PACTour Eastern Mts - Day 15 "Fair Suck of The Old Sauce Bottle"
Alright. Penultimate day. Tomorrow is last stage. We leave the White Mts of VT for the Green MTs of NH. Spartacus and I get dropped by the group we towed around yesterday 15 miles in, paying for the previous day's efforts. Lebowski, aided by his imported damsel's strength, showed up in full battle gear and made the split.
We rolled thru Norwich, VT (had overnighted in Norwich NY a couple of nights back. Thru Hanover NH, home of Dartmouth College. We were tentative early because we saw a significant climb on the profile from mile 69 (the sign of Cancer) to mile 75 where lunch was held. We were completely caught off guard by the climb before it - around mile 50!! Hors Categorie 4 miles 8-15% Spartaca muttered somthing about "sagging" and I said "absolutely not" not 1500 miles into a 1600 mile ride. I rode off leaving her and Lebowski to discuss. This unexpected challenge was "a fair suck of the old sauce bottle" the Aussies might say most easily translated as a real bite in the buttocks.
That descent was terrifying. 7-10%, frost heaved jagged roads, which were wet with earlier rains and had signs announcing "Pavement Ends." Comforting at 45 miles per hour. Fortunately the pavement only ended for 6 foot sections, no problem.
Quick rest stop before last climb of the Tour - up the famous Kancamangas Highway - which at Categorie 1 was feared, but made quite softer by the earlier beast. Plus lunch was at the top!!
We descended from mile 75, 5 miles at 7% then 15 miles of 2-3%. Woulda been phenomenal except that Hurricane Bill aka Hurricane Opa, had found us. We could barely see the road in some stretches, but there was only 1 place to go - down. The rain let off before we got to the hotel - Red Jacket Mountain View resort - glorious view of Mt. Washington, if you could see it - not today!!
Some how we cleaned the bikes and got our room keys and finished another day of the Tour, tired, but successful.
Tomorrow is the last day. Mixed emotions. Tired and ready to go home, but, sad to put such a wonderful odyssey behind us. Tonight we celebrate with Lebowski and BV and Lon and Susan at dinner in our hotel. Tomorrow we ride a quick 100 miles, box up the bikes, banquet then head to Opas to get ready to return to SA!!
Thanx for reading.
We rolled thru Norwich, VT (had overnighted in Norwich NY a couple of nights back. Thru Hanover NH, home of Dartmouth College. We were tentative early because we saw a significant climb on the profile from mile 69 (the sign of Cancer) to mile 75 where lunch was held. We were completely caught off guard by the climb before it - around mile 50!! Hors Categorie 4 miles 8-15% Spartaca muttered somthing about "sagging" and I said "absolutely not" not 1500 miles into a 1600 mile ride. I rode off leaving her and Lebowski to discuss. This unexpected challenge was "a fair suck of the old sauce bottle" the Aussies might say most easily translated as a real bite in the buttocks.
That descent was terrifying. 7-10%, frost heaved jagged roads, which were wet with earlier rains and had signs announcing "Pavement Ends." Comforting at 45 miles per hour. Fortunately the pavement only ended for 6 foot sections, no problem.
Quick rest stop before last climb of the Tour - up the famous Kancamangas Highway - which at Categorie 1 was feared, but made quite softer by the earlier beast. Plus lunch was at the top!!
We descended from mile 75, 5 miles at 7% then 15 miles of 2-3%. Woulda been phenomenal except that Hurricane Bill aka Hurricane Opa, had found us. We could barely see the road in some stretches, but there was only 1 place to go - down. The rain let off before we got to the hotel - Red Jacket Mountain View resort - glorious view of Mt. Washington, if you could see it - not today!!
Some how we cleaned the bikes and got our room keys and finished another day of the Tour, tired, but successful.
Tomorrow is the last day. Mixed emotions. Tired and ready to go home, but, sad to put such a wonderful odyssey behind us. Tonight we celebrate with Lebowski and BV and Lon and Susan at dinner in our hotel. Tomorrow we ride a quick 100 miles, box up the bikes, banquet then head to Opas to get ready to return to SA!!
Thanx for reading.
posted by Bicycle Heaven at
3:22 PM
3 Comments:
Thanks for blogging Jim. Don't know how you find the energy.
Jen, There is always a point of no return... you passed that point on the day you rode thru your Achilles pain. What a champ you were... No reason to even mutter the word "sagging" now.
It is in the books. Look at those climbs and say "just get it done". After tomorrows ride you will be wishing PACTour was everyday and not just a vacation. Ask the Turk.
The energy comes from the peeps reading. Andrew puddy's 82yo mom reads it. 1 night i was feelin lazy and wasnt gonna blog but remembered I had a couple Aussie slangs to throw in. Hadda do it for her!!
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