(Post-blogged on Sunday, May 15th)
...6am comes very early when you go to bed at 1:30am. I was utterly exhausted. I rolled out of bed, with a Black scottie dog "Frankel" (my friend's dog) who snored all 4 hours next to me. I took a quick shower and put on all my bike gear, complete with arm warmers and light jacket - headed out the door with coffee in hand, power bar in mouth. I fumbled thru the directions but I got to the place of the Capital to Capital Century in Dorey park @ 7am, pulled into a dim parking lot with about 50 other earlycomers (later - was to be over 500 cyclists).

Capital to Capital Century, 2005 Click photo to enlarge Photo by d. scott gregory

It was a relatively chilly morning for what was to become a scorcher of a day - in the low 90s. I registered - sort of a low-tech fiasco, then a quick run to the jon, load up on some bananas, oranges, granola, and wash it down with elecrolytes and a red bull. Ready to go...

Saw a few blokes I know from other centuries...and we all acted like dogs wanting to play..sniffing butts and waiting until we were ready to run off in the wind. A team of about 18 of us all started together - started slow, then pacelined hard. Set the tone right away - this was going to be a time trial paceline, we (as a group) are going to keep a tight paceline for the entire 100+ miles, and try to break or stay @ 5 hours (saddle time).

There was one stop after 12 miles - only wussies stop there, or the ones who have to pee every 20 minutes, we breezed on by like a train, then the second stop after 25 miles - we stopped only to grab gatorade refills and a quick "squirt", off in less than 5 minutes....we were whirring at a fast pace, dropping a few riders on the end like a whip... it was a streamlined poetry in motion sett of gears within gears, pace pace pace, then pass, then airflow, then pace pace pace, then airflow....like an electric snake rolling along.

Capital to Capital Century, 2005 Click photo to enlarge Photo by d. scott gregory

We arrived at the halfway point, 53 miles in Jamestown (the first settlement) at 10am. The pictures shown here are of a few of my paceline team (others were in the tent hydrating or honching food) - we had no time to take pictures, so I only was able to have a SAG dude snap a few, then we were off.

The temperature rose up to the high 80s and it became humid as hell on the baks of the James river - sun beat down but we were a collective whirr of gears, sweat and aereodynamic color wind. We diverted the headwinds and celebrated in spirit the 90+ miles, then the pain sets in - we continued to hydrate, and hammer the pedals like a locomotive - then we saw the 100 mile mark, a few more miles.

We finished as a team, working collectively at 5 hours, 5 minutes.

I was elated, and tired and hot. I immediately started taking my recovery hydration packs and a few advil. Drank about another gallon of water, did a slow 3 mile loop letting the lactic acid breakdown. Saddled up and drove back to my friend's house who was suprized at how quick I finished. I was in great shape tho - so I took a nice hot shower, changed clothes and we headed to the store, got provisions for the dinner party we were having (for 8).

Long story short, we had a wonderful dinner party - complete with shishkabobs of chicken, lamb, beef, mushrooms, marinated portabello mushrooms, babaganouch, berries, Corona, Merlot, Chardonnay, omg...great fun - fun conversations with a diverse crowd - then a relaxing dip in the hot tub. I was sleepy afterwards - went to sleep.

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(Post-blogged on Sunday, May 15th)
I was very exhusted all day from the late night before coming home late and trying to organize, pack, clean/lube bike and finish preparing for a weekend in Richmond with friends and also to bike the Capital to Capital Century. Work was a real tired mess of things, but suffice to say - I got through the day without much anxiety. I planned on a "light" training ride for an hour and a half to stretch out and avoid rush-hour traffic (the plan was to leave directly from work and drive down to Richmond, following my bike ride which would be after rush hour). The ride went smooth, in fact the weather was perfect - I wish it had to be cut short to have to go back to pack up and drive 100 miles south, so the next morning I could bike 100 miles (seems rather silly in retrospect).

I finished all my bike shit, ran to the store before hitting the road for some provisions (Gatorade, Corona, Advil) for the following day. I hit the road, hit it hard....I hit it soo hard from 6:30pm - I was stuck in traffic at a snail's pace ALL THE FRICKEN WAY to Richmond. Pure traffic, unsure why - no bad weather, no accident, no construction...just "Volume" of people all stuck in traffic like a damn parking lot along 95.

It took me 5 hours to drive to Richmond - I got in at 11pm. Let's do the math (which I'll explain some later about cycling 100 miles), I averaged 20 miles an hour times 5 hours = 100 miles. I fucking hate Northern Virginia. Pardon my french.

When I finally arrived at my Friend's house - I was greeted with much OMGness, we hate traffic too - we played some pool, had a few beers, I took a tour of the house and then I had to hit the hay. I had to be up at 6am.....

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Well, obviously "recover does not work". I refuse to use Blogger's silly tool for "creating a blog" - I never even use any of the WYSIWYG features - I still code by hand...much faster. But when the fucker freezes up - I'm SOL, I lose everything. No "recover" nothing. Not a way to take a screen shot, no way to save as...just a glass monitor blinking at me like a dumb Walmart Shopper/cashier asking me for my credit card.

So here it is, a full 1/2 hour of what I was able to salvage. I typed a huge 3 page scenario - complete with links, image references. I have no time for this shit. Fuck you blogger. I lost it all. So, I present the only capture I could - via digital camera, the only thing I could (click for larger).


Will bullet and expedite what I have to say, because I have lost patience and have no time.

work was long, rushed and sucked

I will be out of town this weekend, Century on saturday, shitty weather.

