John and Jana of the Charleston Bicycle Company hosted the
After the Bridge Run Ride

It was a great course with low traffic.
 

Here are some marshes near the start.

Here's a "before" pic of Melanie & Dan.

.Here is an "after" pic of some early century finishers.

It was riveting!


 

Yesterday, 30,000 people, I guess ran across the Ravenel Bridge.

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 Nothing more to see here.

Go back to the top.

Okay. But you asked for it.

     We must have left "Pleasantville". One fast racer drifted back toward the back making his case for his disenchantment being to this effect:  when he pulled through no-one else pulled through correctly, he then would drift back to the rear of maybe a hundred riders all in a row because nobody let anybody back into the line but for the very rear of the "line" on the right side of the road.  I had also played "drop the last puller" just earlier. He was now contemplating that maybe this other 100 people may not work toward his catching the lead riders. His team mate was in the break so I'm not sure what a big problem it could have been.
     I've been schooled in how these centuries are not races. They aren't important. They have no awards. We tell stories about what we saw in the ride. "We saw pot holes on this part. We had one guy off on that part. we had three guys off the front there. He had a flat in those rocks. He was a good rider too. Jamie attacked near the interstate. "
     So I saw and heard the pride of teams on the road during this century as I have in many road rides.
     I was at the back of the pack now because my shifter was broken and I really wished I had the rest of my gears. I could have used my small chain ring in the front making my bike a 2 speed. There is a chain alignment problem in that the chain can rub the large sprocket while being in the small in the front and the small in the rear. This is the "no-no" of inside to outside. Plus the hills weren't really bad and to keep from getting dropped it would be best to stomp on the big sprocket in the front. When these guys get on it the big ring is the ring.
     So I'm fiddling with my shifter at the very back instead of being in front of someone making silly moves. The disenchanted racer drifted behind me. It seemed that he wasn't going to come in where he wanted in this "ride". I just made the statement that I had only one gear so that he would understand what I was doing there at that moment. He responded very helpfully much like a drill instructor at Parris Island, "Well push it then!"
     I actually hope that he reads this because I want to tell him how appreciative I am of his encouragement. I haven't been doing this long. Just over 30 years. I've ridden the Assault on Mitchell 27 times. I've ridden Boston-Montreal-Boston, Paris-Brest-Paris, Bike-Across-Missouri. I've raced, toured, mountain biked, time trialed, and I've been a United States Cycling Federation official. I've broken both clavicles, sternum, a whole bunch of ribs, my nose several times, hands, wrist, fingers, and I've been embarrassed too much.
     I just want to give credit where credit is due. You say when you have one gear and it is a large gear, you should "push it then"? Let me see....I was about 80 miles into a 100 mile bike ride and I've been stuck in my hardest gear to push for 25 miles. Since I was with you and everyone else at this point, are you saying that if I had "pushed it" I would have been in front of all of you? What are you saying?
     I'm a 58 year old has been that never was with pain running through my hip and down my leg with pain in my neck as well. Too often I have knee pain from cysts that prevent him from running, pressing weights, or even doing some yoga. Or are you saying that despite your being younger, your pretty outfit, your harsh words, and your charming personality, you didn't do better than I and you had 19 more gears?
     What if you  "Push it then!"?
     Let's get right.