Anybody want to bike 100 miles?
97 miles (ok, just a bit shy), 2850 feet vertical
After yesterday’s grueling ascent of Mt. Hermon, the ride organizers decided to pile on with a century ride of 100 miles. The good news was that we had more flat road riding and a lot of downhill descents, so it finally allowed us all an opportunity to just ride. And that’s what we did – with a lot of paceline riding and finally spinning out our legs. (Oh, yes, there were still hills and climbs so we couldn’t get too comfortable.)
The morning started out pretty chilly and we all bundled up with a lot of layers, knowing that by the time we got down to the Knerret, it would get really hot. Nevertheless, it was cold and windy. Very windy. This made the first segments much tougher than they otherwise might be. But, we gave it a go and the miles started to pile up. The route took us on a lot of zig-zagging and everytime we turned, the wind would blast us from a different angle. So we dealt with the headwinds and the crosswinds before finally getting some tail winds.
The long descent down to the Sea of Galilee was exhilarating and we dropped from over 3000 feet to minus 750. I always get a little thrill when descending past the “Sea Level” sign.
The group was no nonsense today and we set a blistering pace, knocking off 71 miles in about 4 hours before stopping for lunch (ahead of schedule). After lunch, a couple of us (the sane ones) decided to back off the gas pedal and ride at a more human pace. Unfortunately, even at 18.5 mph, a gap formed between us and the lead group and before we knew it, we were forced onto the bus for a couple of miles. Mostly this was because the police had to control the traffic through many roundabouts. Still, it was a little annoying to get picked up at that speed and being told you weren’t fast enough. At any rate, compared to the temps now in the 90s, it was nice and air conditioned on the bus and we were quickly dropped off with the rest of the group at the next gas station.
The final 15 miles were blissful in the late afternoon as the air began to cool a bit. A nice group of like-minded folks stuck together and hummed along at 19 mph to the final stop where cold beers and refreshments awaited us. A long bus ride brought us to our hotel for the night and a gala celebration of 20 years of ALYN Wheels of Love. Thank you all for being a part of this wonderful program.
Please enjoy these pictures from our fourth day on Wheels of Love.
And, if you want to support my ride, please visit alynactive.org/participant/jeff-blye. To all those who have already donated – THANK YOU so very much. I am deeply grateful for your support.
Journey with Jeff 