Bubble Cross!!!

It's about that time to play in a sand box -- well read on....

It was on very short notice or a last minute decision and coordination to get out and have some fun time once in a while! Even to late to sign up online.
Saturday and time the idea rose and all got set finally to car pool Sunday morning part way with Paul (aka Darth Vader of the Dark Side) out West over Verizzano bridge via Staten Island -- no SICX this year, sadly no yet -- further over to NJ, Bubbling Springs.

That place -- looking awesome. Signing up for the Masters 40+ -- not really any places in reach nor in mind within that competition, just doing what ever was possible and having a great day and good fun ride.

Ah yes and it's the pre Halloween weekend....

Little race prep., course exploration/warmup, few photos and then staging for the race. Tough course, slow. The usual green (or dusty dry!!!) grassy twisting turns, soon hitting a short patch of gravel, a ramp leading via the "playground" to a few steps and around into the "beach" -- a not sure, but at least 150m fairly deep sand. That, then right a the end again loosening up and directly changing terrain into a short not to steep at all, but with all bottom momentum killed to death in sand... mostly to be running up trail section before remounting for a nice fun part around some wooded area. Little more grass, a short ugly sand pit #2 some what causing most troubles -- almost wiping out once... but saved it. Grass, woods a steep wobbly decent and short flat smooth strait with a right hand turn into sand box #3 seen here.

The race finishes with the first rider passing the finish line past 40minutes and all others will finish there started lap. As the course was fairly long no lapping happened for Py and he managed to almost get extra 10 minutes.... as he just passed the line with some 38 minutes ending up with a near 50 min CX race.
 

Just a few more random photos of the scene -- just enjoy!

 
 

.... and a long way back home.

*** MANY THANKS TO ALL ***

Queens to Bear Mountain and retur

What a beautiful fall day again got a great ride with friends :-)
Parking in Queens making the way over Queens Bridge (bike/ped path) -- if riders as people could eventually read signs and stay on there designated side?!??!? but guess it's NYC and no one cares...



Stop at a nice bike shop "Strictly Bikes" -- OK much better now after long awaited bathroom stop.



Then mostly on 9W making a good pace and all the way up to Bear.



Full size group image click here.

Little problem... Terris broke a spoke and ended up with a not field fixable bike for 10 miles... spare wheel at TOGA after short hitchhike for him.



and a busy routing across NYC... fun once in a while, but really no need for this every day.




Perfect and magnificent day for a ride, good group, nice alternative route, fun NYC crossing... thanks for getting it on :)

TOSREC 2013

The 8th annual Tour Of Scenic Rural Eastern Connecticut: Starting with the first ferry from Orient Point leaving at 7:30am to take a few riders with their bicycles over to New London.

 Some pictures of one more great ride! Be prepared for a good elevation accumulation, it's rolling all the time!

GAB Team BBB like Century++ -- 0% rain???

It was supposed to be 0% chance of rain.... Rolling out at 7:07 on a damp morning to meet the team about 50 min later in Riverhead at the Court. Disturbingly and unexpectedly the road was getting wet. Weird.
Then with the team heading out for a good 100 mile ride -- not including the to/from parts.
Still wet, not any improvement but getting worse. Heading to the 1st Ferry, staying inside in that tiny cabin... rolling off -- even more rain set in. Oh well, so what... same at 2nd ferry... almost heavy rain for a while. Lunch stop in Sag Harbor. Then just keep moving back -- beyond a flat or dead tire fix and shopping for a new tire for Gorge. Taking the chance also to shop a few snack and bananas.

Back home -- logging 145 dirty miles.

Forecast -- totally wrong, more a total sandy wash.