The Road to Somewhere

[xc62701]

Yesterday’s ride adventure was just that, an adventure. No one went swimming and we got some great miles in.

Today was the big gravel day. Mostly gravel, a bear sighting, an incredible chicken sandwich, and good company made it enjoyable.

Tomorrow is the Ride the Ridge gravel race up outside of Newburgh NY. I hope the legs bounce back. It’s 40 miles and 4K vert so 🤷🏻‍♂️. First year for this event so I hope it’s good. Sundays plan is to ride 2ish hours at PJ if I can still pedal. It’s been a heck of a riding block so far.

 

[Bikeworks]

View attachment 226921

Tomorrow is the Ride the Ridge gravel race up outside of Newburgh NY. I hope the legs bounce back. It’s 40 miles and 4K vert so 🤷🏻‍♂️. First year for this event so I hope it’s good. Sundays plan is to ride 2ish hours at PJ if I can still pedal. It’s been a heck of a riding block so far.

Damn, I would have been interested in this! How'd you hear about it? I use Gran Fondo guide to find rides usually

 

[xc62701]

A buddy tipped me off to it. I think he found it just searching on bikereg. Seems very casual and first year for the event. I’m sitting in the field staying warm before the start. That sun needs to come up to get some heat goin!

 

[Bikeworks]

A buddy tipped me off to it. I think he found it just searching on bikereg. Seems very casual and first year for the event. I’m sitting in the field staying warm before the start. That sun needs to come up to get some heat goin!

Yup, pretty cold start. Have a terrific ride!!!

 

[xc62701]

Yup, pretty cold start. Have a terrific ride!!!

Today’s event was pretty awesome! It was a lot of meandering through nowhere, but the gravel and climbs were pretty great! It did warm up a bit, so I wasn’t that cold, but the sun could’ve stayed out longer. I was happy. I felt so good considering I did that monster gravel loop yesterday!

 

[xc62701]

Todays Ride the Ridge event was pretty 🔥. Amazing gravel roads in this region. Lots of vert as you see, but a good time. No course markings, prizes, and timing so it was chill and cheap. I’d recommend! Thankfully the legs responded after yesterdays big ride so it wasn’t as painful as I was expecting. 👍🏻

 

[Steve Vai]

Yesterday’s race adventure was just that, an adventure. No one went swimming and we got some great miles in.

View attachment 226920

Today was the big gravel day. Mostly gravel, a bear sighting, an incredible chicken sandwich, and good company made it enjoyable.

View attachment 226921

Tomorrow is the Ride the Ridge gravel race up outside of Newburgh NY. I hope the legs bounce back. It’s 40 miles and 4K vert so 🤷🏻‍♂️. First year for this event so I hope it’s good. Sundays plan is to ride 2ish hours at PJ if I can still pedal. It’s been a heck of a riding block so far.

You did 2 of my loops and I got no invite!!??

 

[xc62701]

You did 2 of my loops and I got no invite!!??

Beach ride was @Sven Migot’s ride so blame him. Fridays ride I didn’t know if I’d survive so I didn’t want too much company in case shit hit the fan. Next time you and your mom will get an invite 😎

 

[xc62701]

Weekend wrap up today at Port Jervis. It was a solid ride with some great miles and good company with @Sven Migot. After a crappy nights sleep with a hotel alarm and evacuation at 1 am, I was happy to ride, then get home and sit on my ass.

I’d call this weekend a success! 4 solid rides and a couple short warmups earlier in the week gave me 20.5 hours of riding, 222 miles, and 13k of vert this week. No injuries, lots of good beer and calories consumed. 👍🏻 🤤

Some rest and recovery to come after all this, but hopefully I can use this momentum to keep the riding going strong. Best part is that there was no issue with the knee at all. For the event Saturday I was even climbing hard and ignoring the knee while putting down every watt I could and the knee was groovin! Progress!!!

 

[xc62701]

 

[onetracker]

View attachment 229210View attachment 229211

Where was the snow?

 

[xc62701]

Where was the snow?

Stephens had it in a few pockets. That place is riding great!

 

[xc62701]

I should mention I had to overcome some adversity to ride Stephens yesterday. I went to pump up my tires a little bit before heading out and that didn't go as planned. I unscrewed the rear valve cap and the core came out with it. So I had a decision to make, and if I went home I wasn't going to ride. I said screw it, pumped the bare valve up over 20 psi and released the pump head and quickly jammed the core and the cap back in. I was quick enough that the tire still felt good after losing a TON of air. First try. It held up for my ride so that's all that matters. I guess I should address that this week.

 

[ekuhn]

I should mention I had to overcome some adversity to ride Stephens yesterday. I went to pump up my tires a little bit before heading out and that didn't go as planned. I unscrewed the rear valve cap and the core came out with it. So I had a decision to make, and if I went home I wasn't going to ride. I said screw it, pumped the bare valve up over 20 psi and released the pump head and quickly jammed the core and the cap back in. I was quick enough that the tire still felt good after losing a TON of air. First try. It held up for my ride so that's all that matters. I guess I should address that this week.

Sounds like the problem is the cap? Who runs those anyway?

 

[xc62701]

Sounds like the problem is the cap? Who runs those anyway?

I was actually thinking the same thing. I’m probably the only idiot that runs the caps any more. @steve Vai’s beach ride might have welded it shut. I only used them since it was oil slick like the valve to be all matchy matchy.

 

[xc62701]

A good mixed surface gravel bike ride today followed by some pizza and a beer reward later!

 

[ekuhn]

I was actually thinking the same thing. I’m probably the only idiot that runs the caps any more. @steve Vai’s beach ride might have welded it shut. I only used them since it was oil slick like the valve to be all matchy matchy.

Matchy Matchy all well and good.

 

[xc62701]

I hit a lull the past couple of days riding. Mostly cause of the rain and family stuff. But on the other hand I moved and spread 8 yards of mulch. So that’s something. Next trick up my sleeve is moving 15 yards of stone to complete a driveway extension I’ve been working on to store my boat.

Instead of it taking up valuable space in the driveway I’ll park it on the new spot and just take it out when I need it. Parking spot to be completed this year, then I’ll work on a better gate for the spot next spring/summer. Right now I just took the wire fence down and will piece it together after the heavy lifting is done.

This weekend is the birthday which always sucks. No one wants to get together being so close to Christmas, but I’m trying to get a ride going and get some miles and birthday beers before the holiday fun. Stephens is probably the spot so that’ll be nice. After that it’s Christmas and vacation! It’s nothing exotic but a nice change of pace. Orlando here we come!

 

[xc62701]

Back to the scene of the crime…

I had to go to the dentist today. So each time I go to upper Montclair I go for a ride first, then go do my checkup thing. Trails were in pretty decent shape given all the rain we’ve had recently. On the way out I went to the site of the old ww2 battery/search light where I proposed to my wife 11 years ago. It’s good to get a little spin in there, but I’m glad to be where I’m currently at. Dog walkers were a plenty, but a good ride was had.

 

[xc62701]

Yesterday was a great day to be in the woods. It was a chilly start but warmed up nicely. I got warmed up even further with a stop by Czigmeister afterwards. It was my birthday yesterday so why not. I had the morning free so it was perfect to get a ride and get some brews. Stephens was riding well and I stayed away from the wet lower stuff. Water crossings were a little deeper than normal but besides that it was all good.