scenes from town

a couple blocks from the house

Buzzard Rocks or Hoo Ha?

Don't know what to do this weekend. Haven't raced the Hoo Ha in years, not since the new buff trail was built. Am considering not doing the XXC for once, and going down Sunday w/ Martin just for the regular loop, and maybe hitting the pump track in town on the way.

Saturday is the first quasi-unofficial-not-by-the-book race on Massanutten East, from Veach Gap to Buzzard Rocks. How can I pass that up? There might be very few racers though, and not many friends. Family things that day might make that one either easier to do, or more difficult. Wishy-washy as always when the whole fam is involved.
One thing for sure, I really want to race somewhere this weekend....
Anyone else going for either of these?

Council meeting for pump track

Got it!....

Presented the case for a pump track to the Town Council last night. I wanted to show a video to help everyone better understand what they look and ride like.

I was using PowerPoint and had to figure out how to get YouTube videos to work inside Powerpoint. I also wasn't sure if I'd have an internet connection in the meeting, so I wanted it to fly without that. I downloaded a couple of free softwares, and jumped thru a few steps to get them working in PowerPoint without a connection.

The videos were all too long and would lose the Council's interest, so I learned how to edit clips, and put multiple clips together with music. Got it done in the wee hours, and this is what I showed last night. It ain't gonna win any ESPYs, but it sufficed. We got the approval to move on to the next step!

Today, checking out the site with some of the key people.

scuttled

My giddy plans for an all-day southside Sunday ride were quickly changed an hour or so from the lot on Rocky Ridge. Though I began the day with good kharma, my chain fell off twice, and then this happened upon remount after fixing the second chain drop. It's pretty damn unusual for me to have 3 mechanicals in an hour.

We tried on the trail to get this shard out with my Swiss Army pliers, but instead, we kept breaking off pieces, making it lower and even harder to grab. I'd hoped to put the shortened post back in, and at least ride Mackey Run w/ a BMX-height saddle. That wasn't happening.

I left Lee and Travis, and turned around on Rocky Ridge headed out to the road. I messed around checking out some of the numerous horse-signed trails and double-tracks headed back to Rocky Ridge, trying to at least learn some trails on my solo ride back. Then the drizzle changed to a harder rain, and I stood up the hills, and sat on my top-tube on the descents back to the car. Jumped on the trail to Teaberry instead of climbing Cold Springs Rd. Discovered the different muscles used when you stand and lean forward the whole time.

Back at Teaberry, it was full-on pouring rain. Stripped and changed, then almost felt guilty grabbing beers from Travis' cooler (hey, you insisted...). Thought of them, and how they'd now be at about the farthest point from Teaberry, and at the bottom of the mountain. Wondered about their mental state.......

Had a bit of a time getting the shard out. I hacksawed halfway down the slit, then vice grips grabbed enough bite to pull out. I'm damn lucky I went through this BS a few weeks ago and had a freshly lubed post and all. Otherwise, I don't know if that shard would've ever come out if it was still oxidized in there.

The sky cleared later in the day, and after a 2-minute nap, I took Racer-X and 9 of his small friends (and 2 other dads) on a tour thru town hitting the usual fun spots.

pain train or party train?

tired daddy stretching out his back for a while

A fine locale to start the Wednesday evening rides from. Gotta try to make as many of these as I can.

Pic from Don