The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying the sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the first student, "You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do."
The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!" The teacher commended the second student, "Your eyes are open, and you see the world."
The third student replied, "When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo." The teacher gave praise to the third student, "Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel."
The fourth student replied, "Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all sentient beings." The teacher was pleased, and said to the fourth student, "You are riding on the golden path of non-harming."
The fifth student replied, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle." The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said, "I am your student!"
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I can't even recall where I saw it, but I came across a link offering a free membership to Adventure Cycling. Coincidentally, a friend had just told me that she's joining their Underground Railroad tour this summer, so I put my name in, and soon received a membership packet.
Today my first issue of Adventure Cyclist arrived in the mail. There's a particularly interesting article about touring and eating in Italy. Looks to be right up my alley.
I printed 50 cue sheets for the Memorial Day ride, handed them all out and left a few people wanting, so I'll call the turnout about 60 people. The ride was a repeat of last year's; the long route took riders from Hagan-Stone Park to Saxapahaw and back. Each of the three routes stopped at Homeland Creamery.
There was a moment of concern at the start when I learned that the bridge on Woody Mill Rd was out. A detour was suggested and announced to the group, and all was well.
I fell in with my usual crowd and made the trek to Saxapahaw. It's a hilly ride, and it didn't help that we faced a headwind most of the way back. Here's the detour-adjusted cue sheet (total mileage: 66.4):
L Hagen Stone Park Rd
X 421
R Liberty Rd
L Dona
L Monnett
R Coble Church Rd
L Phillipi Rd
L Hwy 62
R Alamance Ch Rd (SR 1005) STORE
BR W GSO/CH Rd (Kimesville goes left)
Just after stone dam
X NC 49
Just past Yesterday's Grill go:
L W GSO/CH Rd
L Snow Camp Rd STORE
R 2172 (Moores Chapel Rd)
L Church
X bridge and BR to STORE
TURN AROUND
R Moores Chap Cem Rd
L Snow Camp Rd
R W GSO/CH Rd
L S NC 49
R Timber Ridge Lake Rd
R Smithwood Rd
R Bowman Dairy Rd
===
Optional Detour to Homeland Creamery:
X Hwy 62, continue on NC3360
Stop @ Homeland Creamery
Return to 62, go R
R on Coble Church to rejoin route
===
L Coble Church Rd
X Hwy 62
L Watchtower Rd
L Monnett Rd
R Dona Rd
R Liberty Rd
L Hagan Stone Park Rd
R into HS Park
Saturday's ride was all about covering some long, flat miles. Or so I said. Really, it was a chance for me to spend a few hours on an unfamiliar saddle, and have several folks along who could listen to me gripe if the experience wasn't good.
Early, rain fell, leading to a rash of calls and emails asking if the ride was on. It was.
By the time we left the parking lot of Christ Community Church on Air Harbor Rd, the temps (still chilly) were starting to climb and the sun was shining. Our route was simple:
Navigate to Hwy 150 north.
Ride until we got tired of going north.
Turn around and ride back.
Doing all of this netted us 53 miles, at an average of about 19 mph.
Oh yes, the new saddle. My Fizik Arione, which I've always thought of as a friend, was starting to annoy me in a variety of ways, comfort-wise. In the old days -- maybe 20 years ago -- the solution was simple: Cough up $20 bucks for a new saddle, and if you didn't like it, sell it to someone else for a small loss.
These days, $20 has inflated to $100+ -- and often much more -- making the buy, try and see if you like approach a bit riskier.
So, instead of shopping my way to a more comfortable solution, I decided to give the Competitive Cyclist saddle demo program a try. I went online, ordered a demo kit, and a few days later a hardshell case carrying 11 saddles was delivered to my door.
Saturday was my first day testing a different saddle. I'll get in another 60+ miles tomorrow in my quest to find the perfect seat. And after I wrap up the demo I'll post my impressions -- the good, the bad, etc.
Does your typical ride just not have enough hills to satisfy you? Try this, last night's Roaming Ride:
L Regional Rd
L Pleasant Ridge
X 68
R Cude Rd
L Ballard
R N. Bunker Hill
L Stafford Mill Rd
R Beeson
L 150
R Pepper
L Haw River Rd
R Pumpkin Ridge Rd
R Piney Grove
R Benefit Ch Rd
R Warren
R Haw River
L Linville
L 150
R Bunch
R NW School Rd
L Alcorn
R Edgefield
X 68
L Pleasant Ridge Rd
R Regional Rd
Or, for extra credit, do it backward. Technorati Tags: cycling, greenboro, hills
Yesterday's Ride of Silence went off without a hitch. Somewhere between 200 and 250 riders assembled at Center City Park, then headed off for a slow circuit of several Greensboro neighborhoods. Greensboro Bike Patrol officers rode with us and controlled traffic at intersections.
Our group stretched out for about a quarter mile, and as we rolled down the final stretch of N. Elm St. we spread across our two lanes. Drivers slowed and gawked. Afterwards we gathered at the park for a bit before Scott, Jim, Joel and I rolled back to Lindley Park.
Just a few days into my Ride for a Cure fund drive, and I've cracked the $1,000 barrier due to the kindness of Barbara, Joe, Tara and Evelyn. Thanks very much for your support.
We were on our bikes by 9 AM, which meant starting the official course about an hour and a half behind everyone else. No big deal; we cruised along at a relatively steady pace for the first 18 miles, passed the already-closed rest stop, and waved off the sag driver who wondered if we had gotten lost. Around the 20 or 25 mile mark the long (75 mile) route joined, and we started to pass some of the mid-pack riders from that route. Occasionally one would jump on our wheel, hang on for a bit, then drop off.
It's not like we were going particularly fast, but it was a windy day and the route features many hills. I could tell it was taking a toll.
Finally, we hit the home stretch -- about four miles on Hwy 22 south -- picked up another rider, and finished out the ride. We sat down, had a sandwich and brownie, and then headed back to Quaker Lake. The last eight miles were the only ones that didn't feature steady headwinds. Total mileage: ~58.
I skipped riding today so the VeloBoy and I could go fishing. We hooked up with our guide, VB's civics teacher, at a little after two and drove to a pond in Summerfield. We rigged our rods, surveyed the pond, and ran for cover as the skies opened up. So much for fishing.
