Alpharetta Century

The 2nd annual Alpharetta cycling event that raised $12,000 to benefit the Georgia Transplant Foundation (GTF) and the Kiwanis Club of Alpharetta was held Saturday, November 7. The ride attracted 265 riders of various talents who enjoyed cycling options from a 6-mile family ride to longer alternatives of 35, 62 or 100 miles. Most riders (80%) opted for the 62 or 100 mile course which traversed the scenic roads of Fulton, Forsyth and Cherokee counties.

Another “pleasure” of this ride was its hometown venue. Unlike other cycling events in which I have participated, no long car trek prior to the spinning of the spokes was required. The ride’s start/finish at old Milton High School was a mere five miles from my Roswell front door. Begging and receiving forgiveness from my lovely wife whose birthday coincided with the ride, Helen dropped me off at old Milton High just in time to complete my same day registration. I felt the $45 same day registration fee (vs. $35 for early registration) was a bit steep. However, I believe in the spirit of the GTF and quickly converted my initial “fee chagrin” into doing my part for a worthy cause. Later in the day, I passed a rider who revealed that he was a two-time kidney transplant recipient, living proof that riding a bike can save a life. Amen, Shalom, Namaste, May it be so…..

The weather for this late fall ride was spectacular. A chill in the air at the 8:00 AM mass start required a riding jacket. As the sun rose, the chill diminished. The organizers, with a keen understanding of gear management, offered a “cloak room” service at the rest stops. The service allowed riders to shed their jackets into a large plastic bin, obtain a claim check, continue riding in the warm sun and then retrieve their riding jackets at the finish point. Clever.

At the first rest stop near the Whimsy Rose on Holbrook Campground Rd, the 35 mile option riders separated from the 62/100 mile crowd. I felt the organizers made one poor road selection prior to this split. Wright Mill Road (mile 12) is a short, but extremely demanding steep climb. Even for a century rider like me, this short climb was a challenge. I am sure for the 35 mile riders it may have seemed almost insurmountable. Save for this one exception, the road selection was excellent. Most of the road surfaces were smooth with low-traffic, accompanied by hill climbs that were to be expected in this environ north of Atlanta. At the second rest stop (mile 34), the 62 milers and century riders split.

The century ride was 50 miles out, turn around, and head home ride. For the first 50 miles, we had a seemingly endless net gain in altitude. As we pushed up Steve Tate Highway past the Big Canoe mountain enclave, I knew there were challenging climbs ahead. With the turn onto GA 136 toward Jasper, we started our 4.5 mile winding assault up Burnt Mountain.

Burnt Mountain required a slow, steady, Zen state of mind to climb this switchback ascent. Have ridden Wolfpen, Neels, Hogpen and other North Georgia gaps for more than 20 years, I have resolved not to think of reaching the “top.” Whatever summit is achieved, it is immediately followed by a downhill and then another climb. I make, however, a public confession that my Zen mastery was challenged this day as I continually convinced myself that the next switchback would reveal the summit. “Be one with the road….be one with the road….”

The summit of Burnt Mountain was the century turnaround point. In testament to the strength and talent of the riders participating, I encountered a pack of six riders zipping down Burnt Mountain shortly after I began my climb. Others followed. As I near sixty years of life, I have re-oriented my focus on the journey rather than the finish. This orientation gave me the chance to soak in the absolute beauty of this ride.

The fall scenery of the course was as spectacular as the weather. Many trees had already surrendered their leaves, but ample patches of red and yellow leaf clusters abounded. North Georgia, despite the madness of development in the Atlanta area, is still filled with wide-open rolling farm fields and wooded arbors that shroud the road in a comforting natural cocoon. Given such beauty and serenity, I am often hard pressed to understand why so few cyclists traverse through these beautiful gifts of North Georgia.

The treat of reaching the summit was that there was a genuine “give back” to all the climbing we had done during the first part of this century. The descent of Burnt Mountain took 10 minutes. Other down hills followed with an occasional need to reach for some climbing gears. By now solo riders or small knots of 2 to 3 riders made their way back to the start/finish point. Despite the long day and a chill slowly returning to the air, rest stop volunteers remained vigilant at their posts. Many thanks are extended to these dedicated volunteers.

