MachoMan Drew (cancer survivor, #FKYH!) and I spent the morning popping along at tempo for an early 50, fortunately as it were, as the 'Ville area filled with torrential rains that cancelled the very popular
St. James Art Show. We did a nice Levee Loop loop, link Audobon, Southern Parkway into Iroquois and then parts SW touching JeffMemForest before a store stop on the southern end. Once on the Levee Trail (which links to the Riverwalk closer to town) we enjoyed a slight tailwind and some spiffy legs, spinning at around 17-18mph, enjoying the effort. Along Can Run Rd. we passed two chaps who seems to have problems steering or something; they were a bit crooked, Mrs. Orange and White. (Mr.& Mr.??) We took the sinuous approach to MillCreek gingerly with the wet surfaces and reappeared onto Lee's Ln and turned up the tempo along Campground, doing a steady 18-20mph, feeling good. Passing through Shawnee we noted the good tiredness in the legs, now 40 miles in. I decided to forgo Bank St. for more Riverwalk roll and in a misty rain decided for a quick M&M (the chocolate and peanut kind) break. Not long after, Lo and freakin' Behold, Mrs. Orange and White reappear, Orange on his hybrid, White on his 80s Schwinn. Oh, the cheek! At this point we couldn't exactly spring around them, so we decided to bide our time and seethe in the inhumanity of the defeat. I even made a little spurt along the right leg of the walk near I64 just to put some pressure on, as I had seen White peeking back. Battle.
Then it happened. About to reconnect with O&W, I looked back to take stock of Drew and there was no Drew. Gone. I backtracked to find him walking, and we know why, don't we? I used my surplus experience to show him the finer nuances of tube changing, only this time using his CO2, which I proceeded to spray about like a fire hose. Oops. Guess I should find a bit more nuance to that cut-off valve. We pumped using my Lezyne until a doughy plumb, adequate at best. Upon removing the Lezyne's valve hose I then proceeded to remove the valve core as well. Er, uh, oops. Nice try, the second pumping. Drew used his second cartridge and got pumped up in about 5sec. Old school loses again. And speaking of losing, O&W were long gone, reveling in their victory, keeping pace on a gd hybrid and 80s shitty steel. Still smarting now these 5 hours later.
We finished up with 51 miles at a nice 15.1mph pace. A great Saturday morning spent with a hawk or two, a BG Heron, an Eastern Bluebird (Drew's first), the Blue.Jay. and some unattractive drivers who tried to pinch us along Manslick.
As for O&W, next time I use the big ring.
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| A grand morning, although as often said, red sky at morning, cyclists take morning, this looking west. Rain acoming. |
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| JoeCreason with a variety of textures. |
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| Farnsley-Moorman at the southern end |
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