So I was pretty stoked when my family came to Tuscaloosa for Dad and me to ride our second Hot Hundred and third century together. (For those ignorant to the cycling world, a century is roughly 100 miles.) The Hot Hundred begins on campus at the University of Alabama, goes through downtown Tuscaloosa, and extends through back roads of West Alabama. It is described as "the hottest ride in the South". However, this year the ride began with a cloudy sky, protecting riders from the heat of the sun.
My dad has been riding bikes since before he was born. (Slight exaggeration.) When I turned 15, my parents bought me a road bike and I began occasionally cycling with Dad. Honestly, I'm more of a runner, which is super easy to enjoy solo. But last year, I moved away from home and riding began to make me homesick. Cycling is so closely associated with my father that I didn't really enjoy it without him.
So I was pretty stoked when my family came to Tuscaloosa for Dad and me to ride our second Hot Hundred and third century together. (For those ignorant to the cycling world, a century is roughly 100 miles.) The Hot Hundred begins on campus at the University of Alabama, goes through downtown Tuscaloosa, and extends through back roads of West Alabama. It is described as "the hottest ride in the South". However, this year the ride began with a cloudy sky, protecting riders from the heat of the sun.
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Last week, Dad came to town and we rode the Hot Hundred here in Tuscaloosa. It is called the hottest ride in the South. And I must say, it was pretty hot! There were certain points with little to no cover, which was sort of like riding on the sun. Although, being from Dothan, I feel like Dad and I were pretty well equipped to ride in such heat.
I wore a Nathan water hydration backpack which provided me with water and securely held my sunscreen. which I definitely needed. I am very happy to report that I did NOT get a sunburn this time!!! I was really happy to ride with Dad and get to spend time with him. It has been hard going from seeing my parents all the time to just talking to them on the phone. My parents are such a big part of my life and have become more like friends than anything else. I go to the farm with mom, I ride bikes with Dad. I’ve been spoiled, I guess During the majority of the ride, I felt very good, physically and mentally. I think I used my gears well and had them working for me most of the time. We decided to skip the last rest stop and carry on to the end in hopes of making the lunch deadline of four o’clock. About three miles away from the finish, I got a little heat-fatigue-crazy or something and tried to fall apart. Dad was constantly encouraging me. We were so close and I was just ready to eat that food! I brought my intensity back down and tried to focus on finishing. We crossed the finish line in time and enjoyed some lunch from Zoe’s Kitchen. Yum! My numbers: Distance : 103 Miles Average MPH : 14.2 Maximum MPH : 35.5 Calories Burned : 2837.9 Time to complete : 7 hours 14 minutes 39 seconds Thanks, Dad! I had a blast. Wanna go again next year?!? A Varner |
AuthorAshton Varner: Class Clown. Lover of Food. Adventurer. Archives
May 2024
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