Saturday’s Hour of Power started with leg and arm warmers along with a vest. The morning temperatures are definitely getting cooler. However, even as we waited in the parking lot the sun came up over the trees and you could tell things would get warmer soon.

We started with a good number of riders. One of them was a colleague of mine from work. I was kind of surprised to see him there because he had just gotten his bike and probably had only ridden it for 50 miles before that morning.

We rolled out a little late headed out on our normal route. I talked along with some of my riding buddies and stayed close to Mike, the new one to the group, to help encourage him along should the time come. So far, so good for him.

I warned him about the sprints. “When you see several of us take off,” I told him, “don’t chase us. Let us go and hold your pace. We’ll wait for you at the end of the sprint.” I’ll be honest, I figured he would need to head back at the end of Meece Bridge Road.

It was during a conversation about gearing that I noticed Peter up ahead making a move toward the Tanner Road sprint line. Fifty yards separated us, but I thought I might be able to get him if I could sneak up on him. It almost worked. He got me though with my front wheel up to his crank.

Mike wasn’t the one I needed to worry about at Meece Bridge. It was me! John and Bob got the train moving and I did my best to jump on to follow. It just wasn’t there. I was spinning and I could feel the effort needed to keep the pace escalate. The feeling that I was about to blow came over me and I felt very tired. I sat up and eased to the finish.

There are several miles between the Meece Bridge Road finish and 290. As we pulled up for a stop to regroup, I saw Mike coming along after just a short wait. He was doing very well!

Then we started the engine again to chase up the quarry road. About ten of us hit the bottom of the climb. After my feelings on Meece Bridge, I wasn’t so sure where I would be at the end!

The speeds were pretty fast going up. Peter and John were two of the main players — as usual. John jumped out to take the lead. Just over the false flat, John pulled over to the right. Since he was the rider I was most worried about, I eased up with him.

“If you slow down,” he said, “they’ll come back to you. You need to keep going.” Of course, I felt like saying, “You just eased up. Aren’t you afraid they’ll come back to you?” Problem was, I don’t think I had the breath to say it!

I kept pushing it and was getting a pretty good speed. I could tell there was someone right behind me. How many were there, I didn’t know. Then John came around me. Grrrrr. I knew he was going to do that to me.

Then John eased up just as we neared the finish line. I went around him. He explained, “I felt bad about telling you to go on back there. I didn’t realize there were only three of us in play at that point.”

It wasn’t long after we finished that Mike came up the road. Now I was really impressed. Obviously, he had a good level of fitness before picking up the bike. He would have no trouble making it from here.

Just before the climb, we had two other riders join us. Daniel, the son, was riding a steel frame Specialized. It was obvious by his gear and bike that he was just starting to ride. However, he certainly had the strength!

He was staying right with us up to the state park entrance sprint. I felt sorry for him because his bike was simply in need of a tune-up. He defnitely had a chain problem. Still, he was right there.

My plan was to pull at the front on the sprint. However, Peter and Anthony came around us early and took off. I was just doing well to hang on to the caboose of that train!

We settled down to a 30 mph pace and I was able to recover a little. Then John, who was right in front of me, moved around the two in front. He was indicating for me to follow. He was going to lead out.

I had no idea what was going to happen at the bottom. Would my legs be there? John moved over and I started to sprint up the climb. As I started, Peter came right up beside me. For quite a while we were neck-and-neck. Then I started to lose my punch.

Perhaps my body is getting tired after a summer of riding, but that feeling came back. It isn’t a feeling pain, just a feeling of no power. I putting out effort that normally would have propelled me to the front, but I just watched Peter ride away. He beat me by about ten yards.

After that, it was just a goal to ride into the shop. I did Oak Leaf and watched Bob blow everyone away on Nature Trail. We rolled in for coffee and donuts.

Mike came in pretty pumped about his ride — which he should have. “I have a new respect for cyclists!” he said. I think he’s hooked. Bet we’ll see him out there again.

Turns out Daniel had a stiff chain link. I’d like to see him ride on a nice bike. I bet he would be in the mix after a couple of times out there. Maybe he’ll join us again.

Last night I went out on a night ride for group training before heading out next month on the Challenge to Conquer Cancer rider. We did 44 miles and finished up shortly before 10 PM. By the time I got home and in bed, it was after 11 PM. The morning came early!

Still, I rolled out of bed and got myself ready to head over to Sunshine Cycle Shop for the Hour of Power. Thankfully, I had left my bike and everything in the truck from the night before. Instead of riding my bike over to the shop, I just jumped in the truck to drive.

Right before getting to the truck I realized I had left my water bottles at home. Turning the truck around, I headed home to grab the fluids and rushed back to get to the shop. I arrived to find just a couple of riders waiting.

We waited until about 8 PM and finally decided to roll out. The group was small with Art, Web, Peter, Owen, and myself being the “old-timers.” Paul, Anthony, (and I ashamed to say) one more rider whose name I can’t recall right now, were the newer riders who have been on some of the more recent rides.

