Ride For Jacob Report: Part 2

Your host: Image by Kevin Fox

Well we'd made it to Shell Rock and everyone seemed to be having a good time. There had been several chances for conversation along the way. I was especially happy to hear that Dave was of the mind that gravel folk should help and support other gravel folk. It was very heartening to understand the motivation for he and the other Nebraskans on the ride to show up in support. 

And that was a universally held thought amongst those in attendance. I must say it is very humbling and I was definitely proud of what I saw in the folks who came to ride. 

I'm certain many of you readers are of the same mind. 

Anyway, Shell Rock. It was a nice little stop. I went in to use the restroom but that was all I needed. I still had water and some food. Looking back on things I probably should have eaten something but I did not. I am always afraid to eat anything because most of the time whatever I eat does not sit well with me, especially when it is hot and humid. And it was humid.....but not really hot, not yet any way. 

 

Kevin looks a little too proud of those Mountain Dew Doughnuts!

There were a few long, grinder climbs on this route. This was one out of Shell Rock

 Heading out of Shell Rock I was still amazed at how nice it was. It didn't look great, and the images kind of show how gloomy it looked, but we were very happy for the clouds! How long would it last was anyone's guess. 

The one thing I heard most about the difficulties of the day was in reference to the nature of the climbs. It seemed we had a lot of what I call "grinders". Those climbs that go on and on at a not very steep incline, but end up kind of just being irritating and that get under your skin a bit. We had a long one coming out of Shell Rock going South. Eventually we topped out and then it was more rollers again until we got to the West Fork of the Cedar River and that old bridge there. 

Chasing down N.Y.Roll

 

Heading toward the West Fork of the Cedar River

The clouds started thinning out a bit by this time and it was increasingly hotter, but not oppressively hot. We were still making excellent time on the route. I knew we did not have a lot further to go and having had the benefit of the clouds up to this point was fantastic. 

The old steel bridge over the West Fork of the Cedar River was coming up next. I was hoping we'd all be agreeable to a stop. Since this is such a picturesque bridge and setting, I did not think I'd have to twist anyone's arm to stop. I was correct about that, by the way. 

Rob Evans capturing the scene on the bridge. 

Kevin Fox's image of the bridge scene

It was fairly obvious this was going to be a highlight of the ride. Everyone was engaged in conversations and checking out the view from the bridge deck. Fortunately there is not a ton of traffic on weekends, at least this has been my experience when visiting this bridge. 

There was a couple of cars which came around. The first one was an ordinary pass-by. But the second one? That was a different story altogether! The gray SUV was approaching the bridge at around 20mph, weaving slightly, and everyone backed up against the bridge railing hoping for the best. One rider was heard as the car came up on the bridge decking saying "Just keep it straight, please!". Was this going to be another drunk driver encounter like I had in 2014?

The car pulled up to about the mid-point of our huddled line, and then it stopped..... 

This was a rather odd, surprising encounter!

 The driver was an elderly gent who opened his window and started waving his arm about as he wondered aloud what in the world we were doing. He claimed he thought we were young trouble-makers at first who he said he routinely chased off the bridge, or some such story. 

N.Y. Roll, ever one not to be the shy one, engaged the man who wasn't picking up on the sarcasm N.Y. Roll was laying down. Tony turned to me and said, "That guy can't hear. The jokes aren't as funny if you can't hear them the first time". 

Indeed! N.Y. Roll was not fazed though, and eventually the man had to know who we were and where we had come from. N.Y. Roll started listing off the locales and the man was not absorbing this. Then he asked why we were out there, and someone suggested I tell him. At this point I stepped forward to offer my explanation, but the guy was distracted and then the next thing ya know he is leaving. He stuck his hand out the window to shake mine, not realizing I was not moving in his direction, and he suddenly let go as his shoulder hit the B post of his car. I don't think he hurt himself though.  Well.....maybe he couldn't feel any pain. I'm not really sure. 

Another long grinder on the way to New Hartford

The view looking over New Hartford and the Beaver Creek Valley

No harm, no foul with the encounter with the man in the SUV. I told Tony on the way out from there that if the man told this story to friends they may not believe him, based upon his display of crazy when he spoke with us. Tony said something to the effect that this man should never have alcohol if he wasn't drunk at the time. 

