Texas Canine Ambush   
 Ride Stats
Distance: 83.39 miles Altitude Gain: 2,959 ft Avg Speed: 16.16 mph
Route: Round the Lake Avg Grade: 0 % Max Grade: 0 %
Max HR: 174 bpm Avg HR: 121 bpm Terrain: Road: Hills
Bike: custom built Cipollini RB800 Road Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club
Weather Conditions: Fog\Sun 67 F N wind @ 8 mph
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 Into the Mist
Forecast looked to have favorable winds for a ride around Seneca Lake. Day would start off with a slight south wind and after two hours turn to the west and eventually end the ride with a north tailwind. Even though I had taken a long ride yesterday, I figured with favorable winds another eighty was achievable. Left the house with the temperature at sixty which was expected to get into the seventies as the overcast clouds were burned off. Ride started off okay with a slight tailwind and worked my way through Watkins and up SR 14 on the west side of the lake for the traditional clockwise route. Felt good on the climb and even got a little speed built up on the way to Glenora. Plan went bad just as I approached Glenora. The lake must have turned over or something and creating a small weather cell with thick fog banks. Pretty much rode into a wall of fog and visibility was done to twenty yards and sometimes less. For a while I was unable to see the opposite side of the rode and thought I may have ridden by my turn unwittingly. Wasn't too worried about traffic as the shoulder was at least eight feet wide and I was hugging the outside edge, though I really wanted to get off the highway as soon as possible. Found my turn okay and got on a side road through Lakemont to Himrod. Also had picked up a nasty north wind that just added to the fun as it was still another twenty-five miles to Geneva at the foot of the lake. Cranked along fairly slowly in the fog and don't remember encountering any traffic before Himrod. As I climbed out of Himrod the fog started to lift but the headwind continued. I started to see my hazy shadow as I descended to Dresden and back onto the highway for the remainder of the northern leg of my route. Without the sun the temperature had dropped into the mid-fifties, and I was dripping moisture as the fog had continuously condensed on my bike and myself. Fog was gone as I climbed out of Dresden, but it was still cool, overcast, and damp. Just cranked off the miles to Geneva not too happy with the conditions. Finally got to turn out of the wind on the north end of the lake but encountered rough road on SR 5 & 20 as construction crews were ripping up the pavement. Had to ride through that for two miles until got to SR 96 and headed back down the east side of the lake. As soon as I made the turn, the sun came out and I picked up a sweet tailwind. Remainder of the ride was quite pleasant as I was easily maintaining an eighteen mile an hour pace. Climbed well on the two next hills and legs felt great once they were warmed by the sun. Didn't have a very good average overall but also spent five hours in the saddle with no discomfort, so things are looking up for my first century in May.

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Lifetime: 104,672 mi
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Home: Montour Falls, NY 
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