Maysville
Date: Nov 24 Sat
Mileage: 46(Bleriot)
November mileage: 376
Year to date: 2424
No pics on this longish country ride, but I've added a map to who my adventure. This is the kind of country ride that we all should have the opportunity to do occasionally. Beautiful, sparse countryside, empty roads, challenging hills and miles of personal contemplation. and a great bike to do it on. I would give Saturday's Turkey Ride 4**** if I were to do so. My original plan was to loop down and through some hilly country down towards Blue Lick State Park and then loop homewards through Alhambra, as a reverse of a trip I'd done in the summer. The summer trip had been a failure in many ways- loose wheel spoke, conditioning and heat being the triple threat- so I wanted this ride to take in part of that route as a kind of comeuppance. What I didn't figure in was the country's way of changing best-laid plans, in this case via the lack of road signs. I should've know this nugget, but seemed to ignore it. In times past when I've undertaken a Mason Co. "adventure" I've had a map backup with me. This time I only had a routeslip, so when the turn lacked a sign I had to rely on the direction of the sunlight to ensure that I was in the right spot. Hence, I did a short extra loop around mile 7 that changed my intentions for the day. Once I passed that I chose to stay on my original path, but that I would shorten it towards the most southern areas that I don't know. Adding to my self-doubt was my fingers. I have a pair of Manzella gloves that do me pretty well in the 30s. The prob this time was that the gloves were still damp from Thursday's ride. To start a windy, 30F ride with dampish gloves is just no good, so that curtailed my adventuring spirit again. I marshaled on, past my in-laws' farm in Helena towards Elizaville. From that point I used a mental picture of the area to plan a return home. Just west of Elizaville I found the quaint town of Ewing, where I found a store to warm up in and to stock up. I know exercise is important and fruits and veggies the key, but I also love SwissCake rolls on rides. They're pure sugar, so I get that tiredness bump I need. I included a gatorade and... hunter-orange gloves. It's deer season, so I thought it only reasonable to join the crowd.
The wardrobe needs further mention as well. I came prepared with the usual cycling clothes I tend to wear these days, but 1 thing I forgot was my jacket. In the 30F/windy conditions I would have to have a windbreaker, so off I went to Wal-Mart- that new corporate cathedral of smalltown America- and found myself the closest thing I could. It's a lightweight raincoat with nary a vent to its name. After the trip I valued more than ever the quality that is wool. Underneath the WallyWorld raincoat I wore my baselayer wool with arm warmers and on top of that my thick wool. Once I got home I was completely soaked, but b/c of wool's properties I was still warm and cozy. Amazing stuff! And I have a new raincoat. and not 1 pair of new gloves, but 2. At WallyWorld I also found a pair of all-wool gloves with palm dots. They're nice and thick and should nicely augment my old, holey army surplus woolies.
After my lunch stop I made my way back to the house. Of note was brief climb around mile 28.5. Steep, steep stuff. I wasn't close to making it to the top. It's the beauty of wearing flat shoes instead of cycling shoes for such an endeavour. I added a little extra loop which passed by my brother-in-law's house (trailer) and made my way back up the 3 climbs which almost always face me in leaving the Maysville house. I noticed, thought, that the climbs weren't so bad. Fitness? Bleriot?
A great, albeit cold and windy, day and a well-earned 46m effort.
Mileage: 46(Bleriot)
November mileage: 376
Year to date: 2424
No pics on this longish country ride, but I've added a map to who my adventure. This is the kind of country ride that we all should have the opportunity to do occasionally. Beautiful, sparse countryside, empty roads, challenging hills and miles of personal contemplation. and a great bike to do it on. I would give Saturday's Turkey Ride 4**** if I were to do so. My original plan was to loop down and through some hilly country down towards Blue Lick State Park and then loop homewards through Alhambra, as a reverse of a trip I'd done in the summer. The summer trip had been a failure in many ways- loose wheel spoke, conditioning and heat being the triple threat- so I wanted this ride to take in part of that route as a kind of comeuppance. What I didn't figure in was the country's way of changing best-laid plans, in this case via the lack of road signs. I should've know this nugget, but seemed to ignore it. In times past when I've undertaken a Mason Co. "adventure" I've had a map backup with me. This time I only had a routeslip, so when the turn lacked a sign I had to rely on the direction of the sunlight to ensure that I was in the right spot. Hence, I did a short extra loop around mile 7 that changed my intentions for the day. Once I passed that I chose to stay on my original path, but that I would shorten it towards the most southern areas that I don't know. Adding to my self-doubt was my fingers. I have a pair of Manzella gloves that do me pretty well in the 30s. The prob this time was that the gloves were still damp from Thursday's ride. To start a windy, 30F ride with dampish gloves is just no good, so that curtailed my adventuring spirit again. I marshaled on, past my in-laws' farm in Helena towards Elizaville. From that point I used a mental picture of the area to plan a return home. Just west of Elizaville I found the quaint town of Ewing, where I found a store to warm up in and to stock up. I know exercise is important and fruits and veggies the key, but I also love SwissCake rolls on rides. They're pure sugar, so I get that tiredness bump I need. I included a gatorade and... hunter-orange gloves. It's deer season, so I thought it only reasonable to join the crowd.
The wardrobe needs further mention as well. I came prepared with the usual cycling clothes I tend to wear these days, but 1 thing I forgot was my jacket. In the 30F/windy conditions I would have to have a windbreaker, so off I went to Wal-Mart- that new corporate cathedral of smalltown America- and found myself the closest thing I could. It's a lightweight raincoat with nary a vent to its name. After the trip I valued more than ever the quality that is wool. Underneath the WallyWorld raincoat I wore my baselayer wool with arm warmers and on top of that my thick wool. Once I got home I was completely soaked, but b/c of wool's properties I was still warm and cozy. Amazing stuff! And I have a new raincoat. and not 1 pair of new gloves, but 2. At WallyWorld I also found a pair of all-wool gloves with palm dots. They're nice and thick and should nicely augment my old, holey army surplus woolies.
After my lunch stop I made my way back to the house. Of note was brief climb around mile 28.5. Steep, steep stuff. I wasn't close to making it to the top. It's the beauty of wearing flat shoes instead of cycling shoes for such an endeavour. I added a little extra loop which passed by my brother-in-law's house (trailer) and made my way back up the 3 climbs which almost always face me in leaving the Maysville house. I noticed, thought, that the climbs weren't so bad. Fitness? Bleriot?
A great, albeit cold and windy, day and a well-earned 46m effort.
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