"Camping out Saturday Night"
Asheville to Forest City
CNC 2005
Mileage - 63.84
Ride Time - 4 hours 39 minutes
Average Speed - 13.84
Maximum Speed - 40.2
Accumulative Miles - 63.84
Accumulative Ride Time - 4 Hours 39 minutes
Maximum Heart Beat - 127
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"Camping out Saturday Night" |
"Nervous Tension"
I camped out at the Christ School
in Asheville on Saturday night, October 01, 2005.
I was anxiously anticipating the first day's ride from Asheville to Forest
City.
At 5:00 A.M. the next morning I
was awaken by people moving around and opening their
tents with sound of the tent zippers. Due to the dew on my tent, as well as
everyone else's
my tent was wet. But we had to pack them wet, which I found out is not unusual
for the
season and this kind of weather.
I noticed several bicyclist
starting out early; at daybreak. I was planning on leaving around
8:00 or 8:30 A.M. We were all to be on the road by 8:30 A.M. I wanted enough day
light
to see and for other traffic to see me. Well, I had my banana and apple and
started out
around 8:10 A.M. It was foggy, even as I started riding toward Forest City.
I had my arm and leg warmers on
since it was a little chilly to me. About 1/2 mile down the
road I had to stop and take off my leg warmers, they were falling down, too
large. Several
bicyclist asked if I needed help since I was by the side of the road looking
like I was
having difficulties. This was true throughout the trip, riders were helpful as
they went by.
The descent down Hickory Nut
Gorge was beautiful and it felt good to coast down the mountain
at fast speeds and to watch the other riders as they rounded the curves. We went
by Chimney Rock,
Bat Cave and into Lake Lure where we had a rest stop. I felt pretty good at all
the rest stops, but
at the last one my legs were starting to get a little weak. I was trying to ride
within myself. Not
watching what others were doing or trying to keep up with them. I knew I needed
to do what I
needed to do to complete the ride to Wilmington. It's easy to get caught-up in
the riding paces
of others and to try to keep up with them. I needed my legs at the end.
As I left the Lake Lure rest stop
it began to rain in a heavy drizzle for about a mile or so, just
enough to get wet.
The rest of the ride for the day
went well and it was a good experience and was a good feeling to
ride into Forest City; riding my longest distance of 68 miles. Another record
for me. I found a
good tent location and put up my tent for the night.
I looked around the field at the
Dunbar Elementary School grounds and saw a sea of tents. I had never
seen that many tents in one place in my life. I finally settled in for the night
and a good night's sleep.
Wondering what tomorrow would bring?
Pre-Pre Ride, Pre Ride, Day Two, Day Three, Day Four, Day Five, Day Six, Day Seven, Post Words