This was our last group training ride to get ready for Dirty Pecan next weekend. We chose the Peach Cobbler Chainbuster gravel race route and added on some extra miles at the end to make it a clean 100. I added some stuff at the very end of the race route, so if anyone needed a bailout they could just stay on the race route.
We had a good group of 8 show up to roll at 8am under clear skies at 56 degrees. Two hours in it felt like summertime, and it was such a beautiful day. It’s always humbling and strength building riding with this crew.
The route was good. It is very climby, but I am sure that is how Jason intended it. The Gap of the Mountain or Chandler Mountain climb near the end, looked a lot worse on the elevation profile. Nobody had to walk that one, but there were a few climbs that some had to walk.
The last 10 miles of the route had some nice gravel I had not seen that I enjoyed a little too much. There was a big granite boulder mound at the top of one of the climbs, and I rode up and down it mtb style.
An hour and two tubes later I found the tiny granite fleck that was stuck in the center of my tire. A borrowed tube got me back in, but I decided to even out the split when 3 folks decided to take the race route, and four were going to stick on the hundo.
Casey and I were at the back of the group when we saw a turkey on the side of the road. He was trying to get away from us at first, but I baby talked him into walking toward us. Then he gave us a good gobble-gobble, and I threw one back. We went back and forth several times, like we were arguing, and he was eating it up. He was obviously someone’s spoiled pet from the way he was acting. This was my Jive Turkey moment, turn sound on for the video.
We also got to see a Honkey. It looked 80% horse and 20% donkey, mostly in the face. It wasn’t a mule. Next to him was a handsome young blonde horse. I called him up to the fence with the same baby talk I was giving the turkey, and he let me pet his nose a few times.
I won’t say this ride made me feel like I am ready for the DP200, but I will be prepping the best I can this week. Awesome day on bikes with friends.
Pics and video: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/sqgqrgshqkp9q6wl87g1o/ANDINh3xv2vKz0-SCxXF_uw?rlkey=tbjpp5t02l2x8hxn0fxjpmyon&dl=0