# 2010 Bike Virginia Report



## MB1

Miss M, The Philadelphia Lawyer (Phil for short) and I met up for BikeVA. We rode a lot together this winter in Florida but it sure was cold, not going to be a problem in the Shenandoah Valley this week..... 

We got a crazy early start and were treated to a great sunrise, great views and endless empty roads. :thumbsup:


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## Opus51569

Man, you really are living the dream...kudos...and great pix!


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## MB1

After the first (very fine) rest stop the views opened up and the climbing got a little harder. Phil couldn't quite keep up with us going up but a little cruising on the downhills and we were back together.

At some point several routes of the days ride started to converge and we started to see other folks. Still, there was plenty of room on the very quiet rural roads.

The second rest stop, oh my! :yesnod:


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## MB1

Actually the rest stops were very close together so from the last pig-out to town was only about 20 miles. For the first time in 65 miles we started to see clumps of other riders (like you might expect to see in a 2,000 person ride).

It was nice to finish and get an icy drink as the day was heating up.

Then it was time for phase 2 and 3 of what is sure to become our daily ritual.

Eating and shopping. :thumbsup: 

Should be a fun week.


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## skyphix

Awesome - can't wait for the rest of the weeks photos!


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## Slim Again Soon

Shenandoah Valley, and all of western Virginia, really, sure is pretty.

Thanks for the pix.

The woman on the ukelele recumbent ... she sure looks fit!


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## MB1

Sunday started out much warmer than Saturday (and Saturday was by no means cool). Not quite as cloudy either. Again we got a nice early start. Turned out there were a lot more folks getting an early start today.

Likely they hoped to beat the heat too.


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## MB1

Just like yesterday we got to lunch a couple of hours before it was scheduled to open.

No lunch for you! 

Actually it was way too hot to eat a meal anyway. We filled our bottles and took off.

The ride got hillier and the temps were climbing faster then we were.  

So we only added 24 miles to the route.  

I'm riding with some fairly hard core folks!

Now, what's to eat?


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## MB1

Somehow or another we didn't end up doing any shopping on day 2 but we did visit the a Presidential Library (almost no books in the place...).

But darn it, I was so hungry I didn't get any pix of the pizza. :mad2: 

I did manage some ice-cream pix though. :thumbsup:


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## 97G8tr

Awesome! Thanks for the pics. As a former Virginian, stuck in Atlanta, I'm envious.

If you want to do some amazing riding after the Bike Virginia check out the beginning of Blue Ridge parkway, south to Wintergreen. Some great roads down on the east side of the valley. Since you're from D.C. I'll spare you with how great I think Charlottesville is. :thumbsup:


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## FatTireFred

never seen a nitto technomic on a merlin before...


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## MarkS

MB1 said:


> Sunday started out much warmer than Saturday (and Saturday was by no means cool). Not quite as cloudy either. Again we got a nice early start. Turned out there were a lot more folks getting an early start today.
> 
> Likely they hoped to beat the heat too.


Even with an early start it must have been hot as hell. I had planned to do a 100 mile ride to Gettysburg, but five miles outside of Westminster (30miles into my ride) it was 85 degrees at 9:00 a,m, I turned around and took at shortcut. But, I did not realize that a crucial bridge was out of sommission. So, I eneded up doing 70 miles; it was 95 degrees and very humid by the time I arrived at home.. I was wiped out. I can only imagine how hot it was in Virginia today.


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## MB1

MarkS said:


> .... I can only imagine how hot it was in Virginia today.


The 3 H's are out to play this week for sure.

Hot, humid, hazy.

Florida was good practice I guess as (so far) we are doing fine.


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## jd3

It's a mighty hot week to be on the road. The heat almost got me in Missouri Saturday. I love a good rest stop. You look like you're having fun.


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## VaughnA

Nice write up MB1. We have a group of 3 centuries in the fall that encompass a lot of that area so we skipped it this year. After seeing the temps for the weekend I'm not missing sleeping in the tent during a heat wave. Enjoy the hotel room. Great riding and beautiful scenery. BIke Va does a good job with rest stops & meals. I just need to calm down after seeing the Shenandoah Pizza sign in one of your photos. It's one of our favorite post ride stops. 

Just remember, its Stan-Ton, not Ston-ton..


