veloblog: bicycling in Greensboro, NC and the surrounding area

A trip to Caraway, and Halloween

After much-needed rain that fell through most of the week we had perfect cycling weather yesterday and today. I stepped out of my house early yesterday, saw rain clouds, and wondered if anyone would show for the ride to Caraway Mountain and back. No worries - we ended up with about 20 who rode the 48.7 miles to CW and back.

I haven't been getting a lot of miles lately, so I was feeling the Saturday ride. That's why I started this morning's Halloween Ride feeling sluggish and not particularly in a hurry as we made our way out of town. I got caught at a series of lights, so I was surprised that I found myself behind Stuart Larry David and John on the long climb up Fleming Rd. By the turn at Pleasant Ridge a group had formed, we hopped on board, and I just worked to hang on. By the time we hit Scalesville I felt like my legs were working.

Good thing, because the pace kept creeping up all the way home. Total for the day: 35.6.

Here's the Halloween cue sheet, if you're interested:

Start @ Cycles de Oro
R Mill St
R Westover Terrace
L Green Valley Rd
R Lendew St
L Cornwallis Dr
X Benjamin Pkwy
R Hobbs Rd
X Holden Rd
X New Garden, becomes Garden Lake Dr
R Northlake Rd
R Fleming Rd
R Pleasant Ridge Rd
L Summerfield Rd
R Oak Ridge Rd
X Hwy 220N -> Scalesville
R Lake Brandt Rd
L Hwy 150
R Spencer Dixon Rd
R N. Church St.
L Archergate Rd
R Yanceyville
R Cornwallis
L N. Elm St.
R Sunset Rd
L Huntington Rd
R Northwood St
L Battleground Ave (Traffic!)
R Mill St

More on Saturday's accident

Roanoke.com:

Hufeisen said the investigation into Saturday's accident was not completed until late Sunday afternoon. He also said Saturday's rock fall was the first reported by people who actually witnessed one.

"Everything was intact," he said of the formation from where the rock was believed to have fallen. "There was no evidence of any movement, any jarring, any prying. It just came loose."

Complete article.

Sad day on the New River Trail

Even the best days, the most beautiful days, don't always end well.

Early morning, d'Anne (at left, yellow jacket) leads our small group south from Foster Falls, VA on the New River Trail.

Scott's enjoying the morning.

Crossing the bridge just past the turnoff to Fries.

At speed on the NRT.

Posing for a photo by the dam.

Entering a tunnel.

Then the day changed:

A North Carolina bicyclist died Saturday afternoon after being struck by a rock slab while riding along the New River Trail near Foster Falls.

Sudie Jenkins [d'Anne] Hatcher, 48, of High Point was pronounced dead at 5:45 p.m. after being hit by the rock that broke from a cliff and traveled 75 yards down a slope, officials said.

Peace, d'Anne. You're missed.

TA Cages

What are TA bottle cages worth? At the moment, $122 and change on eBay.

And to think I'm riding around with a couple of these on my bike.

Biketown

All of a sudden, Greensboro is moving toward becoming a bike-friendly city.

What's brought this on? According to a friend in the Greensboro DOT, it's the young people who are commuting by bike.

New River Trail

Gonna get off the road Saturday and ride me some of this.

I'll save Sunday for a long, slow ride with the GVC masters team (1 PM start from Cycles de Oro, for those interested).

Rapha Continental

Rapha tries to corner the market on suffering just like UPS wants the color brown all to its lonesome. Rapha Continental is ostensibly "our account of the country's most epic rides and routes," although they should go further and write "...as ridden by athletic spokesmodels sporting a two-day stubble and pricey kit, astride exclusive team bikes."

Taken as pure marketing artifice, it's pretty cool. I like the aesthetic, and I love the Ira Ryan team bikes. But as a statement about cycling, it's annoying.

Really annoying. As in having the vibe of a club you really don't want to be part of.

I suspect if you met these guys on any of these rides you would think they're just cyclists. Good guys (and btw, where are the women?). Just like the rest of us.

But on the Web site they lose something. They're not like the rest of us. Rather, they're the sponsored jerks who stand off to the side of the group before the ride, and can't wait to get going and drop us.

But hey, maybe I'm not part of their target market.

Homeland Creamery Ride

Maybe a dozen and a half hardy folks gathered Saturday at Hagan Stone Park. Standing around the parking lot we felt pretty darned toasty, because there was zero wind, but one we got rolling I could tell that it was indeed 46 degrees.

No one was in much of a hurry. Those who inadvertently went off the front sat up and waited, so we made the turn back toward town together, and arrived at Homeland Creamery as one group (minus David, who was lured off course when he followed the one guy who didn't want ice cream). We overwhelmed the staff, played with the resident dog, sat in the sun, and ate plenty of ice cream.

The last few miles were even more leisurely, though when we made the turn on to Old Liberty Road I heard the unmistakable sound of air leaving a tube, and then watched the guy in front of me skid a bit before rolling to a stop. "I've never changed a rear flat," he said. So Scott and I felt obligated to stop and help him. Tube changed, we rolled on back to the park.

Stats for this lazy date: ~39 miles @ ~ 16.5 mph. But who's counting?

L'Eroica

Dale went to Italy and took some very interesting pictures.

Brrr...ice cream

We've got a repeat of the ice cream ride on tap for tomorrow. Rolling hills all the way to Snow Camp and back, with a stop at Homeland Creamery for a luscious treat. Temps are supposed to be in the 40s at the departure hour, so it's time to break out the tights and arm warmers.