The Independence Day Assault on the Peekamoose 100

To celebrate our nation's independence day and to kick off the official training for the Wilderness 101, the NECS planned for a century ride in the back country of Ulster county. The ride featured 3 great climbs, both ways over the Shawangunks and a summmit of Peekamoose in the middle just for good measure. And to add just a bit more spice to the ride this would be self supported with no stops for food or drink, think of it as a tame version of the Bataan death march.
News of the pending ride went over about as well hitting a hornet's nest with a stick and then standing there for the onslaught of stingers. There was a fair amount of interest expressed, to join in for a portion of the ride, and only Shop Sidekick was in for the long haul (as long as the Mayor closed shop for the day and with the kegerator freshly tapped hell would freeze over first) so it looked like it was going to be me and the demons only.
To beat the hordes of weekend travelers that would make the climb up to Minnewaska State Park look as crowded as the Col du Galibier during a tour stage, I saddled up with a 70 oz camelbak, 4 large bottles and enough food to feed a drought stricken sub Saharan family for a week and rolled out of the driveway at 6am. The 5 mile climb was immediately followed by an equally as long high speed descent (clocked 41 mph) before the long grind into the backwoods of Sullivan County started. The silence of the ride was broken by my playlist from the Cape Epic and it was the start of the climb to the summit of Peekamoose mountain, a climb that while not steep runs on for the better part of 10 miles and takes you through a land that is straight out of Deliverance - 1st cousins married, mangy dogs and the fear that I would be enslaved to either split firewood or service some toothless hag for the remainder of my life. Safety came in the form of beer swilling and dope smoking campers lining the river in stunned silence as I pedaled by.
Once over the summit it was about an hour before stopping at Jack & Luna's, Top Chefs favorite midride espresso bar, for a double shot and the climb back over Minnewaska State Park. The beauty in this ride is the last 7 miles are downhill and easy rollers to the finish where a fridge of cold beer and post ride goji berry snacks were sure to recharge the batteries. Simply put today was just Living The Dream.