From: whalen@starch.enet.dec.com (My name is...)
Subject: Mt. Greylock Century
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 00:01:24 GMT


Back when there was talk about centurys someone mentioned the Mt. Greylock
Century and how much climbing there was, and therefore he was not going to do
it.  I knew that I would be returning from my tour through the Adirondacks a
couple of days beforehand, and figured that I'd be in good condition for the
ride.  In fact, during the tour a few of others were joking that I should do it
with panniers on the bike!

I took a rainy day off after returning from my tour to Ottawa and GEAR 92 to
clean my bike and do some new bike shopping, then did the Greylock century the
following day.  The weather was typical Greylock century weather - cool, grey
and wet.  At least the forecast agreed this time, unlike when I tried two years
ago and the forecast had been for much better weather and I (and many others)
abandoned the ride instead of risking hypothermia.  This year I was prepared
with proper clothing, and I even brought plastic bags to put around my feet so
that they wouldn't get cold.

The ride starts out at 998' (above msl) and is flat to downhill for the first
7 miles.  Though I was taking my time the bike felt sluggish that morning, and
I made up various reasons why: there was a headwind (slight, but the
sluggishness wasn't reduced by getting on the aerobars); I was noticing the
differences in the bike because I was sub-consciously comparing it to the ones
I had been trying; I made an error in reassembling after cleaning (couldn't
find any and I had spent some time getting the bottom bracket so that I was
happy with it).  I then decided to ignore the feeling and keep on riding.  I
noticed that as I munched on a powerbar I started to feel better, so I suspect
that I was suffering from a glycogen deficit to start as I had gone back to my
normal eating habits, but my body was still burning calories at the touring
level.

I stopped at the visitors center at the start of the climb to shed my rain
jacket and use the restroom, then proceeded up the climb.  Two years ago there
were some washouts on the road that you had to carry your bike around, but also
closed the road to car traffic - no such luck this year.  The road climbed into
the clouds, then as it came out in the open there was quite a bit of wind to
cool off any over-heated riders.  Just before the final part of the climb there
was someone taking pictures, and though I was skeptical about how they would
come out, they all looked quite nice at the end.  I checked in, visited the
restroom, refilled waterbottles, ate a powerbar and put on my rain gear for the
descent. (alt 3487')

Though the descent from Greylock is about the same distance as the climb (9
miles), it isn't any fun as the road has numerous potholes, sharp turns and
other obsticles that require you to limit your speed.  Fortunately the club
that sponsors this ride marks most of them, but you know that your brakes are
going to require re-adjustment afterwards.  The end of the descent lets you out
into North Adams (660') and this year's detour as a bridge on Rt 2 was being
reconstructed.

The second climb of the day is up the switchback on the Mohawk Trail (Rt 2),
and I had no problem with it.  I stopped in Florida (that's the name of the
town, and it is shaped like the state) to put my rain gear back on as this
summit was also in the clouds and wind.  Unfortunately I had only climbed the
West summit and there is a little dip and climb before you get to the Whitcomb
summit (2173') which had the un-announced checkpoint.  I had some cookies,
visited the restroom at the restaurant across the street and prepared for the
descent - 8 1/2 miles on good road surface - whoopie (the cue sheet says that). 
While I just let my speed build I was smelling burning brakes and I eventually
passed the source - a large truck pulled off to the side letting them cool. 
There was one spot where I wished I had braked a bit beforehand - I entered a
turn somewhere around 40 mph and wasn't sure that I was going to make it. 
Luckily I did, and I also got a very big adrenaline rush.

Another bunch of flat riding a zig and a zag and then the climb that everyone
hates - Hawley hill.  You see a ski area just before you start this climb, and
I'm sure that part of the problem is where it appears in the ride - 51 miles. 
While I used my lowest gear, I really don't understand why everyone complains
about it!  You climb from the lowest point on the ride (549') for about 4 1/2
miles to the summit (1830') and the last check-point on the route.  This was
the only climb on the route that I hadn't done at some point before.

After 30 miles of rolling downhill you start the final climb (1130' to 2031' in
5 miles).  At some point during this climb I started getting some noise from my
front hub.  Oh no, another part that I should have serviced!  Well, I figure
that I should re-grease the rear hub as well when I get home, which means
working at getting the freewheel off (it wasn't easy).  Somehow this climb
seems longer and more difficult than I remember it, but I suspect that I was
tiring and upset about the noise.  The last 9 miles of the ride are downhill,
and that helps one pick up their speed.  I finished the ride in 9 hours, the
fastest finish that day was 5 1/2 hours, and it was remarked that that was a
slow time.  They were also checking milage at the end, as some people were
coming in with a bit more than the 100 in the route.  I was 1/10 under, and I
had accidently turned off my computer for a short period of time, so I know
that I didn't make any wrong turns.  I found out later from another rider, who
has done the ride numerous times in the past, that he was in a group that got
led astray in the last 25 miles, in which there are no turns, but also no
arrows on the route to remind you to just go straight.  He finished 1 1/2 hours
before me, and I suspect that that was the group with the higher milages.

The (long sleeve) t-shirt for the ride is designed after the ride, so that they
know what important things to include on it.  It hasn't arrived yet, so I can't
tell you what it looks like.