For the last several years my birthday gift to myself is to take a day off from whatever project I'm working on and go for a long bike ride. For the last two years I have been eyeing the Ididaride, a 75 mile fundraising ride run by the Adirondack Mountain Club. This year I decided to do it,.... along with about 500 other people. The ride starts in North Creek near Gore Mountain and goes mainly on state highways through Speculator and Indian Lake and back to North Creek. There was some nice scenery and a few spots with great views of the southern Adirondacks. The ride includes about 4500 feet of elevation gain. The last ten miles are a long downhill followed by a longer flat stretch along the upper Hudson River.
I was among the older riders there and I had not done a ride of over 40 miles in nearly a year and had not ridden much at all this year, so I was a little concerned that I might end up finshing late enough to cause the organizers concern. My usual strategy on these long group rides is start slow and conserve energy so I can finish a little less slow. I also enjoy passing those inexperienced riders who expend too much energy early on and fade at the end.
Well, it seems that no inexperienced riders sign up for 75 miles in the Adirondacks, so I had to content myself with not being passed too often at the end, mostly because there weren't too many folks behind me anyway. Actually I was pretty pleased, spending about six hours in the saddle and getting back long before the last riders, despite having to change out a flat about 62 miles into the ride. I think I would have been faster if I had stayed more hydrated in the first 50 miles. Five water bottles full are not enough when it hits 93 in the sun. I might do it again next year. If I do I'll take some pictures.
On the drive home I was reminded of how beautiful NY Routes 372 and 67 are. If you are ever in the area of Cambridge, New York give them a try.
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