I found this link on mapmyride.com. It maps the ride nicely.
Here is the 2011 62 mile Cue sheet.
| Elevation Map | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mansion Ride |  |
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Let's see on how to begin. Jim, Pepe and I did this last year and had a good time. The plan was to do this again this year. We tried to convince Joe to do this as well. He did a Century ride last weekend (ride-boat-ride) and didn't want to take time away from the family so he declined. I would love to do ride-bike-ride but it's really a whole long day affair that begins and ends out on Long Island. Jim declined because he had to go to fittings for Matt's wedding. Pepe declined because of last minute family that showed up. All valid reasons - Oh yeah, there was 70% chance of thunderstorms. Not showers, thunderstorms. I guess I am a cynical SOB because all those were really valid reasons yet....It was supposed to thunderstorm. Can't help myself.
Well, it's for a good cause and I pre-registered and I need the miles so...I'm by myself as usual. That's ok.
Wednesday, I left work early and we went to the open house at Bronx Science. We sat on the Cross Bronx Expressway for a long time. Took us over an hour to get there but 22 minutes to get back. Glad we went but because of it I missed my swim. Wasn't sure how to make it up. Thursday, during Jeremy's tennis I ran and then the storm hit. I wasn't gonna go back out in that tempest to either do a long run for this weekend or to make up the swim. Friday, normally before an event, I would either not swim or swim light but I had to make things up so I swam. I swam 2,600 and together with monday's 4,000 push, I felt good. I wasn't sure if I should run long on Saturday but Elizabeth took that out of the equation with we need to go shopping for a suit for Jeremy. That's fine. I was tired and the Mansion Ride is not an easy course.
Sunday...Jessie had 2 birthday parties to go to. Go to one, then run to the other. Jeremy, still has no suit so that too. Mansion Ride starts at 7:45 which is late for me. I usually start at 5am so my plan was to start at 7. As soon as I could get a cue sheet, I would be out of there. But how do I get there? And how do I get home?
Got some options...Getting home, I could either ride home (another 20ish miles), or call for a ride. Lee would probably not be available as she was pulling driving duties. Getting there means I either ride there making for a really long day or getting a ride from either my mother, my father in-law or Elizabeth.
As my father-in-law got to our house to pick me up Sunday, I hear my name being called and footsteps on the stairs. I figured Lee woke up when I see Jessie followed closely by LC coming down the stairs. LC of course figured on maybe another walk. Talked to J2, said bye and told her to go snuggle with Lee in our bed.
Now, this morning, I woke up briefly at 2am and saw the rain. It was coming down hard. Not happy but went back to sleep. When I woke up at 3, the rain stopped but the roads were all wet. Wonderful. Really looking forward to this. When I walked the dog, it was 60 degrees. Wasn't sure what to wear for the ride. Decided to take a windbreaker with me (just in case). Had it in a pocket in my jersey. When I got to the race site and I saw how many people were wearing either long sleeves or windbreakers, I busted mine out. Got the cue sheet, hit the porta-potty and took off.
Left at 7:15 which I didn't want. I wanted to leave at 7am but whatever.
Right off the bat, I chased and caught this rider up ahead. Black guy riding with a red/black/white trek and an accent. I think someone called him Leslie. We rode together and the guy was pretty good. He was not gonna push it crazy style but I think he could. I actually did better than him on the hills but he always caught up. I wasn't gonna push the downhills with all the wet roads so we were together pretty much the whole ride.
The ride starts in the Brookville/Muttontown/wheatly loop and eventually also ends up there. Sucks.
Seacliff came and went. Beacon hill as well. Things weren't that bad. Other stupid little hills did. I think my legs were toast at this point.
At one point, we came across a bunch of guys (and 1 girl) who had a Gran Fondo jersey. Nice. They were pushing it too until one of their guys either got a flat or dropped all his stuff. They eventually caught up and flew away. We expected it - it's ok.
They must have changed the course this year. Last year, we had a few rest stops, where you fly down this hill, go into the rest area and then climb that hill back up. Not this year...Good. Hated that part of the course.
