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| food stop halfway chocolate bacon? |
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| hippie electrolyte drink, I also add maple syrup |
So I rode it this past Sunday. It was quite a ride. Here is a link to the ride map/stats...http://www.strava.com/rides/gravel-grinder-2012v1-6361860 . Matt and I met at the Plainfield Park&Ride and then drove out to Waterbury. It was a chilling sort of mid 30's cold at 8AM but would prove to be just the right temperature for the massive climbing involved.
We signed in, got our T-shirts and chatted with folks. It was nice to see Wil there, but sadly he was out of the ride due to a health issue. Jim was there 3 months after a completely busted femur knocked him out while he was ice skating on those long nordic skates, and I must admit, he passed me on Perry Hill. Stubborn I am, a fast climber I am not.
We headed out of Stowe and into a massive climb. The pack mostly stayed together through the first 6-8 miles. Then folks started pacing out. I made the error of keeping up with Matt for too long and got a cramp around mile 12 which I stretched out, thus making it to the "food" stop late.
The food is one good reason to do this ride. The list included...bacon, chocolate chipped bacon, twizzlers, pretzels, bananas and a brown liquid in several glass bottles which seemed potentially flammable but was consumed by some and I think there might have been some water too. After the stop we blasted downhill and I consumed a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie which contains 310 calories and I can eat it about 39 seconds without my stomach hurting as with gels.
Then it was onto Rt. 100 for a brief spin over to Gregg Hill Rd. The climbing, climbing, climbing. Then zoooooom back down into Waterbury. I was thrilled to learn I finished about 15 minutes behind Matt as he is fast and I am not.
On our return there was yummy catering by Frida's (an amazing Mexican place in Stowe). Also Long Trail beer. Yum. After an hour or two of hanging out we headed home.
5 comments:
Greg, good job out there. The Gravel Grinder is one of my favorite rides. I don't think I will ever go out there for a solo suffer fest but as a group event, it is a blast. Nice to see you!
200k this year?
Hi Wil.
I will expect to be at the 200k. Do you think you'll be there?
It would be hard to keep yourself from taking an easy turn if you tried to do the Gravel Grinder route solo!
Excellent report. That looks like an event with character. Nice job, Greg. Keep those reports coming.
Thanks Chris. Thanks for stopping by. I plan on some fun rides this year and some quality blogging. I tried to build a bit more narrative with this post. Chocolate bacon makes it so easy it is sort of cheating though. Glad you liked it.
I have all intents of doing the 200k and the 300 and 400 for that matter. I feel tons better than I did. The 200 is only two weeks away. I have a bike to finish putting together.
:)
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