Mizzu Leads the 2009 Chase!

Dave,
I'm a Missouri rider throwing my hat in the ring. Got in a dirty metric yesterday.

Left Chillicothe, MO and headed north for just a couple of miles and then headed back to the southwest. I had to pick up a blacktop to cross the Thompson River and then headed off on some very hilly gravel that took me to the Grand River Bottoms (as we say around here). Eventually it headed north and west. Flat, flat, flat gravel and eventually flat, flat dirt. I rode around on the bottoms for a total of 25 miles. Luckily it was frozen as I followed the dirt lane up river. After the 31 mile mark, I turned around and headed home the same route.

It was in the low 30s and very windy. The strong wind was out of the northwest which made the flat bottom riding very frustrating. There were times where I struggled just to get 7 MPH. After I turned around it was a different story! I flew most the way back home which was good because I hadn't started my ride until noon. I only averaged a 10.4 MPH which meant I finished around 6:00PM ....well after the sun went down.

I've followed your website for the last two years and this is the year I'm hoping to go the distance.

Thanks for doing such a interesting competition. Great training! I'm talking with a few other riders down here that might have an interest.
Hope to get in a true century this month.

Tim Riekena
Chillicothe, MO