Leading the teams pace line I'm about to over take this slacker. (Uhhhh
yeah right)
I could tell you that I was about to overtake these guys but the truth
is that taking pictures while riding a bicycle isn't that easy so they
made a lot of ground on me while I was trying to get the damned autofocus
to focus.
Ahh finally a rest area. All the Gatorade and Camels a guy could want.
Damn I must be going fast there isn't anyone in front of me.
Some of the support crew at a rest stop.
The route took us onto the W&OD trail. One of the two most used
bicycle trails in the USA. I passed the guy on the recumbent (Yeah Baby!)
Suburban/Rural Virginia. In 12 months this will probably all be over
run with housing developments.
After a while I stopped getting passed. This got me worrying that I
might have take a wrong turn but then a cyclist passed me and I felt better.
Unfortunately that cyclist wasn't taking part in the Reston Century. About
20 minutes later I realized I had no clue as to where I was or where I
was going. Luckily I had a map so it only took a few miles of gravel and
dirt roads on my fancy new road bike to get back on track. Oh yeah, that
seat sucks!
After finding my way again I managed to get lost again about 5 miles
down the road so that when I finally made it to the end all my "teammates"
had gone home. But some of my former coworkers where still hanging around
after doing a 10k run after their 100 mile rides. Freaking masochists!
Friday night before the ride filling up on Pasta. Front left we've
got the current and former team captains. Rear left is Dave W's wife and
the rest of the folks are part of Dave's new team whose names escape me.
The 5 members of the lean mean Team Ceyoniq. From L to R Bob K,B^3,Humble
Narrator, Pascal R, and Michael K. Even though our company got bought out
by a German company this year we somehow ended up with Italian flag jerseys.
Some of the other participants starting on Saturday morning. It doesn't
look like the guy on the bent bike realizes that this is a fully supported
ride.
Some of the scenery during the ride.
B^3 and Pascal chilling after the ride on Saturday.
Me chilling. The ride went much better then last year and I actually
managed to pass a few folks and didn't walk up any of the hills.
The awards ceremony on Saturday with our honorary team member. Check
out all the bright red faces.
Our team with the shirts we got for raising $500+ or $1000+.
Sunday morning. This ride occurs in the first week of fall but it's
always pretty darn cold in the mornings.
The sun burning off the fog on Sunday morning.
Bob K at rest stop. Mmmmmmmm bananas.
The view from the rear of the first rest stop on Sunday.
B^3 and Pascal with one of our comapnies volounteers. Notice B^3 poor
bike being abused in the background. He's since replaced it with a Tourmalet
becaus I'm his hero and role model!
Civil War Confederate cemetary. I was determined to ride all the way
this year but I didn't feel like wandering in circles in the hills so I
checked out the map and made a beeline back to the original starting point.
I still ended up riding a bit over 40 miles that day but it was much flatter
then the official route.
Pascal after the ride on Sunday. Where they ever suprised to see me
waiting for them. He actually made very good time and was one of the first
dozen to finish the ride.
Bob and Mike finishing on Sunday.
That's it for this year. Next year I'll ride the whole route. No really.