A long uphill grinder awaited us with a few rollers thrown in for good measure until we crested a ridge. This overlooks the Beaver Creek Valley and New Hartford, our next stop on this route. We had to make a bit of a detour to get to the Casey's on the West side of New Hartford, but at least New Hartford is a sleepy village with not much happening around noon on a Saturday. 

Dan Buettner showing the scene at the Casey's in New Hartford. 

Doug checking his phone while Steve checks out a bike.

This stop was where I bought an electrolyte drink and some more water. Again, I probably should have eaten something more than one Epic pemmican bar, but I did actually make it all the way through. I did have a strange deal with my right rotator cuff which ached tremendously the last third of the ride to the point where the last few miles home I almost could not hold the bars anymore with my right hand. 

I surmised it probably has something to do with my weight training and by not having a ShockStop stem on this bike. (Hint to Redshift: Please make a silver ShockStop stem!) Anyway, the stop in New Hartford was great. Now we had a short 14 miles to go on the official route to get back to the start. 

Headed East to Cedar Falls Image by Dan Buettner

I was bringing up the rear. Image by Dan Buettner

Another strange thing was when we spied a rider alongside the road at the end of some rows of corn. He was sitting in the grass when I saw him with his helmet off. He said he was okay, but I thought he looked pretty cooked. We rolled on by, but I was at the end of the group and had gotten separated by about 50 yards when we reached an intersection of gravel roads. A car was approaching from my left and seemed to be slowing to a stop. I motioned them to continue on through the intersection, but at this moment the car turned toward me, rolled up to me and then stopped. 

The window came down and the driver asked me if I had seen another rider "back there", indicating the way I had just come from. I affirmed him that I had seen this rider and I let him know where he was at approximately. He thanked me and I rode onward. It was nice to know this fellow had someone looking after him. 

This put me way off the back, but not long after the group had stopped at the edge of Cedar Falls and waited for me. The Sun had come out by this time and it was downright hot. It had to come out eventually, but I was so happy it waited until it did. 

Once we entered Cedar Falls we had a bit of bike path and a parking lane which guided us almost all the way to State Street. Then we had to dodge some construction and whatnot to get to Second State Brewing Co. There we repaired inside where it was cool and refreshed ourselves with some of Second State's fine recipes. 

After some great conversations and beers we each said our goodbyes. It was bittersweet, but what a fantastic day! N.Y. Roll accompanied me back home and about a mile and a half from the house he announced we had made it to a metric century. So, what a great accomplishment on the day as this was my longest ride since BRAN. 

I got in the house and found two slices of a quesadilla and a kombucha which I destroyed before taking a shower. What a day on the bike with great people! 

Image credit: Rob Evans

Image credit: Rob Evans

Final Thoughts:

Again, my gratitude overflows for everyone who was there and for all who showed support for The Ride For Jacob. I was told by several riders they really enjoyed the route, the way we rode, and for the people who showed up to ride. It was a success in all those ways for sure. 

But the point of it all was to honor my son, and obviously those who showed up wanted to do this and to support me, Phyllis, and Izabel. I feel that support more than you will know. Thank you. Jacob was certainly honored, and he would have been amazed we rode the distance we rode and all the attention brought to bear by this ride concept. Again - thank you. 

I was asked if the Ride For Jacob was a one-time thing or an annual ride. I think we're going to do this again. I was also told that "...any Guitar Ted ride you do we will show up for it." That's a pretty amazing statement and very humbling. So, yeah.... Look for this to happen again next year. 

We were talking after the ride about how this sort of ride is what draws us to gravel I said that what the media and a lot of folks think is the "meat" of the gravel scene is the "bucket list" events/races. The rides like the one we had just finished are seen as "side dishes". It should be the other way around. The fun, casual, get-togethers on bicycles on gravel should be the "meat" and the races and big events should be the side dishes in the media and in popular thought. But hey.....we know what side the bread is buttered on.  

Tomorrow I will post all the bikes from the ride and then we'll have a special post from a Virtual Ride For Jacob. Thanks for reading this ride report!