Ride report of the Natches Trace 1500 2014 ride. (Hebrew)
I got from the airport to the hotel with a volunteer couple.
They picked me and another rider - Doug from Seattle.
Doug rides randonnees for many years, and did some long rides in Europe and the USA.
As the start time neared, other riders arrived at the hotel.
I met Jerry from Wisconsin. He seemed like a nice grandfather, which later was turned to be a mistake on my part.
Jerry rides a Surly Disk Trucker.
This is a touring bike, which weighs about 20 kg as it exist the shop naked.
Jerry drove to the hotel from home (more than 1300 km, "cheaper than flying"...) and was willing to give me a ride at the morning of the start, which was about 8 km away, with a not-so-easy climb.
Temperatures were about 11 C degrees, but soon went down to 9 C.
I even saw 7 C degrees.
The start is a quick descent, and a relatively long straight.
It turned out that I was at the leading group.
We were about 10 riders, and we rode together for some 60 km, until a climb which broke us into smaller groups.
I wanted to preserve some strength, so from there to Control 2 at Collinwood at 146 km I was riding mainly by myself.
At the control I met all the lead riders, but I didn't waste too much time and left before most everybody who was there when I arrived.
Still, I ate a hamburger, and a Philly Stake Sandwich.
When I left I saw Jerry and Dave enter the control. Dave is Jerry's friend. They rode together several times in the past.
I was riding happily, until Doug caught up with me, and we continued together.
We rode together until Control 3 at Tupelo, at 302 km.
It's a relatively big town, with heavy traffic.
We ate the the closest McDonald's.
Exiting the control, we continued riding together.
We met two brothers and a woman, and we rode a bit with them.
Control 4 at French Camp is a sleep control.
We arrived there in early evening, ate, showered, changed clothes, and slept for about 4 hours.
At the time I estimated a Saturday 8 pm finish, which is 8 hours before the finish time.
I felt good, and led for about 10 km, then came a little climb, and Doug dropped me.
About 30 km after the control there was a restaurant and I went to eat. Jerry and Dave were there.
Jerry said that Doug dropping me like that was "typical to East and West Coasts" (Jerry is from the Mid West.)
I didn't pay too much attention, as I see it as "part of the game." If Doug felt the need to drop me - I have no problem with it.
I kept riding with Jerry and Dave, and at one point we saw Doug sleeping by the side of the road.
Even though his blinkey was on, he seemed asleep and we didn't stop (The Code says that if the blinkey is on then there's a problem, and it it's off then all is ok.)
We went to eat at the next store as well.
The place looked like a scene from Deliverance, which the banjo playing kid. We didn't stay there too long...
At one of the stops we met Doug, who said he waited for me, but I never showed up, and if needed - then he's apologizing. I said that all is ok, and there was no room for apologizing.
Doug was on the wheel of a strong rider and said he could hardly pull, and he's mainly tucking behind him.
Control 6 at Natchez at 735 km is the turning point, and is also the 2nd sleep place.
I arrived there with Jerry and Dave. Doug got there about 1:30 hours before us.
It was evening, and we set to leave at 2:00 am. I felt it was too early, but I could manage it.
It was a hotel, each room having 2 beds.
About an hour after I got into bed, my roommate entered the room. It was one of the 2 brothers, who said they set to leave at 5:00 am. I told him that they're smarter than us.
He suggested I joined them, but I preferred to leave early.
An eating point at the next section was a petrol station that served chicken. Like in KFC with oil(...) and buns that suppose to contain honey.
It was the Jewish New Year, so it turned out that I ate honey on the holiday dinner. :-)
At that time I estimated I'd finish on Saturday around noon, or even morning.
Dave said he plans to finish on Friday night. He and Jerry booked the hotel from Friday, but I booked it only from Saturday, so I could check in on Saturday afternoon.
We arrive at Control 7 at Clinton at 886 km pretty early, and only a petrol station was open.
We searched for something to eat, and Dave spotted smoked turkey legs.
Each bought a leg, and we ate it.
