"Memories are the treasures we keep locked
deep within the storehouse of our souls,
to keep our hearts warm when we
are lonely."
Becky Aligada
It is finally here, the second Saturday of October. This has come to mean, at least for me, the Medora Century, at least if the weather cooperates. And today it does. Sunshine and light winds. A bit cool at the start though not as cool as it has been at times in the past, Warm enough for shorts without leg or knee warmers. Later in the day it will be warm enough to discard arm warmers and vests and jackets and ride short sleeved. Precious weather any time of year, but particularly with fickle October who often likes to tease us with a bit of warmth, then slap us with wind, cold, and rain.
Medora is not the most scenic club century by far, but there is just something about it that I like. Perhaps it is the countless memories I have made over the years, memories of those that still and those that don't still ride. Or perhaps it is the ease of the course or perhaps it is just the time of year and the feeling of melancholy that stems from knowing the cycling season is, for many, coming to a close. And I must not be alone because 35 people sign in and I am unsure how many more from Ridenfaden and Southern Indiana Wheelmen are here. The following people sign in on the pink sign in sheets: Tom Askew, Larry Preble, John Killebrew, Harley Wise, Paula Pierce, Glenn Smith, Dominic Wasserzug, Mark Rougeux, William Bicknell, Paul Battle, John Dippold, David King, Brooks Hellenbrand, Jackie Rountree, Fritz Kopatz, Steven Sarson, John Pelligrino, Amelia Dauer, Keith Baldwin, Steve Puckett, Sharon Jeter, Jon Wineland, Joe Bolan, Zeke Ledford, Mike Corus, Dan Barriere, Bob Grable, Jeff Schrode, Thomas Nance, John Mahorney, Andrew Degs, Brandon Havel, Mike Ngong, and myself. (not sure of some of the spelling of last names).
Most, though not all, are wearing pink of some type, honoring the town we are about to visit and the fight against cancer, a disease that affects so many of us. This year I went with my pink witch hat at the start, pink socks, pink jersey and vest, and pink gloves. I smile remembering how dismayed I was when Steve brought me back pink gloves when I asked him to pick up wool gloves for me. I still see his smirking in my mind for nobody gets dirtier on a ride than I seem to do. Who knew that they would come in so useful in the future;-) Another memory. I also have bought myself pink handlebar streamers, something I desperately longed for as a child but never received (along with a banana seat bicycle that I never was lucky enough to receive and now, sadly, have outgrown).
The TMD has had two pink reward jerseys though different shades of pink. Some, like myself, have on the older jersey and some are wearing last years. Others have jerseys that have pink in them. Dave King is riding a bike that is partially painted pink. Paula Pierce has her pink wig, though I think she gave it a trim from last year, and a tutu. Amelia Dauer once again is clad in her tutu. Paul Battle is wearing his 150,000 mile pink jersey, pink socks, and a helmet cover that has pink on it. (For this century, Paul will take the honors that have thus been accorded to Larry Preble this year as the oldest rider on the century). Steven Sarson has on his pink panties over his riding shorts. I hear one rider, I think I remember it was Harley Wise, saying how he priced a pink jersey but it was just too expensive. And there are more riders wearing pink of some kind, getting into the spirit of the day. Such a crowd that I have trouble taking it all in and certainly don't remember all of it. Everyone seems to be in a good mood and the air seems to hum with anticipation. It brings a smile to my face. There is nothing like the feel of anticipation that seems to hover in the air before a ride and with not knowing what joys and challenges the day might bring.
Paula comes up to me asking if Tom Askew and David Frey can get a helping point for helping her get to the ride. Evidently her battery went dead along the way and she was on the verge of calling her husband to pick her up. Teasingly, I tell her no: the point is only for help on the ride, but I quickly tell her yes after seeing her disappointment. I am just glad that she got here and a tad worried about how she will get home. With the late start, she may be fighting darkness on her trip home.
