar River, on aero bars no less, as we hold onto our helmets!

“Aero bars Alan” pulls us along Cannaday Mills Rd.

Check out Byron’s blog here for an account of the ride and some pictures of a great day on the bikes. Thanks fellows! Oh yeah, it sure is great to have the new kid to hang out and ride with!

"Look! Buffalo, Bill!" / Tar Heel 200 Permanent, May 12, 2009

They say when planets align, things happen. I don’t know about heavenly bodies. But I was on semester break this past week. And brother Bill was in town. Any time Bill and I’ve gotten together in recent years, we’ve done at least one longish bicycle ride. When we visit, the bicycles get dragged along. The only thing different this year was that I was a proud new Permanent owner, so you know what that meant.

Unlike brevets, RUSA members can schedule Permanents to be ridden at any time with permission from the route owner. In recent years, for example, some of our ingenious local riders have scheduled Permanents at night as a respite from the summer heat. Check out Mike D’s report of a midnight excursion, Blackbeard’s Permanent, from Raleigh to the inland coastal waterway, or –B’s account of the Kerr Lake Loop Permanent “Post Card” ride.

Permanent owners are generally an accommodating lot. But ownership has its privileges. It’s simpler than simple to set up a ride. After deciding when you want to ride, all you need to do is print a card, sign a waiver, and write yourself a check.

Check out Bill’s ride . . .

. . . a 1984 aluminum SR900 Cannondale road frame with an Easton carbon fiber front fork and down tube shifters. He built his own 36-3X spoke wheels with Velocity Deep V rims and stainless, butted Wheelsmith spokes and Phil Wood hubs. The Suntour drivetrain with triple cranks and an 11-28 freewheel is anchored to a Phil Wood BB. Bill’s sit bones are keen on the Brooks Professional leather saddle.

This would be Bill’s first randonnée this year. Obviously, the cycling “season” is shorter in Wisconsin than in North Carolina. Bill used to commute by bicycle to work even in winter, except when temperatures sank below 20 degrees, although his real winter exercise and passion has been cross-country skiing. Ten times he’s completed the annual American Birkebeiner, a 54km cross-country ski race.

The forecast for this past Tuesday looked promising, the first dry day since Bill arrived. So we jumped. Bill is not a time traveler and parts of him were still stranded somewhere off in Central Time. Thus we decided to shove off at a civil 8 AM Eastern Time, allowing Sol to sweep away the last bit of fog and coax the start temperatures up into the low-50s.

Bill at the start. We’d experience a 25-degree warm-up under mostly sunny skies.

The Tar Heel 200 starts in Benson, NC, in Johnston County and heads south through Harnett, Cumberland, and Bladen counties. Plenty of opportunity for viewing nature. We saw assorted types of ferns along the road, yellow thistles, Carolina roses, not to mention Spanish moss draping from trees on River Road in Bladen County. Perhaps we’d even get a glimpse of buffalo as we passed the Jambbas Ranch in Cedar Creek.

“Look, Buffalo!”

I’d promised Bill a flat route as an inducement to ride. But as we approached Tar Heel, Bill was on to me. He’d apparently been able to perceive an elevation drop and called my hand. Indeed, there is an undeniable elevation decrease of 118 feet from Benson (elev. 243) to Tar Heel (elev. 125) spread over a distance of 100 kilometers. But how did he know? A water specialist, I’m guessing he spilled some Gatorade in Benson and watched it follow us all the way to the Cape Fear River.

Near Tar Heel, we witnessed truckloads of little piggies that would eventually be going to market. I recall Branson mentioning that the local slaughterhouse is the largest in the world. Indeed, according to Wikipedia,

The largest slaughterhouse in the world is operated by the Smithfield Packing Company in Tar Heel, North Carolina. It is capable of butchering over 32,000 pigs a day.


Bill cruising on the return on River Road in Bladen County.


Trivia question: What is the preferred energy food of some Wisconsin randonneurs?


The Civil War battlefield hospital at Averasboro on the return.


Courteous driver passing on the NC Scenic By-Way section near Averasboro Battlefield.



Bicycle art in Erwin, a couple of blocks off the route and across from the Pizza House,


where we would regroup the next day, along with Deborah, for a meal.

