Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Lost Clydesdale!

I left my home bout 9:30 AM this morning, assuming I'd meet the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia group heading out to the Ludwig's Corner Horse Show, Rt 401 and Rt 100, and ride with them for three minutes before they drop me. After all, they were leaving from Wayne at 9:30, and Valley Forge by ten, and the cue sheet I had showed a 25 mile group riding on Art School Road. There are only so many good ways over the hills in my area. So I arrived at Old Kimberton and Art School Road at 19 minutes after ten, and began taking photos of the creek and nearby farm. An exhausted uber-roadie, in full pro kit matching his aero-barred bike, showed up, and we spent 20 minutes talking. It turns out the fellow lives nearby, and far from being an uber-roadie, he's a middle-aged out-of condition fellow who decided to buy top-notch gear when he got his bike, on the store's recommendation. "I should take off these things" he said, pointing to the aero bars as he shifted his weight from one carbon-fiber-soled shoe to another. "I never use them." The term "OCP", short for "Obsessive Compulsive Poseur" came to mind, but I dismissed it, for the guy wasn't aware of the impression he was making, and OCP folks always try very hard to make an impression.

By now it was 10:45, and I decided to push on. Uber-roadie had recovered from his exhausting seven miles, and after I pointed him to one of the few flat stretches in Kimberton, I rode up Art School Road, stopping for photographs as the spirit moved me, and hoping some BCP members would come along. And not just for companionship, for by now I'd discovered I'd forgotten the cue sheet.

Soon enough uber-roadie and his matching Cannondale joined me, and we passed the time talking. I enjoy riding with better riders, and I try to learn from them when I can. Fortunately for me, if not for him, this fellow seemed pretty spent, so I didn't feel as if I were an anchor. Soon enough we reached Horseshoe Trail Road, and I recalled the cue sheet instructing us to make a left, so we did.

This left turn was probably a mistake, since this brought the two of us onto Rt. 113, a road in the completely opposite direction. We turned right onto 113, which has a nice wide shoulder. After a mile we reached 401, and we separated. I was urged to ride down to Rt. 100, which intersects Rt. 113 in a couple of miles, and then ride up 100 to the horse show, but despite the traffic, I thought 401 was ridable, and perhaps less hilly. So off I went, traffic whipping by me at 50 MPH as I struggled up the hills I should have known were there. "Next time, bring the cue sheet", I thought.

I reached the horse show between 12:15 and 12:30. I saw some of the horse jumping, and toured the antique car show being held at the site. I saw two antique bicycles in the bed of a 1937 truck. But I saw no BCP members, or indeed any other cyclists. Nor did any of the volunteers I spoke with notice any other cyclists arriving before me. I grew tired of being the sole cyclist, and the only Clydesdale at the horse show. After an hour or so, I decided to not wait around, and so I pedaled out of there.

I had two choices of routes home. Either Rt 100 North to Pughtown Road, which is the shortest way, or Rt. 401 to a connecting road over the hill, most probably St. Matthew's. I chose the second, fearing heavy traffic on 100, including horse and car trailers. Rt. 401 led to St. Matthew's Road. I climbed the ridge, followed the road to Kimberton, and from there home. I finished with 30 miles, more than 100 photos taken, 1900 feet of climbing, and the nagging question, "What happened to the BCP horse show ride?"

The answer soon enough appeared in my email. I'd missed an email announcing the 25 group ride was eliminated, and the scheduled 50 mile route took different roads entirely!

This is why long ago I stopped seeking out adventure.
Life's adventures seem to find me of their own accord easily enough.:D

Glad to see you survived and well done in the tender treatment of the noob.

Aaah! The picture comes clearer now! Although, seriously, was this guy inspiring you to go roadie?? I'm so hurt!! :roflmao2:

Aaah! The picture comes clearer now! Although, seriously, was this guy inspiring you to go roadie?? I'm so hurt!! :roflmao2:

Well, I've struggled with some of the same thoughts whenever I ride with you, Dan. After all, you, for all intents and purposes, taught me to ride. (How's that for something to weigh on your conscience!) :)

This is why long ago I stopped seeking out adventure.
Life's adventures seem to find me of their own accord easily enough.:D

Glad to see you survived and well done in the tender treatment of the noob.

That's BEAUTIFUL! :lol: May I use that?

Well, I've struggled with some of the same thoughts whenever I ride with you, Dan. After all, you, for all intents and purposes, taught me to ride. (How's that for something to weigh on your conscience!) :)

It weighs heavily, my friend, quite heavily.:D

This is why long ago I stopped seeking out adventure.
Life's adventures seem to find me of their own accord easily enough.:D


It turns out my solo ride was a lot better than the club ride. According to the ride leader, they didn't even stop at the horse show, but had lunch at a gas station a quarter-mile from the show grounds. Sadly typical. Ride 25 miles to an event just so you can say "Tag!"

I'll upload some photos this evening.

It turns out my solo ride was a lot better than the club ride. According to the ride leader, they didn't even stop at the horse show, but had lunch at a gas station a quarter-mile from the show grounds. Sadly typical. Ride 25 miles to an event just so you can say "Tag!"

Neil, you sound like the fox in Aesop's fable, "The Fox and the Grapes." ;)

We did a total of about 53 hilly miles on some very scenic roads on a beautiful day. We saw plenty of horses along the way, though admittedly, they were grazing, not jumping. Sorry we missed you, but notwithstanding Tom's hoagie at the Sunoco, it was a fun ride. It was all about the journey, not the destination!

Actually, looking at the bikely.com map you posted in your other thread, it looks like you had a pretty good ride as well and you ended up riding at least some of the same roads as the group ride (like St. Mathews Road, for example, which was one of my favorite parts of the ride.)