As pre-arranged, my lovely wife retrieved me at the ride’s end. A deferred birthday gift of tickets to Cavalia put me back in good husband standing. The real gift of the day, however, was the gift of services that can now be rendered by the Georgia Transplant Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Alpharetta, made possible by the generous participation of so many people who simply went out for a ride.

Enjoy your spinning . . .

Cycle North Carolina 2009

The 11th annual Cycle North Carolina (CNC) “Mountains to the Coast” tour took place September 27 to October 3. If a cross-state ride is not yet on your calendar, you may want to consider setting aside time next year to savor a week of unhurried cycling. Cycling several hundred miles may appear as a daunting challenge, but this NC state tour and other similar cross-state tours are well-organized and well within reach of cyclist of all calibers. These tours are not races. On the contrary, cyclists are encouraged to ride at their own pace, take in the sights, chat with the locals and generally enjoy just pedaling their bikes down the road.

Approximately 1,100 riders participated. Riders in these fall classics tend to be older than the summer tours like the Bike Ride Across Georgia (BRAG). The oldest riders on this tour were in their eighties. Participating was a range of riders from retirees, middle agers down to youthful twenty-somethings and even a few riders not yet 10 years old. Suffice it to say, age was no barrier to those with a heart to cycle.

The tour started in the enchanting mountain hamlet of Blowing Rock. The course then traversed 425 miles as it meandered westward through small towns and scenic countryside ending in the coastal town of Surf City. Stops along the way included Lenoir, Statesville, Thomasville, Sanford, Dunn and Kenansville. Both the “over night” and the many “pass-thru” towns went out of their way to provide welcoming Southern hospitality.

At the over night stop in Thomasville, for example, the staff at the campsite at the Baptist Children’s Home just gushed with hospitality. Food stalls were plentiful, live music was provided and an outdoor movie was shown in the evening.

The pass-thru town of Warsaw lined the incoming streets with welcoming signs, offered

free snacks and lemonade in an old historic home converted

into the Duplin County Veterans Museum.

And where else except in Spivey’s Corner, Hollerin’ Capital of the Universe, can one hear an authentic “sou-eeeeee” holler?

Add in opportunities to visit the Richard Petty NASCAR museum, watch a display of Revolutionary War musketry firing at Fort Dobbs, amble the Averasboro Civil War battle ground, sample Muscadine wines at the Duplin Winery and other self-invented side trips and you have yourself one fine cycling tour.

On top of the great adventures, the weather for the ride was nearly perfect. Th

e heavy rains that had so battered and flooded the Atlanta area followed us north and complicated activities on registration day. However, once the ride began, sunshine and temperatures in the 70’s accompanied us each day. Even the “wind gods” bestowed their favor upon us by providing mostly tail winds that swept us to the coast. Ahhh……

To be totally frank, some honest cycling was required. Even though we had a net drop of over 2,500 vertical feet on day 1, we still had some pretty long, switchback climbs. Aware of the climbing challenges, the organize

rs provided two options this day. One option took riders up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and a chance to ride the winding Linn Cove Viaduct. That option included additional climbing. The other option, still with some climbing, was a bit less demanding. Both options provided an exhilarating 11-mile downhill run.

Days 2 and 3 had their share of rolling hills, but it was clear we were riding out of the mountains

to the piedmont. Day 4 was the most demanding distance wise. Two ride options were available: 75 or 100 miles. Either way, you were going to be in the saddle a bit this day. I had anticipated more flat runs and was surprised to find the century ride was really a roller coaster of ups and downs. Even though we had a 550 foot net drop in elevation from start to end, this was a “pay as you go” day when it came to hill climbing. Some downhills gave a boost to pop over its mirror-imaged uphill counterpart. However, whatever we rode down, we had to pay back into the kitty with some uphill climbing gears. So how hard could it be?

With adroit down-shifting and a steady spin pace, no hill was too tough for my 58 year-old body riding a 16-geared bike. I was feeling pretty good; top of my game…until a rider on a single gear bike shot past me. I later discovered that there were three riders with single gear bikes. Admiration just has to be extended to these riders.

