Saturday Ride Report & the Purple Toe

It's been a tough week for the ole wood cutter, ending with a broken and very purple toe.  We enjoy a fire every evening and it is especially nice to sit in front of it with a large bowl of ice cream and glass of wine (don't judge me).  It began on Tuesday when a lack of focus caused the maul to strake the log with a glancing blow.  The log shot toward me, hit the frozen tundra one time and BAM!  Right into my left shin but that did not break my toe, although two days later when the pain went away, it felt really, really good.  A day later, I lifted a log off a pile, another frozen to it released its hold and fell, hitting me just below my right knee.  Ouch but that did not break my toe.  I stepped over a pile of split wood I keep in the garage.  It was a high step and some how, my right foot banged the wood and that freakin hurt like a son of a gun.  The good news about a broken toe is you just allow it to heal, maybe wrapping it but the main thing is, it doesn't hurt to cycle or walk but stepping on it, now that hurts.  On to the Saturday ride.

Red must be the stylin color this season as Steve O, Jeff S and Mike Rea show off their nice cold weather jackets.  I too have a red jacket, purchased in the late 90's.  It fell out of favor with the "in" crowd when everyone went with yellow/green but now, 18 years later my red jacket is back in style.

Our ride leader, Jeff S, led us on a nice route out of New Albany, south to Blacks and then east toward Canyon Road.  Above, Flyin Tuna is on the right which curiously, she is obscured.  While not unusual for her height to be hidden, usually her breadth gives her away but she must have that weight under control. as a very fit Oxley hides her.  She put in a heck of a long pull and that may have caught up with her.

A couple of us got away on the Canyon Rad climb and cruised in to Granville to get in our orders for bagels and drink ahead of the others.  In total, we had 9 people at the ride start, including Larry P above, wondering why his bagel was taking so long.

We did not linger too long and exited the Coffee Shop as the residents of Granville walked by, enjoying the 45+ degree temps.  We headed west toward New Albany and finished with 49 miles and 2400' of climbing.

Most guys could not pull off this look but Mike Rea, a man's man, can get away with it, a Chilean head covering.

Oxley puts his bike away as Dirty Dan makes a quick exit, late for his arrival back home.

Jeff Schluep is leading a ride at 11:00am, from the New Albany Starbucks.  Plenty of parking behind Starbucks/Veloscience.  Probably two groups will form on the road, the seasonally unfit and the fit.  Would like to see some of you off-season hiders come out.  Kevin Hollingshead, Ginger, Ryan Roe, Dirty Dan, Grand Poobah, Astana Dennis...to name but a few.  No one cares that you are fat and slovenly and with all the required clothing, it's easy to mistake flab for a roll of clothing anyway.  All are welcome.  The route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2516991