 |
Putting our heads together
on some trailside bike repairs |
"He who laughs last laughs hardest." We laughed hard all morning (and cried on some of the climbs) as we retraced the path of the infamous
2006 Blue Marsh Death March
. The
Death March blog post puts a positive spin on a very long day when some young(er) riders learned what it means to bonk
hard 17 miles into a hilly 23 mile loop ride with no bailout options.
Like 2006 we had a couple of mechanicals including a busted chain but the difference this time was better conditioning, fewer wrong turns thanks to Mike "
Everything Sounds Like Katy Perry" Miller, and for me at least my bonk-proof provisioning.
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| Hoping this one doesn't stick... |
In the end we shaved about 1.5 hours elapsed off our 2006 time and while nobody suggested we add the 7 mile ski slope bonus loop, it was a
good tired when we cruised into the parking lot shortly after 12pm. We finished at Ganly's with Guinness drafts and burgers.
This was no death march.
"Great things are done when men and mountains meet. This is not done by jostling in the street"
--William Blake
Lest we not forget:
ReplyDelete1) Mark "I can hop off that bridge" Saggese discovering too late that even big wheels can stop cold in mud, sending said rider over the bars and back into the side of the bridge. Nice bulls-eye wound on the hip btw you DB!
2) Speaking of Hip Hip, I found an old vid done by Grand Master C-Dub when he had more (and better) hair: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diiL9bqvalo
3) Laughing like a school girl (is that a Katy Perry song too?) was either from too much fun or too much pain. Damn that "Impossible Hill" past mile marker 25! It owned all of us.
3A) Hell Hill lived up to its name. The first part is bad enough, then you round the bend and there's f'n more. And right near the top - some soft mulchy crap to really bog you down before you can rightfully claim victory. Wow.
3B) The one and only MR riding a bike obviously fresh off the workstand at MRDBS. Rear derailleur out of whack = chain in spokes, front derailleur out of whack preventing MR from finding his granny gear until there was only a few miles to go. Heluva effort in the middle ring MR!
4) We were making better time than the Amish contingent, but hats off (no pun intended) to them for gittin' 'er done in jeans and plaid button down shirts.
5) Yes, Ganly's. Beer. 'Nuff said!
Really a great friggin' time - well done lads!