I left my home bout 9:30 AM this morning, assuming I'd meet the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia group heading out to the Ludwig's Corner Horse Show, Rt 401 and Rt 100, and ride with them for three minutes before they drop me. After all, they were leaving from Wayne at 9:30, and Valley Forge by ten, and the cue sheet I had showed a 25 mile group riding on Art School Road. There are only so many good ways over the hills in my area. So I arrived at Old Kimberton and Art School Road at 19 minutes after ten, and began taking photos of the creek and nearby farm. An exhausted uber-roadie, in full pro kit matching his aero-barred bike, showed up, and we spent 20 minutes talking. It turns out the fellow lives nearby, and far from being an uber-roadie, he's a middle-aged out-of condition fellow who decided to buy top-notch gear when he got his bike, on the store's recommendation. "I should take off these things" he said, pointing to the aero bars as he shifted his weight from one carbon-fiber-soled shoe to another. "I never use them." The term "OCP", short for "Obsessive Compulsive Poseur" came to mind, but I dismissed it, for the guy wasn't aware of the impression he was making, and OCP folks always try very hard to make an impression.

By now it was 10:45, and I decided to push on. Uber-roadie had recovered from his exhausting seven miles, and after I pointed him to one of the few flat stretches in Kimberton, I rode up Art School Road, stopping for photographs as the spirit moved me, and hoping some BCP members would come along. And not just for companionship, for by now I'd discovered I'd forgotten the cue sheet.

Soon enough uber-roadie and his matching Cannondale joined me, and we passed the time talking. I enjoy riding with better riders, and I try to learn from them when I can. Fortunately for me, if not for him, this fellow seemed pretty spent, so I didn't feel as if I were an anchor. Soon enough we reached Horseshoe Trail Road, and I recalled the cue sheet instructing us to make a left, so we did.

This left turn was probably a mistake, since this brought the two of us onto Rt. 113, a road in the completely opposite direction. We turned right onto 113, which has a nice wide shoulder. After a mile we reached 401, and we separated. I was urged to ride down to Rt. 100, which intersects Rt. 113 in a couple of miles, and then ride up 100 to the horse show, but despite the traffic, I thought 401 was ridable, and perhaps less hilly. So off I went, traffic whipping by me at 50 MPH as I struggled up the hills I should have known were there. "Next time, bring the cue sheet", I thought.

I reached the horse show between 12:15 and 12:30. I saw some of the horse jumping, and toured the antique car show being held at the site. I saw two antique bicycles in the bed of a 1937 truck. But I saw no BCP members, or indeed any other cyclists. Nor did any of the volunteers I spoke with notice any other cyclists arriving before me. I grew tired of being the sole cyclist, and the only Clydesdale at the horse show. After an hour or so, I decided to not wait around, and so I pedaled out of there.

I had two choices of routes home. Either Rt 100 North to Pughtown Road, which is the shortest way, or Rt. 401 to a connecting road over the hill, most probably St. Matthew's. I chose the second, fearing heavy traffic on 100, including horse and car trailers. Rt. 401 led to St. Matthew's Road. I climbed the ridge, followed the road to Kimberton, and from there home. I finished with 30 miles, more than 100 photos taken, 1900 feet of climbing, and the nagging question, "What happened to the BCP horse show ride?"

The answer soon enough appeared in my email. I'd missed an email announcing the 25 group ride was eliminated, and the scheduled 50 mile route took different roads entirely!

You know your never really lost, as long as you know what direction home (or home base) is, probably a good idea is to keep a provincial or*state map and an orienteering compass in your pack for the longer rides. Knowing your in Erie, and need to get to Philly is easy if you have a state map and can figure out which direction to go. I suggest an old fashioned orienteering compass, because it can languish in your pack unused for years, and when you go to use it, you will not find it has dead batteries :D Most official maps also have the orienteering markings on them, and it's easy to use it to find your way. If you don't know how, look here (http://www.learn-orienteering.org)

Your never actually lost anyway, just going somewhere different then planned :D

Neil, you sound like the fox in Aesop's fable, "The Fox and the Grapes." ;)

We did a total of about 53 hilly miles on some very scenic roads on a beautiful day. We saw plenty of horses along the way, though admittedly, they were grazing, not jumping. Sorry we missed you, but notwithstanding Tom's hoagie at the Sunoco, it was a fun ride. It was all about the journey, not the destination!

Actually, looking at the bikely.com map you posted in your other thread, it looks like you had a pretty good ride as well and you ended up riding at least some of the same roads as the group ride (like St. Mathews Road, for example, which was one of my favorite parts of the ride.)

I don't see it as sour grapes at all. I've never understood the desire to ride to something just to turn around and ride back. Then again, I never liked "tag" either. :)

Your never actually lost anyway, just going somewhere different then planned :D

I was told to be lost you needed to a) not know where you are and b) care... Now I am hardly ever lost :)

I don't see it as sour grapes at all. I've never understood the desire to ride to something just to turn around and ride back. Then again, I never liked "tag" either. :)

Some things the BCP ride didn't see.

Springer at the horse show didn't live up to his name, faulting a number of times. He just cleared the last hurdles as I got this shot.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2838246793_e5e673f10d_b.jpg

Also at the fair grounds was an antique car show. Here, in the back of a 1937 Buick truck, were two restored bikes.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2839127566_f1e57e7cc8_b.jpg

1901 Duryea.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/2838317245_937c05223f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2839144838_44320c66a2_b.jpg

Another view of the exhibition grounds and midway.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/2839173048_ff791a70c1_b.jpg

Also at the fair grounds was an antique car show. Here, in the back of a 1937 Buick truck, were two restored bikes.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2839127566_f1e57e7cc8_b.jpg



I think I need that red bike.

Looks like a beautiful day. Thanks for sharing your pictures.