Peter and I led the group out and the speeds picked up right away. We were making a pretty good pace until we reached the sprint up Tanner to Reid School Road. Things didn’t slow down much after that! Here is a rundown of the sprint zones….

Tanner: Peter took off and Anthony followed. I followed Anthony’s wheel until he brought me up to Peter. Peter launched and I went with him. I was able to push the ol’ Tarmac up to the line first.

Meece Bridge: The group riders would know this sprint as the “Pee Tree Sprint.” On this one Web and Art made a move a little early coming up to the attack zone. I stayed with them until Peter and Anthony once again moved to the front and started the attack in earnest.

Unfortunately, I had the earlier problem of getting my chain on the big ring. Peter and Anthony had a 20 foot or more gap on me. Still, there was enough road left that I figured if I could get up to them, I could recover a little for a final kick…. and that is exactly what happened. I moved around Peter following Anthony and then pushed to finish ahead of him.

Quarry Road: At the end of the pace line on 290 I found myself in the front turning on the road to take us to the climb. I argued with myself whether to attack or wait. I ended up just holding my position and getting the heart rate down.

Art came around and then Owen. I stayed in the big ring and started a steady pace up. If Art made it, he deserved it. However, in case he fell back, I wanted to be in position.

Owen faded and then there was just Art ahead. I could tell I was starting to gain on him and I was climbing the grade at about 14 mph. Once I got past the false flat, I started moving into the 20 mph range. I realized I had a real chance to beat him.

Closer and closer I moved up to Art. I knew he could see me in his mirror, so there would be no element of surprise. Sure enough, he started reacting. I had to pick up the speed some more, but was able to get around him just in time to cross the line first. Wow, I really didn’t expect that!

Fire Hydrants: Art got revenge there. He took off and I didn’t even try. Peter did, but didn’t catch him. Art passed the first hydrant and then the second. He basically looked like a speck in the distance.

State Park: I had planned to do a lead out on this one. John had told me I needed to do some more of that to work on my sustained speed. Unfortunately, I was at the back of the group and as I moved into the group on the right side, I found myself boxed in with Web to my left and Anthony and Peter in front of me.

We stayed there well past the point where I could have started the lead out. Then the line stretched out and I found myself behind Peter. He looked back and took off. I figured he was planning to do another one of his lead outs.

Ahead of us was Anthony and Web. Peter and I dropped down to the base of the hill. As we did, Peter moved over… sooner than he normally would on a lead out. That moved me forward as we went past the two riders ahead.

I knew Peter was back there, but I simply did not feel like killing myself up the climb. Still, I went into the climb participating in the sprint. Peter was still on my wheel. Then my legs just quit. Yes, I could have ridden through the pain and pushed it, but my guess is the result would have been the same.

“Oh, come on!” Peter encouraged me to race him. I even tried it, but my legs yelled at me louder than Peter. “I can’t do it. I can’t do it,” I told him. I sat up and Art came around me. Peter took the sprint easily with Art in second.

Oak Leaf: I followed Art and Peter up this steep but short climb. I wasn’t in the picture for the top though. I’m not even sure who took the climb. From my vantage point suffering behind them, it looked like they reached the top together.

Nature Trail: I recovered somewhat before the stretch of road I hate the most — Nature Trail. Anthony took off and got a huge gap right off the bat. Then he slowed, but I figured all he had to do at that point was maintain the gap. Peter and I commented on his attack and just kept our pace.

Peter moved away from me and I kept a distance of a few yards behind him. I wondered how my legs would do this time. They did feel better than they did at State Park. Perhaps I could make this work.

Anthony was falling back to us pretty quickly at this point. I moved up closer to Peter and followed him up to Anthony. Then I jumped first leaving Peter and then overtaking Anthony. At that point, that old pain came back. However, this time I decided to ride through it. I just aimed for the manhole cover that marked the end and pushed for the top. Whew, I did it!

Then it was time to head back to the shop. Once there, I started to feel that shakiness that comes from major exertion. Those two rides bookending my night, really wore me out. Tonight I think I will sleep like a baby!

Here is one of my favorite group rides. The Sunshine Cycle Shop Hour of Power is a great ride – especially if you are a customer of the shop. I’ve been buying bikes and equipment there since the early 90s. I’ve only been joining the Saturday morning ride since August 2006. You can come along as well – customer or not. In the summers the group leaves from the shop at 7:45 a.m. Check out the Sunshine Cycle Shop website for more information.

The blue line shows one of the primary routes used during the Hour of Power. Click here to expand the map. Once you have expanded the map, click on it to be able to view more detail.

The ride breaks up into two groups about a third of the way through. The faster riders will continue through the whole course and the second, slower, group takes a short cut that sometimes brings the group back together toward the end of the ride. So, whether you are a beginner or a hammerhead, you’ll find a group for you.

The “Hour of Power” which is a bit more than an hour – it covers anywhere from 25 to 32 miles depending on which route is taken – concludes back at the shop where you’ll find doughnuts, bananas, coffee, and sometimes some culinary surprises. Food or not, the participants often hang around the shop for up to an hour.

