Hee Haw Birthday Ride

I hemmed and hawed about riding at Dupont last night. Doppler radar is a beautiful thing. Even though they were forecasting 80% thunderstorms around the region, once 4:00 rolled around I could see that the Brevard area was mostly free of storms. So I made the drive for our weekly Wednesday night ride.

Normally I post this ride up and I have had anywhere from 2 – 10 people show up. Jeremy posted this week’s ride and the masses came out from everywhere. I won’t do a roll call for this ride as that was not the theme. This would be “one of those rides.”

In the parking lot BrouSSard told us it was his birthday. For some reason, that would cause the demons to come out in full force.

So once we got everything organized we took off through the woods. I led the first little descent down Reasonover and then on the climb directly following, I knew I was not the person to lead. I said “Everybody who wants to go, go.” I think 10 people tried to pass me at once. Wes was one of them and when he got to the switchback 10 feet in front of me, he broke his chain.

I stopped to catch my breath, turned around and there Wes was passing me. Huh? You fixed it that fast? Ok, keep rolling.

Now I was last in line rolling up Reasonover. Everybody stopped at the Turkey intersection and I sneaked up to the front and took off. I wanted to push it hard so nobody would pass and I could lead the descent down Reasonover (yes it is a sickness.)

When I got to the little log hop before the downhill I heard something fall on the ground as I negotiated the log. Crap my pocket on my Camel Bak had broken completely. I hastily put everything from one pocket into the other and I was last again. Oh well, I might as well take my time as I knew I could catch the back of the pack on the descent. I took a nature call, then took off.

Around the first couple corners I saw Wes working on his bike again. I stopped for moral support. His back tire had a rip in the sidewall. He fixed it quickly and we were off.

We met back up with the group at the bottom of Reasonover and I said “What are you guys doing? Wes and I already did two laps.” Nobody laughed.

Some of the group rode up and over the bridge as I stood by and watched. Then I came off the bridge, around the corner and Dennis had a dejected look on his face. I heard him tell BrouSSard “It’s broken.” Broussard “What do you mean it’s broken?” This is what Dennis meant:

DOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Sorry D-Kuntz, I know how that feels and yes I have empathy.

I coached Dennis on the way back to the truck and the rest of us took off toward Airstrip. Apparently in a group like this everyone get’s smoke blown up their butts because we were race pacing (my race pace) everything.

Unforeseen circumstances arose and we didn’t have any mechanicals coming down Airstrip. I tried to coax a group of people to ride the log for posterity but it just wouldn’t happen, so I had to settle for one and a bunch watching:

As we cruised slowly up Shelter Rock, I got a request from a couple people to take them to the “rock drop” with the “rock wall ride.” I knew exactly where they were talking about.

Up the technical steep climb I thought I would die, but I made it with my 32X19 still on. WHEW!

I went and set up shop at the rock drop and this is what I got:

Here is a correctly set up launch:

And Landing:

Here is a semi-correct set up for launch:

A horrible OH $#@& landing:

The result wheel that looks delicious if you put some steak, fish or chicken in there:

Jeremy banged his wheel on the ground enough to get it back in the drop outs and to pedal himself out of the woods. Just in case your keeping track we had:

Two flat tires
One Broken Frame
One Taco wheel
One Broken Chain
One Broken Zipper

The night ended with a swim and my honey chilling by the lake.