I’m lucky to have family members that not only understand randonneuring but encourage such ridiculousness. Even so, we randonneurs do get genuine and timely positive affirmation when we ride. Call it “positive en-route affirmation.” You know, those spontaneous remarks made by unsuspecting convenient-store clerks and bystanders the very moment they realize just how many miles we’ve ridden! I’ve learned not to brush these animated and sometimes very colorful comments aside, just because they didn’t come from a friend, family member, or colleague, someone I’d wished I’d heard it from. These real-time comments are not only authentic but couldn’t be more well-timed. My advice: Revel in them.

We experienced some positive en-route affirmation on our ride. The regular at the Erwin, NC, control at mile 111 asked me where we’d ridden to that day. When I responded, “Tar Heel,” she exclaimed, “You mean you rode to Tar Heel near Elizabethtown?” To which I simply replied, “Yes, that Tar Heel.” For emphasis, Bill added, “And back.”

At the last control at the Benson Burger King, when it dawned on the cashier signing our cards just how far we’d ridden that day, she blurted almost in disbelief, “You rode how far?”

Burger King employees hanging out with and providing positive en-route affirmation to rock-star, randonneur cyclists. Although they forgot to ask for my autograph. I'll be back.

A fun and memorable day on the bikes, we finished the ride almost two hours slower than the time-trial record for the course set by Lynn, Byron, Jerry, and John a month ago. Now all I have to do is to decide which bike(s) to pack when I visit Bill later this summer. Like our rides last year, the upcoming one should be fun, too.

Black Creek Write-Up

Two new RUSA riders, Andy and JayJay, successfully completed my Black Creek permanent on Saturday. Here's a link to their entertaining write-up and photos.

Tar Heel 200 Permanent Inaugural Ride, April 4, 2009

Welcome a couple of new North Carolina randonneurs who inaugurated North Carolina’s newest Permanent this past weekend. I and everyone who follows are grateful for their pioneering spirit: their willingness to follow a mythical cue sheet, one that works perfectly in my head as the route designer but less perfectly on paper.


But then, again, sometimes it's not altogether the cue sheet's fault.
According to their ride report, the ride represented a number of “firsts.”

The route is a brand new RUSA permanent. It is the first permanent designed by the owner, and if our documentation is accepted, it will be the first official ride on the permanent, my cycling companion's first RUSA ride, my first RUSA ride, and my first Lanterne Rouge. Lots of 'firsts'.

What was their verdict of the route?

It is a perfect ride for newbie Randonneurs doing their first RUSA events, and I am sure it will become a favorite sprint for experienced Randonneurs.

Here's the ride report, complete with captioned pictures (diced with humor). I love the one at the first/last controle with the sign in the window . . . It's sure to become a classic.

Much thanks to Edward Robinson, RUSA’s Permanent Coordinator, and to both Susan Plonsky and Alan Johnson, RBAs, for their gracious help in making the Tar Heel 200 a reality. We riders thank you!

And congratulations to the riders on their string of firsts!

Siler City Express / Mar 21 2009

We had 11 riders for yesterday's Siler City Express, a 200K permanent that cuts through the Uwharrie Mountains for some of the most spectacular and challenging riding that Piedmont North Carolina has to offer.

Despite a course that pitches up to 14 percent in a section or two, and hills that do not know when to quit, we had a 100-percent finish rate. That's a testament to the overall fitness and mental toughness of our local randonneuring crew. Even better, we had two newcomers in the fold.

A summary in bullet fashion.

Weather. Yeah, it was the second day of spring, but somebody forgot to alert the thermometer. A 33-degree start but a 55-degree finish, with lots of sun, a slight headwind on the way home.

Steel. Lots of classic steel in the line-up, including two Cohos, a Surly LHT, John M's bike from Iowa, and Branson on an old Trek. A shot of a few riders at the start ...




And Branson's bike.



One & done. Speaking of Branson, he did the course on a fixed gear and claimed not to have walked anywhere along the route. The videotape is being reviewed. Also on a single speed was Jerry, whose Langster sported a new silver coat. New paint is good for a couple miles an hour and he was near the front all day.

When one new ride ain't enough. Mr. Lathe, who was on his new Go-Heels! Coho (that would be powder blue), showed up in his new VW TDI, which was every bit as sharp as the bike. Apparently, both vehicles have lots of pull up the hills. Chuck was in fine form throughout the day.

