Tuesday, September 11, 2007

8 Sep 2007 -- Waterbottle day, uncaged

A pleasant ride along virtually traffic-free dirt roads for the most part. The road surface was looser than last year, and not as smooth, but still decent . The first graph shows elevation data for the entire trip (I returned by the same route as I went out on, although many used an alternate route). The vertical dotted line in the middle marks the lunch spot.

Some stats:
Average speed 18.9kph (faster homewardbound than outbound, more on that later)
Distance 87.1km
Total ascent 787m
Time taken: 3h 09m outbound, 2h 08m lunch&rec stop, 2h 13m return trip. A long day, and a hot one.
I burned off about 3500Kalories on this ride, almost double my energy output of the longer ride on 11Aug! (in hindsight, I was a bit or more than a bit foolhardy on today's return trip).
Number of waterbottle incidents, about 4 (including the one I lost at Newport Corner on the way down to the start). Most were innocuous, but one unfortunately had scarey and serious consequences when a rider was unable to avoid riding over it and took a serious crash resulting in concussion. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, C.

Okay, on with the more detailed graphs of 10km segments. I've left the speed curves superimposed (blue line, scale on the left) since it shows an interesting dirt road effect.

Km 0 to 10, Windsor to the far end of Falmouth, at which point the group split into dirtroaders (most) and pavementers (a few). Ascent this segment: 57m.

Km 10 to 20. Outer Falmouth to about halfway up the main climb. Pavement ends at km13.1 (ignore what I typed onto the graph itself). Ascent this segment: 149m.

Km 20 to 30. To the top of the main climb, and along the tops of the ridges. Ascent this segment: 112m.

Km 30 to 40. Back onto pavement at km37.6, the New Ross Rd. The vertical dotted line marks the highest point, at the microwave tower. We learned that tower heights on maps are the top of the tower, not the top of the hill-- thank heavens-- we didn't need another 110m of climbing!! Ascent this segment: 104m: deceptive rolling stuff.

Km 40 to 50. Total ascent to lunch: 448m. Ascent this segment: 139m! more of that deceptive rolling-- I mean, heck, it looks flat! Back onto the dirt road at km46.3, but sadly only 3 were for the dirt on the return, all the rest opted for the smooth pavement. I think a bit of a race developed, in a few minds anyways...

Km 50 to 60. Ascent this segment: only 67m; a noticeable downslope trend. Reward for the morning's work.

Km 60 to 70. Ascent this segment: 76m. Descent was something else. Especially on narrow almost treadless road tires, on a road bike, with a looser surface than was entirely comfortable. Definitely my brakes were in use once a speed approaching 45kph was reached. Thrilling, but I still can't believe I did that (and have all my skin still). Note the weren't many stops along the return, and those that there were were short, mainly just to change a water bottle or to reseat a panier bag which tried to escape at a convenient pothole (not so convenient for the rider, actually...)

Km 70 to 80. Ascent this segment: 41m. Back on pavement at km73.6; whew. Caught sight of one of the pavement groups soon after and got into a race. I am usually pretty sedate on these club rides, but my average heartrate on the return trip was more in line with what I do for a serious training effort (training for what, is a question without an answer!). Coupled with the unusually warm weather and low humidity, a large beer had definitely been earned by the time Windsor hove into view! and I baled out on my plan to cycle home from Windsor (thanks Wayne!, for the rescue). All else being equal, a touch of heatstroke here perhaps, as customers at the nursery found me to be a bit stupid the next day (moreso than usual, ok?)

Km 80 to the parking lot. Ascent this segment: 42m. 42 biting meters.