bobby c

Several weeks ago user tlc20010 (aka the Grampster) posted here about techniques for getting better at hills. Lots of good replies, much of which centered around riding more in hills. I made an offer to Grampster to ride some hills locally, now that our schedules seem to be in synch, it looks like we are riding in upper Montgomery County this coming Saturday - March 17th (weather permitting).

So any 50+’ers in the DC area are invited for a ride, looks like a 10:30 start near Boyds (map, directions & route forthcoming). The usual ride is around 47 miles, though it can be shortened if necessary. Typically it takes from 3-4 hours, depending on the speed of the riders, stops, etc. We’ll be taking it easy so no speed records during this ride. If it takes longer, no problem.

For those not familiar with the area (basically a big circle around Poolesville that takes you from the Potomac River to the base of Sugarloaf Mt.), it has about 3,500 feet of climbing, mostly rolling hills but with some big guys as well (at least for me). There are a couple of places to stop for food if desired, though I usually pack my own. If I do stop, it is usually in summer when I run out of liquids (I doubt the water fountain at the base of Sugarloaf is running yet, but will be soon).

Now this ride is being posted here in the 50+ forum but it is open to young whippersnappers as well, as long as they abide by the following rules:

1. You’ll hear us older folks talking about bikes when we were younger that weighed 40 pounds, and we liked it.
2. We’ll be complaining about today’s grand tour racers and their fancy outfits and sissy team cars. When we were younger, racers rode up the mountain and fixed their own damn bike. Sometimes they shared wine with the other riders and sometimes they smoked.
3. And we don’t want to hear about any of those new-fangled performance enhancement drugs like EPO and steroids. The only performance enhancement drug talk allowed on this ride are for Flomax, G/C, HRT, Rogaine and Viagra.
4. And the youngsters better not be talking about shaving grams of weight off their bikes. At our age, weight is discussed in terms of pounds, and lots of them.
5. And there better not be any of that new fangled music the kids listen to these days. If you want to talk about music, you better be talking about Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra, Woody Guthrie, the Ink Spots, Clifford Brown, Art Tatum or others from the era. OK, we’ll allow talk about one of those new youngsters like Bob Dylan, but only if it is in his pre-electric phase.
6. iPods? Just tape a damned transistor radio to the side of your helmet if you want, AM comes in just fine out there.
7. And there will come a time when the oldsters will want to separate from the young ones on the ride so we can discuss the best way to keep those damn kids off our lawns.

Anyone up for the ride, just post here!

Bob