Country Ride
A little mixed-terrain action on today's pre-turkey ride. Report to come, but empty rolling country roads are good for the soul.
Really nothing too mind-bending about the quickie country ride yesterday, save wind and rollers and more wind. It started well enough- well, not quite well enough b/c I forgot my bottle and directions- with about 1m worth of creek holler gravel. At the end of Johnson Creek Rd. I actually had to walk for 15yds or so; the pitch was too steep for me without a triple. From there it was lots of rolling ridgetops and creek crossings into Mayslick, with the only memorable things being the stiff-ass wind from the west. And I've been across those roads enough to now remember that on 161 at the crest of the 2nd hill lives a pack of 3 pissed-off dogs who always give me grief. If I ride that way again I'm going to have to plan ahead. From there I crossed through Mayslick where I helped a gentleman with a very different dog experience. His spaniel wouldn't mind and he came across the road to lavish me with attention before fleeing his master some more. I road on down the road and the poor little thing started following me, much to the dismay of said master. I, in turn, turned around and lead the little lovedog back to said master. It was my Thanksgiving gesture of kindness.
From there it was across a tough, in-the-wind Laytham Pike and then by the in-laws place on Old Sardis and up that climb. Speaking of climbing, I took quite a few more out of the saddle than usual; it felt good to get out and pound a bigger gear up and it seemed like I dealt with the climbs better than I have in the past. Fitness? I climbed again up Clift Pike and again up 419 out of the creek valley, using an extension on 419 to ensure 20+. From there it was up one more climb up Key Pike and home I was after an invigorating but tiring 20. I took the Crosscheck again after some brake work and I finished satisfied with that job. As for the Crosscheck's stability, I'm just not sure. Being a 'cross bike, its shorter wheelbase makes for some twitchy behavior, and right now with the 35c Paselas I think the tires exacerbate its twitchiness. I think I'll go back to the Bleriot for the road, but like shoes, it's good to change up sometimes. Pictures (I forgot that blogger loads pictures backwards, but I'm too lazy to reload them; hence, these are last to first):
Really nothing too mind-bending about the quickie country ride yesterday, save wind and rollers and more wind. It started well enough- well, not quite well enough b/c I forgot my bottle and directions- with about 1m worth of creek holler gravel. At the end of Johnson Creek Rd. I actually had to walk for 15yds or so; the pitch was too steep for me without a triple. From there it was lots of rolling ridgetops and creek crossings into Mayslick, with the only memorable things being the stiff-ass wind from the west. And I've been across those roads enough to now remember that on 161 at the crest of the 2nd hill lives a pack of 3 pissed-off dogs who always give me grief. If I ride that way again I'm going to have to plan ahead. From there I crossed through Mayslick where I helped a gentleman with a very different dog experience. His spaniel wouldn't mind and he came across the road to lavish me with attention before fleeing his master some more. I road on down the road and the poor little thing started following me, much to the dismay of said master. I, in turn, turned around and lead the little lovedog back to said master. It was my Thanksgiving gesture of kindness.
From there it was across a tough, in-the-wind Laytham Pike and then by the in-laws place on Old Sardis and up that climb. Speaking of climbing, I took quite a few more out of the saddle than usual; it felt good to get out and pound a bigger gear up and it seemed like I dealt with the climbs better than I have in the past. Fitness? I climbed again up Clift Pike and again up 419 out of the creek valley, using an extension on 419 to ensure 20+. From there it was up one more climb up Key Pike and home I was after an invigorating but tiring 20. I took the Crosscheck again after some brake work and I finished satisfied with that job. As for the Crosscheck's stability, I'm just not sure. Being a 'cross bike, its shorter wheelbase makes for some twitchy behavior, and right now with the 35c Paselas I think the tires exacerbate its twitchiness. I think I'll go back to the Bleriot for the road, but like shoes, it's good to change up sometimes. Pictures (I forgot that blogger loads pictures backwards, but I'm too lazy to reload them; hence, these are last to first):
Try to focus on the skies in the distance. "holes" of light were more impressive than fotografo trying to capture them.
Down and Up, shot reminiscent of whole region, with quick downs into creek valleys with short-but-steep climbs back out.
road
Johnson Creek mixed terrain
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