Pactour Elite Southern Transcontinental: Day 17

Day 17:	Dublin GA to Tybee Island GA
Mileage/Ride Time:	142 miles 7:35	Time Lv/Arr:	6:30am/3:25pm
Climbing:	2000ft	Avg Speed/Work:	18.7mph/3589 kJ

And you ride,
and you ride
to catch up with the sun,
but it's sinking
Racing around
to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way,
but you're older
Shorter of breath
and one day closer to death
{Adapted from the lyrics to Time. Dark Side of the Moon. Pink Floyd.]

We've been chasing the sun around for 17 days now, and it's finally over.

Today was the last day. I started out with the early, fast group and hung in all the way to the regrouping at the lunch stop (mile 116) for the processional section to the beach at Tybee Island. Came in with Don Magie, Chris Block, Scott McIntosh, Scott Luikart, Charles Breer, Peter Beeson, Mark Pattinson (who comes in first - alone or with a group - every day) and Vernon Smith.

My blog is usually from the back of the pack, but today I can bring you the SRM power numbers (for a 150lb rider) from the front.

[This is not the raw data but with 1% smoothing applied to flatten the jumps in wattage.]

I nearly didn't make it though. Took a pee break at the first water stop. Had to chase like a dog for nearly 5 miles to catch back on. You can see it in the power data.

I think the only reason I could hang was that the course profile was fairly flat:

Couple of photos at the beach near 3pm:

Group photo time:

Next picture courtesy of Jim Montgomery:

Today's course (MapSource and Google Earth):

For the record, here is the entire route (2800 miles):

I can't believe I made it... Epilogue tomorrow