Gary Bikes to Greene County

I set the alarm for 5:30. Plenty of time to get breakfast, finish my packing/prep and bike to the start. I awoke about 4:00. I decided I would not get up immediately. I would listen to another episode of the Dragnet radio show (Did you know that Joe Friday lived with his mother?) and just rest, perchance to dream. No luck. Show over and I'm up out of bed.

Prep went about as planned. I had already picked what I was going to wear. Full bike shorts (better padding than my short shorts), my new white jersey (the cool one with a mesh back), and heavy duty thick socks. I fixed a full breakfast and poured a couple of glasses of Welch's fruit juice down me. Checked the weather on the computer and the good news was that the expected high was 81 for the day. The bad news was that showers were predicted. It being so cool, I decided not to take the camel back as I'm not used to having it (or anything) hanging from my shoulders and the temperatures suggested that staying hydrated wouldn't be a major problem.

I pack the last of the items I was taking--cell phone, digital camera, a couple of bucks and some change (just in case), sun screen, and (for me) the ubiquitous ibuprofen. I'd put the bike computer and water bottle on the bike the night before so I could not forget them. Into the bike saddle and off for the 2.5 miles to the start of the tour. (Something I said I was sure to take with me wasn't listed. The lack will be clear later.)

I expect to see at least one other person biking to this event as it was 6:15 but it seems that almost everyone else drove their bikes. I checked in and found my first problem of the day. They had a package of stuff to give me. Along with my number, safety pins, t-shirt, water bottle, were coupons, map and other assorted paper material in a large plastic bag. What am I supposed to do with this stuff? I explained to the person that I biked over and had no place to keep all this. He offered to dig out my number and keep the rest until I returned. Deal. I asked the next question which was a stumper for him. "Do you want the number on the front or the back?" I looked around and found the others had put them on the back and I recruited a nice person to pin mine on for me.

I had to stand around for about 30 minutes waiting for us to get underway. I didn't know anyone there until just before we started when I saw a professor from the college who had come to say goodbye to someone else he knew. I had him take the pic of me at the top of the page while I was waiting to start.

Finally, they called us to get started. I tried to find some place about the middle of everyone but noticed I was still surrounded by people with snap on bike shoes. This clearly was not my group of people. I decided that I would just blend in as the group got started. The announcements were short. There were some warnings about road conditions especially in Green county as a major front had moved through yesterday. It dumped a lot of rain and had strong winds (winds strong enough it tore a big portion of a tree off in our building's back lot squashing about five parked cars). We were also told that for the first three miles that the speed was restricted to 20 mph because of the size of the group and (it was strongly implied) some bad things that happened last year. This restriction was not something about which I was concerned. We were also told that this was the largest biking event in Tuscaloosa County as we had 175 people there.

The Tuscaloosa police started the motor cycles and led the pack off on its journey. We all started together as one big group. People in my portion of the ride were trying to be careful and considerate. I was keeping up with many and careful that I wouldn't rabbit at the beginning. Try to keep it between 12-15 MPH and all will be well. The first 12 miles of the route is part of what I had been practicing the last week and it went by well. I skipped the first rest station at the corner of Black Warrior Road and Highway 11. I had hardly touched my water bottle and I was just settling into the ride. Turning the corner onto Highway 11 I knew that I was now really beginning the trip. Everything so far has been flat but I knew it couldn't continue. Ok for about a mile it continued until we turned onto Dry Creek Road. It was time to start climbing. Dry Creek Road to Sand Road to Romulus Road. Ups and downs with a lot of ups. A couple of times I started to think I might have to get off and push but there always seemed to be another gear shift and a just a little more to get to the top.

Somewhere just before Romulus Road was Frog Ridge Road. This was the turn about point for 34 mile portion of the trip. I knew I wasn't stopping before Romulus. I'd decide whether I would go 46 miles and miss the county change or try to make the 65 miles in Romulus. Despite the hills my heart recovery rate was still good. Thanks to it being on the cool side, my rate hardly went over 155. I was feeling good and knew that Romulus was not going to be a problem.

Somewhere on the Romulus Road I was sort of adopted by three people biking together--Misty, a Kindergarten teacher, her husband Phil, and Jack, who struck me as one of those early 60s on-the-bike-everyday kind of people. I was asked how far I was going and I said I didn't know. They said they hadn't decided whether to do the 46 or 65. Jack said his plan was for the 46. Misty started pestering the other two about going the 65 mile route.

