Date: 2008-08-23
From: HOME

To: H.O.T. 100 Bike Ride (Lascassas,TN)
Miles today: 0.0

Sat.Aug 23rd   The 18th Annual Heart of Tennessee 100 Bicycle RideKnown as the "HOT 100" this bicycle ride is sponsored by the good folks of the Murfreesboro Bike Club...but, they've moved the Start/Finish to LasCassas, TN (local High School).I have to get up @ 4:30a.m. to get going...its a 1 hours 1/2 ride to the RIDE site.Arrive @ 6a.m....get my GOODY Bag (yes! another t-shirt & water bottle!)full of stuff...check in, get a ride map & plat...then pump up the tires...clean the dirt off the bike a bit...warm upthe legs with a couple laps around the parking lot...then its time to line up...Listen to the pre-ride announcements...Only 2 Rest stops today...mile 17 & mile 42....so, i'll have to be conserving my water, a bit more than usual.shortly after 7am...we're off!i'd guess probably 800 to 1000 riders total this year...its overcast as we leave the main area down Hwy 96 (Lascassas Road)...& starts to spinkle rain...(no complaints here!)i spot another VELOTEERS (my bicycle club) jersey...it's Paul Allen...i ride with him off & on for the first miles...pedal...pedal...pedal...we ride thru farm land & by horse farms...just outside Lascassas...mile #17...we ride to our first REST STOP...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhwe re-water...get some sports drink & down a half a peanut butter & jelly sandwich....(its PEANUT BUTTER JELLY time!)hit the porta-jon & back to the road....we head out Easton Hwy 70...whcih takes us into Woodbury,TN....then off the main road again...(i hate the high traffic roads)...lots more horse farms...pedal....pedal...pedal...then more back roads til we hit HWY 96 again....for a few miles...then into the small community of Statesville....right about a mile from our 2nd (& LAST) REST STOP....a huge bug or hummingbird or something....CRASHED into the front of my helmet....i'm trying to help the rascal outta there....then i feel nothing...is he DEAD, stuck in my helmet...i stop...get off the bike & take off my helmet...i find nothing...i guess he got out on his own....wheeeeeeeew....didnt wanna have to clean a dead critter outta my helmet!Mile 42: REST STOP #2...i re-water...& down quite a bit...grab some sports drink & down another PB&J (sing along kids!...."it's PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!")Jim W. & Paul (Allen) are here too.this is the rest stop where i spotted Randy (my brother-in-law) last year...& rode with them out of the stop...only to leave them & they got a ride in the back of a SAG wagon back to Finish...ARRRRGH!after a 5 mins or so rest...back on the pedals...only abt 23 miles to go...pedal...pedal...pedal...I leave with Paul & Jim...but dont see them til the Finish line...pedal...pedal...pedal...My feet are hurting for the last 10 miles...not just aching...but downright painful...i climb the last hill...then we turn onto HWY 96....& travel back to the parkinglot of Lascassas High School.....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!i change quickly into my CROCS...get these cycling shoes off....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!   :0)good ride...i grab some water & head back to SPringfield!got another ride in Clarksville next weekend....                           67.84 miles today...see ya'll UP the trail!