What is the ride like? It starts off through some residential streets, along an industrial road that includes some nasty railroad crossings (hang on to your water bottles!), and then you start making your way through the rolling countryside that you find below Paris Mountain. The hardest parts of the ride come toward the end. There is the infamous Nature Trail. This is a road that I hate. It isn’t the steepest climb, but it just seems to go on forever! There is also the shorter but more steep Oakleaf Road.

Once you are through those sections, it is a pretty easy shot back to the shop. You’ll come back in on some of the same residential streets that you went out on. All in all, you’ll find the fast groups pace to be around 16 to 17 mph – of course, on the sprints you’ll be looking at the upper 20s.  Hope to see you there!

The Assault is Monday and I’ve been gearing up for the girlie portion of the ride – the Assault on Marion. As I’ve mentioned before, I hope to have a better chance of getting a number for next year’s Assault on Mount Mitchell by riding this shorter route first. I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not prepping for the AOMM – I’m only going 73 miles and not 103.

Last night I rode my normal 20+ miles in one hour and then this morning I got up to ride with the Sunshine crew. Once again I determined I wasn’t going to push it. Hee, hee.

The ride started off a little faster than usual. John (shop manager, Cat 3 racer, and founding member of Les Amis) and a Junior racer were up front. I wouldn’t say we were flying, but where we normally would have been spinning along at 16 mph, we were pushing 18 to 20.

There were also two other riders that I remember from last year who weren’t there last week. These guys were right up there as well. Feeling pretty good in my legs, I decided to join them.

Everything was fine until we got on Meece Bridge Road. Another rider had joined us after we left the shop and he was up in the front of us. As we approached a bridge (maybe it is the Meece Bridge) I saw the rider check up and wobble. John and I were right behind him and we split on either side.

Soon after we passed the end of the bridge, I heard it. It was that thud of a cyclist going down. My first thought was hoping that there wasn’t anyone coming up fast behind him. Looking back, I saw that it was only the one rider.

I didn’t go back for a closer look. I stopped at the next curve to motion cars to slow as the approached the bridge. After a time, he climbed back on and we continued. It appeared that the only damage to the bike was a broken brake lever. He didn’t seem to have any scrapes. He certainly slowed down enough. Perhaps he just wasn’t able to get his foot out of his pedal and he fell over.

After that excitement, the group was blown to pieces. It took a while for the group to pull together again, but we finished the ride without anymore excitement.

The good news for me is that I continued to pull with the big boys. On any sprint I decided to try, I did pretty well. Granted, today I chose my battles!

The most fun sprint was up to the intersection of Hwy. 253 and Darby Road. At first I thought I would hang back but I was able to jump on the wheel of a rider (I had never met) who came flying by me. I knew he was going somewhere, so I let him create our path.

We went flying past some of the riders in the rear of the pace line but then the line broke and it was each man for himself. The jockeying started and a couple of times I had to avoid another rider. Then there were just four of us (John had slowed for some reason) and the guy whose wheel I had enjoyed missed a shift up ahead. He did a great save! His rear wheel fishtailed, but he gathered it back in and kept going.

Sorry for the long post, but man! that was fun!

I haven’t been able to participate in the weekly Sunshine Cycle Shop “Hour of Power” ride this year. The ride falls right during the time that my wife does her aerobics. I can ride anytime, but she can only go when the sessions are offered. So, that means I have been home with the kids on Saturday mornings.

Today we worked it out so that I could go. I’m hoping that we can make these arrangements every weekend. I enjoy riding with a group so much more!

Everybody meets at the shop around 7:45 a.m. and things get rolling well before eight. Today there were about 15 riders or so of varying levels. It was cool to see a father there with his son who appeared to be 10 to 12 years old. There was also another rider who told me he was just getting back on the bike after a 20 year hiatus.

The route takes us into the Rutherford/Stallings area. Then we work our way over to Sandy Flats. At that point we are working our way towards Paris Mountain and end up on Autobahn before winding our way through back roads back to the shop. All told it is about 32 miles.

The fun part, other than just gabbing with the other riders, are the sprints. Of course, this being a shop ride, it doesn’t get too intense. Still, when a certain stop sign or hill top is just ahead, the lead riders start jockeying for position and then the dash is on!

One sprint concludes at the entrance to Paris Mountain State Park. I was in a drafting line near the rear. I had used myself up on some earlier sprints and I really didn’t think I could make it. Well, for some unexplained reason, the line splintered and everyone slowed.

Because I was in the back my momentum carried me to the outside of the line and I found myself at the front. Up ahead were two riders. “I can take them,” I thought to myself and since no one else was pushing I figured I stood a chance of being first to the top.

I caught the two riders easily and passed them, but with about twenty feet to go, Tony, one of shop guys came flying by me on my right. Rats! I had never been first on the sprint and he stole it from me.

Overall, I felt very good about the ride for being my first time back. I hung with the top riders all day, won one sprint and finished in the top three or four during the other sprints. Mostly though it was fun to work as a group and then hang out at the shop afterwards drinking coffee and eating bananas.

Thanks for the fun Sunshine!