Riding in the Fall

[acc]

I was lucky to get out there today and roll around to my favorite BBQ place on the W&OD, although I have to confess I’ve learned the hard way to stick to the macaroni & cheese because I have another 20 miles to go to get home. While puking in the bushes after a ginormous pork sandwich is probably an effective diet plan, it is also a waste of perfectly good pork.

Because I took my time enjoying my food, I was slow to get back on the bike. The shadows were getting long. Last year I would have panicked, but not now. I have learned to put lights on my bike if I think there is even a remote possibility I might be out later than I thought. I have a Niterider 350 for the front and a blinky-thingy for the rear. (The rhinestones on my helmet can only do so much.) And I bring a spare set of eyewear with clear lenses because sunglasses just don’t work when the trail goes into sleep-mode. I also had a spare set of gloves because once the sun shifts lower in the sky it can get colder fast.

I realize to most of you this seems basic and commonsensical, but it wasn’t to me a year ago.

Safe riding and Yee-Haw (oh brother)
ann

Topic

[Arlingtonrider]

Great post. I rode out to the Long Bridge Park opening today with the youth ride from Phoenix Bikes, and ended up sitting on the benches on the esplanade for a few hours enjoying the views from the beautiful new park, a delicious sandwich from a food truck and the good company of a couple of people I met there. I hadn’t planned on sitting around, and was very glad to be able to reach into my bag for a warm scarf, a warmer pair of socks and a windproof vest. By the way, Phoenix bikes urges everyone to “vote” for them as mentioned on their website, http://www.phoenixbikes.org , to help them raise money to expand the reach of their great program.

[acc]

Had so much fun yesterday I decided to do it again today. During the fall I might as well call my rides “Stripper Rides.” I tend to leave a little trail of discarded clothing neatly folded along the W&OD. So far, as long as I neatly fold my jacket and leave it on a bench, it’s always been there when I circle back. I don’t leave anything I can’t part with but I freeze at the beginning of a ride and always overdress. At mile five the under jacket comes off, around mile 10 the full finger gloves come off along with the ear warmers. There were times today I wish I could have taken more off but well, good taste stepped in and stopped me. What I’m saying is, don’t suffer. It’s cold. And you will warm up, and it is possible to leave a cheap jacket for an hour or two neatly folded on a bench and it will probably still be there when you come back.

Happy trails,
ann

[creadinger]

@acc 10257 wrote:

I was lucky to get out there today and roll around to my favorite BBQ place on the W&OD, although I have to confess I’ve learned the hard way to stick to the macaroni & cheese because I have another 20 miles to go to get home. While puking in the bushes after a ginormous pork sandwich is probably an effective diet plan, it is also a waste of perfectly good pork.

Does this BBQ place happen to be at the corner of Ashburn Road? It’s the only BBQ place I think of near the trail. I’ve never stopped there before, but I have a severe addiction to mac&cheese and I’m already calculating how much I can eat if it’s a 64 mile round trip in the cold.

I rode out that way last Wednesday and though I did not see random discarded clothing anywhere I did see a very active turtle at Smith’s Switch Station. Got me thinking – where do turtles go in the winter? I guess they hibernate by burrowing?

On Saturday this past weekend I was out with the wife and I think we saw Dirt doing the W&OD/MVT/Custis/W&OD triangle.

[acc]

Many of my favorite fantasies involve carbon fiber, muddy cyclocross courses, and macaroni & cheese, perhaps not in that order and probably not in combination, but the macaroni & cheese is so good at Carolina Brothers I actually rode out there again the next day and but for the pesky problem of having a male riding partner whom I did not want to think of me as quite the pig I am, I would have had seconds and licked the plate.

Next time I’m riding alone. Problem solved. (Setting priorities is important.)

ann

[consularrider]

With a three day weekend coming up, I should be doing a BBQ ride at least once.

[vvill]

I love that ride, although I’ve only done it once. I can’t imagine puking up that delicious food, sorry for your loss I remember cramming it down as well as some sugary fuel and thinking “well, that was quite a lot of food” but amazingly I didn’t get a stomach ache. A little odd since I often get indigestion just walking down the street after a big meal.

When I’m healthy again I might even try it on my MTB bike. I need to wear-in the studded tires with a gentle ride.

[Author]

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