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

Thursday New Albany Ride Report

8/9/2012

1 Comment

 
Picture
The very welcome rain moved through, radar looked good so I headed to the New Albany parking lot.  Turnout was, as you would guess, light yet around 35-40 eventually showed up to sign in and start a "Pelotonia taper" ride of only 40 miles or less if that's what you wanted.  Cruising through the parking lot, I approached Billy Campbell and he asked, "There aren't any mixed couple tandems riding tonight are there?"  Now that is funny.  That Billy is a class act.
Picture
This Tuesday, Shannon was riding a route he intends to use on an upcoming tri event, I think around Marion.  As he was motoring along at a high speed, an elderly women shot out of a car dealership, trying to jump between oncoming cars.  Shannon saw her coming but was helpless to act and her car struck him, he went airborne, flipped and landed on his feet.  Miraculously, unharmed save for a very small scratch.  The bike is ruined but a replacement is on order.  This description does not do justice to the description Shannon gave, which is harrowing.  Very, very fortunate is the outcome and I'm shaking my head just thinking about it. 
Picture
Paul Stock showed up with a new Trek, bought just this weekend at the Trek store.  Hope his experience with the Trek frame is better than mine.  Two replacement frames already due to frame cracks and bottom bracket issues and patiently waiting for Rick Miller to determine if my current frame will be covered by Trek.
Picture
Those checking the current radar situation noted a large cell was moving NW to SE, south of us but Nathan noticed it was also enlarging and mushrooming in our direction.  Hmmmmmm.  Shannon called out the A group and only 9 departed, with other A's hanging back for the B group, such as Marty, Mike Rea, Mick and others.  Good thing because while the A route was a taper distance, the pace was not.  Shannon, Billy C, Paul S, Ron, Tattoo Dude (impressive array of full body tattoos) who I had not seen on earlier rides, OSU kit dude (I should know his name as he is there every week) and a couple of others, one of whom was also new.  No warm-up tonight, they just killed it to the turn at Kitzmiller and my average was already 21mph.   

My legs felt terrible during the "warm-up" but after coasting down from the overpass, just like that they felt great.  We turned right at Central College/Jug and then left at Clover Valley.  With such a small group, I could not inconspicuously hide in the back and also maintain a shred of shame so I took a pull alongside Shannon, he burned me out in a few yards so I had to rotate back.  We reached the usual turn at Green Chapel but someone yelled "straight" and we kept going, all the way to Rt. #62, where we turned right and then quickly right again, discovering we were off the route.  I took a pull but was quickly passed by OSU kit dude, which was ok with me but Billy must have been concerned I was losing it and shoved me forward, which is also ok but I was in good shape.   

Crossing Mink, a couple of guys held up to allow traffic to pass and it gave me a chance to scan the skies as we slowed to regroup.  Wow, to the south and east, the sky was very dark.  I told Ron I was going to bug out and intended to do so at Green Chapel but as we approached, there was the B group having followed the correct route.  I could only imagine the derision to which I would be subjected by the usual suspects who were populating this group if I turned out so I kept going.  We turned left at Caswell and approached the ramps that would carry us to Johnstown.  I moved to the middle of the group and then saw an opportunity for fun.  There was Billy C in the 2nd spot, behind Shannon. Oh, that would make a good story, to be able to say on the same week he got passed by a mixed couple tandem, worse yet, he was beaten out of KOM points on Caswell (I know so what, especially if he was oblivious to a challenge I made up out on the road). So, like an old, worn out Green Mamba, I STRUCK!!!!  I pulled ahead of the group but unfortunately, Billy is a young, full of energy Black Mamba, realized what I was up to and beat me by a bike length (or two).  Our average was 23 at the top of Caswell and with 13 miles.
Picture
We stopped at #37, I scanned the sky again and decided, these guys are going to get wet, probably drenched and I turned around.  Sure, I was greeted with a few shouts like, "That didn't last long." You're sooooo funny but I don't mind having it dished back at me.  It's all in good fun.  I rode back in, got sprinkled on but arriving in the parking lot, things were very grey and sheets of rain could be seen approaching.  I got into my car, pulled out of the parking lot and suddenly there were lots of cyclists diving into their cars as the rain began.  I drove out old 161 and saw this group heading back in.  Don't know what happened to the A group.
Picture
The A route is only 40 miles as many are tapering for the weekend. 
1 Comment
Corvair
8/10/2012 12:17:16 am

I was glad to be watching the downpour from inside Kroger last night. Hope everyone got in safe or found shelter.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Mark is a long-time cyclist, hiker, golfer and plays some table tennis...ok, it's ping pong.

    Categories

    All
    April
    California Riding
    Grand Canyon Backpacking
    March
    The Characters

    Archives

    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    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.