This week we'll take our bowling balls up north to Roads Less Traveled. A full frame is 58 miles up to pretty North Pownal Rd. We could shave a few miles coming straight down Middle Rd (or a half a dozen other ways), or we can shoot back south from Pineland on North Road for 45 (no Strava route for this one).
Wheels roll at 8:00.
Hear me out: Bruce suggested that if we called it something inside-oriented, maybe the rain gods would make it sunny just to spite us. I figured, since nothing else has worked (rain dances, sage-burning...), what the hell.
Take tomorrow to clean the house and we'll go bowling on Sunday.
We'll go bowling in OOB.
Here are the directions.
I know we don't normally head down this way after Memorial Day, but it's early still, and if we promise to be really careful on Grand Ave, we should be all right. Clearly, we need to do a lot more seizing of the day this year. It's 51 miles as recorded, 53+ if we loop around the east end when we finish up.
Wheels roll at 8:00.
Well, for pete's sake--if this isn't the soggiest, coldest spring I've seen in years! While I might risk dodging raindrops when temps are in the 70s, I am decidedly disinclined when it's 50°. That means we need to bump to Sunday, which looks to be fairly nice.
Unfortunately, those of us doing the Memorial Day ride will likely be equally disinclined to do any substantial mileage just a day before. So I propose a course with options.
Everything is based on the OOB ride, which is about 51 miles--more than I have to give, I'm afraid, but don't let me stop you. We can meet at 8:00 and pick the route that suits.
Option 1: Mitchell Hill-Ash Swamp-Highland (33)
Option 2: Mitchell Hill-Ash Swamp-Cape (41)
Option 3: OOB-Boom Rd Backwards (51)
New plan, sports fans: we were supposed to do Raymond Hills this weekend but, absent divine intervention, I don't see any time window dry enough for that to happen safely. Saturday is another complete washout and Sunday's rain is due to start around 2:00, so we need to pivot.
In order to get us more climbing and some distance options, I think we go back to Pineland via the hilly route and hope to do the long route home that takes us to West Durham and Freeport after, but I think we may well need to take the Rte 231/Cumberland/Longwoods shortcut home to stay dry. We'll check the weather once we hit Pinelands.
Wheels roll at 8:00
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Memorial Day  |
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We can't seem to catch a break, can we? Saturday looks like another complete washout. I don't see any choice but to bump to Sunday. That said, being Mothers' Day, I'd like to schedule for later in the morning, so as not to ruin any breakfast plans.
The goal is Wild Oats but, as you know, there are many shorter options, so pick your poison. If someone has Strava maps for the courses below that are missing them, share a link with me and I'll add it.
Wheels roll at 10:30
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Wild Oats 66 Strava | Garmin Little Dog 64 Strava | Garmin Maquoit Rd 57 Strava | Garmin Highland Rd 51 Strava | Garmin Freeport 34 Strava | Garmin |
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Memorial Day |
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The rest of abbreviated schedule is laid out below. If you have any different thoughts/alternatives, feel free to let me know.
Wheels roll at 8:00.
Well, we went from a half-wet weekend to "haul out the hip waders" in a hot minute! 😕
Suffice to say there is no ride on Saturday, but I keep checking the weather outlets and it seems like some of them think there might be a break Sunday morning. Maybe. Being foolishly optimistic, let's register a hopeful 8:00 on Sunday morning, and we'll choose a route if that dry window appears.
If nothing pans out, maybe this is the weekend to do that bike maintenance you've been putting off? Here are some helpful links. Come Monday, there should be no more squeaking in the paceline!
Looks like we may finally have a little sun, a little warm, and a little wind (as opposed to a lot). The wind will be SSW for most of the morning, so we'll go west with a 35-mile loop. It's supposed to rain tonight, so we'll let it dry out a bit and start at 9:00.
It is not looking at all good for tomorrow, sports fans: nor Sunday, either.
On the plus side, there's more time to do the taxes. 😖
It's April: today is fabulous; tomorrow, not so much.
We will never break 40° tomorrow and the rain should start around 2:00. However, if you're hearty, we could do Mitchell Hill in the morning. If you're more than hearty, you can stretch 33 miles into almost 40 by adding in the Cape loop.
Let's make sure we stay out of the weather: wheels roll at 8:00. Dress warmly!
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Mitchell Hill: Garmin | Strava Cape: Garmin | Strava |
