This Sunday again. Early Birds Northroute today.
The alarm clock went off at 5:30am, about time to get up slowly for the routine procedure. Still pitch dark outside, not to mention slightly freezing and some wind. Does not help, too cold to get to the start without the full long pants and an extra warm layer, also the cosy Snowboard helmet came in handy once more. This all together he rolled off with the first rays of sun just there, still feeling cold, but OK with the current outfit. At the tracks shortly before Manorville Marcus passed by in his car. Arriving at the meeting location about 45mins later a few were already there unloading there bikes from trucks and cars. A quite well sized group gathered, not sure how many, but more than 22 was his guess. A good number of EECT riders and many more known faces.
Little past 8am they left the parking lot as Karl arrived little late but just in time to hang on, Py did not saw him for a while, would be good to talk at the Deli later -- but that should not happen today...
Py was comfortably floating in the middle of the pack, so far easy going. Just after the turn on River Rd he got to second position after a little short lasting gap got closed. Jeff was pulling, Py, Marco, Trevor and a few more riders Py do not know as he took no attention to things behind so much and some speed developed. Little past Conneticut on River Road passing the tracks some one must have dropped a bottle or such, as it came to Py's attention at the end of the ride -- but it looked at least the front part of the pack did not cared -- who cares about a dropped bottle, so they kept moving.
Moving fast, no postion changes for long, Py 2nd all the way out east, Jeff pulling -- not sure where exactly, possibly on Edwards/Youngs going into cross winds -- Py knows these part too well and to deal with it -- the pack must got split up and dropped off one by one.... as lastest on Reeves Py notices there were just 5 and soon only 4 riders left, still same order, Jeff, Py, Trevor, Marco. With moderat still good speed and big care they flew over the "Tanks" -- the road got a bit messy here at parts including almost an river crossing w/o bridge...
Some of the pack cut short the "Tanks" and were already at the parking lot on 25, as the four man group passed by -- no intentions to stop, well, hanging on. Py was already little concerned, may they do it all in one shot non-stopp, no Deli stop?
And that indeed was what happened, just taking the left turn in Cutchogue and all the way back into the wind. Position changes not a few times, Py took 3rd spot behind Trevor and Jeff still in front, Marco behind. A few short pulling turns for all of them, but just briefly and Jeff took over again.
On Rte 51 they caught up to one more rider and he was hanging on to the finish.
Py is not exactly sure, but thinks this was the fastest time he ever did that loop.
In numbers - you can figure out the avgerage speed yourself via distance[mi]/time[min]*60[min/h] :-)
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| 1 | 41:00 | 11.59 | 26.5 | 136 | 158 | 556 | | 2 | 3:14 | 0.36 | 18.7 | 97 | 134 | 15 | | 3 (Manorville to Cutchogue) | 76:20 | 30.17 | 34.6 | 157 | 176 | 1,744 | | 4 (Cutchogue to Manorville) | 70:23 | 24.52 | 30.8 | 155 | 171 | 1,481 | | 5 | 0:25 | 0.09 | 20.1 | 149 | 155 | 7 | | 6 | 0:45 | 0.08 | 9.9 | 123 | 146 | 1 | | 7 | 46:50 | 12.54 | 29.9 | 132 | 159 | 715 |
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... or just look at this distribution.
... nap time now.