The legs were huge, and Jerry explained that there are 2 kinds of turkey: with big breast which is suitable for Thanksgiving, or with large legs. You can't have both.
We laughed while eating, and I had someone take our picture.
Control 8 is again in French Camp at 1037 km, and we arrived there in the afternoon, while food wasn't ready yet.
One of the volunteers gave us a lift to the local cafe, because he needed to get something as well.
We said we'll sleep 4 hours.
After about 2 hours I got up and went to the bathroom, and checked on the food. I didn't feel tired, so I thought I'd leave and sleep on the road.
I left a note to Jerry and Dave, and started eating.
Then I saw hem entering the dining room. They said they couldn't sleep, and we said we'll leave together. It was late in the evening.
I met Doug who just arrived in the control.
Control 9 at Okolona at 1149 km is out of the NTP, and we arrived there in the middle of the night.
The control was a small supermarket which was closed. We found a petrol station which was open and we ate there.
I felt very tired ad said I'll sleep at that town, and we said goodbye.
I was looking for a place to sleep, and found a nice niche, but as I got off the bike a local police car came, and made it clear that it was best if I leave town.
The adrenaline got me back to the NTP, where I found a picnic table and slept on it.
It was close to Tupelo, the town with heavy traffic, and the morning rush hour started, but the noise didn't bother me.
I set my alarm for 30 minutes, but it felt so nice, that I slept for another hour.
The McDonald's was still early, and they only served the breakfast menu (it was earlier than 10:30 which is a magic hour in McDonald's...)
I reached Control 11 at Tishomingo at 1265 km a little before noon.
There was only one volunteer there which wasn't ready for a mass of riders (I was around 7th place)
The velomobiel rider was there, sleeping a little.
I slept for about 1:30 hours, and left.
Towards the end I had some power nap stops, and finished at 03:50, a little more than 24 hours before the finish time.
The last 350 km I rode alone.
Oh, and I forgot to tell you about my mistake re Jerry:
He's not a nice grandfather. He's a really nice great-grandfather! :-)
Tal.
I got from the airport to the hotel with a volunteer couple.
They picked me and another rider - Doug from Seattle.
Doug rides randonnees for many years, and did some long rides in Europe and the USA.
As the start time neared, other riders arrived at the hotel.
I met Jerry from Wisconsin. He seemed like a nice grandfather, which later was turned to be a mistake on my part.
Jerry rides a Surly Disk Trucker.
This is a touring bike, which weighs about 20 kg as it exist the shop naked.
Jerry drove to the hotel from home (more than 1300 km, "cheaper than flying"...) and was willing to give me a ride at the morning of the start, which was about 8 km away, with a not-so-easy climb.
Temperatures were about 11 C degrees, but soon went down to 9 C.
I even saw 7 C degrees.
The start is a quick descent, and a relatively long straight.
It turned out that I was at the leading group.
We were about 10 riders, and we rode together for some 60 km, until a climb which broke us into smaller groups.
I wanted to preserve some strength, so from there to Control 2 at Collinwood at 146 km I was riding mainly by myself.
At the control I met all the lead riders, but I didn't waste too much time and left before most everybody who was there when I arrived.
Still, I ate a hamburger, and a Philly Stake Sandwich.
When I left I saw Jerry and Dave enter the control. Dave is Jerry's friend. They rode together several times in the past.
I was riding happily, until Doug caught up with me, and we continued together.
We rode together until Control 3 at Tupelo, at 302 km.
It's a relatively big town, with heavy traffic.
We ate the the closest McDonald's.
Exiting the control, we continued riding together.
We met two brothers and a woman, and we rode a bit with them.
Control 4 at French Camp is a sleep control.
We arrived there in early evening, ate, showered, changed clothes, and slept for about 4 hours.
At the time I estimated a Saturday 8 pm finish, which is 8 hours before the finish time.
I felt good, and led for about 10 km, then came a little climb, and Doug dropped me.
About 30 km after the control there was a restaurant and I went to eat. Jerry and Dave were there.
Jerry said that Doug dropping me like that was "typical to East and West Coasts" (Jerry is from the Mid West.)
