I've been asked where the header photo above was taken.
It's was taken on Mancation 2013 @ Brandywine State Park in Delaware. BSP is about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia, and possibly one of the best places I've ridden a bicycle...EVER.
There are MILES of trail just like the photo. Inside the park, there is groomed double track, flowy single track, and some technical stuff that is far beyond my pay grade. The Delaware Park Service also took it upon themselves to come to agreements with the surrounding landowners for use of the land that borders the Park. Strips of perfect singletrack run on the periphery of about a dozen farms.
One may pop out of the woods into a corn field, or on the edge of a horse pasture. It's all pretty sublime to be honest.
It's pretty easy to put together a 3-4 hour ride that is only on the tarmac for 30 minutes.
I'm getting all atwitter thinking about it. Only 6 weeks until Mancation 2014...
And the forward thinking folks in Pa. have also opened a majority of The Chester Valley Trail. It's a Rail-to-Trails project that now runs from Exton to just beyond Valley Forge National Park. One can ride from the suburbs, down the CVT, into Valley Forge, then pick up the Schuykill Trail, and pedal all the way into Philly...
Methinks this might be on the calendar for a ride this year as well. Leave the house, ride into Philly, have a nosh, and ride home. Nothing but a relaxed 65-70 miles. No big deal.
Speaking of relaxed rides...
The Thursday loop was a controlled affair...for a while. The group all stayed together over the climbs, then all hell broke loose on 302.
I thought I was chugging right along while pulling into South Congaree at 55kmh...until the very powerful Ben Jones went by like I was up on jackstands. Closing down that gap at 65kmh really really really really really hurt.
Ben pulled over, and his passenger couldn't pull through, so I went ahead and took the bullet.
That section whittled the group down quite a bit. And it should have. Word on the street says that we averaged right at 45kmh for the Gator to Airport section...in a crosswind.
It was the fastest ride of the year thus far.
I'm a little snapped right now, and just not looking forward to walking around Frankie's Fun Park this afternoon with a bunch of 7 year olds.
Salsa update : Accent colors are done, and the first two coats of satin black have been laid down. A couple more coats, and then some satin clear, and we're good to go. Parts are arriving, and everything is proceeding on schedule.
It's gonna be beautiful this weekend, so go outside and do whatever you do. Me? I'ma ride...
Or I might put on my zebra costume...
Time to de-homeless myself and run errands. The fun never ends....
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