White Pine Gallery
All the best stuff happens to Scott. Yes, thats Scott, naked man, Whitely fresh off Graveyard and riding his first century of the year.
I do own a shirt!
He picked a good one. 118-9 miles through the mountains is not an easy century by anyones standards and we appreciated Scotts joining us. He misses so many of the club rides for trivial things like sleep. What could he be thinking of?
Just out of Deary Scott was offered a beer by someone encouraging him on shouting "Go Lance!" from a wagon drawn by a team of Cydesdales. All the good stuff happens to Scott. Just out of Moscow a truck load of cardboard caught in the wind lost part of its load scattering cardboard across the road and bloodying Scotts arm. Well, maybe that's not good stuff, but he did end up with a flush in the poker run.
Debbie seems to attract all sorts of creatures from Dogs to bears. Yes, Bears. Linda saw a bear cross the road just after Debbie had passed. Check that deodorant, Debbie.
But the real story of White Pine this year for me is Linda did her first century ever.
How far is this?
Now you might say, sure, she is in marathon condition, she just came off a week of daily long rides. Sure she could do a century. For those who might denigrate the accomplishment, I refer you to my legs who staged a quiet lactic acid revolt at each rest stop.
The good news? We thought wed face temperatures at least in the high 90s. Instead the sky hazed over, never mind the small threat of a thunderhead, and kept direct sun from raising blisters on the pavement and or any exposed flesh.
The wind is another story. Not quite a good news story. We seemed to have a mild headwind from Moscow all the way to Bovil, Wasnt bad but it did lend false hope to our club visionary, One Day Dave. He kept claiming we were going to get the elusive tailwind from Troy to Moscow. Turns out he was almost right. When we finally came tired and over a hundred miles into the ride to the hill down into Troy, we expected at least to be allowed a coast. Instead we were greeted by severe side winds and a swirling cloud of dust.
Linda and I had talked about her accepting a SAG from Troy to Moscow before the ride. It seemed reasonable on her first century. After all, using a supported ride for your first makes good sense. The goal is to make the century not necessarily the century plus. At Bovill Linda arrived saying Im so toast. But a Pepsi seemed to revive her and she felt better at the Deary stop. She needed only five more miles for her century and I knew shed make that but I wasnt sure the SAG driver shouldnt keep an eye on Linda and I asked her to do as much.
Still there was Linda at the Troy stop right at the base of that nasty little insult for riders. With the gusting winds and this hill before them Debbie and Linda began talking of sagging on in. They were persuaded finishing would take forever. Dave and I set out grinding up that last climb without finding out the decision. So I was surprised and pleased to see Linda come casually walking into the tent at Tidymans, a smile on her face.
Other club notes:
Matt Wyan was there. I know because I saw him briefly before the ride. Never saw him again. Bruce Carroll arrived about 6:50 with stories of Ireland on his lips. He also disappeared within a few moments. Pam made it just at the buzzer with her tunes and her 20 inch wheels. Pam had trouble today. Hope youre fine now, Pam.
Chris had a shoot so planned only to do the 100k ride but start with us. He hung around until the foot of Steak House where he and Scott took off racing for the top. Steak House is far too early in a century for hammering hills and so I was caught between keeping up and riding my own pace. I saw Scott go over the crown of the hill, but he and Chris go down faster than I and I never saw either again until Harvard. I found myself alone for a time but finally caught up with Dave Tibbals on one of the climbs. We stayed together the rest of the ride. Approaching Harvard Chris came out to greet Dave Tibbals and myself briefly before heading for Deary. He complained hed waited around as long as he could.
