Some who know me will know that I’ve been road biking for quite a while. Recently I came to possess a mountain bike, rather unexpectedly. I’ve always thought I’d enjoy mountain biking, because I like being in the woods, but with a dearth of trails nearby and having a lot of time constraints, I didn’t pursue it. A couple months ago I got an Email at work saying “hey, 25 years, congratulations, go to this web site and pick you out an award gift”. I started scrolling through endless lists of watches, small appliances, jewelry, coffee makers, and was about to decide not to bother with… OOO! I can get a mountain bike! And with fewer time contraints these days, as Chang said, “when the time is right for something, nothing can prevent it”.

So I got the bike (it’s not a high-end bike by any means, Walmart and Tractor Supply sell these), but for the price it’s a good learning tool. The Most Important thing I learned right off is that mountain biking and road biking are almost, but not quite completely different. Two wheels, two pedals, gears, that’s about the overlap. Even the handle bars and shifters are different. In fact, in some ways, my extensive road biking experience is a hindrance, as riding trails is apt to set off all my road-biker-instinct alarm bells. Gravel??? Emergency stop! Mud! AKKkkk! Plus there’s skill involved in this. I’ve often hiked trails used by mountain bikers and thought “Geez, they ride this trail? Intense!”

I don’t know that anything I’ve been doing so far counts as “intense” (to anyone except me), but I’ve been getting better at this. I spent this morning on the (so-called) Long Cane Horse Trail (it’s actually multi-use), completing my most ambitious ride so far. I’d say I rode most of the trail, hopping off to walk just intermittently when it got more technical than I wanted to attempt or I couldn’t silence those road-biker alarm bells.

I started at the Parsons Mountain Lake recreation area, joining the trail at point “I” if you’re looking at the map. I decided to go clock-wise, as the last segment in that direction looked a bit tamer (I was right about that). The trail was pretty easy to follow, although a few places where it crossed a road could have used some additional marking. Looking at the map you’d think the trail just crossed the road, but in reality, there was an offset left or right.

This was a nice leg along the McGill Branch:

Along the way there were some historic sites. I’m not real sure what this one was:

but this seems Important:

There was some logging going on south of Curtail Road, this swath cut across the trail (one of those crossings that could use some additional marking):

Point “B”, a bit over half-way for my planned route, was a good place to stop for some fuel transfer:

I’m still not too keen on some of these water crossings:

There was another one on a narrow metal bridge that I ended up tip-toeing the bike across because I just wasn’t ready to charge down the hill, across that little narrow bridge (even though I know I can ride a straight line) and back up the other side.

I’ll get there.
Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/9419102990

This year’s Flight of the Dove ride was great!, as I’ve come to expect. I’ve ridden this ride every year since it started and I’ll keep coming back.

Before I get into the ride, I want to make a general observation. There are sources of inspiration all around us, if we but look. I mentioned my Sister’s perseverance caring for her terminally-ill Husband. On this ride I saw another one. I guess if you saw these two guys in any other setting, you’d probably say they were handicapped, but what I saw was inspiring. They rode the 62-mile route on these recumbent bikes, pedaling with their hands and arms. Let me tell you, there were places I was having a hard time keeping up with them.
Should I ever find myself in such a condition, I’m going to be thinking of these guys. (As usual, you can click on the pictures for a full-res version.)

Now on with the ride! I hadn’t been riding much this year (at least not as much as I usually do, or would like to), so I actually considered dropping back to the 30-mile route, or taking the 50-mile shortcut. But, that’s s slippery slope, and I elected to go for the 62-mile ride, even if it took me all day.

Weather was near perfect: overcast skies, no rain, cool temperatures, especially for a South Carolina August. The only thing I could complain about was the wind, which tended towards a headwind late in the ride, especially on SC72. But you can’t have everything (even though this ride comes close).

I usually get to events and appointments early, and this was no exception. Even still, there were a lot of riders already there when I arrived, about an hour before the start.

It looked like a good turnout.

The rest stops were well attended and provisioned.

The third rest stop was at the Belfast Rifle Range, where arrangements had been made for riders to do some shooting, should they desire.

You, know, when you’re in a port-a-potty and someone fires off a high-powered rifle, it gets your attention, until you remember you’re at a rifle range.

It don’t get much more rural than this:

Some of the happy volunteers who make this a real rider’s ride.

The support on this ride can’t be beat. In addition to those smiling and helpful rest stop folks, SAG vehicles were in evidence, as well as the motorcycle folks patrolling. At several busy intersections, Sheriff’s Deputies were there to manage traffic.

Finally, finished, and it didn’t even take me all day:

One of the many things the organizers do a great job on is marking the roads, not just with directional marks (and those extra marks every few kilometers on the long stretches are appreciated – I always wonder if I missed a turn), but also marking the hazards like potholes, bumps, railroad crossings, and such. There was one spot on Bush River Rd. that had taken a beating from all the recent rains. I’d almost swear it was in worse condition when I went back for this picture than it was when I rode through there earlier in the day.

You really couldn’t say much else about that little stretch.

As usual, this was another super ride. For those who didn’t make it, please try harder next year. You won’t find a better ride: route, support, food, and no restroom lines. And, to top it all off, it supports a great charity, Hospice of Laurens County. It’s an organization like this that really helped my Sister and made it possible for her to care for her Husband.

Next up, the Ride for Raptors.

Last weekend’s Jake Calvert Benefit ride was a success, judging by the turnout. I don’t have any numbers, but it looked like at least as good a crowd as last year.

The weather cooperated nicely, especially considering the soggy pattern we’ve been in, and the roads were all they were touted to be (I ride most of these roads regularly, so I had no reason to be surprised). If you didn’t come, you missed a great ride!

One thing I wrestle with is the idea of driving somewhere to ride my bike. This ride was close enough to home (not quite 20km, or about 12 miles) that I decided to “ride to the ride”. I thought that doing the 80-km/50-mile ride, plus 20 km back and forth, would be a stretch, but it would be doable. Turns out that on latter part of the 2nd loop I was getting pre-cramp indications, and decided to remain on the “home” side of the Saluda river. Still made a 102 km (63 mile) ride out of it, which is my longest of the season.

A good time was had by all, and I’m sure we raised a chunk of money for Jake:

Hey everyone, this year’s Jake Calvert Benefit bicycle ride is on!

This is a ride to benefit Jake Calvert, a 9-year-old kid from Ware Shoals, SC who’s fighting leukemia. All proceeds go to Jake.

29-June-2013, 08:00, starting from the Ware Shoals High School and covering some of the best roads in western Laurens County and some of the best scenery you want to ride by. I know, this is my home range. Be there or be left wishing you were :P.

Sign up at http://jakecalvert.eventbrite.com/, or fill out this form out and bring it to the ride.