Big Dam Bridge Century!!

[Aggie_Ama]

I still am having trouble processing that I completed my fourth century of the year! My goal for the year was to complete three and I surpassed that. The Big Dam Bridge was definitely the best of the four.

Saturday morning started with a train waking me up at 4:30- grrr. I was surprisingly quite nervous about this ride, I am not sure if it was being out of state or the lack of much riding for two weeks. Once we got moving though I was better. I wish there had been more of a staggered start so I could enjoy riding through the closed downtown but I did get to take in a nice view of the capital.

The first 40 miles zoomed by, we got behind a large herd of people and used very little energy. Our first rest stop was in Conway and the volunteers were out of this world. One person held my bike while another filled up my water bottle. Miranda (my bike) scored a compliment from a local Tri-Athlete, she loves compliments. I was also able to remove the arm warmers and knee warmers, I don't know how you gals carry so much on these rides. I felt like a darn pack mule!

We moved along to where the ride got a little more hilly. The hills were longer than what I am used to and I actually enjoyed the challenge! I did got my feelings little hurt by a group of guys passing me who told me "It only goes up from here, the real hills are coming. Better get ready for the real hills." I don't think the snotty way they said it can be expressed. I was spinning up a smaller hill and felt like the were saying I was going to have to walk. DH had already pulled ahead and didn't know any of this was being said. The two steepest hills popped up and I climbed my little heart out- no walking for this girl. Then I descended with confidence and passed the guys.

I was ready for the well place rest stop at mile 64!! We then went along and at first I was surprised how fresh I felt. That stopped at mile 80 as I felt like crying wondering where the rest stop was; I had hit "the wall". Everything hurt. We took a break and then pressed on down Maumelle Road (avenue?). That road was highly travelled, there was a slight headwind and rolling hills. I just kept my eyes on the prize of finishing. Once we turned onto the River Trail I felt like it was mile 20. I soaked in the beautiful scenery and tried to keep cranking along, I desperately wanted to finish in under six hours. The tight cornering I had to do impressed me if no one else.

We pulled onto the finish and I started trying to sprint it out! The crowd was still around and the cheers made me feel good. I stopped just shy of my goal at 6 hours and 2 minutes! My average speed was 16.6, the best of the hilly centuries I have done.

We met a lot of incredibly nice people on this ride. I also noticed more Orbeas than I have ever seen!! What a great ride, definitely one to put on your calendars!

Wow this became a novel.

[Tri Girl]

Awesome report, Amanda! I was wondering how your ride went- glad to hear that it was really great!!
I'm also glad that you passed those snotty boys- boo to them. I hate sarcastic comments like that on rides. Like you're not fighting enough emotions/pain/etc as it is.
Good for you for hitting 6 hours! Nice going!

[Tuckervill]

Good job, Amanda! I wish I'd looked a little harder for you at the start. That AV jersey must be hard to miss.

I've been trying to think about the "hills" they could have been referring to. It's relatively flat between Mayflower and Conway. (I grew up in Conway.) Conway's flat. The steepest hill on 365 was the one over the levee as you get out of the curvy part coming out of Maumelle.

There was one hill my son walked a little on the way back, but he was struggling with the distance. I know it wasn't too hilly because *I* didn't walk any, and I"m the hill slug. lol. I consider that ride a flat ride. But that headwind coming back across the interstate and down the hill to the trail, OY! That happened last year, too.

I'm impressed that you went all the way to Conway without stopping! I probably could have skipped some rest stops, but my son thinks that's part of the fun. My favorite rest stop is the first one, which is run by the Parrotheads Club at Cook's Landing. They're all decked out in hula skirts, and playing loud music.

Of course, I know Texas is FLAT in places.

Why do people have to be jerks? Everyone was nice to me when I flatted. I'm sure those guys were NOT from Arkansas.

Oh, and I'm curious where y'all stayed? If you come back next year maybe we can meet up.

Karen

[PscyclePath]

I also noticed more Orbeas than I have ever seen!!

If you were in the 100-mile staging area down by 5th Street, the brown building in the fenced area to our left was Orbea USA... They're made (or at least assembled) right here in NLR, and Orbea is a big booster for cycling around here...

Congratulations!

