[analphilosopher] Keith Burgess-Jackson: Bonham

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Posted by Keith Burgess-Jackson:
Bonham
http://www.analphilosopher.com/posts/1160427907.shtml


   Two days ago, in beautiful, historic Bonham, Texas, I did my 21st bike
   rally of 2006 and my 392d overall. Iâm not going to reach 400 rallies
   this year, since there are only four rallies remaining, but Iâll reach
   it early in 2007. It seems like yesterday that I did my 300th rally.
   Time flies when youâre having fun.

   The weather during the rally was gorgeous. Itâs not always so. Two
   years ago, the weather was so nasty that I cut my ride short. Itâs the
   time of year in North Texas when you can get summery or wintry
   weather, or anything in between. Donât laugh, but I was shivering at
   the start, even though the temperature was in the sixties. After a
   long, hot summer, 60° feels cold! I knew that Iâd be warm within five
   miles of starting, so I didnât wear a long-sleeved shirt. I was right.
   It was probably in the mid-80s by the time I finished, shortly before
   one oâclock. (We started at 9:00.)

   The rally is known as Autumn in Bonham, and this was the 20th
   anniversary ride. Iâve done 15 of them, going back to 1990. Itâs a
   long drive to Bonham for me, but itâs well worth it. Unfortunately,
   none of my friends went. But that was fine. I had my Rio Karma, which
   is loaded with nearly 7,000 songs. If I ride with friends, I talk to
   them. If Iâm alone, I put earphones in and listen to music. The only
   difference is that I canât draft on music.

   Some of you may be wondering what a bike rally is like. Iâll try to
   explain it. The riders met at a middle school in downtown Bonham,
   which, like many Texas towns, has a rustic courthouse in the town
   square. When you arrive in town, volunteers direct you to parking
   areas. Once parked, you hustle to the registration area to get your
   ride packet and use the facilities. I always arrive 45 minutes before
   the start of a rally. Iâve learned from experience that itâs just
   enough timeâbut not too much, or else Iâve robbed myself of sleep. By
   8:45, I was ready to ride. I locked my car, mounted my bike, and
   rolled to the starting area a hundred yards away. At 9:00, someone
   made announcements on the loudspeaker (often there is a prayer or a
   singing/playing of the national anthem) and said âReady; set; go.â
   There were several hundred people lined up on the street. I always
   line up near the front, since Iâm faster than most of the riders and
   donât want to be slowed by them as we leave town.

   Within minutes, we were out of town, having been directed by police
   officers on motorcycles and by officers standing at intersections.
   Texas has wonderful farm-to-market roads. Some of them are smooth;
   some are rough. Some have shoulders; some donât. This yearâs route
   took us due east to Dodd City. The prevailing winds in North Texas are
   southerly and northerly, but Saturday we had an easterly wind, which
   made the first few miles hard. There were also rolling hills. Early
   on, there are lots of riders around you, before people get spread over
   the course. Inevitably, you find yourself riding at the same speed as
   a few others. Often, this leads to cooperation, as each rider tries to
   save energy. I think of it as spontaneous order. The more energy you
   save early on, the more youâll have at the end.

   At Dodd City, the course turned south for a few miles, to a town
   called Hail. It must have been small, because I donât remember it. I
   just see a name on the map. From there we turned eastward again to the
   delightfully named Bugtussle. I kid you not. There must be a million
   towns in Texas, each with a distinct name, history, and character.
   This town is one of my favorites. During this time I was sharing the
   work with a woman who looked like a triathlete. (Triathletes use
   aerobars and store water bottles behind their seats. They have a
   distinctive look.) We rode together for two hours, taking turns
   pulling. Neither of us said a word the entire time. Neither of us even
   looked at the other. There was no need to say anything. We understood
   perfectly what was happening and each of us benefited from the
   cooperation. Every now and then (usually on a hill), I would
   accidentally drop the woman. I would notice her 50 or so yards behind,
   sit up, and wait for her. When she reached me, she would go to the
   front. She was strong. She stayed on her aerobars most of the time.

   At Bugtussle, we turned south for about five miles to Ladonia. Then we
   veered westward for the first time of the day, and then southwestward.
   After about two hours, we reached Wolfe City. I was low on water and
   needed a porta-potty, so I stopped. The woman continued. I didnât see
   her until the finish, when she was running toward me on the course.
   Thatâs why I say sheâs a triathlete. She may be training for some
   event. At any rate, I stayed at the rest stop for about 10 minutes,
   examining my map, eating a PowerBar, sipping water, and resting. I
   chatted with the volunteers. As I did so, riders came and went. I was
   about half done with the course. It was warm by this time, but not
   hot. I felt good. I overheard a man gushing about the weather.

   I divide bike rallies into segments. It makes the miles go faster.
   After Wolfe City, I had four segments to go. The first was a stretch
   of about 10 miles into Bailey. There was a wide, smooth shoulder here,
   and the wind was at my back. My computer had given out a few miles
   earlier (just as it had in Wichita Falls), so I lost a bit of
   enthusiasm. Ordinarily, I ride hard so as to get a high average speed;
   but with the computer inoperative, I wouldnât know my average speed.
   In a way, it was liberating. I could ride at any pace I wanted,
   without worrying about it. I got to Bailey in no time. The second
   segment was southwesterly into Leonard. The wind helped me here as
   well. There were several hills, but they werenât steep. Most of the
   time, I could see riders ahead of me, some of them far off in the
   distance. Occasionally someone would pass me, or I someone. I usually
   say âHowdyâ when I pass, so as not to appear stuck up.

   The third segment was northerly, from Leonard to Randolph. I was now
   headed back to Bonham. This part of the course contains the dreaded
   âLeonard Hills.â I climbed them three weeks ago during the Greenville
   rally. The only difference is that I had a tailwind then. Saturday I
   had a crosswind. The first three hills are appetizers. If you use your
   momentum, you can get up them in a large gear by getting out of the
   saddle and pedaling hard. The fourth and fifth hills are the entrée.
   The fifth is quite steep, especially near the top. I had to get into
   my smallest gear (of 14) and get out of the saddle. I was gasping for
   air at the top. Volunteers stood at the tops of the climbs to keep
   motor vehicles from running over us. I know the course well, so I knew
   that there were no more big hills after this. I arrived in Randolph a
   few minutes later, with one segment to go.

   The final segment was on a delightful winding roadâwith stands of
   trees to block the wind. I had planned to stop in Randolph, but there
   was no rest stop until Edhube. You read that right: Edhube. For many
   years, Iâve wondered how to pronounce this name. Is it âEdoobie,â as
   in âDoobie Brothersâ? Surely itâs not âEd-hube.â But it is. I asked an
   old man at the rest stop, as I sat in a folding chair eating a cookie
   and a banana. (Cookies and bananas go well together, as Iâm sure you
   know.) He didnât know the origin of the name, but he knew the
   pronunciation. He told me as I was leaving that I had five and a half
   miles to go. That was music to my ears. By this time, with 60 miles
   under my belt, I was tired and ready to get off the bike. I completed
   the course, rolled to my car, and packed up. Thatâs it! I did the same
   course as a year ago, so I assume it was 66.04 miles. My average speed
   was about the same: 16.64 miles per hour. It may have been 17. Before
   leaving Bonham, I bought bean burritos at Taco Bell. Ah! They hit the
   spot on the long ride home, during which I sipped cold water from my
   Thermos and listened to a college football game. My friends missed a
   terrific rally. I hope you enjoyed this narrative.