DaFongman TMD Stage 2026

"A river cuts through rock, not 

because of its power, but because

of its persistence." 

Jim Watkins 

 

 

 

With 65 closed, it will be a longer drive to the ride start and it is the second time this year with have gone to Bardstown, but I decide to go anyway.  I am already an early riser so it should not cost me too much sleep.  I would say that sleep is overrated, but it truly isn't.  I never perform as well when I don't sleep well, or if I do, it takes more of an effort.  And it already is an effort.  Oddly enough, I rarely sleep well after a century either.  It is as if my body just won't rest and when it does my sleep is scattered and fragmented, not one of those good, deep, restorative slumbers. 

 

I won't get to ride next weeks century as my son and his family are coming for my  birthday.  Dear Lord, I am getting old.  I think one of the weirdest things has been seeing my children begin to have gray hair.  It is difficult to believe they are that old now.  It seems just  yesterday that we cuddled before bedtime sharing stories to color our dreams. Visions of them at different ages float through my mind, unexpectedly at times, ghost like.  What I would give to go back for a day or an hour or a minute.  But, of course, time does not work that way so God gave us memories. 

 

It is  Harley's first time as ride captain, but I know he will do a great job.  I expect a good turn out, but I am really happy to see that there are over twenty, many of whom have not yet ridden a century this year and even two incredibly strong women:  Dee and Paula.  Tom Askew has shown.  It is only his second century of the year.  This is the biggest turn out for a century yet this year.  Such large numbers used to be the norm. I don't have the sign in or sign out sheet, so I can't list names. 

 

Everyone is milling around in the cool morning sunshine and grins light faces. All around me is a kaleidoscope of brightly colored jerseys and the nervous chatter and bright laughter of riders unsure what the day will bring.  Some I know and others I don't yet we are all one for a moment, united in our love for the road and the bike. It is cool for June, unexpectedly so.  I am glad to have my sun sleeves as arm warmers for it is decidedly and blessedly chilly when we finally roll out.  

 

I am near the front, but drop back when someone is playing music while they ride.  I have never been a fan of this on group rides and personally find it incredibly annoying.  Yes, I have been known to sing on rides, but I try not to do so when I am around others in case they do find it bothersome.  I wasn't always that way.  Only after I became aware that it ruined the ride for some.  But I try to be considerate despite my bluntness and tendency to insert my foot deeply into my mouth.  But in the end, it is probably good that I fall back.  I find it takes my legs longer to warm up than it used to.  And pacing is the key to a good century, something new riders often struggle with and that even more experienced riders can fall prey to not observing due to the rush of heading out and feeling the legs and heart begin to work.  So often it seems people come out expecting to keep up with the fastest group and end up bonking.  Yes, you have to press yourself to improve, but you have to learn pacing and sometimes that means riding in the back for a bit.  On a century ride there is plenty of time to pick up the pace if you are feeling strong.  Remember the lesson that water teaches  us. 

 

Harley, Tony, and I ride together to the first store stop.  Harley talks about his ride across Georgia.  When I ask, he says there is an option where you can sleep in air conditioned school gyms at night.  I thought this was his first year doing the ride, but he said it is his fifth but he is unsure if he will go again next year or not.  His enjoyment of the ride shows in his face and I am glad he had a good time and hope it works for him to do it in 2027.  

 

Tony says he is not training for anything at the present time and that he and his wife have been spending time with family.  At one point, two deer cross the road in front of us.  At the end of the ride, we hear that a car hit a deer in front of a group of riders, taking its hind leg.  Fortunately, the deer was thrown into the woods rather than back on the riders behind the vehicle.  I am glad I don't see this.  It would have ruined the day for me.  It makes me think of when I took over mowing following my husband's passing.  I ran over a young rabbit.  I had nightmares for quite awhile over that.  

 

When we reach the first store stop, Dee asks if we have seen Paula.  I had ridden with Paula a bit at the first of the ride, but then had dropped further back.  Both Tom and she are missing.  It turns out that they went off course.  Tom had to return to the parking lot after he left and his Wahoo thought he had finished.  He was going to wait to reload the course at the first store stop.  He had his phone, but it was in his pocket.  Paula had a GPS but often goes off course anyway. 

 

 After calling them, Harley says they are about 10 miles off course.  They do manage to find an alternate route to Bardstown and we meet back up with them at Chick-Fil-A.  They have almost the same number of miles as we do.  I tell them that when the TMD first started, you had to return to where you went off course and do the rest of the ride or you would be disqualified.  I also remember, for some reason, that the point leader used to have to wear a yellow jersey and I remember how Tim would not allow anyone else to wear a yellow jersey, a problem for me at the time because I only had one jersey and it was yellow.  Just another is a sea of changes. 

 

While at the first store stop I go into to get milk.  Since my osteopenia diagnosis, I try to drink mainly milk on long rides.  I take a long swallow only to find that, despite the date, it is sour.  So disgusting.  I exchange it for full fat which is not spoiled and joke with Jon about the bacteria now in my gut and whether the spoiled milk was healthier for my gut health than unspoiled milk.   

 

Bob, Harley, and I ride together to the lunch stop. A truck buzzes me on the way, coming within a foot of hitting me.  We shake our heads. 

 

After lunch,  Harley waits for those who have not finished their lunches at Penn Station.  Bob and I head on thinking they will soon catch us.  Shortly thereafter we are followed by a black mule that just will not pass us despite there being plenty of opportunities with open roads and no other cars and us waving him/her on.  It begins to get rather creepy particularly when we both spot the driver weaving and even going off the road in one spot.  I ask if we maybe should pull over and let him/her pass, but we keep on.  Then, when we get to a climb, the mules gets behind me and starts beeping his horn.  At that point, we do pull over and worry if he will bother the group that passed us shortly before.  I never hear anything about it, so I assume he/she doesn't.  Still, it was pretty creepy since the driver had plenty of chances to safely pass but chose not to for miles until a hill appeared.  I am glad I am not riding alone.  

 

After the third store stop, the music starts again and I decide I must either drop back as I did before or try to drop the group.  I really don't know if I can drop them, but I am tired of having to drop back and I take off.  I think Bob is following me but a bit later I discover it is Dominick who is wearing the same jersey.  Thomas Nance has also jumped on.  Slowly the large group behind us fades into the distance.  I suspect they will catch us because there are still a number of miles to cover, but they never do and we finish together and sign in.  I am worn out and I know my legs will not thank me for this abuse in the morning.  But I have not cramped or had any hint of cramping.  

 

I later learn that there are a few who do cramp on the ride, one cramping so badly he was unable to finish.  It made me glad I was a bitch about the music and held back, pacing myself, so I did not suffer a similar fate.  Studies tell us that the best times are those where we do negative splits, but normally we don't listen.

 

Dave, Mike, Jon, and I go out for dinner afterward.  Harley and Tom are still not in, but I spy them while waiting for my food to be served.  I later learn that Tom had three flats on the ride.  Dave insists on buying my dinner for my birthday and we talk a bit about planning a bicycle trip next year, something I thought he would not be interested in as he is doing PBP, or that is his plan.   It will give me something to look forward to when cold and winter limit my riding.