The Goatneck

I rode the Goatneck 100 yesterday. Did the "100K" route (advertised as 69.5 miles, but my GPS and bike computer both tallied a little over 70.5 miles) with Jarrod. It took 5 hours and 6 minutes (4:18 of ride time).

Not a great pace (13.82 mph) because we had to make four rest stops (about 2 more than I had estimated) due to sore back (me) and neck (Jarrod) and I also got a flat tire just after leaving the 56-mile rest stop which cost us another 15 minutes. Thanks, Jarrod, for helping me change the tube. Note to self: be VERY careful where to lay bike at future rest stops - I'm sure it was just a burr or something in the grass that caused the flat.

Jonathan & Alexis and Mike & Simone rode the 27-mile course. I carpooled with Jonathan & Alexis, but never saw Mike & Simone. Of course with over 2,500 participants, the whole race site was pretty busy.

The Goatneck was a fairly hilly course and some of the longer, steeper ones got their own names: Mount Antenna and Mount Goatneck were especially challenging. Not sure if it was tougher than the Peach Pedal. Maybe a little tougher since it was 10 miles longer, but not necessarily tougher hills.

All in all, a great ride and definitely on the "must-do" list.

One final note: Regarding the ride's strange name, from http://www.bicycle-stuff.com/reviews/07_July/goatneck.htm:

C.A. Pierce, one of the early settlers of the area, was asked to describe the piece of land for one of the legal documents necessary to the transfer. According to legend, he said, "It's just a little ol' goat's neck out in the cedar brakes along the river." The name stuck, and goat's neck eventually became Goat Neck." - Steve Bell, Johnson County History Book.

Ride Review:

• Course: 4.5/5 - road conditions were pretty good; hilly, challenging course; good traffic support; wish they had a 100 mile route!
• Rest Stops: 4/5 - good refreshments and drinks; fun themes at the stops (luau party, rock and roll); Pickle Juice available at 47.5-mile stop, and PB&J crackers at 56-mile.
• Logistics: 3.5/5 - easy online registration; reasonable entry fee; sufficient parking at Cleburne Middle School despite the crowds; horrible web site - badly needs a redesign; decent T-shirt (but I would have preferred the white ones that the volunteers wore instead of electric blue!) and water bottle; they had just ran out of the post-race hot-dogs when we finished - boo!
• Overall: 4/5 - will do again; the good, challenging course and excellent ride support