The Melon Metric Weekend and Century Ride Report

It must have been the weather or the company or the full moon - whatever it was, it turned out to be a perfect weekend of riding, and riding related events. Those who didn't make it out, there's always next year.

So here's the whole weekend, since the whole thing really started on Friday night.

Friday:

I arrived at Momi's riverside cottage around 5:45pm (would have been there sooner, but the traffic on 34, around Route 30 was hideous). I setup camp Moo, near the river bank. I bought my tent at REI on Thursday, along with a sleeping bag, and few other items (I'll use it again, on some other bike outing). Though, before another outing, I'll be buying a self-inflating mattress, like Rudi has - pretty cool.

Soon after setting up my tent, Roy and Norah arrived. The beer also started to flow. Then John Tunnell showed up with the route maps. Soon after that Rudi arrived in his VW Beetle. Then Carla and Heather. Momi had plenty of food, and she's a great hostess. Roy and Norah left early, since they wanted to go to the Harry Potter fest, in downtown Naperville. Carla also left a little later for the same fest (but stayed for part of the bonfire).

Before John Tunnell took off, we told him to be back by 10am on Saturday. Which would give us enough time to get in a quick 30 miles before 10am.

After the BBQ, we got the bonfire going, with a little help using some tiki lamp fuel - my idea - worked great! Before the fire really got going Rich and Donna arrived. Donna said she wasn't aware there was any natural beauty left in Illinois or so close to Chicago. Anyway, we all sat around the fire - Rich put a beer bottle into the fire, because they melt sort of (I didn't believe it), but sure enough it did go flat.

Around 10:30-11pm Rich and Donna, and Heather took off. Rudi, Momi and Moo killed the last bottle of beer. The good stuff, that Carla brought over. Thanks Carla. (It was Delirium Tremens.) At around 11:45pm we called it a night, as we had a 7am ride start. Rudy drove his car near the river, and used his car lights to help him put up his tent.

Saturday:

I woke up around 6am. Slept well, though the wildlife noise around and from the river is quite loud - the fish or beavers in the water sound like they're going to flop into your tent.

Before 7am Rick M. arrived, then Rich showed up, then Roy, and soon after Irish. We waited a little bit, hoping to see John D., but no show. So, we all followed Momi. She took us to Lake Holiday, Somonauk, through Sandwich - then back. On the leg back we saw John Tunnell already putting out some of the flags - we passed him doing 26mph - Momi was pulling.

We got back around 9:40am, and we saw John D's. car parked by the cottage. We could tell he was out riding, since his bike stand was next to his car. When John Tunnell arrived, everyone who was going help mark the routes, had also returned - Carla and Heather.

After, a quick change, the marking teams took off. Rich and I took the 100 mile loop, I don't remember what the others took, but they were back before us. It also took awhile to find Earlville, since Rich and I had never been there before. On the way there, Rich asked this guy in a pick-up truck, where's Earlville - he said follow me. Once we figured out where the Earlville rest stop was, we were able to use the cue sheet, and the marking went pretty fast. Though, there's so much gravel on the road side, it was hard to get the flags into the ground.

Rich and I got back to Momi's around 1:20pm and Heather, John D. and Roy were sitting on the porch enjoying some vino and lunch. John Tunnell was still there as well. Momi made Rich and I some lunch. It was a great day out, and terrific weather.

Sunday:

I woke up Sunday morning, after sleeping in my own bed around 3:30am, and hit the road around 4:55am. It was dark out, but the street lights illuminated the roads. About six miles into the ride, the sun started to come up, just as I was riding away from the street lights. It was also a bit cold, and the sun felt great. The roads that time in the morning were basically empty, and I was able to ride without stopping, only slowing down at intersections. When I hit Douglas, the morning fog was out over the crops, and it looked like a European postcard. Throughout the ride, I kept looking at the time. I wanted to be at Plano by 6:45am. I also didn't want to hammer it the whole way, as I was going to have along day on the bike, but I didn't want to miss the start - so kept a pace that was doable, considering me legs were cold, and it takes me 30 miles to get warmed up.



When I arrived in Plano, I saw Roy and Rudi driving in. I checked my bike computer, and it took me one hour and 38 minutes, averaged 18.1 mph. I arrived with time to spare, and it was great to see everyone. After taking a group photo, we - all 17 of us hit the course. It's so cool to ride with a lot of people. While riding out to the first rest stop, we picked up a few more riders. So, now we have like 18-21 people doing a pace line. We weren't going too fast, at a 19 mph pace, but doable for all. Carla wanted to keep it at 20, and I went too fast a couple of times.

After the first rest stop, we lost some of the folks we picked up, but gained a few more. Squirrel boy was one of those riders. On the way out to Paw Paw, Roy got everyone to ride in a pace line, he was shouting out orders like a sergeant. And our huge pace line was steaming towards Paw Paw. Then Roy yells out, turn right, turn right. Oops - the corner wasn't marked too well, and it looked like we were to turn right, when it said to go straight. So, the pace line blew apart. From there the pace line sort of came back together, though once we saw the wind farm at near Paw Paw, everyone took off and did their own thing.

At Paw Paw, we saw Eric working. He was also counting heads - he said it was research. Eric asked us if we would wait 45 minutes, so he could ride back with us. He was sort of kidding. Our group kept the rest stop time to a minimum, and then back on the road (too short for Wally - I think, sorry Wally). After Paw Paw, our original group split into a few different groups, but none of us were that far apart, time wise - well maybe Dietmar.

On the way back to Somonauk, Dietmar had a fast moving pace line going, up to 26 mph. Carla's tri-friends were in it, along with Momi, I think Rich for awhile, and Janet. After Somonauk, most of those folks picked up the pace line again, Lenny and his friend passed us, but we caught them and rode back into Plano with them.

Anyway, it was a great day out, not just because of the weather, but when you ride with friends - it makes it special. Dietmar wanted to average 20, but came back with 19.6 - my average came up to 18.8, but dropped back down 18.2, when I arrived home, after 170 miles. The Caucus also averaged 18+ thanks to Roy's efforts, meaning, getting everyone to pace line. Rich thought pace lines was cheating, he now knows they're not.

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Highlights and mishaps of the day:

Some great pace lines.

Three people rode their first century - Rich, Tom's friend, and Dietmar

Momi cut-off Roy (not on purpose), almost causing him to go down.

Janet while stopping hit some gravel and went down. She was okay, but her saddle was twisted, Lenny fixed it.

I was waving goodbye to Roy and fell off my bike, ouch!

I took a wrong turn on the way back to Naperville, and rode more miles then planned.

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Finally, the Naperville Melon Metric was well organized, plenty of food, and good rest stops, the 100 mile route had some really long stretches, which are prefect for pace lines, lots of corn, but hey it's Illinois. Anyway, this invitational should be on your list, as a classic Illinois ride.