It‘s kind of hard for me to wrap my arms around this ride. I’m not entirely certain how to categorize it, or sum it up. Perhaps my best course is just to report it.
The weather was as close to perfect as could be asked for. Temp at ride time was just a bit above 70 degrees F. The sky was clear, and the humidity was low. Six of us assembled in front of Bicycle Unlimited, and pushed off right on time.
This wasn’t a large number for one of these rides. It was a big Sunday, and a lot of folk were also out of town, or attending to conflicting activities.
The ride can be divided into several distinct phases.
Struggle to leave the “Bubble”:
Let’s face it, there’s no flat way to leave Peachtree City. In the past we used to go up the north end of the Peachtree Parkway, but this presents problems. There’s a lot of traffic on that road, and it’s narrow. In recent years I’ve prospected alternate routes out of town. All of them have something of a challenge. On this ride, I choose to use the multiuse paths. The problem with them is that they are, in places quite steep.
In the first three miles of the ride, I supplied the comic relief. I derailed completely first on the rear, and then on the front, and again on the front. After that, I outdid myself and missed a turn, necessitating a complete reversal and backtrack.
Eventually we made it out.
To Palmetto with adjustments:
The trip from the edge of Peachtree City to our breakpoint, in Palmetto, is always one of adjustment. Faster riders move forward, more relaxed ones tend to drift off the back. This is the stretch where accommodations are made. We adjust to each other’s riding style. Gaps have to be filled. Faster riders need to move to the back of the group. It takes some sorting out. This day was no different. By the time we reached the breakpoint, we were riding well, as a team.
Palmetto to the Lunch Stop (First Hint of a problem):
A short stop in Palmetto, followed by one of the most enjoyable sections of this route. The 13 miles, from Palmetto to the Chattahoochee river crossing, are mostly down hill, and largely without traffic. Add to that the scenic beauty of this spectacular Spring day, and this stretch is about as nice as it could be.
Of course, as soon as we crossed the “Hootch,” the road tips up, and the next three miles are a long “grinder climb. Folks took this in good spirits, laughing and joking about the climb.
The route turns from Capps Ferry Road to GA-166, and rolls north. For a long stretch from the intersection down to the Dog River inlet, the road drops almost 200 feet. It’s a screamer of a descent, and a lot of fun. After that, we were in the big, heavy “rollers,” that go on for almost 10 miles.
It was while working through these big “boomers” that we had the first hint of a problem. One member of our group was feeling a bit under the weather, and a bit depleted. We did a hand-off of a snack, and eased the pace a bit. We’d get to the lunch stop and see.
Lunch to Fairburn (Decisions and Solutions):
The route is actually planned to avoid Fairburn, but that wasn’t in the cards for this day. Our ailing member was in trouble. We had an emergency conference after one particularly long grinder climb. A decision had to be made. The distressed rider was not going to make the entire route. They would have to abandon. Now we had to determine how to do this safely. (I will not just leave a distressed rider by the side of the road to fend for themselves.)
After a short discussion, we decided to alter the route, proceed into Fairburn, and leave the rider there. We had the thought that they could stay in place, off the road, and in a safe place (Oz Pizza came to mind) until another of our riders finished the route. A retrieval could then be accomplished.
Unfortunately, we didn’t count on the character of the town of Fairburn. It was Sunday afternoon, and the place was closed. Everything in town was closed. More conferencing.
Our ailing rider decided that the short trip down the relatively flat Roosevelt Highway, to Palmetto, would be doable. That would get them to an open store. The rest of the group would proceed back to Peachtree City via an altered route. From there we could retrieve motor vehicles and arrange an easy pickup.
Fairburn to Home (Determination):
We waved goodbye to our friend, and headed for Fayette County. This part of the trip had a somewhat different character. We all felt a need to expedite the journey. As soon as we reached a somewhat low traffic road, I held an “on the road conference,” and polled the group. The question, “We have about 15 miles to go. Does anyone need to make a stop?”
I was gratified when all present answered that they could proceed without stopping. Good job!
Still it was late in a long day. Three of our group had long since passed their previous all-time mileage records. We needed to pay attention to each other and proceed in the best possible fashion, not dropping anyone, or creating other problems.
I’m proud to say that the group did this splendidly. We handled the remaining large hills in a conservative fashion, supporting and encouraging each other all the way.
Good news waited us at the end of the ride. Our “abandon” had arranged a pick-up and ride. So everyone was safe, and accounted for.
Final Details:
The main group rode an “official” distance of 68.4 miles. Three of our members (including our “Abandon”) established personal all time distance records. Despite my early bout of “mechanicals” we had no serious incidents. The day was spectacular, and the riding exceptionally good.
I’m very proud to have spent the day with such a sharp and pleasant group of folks. Good sense and skillful riding were the keys to making a challenging day a successful one.
Given enough long rides, it’s inevitable that someone has to “abandon” from time to time. There is no shame in this. Live to fight another day. What is far more significant is the way in which the problem was handled. On this ride, it was done with grace, intelligence, and care.
To all who came, BRAVO! To all who missed this one, be there on 15 April! It promises to be a grand ride.
