Saturday and Sunday

Saturday was hot! But I guess you knew that. I bought my son, FGB some new grips for his MTB and of course he had to try them out. We headed South on our gravel road and about 4 miles into the ride FGB started talking about turning back. I asked if he wanted to try one more mile and he said sure. As I figured he had just hit the wall and after another mile he was raring to go for more. We rode to the Hurshtown Reservoir paid the fifty cents per bike to get in and rode the three mile trail around the reservoir. After that FGB decided he was ready to head home. After a shower we took the route in the car so FGB would know how far he had ridden. Twenty and a half miles was the grand total in about an hour and forty-five minutes, not bad for his first ride on the gravel roads.

Sunday was even hotter then Saturday and since it was 2:15 PM when I left my house it wasn't going to get cooler any time soon. The wind was from the South so, per the norm, I decided to ride into the wind for an hour and then turn around and come back. After about a half mile mile I decided to ride to the church we visited in harlan Indiana which I knew was over 15 miles away and would give me a 30 mile ride altogether. The first 8 miles were on loose gravel road. This realy got the sweat pouring. The paved roads were hot and the tar was popping under my tires. It sounded like I was throwing Snap and Pops by the handfuls. I passed several Amish farms along the way one of which was receivng a delivery from East of Chicago Pizza :-) Since I was wearing my Hi-Res yellow jersey and shorts most of the Amish I passed averted their eyes from me. Yes, I passed them; a bike is still faster then a horse drawn buggy. The few that did look my way were friendly enough. The ride took just under 2 hours and was somewhere in the neighborhood of 30-35 miles. Oh and yes the cyclery has sold another bike. I took the plunge and bought a Specialized Tricross Dual Comp (a cyclecross bike); the perfect bike for all the gravel to paved riding I do around here. I will be in IL this Saturday to pick it up but have to return the same day so no test riding with my IL buddies :-(