Sign of the times. For anybody looking to abandon at Seagrove, here's one possibility for snagging a ride. I'm not sure they'll take you back to your car, though.




Quote of the day. Well, from the dinner party that evening, not the ride: "If you want to cross a street safely in Rome, walk behind a nun."

Guest appearances. Danno showed up and rode to Seagrove with us, then turned back for a 100K day. We crossed paths with Fearless Leader Al at the corner of Fort Mill and Erect Rd. He was out on a scouting trip for his upcoming series. It's a darn shame that Wes and Joe Ray didn't realize Al's wife Dorothy was with him when they took a nature break right in front of the truck.

Story of the ride. JoAnn joins us from an ultra marathoner background. Over lunch she told us about the terrible things that happen to your feet when you run 150 miles across the Sahara Desert. I'd repeat a few of them here but I'd probably lose my lunch.

Bonus points. Speaking of JoAnn, she gets the prize for most miles ridden when a missed turn added a little extra distance to her total. She still managed to finish within a few minutes of the front group.

Big Kahunas Award. You had to see it to believe it. We were rolling up River Road, having just made the turnaround. Here comes smiling Branson, screaming down a hill, riding fixed with no hands, taking our picture. I hope his wife doesn't read this blog.

Tired of tires. John M had a flat tire that turned into a major headache. He had a flat on a big honking 37mm tire that would not reseat after he pulled the tube. His spare was a 25, and he did most of the ride on a seriously mismatched set of tires. Ever seen a car with one of those mini, donut sized spares? That's how John's bike looked. Despite the mechanical issues, he made up lots of time throughout the day and rode in to the final control with Chuck.

A tip of the hat. Newcomers George and Jack, doing their longest rides ever, finished in fine shape with Monsieur Branson. George did a bit of faux cussing as he rolled into the finish -- at least I think he was fauxing. Jack looked content, like a hooked bass. I think both will be lining up for Al's 200K next month. Here's a shot of Jack at the start.




Lanterne rouge. And a big tip of the hat to Brother Rob, who hung in and finished another long day on the bike. He is riding himself back into form, and I think it's working as he shaved about an hour off his time in the January 200K.

Yanceyville Ramble 200K--Mar 7 2009

Anybody who owned a bike, or knew where to beg, buy or steal one, should have been out yesterday. Here in North Carolina, we don't get many sunny, 80-degree days in early March. Four of us, Byron, Dean, JoeRay and myself, took full advantage on John Morris' Yanceyville Ramble 200K permanent, which runs from his house just north of Durham to Hyco Lake and back.

Here's Dean in the new NC Randonneurs jersey.



Why no John? He and buddy Jerry hopped in John's plane and flew to Florida for a 400K. Look for their ride report in the next few days.

Our foursome struck out at 7 a.m. Every low spot held a pool of cool air, but that would be cooked by 9 or so for a glorious day of riding.

Truth be told, we did not set any land speed records. In fact, we spent 3 hours off the bike. Mostly eating. Just 15 miles in, we made a biscuit stop. We also had burgers at a Hyco Lake grill. And we stopped in at Yoder's Store in Yanceyville for ice cream on the way home.

A stop at Gilbert's fantastic bike shop is mandatory anytime you pass through Yanceyville. Gilbert looked great.



Gilbert snapped these shots of the crew in front of the courthouse.




This guy's set-up, just outside Yanceyville, looks like Bachelor Heaven. A small trailer painted Santa Fe yellow, a grill, plastic lawn chairs and festival lights.


John's route has some rolling sections, including the challenging Gum Poole Road. I have dubbed the three hills on that road the Triplets of Belleville. They make your legs and lungs sing. The middle sister is the meanest. Here's her picture.




We rolled in at 6, another full day of fun on the bikes.

Nottoway Ramble Permanent: February 15, 2009

It’s all in the presentation of the lure. My riding buddy, friend, and enabler, Bob, knew what he was doing when he dangled the bait in my direction. Said a few local riders were thinking about doing Ron’s 215km Nottoway Ramble Permanent this past Sunday, and did I want in.

There were five of us in all. Besides Bob and myself, I knew Ron, whom I’d met my first year of randonneuring on the Raleigh 400km in the dark and rain. Special bonds are forged in such times. Plus there was Jim, whom I’d met last year at the VA Tappahannock 200km. Jim’s a real road warrior, having already completed one R-12 and closing in on his second.

