VTBR Report: Ken Stabile

 Today's report comes in from Connecticut's Ken Stabile who is our first 100 mile VTBR finisher! Ken is also a photographer, which you will see evidenced in his spectacular imagery he sent along with this report. Read on!

Lasagna Burn, by Ken Stabile: 

I’ve been looking for an excuse to attempt a century ride, and after reading Guitar Ted’s suggestion for a “turkey burn” century the weekend of Thanksgiving, there it was: Opportunity presented!

I knew there would be no turkey to burn in my case, having been a vegetarian since 1985, so this ride was charged with burning off the layers of lasagna that had been consumed at the previous day’s holiday feast. I decided that Friday was the day, the ride would be paved, I would ride from home in Goshen, CT, and I would use my Blackheart Titanium all road, fitted with 700 x 32 road tires. The forecast was for fair weather but cold temps, mid 30’s and some wind. I was ready to go by 8:30 am and so, armed with a route, some full water bottles, pockets loaded with snacks, as well as an eyeball on the wind, out the door I went. 

The wind gave an immediate hello: blowing strange, strong and cold, seeming to swirl from every direction. Oh well, I thought, it’s just the wind. Little did I know it would be a constant companion, howling in my head and at my bike for the next ten hours!

The route took me south and into the town of Bethlehem where I stopped at a convenience store for water and a nature break at around mile 17. When I came back out to the bike, I was one glove short, and spent the next fifteen minutes or so trying to find the missing glove. I retraced my steps into the store, looked all around the parking lot, and, finally, when I was about to ride off with only one, looked under the four cars in the lot, and there it was, blown by the wind, under the middle of car number four. Oh well, should have looked there first, I guess. Onward!

St. James Cemetery

One of the planned stops was to pay my respects and have lunch with my parents and sister at their final resting place in Naugatuck, and so at mile 42 I rolled into St. James Cemetery and did just that. The wind joined us and, honestly, dominated the conversation, but it was a nice break nonetheless. Now it was time to head back north and into the wind.


 

 

 I had some urban miles to cover before I got back onto the quiet roads, including one pedestrian bridge that rides right next to a highway exit ramp. It was kind of a blast to be riding up the ramp, the wind screaming at everybody, and the cars rushing straight in my direction (I was fairly well protected by a concrete barrier). That lasted for only a quarter mile, and then I was safely tucked onto a paved bike path before cutting through Hop Brook State Park, and then back onto the less traveled country roads in Middlebury and beyond. 

 The ride continued into the wind and up some hills through Watertown and back into Morris, where I passed a field of pumpkins looking resplendent in the afternoon sun. I was at mile 63 or so and the sun was on its way down. This ride would definitely finish after dark. The wind continued to blow and I continued to pedal. It was a real battle now between the cold, the wind and the distance still needed to cover. The miles passed, and soon I was at mile 75, then 80, 85 and soon the goal was within sight. I switched on the bike’s headlight, as well as the one on my helmet, and I was really ready to roll those last miles and finish this thing up! I was in farm country now and I couldn’t resist the temptation to photograph in the beautiful but waning daylight. 

Barns For Jacob

 Finally, the daylight was finished and it was full on darkness but I still had ten miles or so to go before hitting the 100 mark. The wind, however, was not finished, and rode with and against me the rest of the way home as I pedaled until I hit the 101 mile mark. There I was, finally home after 101 miles and 9000 feet of elevation gain! I felt great, a little numb from the cold and the wind, but great!

Thanks to Guitar Ted for the inspiration, and thanks for taking the time to read this ride report. I look forward to trying it again. 

Wow! That was a great report! I appreciate Ken's request to honor my son, Jacob, with his barn image. Thanks for the kind gesture. 

We've still got a couple more reports so stay tuned for both tomorrow. Both VTBR reports will post tomorrow, (Thursday), so be sure to scroll down the page so you do not miss them! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!