[C4 Rides] Tour de Frog Weekend

[Chris Ashworth]

Well"Tour de Frog Pond" was a great ride I only wish I had made it to thestart on time.  It was 28.5mi from housewhich I mapped perfectly.  Except, Iforgot too tell my brain to pay attention to the map.  I was cutting it close on time, but still wouldhave made the start easy if I would not have taken the wrong turn down the mainroad through Oakboro instead of the next right on highway 24.  In the end I went 3 miles out of my way andwas 15min late to the start.  Of courseby the time I registered & refilled water bottles I was close to 25minbehind.  For training purposes & tostroke my ego the goal day was to just catch anyone.  The route was awesome, decent rollers throughoutwith the final climb being the same one we do on AOMM route at approx. mile55.  By the end I caught the back of thefield and passed maybe 10 riders, but my last "match" was burned soto speak and I still had the 28.5mi to get back home.  The after ride meal was great and gave meenough rest & fuel to make the ride home, but the fatigue in my legs was sosevere I could barely walk the bike up the .5mi dirt road to the house.  I swear I could hear my hamstrings rubbingand making noises like rubber bands.  Thecramps were instantaneous if I flex my hamstrings at all so if there would havebeen a video of me walking up that hill certainly it would have gone viralonline.
 
Overallgreat ride and my legs are closer to being ready for 200+mi. :)
 
Nowfor the rest of my weekend, it gave new meaning to "High EntertainmentValue".  I spent Mother’s Daytraveling to Saguenay, QC, Canada which means I'm so far north that if I climbup on the roof of the hotel I can see the North Pole.  My baggage never arrived so it had to come onbus from Quebec City to Saguenay.  I mayget lucky enough for baggage to get here before I fly back to Charlotte.  Then to top it off the 2 1/2 hour drive toSaguenay from the airport became a 3 1/2 hour drive.  The weather progressively got worse thefurther north I drove until it was blizzard conditions.  The temperature was below freezing and windsare ridiculous.  The ruts and sloppy roadconditions were tossing the car around and I'm sure the guy I'm traveling withhad white knuckles and secretly calling for “Mommy” especially with each car Ipassed.  (Well the other cars were justtoo slow!)  
 
Sonow here I sit getting ready to go into plant for meeting wearing old bluejeans and a T-Shirt that may as well say "Who Farted!" on it.  Its 23 degrees outside and the snow is stillfalling.  Of course I’m traveling withouta coat so even the Canadians are looking at me with the expression of “DudeWhere’s Your Coat?”.  Then followed bysomething in French that I’m sure meant “IDIOT!”.   
 
Ican't wait to get back to Charlotte! Have a great week everyone.  J

 

Christopher Ashworth 
(704) 608 1280
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