You Just Don't See This Every Day (or "The Breathing Dragon")

I think my words to Jim were"you never would have had that 'coon dog adventure if you were sitting home on the couch." How prophetic. Except this time it wasn't being hunted by 'coon dogs. It was...

...spelunking up the 430' outlet pipe of the Marsh Creek dam. Why (you may ask) would someone spelunk up the outlet pipe? Well for safety reasons of course - to be sure it is safe to ride downstream as a water slide!

The story starts with a typical night ride, out the lakeside trail to the New Bonus Loop. It was about 8:15pm when we reached the dam and saw a couple of guys fussing around on the spillway riser. We figured they were bikers so we slowed down to make sure they weren't having some sort of mechanical. It then became apparent they were not bikers (remember it was dark with this point) as there were no bikes, there was a large duffle, and there was a LOT of rope on the ground. Oh, and a couple of empty Hop Devils.

They explicitly asked we not use their real names so we will call them Ben and Jerry (Mike knows that's my traditional after-ride snack). Ben explained they were planning to ride through the outlet pipe, like a water slide, but first needed to recon the pipe to be sure there were no abrupt turns, protruding metal fittings, or underwater traps along the way. They had already run a lightweight fishing line through the pipe and measured the distance at 430'. And they were now busy feeding about 500' of climbing rope down that same pipe, with the intent of climbing up from the other end using the rope to assist.

We marveled at their safety consciousness and good taste in beer, and then told them we would be back after finishing our Bonus Loop ride. And so we rode the Bonus Loop - which was seemingly endless and most excellent at night I must say. Within 45 minutes we found ourselves crossing the dam on our return leg, hoping for the best.

When we arrived there was nothing to be found at the riser. No duffle bag. No piles of rope. No Hop Devils. But a rope was tied to the railing of the riser, and it ran down through the spillway and disappeared with the rushing water deep into the bowels of the dam. I tugged on the rope and it was taught. Very taught. We briefly considered the implications of untying the rope, but that's not how we roll (but it was funny to think about).

Ok, so clearly we had to hoof it down the bottom of the dam to see what was at the other end of the rope. When we got there, we could hear Ben and Jerry yukking it up inside the pipe. They were probably 20' in, just getting their bearings, taking some photos, putting on wet suits, and strapping into their climbing gear. Ben came out for a final photo, said good bye, and in he went. The yukking it up continued for a good while, but soon started to sound more distant. So we climbed back to the top of the dam and over to the riser. And to our surprise we soon saw a faint light shining inside the riser. Ben had made it!

Within a few short minutes Ben emerged into the bottom of the riser, whooping it up pretty good. Jerry had taken the easy route (our route) and took some pictures of Ben in the riser, Ben on the riser, Ben posing with us, and Ben and Jerry together.

High fives all around.

But this was apparently just the beginning. Remember, this was just the recon mission to setup for THE BIG SHOW - a high speed water slide attempt! Alas the attempt would not be tonight because apparently it will require a considerable amount of additional gear:

• Body armor
• Full face helmet
• Welding gloves
• Hiking boots
• Athletic cup
• Butt protector of some sort TBD

We chatted a little about water slides, mountain biking, wished them luck, and were on our way. I'm not quite sure how to sum this up. I mean I think we've done some crazy things - mountain bike fire jumping, kayaking the brandywine at flood stage, more fire jumping, and sending Mike across the tram - but this was off the charts by our standards. Just glad it worked out (I gave it 15% chance of having a really bad outcome). And thrilled we were out riding and had the good fortune to stumble into this most unique spectacle.

Now I can't guarantee one of these on every night ride, but I can guarantee your not going to see anything like this sitting on the couch at home!

Chris

"Go big or go home"

-- unknown

Have You Forgotten?

Have you ever forgotten how much fun this is? I mean, it's never not fun but you get into a groove with your riding routine - riding the same bike, or the same trails, or both for couple of months - and you lose that pinch-me-I-must-be-dreaming-because-this-is-too-much-fun feeling that you got all the time when you first started riding a bicycle in the woods.

Well today Andy may have felt like puking, and he may have blown his front fork in the process, but he took us on one sick tour of French Creek State Park....if it wasn't some gnarly root infested lung-buster climb, it was a white-knuckle-rock-garden descent where I was well outside my capabilities but it was too-late-to-bail-so-buckle-your-chin-strap-and-hang-on. In the zone kinda stuff.

Oh and there were some sweet stretches of buff single track in between. But mostly ups that had us gasping, and downs that had us whooping and hollering like in the old days.

Special props to AD who rode the single-speed all-rigid like it was [insert high school prom date joke here]. He pretty much owned the park except for one death-cookie early in the ride which left him wide eyed and a little bloody.

TP also shared his trick for getting the last minute clearance for weekend rides of this sort...you float it past the wife at about 5:45am. It pretty much guarantees a green light.

Great ride, miles of smiles, thanks guys...

