| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
45.48 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,827 ft
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Avg Speed:
14.79 mph
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Route:
Twin Rivers Challenge
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 166 bpm
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Avg HR: 132 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: Look Blade RS 795 Iconic Ltd Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Overcast 53 F E wind @ 8 mph |
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Today's event was the medium length course of the Twin Rivers Challenge in the northeast mountains of Georgia. Opted for the medium course this year for a few reasons. I had done the seventy mile course last year with a long steep mountain climb that I actually somewhat enjoyed. After the descent though was a half mile of crappy gravel that I really didn't enjoy and was concerned about ruining my carbon rims due to chunky rocks. Also weighing in for the shorter course was my lack of fitness and the fact I still had a seven hour drive to Florida after completing the ride. Ride started at nine AM that I appreciated though it didn't warm up much as the starting temperature was forty-one degrees. There appeared to be quite a few less riders this year but still over two hundred for the three different lengths. Everyone started together and it was quite fast with the few first miles being a good downgrade. Plan was to just finish the ride this year. Settled into the rear of the second group once the road stopped descending and starting to rise. Cold weather was not kind to my bladder, and I pulled off for the first of a few nature breaks a few miles into the ride. Got back on the bike fairly quickly and climbed well enough on a few small climbs to start catching and passing a few riders. The first rest stop was at twelve and a half miles where the seventy-milers headed up the mountain climb and the twenty-fivers turned around and headed back to the start. I had just made contact with the rear of the second pack as most of them pulled into the rest stop. Only saw two riders that passed the rest stop and continued on the forty-five course. Caught one of the riders and rode with him through five or six miles of rolling twisting climbs through cottages on a river, lake or possibly a reservoir. It was a short section of epic riding before the tougher hills started. Had four five-hundred foot climbs on the route with three coming late and a couple with steep sections. Dropped one rider along the lake and got passed by another coming into the final three climbs. Occasionally would see the rider that passed me ahead on the climbs and would gain on him but would lose be chunks of time as I was pretty much coasting the downhills and milking what flats there were. Got within a few lengths of him one the final long climbs but lost sight of him again as he was motoring on the backside of the climb. Had a ten mile section of fairly good downgrade before a mile long climb back up to the start. Thought I might finish with a fifteen but got soft on the last mile and just rode it out. Made the right decision on doing the medium course as I was tapped out at the finish. Climbed fairly well but was much slower than last year. Can't say it was very enjoyable as it only got into the low fifties as I finished the course. First ride with gloves and leg warmers in quite some time. Didn't hang around to see the bluegrass band after the ride as had miles to drive. Would have liked to have done the mountain climb but probably won't ever do it again unless they get rid of the gravel section.
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