Prior to the ride, Thomas Nance had texted me that if I see his car and not him, he is riding the Fire Tower to do the Fire Tower Challenge. Amelia tells me she arrived before he left. Only two riders have completed the challenge thus far: Jon Wineland (who does it again today) and Samuel Bland. I have done both climbs, but not on the same day. Jon Wineland teased me with the idea during the pre-ride, but I declined. Thomas is, by the way, successful but he brings back memories of my first, failed attempt to climb the one in Clark Forestry when he says his front wheel kept coming up off the road due to the steepness. That was my issue the first time I attempted to climb the fire tower hill. I failed that day but later was successful even making it up on my double as I got stronger. It also brings back a memory of taking Grasshopper to climb and him looking at me and saying he didn't know you could go so slowly on a bike and still stay upright. Amelia talks about how she quit climbing it because it caused her knees to hurt and they don't normally hurt and I agree. It is one hard climb and helmets off to anyone who climbs it and then another challenging hill later the same day.
Joe Bolan from SWI asks about dogs telling me that dogs had bothered him awhile back on a road that is part of the route. I tell him they didn't bother me on the pre-ride, but we should let people know. Dominic Wasserzug has brought a bar code people can scan if they want to participate in next years Bike to Beat Cancer and asks that I put it with my sign out sheet. John Pelligrini has brought a photo of last year that shows John Fong and Tom Hurst and remarks how hard it is to believe that we have lost both of them. Later, during the pre-ride speech, John Mahorney reminds us of their loss. It makes me think about how fragile we are and how our days are, indeed, numbered. I remember Tom telling me during his illness that it was so strange to him because he had never been in such good shape before in his life. One thing age has taught me is that life is full of loss making it even more important to cherish these days when we feel happy, healthy, and strong and the friends and family that we have that our still with us.
After a short speech urging everyone to have fun, the groups take off and that is the last I will see of most of them except for when I am nearing Medora and they are leaving it. I am late leaving the parking lot as Dave King forgot gloves. I loan him my short fingered gloves (not pink) and then Mike Ngong says he left his gloves in the car. Finally we are off chasing the group. Mike tells me it is his second century. What he does not tell me is that he has not ridden a bicycle outside for six or eight weeks (I can't remember for sure which) but has been spinning at the Y. I tell him that since I don't know how he rides, he has to tell me if I am going to quickly or slowly for him. While it is hard to imagine anyone being slower than me anymore, it does occasionally happen, and with centuries, one must absolutely do two things: pace oneself and eat. Meanwhile he is trying to find the route on his phone. Eventually he does and this enables him to move ahead.
We are not too far into the ride when I come upon a group at the side of the road: Steve Sarson, Brooke Hillenbrand, Larry Preble, and Bob Grable. Brooke has broken his rear derailleur cable. Fortunately, Steve Sarson has one; however, as they try to put it on they discover it is too short. I carry one on the Lysnkey, but not on my Calfee since it has electronic shifting. Nobody else has one. Much discussion ensues about whether to tie the cable off so he has a couple of gears or to try to tie the old and new cable together. Bob is carrying wire cutters. Just as they are trying to tie it off, Jon Wineland arrives saving the day with a cable that is long enough to reach the rear. Frankly, prior to this I did not know there were different length cables. Brooke seems to feel badly about holding everyone up, but I am so glad he came out to play. As Jon Wineland has been known to say, "We have all day."
Meanwhile, the jokes fly and the laughter fills the air becoming somewhat bawdy but eliciting loud guffaws from all. I hate to think what would have happened had I, a woman, not been there with my gentle, restraining presence to tone it down a bit because of course I would never engage in or condone such ribaldry (Okay, I admit I participated a bit. Too many of you know me to lie so blatantly;-) Anyway, the details of what happens or is said in Vienna stays in Vienna.
As we leave, Larry asks us to follow his slowly as he wants to use his drone to take some footage. Unfortunately, the drone ends up crashing into a tree. He finds it more quickly than I would expect for him to and we are back on the road.
When we arrive at the store stop, everyone is gone. This doesn't surprise me because our repair stop took awhile. But what happens next does surprise me because after a quick bite and drink, we begin to head out only to find that Brooke has a flat tire. It takes little time to fix it, however, and we are on our way. It interests me that he has one of the new, brightly colored tubes. I am beginning to see them more and more often on rides. I ask about them and am told they are very light.
