Date: 2007-03-31
To: Warner Parks
Miles today: 0.0

Mar 31stIn my continuing effort to prep for my upcoming A.T.hike (& to punish my body in the best way i know how...)i decide to ride to Warner Parks for a bicycle ride today!this is my first "organized ride" for the year (& bicycle riding season)...i have one of these rides scheduled each month thru-out the riding season.(Mar-Oct)this particular ride is sponsored by "the Friends of Warner Parks"...& they've mapped out two courses & ride lengths for us bicyclists....i left the house (in Springfield,TN) around 6:15am....ran thru the Mickey D's drive thru & got the large "BLAND" coffee to go!....about 45 minutes later i arrive @ my destination...following my Mapquest map all the way....(i still almost got lost!)its been a few years since i've been here @ Warner Parks...used to come by here as a kid, growing upin West Nashville, etc.i arrive & only one other cyclist is here...he is hurridly pumping uphis tires & prepping his bike....while i watch & sipthe last drops of my BLAND coffee...i jumpout & introduce myself & ask him...why the rush???he said he was doing the 25 miles route (the short route)...he continued prepping his bicycle....i still see no other cyclists....i take my bike off the carry-rack & pump the tires...put my helmet on...is this it? are we the only riders to ride in this ride?...then i ask him...."what time does the 50 miles route start?"....he said:..."9a.m.!".........WHAT??????????????????????i thought the ride started @ 8a.m.!....its only 7:20am & why are you hurrying?...he tells me he is driving one of the SAG wagons...so, he is going to ride the short course & return before the 9a.m.start.....oh well....good fer him....bad fer me...thinking the start wuz 8am instead of 9a.m.several more cyclists are now showing up....7:30am...by 8am the parkinglot was full....the registration tent opened...i got my "Obligatory t-shirt" (very plain) no water bottle...(i have plenty, thank you!) grab a map & talk to a few other of the cyclists before starting....a few last minute instructions & we're off.....woooooooo-hooooooo!we head south out of the Park from Vaughn road onto Old Natchez Trace...talk about OLD SOUTH....these are where the anti-bellum (pre-Civil War) homes are still living (in TN)...very nice...i take a few pictures as i cruise by them...we ride onto Del Rio Pike & then Horton Lane down into Williamson County...ride into the Southhall community....then into Leipers Fork....a nice little spot in the road with lots of antique stores , eateries, etc....loads of country music stars live in the area on their massive farms...out of Leipers Fork we hit the Natchez Trace Parkwway for about 15 miles...off the parkway & onto Hwy 100...where i see blue lights ahead....i think its a wreck...but its a Metro cop directing traffic & letting bicycles across the road...our 2nd (& last) rest-stop is @ the world fanous LOVELESS CAFE...now, all duded up for tourists, etc....with shoppes surrounding it on both sides...including a bicycle shop....i walk in & check out the bikes as i munch on a peanut butter sandwich (no jelly...just peanut butter!).i rest & take in some more water here & talk to a few other cyclists....then i'm off....onto a climb...up a hill on McCory lane then over to Poplar Creek road then to Hester Beasley back onto Hwy 100...then...........to finish off the ride....cyclists turn onto a back road into the park, Hicks Road (dont blink or you'llmiss it!).....a terrible road...for anything other than a hybrid, comfort, or mountain bike....what where they thinking?the pavement was unevent....pot-holes, gravel...Now i know what the Pros feel like when they're hitting the cobblestone roads (sort of)...luckily this roadway only lasted about a half mile or so....then back onto Vaughn road & the finish line....wooooooooooo-hooooooooooo!i did it....my first big ride under my belt....more hills than i would've liked...but, that might help me farther along, sooner in my training....good ride...i'm tired!                     51.64 miles todaysee ya'll UP the trail!