Two Times Rocky Point RCA Trail

Skippn the last Early Birds -- Py has seen enough of that North Route now. Going off road today! A decent Cross bike handling and trail skills training -- the trail is supposed to be in great hard packed shape with exception of the few sand boxes. So taking the Stonie Cross set up with 700x30C. Fast. Agile. Just needs some skills and high attention to the trail. Just at the edge of little skidding at times. Fun ride. First lap taking all there is.

Second lap -- little easy attempts, but flying on the main trail with selected additions only:

RP2IPBP -- group "decay"

What was this today? A cool breezy morning around 8C, clear and sunny -- nice. Rolling off from Tildas at 8:02am. A new rider and a few usual suspects, we will see. Group of six. Moving out smoothly and picking up reasonable speed on the way -- with the help of some wind WNW turning to more SW later. The new rider looking good. Unexpectedly waited up for Dan and but lost him later again... seams not his day. Py was hoping for some more "support" today, but again did the major work... plus chasing after M&T after two delays, 1st wait for traffic split up + dump tractor + looong trailer pulling in front from left and blocking the road... However, arriving at IPBP together.

Nice in the sun on the wind sheltered side.

Return, more wind and work. Dan rejoining. M took a short pull South, Py took over -- so far everybody seamed together Py thought and kept moving into the element wind. At the turn into Middle Country he noticed the new guy was missing -- no body appeared to know about. Looking back and waiting for a moment -- he should be in sight by that time -- but was not. Must have been backtracking early... Nothing he could do that time. And again chasing after, as no one really waited or slowed... Passing the tracks to Riverhead on Mill/25 -- Py noticed some weird loud noise behind. M behind stopping at the turn. Diagnose: broken spoke as result of hitting or attempting to hop the tracks... Rear wheel badly out of true, even rubbing the frame, no spoke adjustments possible with these rims (inside the rim nipples+tubular) -- stuck and waiting for later pickup.

Now down to 4.

Py kept pulling... On Mill, Dan got behind again... down to 3 and finished this way. The new guy obviously made it back as his car was gone -- good.

Thanks to T & D for picking up M.

Py thought after that work it's fine to celebrate a little bit the "scary" season :-)

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EBs South

A little tiered... still pitch dark at 6:30... taking the car to the start... wet roads... not really cold, but the moisture in the air is generating a little chill for the first miles... South.

Some strong efforts, doing OK, but not feeling so great. Slippery wicked wet bridge. Good move in Dune Road and over the 2nd bridge.

Towards the end his little sprained finger noticed every bump... but still, felt good getting out and this done today.

Early Birds North - we had that already...

Nothing in particular. Just too dark for Py to get out in time and ride to the start now finally that's over for the season. So 1st time for the year he drive his car to the start of and local ride.

An easy group showed up and it ended up in an easy 55 mile ride.

Just miss'n the usual extra 25 miles.

RP2IPBP -- Three Riders and the Wind

Three riders were flying and fighting the wind today -- big part Py himself all the time. Nothing really special, just breezy and quite some gusts -- typical fall, nice and clear sky. A lot of sticks and fallen branches to watch out for, Py almost got into trouble 1st thing out of his house up the hill stalling with a serious stick jamming his big ring... And flying with the wind at up to 40 mph on the flats -- that was fun!

At IPBP -- watching waves!

TOSREC 2010

This year it was the 5th annual Tour Of Scenic Rural Eastern Connecticut. Fairly late start as the first ferry from Orient Point left at 7:30 instead of 7am. Just a small number of riders today -- 5 for the first part until the bagel stop...

From then on just John, Dan and Py proceeded for the most scenic and rural part of the ride up North. The weather was about the best they had all years -- could hardly have been any nicer.

Py also took some HD video footage, to be edited. So be sure to check back here again soon!
Flying over some rolling terrain, no wind, just gorgeous. Only a few "group" reassembly's after the climbs...