Romulus rest stop at the fire station was a time to get more fluids and some food. We had already ridden through mist and some rain but the precipitation was short lived. I decided to have the Gatorade (I don't like Gatorade) to drink but refill the bottle with water. A banana and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich later and I'm thinking it's time to go. Two choices--as I leave the fire station I can turn left and I'll be heading back on the 46 mile loop. Go forward and I'm committed to the 65 mile loop. Misty saddled up and told her companions she was doing the 65 and off she rode. They tagged along behind her. I decided I would go with them and jumped on my bike.

It is at the fire station that my failing to pack one of the things on my list became apparent. I was carrying my digital camera in one of my jersey's back pockets. I took it out to ask someone at the rest station to shoot a picture of me with the Romulus Fire Station sign. The camera would not work. I replaced the brand new batteries with more brand new batteries. Nothing. Dead. It had kicked the bucket, shuffled off its mortal coil, rung down the curtain and joined the bleeding choir invisible. This is an ex-camera! Plastic bags. I had forgotten the plastic bags in case it rained. It rained. No bags.

Romulus Road to Romulus Church Road to Foxfire Road back to Romulus road (and Green county) to Shiloh Road that begins the return path for us. It was soon after we crossed back into Tuscaloosa County that the rain came for real. Rain, rain, rain, beautiful rain. Steady, soaking rainfall. Misty (foreshadowing of the day?) is starting to complain about her knees. She is being game about it but she is starting to be in some pain. I turn to my Doctor Feelgood supply and dose her with ibuprofen.

We make another stop at the rest area at the Ralph fire station. They have a couple of big tents set up and while I have "Mystery" berry Gatorade, two bananas, and another peanut butter sandwich I drip dry for a bit. They offer me a chair but sitting is the last thing I want to do. We make a half hearted attempt to get Misty to take the sag wagon that happens to be parked right there. She has been calling these cry wagons previously (maybe whine wagons--I'm not exactly sure now) and refuses to get into one. Before we go, inspiration struck. I asked if they had any more sandwich bags. I could put my expired and gone to meet its maker camera into it. I kept hoping that once it dried out it might come back on-line. They didn't have any. I thought of eating another sandwich when the sports trainer person who was stationed there said "I've got an ice bag you can have." Thank you DCH regional medical system. I wrapped the camera up and stuck the now rain protected camera back into my pocket.

It's still raining but there is no point in thinking we can wait it out and besides I detect that we are all antsy to get back on the road. Off we go, into the rain headed back to Tuscaloosa. I assume that we'll just get back onto 11 at Fosters and head straight back. Nope. We turn onto the Sipsey Valley Road to Wesley Chapel Road. It is somewhere along this route that Misty and Phil signal to a passing sag wagon which turns around and comes to them. I'm considerably behind them and it seems that Phil has a flat. Jack passes them and I can see that the van is stopped so I keep going too. I feel a bit bad about this but then I remember Ford Prefect's advice to Arthur in the escape pod. "It's a convention in all bike-traveling species that if you have to ditch someone - you know, a friend - and there's nothing you can do, you just let it be, you don't talk about them. And then you get blind drunk about them later."

I should mention that I'm passed by a sag wagon about six times during my time on the road. These guys were out patrolling which helped my confidence in case I did get into trouble.

West Chapel Road to Gainesville Road back to Highway 11 and that takes me to Black Warrior Road and ultimately to the finish line. It's somewhere on West Chapel that my left knee begins to complain. Nothing major but it is wondering when I am planning on giving it a break.

I get to the finish line and discover there really isn't any "finish" as much as it is just "over". I notice that a number of people don't even stop but just ride to their parked cars. I stop to see if I can retrieve my materials and check out the lunch that is supposed to be happening. Lunch is a pasta salad in a big bowl and a couple of other bowls of something that I can't recall. I get a 7-Up and decide to get my deferred materials and head home. The guy trying to help me can't find my bag but says "You probably only want the t-shirt, right." I said right and he gave me one and I headed for home.

For the record, I did the 65 miles in 5 hours and 6 minutes. This doesn't count the two stops for refreshments (the bike computer doesn't count time when stopped). That's a tad over 12 MPH for the entire trip. I did better than I thought I could.

I know that the fun will be something that will increase over time. A lot of it was just getting to the top of the next hill (I never came off the bike to walk it up a hill) but there were periods when we were on the flat and back in a part of the county that really isn't anywhere or anything but cotton patches and green fields, that was fun. I think it was more satisfaction at being able to accomplish the trip.

Oh yeah. The camera is working again. I guess it dried out.

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