Huge club ride tonight, I am bushed - total of 50+ miles

i spent the little of my evening rushed trying to get my bike thoroughly cleaned/lubed

Spent another part packing for entire weekend, huge lifestyle shift of accommodation+weather changes

is looking forward to weekend - will not post anything until after sunday

and fuck you blogger - you just took a crap on my already rushed evening.

have a great weekend!

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What a long, odd, productive, yet exciting day. Not much time to go into any detail - it's getting late, I have shit to do in preparation for my trip to Richmond this weekend.

Work was a wild mess, I had to do a photoshoot for a restauraunt/club downtown today, was rather exciting, yet chaotic. Took most of the day. Lots of drama, bizarre scenarios, models, food, et al - but all in all, it was successful. Client very happy.

The temperature rose and rose all day, became real humid. We finally got back from the photo shoot right as the office was closing up - it was 85 degrees. I changed into my lightest cycling gear - knew I was going to be sweating gallons. Which did happen.

I met up with a few cyclists in Ashburn, some guys I know from my club - they are AA riders (Cat 2-3 National cyclists), very fast - we hightailed it all the way out to Purcellville and back (on an odd loop), 45 miles total. Those boys wore me out, and tomorrow night is the club ride - will be double worn. Good thing I'm doing a light "stretch ride" on Friday before I drive down to Richmond to do the Century on Saturday.

I am excited for the weekend - plans slightly changed - will stay at a friend's house outside of Richmond, more condusive to having a weekend party - hot tub, pool table, big kitchen to cook in. I'm psyched. Speaking of which, I will not be posting anything after tomorrow night until Sunday - so I will leave a few place holders, and retro-blog them when I return (with hopefully rioutous pictures.

Time to fluff & fold & pack.

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Wow, today was an almost mirror of yesterday, in terms of weather. Just frickin beautiful. I couldn't wait to leave the office to go out and enjoy the weather. Work was just work - but very busy, the day fortunately slid by.

Click on photo to enlarge in new window

I was able to slip out of the office on time and do my East route, I biked to Shirlington and back (basically in Alexandria). It was crowded, but nice - although heavy headwind going East (unusual - we are expecting thunderstorms tonight), total of 45 miles. I took a diversion ride on the way back to Performance bike shop to pick up some new teflon lube, tire patches and a new tube (went ahead and renewed my performance team membership) - gotta be prepared for the Century this weekend. Which in my mind will be a snap (if the weather holds out). I will be driving down Friday after a quick training ride, staying the night with a friend, getting up at the crack of dawn and driving to the staging area, then biking for 106 miles - will come back, take a shower, go shopping for a few things, then have a dinner party (I will cook of course...haw haw), stay the night then come back Sunday late morning to this area for a quick stretch ride before I come home and fret for another work week.

Someone asked me to take a photo of me smiling on my bike - seems that all the pictures I have of me on my bike, or in my cycling clothes all suited - I never smile. So the pictured photo was taken tonight with a damn smile :)

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Oh My Gosh, what a beautiful day. Was more than perfect. Was in high 70s, very light breeze, no clouds in the sky. One of those days where you could just play hooky from work and head oout and have fun. Well, work needed to be done, so I beleagured throught the day and waited like a happy pully ready to play when I prematurely changed into my cycling clothes at 5pm. Most work was complete - but folks were ready to head out.

I biked out to Purcellville and back, with a slight detour up a mountain road - all in all, 46 miles. Not bad for a weekday ride. I was sailing like nobody's business, and singing Barry White fo no apparrent reason whatsoever. Just a beautiful day (forgot to take the camera - I was too livid to get out there). Saddled up with a few folks I know on the training route, we talked "shop" about training, and one of whom is also training for the Mountains of Misery piped in about his testimony. Was interesting to hear his account.

I'm now officially stoked, the season is on - and I have my 2nd Century ride this weekend, the Capital to Capital - a ride from Richmond to Williamsburg/Jamestown and back. Tomorrow is going to be yet another brilliant day - weatherwise.

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Click photo to enlarge. Photo by d. scott gregory

Happy Mother's Day to all that it applies to. I finished the evening with a fantastic (suprize) Mother's Day Feast for my mother... Broiled Lobster Tail in a Garlic Herbed Butter served on a bed of Pasta Con Pesto with a side of Lemon Herbed Asparagus with roasted pine nuts and shallots wrapped in Prosciutto drizzled with a Hollandaise sauce. Desert: Homemade Key Lime Pie. (pictured above, minus the pie). It was a lot of fun prepping and cooking that meal. Watching my Mother drool in anticipation. She just loved it - and was strangely impressed that I actually made a homemade pie. She went back for a second slice of pie. Least I can do for the woman who raised me.

That was an exciting dinner, recipes soon to follow (may update tomorrow night) for the Lobster, asparagus and the key lime pie (already have the Pasta Con Pesto on my cookblog (which needs reorganization).

It was an amazingly beautiful day here - in the high 70s - not a cloud in the sky, a nice breeze. But that breeze was more like gusts up in the mountains/hills - made for a dichotomatic training ride, huge gusty headwind going out, then smooth sailing coming back. I was hammering hard - finished up with a solid 58 miles [93 kilometers] (to close this week totals of 320 miles [515 kilometers] for this week, 4,795 miles [7,717 kilometers] total for the year).

Sunday night work anxiety settle in - gonna be a rough week, then next weekend, will be in Richmond doing the Capital to Capital Century - should be a nice relaxing weekend with friends, cycling, good weather. Reminds me, I need to dig out my bathing suit - may have to swim in the James River if it's warm enough.

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