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## VaughnA

Hey!! I just noticed. Is Miss M slacking off and using gears? 

I bet she did today going up past Sherando...


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## MB1

VaughnA said:


> Hey!! I just noticed. Is Miss M slacking off and using gears?
> 
> I bet she did today going up past Sherando...


Yup, she decided to bring her go fast bike so I had to bring mine (Miss M has hardly been out of the big ring-not so bad when you are running 650C).

We have all the bases covered, Miss M on Steel, Phil on Ti and I am riding PLASTIC :yikes:


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## MB1

Day 3 is a move day. The whole circus is moving from Staunton to Harrisburg.

We packed up and got our usual early start. Somewhere on the road the ladies brother met up with us and the hammer went down.

Why not, it is a short day.... 

It wasn't long before Miss M and I were out on our own and flying.

It was big fun.


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## MB1

Miss M and I moved along so fast that the last couple of rest stops weren't even open. No to worry, we blew into town before 10am and had plenty of time to hit a coffee shop before the full circus arrived.

Then time for shopping and dinner planning.

Dinner better be soon is all I have to say!


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## MB1

After everything settled down, we had a room and were set for the next couple of days it was time for a long leisurely dinner and fluid replacement effort.

A very long leisurely dinner. :thumbsup: 

I do believe I just might be able to ride tomorrow.


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## HokieRider

OOOHHHH!!! Shenandoah Pizza! I love that place. 

More power to you guys riding in this heat. Ejdo and I did 22 on Saturday starting around 6PM and it wasn't too bad. Boy were we glad we rode then and not on Sunday. It was horrible! And Monday wasn't any better. Did you recieve any of the pointless rain? 

Love the early morning photos.


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## VaughnA

Great Shots. As I said before I love riding in the Valley. Unless you get to the mountains there aren't any big climbs and beautiful scenery all around. Good move on getting out early. I did that in 06 when Bike Va was in the same area, it really makes a difference. But like you said you get there before some of the stops or lunch open. But you also get to be first in line for the massages and bus ride to the restaurants and beer gardens. 

Did the sunday century go up to the parkway as the map on the website showed? I figured I'd hear about the climbs up past Sherando and down to Vesuvius.

Check Yer PM's for the Goshen Ride info that I was late sending.

Have Fun!


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## MB1

We had been having quite a fine trip and yesterday I had really pushed the pace (very unusual for me). 

With that in mind I was thinking that day 4 is about the time of the trip where things start to get old and you start planning for whatever happens after the trip. You sort of get your fill of meals, moving and hanging with fun women. Not today.

We got our usual early sunrise start. Todays route looped the long riders around to meet up with the shorter routes several times. Hence the climbs were populated with a great variety of riders. It was kind of cool to see everyone and this was the first day the lunch stop was open when we got there.

We met some fun folks at the stops but on the road Miss M and I didn't do our usual fooling around.

We were moving. And feeling good!


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## MB1

The weather was summer fine, the route hilly ideal, the rest stops amazing and there was plenty to see all day.

We rode so well............I'm still amazed.

DQ!

Then it was time for the ladies to quit all that practice shopping and get down to some serious buying.


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## MB1

Probably the less I say about dinner the better.:blush2:  

The ladies wore some of their new finery, I was plain.

After all that it is time for a nap to ready for a nap to get ready for bed! :blush2: :blush2:


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## bigrider

Great ride report. Hazy, hot and humid are the worst riding conditions known to mankind. 

Did you all camp out? Do tell. I remember you saying MissM refused to camp.


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## VaughnA

Lovely stuff. I hope you went to the microbrewery in Harrisonburg for a brew. Hit the rooftop seating for some great views. 

I know what you mean about the 4th day. The last couple of years they were tough. But the short final day is nice. We would finish about 11:30 and have time to get home and rest before returning to the normal world.

If you see a handsome young guy with a mohawk tell him that me and Melly said hello.. Is the crazy black guy with the fun attitude and fun socks there this year? He was a hoot. He would stop at every big hill and ride up and back cheering on the riders. The people you meet at the ride are the best part.


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## Ridgetop

Glad you guys got a hotel room. I can't imagine sleeping in those sweltering tents. Awesome report. We've wanted to do Bike Oregon one of these years. I think you've inspired me to look more into it.


