Hancock's Bridge 100km randonneur ride 12.05.2021

I wanted to ride a RUSA Permanent metric century each month for 12 consecutive months (a P-12) without repeating any routes. But I ran out of desirable choices after 11, so I decided to repeat this one, created this year by Rick, who agreed to ride along with me (again, as he did in June). His idea to ride the loop clockwise this time appealed to me, as it kinda made it a new route.

The weather forecast was pretty good for a December day, temps 39-53F with winds not exceeding 8mph (but they still fought me across the open fields late in the ride). The route around Cumberland and Salem Counties goes from the edge of Millville thru Fairton, the county-seat city of Bridgeton, historic Greenwich, Canton, Harmersville, historic Hancock's Bridge, Quinton, Rosenhayn and little Carmel, with lots of low-traffic country roads thru farm country and wooded areas.
We took one short diversion onto New Bridge Road to check out the closed old bridge over swift-moving Alloway Creek (incoming tide), which was a good place for my nature break. And the following stop at Bud's Market in Quinton was a welcome place, as always, to sit on a bench out front in the sunshine and munch a treat. There I learned that Rick once tore down the top of the engine to replace a head gasket in a second-hand 1980s Dodge Daytona he owned. Major props for that.

We rode and talked (never a problem when riding with Rick), and for once I even beat him to the punchline of one of his pop-up jokes. It was a "wrenching" experience. 

I was dragging a bit with an achy knee on the last long stretches (of 7, 5, 7 and 4 miles).
At the end, I was congratulated for completing my P-12. Thanks for the support and company, Rando Rixter.

Course map, elevation profile and pics here:

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/79572965

Hancock's Bridge 100km randonneur ride 6.08.2021

"And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days..."
-James Russell Lowell

On this nice, hot day in June, I rode the new Hancock's Bridge 100km Permanent route with its creator, Rixter. Rick is a stronger rider than me (I've called myself "Mr Slowski") but he is good enough to wait for me up ahead, sometimes out of view. At one point I saw two riders coming toward me, with one wearing a jersey that reminded me of Rick's. Wait a minute - that IS Rick, and with him is fellow club-member Gary, out for a solo ride. Pure happenstance, meeting up on the road. Funny.

Starting near the Union Lake dam in Millville NJ, the route heads past the southern edge of Parvin State Park and up to Anderson's Store in Centerton, over to Bud's Market in Quinton (good breakfast sandwiches), down to historic Greenwich (site of a pre-Revolution tea party), up to Bridgeton, down to Fairton, then back to the western edge of Millville. It is an enjoyable course, a lot of long runs on quiet country roads with some elevation due to a few rollers (by South Jersey standards). Route, elevation profile and pics here: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/68856358

We rode past some foot-high corn; it would be nice to ride the route again when the corn is tall. I saw my first mountain laurel in bloom (Millville-Fairton Road), and heard a couple different cocks crowing. A number of dogs barked hello, but seemed to be kept on their property by invisible fence - except for 3 little dogs that together came charging right out onto the road. I predict short lifespans for them.

As usual, I had a Garmin GPS hiccup, where it told me I was off-course and needed to make a U-Turn. Fortunately the ride-creator was with me to keep me on the correct path.

I am now halfway to a RUSA P-12.