Hmmmm, will I make it for 73 miles?

When I got back home from a 30 mile ride, I looked at my spread sheet that I use to track my mileage. So far since March 27, I have riden 673 miles. The majority of those have been around 20 miles or so. My longest ride during that was 36 miles (a week ago when I climbed Caesars Head). I'm glad I've been able to get some time in the saddle considering my schedule, but I have a concern.

My muscles are basically trained for that 20 to 30 mile ride. Well, Monday, I have the Assault on Marion which will be around 73 miles. I haven't riden that far since August 2006. Hopefully, though, I have learned to recover and with some support from a pace line, it won't be so bad. I am a little nervous...

Tonight I headed out from my house down East North Street and into Cleveland Park. After one lap in the park I headed for down town and then on to Old Buncombe Road. Twelve miles after leaving the house, I reached the base of Paris Mountain on the Furman side. It took me fifteen minutes to climb to the top (not my best time). Once off the mountain, I crossed over Piney Mountain and headed for Main Street by way of Pleasantburg and Rutherford.

I followed the USA Pro Cycling Championship course through the downtown area until I was back in Cleveland Park. Then I climbed home arriving in my driveway after an hour and forty-five minutes in the saddle. My average was 17 mph. The most fun was big ringing it down Old Buncombe topping out around 32 mph for a couple of minutes. The least fun was worrying that the guy that went past me as I climbed Paris and he decended would come climbing past me on the way up!

He didn't.