The Official DMF Bicycle Thread

[DRKWNG]

Though there's plenty to keep you occupied just in Wakefield, be sure to ride under the road and into the Accotink trails - and get someone to show you how to find the stash of Accotink trails up behind the neighborhood....

Funny you should mention that.  I completely missed all the decent riding around Wakefield and ended up on the paved path that leads to, and past, the reservoir.  Kept going a ways then cursed my luck and turned around.  I ended up crossing over the damn and getting on the forrest road once I got back near the reservoir, and then spotted a few guys crossing over and hitting some singletrack.  Followed then for about ten miles or so and really enjoyed it.  Spotted a great big F'ing owl sitting in a low branch as well.  All in all good fun!   

[Bick]

Horsey bike.

Going over the handlebars on that...

...would not end well.

[Bick]

One last big training ride before The Moab Century Tour next Saturday.

Looks like we'll have a 50ish miler with a 4.5mile/1,500ft climb smack in the middle of it.

I'm ready!

I hope you get a tack in your tire!

Mainly because I would love to spend about a week mountain biking in Moab.

Good luck and have fun Randy

Going back for 24 hours of Moab, too?  

[Randimus Maximus]

Going back for 24 hours of Moab, too?  

Nah.

I'll start training for the Leadville 100 instead. 

[Bick]

Nah.

I'll start training for the Leadville 100 instead. 

Crazy Bike Boy!

[Randimus Maximus]

Not quite that crazy, however.

[triangleforge]

Funny you should mention that.  I completely missed all the decent riding around Wakefield and ended up on the paved path that leads to, and past, the reservoir.  Kept going a ways then cursed my luck and turned around.  I ended up crossing over the damn and getting on the forrest road once I got back near the reservoir, and then spotted a few guys crossing over and hitting some singletrack.  Followed then for about ten miles or so and really enjoyed it.  Spotted a great big F'ing owl sitting in a low branch as well.  All in all good fun!   

What's funny is that I'd typed out a whole bunch of crazy, incomprehensible directions about how to find that stash of single track -- things like "look for the little bridge off to the right in the woods about 200 yards, do the switchbacks next to the stairs, then go through the little townhouse neighborhood about a quarter mile, two lefts, a right, look for the playset and you're there" -- which became "find someone to show you..." 

A number of my riding pals back there are very familiar with the lesser-known bits of the Wakefield, Patuxent, VA-Side Great Falls area & Gambrills trails (Gambrills & Watershed are definitely worth the long drive into Western MD!!); I'd be happy to make introductions.

[DRKWNG]

I'd be happy to make introductions.

Yes please!   

[fastwin]

Just saw the Dallas premiere of the Chasing Legends movie tonight. I'm sure it has shown else where across the country but this was the first showing for Dallas-Ft.Worth. For those that don't know, it's a semi documentary film about the 2009 Tour de France featuring the Columbia/HTC/Highroad team with Cavendish, Hincapie and company. Scored some free tickets and the wife and I went. Every penny of every ticket went to a local charity for kids and the Childrens Medical Center in Dallas. Even the theater space was donated and there was a silent auction for goodies from the movie and team. Frankie Andreu was a guest and got up and fielded Q&A from the audience after the showing.

It was very well done! The photography was awesome. Hard to screw up that scenery. And it was pretty damn funny in some parts. Even my wife liked it. She knows nothing of bicycle racing (other than what I have told her) and I was a USCF Cat 1 racer in the late 70's and early 80's. Raced three national champ road races and raced all over Texas and all through the mid-west. Never said I was good but I was OK. I think now she understands a little better what I did and what the Tour is all about. She cross examined me all the way home in the car about the race tactics and why they did this or that and what it meant. In her normal "I don't like motorcycles" tone she said she wished I still did that instead of riding scooters. My response was "did you see how much skin those guys lost when they went down?" Her question back to me was "well, why don't they wear leathers?"

If you are into bicycles, riding or racing, you really need to see this movie. I was really impressed. I'm giving it a 10 out of 10.

[Randimus Maximus]

I did The Moab Century Tour yesterday.

It was one tough ride.

Besides being 100 miles, the route features over 6,200 feet of elevation gain, including The Big Nasty, a 3,000 ft climb in 7 miles 

The weather was brutal on top of that.  Highs near or above 100*, and a steady headwind for the last 35 miles of the course.

Nonetheless, I finished.

I was riding with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Team in Training, who I've trained with the last two seasons.  What a great organization. 

Stella was there with me to cheer me on and she did snap some photos and a little video along the way.  When we get a chance, I'll post some up.

I'm going to take a little break from the roadie for a bit.  But not too long. 

[ducpainter]

I did The Moab Century Tour yesterday.

It was one tough ride.

Besides being 100 miles, the route features over 6,200 feet of elevation gain, including The Big Nasty, a 3,000 ft climb in 7 miles 

The weather was brutal on top of that.  Highs near or above 100*, and a steady headwind for the last 35 miles of the course.

Nonetheless, I finished.

I was riding with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Team in Training, who I've trained with the last two seasons.  What a great organization. 

Stella was there with me to cheer me on and she did snap some photos and a little video along the way.  When we get a chance, I'll post some up.

I'm going to take a little break from the roadie for a bit.  But not too long. 

Congrats Randy...

Stella took pictures? I'm shocked.

[Randimus Maximus]

Bryant8 is on the right side in this photo (blue bike, purple/green/white jersey, red & white helmet), cranking it up The Big Nasty!

I am actually in the shot too.  Just above Bryant's right shoulder (similar jersey, white bar tape), a little ways down the hill, grimacing like crazy.  

[bryant8]

Randy it was great to meet you, Polly, and Brian this weekend.  I had a great time out there in Moab and it looks like I may be doing Tahoe next year, so I hope to see you out there.

This was bar-none the toughest ride I've ever done.  The North Texas Team definitely came and put it all out there.  Training for a course like this in Texas was extremely difficult but I think our coaches did a great job of getting us ready.

I remember passing the guy in the picture above and wishing I had gears to spin that he had on his MTB.

[Randimus Maximus]

It was great meeting you too, Bryant!

Definitely one of the toughest rides for me too.  The winds & high temps on the "rolling" portion in the canyon along the river really beat us up.

I'd love to do Tahoe again.  It is a blast.  I think it will be Stella's turn for that ride, however.  We'll see.

In any case, I'll be riding somewhere next year. 

[Monster Dave]

Had a neat/fun expierence last week with a guy on a moped. I was heading home from work on my bike along this long stretch of road with a really nice bike lane, when this guy on a moped comes up next to me and wanted to race!!  

I kept up with him to 34mph but once we hit 35mph he started to pull away....damn gasoline powered engines!!!!

LOL, it was funny, he wasn't being serious, just have'n some fun! We were all smiles and he gave me a  !

 [moto]