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Report by Steve Rheault
Today's midweek brevet was a blast for me. When the midweek brevets were proposed I never thought I'd be riding any of them but I decided to book today off
and actually get in a proper midweek ride. After obtaining all of the clearances, my wife mentioned the "one other thing". She had a meeting tonight, and
therefore, if I were ever going to do a sub-10 brevet, today would be a good time. I was trying for my first sub-10 on Sunday riding the Scugog Circle but after
adding 28km for being a lemming after the first control and another 8km for trusting the TL on the route sheet more than the word "West" which introduced me to Janetville's "extra" lovely hills, it just didn't happen as planned.
We gathered at Centro and got off to a timely start. These midweek brevets always seemed like they would be Alan's rides so I was quite
surprised when I found out he was just doing the first few legs and then he had to go downtown. While Scott and Alan forged ahead, I
did a reality check and dropped back and then Paul did as well so we could talk a bit. I explained that all I wanted to do is be sub-10 so
that I'm home at a good hour and Paul said he'd help me do it. Meanwhile Anne was back a ways with the very capable Ken Dobbs
so we knew she had an excellent companion for the ride.
The ride through the Holland marsh seemed much more familiar this time. A bit of new roads northwest of there before finally going down to CR1
and then the Hockley Valley road. Since we were doing Hockley Valley both ways we got to see a low flying blur named Scott returning while we were on
the way out and then saw Anne and Ken during our return. Paul was extremely accommodating with my desire to keep a steady pace without going nuts
for any uphills because I still was feeling my leg cramps from Sunday. His advice on Rolaids for getting a quick calcium boost to alleviate cramping was golden.
They will now be part of my standard equipment. We made hay when I could (downhill) and he stayed in sight up the hills. Well all except one; the nasty hill up
CR1. He climbed it quickly and then promptly descended back down and extended it out the other side so he could then turn around and climb it again.
Once was enough for me, thanks. I figured if I rode hard it would take him close to the 20km we were from the control to catch me but he did in half or
less although he was finally looking like he was exerting himself at that point.
Once we arrived at the control and starting to window park our bikes, we had Mr. "Mac's" come running outside and accuse us of leaving garbage when
we stopped there on the way out which struck us as a pretty strange way to run a business. Anne, Ken anyone leave an empty glass cranberry juice bottle at
the side of the Mac's? Just kidding...
At this point we were 50km from the end and there was a remote possibility we could get back closer to five so we started to hobo hump it back. I
didn't think I'd be able to keep that pace up so I told Paul that he go on ahead and that I really didn't mind taking my time. I knew that I would be doing a sub-10
very easily now and that I was thankful to be in that position and appreciated the help but he wasn't doing anything of the sort.
So we kept up the push knowing that we were doing pretty well. Our total stoppages were well under an hour and our navigation had been bang on all day.
At about Jane Street, the mental calculators were going full blast indicating that before 5pm was possible but only if we went full blast.
So off we went with my helmet above Paul's back wheel. I actually jettisoned some ballast in the form of fruit to help with the hills.
There was a bit of a breather as we cut through Kingscross and then some serious speed work down Keele.
Paul was my remote control locomotive along Keele. Up 1, steady, up 1... We flew into the bakery at 4:57pm. I was home by 6pm and my wife was pleased.
This was the first time that I have ever been back from a ride at or before my estimated time. Many thanks to Paul for helping my sub-10 attempt become a sub-9,
and thanks to Alan as well for arranging a nice mid-week stress reliever for me.
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