April 2: The Fatmen Get Wet
After an optimistic report of better weather and warmer temperatures, the day begins cool and foggy. We can't blow off a second day and we're all feeling pretty good, so off we go. The day's routes are a 75 mile manly ride and a 47 mile easier ride. We all start off together and climb Reed's Gap from the tough side. It is foggy and wet, so foggy and wet that my glasses are steamed up to the point I have to take them off. My eyesight is terrible so opting for no glasses tells you plenty. I reach the top first from the kiddie group! Of course our "guide" choose to ride with the last rider or he would have smoked me. But you take them where you get them when you climb like I do.
The first 28 miles are pleasant with fresh legs. But the temperature is dropping and the sky is getting more ominous. We stop for a quick break at a convenience store and upon leaving the first drops fall. Soon it is pouring and we are soaked to the skin. I am wearing a long sleeve jersey and shorts. This is ok until my shoes soak through. Then my energy starts having to choose with keeping my feet warm or pedaling the bike with gusto. The resulting compromise leaves me going slowly with cold feet. By mile 40 I am shaking which is not helping with my already shimmy-prone frame. Justin,our ride leader, insists I take his long finger gloves (my fingertips are blue) and his wind vest. It does the trick. I get feeling back in the fingers and stop shivering. Still couldn't feel my feet, but what can you do? Mario has dressed more sensibly so although he is not happy being wet, at least he isn't freezing, except for his feet. Eric is with the manly group so we have no idea how he is doing, but he was wearing more than I was and he was ok. The scary part was that there was so much water on the roads that descending was pretty scary for everyone and these were some pretty good riders.
We take a wrong turn and go down a mud and gravel road. Perfect. Just in case the road hadn't scared you enough we have to play cyclecross. We backtrack to make sure that we get the full experience and this brings our total miles to 50. I go straight into the shower to wash me and the mud off my clothes. Total Pigpen experience. My feet still have numb spots after 15 minutes in the shower. Afterwards I put on a wool jersey, a polartec pullover, my fatman winter jacket, sweat pants, wool socks and a hat. It is almost enough. Mario puts on clothes and gets under the covers after his shower; of course he falls asleep and misses lunch.
The group consensus on the day: Epic. Sheesh, they are all nuts.
Speaking of lunch, time to comment on the high fiber (beans) diet. Although little is regular when it comes to the Fatmen, these three Fatmen have gotten amazingly regular. By today, we didn't know if we were at cycling camp or on the Road to Welleville. Everyone is jealous I have a bathroom to myself at the cabin after Mike left. Enough on that subject except to say that it is a remarkably open, coed topic of conversation here.
In the late afternoon, the whole group goes to visit the Mountain Cove winery owned by Eric's Aunt and Uncle. Uncle Al gives us a great tour and tasting. He's even made a label with our group photo; look for it at next Friday's Beer Night. We then head off to the Brew Pub for dinner again.
And now, a brief note on Mike's e-mail comment. While discussing fellow campers at the cottage over carbohydrate recovery beverages and tunes we decided that one of our compatriots probably followed Joe Pesci's lead and has 8 heads in a duffle bag. We resolve to not volunteer to add to his collection.
Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Lucy | April 23, 2009 at 02:21 AM