Saturday Ride

I sent out an e-mail to the Laurens group to see who is riding, nothing definite. I roll up my drive at 0856. I'm on my LeMond, after 168 miles on the Deathtrap I figured I would try gears today. I turn on S. Harper ext. and try to settle in for the 17+mile ride to Clinton. After a few miles I stop to help a lone Box turtle across the road, It hisses at me and closes up tight as I place it in the grass.

A few miles later I hear something fall out of my saddle bag as I hit a bump crossing a bridge, I had my keys in the bag, so I stop and search. I didn't see anything, so I looked in the bag and they were there. I rearranged everything to prevent a recurrence and snapped a couple of pix.

As I clipped back in I saw the culprit for the noise that stopped me, a tire lever. I picked it up and put it back and rolled on. The hills were slowing me more that they should. I guess I hadn't recovered fully from Thursday. I make it to Lisbon Rd and turn left, feeling a little better and warmed up. In no time I was at Hwy72. I look both ways, no traffic, odd. I take a left and cruise down the fresh pavement. It's nice to bomb down the hills and not have to worry about spinning out. I make it to the meeting point at the Bi-Lo in Clinton five minutes faster than I would on the fixed gear and that included my two stops. I find the shade of a tree, munch on some crackers, sip the green tea from my bottle, and wait to see who shows. No one does, it looks like I'm solo today. I take out my map and pick a route. To the Vend-A-Moo, then home via Lisbon Rd. I take off down Bush River Rd. and take in the beautiful homes.

At this point something went wrong, I missed my turn on Bush River and continued on hwy 56. I didn't realize this until I reached Hwy 39. Not a big deal though, I would just take a left up 39 into Cross Hill and then home. I finished of the pack of crackers I started at the Bi-Lo and finished the bottle of green tea, I had one more. Then a couple on bikes zip by on 39 heading for Chappells. We exchanged hellos as they sped by. I wanted to know who they were and where they came from, so I rearranged my bottles and gave chase. I caught up with then shortly after they turned right on Hwy34, which had very little traffic. It turns out they were in Greenwood for a family reunion. Nivan and Becky are from Augusta and were staying at the lake. The decided to go for a ride Saturday morning. I asked if they minded some company and they didn't.

We ran into some road construction on 34 at the dam and I knew I would be better finding another way home. We turned right on 702 back toward Greenwood State Park. I took some pix, but amazingly enough the one that turned out was the one I shot from over my shoulder without aiming. A few miles before Becky and Nivan made there turn I was starting to bonk and had trouble staying on Nivan's wheel. My bottles were getting low when we made the turn into Grand Harbor and where I would leave Nivan and Becky. We stopped in the shade and talked about riding in the area. They topped off my bottles with what they didn't drink. They are members of the Aiken Cycling club and know Curt Sexton. I told them to let him know they saw me with out my fixed gear. They were a bit surprised that I ride a fixed gear on the road. Nivan said something about single speeds are fine, but anyone that rides a fixed gear is a nut. I resemble that remark. Nivan gave me a gel so I wouldn't bonk and offered me a ride home. I declined as I didn't want to inconvenience them, but the offer was greatly appreciated.(Thanks for the berry blast and the gell!) We said our farewells and I headed down 702. I didn't think I could make it back home, so the plan was to get to Greenwood and make a call. I pass the spot I got blown out the back of the paceline on last years Bee Buzzin and I was hurting. I turned on Vines and at the top of the hill I stopped to catch my breath and down the gel. I crossed over 246 and turned on old 246, then left on Siloam Church rd. I then remembered the hills on this road and grimaced. My speed dropped from 18mph and better to about 12. I was able to push it back up to 16 and passed two boys on bikes, they would move to the left lane as a car passed. I told them they were on the wrong side of the road as I passed. I had 50 miles under me and I was suffering. As I approached the end I found more road construction. I crossed over to take Marshal rd. in and realized that I was on the wrong road, Marshal was blocked. I used some off road skills as I road through the construction area and the fine powder that was the "road" surface.

At one point my rear wheel lost it's grip and fishtailed, I kept pedaling and staid upright. I made it to the end of construction and cruised in to town. I made it to T.W. Boone's, an oasis on a hot day.

I walked in and ordered a glass of tea and a glass of ice. The waitress wanted to know if I wanted anything to eat. My stomach churned in an ominous way and I declined. I told her I rode from Laurens and I didn't think I could eat. The shock on her face was obvious and she patted me on the shoulder and told me to rest. Shortly after she came with my tea and ice. I poured what was left of the sport drink over the ice sipped, and tried not to cramp. I had gotten dehydrated I let it sneak up on me. Then I did something I had never done before, I had to call someone to pick me up and take me home. Luckily my mom was home and she was there after my second glass of tea. Later I found out it was near 100 F. I wasn't ready for that, but next time I will be.