Because the FG50 wasn't happening, I agreed to teach Sunday school. I team teach with my friend Barbara. She had filled in for me the past few weeks, and so I was definitely due to spell her. Then, a few days ago, Monte put the word out that he was getting together a last-minute FG50 after all. Drat. Sometimes it's hard being a responsible person.
I came up with a good plan after all. I packed my cyclocross bike, kit, and gear in my car. I taught Sunday school as promised. Then, I bailed on bricks-and-mortar church and headed to the PWR for bike church.
I parked at Allison Lake toward the eastern side of the PWR. Monte and whoever else showed up had left at about 10:00 AM from the regular starting point at the boat ramp in Juliette at the western side of the FG50 route. I got on the road about 11:15 AM and picked up the route partway through. I hoped my timing was such that I might see some of the other riders.
The portion of the FG50 route that I rode took me on the south side of the PWR. This is a beautiful section that I don't get to ride nearly as often as the northern side. From Allison Lake I rode west on Round Oak-Juliette Road (paved) and turned left onto Little Rock Wildlife Road (unpaved). Local off-roadies call this the "wildlife loop." It winds through breathtakingly picturesque woods. The angle of the sunlight on a bright fall day somehow makes this section especially stunning.
I completed the wildlife loop and came back out on Round Oak-Juliette Road. Right after that turn, I came up to a couple on gravel bikes. Yep, they were doing the FG50. I was glad to finally find some other riders!
Easy come, easy go. I was riding a little faster than they were, and so I continued on solo. A short distance later, I turned onto Caney Creek Road for the next dirt section to the south. After about a mile and a half, I turned left onto Pippin Road. Somehow I had forgotten just how hilly Pippin Road is. It's got several significant climbs, particularly for dirt road riding, including one that's about 11.5% for a short distance! I managed just fine, though. The fact that I wasn't going at my usual FG50 race pace helped. In fact, today I quite enjoyed a lot of scenery that I'm usually riding too hard to be able to notice.
I checked the time and decided I would ride half the FG50 distance, i.e., a Sautéed Green 25. If I took the most direct route from there back to my car, I would be about 4 miles short. So, I decided to go to the next dirt section and add a short out-and-back distance to get my 25 miles.
I rode north on Highway 11. As I approached the fire tower at the intersection of Highway 11 and Round Oak-Juliette Road, there was another group of cyclists! It was my friends Chris, Jake, Monte, Van, and three other guys I didn't know. Cool! Now I could ride with them for a while.
After they finished their break, we continued a little farther north and turned left back onto dirt at Westvaco Road. This section was a prime example of what great shape the roads were in. The dirt was well-packed with minimal gravel. I've never seen the PWR roads look so good.
Alas, I got to ride with my recently found cycling buddies only a few miles. The regular FG50 route headed northward for a while, but I didn't want to add that many miles. I could have done a predictable out-and-back section on Westvaco Road, but I changed my mind at the last minute. Instead, when we got to the first intersection on Westvaco Road, I turned south onto Mussleman Road. Expect adventure.
I had never ridden this road and didn't know exactly how it connected, but I figured it had to somehow. (The fact that Monte didn't discourage me from taking that turn also gave me confidence that it connected.) I knew the direction I needed to go, and so I simply had some fun exploring. After about a mile, the road came to a T intersection. I thought the road to the right might connect to some other PWR roads that I would be familiar with, but I had a feeling the road to the left would take me out toward a cluster of houses on Round Oak-Juliette Road. I took the road to the left.
My hunch was right. I came out right where I thought I would. From there, it was just a couple of miles back to my car at Allison Lake. Actually, when I got back to my car, I was about 1/4 mile short of 25, and so I rode back and forth on Allison Lake Road to top it off.
Monte has plans to bring back the FG50 next year. I sure hope it happens, but even if it doesn't, I know where I'll be on the first Sunday in November.
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