This past Saturday, in beautiful Granbury, Texas, I did my 13th bike rally of the year and my 485th overall. The course profile looked scary, but it wasn't that bad. My friends (Phil, Randy, Bryce) and I took our time getting up the many hills, some of which were long but none of which was all that steep. Our goal was endurance rather than speed. With the Hotter 'n Hell Hundred two weeks away, we needed to be in the saddle for five hours in the brutal heat.
And hot it was! The official high temperature for the day, at DFW Airport, was 102º Fahrenheit. The sun beat down on us as we pedaled. It was also windy, but hey, whatever doesn't kill us will toughen us up, right? That's the way I saw it. We stopped three or four times for food and water. At one rest stop, I ate a large dill pickle. I did my best to encourage the others, one of whom had to sag in. (That means climb into a motor vehicle for a ride to the finish.)
My average speed for the day was quite low: 15.70 miles per hour (for 75.49 miles). I topped out at 39.1 miles per hour. My average heart rate was only 99. The maximum was 140. A year ago, on a different Granbury course, I averaged 18.11 miles per hour for 78 miles, alone. My average heart rate that day was 132. See what I mean about taking it easy? I enjoy both types of riding: by myself and with friends. Afterward, we went to Grump's for food and drink.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 