Fairhope Alabama

Fairhope, Alabama (Baldwin County)

Me at White Ave. Pier, originally uploaded by Martinator.

This is where I started all my rides from. That is Mobile Bay in the background.

Monday, July 6, 2009: County 3 to Weeks Bay and Back

Day 1

I decided to go for a short ride to make sure I put my bike together correctly. The short ride became 29 miles.

IMG00510.jpg, originally uploaded by Martinator.

On my way back from Weeks Bay Point, I met up with a rider named Lin (short for Marlin). He was down from Tuscaloosa with his family getting some riding time in.

You would't believe how many time I've run into this rider during my first week here. We plan on riding together next weekend :-)

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 6, 2009	27.92	1:34:18	17.8	County 3 to Weeks Bay and Back

Tuesday, July 7, 2009: Short County 13 Loop

For some reason I only got in a short ride on the second day. I think I was futzing around too much in the morning and the only way I could get a ride in was if it was a short one. So a short ride it was :-)

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 7, 2009	13.47	0:49:31	16.3	Short County 13 Loop

Wednesday, July 8, 2009: County 3 - Figure 8

This is my third vacation down here where I had my bike so I was getting pretty familiar with the roads. Once you are a mile from the shoreline, it is a giant, discontinuous grid of farmland. So I mix it up a little with a figure 8 route.

Marlin Sighting #2

As I pass by the Marriot at Point clear, I see this guy crossing the street. It's Marlin. He is taking a Real Estate Continuous Ed course and he is heading out to his car. What a coincidence. I stop, we talk. I tell him about a bike shop I know of up in Daphne.

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 8, 2009	22.47	1:23:05	16.2	County 3 - Figure 8

Thursday, July 9, 2009: County 24 - Scenic 98 loop

Typical Shoulder, originally uploaded by Martinator.

This is about as wide as the shoulders get here. Unless of course you are riding along the 4 lane portion of US Route 98.

Guy on a Tri Bike, originally uploaded by Martinator.

I'm headed back to the house on Scenic 98 when this guy on a Tri-bike (Triathlon bike) passes me. Now, where I come from, people on tri-bikes are serious riders, but apparently there is a high ratio of road bikers here who ride Tri-bikes. This guy also has killer calves that come from lots of riding.

Anyway, I see if I can reel him in. I do. It was rather easy. So I am riding his wheel on this relatively flat road and he is moving along at just under 18 mph. BTW, that is not fast given the conditions. He is riding rather erratically also.

So with only two miles to go before I get back I pass him and just go. I'm probably cranking along at 23 mph and leave him in the dust. After a short while he is nowhere in sight. I get back to my starting point and he (eventually) rolls up to me and says "You sure dusted me back there". I didn't mean to, he was just going too slow, but I'm polite so I don't say this out loud. I come to learn that his name is Jackie, and he is from Daphne and is just getting into biking after a 3 year hiatus.

Ah, that explains a lot...

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 9, 2009	23.49	1:22:20	17.1	County 24 - Scenic 98 loop

Friday, July 10, 2009: Battles Point

I head a little west, a little south, and come back to Scenic 98 through an area called "Battles Point". Then I head to the bike shop in Daphne where...

Marlin Sighting #3

I'm sitting in my car (mini van) on the phone in front of the bike shop when I see Marlin walk past my vehicle into the bike shop. This time I ask for his business card so we can get together for a ride.

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 10, 2009	19.93	1:11:58	16.6	Battles Point

Saturday, July 11, 2009: Silver Hill - Weeks Bay Loop

It's Saturday, time for a longer ride. I've heard about a group ride that leaves from the Fairhope Pier @ 7:00 am on Saturday Morning that does 60 or so miles. I get there and I see cars with racks, but no bikers. I later learn that the group meets at 6:30 during the summer, but nobody updated the website.

A solo ride it is then. So I head in a straight line due east toward the town of Silver Hill. Guess what... It's on a hill. I then head south, then west, then south again as I approach the Fish River. I then head over to Weeks Bay Point and ten head back.

Fishermen at Weeks Bay Point, originally uploaded by Martinator.

Weeks Bay Point is full of fishermen on a Saturday.

Marlin Sighting #4

As I head back I run into Marlin again. He turns around and we ride together back toward Fairhope. He shows me this cool little loop that takes you on a bluff overlooking the bay. We part ways and promise to make plans to ride together next Saturday.

