Stage 4
I've been looking at/fearing this stage for a looong time, long time. I do love this loop, one of the best road rides on the planet, but anytime you contemplate 100miles on a fixed, I think there's reason to be skeered. Throw in 15-18hours of riding and racing in the three days preceding, and my knees are shaking, stomach is turning and anxiety is high. This is the peak effort to date for the year, could be the ride of the year. Simple survival w/out dismounting the stead is the goal. I've stood alongside the LeMond with 39:25 gearing on the CR25 climb from Sugar Grove to Reddish, I've almost walked my 2:1 mtn bike on the hundo miler climb to Reddish, which just happens to be in today's parcours. The Rt 250 appetizer is also a tough little kick in the teeth, a smidge bit harder than Doubling Gap I'd guess, and the three 'rollers' before it on the way to Braley's are a pain in the ass. This is a tough, tough, tough stage.
The rollout was nice, I took my place in the wind when needed and had a nice seat for spectating the KOM on Mole Hill. Rode in the group across some valley pave' and even threw down for a 30ish mph pull during the Dry River sprint, showing those fools what a real spin looks like.....or something like that.
Then we went on the clock and I once again got dropped like it was my job on the drag race to Braley's. Imagine that I made up some time on the Rt250 climb and surprisingly didn't get caught on the final stretch into High Water. Legs felt ok, but the mind felt weak, Reddish looms large. 
Helped set tempo on the short parade up the sweet mtn valley, then we made the right hander where the clock gets punched again. Fawley flats 10yds in, so the start is neutralized and we regroup. I'm actually on the front on the way up over Buffalo Knob, but of no concern to the heads of state. I don't dare try to hold a wheel when the fireworks begin near the summit, so I drift back, wayyyy back, over the rolling terrain to the base of the Reddish climb. Then it's me and my iPod in that comfortably painful & quiet place. Just turn 'em over, keep those pedals moving. Be Like the Squirrel. Finally, after rolling that 40:15 for about an hour-ish, I'm on top. I fucking made it, without taking a god damn step, booyahh!
Wasn't quite sure if I had it in me, but somehow I found what I needed. Dug down deep into that dark corner, found some inspiration and just kept rolling. One foot in front of the other, using the entire body to turn those pedals round and round and round. Liked the climb up Reddish better than the Nutt, a bit less pitchy, and better traction. Only soooo much longer, a solid hour's effort with a mild break here or there near the top, picking off one rider after another after another, so many dangling carrots. I somehow only lost less than 15minutes to Bishop over the section, something I'm kinda happy with.
The ride back to town was relaxing, once my hands got their feeling back after the looooooong brake skimming descent. I simply rolled the gear over those last couple rollers into Dayton and we settled into a nice cruising tempo gruppetto. Cheryl's bike gizmo flipped 100miles a block or so from Carp's house, 7ish hours of ride time I think, 8:08 elapsed on my watch, other fancy gizmos showed 8000ft of climbing, will let the false advertising slide, this time.
Dragon slayed.
KOM Todd up in Red, Reubane in the Sprint Jersey.
Home of the legendary Death Chute, this ridge has sent rockstars packing, breaking bones and bringing grown men to tears. I just need to get it done. Last year I had a serious meltdown on the final timed portion. A just get me off this fucking bike, let me sit here with my head in my hands, do I fucking look ok??? type of meltdown. Two years ago, I came apart dropping into WV off of High Knob and almost DNF'ed with a not quite broken hand due to a dab into the rocks. Stage 3 usually isn't kind to me. A newish route selection this year might help out though.
After the refuel, a parade to an unexpectedly gnargnar KOM took the hero out of some of le peleton, but all was eventually forgiven over sandwiches in Fort Valley. Took another parade climb flyer to the neutral rollout onto the final timed ridgeline back to the cars. No meltdown this year! I tempered my output and kept it all together, for once. The old 2:1 put me nearish the front, so I had some good times grooving with buds as they rolled thru before drifting back to new faces and riding partners. Rode the rocks like I knew how before giving up even more time in a vain attempt to secure the SuperDFL title. Stage 3 was finally nice to me, good times indeed! Only lost the front brake once on the final dh and kept things together across the flowy bottom section. Unfortunately, Travisimo didn't, and he took a handlebar to the ribs, his Tour now in doubt.
You hear the conversations well before seeing the peleton. Like a chattering buzz of bees cruising down the road, it comes at you like a crowded social party scene in a tight room, abuzz and lively one moment, then whisking away quickly on the whir of freewheels back to country road stillness and quiet.
New Market Gap was fun, watching the race unfold, giving a pull at the base with the big dogs (JB, Sam, Todd & Bryan), then seeing sweet descending skillz as I slummed down the backside at 22.3mph.
Fixed treats me nice, I just roll off the front on the parade climbs then sit up and roll back into the flow as the group catches back on, this might not be too bad afterall. After about 2 hours spin we reach the trailhead, time for the gameface. 
Timed section from base of North River, over the top to Buck Mtn Trail for a rippin' descent down to Hearthstone. Climbed well, keeping Bucky and Travisimo honest, trying to keep Trevhoor in sight. Saw Jenkini ball it up across the fireroad ridge, ouch. Then on the pitchy Buck Mtn I realize that my front brake needs servicing. Got her a bit hot and lost all front brake. Let go to cool it off, then the lever went flat to the bar with no power. WTF? Time to run down the hill for a bit. Down off the steep pitchyness, brake has cooled and is back to normal. Roll the rest at a safe pace and time to refuel.
awards were high brow as usual.
Good times seeing old friends, tensions builds, stomach tightens up. 
GO! Get caught by Carp & Tim on the climb while I'm pushin', keep 'em in sight then try to find my big mtn fixy benchcut flow on the downside. Carp introduces a 'Super D' class this year, various downhills are timed with sync'ed up watches and helpers. I set the standard for SuperDFL. Local tuffguy Trehoor is also fixed and crushes me by 25 seconds, have the 'burgians brought in a ringer to squelch my quest? Overall my time is 5ish minutes slower than last year on the Yeti, but only 1 minute off my pace from '05 when I rode it on a 32:17. Much beer drinking and bullshitting into the night commenced.
