Mellow My Ass...

Yesterday turned out to be a great day of riding. First off I got Surly Bob and myself registered for the 12 hours of Cranky Monkey. Then I met up with him for a quick loop from his house to Marsh Creek. I had never ridden that part of the park. It was fast and fun, did I mention fast. After an hour and half we were back at Bob's place for a beer, then off to Victory for the D Town ride. I was told it was going to be mellow, so I knew I was in for a typical Downingtown hammer fest.
The pace was kind of tame at the start but it didn't stay that way for long. Like a too tight thong the speed crept up. I felt pretty good at first, but like the mellow pace that didn't last long either.
We hit Mark du'Ez, I was doing OK, then I spun out on a rock and went down hard. That took the wind out of my sails. I noodled the rest of the way to the top. This was the best part, because Ben and Scott had stashed some quality beverages at the top. A Hop Wallop and a half later and I was flying down hill. I don't think I have ever ridden that down hill that fast before.
Next came the school climb, I like this climb, it's not real steep and you can get a good rhythm. By now it was getting dark, we had one more fun descent then a nice flat piece of twisty stuff. The last 2 sections were a blast, it was pretty dark and we were flying. I just kept my eyes on Marcus' chain stays, if fucked up we were both going down.

It was a great D Town ride. I have to make it a point to get out there more often.
Cheers,
Buddy

It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time...

For the past few weeks, I along countless others have been getting things ready for the Escape From Granogue Mountain bike race. Led by fatmarc, our community put on what I think is the Crown Jewel of the Mid Atlantic Super Series. with the exception of a couple little mistakes things went pretty smooth. The weather was good and the course was the best yet. This is why I decided to race. I had thought about for a while but hadn't decided until an hour before the race. I should have went with my first instinct. One lap and done for me. I wasn't feeling it, so I pulled the plug and went back to work. Next year, I am definitely not racing.

I love being a part of this race. It gives me an appreciation for what promoters go through to put on a quality event. When I am racing I make it a point to thank as many volunteers as I can along the way. You have to remember these people are not getting paid, yet they are there to make sure you have a great experience.

I want to thank all those involved in our little race this year. Everybody worked hard and did a great job. Thanks to Marc for his tireless efforts.

Next time you are racing, thank some of the volunteers, they will appreciate it.

Cheers,

Buddy