And this finally at 5 miles to go was totally unnecessary but shit happens and nothing Py could do about that moment, as he could not see it coming:
After a wait up Py just started riding on a side walk, John about a bike length in front -- heading into highlight (into the sun at about 4:30 towards the ferry) -- as he all sudden heard some banging as he rolled over some about 3 ft long steel U-shaped slight bend profile (It looked like a left over part from a road sign post). Py had no chance, could not see it, John went some how just around it -- the bad thing was this darn scrap metal popped up/got stuck to his front wheel and got caught in between the rim and fork and let Py go fly :-(

He was lucky landing/rolling over to his right on grass and did barley got hurt :-) However, that thing still stuck in to the bike hit his left hand/fingers and scraped off some skin a little ugly in multiple places -- but no worries. So far, bike/frame/fork seams physically OK, he finished the ride carefully. But frame and fork took a bunch of nasty big scrapes at the down tube, fork also the rim is a little scratched and brake runs not smooth on that spots. Guess he will have the shop have a look it, but Py is afraid of they can not say more than he can find. Seams he needs more paint.... see picture of the poor frame/fork, looks worse than he does :-(

Statistics -- missed the first 5 miles (last start of the timer):



And a late addition, finally finished editing job:

Early Birds South - Bbrrrr freezing cold start

Py was not sure this morning if he would get enough light to ride out to the start... but last minute at about 6:35am -- the early dawn gave was just enough light to get going. Putting on knee warmers and the wind breaking (at front only) long sleeved top layer should do it he thought -- 46F at his house looking alright. Rolling down to the main road a slight chill got into his extremities... cold ears for the first time signaled it been colder than thought -- well, getting into the TT tuck hiding from the wind and spinning along at good pace he though he should get warm. Not really, it felt getting worse with that wind chill moving fast... His feet slowly also felt a bit uncomfy. No sun yet, still below the horizon. Moving South, passing 25 it seamed even getting colder or with it just him feeling like?? -- wicked.

Reaching Grumman Blvd he slowed down his pace, shivering all over... but slower felt good. Absolutely gorgeous silence, no wind -- just freaking cold. The sun, well, just about horizontal hitting tree tops only. Looking forward to a warm up at the Golden Bow Place at the start....

He felt like it was freezing outside all sudden -- can that be? However -- made it to the start in time, about 13mins left to warm up. Nice warm air inside. Arms, fingers and toes toes coming slowly back into comfort zone.

The cause of all trouble -- a mere 33F at Manorville, no wonder. Gathering in a sunny spot...

Moving out quickly spinning at high rev... hoping to warm up soon. Moving with the group and hiding behind others most the time finally was just alright. Hitting the South and water near areal was nice, temps rose slowly up and getting just into the comfort zone. Nice move on Dune Rd, one bigger puddle slowed them down. Good push over the bridge. The usual procedure...

One flat stop shortly after the 7-11. Back at Manorville it just got nice.

Rolling home.

RP2IPBP -- guest riders from western LI

One more magnificent late summer day, crisp clear blue sky, temps in the upper 70ties, a dry breeze of air out of NE. Same old route out to Iron Pear Beach Park. Good pace of about 20.7 mph.

Early Birds North North North -- A Chilly Wind

This may be the last Sunday of the season Py rode to the start -- before time change to DST. Just dawn and light enough to get out at 6:32 -- relying on passive/reflective visibility on shoes, bike and yes closes for the first few minutes... good there is not much (if any) traffic that early.

The sun sill below the horizon (right), compare to just two weeks earlier about same time and place (left) -- riding towards Wading River -- and a slight chill in the air.

left: quite exactly two weeks ago 6:50am, right: today 6:54am.

The group, basically just a few of the old core birds. Some good work needed to overcome the NorEastern wind -- cross/head winds to face all the way out. Marco, Trevor, Rick, Gerald and Py did most of the work. What a re leave at the turn around point towards the Cutchogue Deli.

A hot coffee, well not so hot at all, felt good. Moving on, steady and fairly fast for the small goup. On 111 Py chased up on Marco&Rick... G hanging on. Lost G on 51. Marco, Rick, Py left -- Py, M, Rick finishing, then G and later the rest of the group.

Heading home, Py felt kind of cold and out of energy -- but still managed the regular return on NC. Good for reviving: recovery banana... mix & hot shower :-)

RP2IPBP -- good number of riders today -)

Heading out east to the Iron Pear Beach again with a good sized group today. Changing size as Kris joined shortly as we got en route, George only joined us until Wildwood and returned, John meet us after Boy Scout Hill and Karl showed up at the Beach Park... so we have been 12 riders and about 10 on average.

Quick reassembly on top of NWRd. Then good moving into the wind/cross winds to the beach. Johnny managed to break his rear dérailleur cable, well the barrel at the end ripped off -- fixed it with a knot to a medium gear.

Heading back, nice support by the wind :-)