Yesterday was the 9th annual Spokes ‘n Spurs ride, benefiting Spirit Reins Ranch. I’ve participated in this ride for the last seven years as a volunteer, providing event communications with the Williamson County Amateur Radio Club. The ride organizers decided to use a different means of communication this year, so I was free to ride the course.

I chose to ride the 100 kilometer route, and had set an informal goal of finishing in under four hours. I didn’t want to push too hard because I’m a little out of shape. I didn’t ride over the winter, and just started getting serious about it again in March. I figured this would be a good introduction. The weather forecast called for highs around 80, and 10 to 15 MPH winds from the south, increasing to 20 or 25 in the afternoon.  I didn’t figure the wind would be too much of a problem, since the ride is primarily east/west.

Whoever laid out the course must have been a fan of M.C. Escher. Or perhaps they had the spirit of Escher lay out the course. That’s the only way they could have created a circular course that has more uphill than down.

Except they did one better. They also somehow managed a constant headwind.

Joking aside, the wind was bad. It was 15 MPH to start, and the temperature was about 55 degrees. I wore my vest and arm warmers. The vest came off at 23 miles and the arm warmers at about 40. Good thing those cycling jerseys have very large pockets.

I did have a new experience on this ride: I was the leader at the very beginning. When we lined up, I was toward the front, and when we took off I somehow managed to be in the lead. For a bout the first mile. The fast people soon went by me, and I was smart enough not to try keeping up with them. That heart rate monitor is a valuable piece of equipment, provided I pay attention to what it’s telling me.

A rather large group came pedaling by at about six miles, lead by members of the Austin Flyers women’s cycling team. I let them pass, then latched on to the back, figuring I could let them pull me along for a while. That lasted until about mile 13, where we made a turn and started up a hill. Those ladies are strong. They left me and quite a few others gasping for breath as we struggled up the hill.

After that I was pretty much on my own. There were always riders nearby, and I’d chat briefly with those who passed me or whom I’d pass, but I didn’t form a group or get into a group with anybody else.

I stopped at mile 20 or so to refill my water bottles, get a few PB&J sandwiches (the benefits of an organized ride!) and peel off the vest. Then it was off on the worst stretch of the ride. From that rest stop, the course does a 17 mile loop, heading south and west to Burnet, then back to the same rest stop. There’s a lot of open space there with relatively few (compared to the rest of the course) hills, and nothing to block the wind. The wind had picked up and was about 20 MPH by then, with higher gusts. I had to work to keep from being blown over by the direct crosswind. Not fun. But I made it back to the rest stop, now at mile 40.

I’d never ridden the course on a bicycle before, but I was familiar with it from riding in the SAG wagons for several years as a volunteer. I knew that there was a series of hills from about mile 50 to about mile 55, with the first being a very short but steep (10 to 12 percent grade) little monster. I’d been dreading that stretch all day, and every time I saw my heart rate monitor reading above 80%, I’d back it off knowing that I’d need the energy later.

There was another rest stop at about mile 47. Its primary purpose, I think, is to be the midpoint rest for the 42 mile riders. I didn’t stop there, but I did notice that it was placed about 50 yards from the Oatmeal Cemetery. Coincidence?

I was right to be concerned. That first hill was tough. There were several people walking their bikes up it as I approached (riders from the 42 mile route, I think). I geared down and began ascending. When I stood up to put a little more power into the pedals, my left leg nearly locked up. I had to be very careful not to push too hard. Fortunately, the hill is short and I managed to ascend it without blowing a gasket. My heart rate did get to 86% of max, though. From there, there are several long climbs, but not nearly as steep. There’s another rest stop at mile 53 or so, but I had plenty of water and food, and I just wanted to finish the ride.

I finished the route, 60.28 miles, in 4 hours and 10 minutes. That’s an overall average of 14.5 MPH. My moving average was 15.1 MPH. I spent a total of 11 minutes at my two rest stops. It’s not my best time, but I’m okay with that. The wind was brutal, and the course did feature over 3,000 feet of climbing. Contrast that with the Waco Wild West Century, which had only 2,400 feet of climbing in 100 miles.

I’ve been impressed with the ride’s organization since the first year I volunteered for it, and I was still impressed as a participant. These people know how to put on an event. The start/finish area is well laid out, the course is well marked, the rest stops are fully stocked with food, water, and friendly people, and there is plenty of SAG support. It’s a small ride–maximum 1,000 people–but it’s really well done. And everybody I talked to on the road had nothing but good things to say about it.

If you’re an Austin area cyclist, you should seriously consider this ride next year. It’s a well organized ride on some of the most scenic roads in the area. Well worth getting up a little early and driving north to Liberty Hill.