Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Face of the World. It's where I fall off!

I fell of the face of the world I think with how crazy July has been at work. My work schedule has been bouncing around every other week and my schedule changes during the week with mid-day shift on Mon-Wed, mornings on Thursday, afternoons on Friday, and morning on Saturday. Last week was 57 hours, this week will be near the same. Ugh.

I have been riding a bit but really only once a week between other stuff going on also, exlcuding last Sunday when I led a ride up at Gambrill then snuck in a solo ride at the new pump track in Germantown. Fun! Ran into DKEG afterwards at G-town Cycles.

Bike needed some emergency work also this week. Realized when I had changed out the bottom bracket a few weeks ago I forgot a spacer on the drive side, no wonder I was having "Shifting Issues" D'OH! So cleaned it up and put it back in correctly, and shifting on the stand seems much better.

Also replaced the pads in my rear elixir's! DAMN EASY! Not sure how long I'll stay on the metal pads probably until next payday when I'll order a couple more sets of organic compound ones. Unless they are horribly noisy then who knows.

Final week and change of this left at work before my boss is back, but then other stuff will change too.

Big stuff coming up bike wise, we have the MORE summer picnic on July 30 at Rosaryville State Park, and then in mid August we have the first Rockburn Branch Skills park fundraiser!

Also registered for RCST Bash in September.

At whole foods last night enjoyed a very nice aged Old Curmudgeon from 09 on draft. Yum.

Friday, July 01, 2011

I Shall Prevail!

I shall prevail and eventually finish my posts of my trip and finish posting my pictures. Today I will upgrade to Flickr(HO) status with a paid account. And I will find time at somepoint this weekend to finish posting up.

Had a damn good night up till the last 20 minutes or so at Wake-O-Tink. Jason M and I did a solid 8 mile'ish preride then I led a fairly large casual group to accotink, we did the gas plant, went along the railroad tracks for a ways, dropped back out on the cinder trail went up to the last entrance before the road and worked our way back. Ricky and Jo split off then, but we met up with Delmar and Sarah who arrived late. Just as we start the new section we put in last fall I hear the dreaded call - FLAT!

Turns out our singlespeed rider had punctured his tire during the emergency stop on the previous climb where I blew the climb and nearly crashed. Poor Neil did crash. After several attempts to fix I sent the others on, we ended up trying 2 tubes, tehe 2nd a road tube that got us another half mile back out before it snake bit and flatted also. So I pushed on with him. Near the Accotink exist I phoned Neil for a pickup for the guy, Neil called back 5 minutes later and the pickup was set. I hauled ass back to the car. They pulled into the lot as I finished changing.

I then got to share the Awesome Awesome Green Man porter from Asheville, NC. Damn good, smooth, and simple. No complex flavors. Damn tasty, I managed 2 cups myself. Also have and Anderson Valley Brewing Summer beer, weird and malty and good. Kinda different.