From: jv04@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (JAMES VOROSMARTI)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: April Century Report
Date: 5 Apr 92 19:10:21 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University



                           Century #2 of the Year (April)

After reading Pamela's century reports, I, too, decided that a
century a month would be a good idea, too bad I didn't start in
January!  I did manage to get a century in while I was in Florida
last month, no report though, it was too flat and boring.

Yesterday, April 4th, turned out to be a really nice day.  After a
quick walk to the 7-11 to get the paper, I decided that it was
only a three-layer day and since the wind had died down a lot I'd
do it!  This past week the wind has been horrible, and our
training rides have been really slow!

I left my house just after 9 am and rode over to Chuck's to meet a
few team mates and then we rode out to Curt's house where our
team's saturday training rides start.  A bank on the way had a sign
that said 38 degrees and the sun was shining. A really great day!

It is about 12 miles out to Guthsville where Curt lives, and all
into the (thankfully) slight wind.  We headed south through
Kuhnsville, Krocksville, Wescosville, around East Texas to
Macungie.

Near the Mack Truck plant, Dave and I split off and took the "flat"
route around Alburtis, while the other ten guys did the "hilly"
route.  Dave and I got into a two man time trial, since we were
heading directly into the wind and wanted to make sure we beat the
rest of the group to the "white church", where the two groups get
back together.  Dave and I managed to beat them, but not by much.
Only enough time for a quick pee and to eat a banana.

We started to head back north now, and crossed over our club's time
trial course near Mertztown and Breinigsville.  Hey! Here comes
Sina. (a member of our team)  What's he doing out here?  Oh, that's
right, this morning is the first saturday of the month and thus the
monthly time trial.  We cheer Sina on as he passes us gripping his
aerobars and heading into the wind.  We crossed over into the
center of the loop course and hung a left and saw Sina again, (more
cheers), as we crossed the time trial course again.

Right after this is one of our "standard" jam locations, and a few
guys took off. I didn't.  The jammers didn't last too long and we
caught them before the big descent to route 222.  We crossed over
222 and got onto route 863 near Newtown, heading north. A few miles
later we had another downhill to the overpass for route 22 and
interstate 78.  Then through Hynemansville and northeast along Lyon
Creek over a few Cheesegrater bridges to Lyon Valley.  This stretch
is fast, the wind behind us, gently rolling hills, just made for
sprinters, not high enough or long enough to really have to strain
to get over, or get out of your big chainring.

After Lyon Valley there is a long climb to Weidasville and
LeatherCorner Post and another climb to Kernsville and a great
descent to Curt's house.  I stopped and chatted with the team for
a while and ate and apple and filled my bottles with fresh spring
water from Curt's well. Mmmm good!  So far I had done 45 miles.

Now I was by myself, and tired from jamming with the team and
sprinting for all of those town signs.  I headed north and got
lost.  I wanted to cross the Lehigh River on the bridge at the
Lehigh Gap.  I knew if I headed north I'd hit Blue Mountain, and
East I'd hit the river, and the gap is where they intersect, so I
couldn't get too "lost".  I took roads I never knew existed in a
remote area of the Lehigh Valley that I never thought was this
empty.  I found two old covered bridges on the "covered bridge
tour" so if I followed these signs I'd have to get somewhere I'd
recognize.  Eventually I got to Schnecksville turned the wrong way
and found Ballietsville and a sign for Neffs which I knew was the
right way.  In Neffs I got on 873 and headed north through Freidens
and over a big hill (ouch) at the top a sign said "truck speed
limit 20 mph", and "9% Grade 1 mile"  oh boy,no wonder I hurt.  I
didn't see the sign going to other way (the way I came up).  maybe
 next time :-)

In Slatington, I finally crossed the Lehigh River and headed east
to Danielsville with the wind behind me.  I was now at mile 64 or
so and ate a powerbar.  Over the last  20 miles there was not a
single flat spot, and I was getting tired and doubting my ability
to do a century, plus the light snow didn't do much to raise my
spirits either.  Then, over Danielsville, there was a magical
light.  The light of neon shining from Tony's Pizza; I was saved by
two slices and a coke.  Tony didn't believe that I had ridden 68
miles and was trying to go 100, but I guess watching me try to
walk and stand up straight after being on the bike for 5 hours
convinced him.

Rejuvenated, I found the first rest stop of my club's century
course. Hey, this will be perfect: the first stop is 25 miles into
the century and the beginning of the century is 7 miles from home,
add it up: 100 miles, perfect!  Then I remembered the two hills on
the first 25 miles of the course. I hated hills by now and my lower
back and butt muscles were really tired.  I was on the way home,
though, and that made all of he difference.

The roads took me through Rockville, Youngsville, Point Phillip
where I watched a man setting up his bee hives (He must have had a
couple of hundred of them), Copella, Clearfield, Aluta, Moorestown,
and heading south towards home.  Finally onto roads I train on
every day, through Georgetown, Newburg, Hecktown, and Brodhead.
Along here it became apparent that I mis-calculated a little bit
and was going to be over 100 miles. At least I wouldn't have to do
a few laps to get the last few miles in!

I got back home to Bethlehem at 4 pm, 7 hours after leaving home,
with 102.5 miles on the odometer.  This century was certainly the
hardest I had ever done.  First, riding with the team wasn't such
a good way to start a century and second, I think that I climbed
more hills in the first 70 miles than I have climbed all season.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this.  Especially Pamela, if you are
reading this!  Your name was cursed as the person who put such an
idea of a century a month into my head.  I feel pretty good today,
as I took full advantage of setting the clocks forward as an excuse
to go to bed early.
-- 
"The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinion" A.H. Glasgow
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles