Thanks Andy and Steve. Steve: The total mileage and elevation are at the very very top of my post, 47 miles, 5,380 feet.
On Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 8:26:34 AM UTC-4 Steven Sweedler wrote: > I also enjoyed your report, do you have total miles and elevation, using > RwGPS recently i find my hilliest rides approach and sometimes surpass > 1000’/10 miles. > Steve > > On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 5:36 AM ascpgh <asc...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> That report makes me want to skip out on my obligations later this week >> and head out on a nice ride. >> >> What makes a bike trip for me is summed up by your recollection and >> appreciation of details of the experience usually lost to those riding pace >> lines, hurrying through similar locales. >> >> I'm less enthralled by the IG feeds of @upland_scuz_contingency who, >> despite the attraction of riding many wonderful places in Virginia, rarely >> appear to appreciate them as they seem bent on segment times and speed. >> Just because your bike has the means to blast through terrain at speed >> doesn't mean it provides the best experience. I have a similar aversion to >> the morphing of otherwise nice trails out in the woods with ramps, created >> drops and jumps because full-SUS enduro bike is able to handle it, (even if >> some riders can't, judging by volume of social media posts) . Not the "hand >> of man" signs I'm interested by when on a ride in the woods. >> >> Riding is a stimulant of all of the senses if you bother. My kind of ride >> report, Eric! >> >> Andy Cheatham >> Pittsburgh >> >> On Monday, August 15, 2022 at 9:52:21 AM UTC-4 eric...@gmail.com wrote: >> >>> Shenandoah Foothills >>> 47 miles, 5,380 feet >>> Clear. Low 60s in the morning, warming to the high 70s, humidity at 50% >>> and below. >>> >>> August in Virginia is typically a warm and uncomfortable month with >>> average temperatures in the mid 80s and often creeping into the upper 90s. >>> Humidity is unpleasantly high as well. The past few weeks were particularly >>> oppressive with humidity averaging around 70% (and often much higher) and >>> temperatures reaching the 90s most days. These temps have forced the smart >>> riders to depart at first light, drenched to the bone before 8AM. >>> >>> We had a break from all of that this weekend with temperatures dipping >>> into a realm of unseasonable deliciousness. Low humidity, a cool morning >>> starting in the high 50s and a max temperature around 80º had this Saturday >>> looking too good to pass by unridden. >>> >>> I recently swapped out the drivetrain on my Hillborne. I had been >>> running a Sugino XD2 with a 48/36/24, a Shimano 11-36 9-speed cassette, a >>> plain silver Shimano Ultegra front mech and a Shimano Deore XT M771 rear >>> derailer. These worked just fine but I found the chainrings left me >>> shifting at awkward intervals and I'd been wanting to try a compact double. >>> >>> So I changed in a SunXCD crank with 42/26 chainrings from TA Specialites >>> purchased from Jitensha Studio in Berkeley. Because I found the Shimano >>> mechs were too ugly for my liking I sought out a Suntour Cyclone GT rear >>> and a Cyclone front derailer. These lovely workhorses seemed more >>> appropriate for the bike. I installed one of the new S-Ride 7-speed >>> cassettes from Soma Fab Shop, made with input from Rivendell. The movement >>> and tooth capacity of the rear Cyclone didn't agree with a 9-speed >>> cassette. And I swapped my MKS XC-III bear-trap pedals for MKS Sylvan >>> Gorditos specified by Crust. The bear-traps were uncomfortable for my very >>> wide feet. >>> >>> A friend sent me a used set of Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass tires in the >>> extralight casing, which I hadn't tried before. I'd been running the same >>> in the standard casing for about a year. The new-to-me tires were buttery >>> smooth and I had no issues or flats during my ride. >>> >>> Lately I have been enjoying Jobst Brandt's alpine tour reports with >>> sensational views, grand distances and unfathomable amounts of climbing. >>> I've also been reading Ray Hosler's collection of diaries from riding with >>> Brandt around the Santa Cruz Mountains in the 1980s. So inspired I made up >>> a route for myself that incorporated a few tough climbs on some of my >>> favorite roads. The length and elevation gain of my route doesn't compare >>> to their marathon rides. >>> >>> From the start I began a three-mile climb over loose, unpaved road with >>> sections pitching up over 16% grade. I enjoy the challenge of making this >>> climb in one go but there is a shoulder with a wide mountain view that I >>> always end up stopping for. Pedaling up the climb, and some of the steepest >>> stuff I know, was manageable with my new gearing. I enjoy dumping the chain >>> from the 42-tooth to the 26-tooth ring when the going gets going. >>> Throughout the ride I had appropriate gearing to make it through without >>> much trouble. >>> >>> [image: 20220813A 03.jpg] >>> >>> At the top of this hill, at an elevation of 1,300 feet, I took a rest >>> for some water. Though I had ridden fewer than four miles I decided to have >>> half of the sandwich I'd packed: peanut butter, banana, honey, coconut >>> flakes and salt on sourdough bread. As a fat burner I was worried how the >>> carbohydrates would treat me and concerned they would occasion bonking, >>> which I don't experience on rides. My engine runs best when I don't eat >>> bread, sugar, grain and the rest but I'd been craving a sandwich like this >>> for weeks. It was a pleasure and I suffered no ill effects. >>> >>> As I started on my descent, my shirt damp with sweat, I was reminded of >>> how lovely the weather was. The air was cool and comfortable. Such a gift >>> and a relief from the weather we've been experiencing lately. >>> >>> The sunlight filtering through the trees on this wooded road left the >>> surface sun dappled with some obstacles like ruts and fallen branches >>> difficult to see in the high contrast situation. I would have ditched my >>> sunglasses if they weren't so good at deflecting flying insects. Perhaps I >>> will try some clear, anti-fog safety glasses. I stopped off at an abandoned >>> homestead to admire the weathered house, cabin and outbuilding with a >>> chimney built from fieldstone. Throughout the area there are old home sites >>> where all that remains is the original stone chimney. >>> >>> [image: 20220813A 05.jpg] >>> >>> Further down I enjoyed a nice, gradual decent on gravel, where the road >>> gently falls through the woods with a stream to one side and cliff-like >>> stone shoulders dotted with ferns. Emerging from this road I encountered a >>> favorite field that this time of year is blooming with echinacea, Queen >>> Anne's lace, milkweed and golden rod. I noticed a tiger swallowtail and a >>> monarch butterfly enjoying the blooms. >>> >>> Here I realized that I'd forgotten my county map and cue sheet. I'm >>> familiar with the roads but hadn't taken this exact series before. There's >>> no cellular signal out this way so I decided to wing it and rely on >>> experience memory. I completed the ride without any missed turns or >>> backtracking. >>> >>> I continued on and admired an old house with new cedar shakes on the >>> roof. There was a distant barn on a hill behind the house which brought to >>> mind some of Hopper's landscapes. The sky was bright blue with wisps of >>> clouds that looked like thin strands of cigarette smoke. The only thing >>> that could have enhanced the scene was the smell of cut grass. When riding >>> I delight in being surprised by the smell of a field freshly cut for hay or >>> woodsmoke from a chimney burning dry hardwood. >>> >>> For my rides I like to avoid roads with paint on them: double-yellow, >>> dotted lines, white shoulder paint. I prefer unpainted roads with lower >>> speeds and mellow traffic. But out here I find that traveling painted roads >>> is necessary to tie the better roads together, there's no way around it. >>> I've tried. I always feel a bit hesitant as I turn onto a road with a >>> posted speed of 45mph and no shoulder. But as I turned here I saw two >>> goldfinches and felt a bit of relief. I was passed by a few cars during my >>> three miles on this road. They passed with care and I felt unthreatened. >>> >>> On the next unpainted road I passed a free outdoor lending library, >>> essentially a small cabinet mounted to a treated 4x4 post. Inside I found a >>> copy of James Swanson’s “Manhunt”, a book that I had decided to purchase >>> earlier this morning. What a nice surprise. There was also a copy of “Shut >>> Up, Legs” by Jens Voigt which I left behind for a patron of less >>> discriminating tastes. >>> >>> I passed the head of a private farm road that I'd explored in the past. >>> It connects two country roads and would allow a rider to avoid riding the >>> dicey painted road. But I'd been discouraged from riding there by a >>> neighbor and the property owner has posted large, wordy signage about >>> property, privacy, ownership, trespassing, etc. >>> >>> At about 18 miles in I stopped at a country store decorated with potted >>> plants, wildflowers, discarded and re-painted farm equipment, hubcaps, a >>> fiberglass cow and other curiosities. They sell gasoline, cigarettes and >>> fishing bait. There is a covered porch out front and inside the shelving >>> and floors are wood. In a back room there are a few residential-style >>> refrigerators stuffed with bottled water, ice cream bars, juice and teas. >>> The junk food selection was overwhelming with so many options and >>> novelties. I counted seven varieties of Reese's with >>> peanut-butter-chocolate treats in different shapes, sizes and >>> configurations. Beside the register were some ham biscuits wrapped in >>> cellophane with a handwritten price tag of $1.99/each. I purchased a bottle >>> of water and a bag of Reese's pretzels (a mistake). >>> >>> From here I rode for a few miles to the site of an old mill, where two >>> rivers converge. There is a great swimming hole here with a deep pool and >>> formerly a wooden ladder to a rope swing. The property is now posted and >>> written permission is required to access the site. >>> >>> The next stretch of road was unpaved, up through wooded lanes and past >>> pastures. To the west and through the trees are fantastic views of the >>> mountain range. I noticed a new house under construction with large plate >>> glass windows directly facing the mountains. The shell had been built and >>> the walls were clad with Tyvek. It has a "contemporary" design that looks >>> like a series of sheds stitched together. From this stage it's hard to tell >>> whether the result will be elegant or ridiculous. >>> >>> I turned onto a paved road with fields on either side with easy going. >>> From here I turned onto another paved road with a pleasant and smooth >>> descent where I sat bolt upright, hands free of the bars and enjoyed a rest >>> and the wind. I got back on the hoods when I saw a one-lane bridge up >>> ahead. >>> >>> On another mill road I stopped to admire a tulip poplar at the top of a >>> hill I've been visiting over the past ten years. The wind in its leaves >>> sounded a bit like running water. Departing from the tree I had a great >>> view of the mountains flanked with a silo and cattle pasture. I crossed a >>> small creek where last fall I saw a lazuli bunting. There are a few >>> charming derelict buildings here as well. >>> >>> [image: 20220813A 01.jpg] >>> >>> I jumped back onto a highway again, for less than a mile. At around 30 >>> miles in I cut through my friends' brewery where I stopped for a half-pour >>> and chatted with my friend about local swimming holes, hikes and my ride. I >>> topped off my water bottles from their spigot and carried onto a grassy >>> walking trail that connects their business to other shops situated in old >>> apple packing warehouses. >>> >>> After about 35 miles I approached the most difficult section of the >>> ride. Departing from an abandoned covered bridge I turned onto the next >>> road: loose, unpaved with steep climbs over the next four miles. I was >>> dreading this a bit but again, as I turned I saw a pair of goldfinches and >>> relaxed a little. There are two climbs on this road, one after the next. >>> Off this road there is a fenced utility access road that warns of "cattle >>> at large." The animals are free-grazing and the sign is meant to caution >>> visiting workers to close the gate. I was amused thinking of the groups >>> bound together by the phrase "at large": grazing cattle, escaped convicts >>> and roving magazine editors. >>> >>> In the leafless seasons I will have a long look at a railroad car that >>> was dragged through the woods and placed at the edge of a pond. It seems >>> the ideal setting for a short-term rental for city dwellers where they can >>> visit, take a few photos and then curl up with their microwaved popcorn to >>> watch their favorite programs on an iPad. Then call it "camping." >>> >>> On these climbs I remained seated but had a few moments of lost traction >>> on my rear wheel. During the first climb my poor handling led me to the far >>> edge of the road and I was forced to dismount. Starting back on the bike on >>> a steep, loose climb can be quite difficult. I had to shift to a harder >>> gear while dismounted and it took me a few attempts to get into motion >>> again. Here I was heartened by my choice of platform pedals (and sandals). >>> >>> Descending this hill was dicey as I rode across some very deep washboard >>> and missed a rut in the road. I could feel a lifetime of dental fillings >>> rattling loose (with apologies to Doctors Goldstein and Coble). >>> >>> Over these hills I became excited as there was a reward nearby. After >>> the ride down the hill there is a small pool that I have been visiting >>> going back more than ten years. It is private property, but I've never been >>> bothered when stopping by. On the road up there are wineberries and >>> blackberries growing earlier in the summer. >>> >>> The pool is shallow and not very big but surrounded by lovely boulders >>> covered in moss. In the fall, when the leaves are changing, the spot is >>> pure beauty. I meant to bring a thermometer, curious about the temperature >>> of the water, but I'd forgotten to bring it. It seemed it was not quite >>> warm enough for a dip but I went for it. I removed my Kucharik wool shorts >>> (with the chamois removed), my linen shirt and wool cap and waded in >>> wearing my unpadded Andiamo! briefs. The water was cold, that much I'll >>> say. I submerged myself completely a few times and then crawled out onto a >>> mossy rock in the sun where I ate the second half of my sandwich. I dried >>> myself with a bandana and put my clothes back on. >>> >>> [image: 20220813A 02.jpg] >>> >>> A comfortable road lead me back to my last stretch of highway. Again, >>> painted with a posted speed limit of 55mph! And no shoulder. I needed to >>> ride this road for about half a mile and followed some charming signs >>> advertising a nearby orchard. Fields of apple, pears and peach trees lined >>> the road that winds along with a few sketchy corners and hills where it's >>> difficult to see approaching cars and to be seen by them. Traffic is light >>> on this road but I do well to stay alert at the sticky spots. >>> >>> I eyed a rolling hillside off the road with pasture, barn and blue sky >>> and was reminded of how hot and hard rides can be this time of year and >>> again felt grateful for the weather. >>> >>> Past the orchards I hopped back onto highway, for less than a quarter of >>> a mile, back to my start point. I felt tired but not beaten and glad I had >>> made time for the ride. I enjoyed my new drivetrain gearing, pedals and >>> tires, all of which seem suited for a route like this one, my favorite >>> kind. >>> >>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/8a9d1820-c653-448d-a8b3-2a458178ebd4n%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/8a9d1820-c653-448d-a8b3-2a458178ebd4n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > Steven Sweedler > Plymouth, New Hampshire > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. 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