The ADA Century

Sunday arrived. We piled into the car, lashed the third bike to the carrier on the back door, and started to roll. We managed to line up behind someone who'd never been to Saratoga Springs, was reading from the instructions, and generally kept the speed down to a safe value.









We talked everything of importance: Cub Scouts, meetings, the weather, buying a Schenectady home, NOT buying a Schenectady home, car stuff . . .









Once in the high school parking lot, saw Nicole and said 'hello', and once we found a spot to park we piled out to go register. Once done, loaded up on water, a couple of energy bars, bib numbers pinned on our jerseys, we managed to line up about three minutes before the 'gun' went off. Actually, it was a countdown of the ways that diabetes can decimate a society's life -- chronic conditions, hospitalization costs, incapacitation. Poor health in general for entire lifetimes.

Sobering thoughts.

We leave en masse. We're wayyyy back in the pack. We have to weave in and out to get to the front. We pass James. 'You guys -- see you at the end.' It worked.

We finally found Nic up front in the lead group. It took us a while. We were in Ballston Center area before we had a chance to talk. We were blasting along on the Charlton Road. As we ran up the hill to 50 we lost a few, like two years ago, but this time I stood the rise. And stayed with the peloton.

By the time we reached 147 to jog north then west, I was still in the group but when the Glenville Hills arrived, I couldn't keep pace. I lost 50 yards on the group. But I couldn't keep up. Then another hill, and that was it. The twelve were gone. Last time I saw them they were 200 or 300 yards ahead.

ShawRd. and its cool shady overhanging trees in full leaf of summer. I saw a mink-like creature carrying a young one in her maw. She had dark, weasly black fur. Rolling--not bad pace.

A north then east-bound section of farm road in bad shape rough on the surface. I'm following the 'trail' of wrappers, bottles and a folded set of queues for the 100 mile route!

The trail crosses Route 67.

I recognize roads around Middle Grove. Indicators and flagmen want to steer me into the food and water stop. I have to shout 'Where now!' Which trail? '100' is my answer. Someone waves me back the way I came. . . then right. There is a tightening in my chest; I'm on my way up to Lake Desolation.

I remember thinking it's a nice day for a camping trip . .. it was the wood smoke and hilariously rattletrap houses, backyards that looked like some Scouting trip. Homesteads, trailers, fixed-er-uppers, and some suburban home designs plopped down in the country. We could also see a couple of cars up on blocks and wood piles, too. One crawled with a happy band of kids, a dog on leash and an active pair of parents repairing something outside on this cool and cloudy day.

Here the sun would come through and warm a spot here and there. Real hope.

Someone on the side of the road fooling iwth their bike. I shout "Are you OK?" and a look back. Oh. It's Siavash! Hey wait. I pull a 180, peeling off of some guy I've been trading leads with, chatting about honking car drivers and where are you from topics.

S's seat was loose and he was stopped for a repair and adjustment. He was feeling good but 28 miles ahd been his longest ride to date. He's trying 2 times that today.

We ride comfortably together. I'm happy to be first. We get to some hills and he gives me permission to take off if I want. Not there, but a bit down the road another rise comes up and I'm on to catch up with the other dude.

Corinth: "Gate-way to the Adirondacks" with fishing and hunting stores, brick buildings and a ride along the Hudson that looks like a lake.

After an exit from town and a piece of road out in the country. I top a rise near a fork in the road and pull off to take a leak.