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## MB1

bigrider said:


> ....*Did you all camp out? * Do tell. I remember you saying MissM refused to camp.


Not likely! :nono:


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## MB1

*Rest Stops and Tailwinds*

Today what with only a short 50 miler coming up we slept in. Good thing too since it had turned cold (somewhere in the low 60's when we headed out). Still managed to see a bit of the sunrise.


Like all the other days the riding was fantastic, the scenery ideal and the rest stops were killer.

I gotta admit we were a little quiet knowing that the end was near. Didn't stop us from flying down the road though; of course the strong tail winds helped! :thumbsup: 

Shortly after the last (very friendly) rest stop of the day we headed off the course and back to our cars.


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## MB1

Kind of sad to see the whole thing end but then I was reminded, "The party ain't over until all the ribs are gone."


I'll bet they are partying still.

:thumbsup:


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## MB1

*Some final thoughts.*

Miss M and I aren't too into organized group rides (too many people and not enough miles for our tastes) but we would likely do this one again. 

For the most part we managed to start early enough to mostly ride alone and it was very easy to add miles and still finish before the worst of the summer heat.

The "Church Group" rest stops were the best we have ever seen.

Although there is something to be said for having a rest stop at a winery!

My hat is of to all the casual riders that did this one-the hills were not easy if you weren't strong and used to climbing.

It had been a few years since we had ridden down there as we have gotten out of the habit of driving but we are seriously thinking of spending some more time down there in September.

I'm kind of bummed that I only managed to meet a couple of RBR riders. OTOH I am pretty happy that we did meet a couple of RBR riders.

I love my official portrait...... can't think of a better image. :thumbsup:


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## VaughnA

It is a great ride. There are a lot of organized centuries in the area in Sept or just roll your own. Or you could join us for the Goshen ride. 

Did you happen to hear where they are going to be next year?


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## Slim Again Soon

The Lounge sox ... that was great!


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## skyphix

Awesome, looks like it was a fun ride. 

I'm interested in your in-car bike rack.


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## enki42ea

So thats what the ride looks like early in the morning.... I think I got on the road at ~8-8:30 each day. Was the last one back to the school on Tuesday since I pushed myself doing the pink/orange route (72 miles) and one of the last on Wednesday.

All my rides this year have been ~30 miles with one very flat metric century and a 40 miler so wasn't really in shape for all the hills and the distances but still managed to do 280 miles. Was feeling really fatuigued the last two days. Didn't help that I was camping and the soccer lights on the feild kept me from sleeping


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## tarwheel2

*Bike Virginia*

I kept looking for MB1 and Ms M at Bike Virginia, and finally ran into them at the very last rest stop on the last day. I believe they were operating on a different clock than me. Funny, they "slept in" the last day, and it was my earliest start. However, I roughed it and "camped out" in the gyms along the way.

The routes were beautiful but we had to contend with the 3 H's -- heat, humidity and hills -- until the final day. I had planned to ride the century on Sunday, but it was so hot that I wisely opted for a 75-mile modified route. Good thing because my legs totally cramped up at 72-mile point, only the second time that has ever happened to me. If I had ridden the century, I would've had to return in the sag wagon.

I was too lazy to take many photos, plus I knew that mine wouldn't compare to MB1s. The bonus for me was that MB1 took me a personal tour of Washington DC on the Friday after Bike Virginia. It was a great recovery ride, and I got to see some monuments I hadn't seen before in previous visits to DC.


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## MB1

skyphix said:


> ...I'm interested in your in-car bike rack.


It is just a couple of pickup truck bed clamps screwed to a 1"x6"

http://www.bikerackshops.com/grouppickuptruck.html


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## MB1

tarwheel2 said:


> .... MB1 took me a personal tour of Washington DC on the Friday after Bike Virginia. It was a great recovery ride, and I got to see some monuments I hadn't seen before in previous visits to DC.


After all that BikeVA riding it was nice to just cruise around for a change. :thumbsup:


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## Becky

Great pics! 

I'm a little bummed that I never met up with any Loungers or, if I did, didn't know it... But it was a fun time all the same!


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## JimF22003

Nice report! I had a great time. 

VaughnA: the century ride actually went the other direction -- UP to the parkway from Vesuvius. There were plenty of people walking that thing  That was my third time up that climb, and it always surprises me how hard it is. 

I didn't walk though


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