38+
38+
Miles: 38.77 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,893 ft
Moving Time: 3:55 minutes
Avg Speed: 9.9 mph
Temperature: 91F
Let’s just get the stats out of the way first. All in all, it was a good ride, although, I do hate the average speed. I felt like I was faster than that yesterday. However, with some climbing and some heat issues, I probably wasn’t as fast as I wanted to be.
The scheduled called for 38 – 42 for the group ride. I had every intention of getting closer to that 42 than the 38, but sometimes you have human moments when you are out riding the bike. It was one of the first time I went out without having a planned route, I figured I knew just enough to piece it together are I went. I knew I was going to start by heading to Ellettsville. Then I figured I could cut across campus and get in 5 miles, and by the time I got back home, I would be at about 40 if not a little bit more.
I was going out on my own because the temperatures called for 89/90 degrees, and I wanted to get out before the heat got too high. In hindsight I should have left at like 8 a.m. to beat the heat because about halfway through the ride we were in the 90’s.
I am really starting to enjoy the ride to Ellettsville. After my first time doing it, never thought I would say that. I think Vernal Pike tried to kill me that day. However, since that first time climbing it, it has felt a little bit better each time I have gone back.
I left my house going out the back way or what I call the back way towards Bloomington Speedway. There I go right at the stop sign and pick up Fairfax and then Fairfax/Church as it later is called, when you are next to well a church. This road dead ends at the church and cemetery and you can go left or right on Rogers. I went right because that will take me to trail, and the trail will then take me to the B line and then you can go anywhere you want in Bloomington.
I took the B line until it ends over by 10th and 11th Street. From there I sort of weave my way around looking for Fountain. Then I will use Fountain to Crescent. Then Crescent will get me to 17th. Then I get to climb. Well, when I got to Crescent it was closed. I remember last time we were there it was closed but we just road on anyway. However, looking it over, I realized I couldn’t go right. The road and sidewalk didn’t exist. So, I flipped around and headed over to Oolitic till it runs out on Lindbergh or as I called it stinky cheese. I was not really paying attention at the time, but Lindbergh was hilly, and it was more of a downhill then an uphill. Earmark that for later. I got to 17th, but I was at that bad part of 17th. You know the part that is going uphill before the uphill on Vernal Pike. It just meant more climbing. That was ok, I had my big boy pants on and did a little extra climbing. I got up Vernal Pike without any real issue, I felt strong at this point.
From the top of Vernal Pike to Ellettsville really is just one long downhill. It really is. It also makes you feel like you are a racer. You can go fast, and you feel like you are kicking some ass. I was cranking between Bloomington, and Ellettsville. I was passing people (safely by calling out to them). I was just having a good ride. I knew in the back of my head that I would have to come back this way, and therefore, I knew that wouldn’t nearly be as much fun.
When I got to Ellettsville, I rode around a little bit to get me to 15 miles. I wanted to be at 15 before I turned around and headed back. I took on some hills that have plagued me in past rides when I was with the club. Small rollers really, but I felt good and took on all comers and before to long it was time to head back.
I was right. The trip back while not difficult is more of a grind. That ole saying, what goes down must come back up, is always true. It wasn’t as fast coming back as it was going out. However, I did it. Again, Vernal Pike climb was not terrible. The one thing I hated was when I was riding on the sidewalk, and no one had done their trimming and weeds were touching me as I rode by. I really hated that. I hate grass and weeds touching me.
After I got up and over Vernal Pike, I had to figure out how I was going to go back. I wanted to take Crescent, and I turned off thinking I was turning on Crescent. However, I turned into a cul-de-sac. That didn’t make me happy. So, I found my way back to 17th and was like fuck it, I will just take Lindbergh.
I knew I would be going up turning on to Lindbergh. When I turned and looked at just how steep it was, I almost shit myself. It was a big one. However, I told myself there was nothing to be done for it and I started to go up. Big steeper hills freak me out. So, I was climbing and doing well, but the confidence that I would climb this whole thing was not there. It starts eating at my mind that I would never make it. Once that thought gets into your head you are toast. So, for the first time on a ride since coming back to Indiana, I stopped on a hill. I just stood there slumped over my bike with my head down and watched sweat drop onto the ground like rain drops during a storm. I looked up and I was like I am so fucking close.
I stopped right at a sidewalk area that had a cement path to a building. A scary building that I was sure was infested with crackheads, but a building all the same. I decided I was not going to walk this, instead I was going to use the walkway to get my momentum going and then I would ride the sidewalk to the top. So, that is what I did. I pushed through the pain in my quads, and I got to the top. I then road around in a big circle to make sure I captured the mileage I got from riding to Stinky Cheese the first time.
From here it is a straight shot down the B line. I was heading back to the Switchyard to get water and eat before; I head across campus looking for 5 miles. Before I got to the park, I found a water fountain and I stopped there and got some water. This is where things started to fall apart for me. It was hot and getting hotter. I crossed campus and as I did so my shifter starting fucking with me. My bike wouldn’t go into big ring upfront easily. I had to keep trying it repeatedly. Each time I did that I had to hit my shifter again. Then by the time I shifted from little ring to big ring upfront I was in a tiny gear in back and my big would stop because I had the gears all wrong on it and made it harder for myself to ride. It was madness. That plus the heat, I was starting to have a meltdown. Worse than that crossing campus was like 2 miles. I was pissed. When the bike path ran out, in frustration I just turned around and headed back towards the B line. I was not a happy camper. It was not going to get to 38 let alone 40. Stupid heat. Stupid bad planning.
It was about 1:40 when I got to switchyard to fill my water bottles once again. I was shocked to find three bike club members there. Apparently, the ride lead didn’t show up yesterday for the club ride. So, they were just hanging out trying to figure out what to do. I told them to just make sure they rode in the shade and kept cool. They decided they would ride out to the clear creek trail and I wanted to know how to get there, so I decided to join them for a bit.
I had never realized that when Church dead ends into Rogers if you got left, there is an immediate right, and the right will take you to the Clear Creak Trial. I mean you can’t miss it. I was happy the guys showed me that, because had been trying to figure out where I could jump onto the trail. Now I know and that is half the battle as they say.
Clear Creek was exactly what I needed to get me back over 38 miles for the ride. I rode with the club to Dillman. At that point I told them I would see them later and to ride well. I was heading home. Dillman to Church is all slightly uphill. So, at this point I was tired and a little annoyed by this, but all was well.
The heat kicked my ass the last mile or two. When I got back to my neighborhood I was spent. My shifting was way to hard, and I was cussing my bike. I was so freaking hot too. I don’t think I have ever been so happy to pull up to my garage door. Again, I bent over the handlebars and let the sweat drip and pour like rain down my face to the ground. I was tired and hot, but also, I felt very accomplished. It was after all my longest ride since coming back to Indiana. Some days you just must take the good with the bad. The heat sucks though. I am hoping next Sunday is cool. Fingers crossed, although it looks like we have a heat wave over the next several days. Whatever it is we will deal with it and ride on.
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