Apr 25-27 - yet another ride

Friday was busy with the gang here.  The girls got their toes done.  The guys didn't do anything special.

Early Saturday, yes very early, I headed to Eustis for the 600k.  It's only an hour or so away, luckily, but the ride was starting at 4am so yes, it was early.

I had a room already so I changed there, dropped off my stuff, organized my bike and away we all went.  I think that there were 18 starters.  I understand that there were likely 14 finishers, but that could change.

As usual, I was quickly dropped by the two faster riders but led a large group for the first 10 miles.  After that, Tim, Larry and Jim peeled off along with a couple of others and I was leading the rest for the next 10 miles or so.  We then got into some climbing and I was alone.  Getting to the first control at the 56 mile mark, I'd caught up to the rest.  The fast duo were just about to leave; Tim, Jim, Larry and the two others were dawdling and I left before them.  Not too long afterwards, the five caught me and on again, off again, I was with them.  At the top of Sugarloaf two riders rested and Tim, Larry, Jim and I headed down. 

Wait ... that's not quite right.  There's a 100 miles in between.  I'm thinking of the second trip up Sugarloaf late afternoon.  That interim period, including the West Orange Trail, was done alone.  From that second trip up Sugarloaf the four of us rode together.

It was hot.  Very hot.  Close to or over 90F; it was supposed to be even hotter on Sunday.  My plan was to get an hour sleep and head out.  The four of us finished off the first day more-or-less together; Jim and I planned to leave at 2:30; Tim and Larry were talking about 5am.

The second day is mostly an out-and-back.  18 miles from the turnaround, we saw Tim and Larry.  That put them 36 miles behind; likely 2.5-3.0 hours.  Later we saw the rest.  Those fast riders from the first day ?  They were at the back of the pack, one looking as if he was in real trouble from the heat, about 60 miles behind us.

Jim and I finished up just after 1pm.  In a couple of days Paul will post the results but I expect that the rest will come in much, much later as the heat of the day and the building headwinds slow them down.

Back home, albeit with a 15 minute snooze stop along the way, I went to Mass and we had chicken on the barbie.  I went to bed around the usual time; didn't take long to fall asleep ! (of course I never do).

Today, not sure.  It's supposed to be our boating day.  Before that I'm taking David, Kim and Megan to the airport; leaving in a couple of minutes.

Onward !