The fifth rider I’d not yet met, the affable Ian, whose RUSA number is barely dry. In fact this would be Ian’s first event under the RUSA banner. By all accounts, he’ll be a fine randonneur.

With village names on the route like Windsor, Waverly, and Surry, I’d fully expected to catch a glimpse of the sheriff of Nottingham, Friar Tuck, if not the Queen, herself. However, I’d settle for the opportunity of riding with a band of Merry Men in helmets and colorful garb. I wasn’t disappointed, for my last wish was granted.

Sir Bob—a real knight.

Knaves, Knights, or Knings? Left to right: Ron, Ian, Bob.

The Nottoway Ramble can be described as a rural ride over a section of the Tidewater of southeast VA. Ron has served up tall helpings of cotton, peanuts, rivers, fields, woods, marshes, and a handful of short hills with double-digit inclines. There is little traffic. We were several miles into the ride before we spotted a car on the road.

The 134-mile route is layered with history. Pick your passion. In addition to the strong British influence, alluded to already, is the wide American panorama: native, early colonial, revolutionary, antebellum, civil war. . . As we rode along, Ron would share some of it with us.

We departed the start-control at a late-ish 8:20, but at a good clip under blue skies and temperatures in the mid-30s with a nice tailwind.



Is that flagpole bent? I knew the tailwind wouldn’t last all day as we kept “turning right” in a clockwise fashion.

As we approached Blackwater River at mile 13, Ron noted the river represented a Civil War dividing line between the Union forces and Confederate Virginia. Because the boundary line was unevenly guarded, “contrabands” or slaves occasionally crossed over into freedom. Interestingly, just to the south, the spot at which the Blackwater and Nottoway rivers join—forming the Chowan—officially marks the VA-NC border.

At mile 22, Ron explained that we were in the area of the famous slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in 1831. We rode through the town of Courtland, where Turner was tried and hanged after his capture.



We pulled into the first control at mile 43 in Yale, VA, at the Yale General Store.

The store is closed on Sunday, something Ron anticipated, having already prepared pre-addressed postcards, which we completed and dropped off at the Yale post office directly adjacent to the general store.

Ron passed along an interesting article about contemporary life in this rural area near the village of Yale.

Ian took the sign seriously; I think he’s eating birdseed, which may explain why he can fly.



At mile 59, we reached the first information control. Late arrival Jim already knew the answer to the question, which I think he memorized from the information control on the Tappahannock 200km he'd ridden yesterday.


I was lucky that Jim was prepared. He gave me an extra cue sheet at the next control after mine was stolen by the wind shortly after this stop.

Ian also knows the answer to the control question. He’s fast at everything.

I’m beaming, too, since I remember to apply the “long-distance rule” and put a “K” after the number in my answer.


Captain America? Flash Gordon? Spider Man? No, it’s a new Super Hero—Rando Man!

Passing through Waverly at mile 68, we debated the most important question of the day: where to eat. The constraint of time dictated our decision. Next time Ron and I do the ride we’ve agreed to try Giuseppe’s!

Check out the date on this marker near the control in Claremont at mile 86. Did they get the spelling right on the Indian name?

The route took us within sight of the James River and a few lovely miles through a tranquil, scenic, forested natural preserve. Here we chased up a few, short, steep inclines.

At Surry, we stopped one last time for provisions and turned on our lights for the remaining 34-mile jaunt to the finish. Ron and Bob torched the road with their Edelux-generator lights. If I got ahead of either one of the lights, it was easy to mistake it for a car headlamp. I recall one instance in which I was able to negotiate a series of downhill turns faster with Bob right behind me lighting the way than if I’d been alone.

With day-time highs only in the mid-40s, the temperature quickly plummeted to freezing with nightfall. Ron remarked that his head was turning into a popsicle.

At the final control, while warming ourselves with warm drinks, we signed and turned over our permanent cards to Ron. After securing our bikes, changing clothes, and chatting for a while in a nearby parking lot, we departed in different directions, thankful for another safe and pleasurable adventure.

Thanks to Bob for his continuing role in enabling my “bad behavior” of distance-cycling, to Ron for “hosting” the event, and to Jim and Ian for their camaraderie. It seems that every randonneuring event is special, and this was no exception.