Buck Hefner, 61, from Berkley Springs, WV, representing the Winchester Wheelmen Club, has been riding a single-gear bike for more than four years. Inspired by turn of the century Tour deFrance riders with their single gear machines, Buck cycled his 50:17 gear ratio bike embracing an earlier era of cycling. Delacy Blair Chavis Jr., 59, from Gibsonville, NC, better known by the signature on his wheels “Joe Velo” cycled his 53:16 gear ratio bike to savor the unencumbered joys of cycling. No gears, no computer, no gadgets. Sometimes it is about the bike. The undisputed hero of the single-gear riders was David Goodwin, 16, also from Gibsonville. David, a top notch student, was on his third CNC, but his first on a 46:15 geared cycle. David’s adoption of the single-gear bike, which he built himself, was inspired by “Joe.” H

owever, unlike Buck and Joe, David’s single-gear was a fixed single-gear. That is, when the wheels moved, the pedals moved. When asked what was the hardest part of the tour, David responded, “The 11 mile downhill!” Hard not to admire such cycling purity.

By day 5 we were moving off the piedmont plateau onto the coastal plains. The soil changed from rich dark brown to light sandy coastal soil. The distance between rest stops started to stretch from the 12–15 miles of the early part of the ride to 18–22 miles. Although pace lines are not encouraged by the ride organizers, there is some invisible attractive force inherent in long, flat roadways that lead inevitably to single file drafting of riders. I hopped on the wheel of the last rider in a 20+ mph pace line zipping by and discovered my dinner partner of the previous evening, Ted Higgins. Ted had traveled down from Canada for the ride. Ted is 70. Another admired rider.

Day 6 was a 61-mile run from Dunn to Kenansville. Dark morning clouds hung with us this day. We saw some rain showers near the end of the ride, but those passed rather quickly. The road surface this day alternated between silky smooth new roads to jarring shake and bake of well worn-roads. There was also evidence of a long-ago love affair by the NC DOT for concrete slab roads that was spurned for a new love of asphalt. Unfortunately, the long-ago concrete slabs would not go quietly. Our high pressure, thin bike tires were like tuning forks on the slab seams, providing a rhythmic thump-thump as we passed from slab to slab hidden beneath the asphalt. Overall, the road selection for the tour was very good. The vast majority of the roads were low traffic, most surfaces were good and when there was a need to cross a busy intersection, local police officers were present to block traffic allowing a safe crossing.

I also encountered my first and only bike breakdown on day 6. Three bike shops Trek, Cycling Spoken Here and Liberty Bikes provided expert, dedicated and seemingly around the clock bike repair services. Bike mechanics were found at many of the rest stops to provide as-needed care. For more extensive support, the bike shops set up at the over night campsites. Also found in camp was Rosie’s Café that supplied a never-ending source of coffee, tea and other hot drinks for the tour riders.

With the threat of rain still present when I arrived in Kenansville, I opted to forego my regular outdoor camping for an indoor camp spot in the cavernous Duplin County Event Center. The CNC tour offered a wide variety of options for the non-cycling aspect of the tour. I prefer to pack things in a duffel bag, throw on luggage truck, retrieve, camp outside, throw duffel bag back on truck, repeat. Others selected a motel option. In between, services were provided by private outfits like Bubba Pampered Pedalers, which supplied and set up your tent, provided daily clean towels and after-ride amenities such as a social tent with cold drinks and rich conversation. Cycle Logistics offered similar services, though this option was BYOT (bring your own tent) and set up. For the truly hearty, you can self-SAG as Seth Schmidt, 45 from Glen Allen, VA did. Preparing for some longer, self-contained rides, Seth came prepared to be fully independent with packed panniers. His advice; pack less then you need, take your time and enjoy your cycling experience.

The downside of indoor camping is that this crowd tends to be early risers. At 5:30 am, a wave of commotion in the event center began that continued until all in the arena were stirring. Part of the early commotion is a desire to get in the breakfast line. For those selecting the meal plan, breakfast starts at 6:00 am. Dinner is usually served at 6:00 pm. I typically do not opt for the meal plan because there are ample opportunities to purchase meals on the road. Each over night town is keen to have you visit their downtown restaurants. Welcome tables are set up at the campsite in each town and free shuttle service provided. To each his own with regard to meal planning.