[Aggie_Ama]

Here is the elevation profile, maybe you can tell me where those two steep hills are? I would consider the route rolling hills, much like what we have west of our house in the hill country. We definitely don't live in the flat lands but those two high points were hard. But I conquered them! I find this elevation profile to look deceivingly easy on paper, especially the back half. You can't put the headwind and chip seal shoulder on there.

I saw the Orbea shop, lucky guys.

[Hub]

Psyclepath is too modest to tell you that he won an Orbea Volata a couple or three years ago in the Tour de Rock- now I don't remember if he won it by racing or jsut a drawing, but it is a sweet little ride. I love just hangin out at the stops and starts & seeing all the other cool bikes- we don't have many riders around here . . .
Sorry I didn't see you saturday, but I'm glad you had a good time & hope you'll go back next year-

remember if you want 1 more centruty this year- there's the Tour da Delta in Helena Arkansas at the end of this month!

and Tuckerville- if you grew up in Conway, where did you go to college? and just how long ago?

[Tuckervill]

Here is the elevation profile, maybe you can tell me where those two steep hills are? I would consider the route rolling hills, much like what we have west of our house in the hill country. We definitely don't live in the flat lands but those two high points were hard. But I conquered them! I find this elevation profile to look deceivingly easy on paper, especially the back half. You can't put the headwind and chip seal shoulder on there.

I saw the Orbea shop, lucky guys.

I've been wracking my brain to remember those hills between Conway and Mayflower. We used to drive that highway to get to Palarm, which is that liquor store we passed after we left Maumelle Blvd. Conway is in a dry county, so as teens we knew where we could buy liquor if we looked old enough. The whole part between Mayflower and outside Conway is a blur.

But yeah, I see those kick-*** hills! Sorry about that! Glad you conquered them.

I stayed off the shoulder as much as possible. Of course, I got my flat from something in the ROAD.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

Pat, I graduated in 1980, and I went to college last year (at NWACC).

I know you don't live in Little Rock, but where do you live again?

ETA: I did sign up for the Tour Da Delta this morning (metric century). I thought even if I don't get to ride, the cause is so just, I couldn't pass it up.

Karen

[Hub]

I live in Cleveland Mississippi- home of the Fighting Okra- (Delta State University)-
I grew up around England, Arkansas- graduated HS in '81- went to UCA in Conway, graduated in '84. Psyclepath also went to UCA, graduated in '78 & George ( our baby sister) graduated from UCA in '92 (I think).
ohmigosh- did you know Monda Strange in High School?

[Tuckervill]

Of COURSE! Monda and I were friends. She teaches at Conway High (maybe not anymore).

She is a fantastic poet. She didn't come to the reunions, but I'd love to see her again. She's one that's hard to forget.

small world and all that.
Karen

[Aggie_Ama]

Tuckervill- I meant to tell you we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in North Little Rock. We were very happy with it other than the train. Maybe that was why I was so fast, I stayed at Holiday Inn Express. I think those hills were on Fortson Road?

Everyone except that one little group was wonderful. We talked to quite a few people and had a great time. I don't know if we will be able to make it next year since we are planning to do the Enchanted Circle in New Mexico, but we might. Little Rock is really a manageable drive for us, but then again we are nuts like that.

[uforgot]

Sounds like you had a terrific ride! I have wanted to ride that dam bridge since it opened. I'm definitely going to have to get there before Christmas!

[Hub]

I knew Monda in College- she was always so cool . . . It's a little scary imagining her as a teacher though . .

[Tuckervill]

YES! It is very hard to imagine her as a teacher! Especially since she hated high school so much! lol.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

I just went and found the official pictures of us from the Big Dam Bridge 100. I want to share this one of my son, finishing the 50 after not riding all summer (except to the pool which is less than a mile away).

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...116&scount=353

Doesn't he look happy? He was smiling at his dad, who was taking a photo from behind the barrier. Doing a little swerving around as he crosses, probably just for the joy of it. It's one of the most interesting poses of the whole gallery, because he's not straight up like everyone else.

The gallery is really really slow to load. I ended up scanning through the thumbnails just looking for red or yellow or gray jerseys, because you can't scroll through the images very fast. I wish the photographer would get a better website. Last year I didn't buy any photos because I was so frustrated with the website. I'll bet he doesn't know that!

Karen

p.s. I know his helmet is undone...he'd gotten tired of it just as he rounded the last corner.