Some of the rest stops, you go in, come out the way you came in and go your merry way. Some of the rest stops, you go in from one side but leave through the other. For example, Gerry Park...The 62 miler went in and left from the other side whereas the 35 milers never went in. Another rest stop was the science museum. Now, as I went in, the Gran Fondo guys were there going in circles. They started following and this one guy started screaming at me to tell the "stupid organizers that bla-blah-blah and that the markings are bad and blah-blah-blah.". OK - let's get this straight...Who the hell are you and why do you expect me to do this? I wasn't going to do anything. I'm not gonna do anything. Idiot. I went in and who's manning the maintenance station? Andrew from Brickwell. Spoke to him for a few and left the correct way. Andrew was there as support not for logistics so why you gotta bitch at him, Gran Fondo guy?
Special mention regarding beacon hill up/down and that whole area near the Port Washington father's day Tri. Hate it. Beacon up was really not that bad and the down was awesome but the rest of the way sucks. No matter what I do, whichever direction I go, the wind is against me. Worst is the sewage plant. The stench this year was the worst we ever had. The potholes are still there and the wind.....
On another note: California Loving Kenny. Didn't see him. But on the way down, I spied a guy who looks a lot like Kenny climbing up. I could have sworn it was him. But he didn't have the bike and he didn't start early and maybe it wasn't him but I would like to think it was.
After going down Beacon, we eventually got back to Northern Blvd (we go underneath) and then we started joining with the 35 milers. Kudos to them by the way. They climbed up Seacliff but they didn't have to deal with Beacon. Still, I wished them luck. Some of these guys never rode 35 miles before and I am sure they suffered.
Last rest area. Last year we had temps in the 90's and the watermellon there was awesome. This time, just filled up the water and left. I still wore my windbreaker and I was cold. Looked at the map and told my buddy that we still have about 14 miles (we were at 50) and that we have lots of rollers and fake ups and downs through Brookville/Muttontown. This guy came over and said it wasn't that bad. Hm...
We left and we get to this closed gate. Everyone had to get off their bikes and go around. This guy comes over screening "out of the way...I'm jumping the gate". Hm...He was joking. I told him, I don't know why no one was sliding under like in the movies. Anyway, this guy had a helmet video camera so somewhere on the internet is me in his movie.
Anyway, later in the Wheatly loop (Muttontown/Brookville), the guy who poo-pooed my rollers came through and sped by. Dude was doing well. I mentioned it to my buddy and he told me, heh....Dude is doing the 35 miler. Of course he's fresh. Boom...Lost respect for the speedster. He deserves the kudos for the speed and the way he rode but he poo-pooed me while he only had to do 35 miles? Pshaw...
Almost done. Happy. On Muttontown Road, crossing the 106, approximately another mile or 2. My friend, didn't catch up and all I wanted was to get my behind off the seat.
Finished. Few calls, topped off the Gatorade, took small bowl of pasta and back on the bike for the ride home. Had my wife's blessing for this so might as well take the miles.
Got home after putting in 80.68 miles in on the bike. Last week it was 64.5 and this time about 16 miles more. I was hurting and so was my behind.
I haven't checked my time compared to last year but what was interesting was that my AVG MPH for this rode was 13.9 yet when I got home it was 14.0. And I thought I was toast.
In any case, got home, walked LC and then took off on the run. Decided I would join up with the family at the start of the 2nd birthday party. Ran from home to Commenwealth, through 79th all the way to Little Neck. Crossing Union Turnpike, I almost got run over. It was flashing "don't walk" but I'm still a pedestrian. A car comes screatching in and almost hits me. I'm waving to her and the fact that I have right of way and she continues on and I continue on and again almost hits me. On and on. WHAT THE HELL?!? And the ironic thing is....I know her from the train. She lives in Bellerose Village and didn't recognize me. Oh well.
Do I say something to her? Hm... Ran up/down Little Neck to the LIE. Ran up/down Little Neck to Northern Blvd. Ran Part of MD's row up to Lakeville rd/Middle Neck rd and made the left at Leonards into Great Neck. From there to Mudworks. Got there before any of the kids including the family. Close to 6 miles (5.82) in 59:57. Little slower than 10 minute miles but that's ok. The first 1.5 miles were tough. Very tough. Got through the pain and misery. Glad I did it.
Didn't get a full long run but 6 miles after almost 81 miles? I'll take it.
By the way, I think I am ready to retire this event. Probably won't do this event next year...