The final day was a pleasant 53-mile spin into Surf City. We found shake and bake and thump-thump for the first 15 miles, but then it was perfect road surface with sunshine, wind at our back and a warming sense of accomplishment as the miles ticked by on the way to the coast.

Shower services from the Bush Fire Services team was with us at every stop including this last day in Surf City. Connected to nearby fire hydrants and equipped with instant hot water generation, there is always a nice, clean hot shower waiting for you at the end of the day.

A post-ride meal of catfish and fixins’ was provided. For some making their way back to Blowing Rock or Cary (another return point), pedals were removed, handle bars turned and bikes loaded onto transport trucks. The riders then took a CNC arranged bus to their return point. Others did this journey in reverse so their cars were waiting for them in Surf City.

Slowly, the luggage, bikes and riders melted away from the finish point. Reminiscences of the

tour’s challenges will surely be repeated. My favorite observations of the ride’s challenge comes from little Eleanor Morris, age 5. Eleanor, along with her sister Claire, age 8, and mom and dad, Laura Benedict and John Morris from Durham, NC rode the whole tour as a family. Claire and Mom were on a tandem and Eleanor was perched on a tagalong behind Dad. The Morris’s have several CNC family tours behind them. I asked, “So Eleanor, what was the hardest part of the whole cycle tour?” Eleanor stretched her arms up in the air and having reviewed in her mind her well-considered answer she replied, “Nothing.” You go girl!

See ya next year.

Cave Spring Two Day Self-SAG

The two-day self contained ride to Cave Spring was held this Mothers’ Day weekend (May 9 -10) to the delight and pleasure of those participating. Organized by Larry Kloet, a veteran SBL ride leader, the road selection, ride maps and Cave Spring accommodation recommendations were top-notch. This 100 mile, round-trip ride started and ended at the Silver Comet Paulding County Chamber of Commerce parking lot (Mile 19.4). This location was a convenient meeting location and offered excellent free weekend parking.

Bike Tour May 9 - 10, 2009 @ Yahoo! Video

The age of the thirteen riders ranged from the twenty-something crowd to time-on-my-hands-something crowd. All riders were fairly experienced with sufficient touring gear to self-SAG their gear. Recommended accommodations at Cave Spring ranged from a $12 per night campsite to the $40ish accommodating Creekside Inn to the $80 restful Tumlin Bed & Breakfast. My wonderful wife opted not to ride, but opted in for the gourmet dinner and evening at the bed & breakfast, which provided riders a choice to have their gear SAG’d.

For those looking to add a self-SAG tour to their riding experience, this ride should be moved to the top of your list. Both days are punctuated with rest stops including lunch at Frankie’s Restaurant in Rockmart and as many opportunities as you care to take to stop and smell the honeysuckle along the way. On day two, there are about 10 – 12 miles of hill climbs out of Cave Spring. Granny gears, patience, walking or any combination will render these obstacles moot. Both days included substantial mileage on the Silver Comet. Larry’s road selection also put us on miles of low traffic, smooth Georgia roads. This ride could be the motivation to purchase some touring gear. Heck, how hard is it to carry a tooth brush and change of clothes? Some wonderful spouse may even provide SAG support.

I have not ridden this part of Georgia for quite some time and it was nice to see that time has, indeed, stood still here. It always amazes me that just a few miles outside the maddening hubbub of Atlanta there are miles of quiet, peaceful and scenic rolling roads. Our recent rains also turned grasses and vegetation into a luxurious, lush green. Spring planting sprouts were bursting upward from furrowed fields. The smell of full bloomed honeysuckle filled the air. It is for such experiences that we ride our bikes.

We toured this marvelous landscape sometimes as a single group, but more frequently split into two or three riding groups, all averaging between 10 – 15 mph. We collected in Cave Spring, each retiring to their selected accommodation.

The Tumlin Bed & Breakfast, operated by the ever-affable JC, provided a gourmet dinner choice to our stay. Other choices in town included a meal of red meat and beer at the steakhouse or a plate of Bar-B-Q at the Chrome Cowboy. However, JC’s five course meal ending with dessert selections of chocolate torte or crème brule won our hearts and recommendation.

