back to portfolio | back to deepbrook home | by Jeff Dieffenbach Granite Grind Autumn Spectactular 1 October 2013 click here for slide show

Cold Start Last year's Granite Grind Autumn Spectacular II ride report failed to include an account of the weather. If memory serves, it was cool (not cold) and wet. Very wet. Wet enough, in fact, that when mixed with railroad tracks, it was enough to land me on the deck. This year's edition, GGAS III, was dry throughout. But not so dry as to prevent a repeat on those very same tracks. This time, though, the honor went to someone else. Rewind a day to Monday evening. We gathered at CJ's Penalty Box for dinner. "We" being 11 of us. Not the planned 12. Sean got in touch with Marc to find out his ETA. "Hit in the eye with a tennis ball," Marc responded, "Doctor says I need to take it easy. Risk of detached retina (and other such drama blah blah blah)." Marc and I then exchanged a few messages by email. JEFF: Tennis ball in the eye? What, were you trying to unjam the ball machine again? Sorry we'll miss you. Except on the climbs--then I won't be sorry at all. Be well! MARC: Apparently, tennis, unlike soccer, hockey, football or other sports is not for wimps. Have fun. Stringing a racket tonight. JEFF: That's basically knitting, right? MARC: Really good reply. I have no counter. Best save this for your write up. Fast forward back to Tuesday morning. 8a start in the Loon base lodge parking lot. About 50 degrees. And a forecast for spectacular: sunny, with temperatures climbing into the 70s. Up the Kanc. Not my best climb--I felt like a diesel that could never quite get out of first gear. Down the Kanc. Tentative (as always) at the top, then I let it run. Back to the cars, got rid of layers, refueled. Through Lincoln, up Route 3, then into the Flume Gorge and Visitor Center parking lot where Marc M got his traditional GGAS flat. Flat fixed, we headed up the bike path. Like last year, covered with leaves, but this time dry. We popped out the north end of the bike path, regrouped, and bombed down 141 into Franconia for a quick lunch stop. Back on the road, tailwind down 116, then left on 112 for the climb east to the top of Kinsmann Notch. Traditional Beaver Pond regroup, then the fast Kinsmann descent into Lincoln. Lincoln. You know, the site of last year's RR track carnage (see below, tracks in red). Dry today, though, so no worries--just cross them more or less perpendicular before the final 2-3 miles back to the start. No worries, that is, as long as you cross them more or less perpendicular. Which Sean M didn't. As attested to by the fairly spectacular road rash that accompanied the shot to the head he took. Sean's a trooper, though, so he waved off the medivac flight and finished under his own power, motivated no doubt by dual thoughts of Harpoon and hot tub. The numbers Distance: 68.2mi Average speed: 15.8mph Elevation: 5,069' Average cadence: 81