Table Rock to Somewhere

Since Last Post: 2,058 ft

Total Elevation: 33,811 ft.

Follow my ride:
7/27/2011: Table Rock Loop
7/28/2011: Ridge Crest - Central

What do you call a cyclist who doesn't wear a helmet?  An organ donor.  ~David Perry

Yahoo! I'm a third of the way to my goal of 100,000 feet. I had hoped to get more July rides in but all the summer travel made it difficult. I'll do better in August, I promise.

Some of you reading this may be curious about the title of this post, "Table Rock to Somewhere." Well, it's like this. I took an innocent little ride up Table Rock after an incredible week off in Washington. I decided it would be a good ride to get my legs moving again and I've been wanting to try and hit the cross at the top in 30 minutes flat.

I've been on these routes enough now that I have certain "checkpoints" along the way that I use to help determine how well I'm doing. On this route I have a 90 degree corner on Shaw Mountain road as my first checkpoint. If I'm not there in 10 minutes or less I know I need to pick up the pace. Today I hit it in 8 minutes, 30 seconds. I was off to a good start.

My Table Rock Checkpoint Map

The next checkpoint is the last house before the real climb. At that point you've gone 3.6 miles and have climbed 500 feet. I need to be there in 20 minutes. I was at 17 minutes, 41 seconds. The fun part starts at that point as you climb 330 feet in 0.85 miles. That gets you to to the end of the pavement which is the final checkpoint before the cross. I was there at 25 minutes, 25 seconds. I had lost a little ground but still had about 4 and a half minutes to go the remaining 0.66 miles and some 150 feet elevation.The second checkpoint is Shenandoah Drive. I need to be there in 13 minutes or less. I was at 11 minutes, 11 seconds so I'm still doing fine. I knew if I was going to beat my fastest time of 31:09 that I'd need to keep up the pace. If I didn't slow at all I'd surely make it.

I rounded the first bend; 26 minutes. I rounded the second bend; 28 minutes. I hit the parking lot at the top; 29 minutes flat. Now for the quarter mile dash to the cross. In order to make it I'd have to get up to 15 mph and maintain it to the cross. 

I really wish I could tell you I made it in time, but I'm sad to report that I came up a few seconds short. The official time, 30:30. Oh well, that gives me something to shoot for next time.

Anyway, back to the topic of the title. If you follow my ride above by clicking on the link, you'll see that things got a little confusing after that. I tried to follow a trail back behind Table Rock but missed a slightly hidden left-hand turn and had to turn around. I then went down a trail on the South-West side, came out by the Old Penitentiary, then stayed on the trail until I came out, well, somewhere.

For some reason I ended up doing this odd u-turn thing and heading back uphill towards a dead end. I soon realized I better check my iPhone to see where I was. I then headed back down, then back up the aforementioned Shenandoah Drive before meeting back up with Shaw Mountain Road. It's all downhill from there.

I ended up with 1315 ft elevation gain over a 12 mile distance. Not bad, but not good either. Next  time, I think I'll stick with what I know.

To view a 360° view of Table Rock from a previous ride, click here.