Route: El Classico de 2012

• Route: El Classico de 2012

Great ride with the El Classico personnel at the head of the effort and the meal following. 

'Chips, Scott, eat the chips. Have some salsa, as well!' Great idea. And the barbeque, gently savory spiced with all sorts of great stuff, three desserts. http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/94519369/?new_route=1

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The route passes by The Good Times Restaurant near Outlet Rd. at the northern end of Ballston Lake. Then onto the infinite incline, on the downhill direction, north. Onto the shady Brownell Rd. Coolest piece of road in the hot sunny rides of 100 miles on June weekends. Van Areum then across I-87. Thence across the highway a couple of times until we circle the race course, through town, then out by Yaddo until we cross the highway AGAIN. Under construction it was a mess. Across on the other side, we climb the in-town climb. Onto Lake Rd. then across the river, looking longingly at the boathouse, and then right onto the horse country ride. Cool green of pasture land, thence through the fences, into the Alpine section. Up hills, working the gears loooowwww on the selection scale. Finally we come out next to the 32 access to the Battlefield monument. 32, 423, 75 then out onto 76 down to the lake. Saratoga Lake. We're only 12 miles from home. Up the hill, across until we return to Brownell, but the return is not complete without the semi-infinite shallow incline until we do Jonesville re-entry.

Out and Back with MeV

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Didn't have the time to or energy to do the entire 30 mile loop. So MEV and I went out as far as we thought prudent, turned around, went back to the office. 

DMika, Ti man, Juan Filkinos, myself -- the best team assembled. DMika was actually a little whacked the other day, according to one account, after doing some fast paced stuff. 

We did some good time on Riverview Rd. and really hammered it 26 mph . . . 30 mph.

We'll see how well he does . . .

We'll see how well he does . . .

Upper Gregg, because "everyone thinks it is gravel, but on Google Maps, I looked . . . not at all!

Sunday, today, May20, 2012, on the advice of the Ti Man, I go to find E. Gregg, to Upper Gregg, because "everyone thinks it is gravel, but on Google Maps, I looked . . . not at all!"
OK.
So here it is: 2 h 15 m for the following ratty route, including being stung on the face by a bee that managed to get inbetween my glasses and nose, http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/94507895




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Check out the Cat 3 climb portion. UGLY!!

AND to add insult to injury or the other way around, I got stung by a bee on my face (nose, really, but I don't want anyone making fun of my nose). This was 3/4 the way up so I was maximum sweaty and mildly insane with hypoxia, and couldn't see very well with perspiration dripping into my eyes and on my glasses from the bank on my helmet . . .

BLAMO!! A searing pain starts across my face and I rip my dark glasses (and regular glasses) off and nearly lose it all, but I hang on. I keep pedaling (up this 10% slope) and waving my glasses around, and finally put them back on . . . it HURTS, nose bridge piece rests on the sting site.

Then I get something blown into my left eye. Sting on nose near my right eye, something in my left eye, crap, what next!!??

Nothing.

I just go home, feeling vaguely sick from pedaling uphill for 1,900 ft, 60 km, in two hours, or so, in 88F temperatures.