Get Off

This is an all points bulletin for a Raystown Lake bike trip this fall. If you don't know much about Raystown then do yourself a favor - prop your head up on a pillow and suffer through the next paragraph.

Raystown is supposed to be first-class buffed-out singletrack of the same ilk as White Clay, only more and better. Online reviewers consistently say it is like an M. C. Escher drawing - you finish where you started but somehow ride downhill the entire way. It has received rave reviews from every mountain biking magazine to which I subscribe (more that a few), and Men's Journal named it "one of the top 4 mountain bike trails in North America." It took IMBA and Army Corps of Engineers 7 years to build these trails specifically for mountain bikes - this is not a "rake and ride" operation.

The only knock I have heard against Raystown is that it is not very technical and there are no killer climbs. Seriously, ask Andy Sokol who was the first (not the last) person I heard say this. So it's all about flow and rolling. Oh, and it is more than a 12 minute drive to get there so it's probably a single overnight, but we'll sort that out once we gauge interest.

So to get things going, let's look at a couple of weekends this fall when foliage should be kicking in:

• September 25-26
• October 2-3

TBD if we would do an overnight, Friday vs Saturday, etc but what's important is that you get off the couch for this ride. It is not a sufferfest and you've got plenty of time to get rid of the rust. Google it if you have to, at least you're doing something. Then check with the wifey and email me with level of interest and preferred weekend.

Chris

"Better to wear out than to rust out"

Horse-Back-Rider-Scraper-Offer

Top of the Sole Trail, courtesy of mother nature. She dropped this oak and wedged it into the crook of another tree during the storm in June. Top notch work on her part.

I am all for multi-use trails, but it is sweet when mom makes something special, just for us.

Girls Happy Hour

I gave it a 50% chance. I was wrong.

We decided to try a happy hour ride with the girls. For Sydney it would be the second, and perhaps last, attempt. Searlait and Zoey are both accomplished bikers. We hoped the dynamics of the pack would be too much for Sydney to resist.

And we were right.

We rode the Lakeside, the Sole, and the little stretch out to the mill. She was on my rear wheel the entire time, muddy feet, and tongue wagging, diving into the lake or the creek whenever the opportunity presented itself. She finally bonked a few hundred yards from the boat landing.

I am thrilled beyond words, a new riding buddy! Never out of town on business, never stuck doing yard work. Always eager to ride!

The Last Day (France Trip Series)

Thursday. Last full day on the bikes. The group is getting stronger every day, and each day a completely unique adventure. I am soooo not ready for this to end.

Today we bike 25 miles from Chinon to Saumur. We cross the Vienne river and now the Velo is a mostly a dedicated bike trail (paved) meandering through the vineyards west of Chinon. There are chambres d’hotes all along the Velo here. They are similar to B&B’s in the US but some are actually small chateaus and they all cater specifically to cyclists.

It is lunchtime when we've reached the Loire at the small town of Candes-Saint-Martin. We find a picnic table next to the river, and I shoot into town to procure some local wine. This town is spectacular. Medieval of course with the narrow crooked cobblestone streets, oh so cool shops and cafes, and a pretty respectable byzantine-style cathedral in the middle of town. I find a cave stocked with local wine, there are three locals enjoying a bottle of wine in the corner. One is the very friendly proprietor who turns me on to a bottle local red wine (after giving me a taste of course), and I head back for lunch.

We enjoy a leisurely lunch of baguette sandwiches, cheese, fresh fruit, wine, and chocolate. Eventually – moving more slowly now – we mount up and ride into town to explore.

Later that afternoon as we approach Saumur we begin to see more troglodytes – homes, artisan studios, small shops – along the road. Under protest (mine) I ditch the group so I can explore on foot. They seem overly interested in getting to Saumur. I tell them I would catch up. I will do better than that...

After exploring for 10 minutes or so, I mount up and start hammering to catch the group and pretty soon realize that I have somehow lost them. How is this possible? Well in my haste I had diverted off the Velo…but it seems that every road in France leads to some sort of adventure and this is no exception. I have stumbled upon nothing less than the zero meridian marker! After snapping some pictures, I resume hammering west not quite sure how this leg is going to end.

Eventually everyone in our group stumbles upon the same swimming hole on the banks of the Loire. We are like Labrador Retrievers. Unable to resist the siren call of the water, we each slip into the lazy river to cool off and eventually the entire group is back together. I am pretty excited about my zero-meridian encounter, but the girls quickly explain that in my haste I have detoured around one of the most amazing sections of Velo so far… a kilometer or so of trail that winds in and out of the caves of a troglodyte village. Ruth says I must backtrack and see it for myself, so I head back east while the gang lounges in the river.

Oh my God this is off the charts amazing. It is a terribly narrow and hilly cobblestone street that winds along a hillside, into and out of these troglodyte tunnels and homes. One minute you are riding in brilliant sunshine and the next minute you are in a pitch black tunnel where the temperature has dropped 40 degrees…and then you are riding through a large open space, still about 20’ below the surface, where the roof has collapsed allowing the sunshine to spill in. Then you’re back outside before you dive into another tunnel.

