Point one- Ft. Jackson is now closed to visitors, including cyclists. Yeah, I know you pay your taxes, and think that entitles you to have free reign of the Army's largest training facility, but it doesn't.
Military installations are, ostensibly, sovereign nations. They operate under their own set of rules, and within their own confines. Regardless of what you think, letting visitors onto a military base, with little more than a driver's license check, is a HUGE security risk. I could go through a half dozen scenarios of exactly WHY, but you guys watch Homeland, so...
Be glad that we have been allowed to use their base for the last three decades. And please don't whinge that there are no places to ride. Or that roads have cars on them. As Bristol pointed out to someone last night, roads have cars, and the ocean has sharks...
Funny that I've put down 11k+ kms this year so far, and none have been on Fort Jackson. No place to ride...
Point Two- When I speak, and tell other riders things, it's not always to hear my own voice. Case in point?
We had a good ride going last night. Yeah, I broke a spoke going out 12th. Street, but a quick wraparound of the spoke, and opening of rear brakes, and we were on our way.
At the K-Rail on the PowerStation, I yelled, "Soft Sand". Someone crashed anyway...
Then, I was leading down the trail, at a good clip, and imparted upon everyone that they follow my lines. Well, a couple didn't, went on ahead, and at the mudhole, they over-rode their lights, and got to see first hand just how deep the hole is in the middle. (It's deep)
Back to the ride...
Because of the broken spoke, my rear wheel had some character, thus I was forced to open the brake. I can say, will some authority, running front brake only back in the trails really sucks. Crampy hand? Sure. Trail braking? Nope. Brake sounds akin to violating a goose? Most definitely.
And honestly, I was a bit shocked that the wheel didn't get worse as the ride progressed, especially considering it started the evening with 24 spokes, and ended with 23.
The wheel is going to the shop shortly for a new 282mm n/d spoke.
It was the caption from the #fauxtographer. "BIG AIR". Really? I think the photog is very easily impressed...
THIS, on the other hand, is BIG AIR...
Two wheels good :
And speaking of yes please...
Someone gave Hennessey their new Jag F-Type...
I will be stopping to pick up a few PowerBall tickets while out running errands this morning.
And so ends today's babbling...
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