It was 45°F at 8:00 am in central Texas, but it was forecast to break 70 by noon. The plan was for a long group ride, around 75 miles -- an excellent opportunity to push for a century. I started with arm warmers, ear warmers, and windbreaker, which was comfortable for getting to the coffee shop meetup. We were supposed to leave at 8:30, but casual conversation delayed us a bit. By the time we ventured out, around 8:45, the sun was already beating down -- I shed the windbreaker.
We followed a regular route out of town, getting east of Interstate 35 as quick as possible. The gentle winds and quiet roads in the Blackland Prairie made for a peaceful morning spin; the casual pace permitted some more spirited banter between riders. 20 miles into the ride and we arrived at Gruene a noteworthy tourist destination that marked our turn towards River Road. The group’s legs were still too restless for pictures.
Following the river brought us to the Canyon Lake Dam. Having been previously under construction, it was refreshing to see the top of the dam was accessible once again (which also provided an alternative connection to Canyon City). It was around mile 40, and the group was finally ready for some photos -- pictures of the lake, the scenery, the group, and of course, some selfies too.
Image 1 + 2: Taken atop Canyon Lake Dam
The next major stop was only another 10 miles further -- a hilly 10 miles, but it passed quickly with company. At around mile 50, we encountered a treacherous obstacle: the “slime” bridge at John Knox Ranch. The thin sheen of algae on the surface of the bridge made it too slick to ride across; instead, we removed socks and shoes and walked softly across. Luckily the sun was feeling warm, because the water was still mighty cold.
Image 3: "Slime" Bridge
We made another stop in Wimberley at around mile 57 for water and snacks, and a bit of rest. It wasn’t necessarily rest from the miles previous, but for the miles ahead. At mile 62, it was time to face the “Manmaker”, nearly 200 feet of climbing with an average grade over 10% and max grades estimated at 17%. After the climb (and the inevitable moments of regrouping), the roll back to San Marcos seemed easy. At around 75 miles, the group headed off for post-ride festivities.
I kept on, determined to hit my goal. I headed out for the typical weeknight training lap, right around 25 miles; the route began back into the wind, which promised an easy return ride, and easy finish to the century. I didn’t make it far before I was blocked by a train but at least I was early enough to catch a decent picture to prove it.
Image 4: Seeing the front of the train means a bit of a wait.
The end of the ride was underwhelming, but went smoothly. I reached the turn around point at York Creek, pushed on and sailed back home with time enough still for some hearty home cooking.
Image 5: York Creek -- the well known local regrouping post
