100 Mile Powhatan historical bike tour

It just occurred to me that I didn't really see much history in my tour of Powhatan yesterday.  I was too busy pushing the pedals on steep uphills and ducking my head from a vicious headwind.

For those of you reading this (Hi, Sweetheart) who think I'm just Debbie Downer, doom & gloom, I refer you to Saturday's post in which I had a lovely race and after party.

The ride started off nice enough - great roads, lots of friends and teammates participating.  As soon as the warm-up 2 miles was complete for the peeps I started off with, they were gone & I had no hope of riding a wheel to a faster time.  They waited for me a couple of time at stop signs/rest stops, but I begged them to stop as I just felt like I was holding them up so I could ride with them for about a minute before I lost them.

And so, I rode mostly alone.  I was passed by every teammate & coach, which is fine, it's fine, I say.  2 lovely gentlemen who clearly had no other self-interest except time in the saddle, passed me on a hill and then slowed up so I could grab a wheel for awhile.  I mentioned how awesome it was to be drafting and Gentlemen#1 replied that his wife called it "the wall of love".  I loved it and them.  After 5-6 miles of riding, I grabbed the lead, thinking it would only be for a few minutes, but I got in aero and somehow with the 2 guys riding behind me, we whipped through the wind to some of my quickest mile times for the day.  I'd call it the torpedo of love if that just didn't sound so dirty.  They rested at the 30 mile pit stop and I went off alone.  Never saw them again, I think they opted for a shorter ride, it certainly wasn't because I was setting any speed records.

Lots of hills.  Rocky Ford Road.  I yelled "wheeee" as I rolled down the hill, promptly followed by "fuck" as I saw the uphill afterward.  I finished that hill in my easiest gear and barely made it over without falling over.

Wind.  Was.  Brutal.  I have no idea of the mph.  I know it called for 10 to 20, but it at least felt like a headwind for 90 miles.  Even when it changed direction, it wasn't from the rear except for a few lovely miles near the end of my ride.  REALLY hope TX has a calm day while I'm on my bike (or 112 miles of strong tailwind) and then a nice breeze for the run to cool us off a little.

Things I saw:

• Lots of roadkill
• One area of blood splatter with no roadkill in sight.  This was when I started thinking of "Deliverance" as I was all alone out there in the Powhatan woods.
• A seatbelt with buckle
• What I hope was an air rifle.  I nearly ran over it.
• What looked to be 5-10 abandoned structures, decades or more old, collapsing toward the road near a creek.  This may have been on Giles Road, which I found fairly creepy.  I hadn't seen a car or a person in miles & miles.  

I talked to a street sign, but in my defense, it started it.  It said, "Watch for turning vehicles."  I replied, "I hope I'm one."  It was mile 95 and I was ready to be home wearing my ice pants.

This was not a Zen-like ride, but I understand this ride served as a worst-case scenario for race day.  Even if everything sucks on race day, I will persevere.  I just hope it doesn't suck.