New Frontiers

New Frontiers,

Yesterday I was feeling on the way I'm sure most of the old conquerors did some times. Alone on my bike, riding to discover areas I never ride with my Tarmac ready to discover New Frontiers.

The decision was made last Saturday, in front of my computer, when doing a review of different options for the Sunday ride, I came to one conclusion, it's time to start riding more and more on the Tarmac. All the circuits I am used to ride around home, are well know, but not long enough, unless I want to start repeating laps. So I decided to draw on a map something different, trying to extend the ride enough to spend 4 to 5 hours.

Summer is really close to his end, and temperatures are more and more inviting me to ride, so the weather was a good allied yesterday. Temperatures around 75 F were the best on the last days, and even at the end of the day I was riding on a nice and hot 85, nothing close to the 100 F just had some days ago.

The route I decided was starting on my typical circuits, from my home in Creek Shoals, going west on Roper Mountain, Pelham Rd, then north on North Pleasantburg, to close the first section riding up on Paris Mountain Rd, till the State Park. From the State Park, going back to Greenville Down Town, using mostly the circuit next week US Pro Cycling will use for the race, with North Main as a nice road to enjoy with the continuos "bumps"...or how I try to translate "toboganes". From Greenville Down Town, riding south east till Mauldin, close to the Donaldson area and really close to the circuit US Pro Cycling will use for the Crono Race. Once in Mauldin, north east to ride back on my typical circuits till I was back at home. Total a little bit more than 50 Miles.

When I started, the weather was fresh, but a nice sun was calling for an increase on the temps, so I fill my bottles with enough ice to have water fresh all way long. Riding west on Roper Mountain, with the nice typical south houses, was really an experience, as I was just going on a rithm I feel comfortable. The miles were passing fast, in 30 minutes I was already on the intersection with the 14th, 15 minutes later on Pelham Rd, and after the first hour, I was just at the end of North Pleasantburg, ready to start the climb on Paris Mountain Rd.

I never tried to climb those roads with the Tarmac, so my body was a mix of feeling strong, but at the same time without the confidence of what would happen. Some minutes later, I just realize this was not my MTB, so there was no small gears, and I was thinking on Lagranevasio with the 29" SS...with the feeling my legs were going to explode at any moment. But the first section to climb Paris Mountain is not that hard, and after some minutes I arrived to the ramps with less percentage, so the worst was gone for some minutes.

Just as side comment, this road is close to George Hincapie's home. I was close to go in and made an interview...maybe another time, why not?

Small relax time, road going down for some minutes, just waiting for the State Park. Once there, and due to internal problems...I had a Lagranevasio moment in Cerdanya...I had to stop on the park "rest rooms", problem solved, and keep going. In less than 10 minutes I was in front of "the wall", the last ramps on the road inside Paris Mountain State Park, those last ramps are really hard, I can't let you know percentage, but for sure between 10 - 15 %, it's just 1,2 milles, but they are really hard. I was already riding on my smallest combination, and at the end of a small section, the road is going up again to win the last meters, my body was feeling without forces, but I was thinking why I can't do it?...so last effort, and some minutes later I was on the top, with my legs close to be dead, and thinking in Betty blog entry related to her rides with the 29".

There is no bar there, so I stopped to drink some water and eat one of my three granola bars, once I was finish, I pick my iPhone to do some of the ones I included here...hope you will enjoy.

Going back to Greenville, temperature was increasing, but as I decided to ride on an aerobic rythm, I was feeling good. North Main is a great experience, going down and up, on one of the oldest areas of the city, with houses made you feel you are on the Civil War. With the great sky-grapers at the end, with a nice view of the city....awesome!

My route was planned with an stop on Carolina Triathlon, but unusual, the shop was closed...so I just fill my water bottle in a Mexican Restaurant is in front of the shop, nice people....Miguel fill both with water and ice...and with a question, do you want some TEQUILA ? Some relax, and my second granola bar, five minutes later I was riding back to Mauldin, using Laurens Rd as main direction. When I decided to use that road, I was not sure if due to the traffic I will feel comfortable, but the best thing is that as on Sunday most of the people is leaving the city, the ride was nice, and this road is going down softly, so my speed was increasing, even I started to have some miles on my legs.

Another stop in Mauldin, more drink, last granola bar, and then back north east to my home, on my usual roads, the smallest ones, which I really prefer to the big ones going to Paris Mountain. This section is a continuous going up, nothing impossible, nothing you can really feel, but there is no relax till the end. Legs were good, I was feeling flying on the Tarmac, so I decided to increase speed on the last section, and I did, after more than 4 hours on the bike, I was back at home.

A nice day, finished with a nice talk across the ocean. New Frontiers...

From SC, Xavi Paricio