Lost in Glen Cove

Been thinking all week to get in a long, hilly training ride this weekend, in preparation for next weekend's Highlander, traditionally my big ride of the year. Unfortunately, I found out that the Brands 55th Anniversary ride is the same day, which is a ride I would have liked to do.

Out early for 20 miles on the Jones Beach bike path, back home to drop off my lights and pickup my sunglasses, then over to Brands. Good size group heading out at 7:00 AM, including Mike W, Harvey and Matt, Bob, and lots of the regulars. Todd had a flat in the morning and would meet us later in the ride. No Jamie, so pace was set by some of the young guns. A brisk pace up Round Swamp Rd. and just 4 of us together for the LIE service road out-and-back.

Back at Round Swamp, 50 miles done so far, I headed north on my own to Greenvale (up Old Country Rd.) and picked up the route markings for the Gold Coast 55-mile ride. Felt good, and was following the route with no problems until somehow I lost the road markings in Glen Cove. I doubled back to the last marker and tried again but still felt somewhat disoriented. Nothing looked familiar from the two other times I did the route this summer. I called home and Linda checked Google maps. She gave me a simple route that would get me back to Post Rd. in Westbury, which is the route I intended to take back home anyway.

Met a group of riders from the Massapequa Park Bike Club who suggested another route, which I tried. This put me on busy Rt. 107, so I doubled back to the route Linda had gven me, and all was well.

Got my miles (105.4), and a good hill workout, though I missed a few more hills that I would have gotten had I stayed on the GC route all the way to Roslyn.