Testing, Testing...
Been a while since I last posted. Just got done with a couple weeks of testing at work. As I've said before, while it's just a job, it pays the bills and if that means cutting into bike riding time or family time or life in general...well it sucks, but thats life.
Anyway, I have been riding, but a lot of it has been solo. Sneaking in some dirt time here and there, testing out the cross bike. I even fit in a quick 6 hour race in Charlottesville, VA a couple of weekends ago. The race went well (meaning it was fun), but with the super slick race course from the previous couple days of rain and all the angled roots I had a hard time mustering up enough skill on the cross bike. After one lap I was beat up and thrown down. Each time I got a new lesson in riding and gained some new skill, yet at the end of the lap I opted to switch to my real mountain bike with the big meats. Damn, made a huge difference on getting over the roots and actually having mud clearance. Unfortunately during the second lap my chain blew. Not just broke, but blew. It went so hard that it swung around and lodged into another link. With only a few spare links and not an entire chain I was screwed. I hiked it out to finish table, told them I was done and headed back to the car where I had a nice hot meal on my camp stove. Just a couple hours back to the house and sleeping in my nice warm bed. Could have been worse right?
Then I missed last weeks TNS ride, just couldn't make it. This week, well this TNS ride was odd. I was done with testing and enjoying a much needed break. Got a call from the FCPA and they needed some helping doing mile markers on the Cross County Trail. Called Spearman cause that slacker still doesn't have a job, ha, and we headed out to the Difficult Run parking lot. Hooked up with the park staff, got the mission straight, and headed out on the trail marking every 0.5 miles with an orange flag. They said we needed to go to Vail Rd., which in my head I was thinking of Lawyers Rd., and Vail is a few miles farther. By the time we finished it was growing dark and we still had to get back to our cars, so we opted to take the roads back. A couple of minutes on Vail Rd. and we both knew if we didn't hit some side roads we would be squashed by 80mph SUVs on this one time farm road. There was only one road off Vail on our paper map before the map ran out. We struck out and ended up on some country back roads that eventually put us out on Hunter Mill Rd., which at least has gravel next to the paved road instead of the gulley on the side of Vail. Eventually we hit the W&OD and made the decision to ride the rest of the way on the dirt trail...in the dark...without lights...and damnit, we were going to have fun! From there we headed back into the woods in complete darkness riding the CCT portion backwards to Rt.7. Crossed Rt.7 because there was no way I was going to ride down Rt.7 in the middle of rush hour at night without lights. Another hour or so and we made it back to the parking lot and to our cars.
Because we would be so late, Spearman called Stoner earlier and told him we probably wouldnt make the TNS ride at Wakefield. I'm guessing he headed over and rode anyway, but I'm not sure. Sorry Stoner. Figured after such a mini epic ride we deserved some Papa Johns and then polished off a couple of beers...good times. The Stone 9th Anniversary is a taste to be reckoned with. Not what I was expecting at all, but damn it was tasty. A different hop taste than I'm used to tasting. Next on the chopping block was Heavy Seas Loose Cannon. It's like a more citrus hop flavored 60 Minute IPA. This one beer has changed my opinion on the Heavy Seas beers. I never really liked them, just figured they had the fun artwork, but now we might have to go back and revisit.
Steve took pics of our travels for the day, so maybe he'll post them or send them to me.
Looking forward to this weekend. Working on a little plan to include some light fixie touring, a little S24O (sub 24 hour overnight) camping and the MORE Fall Picnic at Lake Fairfax Park. Should be some great weather and really hoping to take advantage!
DT
posted by DT at 2:43:00 PM
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