Any day you ride your bike is a good, but some days are better than others.

Cycle North Carolina Spring Tune-up Tour

We all know that when the first dusting of pollen is seen a spring tune-up ride is soon to follow. Such was the case for the 6^th Annual Cycle North Carolina spring tune-up held April 17 – 19, 2009 in historic Washington, NC. Over 1,000 riders from Colorado, Maine, Canada and other parts near and far converged on Washington for this three day ride-out-ride-back ride. For the many who confessed, “This is the first time I’ve been on my bike this year,” this hub and spoke ride offered a wide variety of options from a leisurely 5 mile slow roll to an arduous 108 miles.

CNC is a top-notch riding group that does an excellent job of organization, planning, registration and orchestration. Several years back, I participated in a Cycle North Carolina week long fall classic ride. An e-mail received in the dark wintry days gave plenty of time to contemplate the ride, procrastinate and still have ample time to register online. The online registration cost of $105 included outdoor camping facilities, continuous hot water showers, porta-potty access, a Friday night fish fry dinner, t-shirt, ferry crossing fee, ride maps and a marvelous opportunity to tour the byways and bergs surrounding the Pamlico River on the eastern shore of North Carolina.

The first and most difficult first part of this ride was getting to Washington. Located nearly 500 miles from our home in Roswell, GA, Washington is on the edge of our riding circuit. We packed our bikes, camping equipment and good spirits into our Prius and made an all day drive on Thursday up to North Carolina. We arrived about 2 hours after the close of registration and found little to no signage to help us navigate the intention of the organizers. However, a spacious spot among the other tents pitched along the river was home for the next two evenings. We also found ourselves a tad ill-prepared for the chilly April evenings. We made a note to pack knit caps and warmer sleeping gear for our next spring tune-up ride.

On Friday morning, Helen volunteered at registration while I took an early work-related conference call. The weather was sunny and the ride options of 5, 11, 23, 30, 56 and 73 miles pulled on our enthusiasm to get on the road. Helen opted for a 30 mile cruise, I selected the 73 mile option. Generally, the courses were well marked. A few more reassuring course arrows on lonely, long stretches of road would have been welcomed, but overall a good job was done marking. The only shortcoming of the tune-up tour was in the selection of some course routes.

Asphalt long ago applied atop concrete slab roadways provided a thump-thump rhythm on those roads. Several of the coastal roads were real workhorses and revealed their stress in cracks and rough surfaces. Also, the shorter 23 - 30 mile courses, typically ridden by less experienced riders, had those riders returning to camp on a busy four-laner. Hopefully a bit more attention in course selection will be included in next year’s course layouts.

Friday night was fish fry night at the town’s old railway station, refurbished and now the civic center. We were also treated to a marvelous Washington street party. We were told the historic downtown district is closed to traffic several times a year and converted into a pedestrian mall. Musical bands ranging from country, blues, rock and roll and good old-fashioned bag pipes filled the air with global tunes. There was dancing, eating, mingling and generally an inviting atmosphere.

Saturday was another beautiful sunny ride day. Options of 5, 11, 23, 30, 35, 67 and 108 were offered.

Helen beamed out on the 23 mile course; I headed out on the 67 mile course which included a ferry ride to visit the Aurora Fossil Museum. Unfortunately, the morning ferry crossing was cancelled, so I picked up the century course. Grandeur of an early season century was dispelled by the constant spring winds and legs growing increasingly fatigued. I clipped the century short and had a wonderful 65 mile ride with my new best hero, Sharon. Sharon, 70 years young, rode like a 20-something hard-body. At the ride’s conclusion, Helen and I chatted with Sharon and marveled as she listed her ballroom dance schedule and her planned biathlon and triathlon competitions. She then headed out for 3 mile run. May we all be so blessed.

The long drive back to Atlanta required that we skip the Sunday ride options of 5, 11, 25, 65 and 73 miles. We are sure all who rode had a wonderful day. In fact, any day you ride your bike is wonderful day! Happy cycling.