I "successfully" completed the NJ 600K over the weekend. It is probably the easiest, best supported and nicest 600k imaginable with flat to just a touch rolling terrain thru lush farms (blueberry, wine, cranberry, tree, corn, and horse) with long stretches thru state forest skirting an army base. Saturday start at 5 am with air saturated but relatively cool and then mostly drizzle all day and around 70F..... good rando conditions by my view. The ride starts in a suburb of Princeton and slowly we escaped the sprawl of civilization. The last 6 years of my life have been devoted to conquering pain, a battle of sorts resorting mostly to a recumbent, shots into my spine, RF ablations to nerves, and pain medicine. Doing an SR this year on an upright is a big success (for anyone). Yesterday I finished dead last on my upright bike finishing under the wire and it was one helluva battle. It was hard. But I won. Ironically, the last time on the NJ 600, I finished before the sun rose in under 24 hours and frankly, it was easy. Life is weird.
The first 200K meanders down to a town called Salem at the mouth of the Delaware river where we were graciously met by Rick who had water and stuff for us. Manning and supporting a 600k with 15-20 controls seems impossible to me. Quite a few controls were manned. I rode with a really smart local professor or should I say, I tried to take my pulls as best as possible but he was stronger and at about the century mark just under 5 hours IIRC, I asked him to go on because the pain was winning at that moment. He had just finished a Pizza at NJ rando famous Pat's when I arrived. "Climbing" off the coast up onto the plain in light rain, I waved to super rando who sports a Santa-like greybeard who probably started the brevet fashionably late as is often his custom. At some point the lead group passed me and offer to let me join. We were moving pretty quickly, there was one extremely experienced randonneur and the others, judging by riding style and gear, were relatively new to the game not to be terribly judgemental. Riders were talking about riding thru the night since we'd probably finish the 400k under 15 hours. That was not happening for me. I never thought of quitting but knew this was going to be a *****. The newer randos were taking more risks on the left hand intersections than I care to take and my mind would think of all the departed, so, all considered I let them go and decided to figure out how to just finish. I recalled the former PA RBA's advice to alway sleep and eat before quitting. Then, it occured to me. I still had 25 hours to do 123 miles. So, I went home and slept 9 hours using ice and pain meds. It seemed like cheating but I asked and there isn't anything in the rules against sleeping anywhere you want, so, I went the short distance home to my own bed after icing up. Should it be so hard? I dunno. I guess it can suck.
Sunday was a brilliant day. Gorgeous. Stunning. Cool in the morning and sunny with high temps in the low 80's. The first info control is at a Revolutionary war battlefield and even though they changed the info control question, I knew the answer having been there so many times. Anyone who would pencil whip the control to avoid the 2 miles is a cheater. I did the "journey" into the park, chatted briefly with a dog walker and went on my way. Cheaters are going to cheat, which is probably why RUSA graciously gifts us with like 5 controls over 50 miles or something like that. My best memory of the ride happened at a small, somewhat dumpy old country store in horsey country that is a magnet for cyclists. I had a lengthy conversation with a Vietnam Vet who clearly wanted to chat and so chat we did. we talked for maybe 15 or so minutes. It was a nice break and gave time for some more vitamin M to sink in. He earned his college degree and MBA after the war. To this day, he gets nightmares from the war. You could see the tears welling up in his eyes. A lovely and friendly guy. Scruffy. He seemed old. Riding away, it occured to me that he might not have been much older since I was in my teens IIRC when that one ended. He was one of those types who could be worth a billion dollars and you would never know it. He was following the TdF. We talked the tour and I listened to his politics. The next control at a WaWa was staffed with drinks and snacks under a shade tree. Luxury. So nice. I did not realize it was staffed, the volunteer (my memory escapes me) fetched me twice from the store. The second time I was sitting absolutely wrecked next to the trash cans amongst the cigarette butts eating my metric foot long hoagie. If you have not just plopped your wasted derriere down at the nearest spot, are you yet a rando. Smugly, I relished the odd stares of old fat Harley riders....call me an elitist. No problem.
Then, the ride skirts the army base with heavy traffic "goin' down da Shore" (beach). What is it with old harley riders. I'm riding on the shoulder in the crap debris and one harley rider intentionally gooses the throttle and buzzes me so close it scared the doodoo out of me, after passing he weaves in and out of the shoulder. I have no idea what his message was but mine to him was clear as day. I appreciated the massive rush of adrenaline. Rather than be merely pissed, I decided to use the energy rush and it really helped the pace.
The clockwise route swung North and the modest headwind became a tailwind for a few hours thru the northern edge of the pinelands. The indigenous people down there are our rednecks and referred to as Pineys. Seriously though, anytime I have been in trouble on a bike, it has been a poor person in an old pickup coming to my rescue. Honestly.
At the penultimate control before the seemingly gratuitous info control 6 miles before the finish, Matt filled my bottles with ice and spring water with a banana and salted almonds, just what my body needed. He even used gloves to keep the ice clean. I would have used the ice off the pavement but the hygiene gesture was appreciated. My Garmin then failed to make a U turn to reverse from the control and it continued straight for some bonus work. A comical double backing across the busy highway but who hasn't done that a million times.
The entire NJ team of volunteers is amazing really. There must have been 40-45 riders. In July? On a 600K? Wow. I tried my best, it was very difficult on an easy course with great support but I got my SR this year. Not on a bent. On a real bike. A small triumph. I always wondered why the finish rates were so poor for older riders on PBP. I guess we are like old pickups with rusted out chassis but the motors still good. I had gone to a top Sports Cardiologist a few years ago, he said old endurance athletes often have the hearts and cardiovascular systems of 18 year olds and it isn't the heart that stops them, rather Orthopedic issues get them. I'm grateful to have done a full series on an upright but 1218Km on one might be too far. I can't believe I wrote so much crap, apologies for the drivel.