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 11, 2009	46.38	2:49:39	16.4	Silver Hill - Weeks Bay Loop

Sunday, July 12, 2009: Rest Day

Legs needed a rest.

Monday, July 13, 2009: 20 Mile Loop

I called this ride my "20 mile Loop" because I am running out of names for these rides. Over the course of this ride my handlebar tape breaks down.

Stupid Handlebar Tape, originally uploaded by Martinator.

My handlebar tape is falling apart. I'll have to get it replaced when I get back home.

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 13, 2009	19.97	1:16:08	15.7	20 Mile Loop

Tuesday, July 14, 2009: Fish River

I'm running out of new roads to ride on. So I explore the roads further inland. I bike along the Fish River.

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 14, 2009	28.34	1:43:37	16.4	Fish River

Wednesday, July 15, 2009: Rest Day (Gulf Shores)

Beach Day :-)

Thursday, July 16, 2009: Weeks Bay out and Back

After a day of rest I decide to do an "Out-and-back" ride to Weeks Bay Point. I push it (but not too hard). I want to see how fast I can go. 17.4 mph over ~27 miles on essentially flat roads. That's good, right?

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 16, 2009	26.77	1:32:13	17.4	Weeks Bay out and Back

Friday, July 17, 2009: Daphne

I bike north to Daphne along Scenic 98. Now that road is hilly. Funny how a road less than a quarter mile from the water can be so hilly. Or maybe I've been getting used to the flats.

The roads up around Daphne are a lot more congested and less biker friendly because of that. That's just the way it is.

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 17, 2009	26.64	1:38:36	16.2	Daphne

Saturday, July 18, 2009: Weeks Bay Bridge - Fish River - Silver Hill - Broken Spoke

Over the course of the week I have been emailing back and forth with Marlin. We decided to meet up n Fairhope and ride together. One problem though...

Marlin Slept in...

He slept through his alarm, which he told me was in another part of the house. Funny how we kept running into each other but couldn't successfully plan to meet :-)

I decide to do a counter clockwise loop taking me south along Scenic 98, east out to Fish River, then north to Daphne. Then back west towards the only Sonic in the area. I though it would be cool to ride into a Sonic and order something from my bike.

Not many turns, originally uploaded by Martinator.

The roads in this region are pretty straight.

Me and Corn, originally uploaded by Martinator.

Once up on the plateau, everything looked like this.

Me and the historic Marlow Ferry , originally uploaded by Martinator.

I stopped along the Fish River and learned something about the Battle of Mobile Bay: http://www.battleofmobilebay.com/

North winds

During the latter part of this ride I was headed due north directly into a headwind. It felt like I was pedaling through molasses. It was one of the few times I wasn't in the big ring this whole vacation.

Broken Spoke, originally uploaded by Martinator.

Broken spoke = end of today's. Ride. 37.1 miles in, only 2.77 miles away from the Sonic I was headed towards. Hope I can get it fixed before the PMC.

Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 18, 2009	40.08	2:49:34	14.2	Weeks Bay Bridge - Fish River - Silver Hill - Broken Spoke

July 19, 2009: Packing up the Bike

Packed for the Trip Home, originally uploaded by Martinator.

All packed up and ready to go home.

I managed to get almost 300 miles of riding in while down on vacation here. It was a good way to train for the Pan Mass Challenge.

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Date	Distance	Moving Time	Average	Route
July 6, 2009	27.92	1:34:18	17.8	County 3 to Weeks Bay and Back
July 7, 2009	13.47	0:49:31	16.3	Short County 13 Loop
July 8, 2009	22.47	1:23:05	16.2	County 3 - Figure 8
July 9, 2009	23.49	1:22:20	17.1	County 24 - Scenic 98 loop
July 10, 2009	19.93	1:11:58	16.6	Battles Point
July 11, 2009	46.38	2:49:39	16.4	Silver Hill - Weeks Bay Loop
July 13, 2009	19.97	1:16:08	15.7	20 Mile Loop
July 14, 2009	28.34	1:43:37	16.4	Fish River
July 16, 2009	26.77	1:32:13	17.4	Weeks Bay out and Back
July 17, 2009	26.64	1:38:36	16.2	Daphne
July 18, 2009	40.08	2:49:34	14.2	Weeks Bay Bridge - Fish River - Silver Hill - Broken Spoke
Total	295.46	18:10:59	16.2