I didn't pay too much attention, as I see it as "part of the game." If Doug felt the need to drop me - I have no problem with it.
I kept riding with Jerry and Dave, and at one point we saw Doug sleeping by the side of the road.
Even though his blinkey was on, he seemed asleep and we didn't stop (The Code says that if the blinkey is on then there's a problem, and it it's off then all is ok.)
We went to eat at the next store as well.
The place looked like a scene from Deliverance, which the banjo playing kid. We didn't stay there too long...
At one of the stops we met Doug, who said he waited for me, but I never showed up, and if needed - then he's apologizing. I said that all is ok, and there was no room for apologizing.
Doug was on the wheel of a strong rider and said he could hardly pull, and he's mainly tucking behind him.
Control 6 at Natchez at 735 km is the turning point, and is also the 2nd sleep place.
I arrived there with Jerry and Dave. Doug got there about 1:30 hours before us.
It was evening, and we set to leave at 2:00 am. I felt it was too early, but I could manage it.
It was a hotel, each room having 2 beds.
About an hour after I got into bed, my roommate entered the room. It was one of the 2 brothers, who said they set to leave at 5:00 am. I told him that they're smarter than us.
He suggested I joined them, but I preferred to leave early.
An eating point at the next section was a petrol station that served chicken. Like in KFC with oil(...) and buns that suppose to contain honey.
It was the Jewish New Year, so it turned out that I ate honey on the holiday dinner. :-)
At that time I estimated I'd finish on Saturday around noon, or even morning.
Dave said he plans to finish on Friday night. He and Jerry booked the hotel from Friday, but I booked it only from Saturday, so I could check in on Saturday afternoon.
We arrive at Control 7 at Clinton at 886 km pretty early, and only a petrol station was open.
We searched for something to eat, and Dave spotted smoked turkey legs.
Each bought a leg, and we ate it.
The legs were huge, and Jerry explained that there are 2 kinds of turkey: with big breast which is suitable for Thanksgiving, or with large legs. You can't have both.
We laughed while eating, and I had someone take our picture.
Control 8 is again in French Camp at 1037 km, and we arrived there in the afternoon, while food wasn't ready yet.
One of the volunteers gave us a lift to the local cafe, because he needed to get something as well.
We said we'll sleep 4 hours.
After about 2 hours I got up and went to the bathroom, and checked on the food. I didn't feel tired, so I thought I'd leave and sleep on the road.
I left a note to Jerry and Dave, and started eating.
Then I saw hem entering the dining room. They said they couldn't sleep, and we said we'll leave together. It was late in the evening.
I met Doug who just arrived in the control.
Control 9 at Okolona at 1149 km is out of the NTP, and we arrived there in the middle of the night.
The control was a small supermarket which was closed. We found a petrol station which was open and we ate there.
I felt very tired ad said I'll sleep at that town, and we said goodbye.
I was looking for a place to sleep, and found a nice niche, but as I got off the bike a local police car came, and made it clear that it was best if I leave town.
The adrenaline got me back to the NTP, where I found a picnic table and slept on it.
It was close to Tupelo, the town with heavy traffic, and the morning rush hour started, but the noise didn't bother me.
I set my alarm for 30 minutes, but it felt so nice, that I slept for another hour.
The McDonald's was still early, and they only served the breakfast menu (it was earlier than 10:30 which is a magic hour in McDonald's...)
I reached Control 11 at Tishomingo at 1265 km a little before noon.
There was only one volunteer there which wasn't ready for a mass of riders (I was around 7th place)
The velomobiel rider was there, sleeping a little.
I slept for about 1:30 hours, and left.
Towards the end I had some power nap stops, and finished at 03:50, a little more than 24 hours before the finish time.
The last 350 km I rode alone.
Oh, and I forgot to tell you about my mistake re Jerry:
He's not a nice grandfather. He's a really nice great-grandfather! :-)
Tal.
Tai i was one of the volunteers providing on road support for this grand randoneering. You were far ahead of the bulk of the riders so was not able to provide support for you. Thanks got doing this ride I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed providing
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