How about a two-for-one deal?
The ninth annual Bikes, Blues and Bayous ride in the Mississippi Delta town of Greenwood took place August 6. A record 947 riders from 17 states turned out for the flat, hot, humid event. More than 500 of those riders chose the metric century loop, while the rest rode out-and-back options of 46 miles, 20 miles, or 11 miles up the east side of the loop. Probably the main reason this ride grows every year, besides its quiet, flat course, is the excellent volunteer support, and the live blues performances at the start/finish area and the rest stops.
My almost 16-year-old son wanted to ride the 20-miler, while I opted for the 46-mile route.
20-mile route
Unlike last year, when my son insisted on riding his nearly-outgrown MTB and paid for it with aching knees and backside, he asked to use my Q507 instead of his new, larger bike. We started near the back of the pack, since his slow-speed handling skills were a bit rusty. He settled into a 13.5 mph pace after the first couple of miles, at which we steadily passed groups of DF riders all the way to the first rest stop/20-mile turnaround at Money. He was amazed at how easily the miles go by on a comfortable bike.
After downing some Gatorade at the rest stop, my boy headed back south, while I continued north. On the way back, he found a couple of "middle-aged nurses," as he put it, to ride behind for 6 or 7 miles. He claimed he wasn't drafting close, but he was near enough to overhear one of the ladies giving the other her meatloaf recipe.
He finished the 10.4 mile return trip in about 41 minutes, according to his dad.
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46-mile route
A quiet ride from Money to Minter City, with a few stretches of shade trees alternating with fields of corn "as high as an elephant's eye." At that point, the 46-milers were spread out over several miles, but I was still overtaking the occasional DF. A pack of 6 or 7 uprights, who had dawdled at the rest stop, blasted by as if to make up for lost time.
The Minter City Methodist Church put on their usual awesome rest stop at the 46-mile turnaround. Volunteers filling the riders' water bottles with ice; tables laid with crustless pimento-cheese and PB&J sandwiches, homemade cookies, and fruit, served on silver trays; seating in the shade, with huge box fans keeping everyone...well, not cool, but less hot.
The little congregation was well prepared for nearly 800 riders, so all the lines moved along smoothly and pleasantly. Many of the faster 62-milers were there already (including
@ReklinedRider), some of them looking a little wilted from 39 miles of heat and humidity.
There was a bit of a tailwind the four or five miles eastbound on the return leg. All too soon the route turned south...and just before the turn, here came that same pack of uprights that had passed me earlier. Not quite as fast this time, but around they went. The temperature by then was in the mid-80s, with humidity around 70%.
Additional volunteers had arrived at Money when I got there around 10:15 a.m., along with a fresh bluesman, and hundreds of iced-down 8-oz. glass bottles of Coke. One volunteer's sole job was to open the bottles for the riders; he kept up a steady stream of encouragement and humor all the while. Two groups of Tri-Fit Chicks (?) were negotiating over slowing their pace and joining forces for the last 10 miles, while the musician led the crowd in an impromptu blues version of "Happy Birthday" for a rider named Karen.
The final push back to Greenwood was strewn with riders whose "get up and go" had just about got up and went. Standing on the pedals stretching, shaking out sore hands, stretching tight shoulders. And with only about four or five miles to the finish, doggoned if that pack of uprights didn't pass me
again...slowly...looking really uncomfortable. I latched onto the back and stayed with them until a mile or so from the finish; by then, they had slowed so much I had to pass them.
Here's to 1,000 riders next year!
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