Busy Week Ahead/Trying to get into Seattle to Portland

Last weekend was another good weekend. The weather was excellent and allowed for me to get a nice long long ride on Sunday. I rode to Atkins and back along Hwy 64. It was a tough ride out there with the wind out of the W to NW at 10 to 20. However, the ride back was fast and really enjoyable. Riding into the wind is a great challenge both physically and mentally. I would say it is more mental especially when you know how long of ride it is going to be. This ride concluded a tough week of training and this upcoming week will be light/easy week with the Memphis in May Triathlon on Sunday!

Another reason, the training will be lighter this week is I have to head down to Florida for work. I will fly into Orlando on Tuesday morning and then visit/help out on a site in Sarasota and Zephyrhills before heading back home Thursday. It will be a good time to rest up and relax even though it is work. I doubt I'll get the chance to experience Florida though it will be all work.

Of course, on Saturday, I will be heading to Tunica for the Memphis in May triathlon. The course is clear for the weekend of racing even though the casinos are closed. The race directors even sent an aerial photo of the race site showing that it wasn't flooded. I bet they were getting tons of emails and calls about the event and the previous statements didn't help, so nothing says that it's clear than a picture.

The only other big news that is going on is I'm trying to get into the Seattle to Portland bike ride. I just missed the general registration and am now trying to bid on a charity slot. The bid closes tomorrow afternoon and by then I will know if I'm going. If I don't go, I think I will still probably head out to the area. I've never been out to Seattle/Portland and I think now is a good time. I'm think of heading out around the weekend of July 1 and stay until July 10th.

Weekend Ride - Willam Junction Lollipop Clockwise

This weekend I went on my longest ride of the year. It was the first chance that I was able to do a ride of over 2.5 hrs. The ride I went on is a hilly route with a couple of good climbs and an area which is flatter. I call it the Williams Junction Lollipop because Williams Junction is the furthest spot away on this trip. I took the route in a clockwise direction. From my house, the route is 60 miles.

The ride starts off in Conway and heads south towards Bigelow on Hwy 60 to Hwy 113. The ride on this part is generally a rolling to a couple of short flat sections. Traffic on this section is probably a medium level for roads out here. The pavement is also pretty good.

After leaving Bigelow, you continue south on 113 till it meets with 300. This is where the first "climb" beings up into the Wye Mountain area. There are a couple of short downhills after climbing, but it is mainly up hill even past Hwy 300. After the 113/300 intersection, you continue south on 113 where you come to a section of big rollers. The road is straight, but you can see the road go up and go down thru a section. After completing this, you then drop down for a fast descent, but not to hard towards Lake Maumelle and Hwy 10. The Wye Mt. section is not very busy with traffic and the pavement is good. There is not a whole lot of shoulder here, so you are generally on the right side of the road.

Once 113 runs into Hwy 10, you are heading west. This section is a uneventful. About halfway heading west on Hwy 10, you start beginning a climb into Thornburg. At Williams Junction, is where you really begin to start climbing. This also where you head North on Hwy 9/10. Once you reach Thornburg, you have one short downhill then uphill before the very fast decent towards Perryville. Once at the bottom, the route is fast and flat. The Hwy 9/10 section generally has good pavement in Perry County, but it is mainly chip seal in Pulaski County on Hwy 10 west. There is a shoulder and the road is wide. Sections of the Hwy 9/10 North are 3 laned. The traffic is generally medium to low.

The final section is to head east on Hwy 60 after arriving in Perryville. This will take you to Houston where you continue to head east on Bethel Rd. You can continue to take Hwy 60 also. This section of road is flat and fast also. The pavement between Houston and Perryville is new blacktop and nice. The traffic is pretty low on Hwy 60 to Houston.

Bethel Road comes out on Hwy 60 where you continue back into Conway returning on the same section you started. Again it is contains small rollers and generally has some traffic.

Overall, I really enjoy this route. This is the second time I've completed this route going clockwise. I've also completed it going the other direction also. It is a route with a good mixture of terrain and is also a good longer distance ride without being too long. The traffic and road surface conditions also make it for a nice route.