2011 MS Rides Recap

Well, Kevin and I did meet up to ride the WV ride, but before we could get on the bikes, he had to return home to assist with a monstrous rainfall. As we were at dinner on Friday night, Kevin got two phone calls and a picture text from Allison about the tremendous rainstorm they were having at home. The power had gone out and there was 4 feet of water on the back patio which was seeping into the house. After dinner we put the bike and the suitcase back in his car and he headed home.

Maybe next year.

The ride was hilly. Who'd have guessed, right? Well, it was.

The ride started in White Sulphur Springs at the Greenbrier and finished at Snowshoe Mountain. They didn't make us ride clear to the top of the mountain, but stopped at a fire station in Cass and then bused us to the top. It was a kind gesture that all of us appreciated. As it was, we climbed almost 2300 feet that day. You know how many times you have to go up and over the overpasses in central IL to get to 2300 feet? I was tired by the time we got to the mountaintop.

Then came my mistake on Sunday. We were told on Saturday night not to miss the bus in the morning. There would be one bus and it would leave at 7:00am. If you weren't on it, you'd have to figure out your own way down the mountain to get your bike. So I exited my hotel building (the one that acted as the headquarters, where we had the meal on Sat. and breakfast on Sun. The complex at the top of Snowshoe Mountain must have 30 hotel-sized buildings, so to keep it simple, I stayed in the one where all the MS activity was going to be.) So now, back to my mistake.

So in the morning after breakfast, I walk out the front of my hotel building and there is a bus waiting to take us down the mountain. So I get on. I'm about the 5th guy on, but soon it fills with other bikers. My clue should have been when the women who has been in charge all weekend came on and said "Everybody got their trail map?" See in addition to the rode ride, there was also a trail ride that rode an old rail-to-trail line. But I didn't think fast enough. BTW, when I got on the bus, I looked for something that might have said what bus this was, but there was nothing.

Soon the bus left the mountaintop. And when it made a right turn at the bottom of the mountain instead of a left turn, I was a little concerned. As the miles went on, my concern was soon confirmed I was on the wrong bus. When we finally arrived at the town where all the trail riders were to get their bikes, I waited to get off the bus so that I could ask the driver if he was going back to the lodge and to Cass. Well, he said he was going back to the lodge, but that I needed to go to Cass and he wasn't going there. (Really? Cause my memory was that Cass was at the bottom of the mountain and would only be about 2 miles out of your way to take be there). He suggested I talk with some of the cars that had followed us that had other riders going on the trail ride (spouses along for the weekend driving their own vehicles). With that advice, he took off. Thanks buddy.

So I asked the first car behind the bus and the very nice women said she'd be happy to drive me to Cass but she was going to need a cup of coffee first. Heck, I told her I would buy her an entire breakfast for driving me back. On the way back to Cass, we took a different route than the bus had taken to get us there. As we drove up WV-28, I started seeing bikes coming at us. Sure enough, this was on the route back. If you ever get a chance to ride WV-28 from Dunmore to Hunrtersville, I would recommend it. The advantage of climbing 2300 feet on Saturday was that we got to come down 2300 feet on Sunday. That 15-16 mile stretch of WV-28 was almost all downhill. It was wonderful.

I made it back to the Greenbrier on Sunday and after I had finished eating a box lunch and taking a shower, I headed for home, arriving about 11:30 Sunday evening.

2011 MS Rides

So clearly I am not a blogger. I can't nor apparently have the desire to keep up with this. That said, let me at least update you on plans for 2011.

Kevin and I will be doing the WV MS Ride "Country Roads Ride" on August 20-21. It will be the first time together since Cape Cod since we couldn't make calendars work last year. I am looking forward to it.

And then on September 17-18 I will be in Tulsa OK riding in the "Mother Road Ride" from Tulsa to OK City. I am excited about this ride because my niece Karen lives/works in Norman and we are going to get to see each other. In fact, I might spend Saturday night at her home if I decide camping is too rough given that the town of Chandler OK only has two hotels and both have been booked for several months.

West Virginia MS Ride
Oklahoma MS Ride

Welcome 2010

I went out for the first time this season today. It was a bright sunny day with only a slight breeze. Temperatures were in the mid 40s. It was supposed to get to 50 today, but I don't believe it will. Regardless, it was a good ride and good to get out. I did the west loop extended (meaning I went as far west as Staley before coming back).

I reset the bike computer before I went out so that it would reflect all of 2010 in the ODO totals. In doing so, I wiped off the 2009 total - a new record for me - 1902 miles. A great year. Let's see if I can top that this year.

Broken Seat Bolt

I had a new experience this weekend. Knute and I were out riding Saturday morning going to Homer Lake and back. And on our way back, as we were riding down a newly oil and chipped road, the bolt holding my seat snapped. After collecting most of the parts, and calling Jeanne, we road back to Homer Lake Road and I waited for my ride.

I thought that buying a new bolt would solve my problem. How silly of me.

I first went to the bike store where I bought the bike. With parts in hand, they looked for a bolt. When they couldn't find one, they offered to order one for me. I knew that would be several weeks before I had a bolt, so I suggested I would check the competitors in town to see if I might get a bolt from them. So I went to the nearby competitor. They spent a lot of time trying to find the correct bolt (after commenting that my bolt was smaller than normal). So although they couldn't find a compatible small bolt, they came up with all the parts I should need to use the bigger bolt type. I went home happy.

However, what we both failed to remember was that the hole in the seat post was at the smaller 7mm size, not the new 8mm components I now had. Back in the car to go to the closer bike store to see if they might have the 7mm bolt I needed. They didn't either, but they suggested I go to Do It Best Hardware and simply buy an appropriate bolt.

You all know the drawer after drawer of nuts and bolts the hardware stores have. First recognize that most of those drawers of stuff are standard, not metric. Of the few metric drawers, most will have 2-4-6-8mm stuff, but not 7mm. Only one drawer in that entire isle of nuts and bolts contained 7mm bolts. I bought one that was estimated to be the length of the one I broke.

It turned out to be too short.

Rather than returning to Do It Best, I thought I'd try my local True Value. They had the longer bolt and it appears to be working. I have it installed and have ridden a few miles to make sure I had the seat adjusted correctly. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Oh, and so I went back to my original store to have them order the proper bolt so that I could ultimately replace the one from the hardware store. After spending much time on the computer looking at his parts lists, it seems like we can't order just the bolt. I will need to buy an entire new seat post to get the bolt I need.

A $25 seat post for a $0.75 bolt.