The road (a path really) undulates, some of the pitches are steep, one is labeled 18 degree grade! Interspersed throughout are spectacular homes, many of them carved into the hillside when these tunnels were built in the middle ages.

I think it is another 5 miles to Saumur (yes another spectacular castle and unbelievable food). Tomorrow we will leave the bikes and return to Paris. But we are not done with the bikes.

Friday morning Jeff and I leave the girls in Saumur (big time shopping) and ride back to the troglodytes and the vineyards to the east. We leave Oma and Opa there, and explore the troglodyte village one more time (even giving directions to a french cycling couple who appear to be lost).

I will have one more cycling experience that day, but it will not involve a bike. Later that day we catch a TGV back to Paris. The TGV of course is a bullet train that rips hurtles down the rails at about 185 mph. I distinctly remember being scared as the train accelerated out of Tours (transfer station). I had spent the last week travelling at 12 mph across France and had not been in a motor vehicle since the start of our bike leg. This silly-stupid speed was simply not computing in my head, and I felt like a chimpanzee being needlessly shot into orbit on top of a high-power rocket.

I will conclude the France Trip Series with a final post where, among other things, I will congratulate my wife and daughter on an incredible accomplishment and thank them for rolling the dice with me on this most excellent adventure.

Troglodyte Delight (France Trip Series)

Troglodytes are man made caves excavated during the middle ages for stone to build the chateaus in the Loire Valley. The miners used these caves as homes, and later they were used for wine storage. Now they are being converted into high-end homes, inns, and artisan studios. Troglodelice is one such inn. Marité and Philippe have personally converted two of these troglodytes into luxury rooms and Philippe was busy converting a third when we rolled in after our 45 mile day one epic. This was to be the biggest test of our language skills so far as there were some logistical complications which had to be worked out and Philippe's English was worse than my French! At any rate they were wonderful hosts and served us a superb breakfast in their home the next two mornings.

The next morning we launched into 25 mile loop ride out to the gardens and chateau at Villandry. On the way we were treated to a short stretch of cobblestone (gave me real appreciation for this year's stage 4 of the Tour de France), our first view of the Loire, a pretty impressive chateau (that's saying something), and a punishing hill climb out of Villandry which the girls hammered! Once back to Trogolodice, we did a load of wash in the sink, hung the clothes on the bikes to dry, and uncorked some local wine on the veranda before heading into town for dinner.

Day three was the leg to Chinon. Wine country. Vineyards as far as you can see. But before Chinon we would traverse the Forêt Domainiale de Chinon which is a large public park/forest. On the map it looked exceedingly easy to navigate with just a handful of roads. In reality it was criss-crossed by a myriad of tiny roads and dozens of 8-way intersections - some labelled and some not. The effect was pretty cool but we eventually found ourselves miles off course and faced with two options:

1. Backtrack to one of those 8-way intersections and try a different route
2. Continue down a road with a sign that said ZONE DANGEREUSE

Ruth made it pretty clear that back tracking was not an option, so into ZONE DANGEREUSE we went. Eventually we started a long descent toward the town of Crevent-les-Coteaux (affectionately referred to as "Kotex"). On the descent we stumbled upon an tiny medieval enclave featuring a huge spring house and an ancient church dating back to the 9th century. We reveled in the refreshing spring house, explored the church, and had some snacks before continuing to town for an amusing (and very satisfying) prix fix lunch. We knew we were in wine country because the instant we were seated and before any words were spoken, the waitress put a bottle of chilled red wine and a basket of bread on the table.

We would stay two nights in Chinon, in the Hôstellerie Gargantua, which is the former Bailiwick Palace dating from the 15th century. To get to the hotel you had to ride a labyrinth of crooked and narrow cobblestone streets lined in the ancient town of old Chinon (inhabited since 700 BC). The Gargantua was straight out of a Harry Potter novel. Our room was at the top of a 70 step stone spiral staircase, and Sara even had her own small reading room in the top of the turret overlooking old Chinon.

The next day, Katey Jeff and I took a cycling loop of the surrounding wine country sans panniers. What a difference 20 lbs makes! We rocketed out of the valley and through the vineyards like a finely tuned machine, then pulled into Chateau de Ligre for a wine tasting. Five tastings later, we were stuffing two bottles into Jeff's camelback and were on our way...and our finely oiled machine had degraded into something resembling a three ring circus. Within a kilometer of the vineyard Jeff realized he was wearing 2 pairs of glasses, had nearly broken a collarbone, Katey had a near miss unclipping into a ditch, and we were lost (again). Something to do with mixing white and red wines I presume.

A future post will cover our last biking leg from Chinon to Saumur when our tight little group disintegrates and eventually regroups IN the Loire River.