Sick as a Dog!

After the recent interactions with the DNR the decision was made to change things up for the weekly night ride. Different launch point, different day/time! And the Maintenance Huts are off limits for the foreseeable future.

This week Brian was AWOL but Todd and George were back!

Having resigned ourselves to a HC restricted ride the challenge was to make the ride interesting in some way. Normal way to infuse a potentially dull ride into some kind of challenge is either spped or distance. I'm in no mood for speed (tonight or ever!) so distance it is! I suggest an EFI ride. The idea is to cover "Every F'in Inch" of bike trail HC side (excluding trail leading to the road) in one ride. Todd, ever the prosaic one, just wants to ride his bike and doesn't need a stoopid reason to do so - but of course George buys into it immediately! Once in the Park discussion begin about the best way to hit EFI of trail, the issue is the "threaded" regions where the trail breaks into three or more branches that all end up in the same place. With an almost immediate resignation that we will fail - but fail gloriously - we decide just to ride! Tick off Small Intestine, and the Belmont Hill. After the water we head left up the steep rooty climb. AT Morning Choice however, for a change, we hang a left and tick off the Derelict house portion and the Roller Coaster section that takes us back to the main drag from Landing Road. Another discussion and we take a right down the lose rocky descent back to Ridge, thence to cascade, including the climb to the Railway ties and back to Morning Choice. Not even half way yet, but it's obvious that George is "not in a good place". Too much spaghetti and meat balls pre-ride apparently!

"Better out than in"

Once he has "lightened the load" somewhat George is feeling better but not stellar so the original plan is further doomed to failure. Still we plough on gamely heading (not on the usual loggy section) to the stream before taking the New Trail and heading back to the Belmont Hill for round two. This time we take the newly reopened climb up Rockburn Branch and head out on Ridge. Hitting the Connector trail to take us back to Morning Choice, thence Old Branch Trail Loop and then back to the Loggy Section. By now over two hours have elapsed and our resolve has deserted us, replaced by a desire for beer. Over the water after the loggy section and disaster strikes! In the dark I pick an appalling line through the water and hit a ridge on the far bank, I get up the ridge but stall at the top. Todd in "hot pursuit" hits my back wheel and is unceremoniously dumped into the water - he is not best pleased, especially as the mud at the bottom of the stream is somewhat fragrant (and not in a good way). Fortunately we are minutes from the cars and a change of clothes. Heading back to the final water crossing Todd stops suddenly to view some stags in the trees, George and I speed on it anticipation of alcohol.

At the cars although food (yet again) is available there are no takers - tonight's efforts (again over two hours and nearly 15 miles) has taken it's toll. The much anticipated "20 miler" can't be that far in the future surely?!

Cheers

DogzBollux