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Thanks to our friends Kip Clyburn and Anne Bringuier of Hickory, we felt obligated to show up for a 10 am ride from Harris Lake Park. Our valiant intentions to ride 50 miles melted away as we saw the temperature gage: 33 degrees F at the start. So, we used another of Smith’s rule (no, not the legendary “Every man for himself!”), the one that says “When it is cold, ride the temperature (unless it less than 20 degrees, then stay home).”
5 brave teams and a lone captain showed up: Kip and Anne, Greg and Debbie Warren, Jack and Donna Powell, Chet Buel and Cyndy Van Der Wiele, Chaz Walker (desperately looking for a stoker) and ourselves. We quickly agreed that about 35 miles would be sufficient in such cold weather, and headed towards Duncan and back old US 1 – which – to our delight, has been repaved. Jack’s moustache did not freeze on the big downhill near Duncan, sign that it was not so brutally cold. We did compete for the sprints, although I did not check my speedometer once we reached the county limit signs. True to form, Jack attempted a sneak attack for the last spring before Bonsal while Claude and Anne were gossiping about a Charlotte tandem team (the now famous “November question” story). He lost – this time.
We’ve been told than Ed and Jeanne Downing went for an afternoon ride, but no one else can attest to that. On the other hand, we spotted Andrew and Emily (we think) riding on the bridge over I540 when we came back. Secret training rides again!
Smith Doss & Claude Monnier
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