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Moderate-Hard
/ 50-70+miles / Avg. Speed 19-22
The
Skinny: The crown jewel of Memphis road training rides.
The pack meets in the southwest corner of the Kroger parking lot at
Trinity and Germantown Parkway. Roll out is 8am sharp in peak season,
9am during the winter months. Departure times change with daylight
savings time. The ride starts out cutting through the Cordova burbs to
Macon Road, left on Lenow to Morning Sun. From there it’s anyone’s
guess where the ride will go, Shelby Forrest, the Cat Pee Store,
Rossville and all points in between. Come prepared for 3-4 hours in the
saddle. In the early season, the pace is usually a very steady double
paceline kept at a fairly tame, winter base building level, with a good
warm up and a good cool down. In peak season, expect sections of
paceline rotation at high tempo and there are always a few sprint
locations. These rides can be epic, an enjoyable group ride at a
touring pace or a gruesome hammerfest that will leave you praying to
the holy Trinity for mercy. It’s always a bit of a crap shoot depending
on who shows up. The pack usually breaks up and riders are shed if the
pace stays fast. The splinter groups will often opt for different
routes and distances. This one of the best rides in the city. Beautiful
countryside riding and great training opportunities with some of the
best riders in the area.
Dangers:
The railroad crossing on Lenow has most likely inflicted more carnage
on flesh and carbon fiber than any other one spot in West Tennessee.
The old rails are slightly elevated and cross the road at a odd angle
and are often slick with morning condensation. Combine this with the
surrounding pot holes and you can find your front wheel thrown sideways
trashing body and bike before you have time to think of reacting.
Exercise extreme caution when crossing.
Depending on
the season the heat can be intense. There are occasional pit stops on
the routes, but be prepared and bring plenty of food and fluids.
Note
to New Riders: This ride can be long with periods of
intense riding and the route never goes the same way twice. Find a
group that you can hang with who knows the way back or pack your GPS.
Dropped and lost with a 105 degree heat index is no way to spend a
Saturday.
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