Two night ride week!

Just when life is looking a bit glum, out of the blue comes a two night ride week! Several of the "Sunday Group" have bought lights and have shown interest in night riding. To date this has been restricted to single nocturnal sojourn around the neighborhood trails but that was to change this week. "Dan the Man" stepped up to the plate and so we hit the trails at Patapsco for his inaugural night ride. It was a short loop - approx five miles but it dipped his toes into the waters of nocturnal insanity. Dan was amazed how different even the most familiar trails were without the ability to actually see where you are going - he rode several sections he normally doesn't clear just due to not realizing they were coming up and the fact that he was going too fast to do anything but close his eyes and hope! Love it.

The next night was the "main event" George and me again - the gruesome twosome. George announced that tonight it was 15 miles or bust! My kind 'o' guy! AS a consequence we set of out the gate like bloody greyhounds. After 5 miles and at the base of only our second climb and I was beginning to feel it. Two miles later and I was sat looking up the Soapstone trail climb and seriously doubting I would ever see the top. Fortunately a tree had fallen 2/3 of the way up so I got to stop, saved me from an imminent MI I think! But the fun kept coming, past the water tower, the usual route skirting the community college and down House of Pain. George then decides he wants to replicate the "circuit of hell" that was the last nightride with Rodger and Todd (the one that left George in hospital), well that sounds reasonable - especially as I am feeling (as Jon Posner would so poetically put it) "like complete ass" and am fighting the urge to barf on a minute to minute basis. Much walking up Double Drop, but a sweet decent of Sudden Impact (minus the last bit, which I still wuss out of every F'in time).

Across swingbridge and up fire road to Ridge and Cascade. Despite feeling crap there are no issues other than my Night Hawk starting to burn out. I switch it off on the non-technical sections to save illumination for where I need it most. By the top of cascade though it is shot and I am relying totally on my $24 light from Target! Hell what's the worst that can happen? The light is actually damn bright, but the problem is it is too focused - the illumination is restricted to a fairly tight circle with no peripheral vision allowed. Bit like riding in a narrow tunnel. The downside of this is demonstrated to me very vividly on the smmoth decent just after the Norris Road crossing. Completely non-technical smooth trail leading to a slightly raised bridge. Well I scream down the trail and suddenly I am lost! Off trail and don't know where I am, I steer left to get back on the trail and hit the side of the bridge. Consequence? Monocog and me part company and I reconnect with the trail helmet first. Fortunately the wooden bridge has a vaguely slippery sheen and I slide gracefully along it (on my head and knees) for about 5 feet before I slide off the other side and end up sitting in long grass. Fortuunately I made enough time on George on the previous hill that I can pick myself up. remount and be riding as if nothing has happened when George catches me 2 minutes later.

Too bloody cold to spend much time with the post ride libation and chat - even though George has brought chairs as a new element of sophistication. Next up is grill and sound system and the post ride will be more like a tail gate party - COOL!!

Weekend and MLW is away in Virginnia on a MTB weekend! So it is ride central at "Chez Bollux". Loose the daughters #2 and #3 to a playdate on Sat and head off for a spel of fixed wheel fun. A loevly ride thru the fall countryside. Riot of color and all that. 30 miles at about 16 mph average. Slight sore and tired legs, but tomoorow is the big ride with the Sunday Morning Boys - Meeting at PnR for a bit of a throw down.

Life is Cool

Bollux