1903 v2

I'm trying to decide if I'm feeling suicidal. Outlaw Joe has put together another version of his 1903 Adventure Ride. This one is longer (60+ miles), with more climbing. I think I'm going to go along, but I'm bringing a geared bike this time. If I don't make it back, think well of me for trying.

Randomness

Tomorrow is the last day of summer. Tomorrow I also turn 45 years old. I kind of like, for the most part, where my life is right now. But there is always room for improvement.

My dad spent a couple of days in the hospital this week. That's a bit worrisome, but he's out with a clean bill of health for now. Yea Dad!

Our county fair has been going on this week. You sure meet some different kinds of folks up there. I didn't realize mullets were still hanging on so hard. The family went Thursday evening. One kid likes the ferris wheel and pony rides, and they both like throwing money away on the midway games. Ouch$$$. But walking from work to the fairgrounds and eating lunch there a couple of days this week was pretty cool.

Hopefully, with the aforementioned birthday, I'll have the ability to pick up a nice riding light. I'm looking at the Dinotte 600l, or the NightRider TriNewt. Both are around $400, so I'll have a light as expensive as my bikes, but I want to do some off road night rides this season, and the commuter type lights I have now aren't doing it. The LEDs look like the wave of the future.

Oh, and I'm doing another commuting seminar at The Bicycle Escape on October 22nd. This one will focus more on weather and light strategies for the coming cool dark parts of the year.

Fall is Coming

I got out Sunday for a few miles on my singlespeed monocog. Even with the runny nose and aches of a cold (a standard back to school illness at our house), it was great to be out. After months of riding in the 80s and 90s, a day in the low 70s was bliss. There were even moments when I contemplated a jacket. Take advantage of the Goldilocks weather while you can. It will be cold enough soon enough.

Journey Through Hallowed Ground

I got an email this week from some urban planning students from Va Tech, about a project they are working on. There is an organization called Journey Through Hallowed Ground.

"The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising national and local awareness of the unparalleled history in the region, which generally follows the Old Carolina Road (Rt. 15/231) from Gettysburg, through Maryland, to Monticello in Albemarle County, VA. From its communities, farms, businesses and heritage sites, we'll celebrate and preserve this vital fabric of America which stands today in the historic, scenic and natural beauty of this region."

The students are looking at the development of cycling resources along this corridor, consisting, as I understand it, of a primary route along the corridor, with spurs to the various historic and cultural features identified by JTHG. For obvious reasons, while the historic corridor follows Rt. 15, it doesn't quite fit the bill as a bike route. Hideous death trap would be a more apt description.

They had come across my web pages (internet fame, how cool) about aimlessly wandering through the county and contacted me to see if I wanted to share any ideas about routes. The four students and I met Saturday at local shop The Bicycle Escape, adjourned to Starbucks, and had a good discussion about all kinds of cycling stuff. Most of you know how dangerious it is to give me a captive audience. They even bought me a latte. I felt like a celebrity.

I hope I gave them some good ideas for routes, and some view of the amenities for cyclists here. The county is a great place for riding, and additional routes and trails wouldn't hurt. I encouraged them to join the local forum Bike Site to get other area cyclists' input, and I started a thread over there which is pretty much a copy of this post.

Anyone who is interested should check out the hallowed ground website to see what that organization is about, and go over the the bike site thread to put their two cents in.

Product Review

Kent Peterson has an amusing product review over at his blog. I had to laugh out loud. He has a great way of telling a story. I'm pretty sure I've tried the product and some point and I don't remember what he points out, but its a fine yarn. Head over and read it for youself.

Walking up hills

It's not a bad thing. I'd just prefer not to do it so much. I guess I could ride in places with fewer hills, but where is the fun in that? One reason is that my mileage is nowhere near what it has been in years past. Taking August off was probably not a great idea. Oh well, I can live with it. The riding yesterday was fantastic, and the walking was OK. The cooler weather sure helps.

That all I'm trying to say.

Photo Ride

Friend and SSOFT team member Maili is leading a cool ride this weekend. I usually have a camera along on my rides, but it is sort of incidental to the riding. This ride is all about the camera. If I can get my wife to take the kids to aikido, I'll be attending.


Frederick Photo Road Ride
Ride Leader: Maili, Single Speed Outlaws
When: Saturday, September 8th at 10:00 am
Location: The Bicycle Escape
Ride Level: Very Casual

Join Photographer and single Speed Outlaw Maili Godwin for a photography bike ride!
A casual ride through Frederick with plenty of scenic photo op stops. Fun and photography will be the focus of this ride.

Bring a camera and any photo accessories you can comfortably transport on your bike. We will stop to photograph cows, horses,
silos, cornfields, the donkey, and more at riders' request. We'll take a break at the covered bridge, so pack a PB&J.

Check out some of the scenery
you'll see on the ride!

Cue sheet for this ride

As always, all riders MUST wear a helmet, bring plenty of water, and have a road-ready bike.
Riders should also carry the usual basics: spare tube(s), a pump, tire levers, a chain tool, and basic allen wrenches. All riders ride at their own risk,
group leaders take no responsibility for rider safety/injury.

Labor Day

No real reason to post. I found the great photo my daughter took last month. Labor Day weekend came and went. The weather was great. We did some hiking and grilling. Monday I got out for a ride. After a rough patch, life can seem pretty good.