ALMANZO 2014 - and everyone lived happily ever after

[archive item dug out of a dusty laptop hard drive or something --- originally sent May 18, 2014]

Gravel Compadres -

Stellar effort all.  Everyone made it through with only a couple of mechanicals and nothing more frightening than the expected dark hours in middle of a great day.
Short story from me is that I grabbed the wheels of the Batteries & Bulbs Racing Team and followed them to Preston.  We were on a tear --- Preston by 11:15a -- running about a 6hr pace.  Spotted Craig-o and frantically, maniacally, grabbed water and some calories from Craig-O as the team rolled past me.  I got back on the road feeling like I was cooked and wasn't going to catch the group.  About 5 miles up the road, I spotted them just getting back onto their rigs after a nature break.  I banged it out up the hill and caught them before they were back up to speed.  I was riding way outside of my range and I knew it --- but the draft was there and if I could stick with them up the hills and rollers, I figured I stood a chance of getting close enough to the finish to crawl in with a solid time.  Stayed with them until Forestville -- which we hit at 1:00 sharp.....still a 6hr pace. They watered up and so did I. 

Saw Bergeson and Deering there -- great to see friendly faces!  Watched the Batteries boys saddle back up and head out.  We were just a couple minutes behind them, and rolled out and up the hill to Maple.  That was pretty much the end of the glory days for me --- I let those boys go and went into my own pace.  Dragged myself through to Cheery Grove in a terrible state, where I sat in the back of Rittler's ride and chilled for maybe 20 min or more.  I was pretty crushed.
Fritz and Ladric rolled in then and after they had a short break we headed out together.  I started to feel a bit better and was bouncing off the front a bit here and there.  We connected at the base of Oriole which was so loose that I couldn't stay upright and we all walked it --- which was much my pleasant, and a bit social too as we pushed a couple of staggering pedalers up through some loose patches.
At the water crossing, there were no Sirens bathing in the stream as in previous years, so I stomped through and carried on.  Ended up feeling better as the end neared and I rolled in to shake Chris's hand and gladly received a beer from Tim (who shortly after produced the best damn $10 bottle of whiskey i ever tasted....man, that was good sugar).
Almanzo 2014 in the books.  May there be many, many more.

Many thanks to support man extraordinaire Craig-o for carting the food bin around......and also to Stelvis for such disturdingly awesome karaoke at Cherry Grove.
There were a load of cameras out there -- and they will start to pop up today and tomorrow.  Craig Lindner is one I know (from Target days) and he is exceptional.  I'm guessing there will be some links on Almanzo.com.  Check out last year's here album from Criag: https://www.flickr.com/photos/craiglindner/sets/72157633543106734/
So, rest up, clean up, enjoy the sunshine today, and have that rig ready for the Filthy 50 in the fall (or maybe one of the other ones during the summer).
....and to those on our IR list this year: Sullivan, Hicks, Bronwyn, Pasdo......you were missed but we know you will be riding again.

-ng

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