Yesterday I drove out to the bottom of Black mtn trail. I picked a place that was full on sun for the hood of the van to heat the solar shower. My route was up the corridor to pick up lower Black @ then back to bottom then back up to Sycamore Cove. Nature threatened w/ black clouds and thunder. I’ve ridden in the rain, no big deal. Part way up skies dumped. I hunkered under protective trees for several minutes. I have a new high tech expensive PI rain jacket that I decided to validate. I was already sweaty wet. I wore the jacket for the rest of the ride; when I finished it seemed that I was only wet from the original sweat, the jacket appeared to breathe. I splattered mud on it. Rain fell for long enough to wet the excavator tracks and spill the excess downhill. I pedaled up and got out of the rain and the track was dry. Amazing, I’ve experienced it w/ snow never rain.
So, how do the new additions affect the ride? Wow. First thing I noticed was the bike was solid: no loose bits vibrating. I am using the 22 chain ring for almost all the climbing because the middle ring is a 36 which gets big. No gear indicator window on new shifter causes me to look between my legs occasionally to see what gears I have to use. The bike pedals so easily uphill, it rockets forward. Phenomenal. The 31″ handlebar is taking getting used to, it’s like bull horns wide. The carbon deadens the vibrations. The first climb my hands fell asleep. The next climb they stayed awake. Leverage from the handlebar and the stiffness of the Industry 9 wheels says the fastest line is straight down and let the bike sort out the roots.
Solar shower in the parking lot. Another rider was gearing up to start up but kept looking at the sky. We struck up a conversation. He knows Shrimper, everybody knows Shrimper. He has known Todd since 4th grade. He finally pedaled away.
I am now riding the warrantied Giro Terraduro shoes, 3 rides so fall and they appear to be in tact.
Back into town. Ate dinner @ the Phoenix again. I left and walked around downtown. I ran into Heather setting up for the road bike race for today. I joined in helping. Today I joined her again as I was a volunteer at an aid station way up just shy of the Parkway. David and Sissy were the rest of the team, i rode w/ them on the Shrimper ride. Long twisty drive up to the location. We set up and waited for our customers. Long time coming. We were @ the top of a brutally long climb. The racers were all so polite and thanking us for helping them.
We tore down the aid station and loaded it all in David’s pick up. I drove up to the parkway for my route home. Just saying that these Blue Ridge mountains are amazing: so much green and mountains. I exited down thru the Pisgah towards Brevard. I remember riding out from the fish hatchery b4 Brevard. I pulled in late in the afternoon and geared up, filling my solar shower b4 pedaling off. Pisgah riding which here is mostly about roots which are like step up rocks. No pics. Another rewarding ride. Solar shower afterwards.
Tomorrow is to be a Todd shuttle. I will be leaving Monday AM for Wilkesboro and Warrior Creek. Going North. So many miles of trails unridden, not willing to dedicate the days and effort needed.