In the groove!

Been another great week, weather has been compliant and the planests have aligned in such a way as to allow plenty of riding and running fun.

Last week though it lloked like recent rain and group family commitments was going to put a kybosh on the night ride. But where there is a will there is a way - so Brian and I decided to risk it and give Patapsco a try. Turned out lucky as the trails were in pretty good nick all in all.

Headed our normal route (after previous weeks departure from tradition) but after a brisk ride to the "big crossroads" we decided to hit the BC side. So we hightailed down the fireroad to the parking lots then cut through to the bottom of Soapstone. I've not been doing the kind of riding to really give me any chance of cleaning the Soapstone climb on the singlespeed but in the name of trying to get fit I gave it my best college effort! Bloody pathetic!! I was off and pushing by halfway up, whilst Brian glided up making the whole thing look far too f'in easy for my liking! At the top we hit what used to be (when I was fit) the usual trail, past the college and back to the top of House of Pain. Don't know why but tonight the old Nitehawk just wasn't up to it's usual standard. On two occasions, in the gloom, I mistook a large log lying parrallel to the trail as the trail. Fist time, at a bloody scary speed I just managed to pull the front wheen away before impact and sailed past the log with a hairs breath between me and disaster. Second time (at the top of House of Pain) I was not so lucky. Fortunately (i) I was going much slower so the impact wasn't so dramatic and (ii) Brian was way ahead so didn't witness my stupidity. But hitting the end of a one foot think log is pretty interesting, especially with about a tenth of a second warning. Over the handlebars seemed the only real option, fortunately nothing broken and so onward as though nothing has happened.

At the bottom of House of Pain it is over the swinging bridge and back up the fireroad onto Ridge then Cascade. Flying along at this stage to the point where I am over the rockgarden at the start of Cascade before I know where I am. This is the first time in ages I have cleaned this (day or night) and I am so surprized that I celebrate by hitting the very next available root and falling off again. Fortunately, in deference to my age (and the fact that I keep on bloody hurting my knees) I have decided to wear my "Robocop" pads every time I ride so no damage. Up Cascade, big rock defeats me again!!!! I now have a major yip about this, never used to be a problem - now I couldn't get over it with training wheels. Then all is good, final rooty obstacle is no issue and the climb back to Norris Road is a sinch - maybe fitness is returning slowly.

Then usual route (with usual two or three "fall offs") and it is back to the car for beer and chat. Although the weather is kinder (and both Brian and I have brought Arctic compatable gear) after a couple of beers and 30 or so minutes chat we are driven to our cars by the cold. Mission accomplished for another night - and another spacey day at work guarenteed.

The weekend is a bit differenet, no plans for a mtb ride cos the weather is so shite. This leaves me with a long run on the cards. Leg is still decidedly dodgy but what the hell, "needs must when the devil poos in your bedpan" or some such saying. I aimed for a solid 80 min but then actually felt fine and dandy once the leg was warmed up and ended up with a slow but steady 90 min arond the heart of Columbia. Monday and I decided to double the dose - so another hours or more on the roads and trails of Columbia. Leg sore by the end but at least some miles are being banked.

Then came the weeks highlight - the night ride - Brian can't make it so it's George, Todd and "Yours Truly" taking a break from Patapsco and hitting McKeldin instead! Woo Hoo! Never ridden here so hitting the trails for the fist time at night with dodgy (at best) lights seems a fine idea. Todd puts my mind at rest (kind of) when he tells me McKeldin is perfect nightriding cos there's no big obstacles but it's a good aerobic workout (in plain English, it's F'in hilly and we will be screaming for mercy in less than 30 min). Turns out his description is spot on. The first climb, long and grinding has me gasping for air big time and the fun (i.e. pain) just keeps coming. Down then up - we seem to hit the same bits of trail but in different orders and from different directions for the next hour and a half. The "highlight" is a steep relentless, rocky rooty downhill that George informs me will drop us right at the river (whereever that is). When we hit the bottom a bloody great tree is across the trail. George is all for finding a way round it but Todd has a better idea. Nah. we'll just ride back up the hill. By the top I feel like William Hurt in Alien, I'm convinced my heart has become a strange autonomous creature inside my body that is about to burst out through my chest and run away screaming. In the end it doesn't and after a few minutes I can ebven talk again - smashing. Then just as things are going well, Todd's light packs up, we mess about with it for a few minutes until we decide that the bulb has probably blown. I lend Todd my backup light until my light packs in (burnt out again) then we creep back to the cars in darkness. Just under 10 iles under our belts - cool climbs and descents - one decent rock garden that I manage to stuff up completely and face plant into - again no damage.

Back at the cars we are just settling down for a beer when a "local" arrives walking is dog. All is civil and friendly and just as we are about to offer him a beer he kicks off! "And this is a closed lot so I'll ask you guys to leave immediately" . O.K............ so whats the problem? No f'in idea but he tells us that if we don't leave immdeiately he is calling the cops. No idea what the issue was - maybe he has a problem with guys in lycra (and who can blame him). Either way it's not worth the aggro after a good ride to spoil the vibe. So we haul ass to a strip mall down the road and enjoy the usual chat and beer - the choices of which are becoming more and more esoteric as the weeks progress. Syill pretty damn cold so ny 12:30 am it is time to say good bye and plan for next weeks meet up - I suspect at Patapsco to avoid winding up the McKeldin Militia. Ahh the fun we have, the people we meet!

Cheers

Dogzbollux