By now the dew has worn off the Fox Tail and other weeds which glimmered and beguiled earlier in the ride as if there were a field of diamonds sparkling brightly in the sun. The slight fog that hugged the earth has lifted. Most of the trees are still green, but there are hints that fall has arrived and their days are coming to a close. We pass fields of soy beans and corn some of which have been harvested and many of which have not. A few fields are being worked, but less than I would expect on such a fine week-end day for many of the farmers here work second jobs as well as farming.
As we near Medora, we see two large groups of riders heading back. We stop for a photo at the covered bridge and Larry sets his drone to fly through in front of us as we ride through. Bob mentions getting a tire stuck in one of the cracks in the past and I remember that I normally caution people to walk rather than ride through, but none of us has an issue, maybe as most of us no longer ride on tires only 23 or 25 wide.
There are still oodles of riders at the festival despite the two groups that have eaten and left. The car show is still there and a few of the cars have been decorated for Halloween. I chuckle at the car with the huge skeleton climbing on top. I am surprised at the small crowd at the festival. Normally there are more people. Is it because we have arrived a bit later? I am glad I didn't wear another cape to give away as I did last year because I am not sure who I would have given it to though I did see children pass in the barrel ride.
We eat and prepare to head out when Mike walks up only having just gotten himself a piece of fish to eat. He seems surprised to see the group ready to leave and refuses our offer to wait. He puts it in his pack and we take off though I caution him about the need to eat on a century.
When we get to the bridge that I had cautioned the group about because it has a large lip to it that could easily pop a tire, we find the group waiting. A photo is taken and then Larry again sets his drone to fly ahead of us. At some point, however, the drone hits the ground due to an accident and I later learn that the photos taken throughout the ride are probably lost as it won't restart. If it does not restart, the photos will be lost as the drone has an internal SIM card.
The group again splits and Mike and I finish together at the back. He says he is very proud of himself and I feel proud for him and his accomplishment and wonder if he will attempt to complete the TMD next year. One never knows who will and who will not fall in love with century riding. Centuries are, indeed, an accomplishment. And those first few centuries where one learns pacing, eating, etc. more so. Some of the group is still at the end and I grin seeing how many have adopted Dave King's after ride Moomoo dress. It is then that I learn that Steve Puckett took a tumble, clipping Jon's back wheel. I am so relieved to find he was not injured. As I dress under a towel for pizza, I think maybe I should join in and purchase a Moomoo. It would be easier. A group of seven or eight go out for pizza and then Medora is officially finished for this year. And there are new memories to keep me warm when I am lonely or when my century days are complete. Like fall, they give me mixed feelings: happiness intertwined with melancholy. Thanks, everyone, for coming out to play. I hope you formed some memories that you can remember with a smile on your face during the cold winter months and in the future. Just know that you are treasured and that though I didn't ride with many or even most of you, I am SO glad you were there.
Finishers who signed in are as follows:
Joe Bolan 3:33 group of 1
John Dippold 4:03 group of 9
Harley Wise 4:03 group of 9
Sharon Jeter 4:03 group of 9
Fritz Kopatz 4:03 group of 9
John Killenbrew 4:03 group of 9
Keith Baldwin 4:03 group of 9
Glenn Smith 4:03 group of 9
Dan Barriere 4:03 group of 9
Andrew Dean 4:03 group of 9
Tom Askew 4:06 group of 1
Jeff Schrode 4:30 group of 1
Thomas Nance 4:45 group of 1
John Pelligrini 5:30 group of 1
Mark Rougeux 4:45 group of 1
Larry Preble 5:37 group of 11
Steven Sarson 5:37 group of 11
Jackie Rountree 5:37 group of 11
Zeke Ledford 5:37 group of 11
Brooke Hillenbrand 5:37 group of 11
Bob Grable 5:37 group of 11
Dominic Wasserzug 5:37 group of 11
Amelia Dauer 5:37 group of 11
Steve Puckett 5:37 group of 11
Paul Battle 5:37 group of 11
Jon Wineland 5:37 group of 11
David Fry 5:37 group of 11
Paula Pierce 5:37 group of 11
David King 5:37 group of 11
Melissa Hall 5:44 group of 2
Mike Ngong 5:44 group of 2
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