The Tour de Cure is a nationwide fundraising event sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, and consists of one or two day supported rides in May or June. North Carolina has a single two day event that has run from Cary to Southern Pines and back for the past two years. Obviously not a brevet, but this year's heat and humidity ganged up to make it a challenge nonetheless. I went for the century route (103 miles) on the first day (June 5), and returned via the slightly shorter route. It was supposed to be 77 miles, but my missing a couple of turns resulted in 92 miles. Although there were plenty of rest stops (roughly every 8 or 10 miles), I skipped most of them until the second half of each day, when necessity forced me to pull over at every other stop to replenish water bottles and get a cold wet washcloth on my face. At one point, as I was dismounting I caught my right calf against the end of my pedal. No big deal I thought - that's happened before and it's nothing but a little scrape. I looked down, and did a double take as I beheld a good sized egg (see egg on calf). There wasn't really any pain, so I put some ice on it for a few minutes and it calmed down. Near the end of the second day, I was swinging my leg over the bike after taking a break when one of the worst cramps I've ever felt took over my right thigh. People in their air conditioned cars at the intersection must have wondered what kind of an idiot was making faces like he was trying to grind steel between his back molars while frantically stretching his leg out. In spite of our best efforts (plenty of Endurolytes, Heed, water, etc.), it seems like muscle cramps are something that hot weather cycling brings out. Unfortunately, there were a few riders who had to sag in due to cramping that could not be alleviated.
This was a great event and it was good to see some new riders, some of whom were doing their first century.
