Mark's Cycling & Hiking Blog
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups

Saturday Ride Report-Broken on the Side of the Road

8/16/2013

10 Comments

 
Picture
Before the usual silliness begins, let us pause at this grainy image and celebrate Tim Faigley on the right, todays monstrous ride leader.  A COP Roving Ride is one that is described as just kind of show up, you get a map and good luck to you.  However, most of the roving rides (likely with the notable exception of next week's led by Flyin Tuna) have had great maps on 11x14 paper, que sheets, gps file availability and even, like Saturday's, a route that has been painstakingly marked.  And that route, 7 notable and painful climbs through beautiful countryside that even included a pass by what must be the only vineyard in Vinton County?
Picture
It was a good mix of fix and nearly fit, with Jon M coming down with Marty, Garth P and a couple of new guys, along with Randy Brown.  No Steve O or Dustin, which is kind of unusual but someone said Steve had a date with someone off of Craig's List and Dustin has a passion for garage sales so he was probably tramping around in an old van looking for deals.  And of course, Younger Phenom, Nick, forever now known as Euro-trash, headed to Wales next week with his newly arrived passport.  Just think, some day he'll be standing atop the TDF podium and we can say we knew him. 
Picture
So, so many issues does this guy have that I can't begin to list them.  Someone got him turned around and he managed to make it out of the parking lot and probably even finished the route but who knows, we were all gone and probably eating dinner by then.
Picture
Good turnout for a ride so far from the center of the cycling universe, Columbus.  I heard many people drove 1+ hour to arrive at 8:00am but it was worth it.  I'd guess around 35-40 people at the start and so we shoved off.  I rolled out with Kenda Janet and got filled in on her family vacation in the wilds of KY.  This location seemed counterintuitive for the queen of the jetsetters but then she explained that because she spends soooo much time in Chicago, New York, London, Rome, etc.. that a week in the Kentucky woods was welcome.
Picture
John Day took off and then Randy so I checked in behind him and we reached the top of the first climb on Pleasant Valley Road with that nasty false summit 3/4 of the way up and a comfortable gap on all the others but soon, they began overtaking us, dragging both desirable and undesirables into our midst.  After another climb and then getting on to #664, Marty & company came by and many of us tagged along until the gas station on the corner of 664 and 56.  We paused long enough for one of our members to use the restroom and then off we went again, right on to a very difficult climb on Chapel Ridge Road.  That one is a brute. 

We continued on the route where in the distance a lone cyclist appeared.  The conversation went something like this:
"Is that Nick?"
"No, that's impossible."
"It sure looks like Nick."
"Wow, this is worthy of a picture."
Turning a corner, we came to a hill...
"Ah oh, that is not in our favor, we might not catch him."
Nick stopped by the side of the road and Mitch stated:
"Hey that is Nick.  We shall mock him."
However, he appeared a little wobbly so we did not mock, instead encouraging him to get back on the seat and ride with us.  We climbed up Airport Road, having not yet stopped to refuel but it did not appear there would be anything at the airport so we kept going, eventually reaching the market at around mile 50.
Picture
I think the Thursday effort was having an effect on me because my legs felt like they did at the top of Monterey Mountain at the end of Mountain Mama, yuck.  Probably Marty & Co. had already plundered the store's shelves because there wasn't much there. When Poobah walked out with what last week was a ham & cheese sandwich but had evolved into a ham salad sandwich, the bottom of the barrel had been scraped.

We got back onto the route, riding through Zaleski Park and onward until we reached Logan and finished with 74 miles, 5600' of climbing and the end of a great day of cycling.


http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3084704
10 Comments
Really?
8/16/2013 10:21:11 am

See... blogging dementia is a possibility, but I'd hope this is just an example of hitting the return buton when searching for the happy face instead...

Reply
Not Da boss
8/18/2013 04:30:32 am

As the grizzled veteran, Mitchell, sneers down at Boy Euro Trash as if to say ...... boy, someday you young whippersnappers will learn that it takes years, I mean years, for you to learn how to pace your efforts like me.... Slow (er ..... Moderately fast..) Wins the race......).

Reply
Kickstand
8/18/2013 06:19:10 am

He was giving him some advise on weeds that grow in Vinton County. "See that weed there on your left, young grasshopper? We call that Cannabis, and that one over there will make you itch, so don't relieve yourself by that one."

Reply
Cindy
8/19/2013 09:49:07 am

What happened to the picture of the good looking Wilson (beagle dog in parking lot named Wilson)? As for my bad map making; at least I showed up for our co-lead Blue Jay ride; what was it you did for that ride?

Reply
Defender
8/20/2013 02:55:17 am

For everything that Mark does for us, I would think you would show a little more kindness toward him. What do you do for the cycling community, other then attack this great icon in the cycling community?

Reply
Cindy's Defender
8/20/2013 12:21:31 pm

I believe Cindy B once offered Mark W the use of her shower when he he lost power from Hurricane Ike. That seems like the ultimate kindness and a great potential benefit to the cycling community.

I brake for Garage Sales
8/19/2013 12:34:04 pm

Purchased 2 Blatz Beer lights (circa1975) and a Landshark (boogie board on wheels) for the kids. Not a very good day.

Reply
Corvair
8/19/2013 10:53:01 pm

You could have made out better at my grandpa's garage sale. Squirrel tails, etc...:)
To Cindy - the basement wench photo editor probably quit. That would explain that awful pic of me at the end...

Reply
Nicks dad
8/20/2013 07:44:52 am

I just like to say thank you for looking out for Nick on Saturday.

Reply
Cindy
8/21/2013 03:55:17 am

Corvair, it's nice to know that someone else can take bad pic's. I've done my share, it's your turn now.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Mark is a long-time cyclist who enjoys poking fun at himself but most especially at his friends. No nicknames or comments are intended to offend, accept them in the humor they are intended.

    Categories

    All
    April
    California Riding
    Grand Canyon Backpacking
    March
    The Characters

    Archives

    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.