Solistice 150

This Year’s “Big Day”

My (2nd) Favorite Day each year:  June 21st. The Summer Solistice. The Longest Day!

The BEST day to try a big long ride. If I could struggle through a ride averaging only 10mph overall, I could still technically knock off 150 miles before dark, if I started at sunrise. Yeah, even holding a 10mph overall average for 15 hours in the saddle could get “uncomfortable”, particularly on a hot & steamy day.

And it was. But I wasn’t shooting for 10mph.

For this ride, I pulled out the carbon FrankenTrek. I rarely ride this abomination of a bike, and with last year’s cassette swap (from a 36T big cog to a 25T), I shouldn’t think it’s a fun bike in the hills. But after doing some “experimenting”, I’ve realized that my overall speeds on this bike tend to negate the losses I have in climbing … assuming I can GET OVER the hill at all.

Last summer (before my meltdown in late August), I had ventured out to do Wayne P’s “5 and 50” club ride, so named by the primarily two speeds you’ll experience on the ride: 5mph climbing, and 50mph descending. I tried it with the teeny - tiny cassette and survived.

Last week, the club ran the Lima-Canadice Lake ride which again, has some good hills, but the “extra credit” version of the route offers up the extra challenge of climbing up out of Springwater. And one has three choices … Wheaton Hill, East Street, or Marvin Hill. I rode UP East Street last year, and Wheaton is considered the easiest way up, but I had my heart set on Marvin. Haven’t climbed it in years, but the last time was certainly with low gears. Not this time.

After a stop for drinks and snacks, the test began. No sooner than we turned UP onto Marvin, I dropped into my lowest gear and began the long steep climb … out of the saddle all the way to the top. Only because the bike is so light. (Well, it doesn’t hurt that I’m only 130 pounds, even if I do look emaciated.)

I’m convinced that the bike will be an advantage for a long fast ride, even if it isn’t as comfy as other bikes in the stable. So off I go …

The plan was to inject some hill climbing into the route,  because totally flat rides are boring. The Bristol Hills answered the call and were early enough in the ride that I recovered quickly once I got to the Byrne Dairy in C’Daigua (Stop #2 @ 52 miles) and got my chocolate milk. And a chicken salad sammy. I did stop briefly at the c-store back in Bristol Center (Stop #1 @ 42 miles) to restock water and grab a drink. I did NOT stop in Cheshire, even with the tease of a good cookie or slice of pizza. Not this time.

After C’Daigua, the pace picked up. I blew thru Seneca Castle, Geneva, and made Waterloo (1/2 way point) in short order. I swung south and approached Waterloo on Marshall Road so as to swing by my old home.

Four Rocklan Ave.

We moved into that house when I was 10 years old. The day the moving truck arrived, and as soon as my bike came off the truck, I was GONE exploring the new town and guess what I discovered just a few blocks from home!

Lock 4, Seneca-Cayuga Canal

The coolest damn thing! Watching boats go through the lock was the most fascinating thing this 10-year old from the mountains of Pennsylvania had ever seen! I still love watching the operation.

I turn north out of Waterloo toward Clyde, but avoid the traffic of NY414 and take a sequence of back roads. Great riding and no cars for miles! In Clyde (Stop #3 @ 92 miles) I have to refill water and take a short break in the (shaded) town square for a Coke. More quiet backroads from there, up through Rose and toward Wolcott. Crossing Lasher Road, I see this sign again …

No Comment

Between the Mormons and Quakers and Spiritualists and Neversweats and who knows what else around here, I think a lot of people in the region were sharing the same (tainted?) water source.

Wolcott was the last stop (#4) at 105 miles in. I remembered that I STILL had a half package of Nacho Cheese Combos in my camelback, so I washed those (mostly) down with another coke from the Fastrac c-store on the corner at RT104.

(I STILL didn’t finish the bag … but I’m on it now.)   ;-)

From Wolcott to ROC, I’ve still got another 45 miles, but heading straight out to Sodus and Old Ridge Road, It’s a smooth, fast, straight shot home, no navigation required.

Correction … my last LAST stop was west of Williamson where I spotted a little boy with his mom, in their yard facing the road, and the kid was selling Lemonade! I blew past but quickly turned around. Best Damn Lemonade Ever! The day was hot but Lemonade was icy cold!

By the time I got back into town, I was so “outta gas”, I didn’t even think of stopping for a milkshake at Netsins. THAT was a long hot ride.

Here’s the stats:

Not surprising, today is a day off the bike and I’m still hungry. 152 miles powered by a bowl of Cherrios in the morning, a chicken sandwich, and a 1/2 bag of Nacho Cheese Combos did the job, but I DO need to eat better.

Well … I just finished the Combos!